Timmy Solomito (Photo: Jim DuPont)
Growing up in a family embedded in Modified racing, Timmy Solomito has experienced how the negativity of the rumor mill of short track competition can work.
“When it becomes you it’s a little different story,” Solomito told RaceDayCT. “But, there’s always green-eyed monsters.”
In the weeks leading up to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season finale Sunday at Thompson Speedway, Solomito’s status with his Flamingo Motorsports team became the focus of rumors of change for 2019.
“People love negativity and that’s what drives people,” Solomito said. “… It is what it is. You just kind of brush it off and go to the next race and try to do the best that you can. You really don’t let those people bother you. … Unfortunately we didn’t have a great year. We led [128] laps and finished fourth in points. I wouldn’t say it was a horrible year. It’s definitely not the year we’ve been having, but I wouldn’t say it was horrible.”
Solomito confirmed to RaceDayCT Wednesdsay that despite swirling rumors of change coming at Flamingo Motorsports, his status as the driver of the team’s No. 16 ride is solid heading to 2019.
“I woke up on Monday morning wanting to get better for 2019. That’s all you can really ask for,” Solomito said.
“… I can’t thank [team owner] Eric Sanderson and [crew chief Sly Szaban] enough for sticking behind me. Even from the get go when they hired me they knew it was going to be a learning curve for me and they stuck behind me the entire time. And even this year, we had a struggle and nobody pointed fingers, nobody yelled and screamed, we just worked hard every race and unfortunately and it just wasn’t our year. We worked through it and we have a lot to be proud of just for that. It’s easy when you’re winning races and running really good. It’s easy. Everybody’s communication gets along really well then. When you’re running bad is when you’ve got to pull through and my guys didn’t give up all year. Most teams would have probably thrown in the towel … but my guys didn’t and there’s a lot to be said for that.”
Despite receiving the news this past weekend that primary sponsor Starrett Tools was leaving the sport, Solomito said the team is ahead of schedule on preparation for next year and working on new partnerships.
“Plans for next year are already rolling,” Solomito said. “We’ve already got a car on order and some other things in the works and we’re already ahead of schedule for 2019.”
After five victories, 11 top-10’s, three poles and a second place finish in the standings in 2017, many had Solomito pegged as the most likely candidate to knock Doug Coby from his Whelen Modified Tour championship throne in 2018.
It seemed a solid bet considering the progression of the team with Solomito, who replaced Ryan Preece with the Flamingo Motorsports team before the 2015. Solomito was sixth in the standings in 2015 and third – with four victories – in 2016 before the runner-up showing in the standings in 2017.
Unfortunately for Solomito and his Flamingo Motorsports team, their fourth season together proved to be a year where the organization struggled to find its groove.
“It was a tough year,” Solomito said. “A humbling year. We came out and never really struggled from day one together, so to have a year like this, is kind of puts you back down and lets you know that you’re human and that you’ve got work hard for what you want.”
Solomito went winless in 2018 with just four top-five finishes in 16 events. He finished the season fourth in the standings.
“I think there was a number of things that added up,” Solomito said of the struggles in 2018. “… It’s a package. Everything is a package. It’s a team effort for sure. I feel like the guys that we have in place are great, they do a great job. I feel like we know where our weakness was this year and we just need to improve on it and be better for next year.
“We’ve got a great car owner that really gives us everything that we could ever want or need. We’re just going to regroup here. The cars that we were running were a little bit older style Troyer cars. We’re regrouping and we’re getting some updated equipment. I think between that and some other little things that we’ve got to address, I think we’ll get it pointed in the right direction.”
Solomito said the team’s bond with Troyer Racecars remains strong.
“Troyer has backed the Flamingo team for many years,” Solomito said. “[Troyer owner] Billy Colton and everybody there at Troyer have always been really good to us. We will be staying with Troyer cars for 2019 and we’re looking forward to growing that partnership with Troyer and the guys over there and hopefully getting them back to the front of the field.”
After finish second in the standings in 2016 with four victories, Justin Bonsignore was pegged as the driver most expected to contend for his first series title in 2017. Bonsignore ended up winless in 2017 and third in the series standings.
After closing out his 2018 championship campaign with his eighth victory of the season Sunday in the Sunoco World Series 150 at Thompson, Bonsignore talked about Solomito.
“Look at last year,” Bonsignore said. “We struggled. I talk a lot to Timmy Solomito and he went through it this year. I said ‘Just keep your head up man, it can change in a hurry.’”
Said Solomito: “It’s pretty cool when you have somebody like that who can back you up a little bit and kind of went through the same struggles you did.”
To hear more from Timmy Solomito listen to this special RaceDayCT Unmuffled Quickcast
This is great news people need to stop starting rumors I always believe Timmy didn’t lose his driving abilities and sly can still prepare a winning car
There’s an old drag racing saying: Nothing like having new pipe! we know the team is full of talent and very capable. And so is their driver! Hopefully the equipment updates will put them right back in the middle of championship contention!
I never believed the rumors about the 16 team. Tim is a great guy, and very talented plus he’s easy on the equipment. Anyone who’s raced and had success knows that there are going to be years like this, when you just can’t get everything hooked up. Those who continue on find their way back to the top. With a new TROYER car on the way and Sly wrenching, I’m sure their performance will be better next year.
If they are staying with Troyer they are dead in the water. Ryan Preece struggles in those things. With the additional team making the move to LFR this team won’t even be a threat for a top 5 finish.
Sounds like the last thing he did was brush off the negative vibes. Like he took them to heart, felt threatened about his status, felt his results were his personal under performance and relieved he will be back with some updated equipment. Just shows the pressure these guys are under. 4th place, a disappointment, really? Especially since Bonsignor sucked up most of the mojo available this year.
Solomito under performing…….poppycock. He’s a top driver that had ownership, equipment, crewing, luck and commitment that averaged out to fourth place. He just has to take the heat cause his name is on the roof.
The answer? He already got it from Bonsignor. Whether the team got it time will tell.
Yeah, there’s about 15 other teams looking to rebound in 2019.
He’ll be fine ,it’s not like he was mid pack ,a new car, a break here and there , I don’t think Sly and Jerry forgot everything, at least not yet
So a new car is going to fix their issues? If Troyer is coming out with another new design who will do RnD for that one? The 6 car is gone and so is their funds for Troyer to RnD. It takes nerve to ask your customers to test while trying to win races. They need a house car on the track to figure out which way is up because the only way they are headed now is down. They got smacked around by LFR again in 2018. I don’t see a fix in the near future. LFR invested a ton in RnD and they will get that back in sales soon. Just good smart business. My .002. Not a car owner just a outsider looking in. Peace!
Listen guys, the only thing lfr has going for them is a coilbind setup from down south. That’s why all the lfr sks run like turds because you aren’t allowed to use it. Silks Troyer was coil bound at louden and went pretty good, as did preece. If the tour bans it, which they might, say goodbye to any kind of dominance they have going for them. At least fuller got to recycle some old cars he had and call them new, like the 98 parent was driving. That’s a brand new car for lutz or sap. That heap he sold to tommy bolles, who went back to his troyer after fuller told him he’s on his own. People love the flavor of the day though, maybe fultz will build Fuller a couple new chassis. Fuller couldn’t build a lego set
Wake up you are correct on the coil bind statement on fuller I don’t know him personally I know he’s at the track helping tour teams troyer needs that also.Something else to just think about if you are only building chassis for asphalt the money just isn’t there Oswego had 73 big block modified and 63 small
LOL!!!! Wake up, that’s some funny stuff.
But people do not want listen. Great post!!!
who actually builds the LFR modifieds? Is the chassis cut, bent and welded in the northeast or down south?
No one builds LFR Chassis anymore. Fury could make one if they wanted to, and I assume raceworks could as well. The next “new” lfr car will be the 15 car with a new body on it.
Wake up, Bolles didn’t buy that car from fuller, and Bill d how many were mud buses at Oswego , he’s losing out to Bichnell on dirt
Anyone who’s been around racing for a while should know that every now and then a chassis builder, or seller, finds something. Something that makes their chassis superior. But in most cases it is short lived supremacy. Take the SK modifieds for example. At Stafford CD was the car to have, but for the past few years TROYER cars have been the ones winning races and Championships. Although LFR has won the last 5 championships on the tour, don’t count the other builders out . Someone will find something, and the LFR dominance will come to an end. Plus , the more LFR cars out there, the less time Fuller can spend helping each team. Heavy is the head that wears the crown.
Just visited the Fury Race Cars website. They do still build Modifieds. They are called the ” Model aka LFR”.
Elec, bolles did buy that car from fuller … lfr is technically fury now, they build the chassis if there are any new ones. Rob fuller owns lfr which is a dealer of them and he gets them branded as lfr.
Fuller is a con-man.Always riding someones coat tails.Dont trust him at all.
Wake up….your a idiot. 52 just swept the Thompson races and wasn’t on that set up. The only tracks that most teams run that set up on are flat. Like your mind. Silks car is at the 51 shop you moron. Where do you think Stone learned about all this stuff? Working for fuller or at Jr Motorsports??? Hmmmmmmm.
It’s nice we have anothe loser hiding behind a handle in wake up. Another fuller hater that refuses to recognize what’s going on from behind a handle and a beer can in the stands. Just sit back and watch monkey nuts. Fuller has many vendors helping him out. Look at the recent post where LFR thanks everyone involved on their FB page. No secret that it takes a small army to have success these days. Rob P love the posts and your right. Fuller is the magic though. Period. Blind you obviously haven’t dealt with him direct as I do. What’s funny is he actually tries to give others credit and stand aside but we all know what’s going on. He’s not even listed as the CC on his own car that ran pretty well btw. Stone is on the 51 because of fuller. Chase couldn’t get out of his own way in a sk but is running in the top 3 every week in the tour??? I have been a LFR customer for 3 years now. Best thing we have done. Why don’t you ask all the new and old LFR customers what they think of the company. Sounds like fuller called you out on something or stopped answering your calls and now your chapped. Get over it you FL. Fuller tried giving Fultz, Eury, Kopcik , Moran and everyone else around him credit but the cover is blown. Those rednecks down south can’t sell cars so fuller is. Hmmmmmmm who is carrying who here? I just hope fuller stays interested long enough to teach me what he knows because that’s the secret sauce. Not manufacturer. It’s the people behind it that make it work. Haters are motivators so I’m texting fuller now to look at this crap so my car will run better next year. Best of luck to all the others!
You guys kill me. I live in NC but know Fuller VERY well. If you think for one second that you know as much as he does with race cars you are a idiot as Danny says. Think about this. He sold 8 cars in 3 weeks. Roughly 58k each. He owns all the land and the building he is in so he has no over head. He has 2 employees. I’m thinking the 450k in his checking account is enough to sit back and laugh at all the comments. BTW people who can afford to race these days are very smart folks. If they are sending fuller all this money to build cars he has a pretty good rep just saying. I can’t believe all the crap on here. It’s awesome that 1 guy causes so much hatred and has so much success. I personally love it. If I was racing in this series still there is 1 call I would make for help and it’s to Massachusetts. Not NC. Timmy if you want to win races call fuller. Sorry bro. Get over it.
Wow. If these folks just drove by fullers property they would have a completely different outlook. I picked up a car there last week. I drove by 30 acres of commercial property, a huge storage facility, a Major League Baseball field, indoor baseball facility with about 50 cars in the parking lot and LFR. Yea……..fuller has it figured out. Make money in other businesses and keep your passion separate. Love that dude btw. He’s to the point and brutally honest which is why most SK guys don’t like him. If they’re any good they would be driving in the tour. Fuller probably called them out. Go cry on someone else shoulder because fuller won’t let you cry on his. Get over it.
Went to school with Rob Fuller so I follow his career. Jealousy breeds hatred folks. Robbie Fuller, proud to say I know you brotha. Keep kickin asphalt.
Amazing. Fuller was the laughing stock a few years ago when he was driving his own cars. Wrecking every chance he got. Now he’s an oracle???? LOL!!!!! Still looks strange that he can’t get a big name driver to drive permanently for him. Or any driver for that matter.
The 2 team lost key members, support staff for Colbee and Moran, look what happened. That car was lost out there this season. The 51 picked up some key talent for this season, some from the 2 team. That was just too obvious.
Look over the standings, and the gaps. Talent gaps. They all use the same equipment, just different talent. The collections of talent are in the same general order, as always, and can be expected, no surprises there at all. The better talent is on top, the rest fall down below.
Some observations from merely a fan.
LFR, it’s origins, the move north, who does the fabrication is no secret. RaceDayCt has a battery of articles on the topic and the rest is readily available in a quick web search. The truth I go by that I would appreciate being corrected on if wrong is something like this..
Fuller started LFR down south having designed and tested the original chassis, sold the designs, fixtures and equipment to Tony Eury and Jeff Fultz of Fury. Fuller came north, went through some gyrations with Raceworks and ended up where he is doing what he does as a authorized dealer for Fury specializing in modifieds that you could say carry the model name of LFR. LFR assembles the cars, sets them up, tests them, makes repairs and supports the purchasers of the equipment. LFR also makes money bolting on equipment of manufactures they represent and stand behind like springs. LFR may have sold some old chassis like maybe the 01 as a favor but mostly it’s proven equipment that includes a state of the art, ready to compete right off the trailer set up if that’s what the purchaser like Lutz who drove it to a second place finish in the Fall final wants. Fuller Inc is a diversified company of which LFR is a part but not the primary revenue source.
Watch Bill Murray in Groudhog Day and you’ll better understand the Rob Fuller/LFR dance that periodically plays out right here in the comments section and usually ends the same way.
No there aren’t a lot of Fuller haters here at all. Mostly admirers and appreciaters. One or two usually pop up, make some silly, simplistic, venomous observations then all hell breaks loose with supporters that tend to know the man, modifieds and the organization quite intimately. And no, the comments section is not all ignorant losers that serves no purpose. After all you Danny, Bobby, Phillip and Eric are here with some good insight that we mere fans appreciate.
The only thing I’d take exception to is the negative comments on Dowling and the Fuller/SK comment.
Dowling ran consistently in the second tier in the SK’s and was stout on many occasions. He couldn’t break through to the elite speeds of Williams, Berndt and Rocco but he did very well thank you. It was an LFR chassis because that was what it had to be but it was not LFR supported nor did it represent any effort to gain a foothold in the SK’s. As for LFR and the SK’s hating Fuller for telling the truth has nothing to do with it. Fuller has made it clear he’s too stretched to commit resources to the SK market now. If and when he does he’ll immerse himself in the division, produce competitive equipment. develop a network of support like he has in the NWMT, win races and then Groundhog Day will ensue like it has here for his SK stable of winning cars.
These posts are amazing. Full of bs and hatred. One…the 51 won Thompson not 52. Two fuller has more than 2 employees I am the landscaper that mows the lawn at the park LFR is in. Not hiding. Three how do you know the revenue figures or cars he sold? What if it was a bare frame or another smaller package? The shop can’t fit 8 cars. Four…LFR is a package obviously. It is a lot of companies and manufactures put into one package. I am a dirt fan myself. Bloomquist sells a TON of cars and is ver successful. He has Rocket chassis and other manufactures making pieces. Similar situation. Folks call LFR because they know it will be the best bearing, wheel, oil tank, radiator or whatever. Five….major league field? It’s a very nice field for his baseball facility that has 16 teams and over 200 players. Six….so people here think they know set ups now? If you do why don’t you help a team instead of commenting about it. LFR cars won 11 races I believe. Tracks were long, short, banked, flat etc. they all require a different set up obviously so it’s more than that. Seven….I hope rob doesn’t read this garbage. The most spoken word out of his mouth is thank you. i was going to try and help on the team next year but found out he is not running his car so he can focus on customers. Yes this sounds like a bad guy right? Eight…if this website continues to allow the public bashing of the same guy over and over I will not visit it in the future. A open forum is fine but these low life nobody’s coming in here commenting like this has to stop. Make it a open forum when names are known like a social media atmosphere. If you are going to make a living off this crap I’m out. its like racing’s form of Jerry Springer or real housewives of racing. Bunch of crap. At least post the email attached to the handle.
Mike Stefanik won two of his championships in SPAFCO cars.
Talent. Talent knows how to make hardware work.
Brandon, what’s Jerry Springer? Real Housewives of racing? LOL!!! Yeah, there are some drama queens around here.
It’s a cookie-cutter SPEC racing series girls and boys, and the talent is the differentiator. The total talent package of the TEAM. The team can only be as good as its weakest link. Look what happened when the 51 brought on the new crew chief. The previous crew chief wasn’t getting it done.
Getting the 2 team to run the chassis was crucial. Then all the wannabes followed. Even if LFR never existed, all the same collections of talent, aka: teams, would have been in the top 10 over the last few years, regardless of chassis. There is an extremely small pool of talent. That shows in the standings, year after year. Same names of talent, regardless of the hardware they use.
The more things changed, the more they stayed the same.
It’s a big illusion. Sadly, many believe it.
You guys are all bandwagon followers, if Preece drove his troyer full time on Tour he would of won the championships the last few years easily.A bunch of career nobodys switching to LFR means nothing. Lutz, Pastriak, Sapienza, Sommers, are crowd fillers that really havnt won anything. Coby, Justin, have all won in other chassis. 4 Tires dont care what chassis they are bolted on, need talent behind the wheel and talent calling shots.
Danny, glad you approve. I’m just an older guy who’s been around racing a loooong time. I’ve seen Chassis dominate, but the others always catch up. It’s a matter of which team has the most talent, and money. Always has been always will.Congrats to Rob Fuller on his accomplishment, and I don’t see him backing down anytime soon. Hard work and perseverance pay off.
Didn’t know the Red Sox played in West Boylston. It’s a minor league field, but seeing it I understand the confusion.
Dave Sapienza. Perfect example. 3 weeks ago he received a turn key car for LFR. It came with Fuller. Same crew chief same hauler same everything. How’s he running now?? Dareal your a idiot.
Hey dareal just want to remind you of your comment after the first race of the season , Troyer 1 2 3 that was way back when chassis meant something , what a box of rocks
Roger, what is your point? Sapienza has terrible results the last couple races, was this with LFR? These are the results for the last three weeks you speak of?
Sept 22, Loudon, 13th place
Sept 30, Stafford, 7th place
Oct. 14, Thompson, crash
That is typical Sapienza & Company results.
Roger, what’s your point?
I got Rogers point ,your an idiot , why do you think these teams are buying LFR , because they enjoy a challenge ? Maybe they think it gives them their best chance of improving even if it is from 15th to 10th or 10th to 5th it doesn’t matter, it’s what they think is their best shot , the all can’t hire the best crew chief there is only so many , but they can buy what they feel is the best chassis today , maybe tomorrow it won’t be but you can’t argue with the last few years and I get Rogers point
Elect, buy all the best parts you want, but if you are clueless, you can’t get it to run fast. We can all go and do brain surgery, but nobody will survive. Only a brain surgeon has a chance of doing successful brain surgery. But you can use all the same tools a brain surgeon does. Still doesn’t make you a brain surgeon. And everybody you operate on will die. Look at the 01, they’ve tried every chassis and part there is. Still doesn’t help. The teams that end up on top are the teams that have the best collection of key talent. It’s the same folks, year after year, regardless of hardware.
Dareal I understand none are as smart as you , but I also don’t think Grosso is clueless and Lutz finished second his first week with new chassis, I guess I most have missed all of JB s wins last year and if you read what I said is that team’s believe LFR gives them their best shot right now and that’s what I want my brain surgeon to have ,yours must have had a hammer and chisel
Elekt, you are rite in that your knot smaht enuff to no when anyone else iz smahduh then yugh. The 51 got a bunch of gnu people for the ’18 seezuhn too. Talented people. Make shure yer brane surjin is traned in the use of air hammughs.
” Maybe they think it gives them their best chance of improving even if it is from 15th to 10th or 10th to 5th it doesn’t matter,”
Smartest observation so far. Most teams are not competing for the win.. They are competing in windows.
You’re going to have to wait a year to settle this dust up. Will Lutz who has been showing signs of joining the elite that compete for the win every race reach that level? Will Sapienza improve on his very respectable 7th and 8th place finishes the last two years respectively. Will other teams going to LFR that we may not know of now improve as well. Or not.
You can’t want full fields then call all the teams that have goals that do not include a win degrading terms like back markers and field fillers. New England circle track racing was never meant to be nor ever was about winners and everyone else wasting their time and money. It’s a series of groupings with teams in each group trying to improve their relative finish within their group and total field of cars. And fans of each team hoping their favorite can win the battle of their grouping.
Dareal if only they talked to you first , all those new people could have made the Spafco a winner like yourself, could have saved a ton of money, only problem Fuller recruited the new crew chief to come back north , another smart move
Elect, I understand what your saying. In 2018 LFR with support from Rob Fuller, gave a team it’s best chance to win. Will this hold true in 2019? Only time will tell. I’m still a big proponent of talent. The more talent you can surround yourself with, the better your chances are. Will the other chassis builders find consistent speed? Again time will tell. There are some talented teams running TROYER, and Spafco who are only slight adjustments away from being contenders. 2019 if anything will be interesting.
Rob p I agree that’s what I’ve been saying today LFR is on top tomorrow who knows, I don’t know any of these builders but I believe Fuller deserves some credit for what he’s done , some people have trouble accepting that, and as far as these crew chiefs doing well with any chassis that maybe true but they chose LFR for a reason, it also appears that’s exactly what he is doing ,surrounding him self with talented people which any smart business person would do. But I agree next year it could be race works and I would give Ed Jr all the credit he deserves
Elekt, your rite in that thay shood tawk two me phirst. Only I can make these carz run becauze I have a big, beautiphul brain.
CHASSIS WARS 2019 BEGINS! At this time last year this B.S. started. Back then I hated Rob Fuller, but my hatred was based on hearsay. After some reasearch, I have come to conclusion that Rob’s alright in my book. He’s running allot of successful businesses, yet still finds time to not only field a car, but help out others. Even heard he’s helped people not running his product He’s on top of the game right now. Hard work and persistence will determine how long he remains there, and who takes his place. You can’t think that the others were happy getting their asses handed back to them time after time, so I imagine they’re working hard too. 2019 should be an interesting year.
It’s the talent wars. Silly season. People will be leaving teams and going to other teams.