(Press Release from Stafford Motor Speedway)
Rich Hammann (Photo: Stafford Speedway/Driscoll MotorSports Photography)
With a nearly $9,000 purse and potential winner’s check of $1,475 up for grabs during Stafford Speedway’s Xtra-Mart Xtra D 50 for the Late Model division this Friday night, what better race to win for your first career win? That is the hope of Tolland native Rich Hammann, driver of the #28 NAPA Tolland Chevrolet. Hammann has bounced around the weekly racing ladder at Stafford, racing in SK Modifieds®, SK Lights, and now the Late Model division.
“The goal is to try to win or at least finish in the top-5,” said Hammann. “A top-5 finish would be real nice for us. It would be great if we could take home some of that Xtra-Mart money. Having that money available definitely gives us some extra motivation to get a top-5 finish. A win would give me a confidence boost and the money would definitely help buy tires and gas. Stafford is the only track I’ve never won at. I’ve won Monadnock, Waterford, Seekonk, and Riverside back in the day, but not yet at Stafford.”
After racing for car owner John Pysher last season, Hammann bought the former #18 Late Model from Michael Scorzelli, and Hammann already is reaping the benefits of driving a car that has won races at Stafford in the past.
“I bought the car from Mike Scorzelli and he’s been helping me out a little bit with Bob Fill at the track,” said Hammann. “Driving a car that won before at Stafford is great, now it’s all down to me as the driver hitting my marks and that’s what I’ve been trying to focus on when I go out on the track. Being consistent is the name of the game.”
With a 50-lap feature on tap this Friday night and drivers employing some different strategies than usual for the standard 30-lap feature, it could be a prime opportunity for a first time winner to make their way into NAPA Victory Lane.
“In a 50-lap race, you have to be smart,” said Hammann. “You can’t win the race on the first lap and I’m excited for the race, that’s for sure. I don’t really have a crew so it’s tough, I’ve been looking for crew help and a win in this race would be huge for me.”
Tickets for this Friday night’s Late Model Xtra Mart Xtra D 50 event are available and on sale now. Tickets are priced at $20.00 for Adult General Admission, $5.00 for Children Ages 6-14 General Admission, and $23.00 for Reserved Seating. Tickets can be ordered by calling the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at 860-684-2783 or by logging onto the Buy Tickets section of www.staffordspeedway.com.
For more information, contact the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at 860-684-2783 or visit us on the web at www.staffordspeedway.com.
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