(Press Release from Stafford Motor Speedway)
Paul Buzel (Photo: Courtesy Stafford Motor Speedway)
After 3 years running at the 1/3 of a mile Waterford Speedbowl, 2015 SK Light Champion Paul Buzel has decided to make his way North to Stafford Speedway for the 3rd Annual NAPA Auto Parts SK 5K. With limited experience in the Bill Gaston owned modified Buzel is excited to make his debut on the famous Stafford half-mile.
“This will be my first race at Stafford and I’m both nervous and excited,” explained Buzel. “I think for this race we’re going to bring back Bill Gaston’s old number 6 on our car and maybe that will help bring us a little bit of luck.”
Buzel has cut his teeth running in the SK Light modified division at the Waterford Speedbowl notching his first career track championship over Corey Barry in 2015. Buzel made the jump to SK Modified® competition for the 2016 season and has been lured to Stafford by the prestige of the NAPA SK 5K and the incredible competition at the half-mile in 2016. Though impressed with the stacked field of SK Modifieds, Buzel is still confident he can score a top-10 finish.
“I think as long as we can get some good data during the practice sessions and get a good read on how the car is going to be we will have a good showing in the race,” continued Buzel. “It’s no doubt going to be difficult because Stafford is one of the hardest places to race in the entire country, but hopefully we can get things figured out pretty quickly and have a good finish. I think a top-10 finish would be a major accomplishment for us as new arrivals to Stafford.”
The 6 team will have their hands running against the tough SK Modified® competition with drivers such as Rowan Pennink, Eric Berndt, Ted Christopher, and Woody Pitkat already notching wins in 2016. Buzel will have some Stafford experience behind him in crew chief and car owner Bill Gaston. Gaston has been linked with multiple teams at Stafford over the years most recently with drivers Wade Matteson and Chris Ocella.
“We ran the open practice to shake down an experimental car owned by Bill Gaston. We wanted to see how it would react at Stafford and if there was anything we could learn to use at Waterford,” explained Buzel. “I’m pretty confident. We still have to decide what car we want to bring to Stafford, we have our old SK Light car that we’ve converted to an SK car so we might bring that and keep the other car as a Waterford car. I still have a lot of learning to do like how to get around Stafford but I think we’ll figure it out and hopefully we can have a good time.”
The 6 team will join the rest of arguably the deepest field of race teams in the country for the NAPA Auto Parts SK 5K on Friday July 8th. The SK Modifieds® will have the featuer laps set by the NAPA SK 5K fan vote, fans can log on to staffordspeedway.com to cast their vote on laps, invert, and qualifying procedure. In addition to the strong purse, the NAPA SK 5K Gambler’s Challenge presented by Duneleavy Truck and Trailer Repair is back for the 2016 edition of the race. Last year’s winner and current NASCAR Xfinity Series driver, Ryan Preece, took home over $12,500. Buzel and the Gaston racing team are looking forward to racing for the big payday.
“The purse is definitely a big weight on the team especially me. But it’s one of the biggest races of the year so it’ll be great to see everyone that comes out, fans, media and it’s definitely good for the sport,” said Buzel. “We’ll talk things over with the team and see if we’re going to get into the Gambler’s Challenge.”
Tickets for the July 8th NAPA SK 5K are available online at www.staffordspeedway.com or by calling the speedway office at 860-684-2783. Discount tickets are available at participating NAPA Auto Parts Stores. Tickets purchased through NAPA Auto Parts also include a barbeque dinner and a NAPA goodie bag. Tickets are priced at $27.50 for adult general admission tickets, $5.00 for kids ages 6-14, and kids 5 and under are admitted free of charge when accompanied by an adult. Reserved seating will be priced at $30.00 for all ages. All ticket prices include 10% CT Admission Tax. Stafford Speedway offers free parking with free overnight parking for self-contained RV’s available. Fans can log onto www.staffordspeedway.com to cast their vote for the NAPA SK 5K Gambler’s Challenge presented by Dunleavey Truck and Trailer Repair as well as lap count and invert.
For more information on the July 8th NAPA SK 5K, or to order tickets, 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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This will be interesting to say the least. Stay home a save your money because you are not even in the same galaxy as the competition at Stafford. Two weeks ago you started on the pole at Waterford and went to the back. What do you think will happen at Stafford? I predict a DNQ if they have an abundance of cars. If not I predict a DNF! Just callin it as I see it.
Yes, yes, to be a track champ, help design and build a race car from scratch, engineering student, have a car owner at 17 years old, I can jus think what humphry was doing at 17 . Haha, but I’m sure it was not at the level Paul Buzel has accomplished.
Maybe Humphry didn’t have mommy and daddy paying for it all from the looks of it he’s spent more time on the hook then the track in his sk career. buzz we get its your kid but let’s be honest nothing Humphry said is false.
Well Buzz I will put it this way, if he designed and built his own race car I am not very impressed with the results cause he had not showed me anything!
Buzz you nailed it, this kid is talented. Who is this Humphry clown? Paul Buzel is one to watch in the future.
Talented race car driver really? You must be watching someone else than the rest of us are watching! The only clown out there is the SK 9.
http://www.dmsracingphotos.com/nlwsp618/h75de83e6#h75de83e6
Humphy and Mod fans AKA Cory Bary fans, Check out the above link ( Discol MotorSport Picture) Paul Buzel Leading and winning his heat race over TC in Galaxy New London Waterford Speed Bowl with put him on the poll for the feature, check out the checker flag. Cory Bary has not won a race this year and is struggle to beat the 14 year olds. Paul builds his own cars and is teamed with a car owner, and get’s no money from his parents. Humphy and MOD FAN need to think Just maybe Just a little bit before you comment..
Buzz sorry to disappoint you but def not a Corey Barry fan. What I am is a fan of good racing something you don’t see out of the 9 car unless your into demo derby. Wow teddy let him win a heat stop the press. How can you expect a top ten at stafford when you can’t finish a race at the bowl? Teamed with a car owner lol how long until gaston is sick of putting that 84 troyer back together maybe you should be the one to think buzz and put the kid in a x car
84 Troyer, HAHAHH, boy are you off, not even close, get a life.. As far as a Cory fan just go back and look at your last year posts, do you home work and don’t comment on what other folks are doing until you do it yourself, which you will never have the opportunity to do. As far as Ted they came up and complemented Paul on his win.. go find a new hobby..
Come on people, stop bashing this kid. Get a life and only post positive things here. Bill built these two cars in his own shop and they won races and the championship last year. give them credit!!! Now moving up to an sk is their next challenge, I think they will win a race this year, if not next. I support their decision to run stafford and wish them good luck
Buzz I wouldn’t waste your breath. Paul impresses me as a driver and a car builder. Pretty amazing for a teen age kid. What you guys should do is run Stafford full time and leave that Waterford mantality behind. Hope you guys go well at Stafford.
Buzz, I don’t have any skin in the game here and this article has nothing to do with another driver it has to do with Buzel so lets focus on that. Its nice to see the kid won the heat starting up front (a nice accomplishment to build on) however in the feature he started up front and was not able to maintain the spot so that tells me someone needs to work on the set up a little cause the car is not that great. Remember he is a little fish in a big pond and the level of talent in the SK’s far surpasses where he came from. I will leave it at this I wish him luck this year and when he can come from within the field like the big boys and win a heat race or feature I will be a believer. Good luck at Stafford!
Buzz Any thing you think you have done believe me I’ve done and more. Just because I defended someone doesn’t make me a fan. I don’t see why a 19th place car is even a story as far as I can tell only full time car your ahead of in points is the start and park 3 car so you get a life and find a new hobby see u at the bowl you hack
Buzz Any thing you think you have done believe me I’ve done and more. Just because I defended someone doesn’t make me a fan. I don’t see why a 19th place car is even a story as far as I can tell the only full time car your ahead of in points is the start and park 3 car so you get a life and find a new hobby. The results speak for them self
Paul don’t cast your pearl before swine you have won the championship focus on moving forward don’t let the devil steal your joy people will always let you down GOD is who gives you the desires of your heart if people talk about you there jealous of you keep the faith your a awesome young man
Why do a bunch of arm chair cowboys have to ruin a decent article about the kid.. my god you guys need to get a life. You just turned an exciting article for the kid into a slanderfest. Who cares who he’s racing with, I’m sure they already know so being a Humphry or a mod fan means you are entitled to being a jerk? Grow up ladies…
DNQ just as I called it!