(Press release from Stafford Speedway)
After posting a win and a career high 8 top-10 finishes last season, Stafford Speedway SK Modified® driver Glen Reen heads into the 2020 season looking for more. Reen finished a career best fifth in the points standings and that finish could have been even higher if not for circumstances and some misfortunes last year.
“I think last year was our best season so far,” said Reen. “We started off the season with flat tires in the first two races and then we won the third race. If we didn’t have those 2 bad races to start, I feel like we could have been right there to make a run at the end of the season. Keith [Rocco] and Ronnie [Williams] both had bad starts to the season but each won 5 races to help make up for that and we only had 1 win. I was frustrated only winning one race and I know that sounds cocky, but I think we were much better than what we were able to show. If we could have turned some close calls into wins, it might have been a three or four way fight at the end of the year for the championship.”
Reen is known as an aggressive driver and that aggressive nature has helped him reach NAPA Victory Lane in 3 of the past 4 seasons. In order to take his winning ways up a notch, Reen knows that sometimes he has to exhibit more patience while on the track.
“As a racer, you can always learn something,” said Reen. “I think we’re right about where we want to be but if I had to pinpoint one thing, it would be to dial my aggressive style back a little. I have a bit to go as far as realizing that it might not be the right time to make a move and wait another lap or two in order to make a move. I would rather go from zero to hero instead of going from hero to zero with a move that didn’t work out.”
Reen enters the 2020 season with his sights set squarely on challenging for the track championship. Reen has finished in the top-9 of the points standings in four of his five full-time seasons in the SK Modified® division, and he feels like the time is right for him to take his performance to the next level.
“Absolutely I think we can be a championship contender this season,” said Reen. “As long as some luck plays to our side, I don’t think it’s a far fetched idea. We’re at the shop several nights a week so the cars are ready, they’re clean, and all the rebuilding that needed to be done has been done and we’ve made a few changes. My spotter from last year is now spotting for Bryan Narducci so Dylan Kopec will be spotting for me and I got a couple of my old crew guys back from 2017 when we had a lot of fun going racing together. It’s exciting to have new teammates with Woody and Chase along with Dan and it’s cool to be a part of Horsepower Hill Farms.”
The 2020 season will mark the third consecutive year that Reen has been racing his #17 Horsepower Hill Farms Chevrolet as a teammate to veteran driver Dan Avery. Avery’s stable will increase to 3 cars this season with the addition of Chase Dowling to a full-time ride in the #22 car, while Woody Pitkat will share the #10 car with Avery. Reen was already looking forward to the new season but having Pitkat and Dowling on board as teammates only amplifies his excitement.
“For me to be racing for my childhood hero Dan Avery is probably the coolest thing I could do and I’m really excited to be working with Chase and Woody this year,” said Reen. “Having some more team cars to bounce ideas back and forth with will definitely help us out and I think we can be a force to be reckoned with. Last season we struggled with the car setup being a little too tight all the time but we have a good baseline with two years of notes to work from. When you have a good feeling to start the season off and you have guys you’re used to working with, that brings a lot of momentum.”
“I’m so excited for the season to get started, especially with the warm weather we’ve been having, and we have great sponsors with Horsepower Hill Farms, Avery Construction, G.P. Fence, LifeCare Family Chiropractic, R.A.D. Auto Machine, and Tech Ed Products.”
The 2020 SK Modified® season kicks off with the 49th Annual NAPA Spring Sizzler® on April 24-26. Tickets for the “Greatest Race in the History of Spring” are on sale now by calling the Speedway Box Office 860-684-2783 or online at www.staffordspeedway.com.
For more information, visit www.staffordspeedway.com, checkout Stafford Speedway on Facebook or Twitter, or contact the track office at 860-684-2783.
A leopard doesn’t change it’s spots.
Rob p, there seems to be no signs of intelligent life anywhere in your comments.
It’s a Stafford Speedway fluff piece. That doesn’t mean it isn’t deserved. Rocco said it in the Vault Productions series. The opening last year painted Reen as a wild card and Reen Acres was not just a cute announcing bit it was painfully true. Rocco said it wasn’t true last year and it wasn’t. Reen finished races and earned a measure of respect at the very least from Rocco.
What I notice is Reen in the stands. Always pleasant, always good with fans and just pleasant to be around. Avery clearly sees something in him that is enduring.
It’s a fluff piece. Reen is not that happy to have other team members competing for resources and he will likely not compete for the championship.
But he is one of the top drivers in the SK’s at Stafford and he is exactly the kind of guy you like to see do well.
Easy David John. Rob P is one of my favorite regulars on this site along with Doug of course. I agree with Rob and Doug. Reen will be Reen next season. Patience is a virtue. He will not be virtuous! A wildcard to win or wreck weekly. This preseason, time filling fluff piece was just a space filler. When Reen is the story, there’s usually race car carnage in his wake. Hope he enjoys Dowling and Pitkat as teammates. Can’t wait to see this play out. I can imagine a scenario where Reen races hard against one of those teammates just to end up cleaning them out while they were racing for 5th!!
There is an interesting theme that has evolved from the The Show at Stafford Speedway if you believe video is a window to the soul.
We all have our favorites but what the video does is lets the drivers tell their own stories. Not purposely in a sit down where the can craft a narrative that may be self serving if that’s their goal. But unvarnished in snippets over the course of the season where spin is virtually impossible. Rocco smart, mischievous and entertaining. Thinking outside the box constantly admonishing the series for painting Reen incorrectly. He’s crawling on the ground to do a bit for the camera. Mike Christopher comes off as just the nicest your man. Navigating an iron willed father, learning the technical aspects of racing and cars, recognizing the failures he had in 2019. Not groveling in it but using it to do better. Reen is just a pleasure. True you can point to one or two bad decisions on his part that cost others money but overall he done good. From his approachability in the stands or pit parties to the excitement he delivers on the track racing needs guys like him to bring the juice and go one on one with fans without feeling put out.
Ronnie Williams described an exchange he had with Reen after they had come in second and third to Owen. Describing how Reen came up to him and suggested how their race for second was enjoyable from a competition standpoint. To which Williams just snickered at the idea saying competition for second is for losers. If it’s not for the win who cares.
Williams has made that reference several times in the video presentation. Only winning counts. He only cares about the win. A guy with amnesia that was in very much the same position racing his own car years ago and that guy may have gotten a rush out of fighting for second. Now the success he has garnered mostly from driving other formerly successful cars that other people set up and make fast has turned him into kind of a self important jerk.
Video isn’t a window into the soul so much as a window into a drivers racing persona and their priorities. Reen could be kicking dogs and Williams volunteering at soup kitchens for all we know.
My view is that Reen, Christopher and Rocco each came off as genuinely unique but more importantly understanding their role in the bigger picture of racing.. Finding value in competition. relating to fans, understanding and appreciating the ebbs and flows and nuances of racing. Williams came of as a guy interesting in only three things. Winning, justifying whatever he had to do for the win and the people that he needs to help him win. Fans, competition, the show he may care about deeply but you’d never know it to hear him talk.
Avery is looking like the Joe Gibbs of the sk’s. Realistic to look at wins coming out of those three cars. Seems they have good equipment and Dowling continues to show his value not only as a driver but as a set up guy, most teams he drives for show not only improvement but success. Seems like the combination of Dowling, Pitkat and Reen should be in contention for wins changed style or not Reen probably ends up third on that list. Wouldn’t be shocking to see all three win a race.
I enjoyed the show and how they gave all access to their thoughts and opinions. I see these guys weekly in the pits, I’m not on a crew but like being closer to the action and the Show filled in a lot of blanks. Reen will hopefully learn to be more patient and is nice to talk to. Mike Jr was great to hear how well spoken he is and funny cuz in the pits he seems quiet and shy. It’s hard to get Mike away from his pit area but he is a nice young man and fierce competitor. Rocco and Williams we’re portrayed a certain way but film editing can do that. Rocco is a hard working fan friendly guy, I’ve seen him joke around with Ronnie and his crew- there is more respect there than it showed especially in the last 2 episodes with Rocco getting the last word, but it was to get one up on Williams which to me seem out of character for Keith but great for fans to stoke the flame of this rivalry. Keith is always busy but makes time to say hi and talk to familiar faces and he has a lot of respect for the top running competitors. Ronnie had great success with his family team, winning 8 races and coming in 3rd in points his final season. The Show showed a very serious side of him after bringing a championship to them in their first season together, and not the funny, joking around guy who talks and takes time with every fan that approaches him in the pits, and the champ gets a lot, he has fun with his fellow competitors and always has a smile on his face. He is a really nice guy, very smart and makes you feel good. He even walked by me after a win last year and said some kind words and gave me his hat from victory lane. I like all of these guys but felt bad for how the final edit did not get to show fans the great personality of the champ. Now that the show has give fans a glimpse of these drivers, I’d recommend to any weekly fan to buy a pit pass and get to know these drivers and more that make the racing experience even better.
I’m just going to say thanks Charlie P. Best comment of the year for me.