(Press release from Stafford Speedway)
Stafford Speedway is set to join the list of tracks and series that have moved online since the season delays relating to coronavirus. The first Stafford Speedway iRacing event is set for Friday, March 27th at 7pm and will stream live on Stafford Speedway YouTube channel. Participants will include Stafford Speedway drivers who competed in an event in 2019 or have registered to compete in 2020.
“Unfortunately the start to our 2020 season has been delayed, but we are making the best of the situation,” explained Paul Arute of Stafford Speedway. “We have almost 40 drivers already signed up for the 100 lap race on Friday and hope that we can have some fun with the event. Everyone can watch the event live on our YouTube channel Friday at 7pm.”
The 100 lap event will feature a wide array of drivers spanning all divisions that compete at Stafford. Drivers will compete using Stafford’s signature SK Modified car along with a fixed setup, which means all drivers will be competing with the same setup. Drivers signed up for the event include Mike Christopher Jr, Andrew Molleur, Teddy Hodgdon, David Arute, Byran Narducci, Chase Dowling, Matt Swanson, Marcello Rufrano, and many more. For an up to date list of drivers visit the Facebook event page.
“We have discussed setting up some off season sim racing over the last few years and this delay has pushed us to get it setup,” continued Arute. “If this first event goes well, we’ll look to do another and even open the event up to race fans. iRacing has been a great partner to Stafford Speedway over the years and we are excited to see the continued growth of their platform.”
The 100 lap event will have a real race feel to it with live broadcasting from Stafford Speedway announcers Jeff Maconi and Bonssa Tufa. The event will be presented by Stafford Speedway partner NAPA Auto Parts and organized by Global Sim Racing Channel.
Stafford Speedway’s 2020 season is currently tentatively scheduled to open Friday, May 22nd with opening night. The 2020 NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler has been moved to May 30th and 31st setting up a double header weekend with the Call Before You Dig Pro Late Model 81 scheduled for Friday, May 29th.
I never contemplated how much an effect the absence of a continuing drum beat of sports can have on one’s mental outlook. Even if it’s in the background and we’re not paying complete attention to it. All we have now depending on your interest is fanless golf and the blow back from Brady exiting the Patriots.
So why not. Throw the race up on the big TV, grab a beer and keep an open mind. The graphics seem pretty good, we know the names, the track surroundings are familiar and it is real competition. You have to give Stafford a ton of credit. With the podcasts they have been producing and this event they are doing everything they can to keep the flame alive in local racing.
So who is this guy Mark Arute and what kind of magic does he possess. He meets his future bride Lisa via business, there’s an attraction and he asks her out. Not for a typical date like dinner and a movie….no. He invites her to the races the big cheap skate. Then proceeds to abandon her in turn 4, a novice that understands nothing about racing for a few hours while he does his job seeing that pretty much everyone else in the place is having a good time except his date. This is not just any woman mind you. It’s an educated accomplished woman of substance that for 99 out of 100 of us would have ended more likely in a middle finger and a you have to be kidding then a second date. Yet for Mark Arute he not only gets a second date but……well…..you know how it ends. That must have been a heck of a second date.
All joking aside that was a terrific podcast with Ms Arute. First that Paul is just getting better and better at the interviews and having one of the Stafford officers weighing in was new. Lisa Arute is the backbone of Stafford. A civil engineer by trade, smart and exactly the female decision maker you want near the top in todays racing world. Always in the background but critical to the tracks success she apparently is the primary overseer of the financial end of the business. The civil engineer part coming in real handy when the track was last repaved.
In one hour Ms Arute hit all the right chords. Interesting anecdotes, talked about but more importantly demonstrated the family’s commitment and gave us a rare peak behind the curtain of one of the tracks decision makers. Most importantly talked and showed why Stafford has one of the strongest contingents of women racing and why she at the top helps create the environment where they feel welcome and can be successful.
Jackie Arute is coming up on a podcast and that should be a can’t miss deal. First because he’s a charismatic story teller that can blend fact and embellishment in just the right doses. But he knew all the greats at Stafford in its hay day.
This eracing, or iracing is pretty cool. Modern technology has produced venues very close to the real thing, complete with bumps, cracks and that pesky seam sealer. It gives professional, amateur and wanna be racers a place to test their skills. Some of these iracing rigs can get quite expensive, but with the right equipment you can have fun without breaking the bank. Although nothing compares to the real thing, this comes pretty close. Someone needs to invent a device to reproduce the smell of racing. Just my opinion.