(Press Release from Rob Fuller Motorsports)
Ron Silk will be driving one of the two Rob Fuller Motorsports cars at the Whelen Modified Tour season opening event Sunday at Thompson Speedway (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)
Rob Fuller Motorsports and 15-40 Connection are ready to kick-off the 2015 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (NWMT) season with two entries in the Icebreaker at Thompson Speedway on April 12. This is the first of seven races the team will compete in this year.
The Icebreaker race marks the first time RFM and 15-40 Connection will have two entries in the field, as Corey LaJoie and Ron Silk are set to pilot the two cars. The two drivers will race the No. 15 and No. 40 to align with 15-40 Connection’s goal of educating those between the ages of 15 and 40 about the lifesaving advantage of early cancer detection.
“I’m looking forward to having Corey and Ron competing for the team on Sunday,” said Rob Fuller, team owner. “They are two championship-caliber drivers and are sure to put on a great show. They also provide two opportunities to share the early cancer detection message for 15-40 Connection with race fans this season.”
The start of the 2015 NWMT season marks the third year that RFM will be representing 15-40 Connection. While the partnership has expanded over the past few years, the goal of starting a new cancer conversation with young people remains. The two organizations have worked hard to get the simple, yet powerful question of “Would you recognize a cancer symptom?” into the forefront of race fans’ minds.
“We’re excited that racing season is back and now will be cheering on two 15-40 Connection race cars during the season,” said Jim Coghlin, Sr., founder of 15-40 Connection. “We are asking race fans, ‘would you recognize a cancer symptom?’ to raise awareness about the impact of delayed diagnosis in young adults. Together, we can help improve cancer survival rates by changing the cancer conversation and empowering earlier detection.”
The RFM team participated in a test at Thompson on Friday last week that was hosted by LFR Chassis and included it’s full stable of teams. Despite some rain, LaJoie and Silk were able to turn some laps and start to dial-in their rides prior to the race weekend.
“LFR Chassis held a test on Friday at Thompson and it went really well for our 15-40 Connection team,” said LaJoie. “I haven’t raced the modifieds since 2012, so I needed to get comfortable in the car again. We certainly made some gains during the test session and we’re looking to make some gains in the shop this week and unload pretty strong at the track this weekend.”
LaJoie has found previous success racing modifieds. He won his debut race in the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour at Atlanta Motor Speedway back in 2010. The Concord, North Carolina native looks to continue building upon that experience and be a contender for wins this season.
“I’m excited to be behind the wheel of anything right now and it’s really fun to drive the modifieds,” said LaJoie. “It’s completely different driving style than the Nationwide cars, which I’m used to. It’s different on how you attack the corners and throttle management. The test helped in getting reacquainted with the modifieds and I’m really looking forward to the Icebreaker this weekend.”
Silk, the 2011 NWMT Champion, has 37 starts at the track. In those starts, he collected four wins, 16 Top-5 and 24 Top-10 finishes. The Norwalk, Connecticut native also has an average finish of 10.6 at the speedway.
“Everything went really good at the test,” said Silk. “The car was really comfortable right as we unloaded. We made some minor adjustments and have a few things for Ryan (Stone, modified director) to work on in the shop this week, but overall it drove great.”
The Icebreaker race will take place at Thompson Speedway on Sunday, April 12 at 3:30 p.m. EST. Fans unable to catch the race live on Sunday will be able to see it when it airs on NBCSN on Friday, April 17. They should check local listings to find out exact air times.
For more information on Rob Fuller Motorsports and to receive race weekend updates, please follow Facebook/RobFullerMotorsports or visit RobFullerMotorsports.com. To learn more about 15-40 Connection and early cancer detection, please visit 15-40.org.
Leave a Reply