Nichole Morgillo will hang up the helmet for the 2015 and her husband Shawn Thibeault will replace her in the No. 56 SK Modified and run at Thompson Speedway full-time.
Nichole Morgillo likes to joke regularly about getting roughed up by the competition racing in the SK Modified divisions locally.
Tuesday she wanted to make it clear that when the car hits the track this year, that all the competition knows it’s her husband no behind the wheel and not her.
Shawn Thibeault of Plainville will take over Morgillo’s familiar No. 56 SK Modified ride for the 2015 and run full-time in the SK Modified division at Thompson Speedway.
Thibeault and Morgillo were married on December 6.
“We’re a little on the broke side, but we can’t not race,” Morgillo said. “So the Thompson schedule is really ideal for us with seven races. We’re going to keep it the 56 car. I still want my car out there. It’s going to look the same, just like it’s Nichole Morgillo’s. I hope people realize it’s not Nichole Morgillo and drive him like he’s Shawn Thibeault. We’ll see. I can’t wait to see that.”
Morgillo has been racing an SK Modified regularly between Stafford Motor Speedway and the Waterford Speedbowl since 2008. In 2013 she became the first women ever to win an SK Modified feature at the Waterford Speedbowl. She has been racing competitive since she was six years old.
“It’s been 20 years of racing,” Morgillo said “It’s going to be tough not racing. I’m not pregnant as of now, but we are trying to start a family so racing isn’t ideal for me to do at that time. But in the beginning I’m sure it’s going to be tough for me to sit there and not drive. But at least my husband will be the one driving my car and I support him more than anybody in the world.”
Thibeault has been competing part-time in an SK Modified locally since 2012, after leaving the Limited Late Model division at Stafford Motor Speedway.
“It’s definitely exciting,” Thibeault said. “Since I’ve got in an [SK Modified] I’ve never really put a full season together. So with the schedule that Thompson came out with with seven races, it fits into our budget plan a little bit and it will be the first time I get to run for a points championship at one racetrack.
“We talked about it last year. We wanted to join together and do something for the both of us and have some kind of fun. To be able to be together and do it together, we’re both definitely excited.”
Morgillo said the team continues to look for sponsorship help for the season.
“If anybody is willing to throw us a bone, we’d love to go back to [the Waterford Speedowl] with the new owner there,” Morgillo said. “But I can’t forsee us doing 20 something races with the funds that we have right now.”
I am ecstatic to see this headliner about Shawn & Nichole and I plan on supporting them as much as I can. I know every dollar counts. They’re starting off fresh with lots of great changes to the car to put them in contention & get them to the front. Keep your eyes on the #56!