(Press release from Stafford Speedway)
Call Before You Dig has expanded their partnership with Stafford Speedway becoming the official sponsor of the Inaugural Call Before You Dig Pro Late Model Open 81 scheduled for Friday, May 29th. Stafford Speedway officials recently announced the Pro Late Model event and the feedback from fans and drivers has been positive.
“We want to thank Call Before You Dig for signing on to present this new event,” explained Stafford General Manager David Arute. “The initial feedback on the event has been positive across the board and has both race teams and race fans excited. Adding Call Before You Dig as an event partner brings this race to the next level.”
With the announcement of Call Before You Dig’s event sponsorship, Stafford Speedway officials have released the purse breakdown and distance for the May 29th event. Teams will compete in an 81 lap event in recognition of Call Before You Dig’s “811” hotline. Posted awards for the Call Before You Dig Pro Late Model Open total over $20,000 including $2,500 to win and $600 to start.
“We’ve received some early entries for the event and have received a lot of inquiries,” continued Arute. “A strong mix of Pro Late Model drivers coming from different tracks and series are expected. We encourage teams that have any questions to contact us at the track office (860-684-2783) or send us an email at [email protected].”
Early entries for the Pro Late Model Open include former Stafford Speedway Limited Late Model champion Cory Casagrande, Wild Thing Kart graduate Devin O’Connell, former Late Model winner Mike Scorzelli, two-time NASCAR Division III national champion Bryan Narducci, and 2nd generation driver Brian Tagg.
Call Before You Dig is a state regulated, non-profit organization comprised of all public utilities and municipalities in Connecticut The purpose of CBYD is to function as a statewide, one-call notification system that provides excavators and the general public with the ability to inform multiple owners and operators of underground facilities of proposed excavation, demolition or blasting. Contractors as well as anyone in the general public can use the E-Ticket system found online at www.cbyd.com to set up a location request for any project that involves digging into the ground. The CBYD website offers the opportunity to register for E-Tickets for jobs as well as providing resources such as a design survey, education materials about digging into the ground, emergency contacts, and reports and forms. The CBYD website has recently undergone a facelift to an all new format that has made the site more user friendly.
Team are encouraged to register in advance of the May 29th event. Registration is available online or by contacting the track office. Discount registration fees are available for early registration. Rules for the Call Before You Dig Pro Late Model Open 81 are also available online.
For more information, visit www.staffordspeedway.com, checkout Stafford Speedway on Facebook or Twitter, or contact the track office at 860-684-2783.
A couple years ago Mr. Fearn explained the differences between the Stafford LM’s and ACT legal LM’s. Making the point at the time that making the Stafford cars ACT legal would be cost prohibitive.
I can’t find the comment but it was good and made it clear the chassis differences are extensive. While chassis are too far in the weeds engines are a little simpler to understand.
The Stafford LM engine is a spec engine and Stafford unicorn. The Pro Late Model rules make it very clear they are going out of their way to accommodate every ACT, Granite State, Seekonk and other LM’s that use the ZZ4 or 604 sealed engine variation for power. I would think the Stafford LM’s are faster but have nothing to base that on.
Pro Late Models will be the headliner and the Stafford LM’s in the under card running their usual thirty laps. Like the mod opens Stafford is not going to risk intermingling one of their bread and butter divisions with the open field.
Unlike the mod open when it was announced the buzz for LM’s seems to be muted for now. There are however a lot of LM’s out there that could enter this race. I’d bet they end up with a really strong field.
One thing is pretty clear. I don’t know how you do it but Tom Fearn needs to be in the Open race.