Rob Fuller (Photo: Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Last year NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour team owner Rob Fuller had a specialized need.
Fuller’s desire was to find a quality driver that could give his team proper feedback in the ways of the new cars being developed by his company, LFR Chassis.
In that respect, aligning with Todd Szegedy seemed a match made in heaven. Fuller needed a part-time driver, but one good enough to give him veteran feedback.
Szegedy drove five events for Fuller in 2014, which included a runner-up finish in the September Whelen Modified Tour event at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
The plan was to have Szegedy in a Rob Fuller Motorsports LFR Chassis for seven events this year, but that plan changed when it was announced that Szegedy, the 2003 Whelen Modified Tour champion, would run for team owner Bob Garbarino full-time in 2015.
The first Whelen Modified Tour test is scheduled for March 28 at Thompson Speedway. The first event of the season is April 12 at Thompson. Fuller said he planned to run the four Thompson events, the two races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and the Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway event with Szegedy.
“I wouldn’t call it a bad spot, the timing could have been a little bit better,” Fuller said. “I was working with [Garbarino] two or three months ago trying to get Todd in that car because I wanted to see Todd in a full-time car, especially with one of our chassis. I was really pushing for that and talking to Bob about how I could help out and make it work.
“At the end of the day, I think we did a good job for Todd last year and we had a lot of good runs and I think we put him in a very good piece and he did a great job for us. I with him nothing but the best with a full-time deal. Now I’ve just got to find a driver 12 days before our test.”
Fuller said he was hoping he could sell Garbarino on the idea of going from his Troyer Chassis to an LFR Chassis.
“I don’t know what they’re doing,” Fuller said “I know they only had one car. We’ve mentioned doing something with our program. Obviously Todd was impressed with the way that our cars drove and we want to keep Todd in that camp. But at the end of the day, if we can’t we can’t and we’ll all move forward. I don’t know what they’re doing. I’m assuming though we would have heard something by now if they were going to do something with us.”
Fuller said he’s expecting his team to make an announcement about who will drive Modified Tour events for his organization by early next week.
“There’s a lot of people that see the kind of equipment we have and there’s a lot of people that I’m sure would want to drive it,” Fuller said. “It’s just another thing on the to-do list before next week.”
Eric Rudoldph?
Maybe TC Can Mae A Deal With That Team?, He Know’s His Race Cars!!!!
The 4 car would b foolish not to team up with LFR
You’ll see….. Silk wasn’t at the kickoff event at Thompson for nothing…..
Glenn Reen would seem like a perfect choice….he has driven the LFR car last year for the 8 team (truthfully the one responsible for that team going to LFR from Troyer) and he always brings it home in one piece as well. Give him a call Rob……he deserves it…..
Wasn’t Todd there for the fund raiser as well? Steve is dead on btw. Todd showed what he can do in a LFR and Donnie showed what that equipment can do. Who is crew chief on the 4 now anyway? You know Rob would make darn sure the 4 car ran up front!
Mike Stefanik would be great fit,
Some of you people…
I have to disagree with TC as a choice for a new chassis/team looking for the best driver for R&D. Have you ever heard his feedback? Its along the lines of “this car is a piece of %^&*, you’d better tighten this thing up, I cant even drive it”.
And it would be foolish for the 4 team to not go with LFR? How can you make such a bold statement? Troyer has won how many races in the past decade? Yet, theyre foolish if they go with a brand new chassis that has had a few good finishes.
And Glenn Reen? Do I even have to argue that? Come on, man.
Hey, Mike Stefanik isn’t looking to race full time. What better experience could you get.
Glenn dosnt wreak cars??? You forget loudon when the junked that brand new car??? Silk a great driver and probably going to be robs driver, my pick is say John Mc Kennedy your best bet. Kid can wheel and has. won in ever mod brand around. Great feed back.
Nevin George will drive the wheels off it !!!!
What sort of successful record does the LFR Chassis have?
Seriously, what does it have over the proven Troyer?
I admire the promotion ability, but lets see some track record.
Rob team up with Bob and make a run for the championship . Best of both worlds.
Cmon guys, it’s obviously silk.
Track record for LFR……hhhmmmm. Burt Myers went 9 YEARS without a win at Caraway and won 5 races in his LFR. The first time that car raced at Loudon it was leading and the motor broke. Then should have won Loudon (2nd) with a built old motor and was flying at Bristol. Oh yea, Jason Myers just set a NEW TRACK RECORD at Caraway in his first run with his new LFR car! Get some facts bro! Richie Evans won races in a RE car so maybe we should get one of those! Troyer has had success because they weren’t racing anyone. If you cant see how that car ran in its first 5 races on the track you need a new set of eyes.
Paul Kusheba
Mark, When Burt Meyers wasn’t winning at Caraway for 9 years, what chassis was winning for those 9 years at Caraway?
But anyways… best of luck to LFR.
I agree, Silk is probably the guy. Nevin is still a shoe though.
Mark,
GBIII and Seuss have pretty much owned Caraway for years… running Troyer.
Perhaps Burt Meyers just couldn’t figure out the set up all those years.
Rich Pallai
Still no “official” announcement re: TC’s 2015 Tour and VMRS plans?? Signs (e.g. photos on Katon’s Berkley Racing facebook page) point to another TC/Katon partnership. But, I guess we won’t know for sure until the Icebreaker entry list is released.
Still no “official” announcement re: TC’s 2015 Tour and VMRS plans?? Signs (e.g. photos on Katon’s Berkley Racing facebook page) point to another TC/Katon partnership. But, I guess we won’t know for sure until the Icebreaker entry list is posted.
Rob fuller needs to get the best driver in the northeast to wheel the 15 …..the tour runs Stafford …Waterford and Thompson I believe 8 times who runs those tracks all the time and wins alot ……kid rock…..put Keith rocco in that car Rob …..he will get it done man ..Mark my words …give him a shot …..
TC is going to do is own thing and continue that partnership with katon on a few she’s it seemed like a good thing so why change it, and def not rich Pallai and kusheba is a good driver just too new to the game and to clean to be on the tour he needs to throw on a pair of boxing gloves and start fighting as for Keith kid has talent but he has a great ride now and I doubt he will change, especially if he can’t work on it or make the call because he isn’t lazy and has a amazing work ethic and loves working on those cars.
Yeah, Silk is the best available, and LFR needs the name recognition that Silk brings.
You all have to realize that LFR is a startup and needs to get brand name people to use chassis.
Ronnie silk would be a great fit????
Wow. Lets brag on what chassis won races YESTERDAY! Who cares what chassis won in the past nine years. That’s the problem with that division. Everyone is too scared to change and wants to brag about what they did 10 years ago! Its a joke. The evolution of the LFR company will be light speed compared to the others simply because of its location. The others simply wont be able to keep up.
Wanna shake up the tour…. 62 yr old Reggie Ruggiero, how about 7 time Mighty Mike Stefanik
Here’s what an owner would think…
Rob Fuller drove for 5 seasons, running a total of just 20 races, and never finished better than horrible.
What sort of cream-of-the-crop experience and expertise was gained from those 5 years and 20 races that went into these chassis?
His car was never a threat.
If I want to improve my ability to win, why would I run an LFR Chassis?
Do not let the setup advantages and resulting handling advantages of the spec motor trick you into believing that the chassis had anything to do with it.
I am very curious to see how well the LFR chassis does this season. Good luck. I hope the 15 gets a very good driver that will help develop the chassis and what it needs to make it work.
Wow…again. Last post cause your obviously clueless and are probably working on a 06′ troyer now. 5 seasons is 70 races. Rob drove a handful to have fun and try some things Im assuming. Never a career move. I think he sat on a pole at Thompson and finished 3rd in a race there not too sure but there is a video online. He was a engineer at some of the best Cup teams in the business that won championships and a ton of races according to his web site. The Myers guys didn’t have a spek motor the first time they ran and the 15 car had a old built motor at Loudon while leading the race. Oh yea Todd was flying at Bristol with the same motor! Myers don’t have the only spek motor at Caraway either. You should spend less time on here and more time getting facts straight. Call Todd, Doug Coby, Burt, Jason, Ronnie Silk, Tim Brown, Mike Speeney, Glenn Reen, or anyone else that drove them and ask them how they drive. Or you can just read their quotes!! Over and out!
I don’t know about 5 yrs ago but the LFR cars are selling like hotcakes now. Winning up and down the east coast, including late models.
Mr. Fuller: Do the smartest move you will ever make. Give Les Hinckley a call. He knows how to set up a modified, can give you experienced feed back, his resume speaks for itself. He’s available, very smart, drives clean. He doesn’t have 17 wins on the MRS, and numerous top 5’s evrywhere for nothing.
Its only a part time 7 race deal:
4 at Thompson
2 at Loudon
1 at Bristol
I can only think of 2 recent drivers with great records and winning at ALL those tracks. Ron Silk and Mike Stefanik.
Is Galante backing the TC/Katon effort in any way?
No he isn’t actually it’s all Ted and katon
idiots…Marty Radrick