On Tap Presented By Ric’s Café: Waking To Life With The Spring Sizzler At Stafford Speedway

On Tap: Presented By Ric’s Cafe

And then there was one:

Thompson Speedway had their Icebreaker.

The Waterford Speedbowl their Blastoff

Now it’s time to Sizzle.

Stafford Motor Speedway kicks off its 2014 season with the running of the NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler this weekend.

Check below for all the information on this weekend’s local racing schedule.
What: 43rd Spring Sizzler

Where: Stafford Motor Speedway

When: Saturday and Sunday

Schedule

Saturday: Practice and qualifying for all divisions; Features: 20-lap SK Light Modified, 20-lap Limited Late Model, 15-lap DARE Stock and 25-lap Northeast Mini Stock. Grandstands open: 10 a.m.; Practice begins: 10 a.m.; Qualifying begins: 2:30 p.m.

Sunday: Features: 200-lap NASCAR Modified Tour Spring Sizzler, 40-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified and 30-lap Late Model. Pit party begins: 11 a.m.; Features begin: 1 p.m.

More: The season opening event at Stafford Motor Speedway. … The showcase event of the weekend is the 200-lap NASCAR Modified Tour race. … Marks the second of 14 events for the NASCAR Modified Tour this season. … The season opened on April with Justin Bonsignore winning in the Icebreaker 150 at Thompson Speedway. … The series will compete at state short tracks eight times in 2014. The division will visit Stafford Speedway four times, Thompson Speedway three times and the Waterford Speedbowl once. … Bobby Santos III is the defending champion of the event. … Ted Christopher leads all drivers with five NASCAR Modified Tour Spring Sizzler victories (2002, ’03, ’08, ’09, ’10). He also won the Spring Sizzler in 1988, when the SK Modified division was the headline races for the event. Christopher is the all-time winningest driver overall at Stafford Speedway. … Will mark the 111th NASCAR Modified Tour race at Stafford since 1985. There have been 31 different NASCAR Modified Tour winners at Stafford all-time, led by Mike Stefanik’s 20 victories. … Eight times in the 30-year history of the NASCAR Modified Tour, the Spring Sizzler winner has gone on to win the championship that same year. The list includes Stefanik (1989, ’97, ’98), Doug Coby (2012), Christopher (2008), Donny Lia (2007), Tony Hirschman (2005) and Richie Evans (1985). … Sunday’s race is expected to feature seven former series champions in, Coby, Santos, Christopher, Lia, Tomaino, Ryan Preece, and Ron Silk. … Woody Pitkat begins defense of his 2013 NASCAR All-American Series SK Modified championship at Stafford. 2013 SK Light Modified division champion Tony Membrino Jr. moves up the SK Modified division at the track for 2014. Adam Gray is the reigning champion of the track’s Late Model division. … For more information check the Stafford Motor Speedway website.

Where: Waterford Speedbowl

What: NASCAR All-American Series event

When: Saturday

Schedule: 35-lap NASCAR All-American Series SK Modified, 50-lap Street Stock, 25-lap Mini Stock, 25-lap Legends and 25-lap New England Truck Series. Grandstands open: 3 p.m.; Qualifying: 4:30 p.m.; Features: 7 p.m.

More: The fourth event of the season at the shoreline oval. Tyler Chadwick won last week’s SK Modified feature, holding off reigning division champion Keith Rocco, who has a victory and two second place finishes in three events in the division this year. … Ed Puleo is the other winner in the SK Modified division in 2014. … The Street Stock division takes center stage this week with the running of a 50-lap feature for the division. Puleo, Josh Galvin and Al Stone III have victories in the division this year. … For more information check the Waterford Speedbowl website.