Todd Szegedy (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)
The on again, off again relationship between driver Todd Szegedy and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour is officially on again.
Team owner Kevin Stuart confirmed exclusively to RaceDayCT on Saturday morning that Szegedy will return to the series full-time in 2017.
Szegedy will drive for a team that will bring Stuart’s operation together with that of longtime series owner Bob Katon Jr.
Stuart’s brother Kenny will share the crew chief duties for the team with longtime series crew chief Don Barker.
“Todd is a very talented driver,” Stuart said. “I think some people don’t realize that. I think Todd missed his calling as a professional driver. … Todd gives you a lot of good feedback while he’s driving the car. What he’s feeling, what he thinks he needs. I think the chemistry with my brother Kenny and Don will be good. We’ll just put my cars at some tracks, Katon’s at the other tracks. And hopefully run for a championship. I think we’re going to have chemistry and a good group of guys. I think we’re going to be good.”
Szegedy was the 2003 Whelen Modified Tour champion. From 2006 to 2012 Szegedy finished in the top-five in the series standings each season driving for team owner Mike Smeriglio III. He was sixth in the standings in 2013 but after the season he and the team parted ways. Szegedy drove full-time for Kevin Stuart on the Valenti Modified Racing Series in 2014. After driving part-time on the Whelen Modified Tour in 2014, Szegedy returned to full-time competition in 2015 driving for team owner Bob Garbarino. He parted ways with Garbarino’s team after one season and made three starts last year with the Whelen Modified Tour.
In 205 Whelen Modified Tour starts dating back to 2000, Szegedy has 19 career victories and 86 top-five’s.
Szegedy’s return to full-time competition also means a reunion once again with Barker, a major part of Szegedy’s 2003 championship winning team. Barker also served as Szegedy’s crew chief during his time with Garbarino’s Mystic Missile team in 2015.
Stuart fielded a team for driver Woody Pitkat on the Whelen Modified Tour in 2016. Katon worked with driver Chase Dowling last year.
Very good. TSz is a real modified driver.
This is good! Maybe it’s time to go to some tour races nx year . Todd is a real racer and a gentleman , good luck in 2017
Welcome Back Todd, good to see positive news about the WMT
Team that can challenge the 2. If Christopher winds up in the 4 next year we have quite a group that can win the title.
That’s unfortunate for Melissa Fifield, moves the series most popular driver down another spot on the grid.
I guess spending time traveling and spending time with the family was overrated. I’m wishing for TC in the 4 for Christmas.
Watch out for this team – if they catch some team chemistry – have the funding , Todd and Don Barker can be a serious contender. Good luck
According to a bunch of brain surgeons he can’t win till the team upgrades the hauler,if the v4 can’t win with there hauler no way the 85 can win with there’s a
TC in the 44, in a partial schedule !
The 85 was a fast car almost every week for their first wmt season. It was there first year with Woody Pitkat and half of a new crew so they needed to mesh together and it worked. The results didn’t show because of mechanical failure or wrecks that they got caught up in, but they will be a team to watch. Todd already drove 2 or 3 seasons with the 85 in other series with success and he has experience working with Barker. Could be interesting.
Great news for the tour. Another car and top shelf driver on the roster. Now if we can get the 44, 4, 8 and 3 back…………
Does this mean the 85 will solely run the WMT? I thought Kevin committed to the MTS?
Glad to have him back.We need drivers to fill the 5th through 10th finishing positions.
Pretty bold statement 450, your saying the only real drivers are 1-5 and the rest are field fillers. Really? Who is the 1-5?
Humphry,don’t put words in my mouth.You used the word “filler’.Top five,easy:Bonsignore,Coby,Preece,Pitkat and Solomito(or several other young guns).5-10,Szegedy on a good day with luck.
@450mike – how can you say Szegedy on a good day with luck? He ran three races last year, set pole in Bristol, finished 2nd both at Bristol and Stafford and almost won the All Star race if he didn’t make his move too late (Todd’s own words)