STAFFORD – For the better part of the last 14 years Todd Szegedy has spent year after year chasing championships on the Whelen Modified Tour.
And for Szegedy, chasing those titles meant never leaving stress behind.
After running one season for Bob Garbarino’s Mystic Missile team in 2015, Szegedy shocked many by announcing he was leaving the team and taking the 2016 season off from racing.
When he revealed the decision Szegedy said it was because he needed a break from the sport.
So it was just as surprising when it was announced shortly before the start of the 2016 season that Szegedy would drive part-time this year on the Whelen Modified Tour for Rob Fuller Motorsports.
But for Szegedy, the part-time opportunity fit what he was looking for in racing, which was having fun at the track and then leaving the sport behind until his next visit to the track.
Sunday, in his first Whelen Modified Tour start of the season for Fuller’s team, Szegedy finished second to Doug Coby in the NAPA Spring Sizzler 200 at Stafford Motor Speedway.
“All in all it was definitely a great day,” Szegedy said. “This is what I want in my career now.”
Szegedy won a series championship in 2003. He spent eight years driving for Mike Smeriglio Racing before parting ways with the team after the 2013 season. He spent the 2014 season driving full-time on the Valenti Modified Racing Series and also competing part-time on the Whelen Modified Tour for Fuller as part of a research and development program for Fuller’s then newly formed LFR Chassis company.
During his span with Smeriglio’s team Szegedy was a championship contender virtually every year, finishing in the top-five in the standings in all but one year with the team. His worst finish in the standings for the team was a sixth place. Sunday Szegedy said the stress that comes with chasing a title is something he doesn’t want in his life now.
“Going for a championship is a totally different mindset,” Szegedy said. “When you leave that racetrack you don’t turn your mind off about going to the next race. That’s something I wanted to do at this point in my life. I want to do other things other than race. But I want to be able to go home tonight, not that I want to forget about racing, but I don’t even want to think about it until we get close to the next race.”
As of now Szegedy, who has 19 career series victories in 203 starts dating back to 2000, said he expects to make at least four more starts this year for Fuller’s team.
“I really meant it when I said I didn’t want to race,” Szegedy said. “I had a lot of fun two years ago when we [drove as a research and development driver for LFR Chassis]. And Rob said listen, ‘If you can’t make a race then we don’t go, it’s that simple.’ So I’m looking forward to running more races and having a good time with it. All I ask is to go out there and be competitive and be a contender to win a race.”
First class driver and first class operation. I knew this team would be strong. Good job staying out of the way today Todd! A win is near.
Congrats! Great run today.
I knew they would do well
Darealgoodfella said the following about the 15 car;
March 18, 2016 “The LFR house car was never much a threat”
March 19, 2016 “That is hobbyist performance, not contender performance”
March 20, 2016 “Bruce, statistics are not opinions. The 15 car statistics suck”
Has dementia set in again? You talk smack about the 15 car and now you congratulate him? Get off the fence man!
Great job Todd, you made them all eat crow!
humphry, one race does not erase the past.
Ha Ha, humphrey, you are so right!
When considered in total, the 15 car statistics still suck. Szegedy will have to drive it for a long time and get consistent top results to get that car into the credible regime.