(Press release from Stafford Speedway)
This Friday night, July 24 at Stafford Speedway will see the SK Light division take center stage with their 40-lap extra distance Dunleavy’s Truck & Trailer Repair Modifiedz Night feature event. This year’s edition of the extra distance classic marks the fourth consecutive year that the SK Lights will race 40 laps with Doug Dunleavy from Dunleavy’s Truck and Trailer Repair providing a purse of nearly $10,000 with the winner guaranteed to go home with $1,750 in purse money. Combined with contingency bonuses from Dunleavy’s Truck and Trailer Repair, Maybury Material Handling, and New England Racing Fuel, Sunoco Brand, the winner will go home with a cool $2,000 pay day and a $25 gas certificate.
In the previous three running’s of Dunleavy’s Modifiedz Night, there has been 3 different winners with Brett Gonyaw winning the inaugural race in 2017, Marcello Rufrano in 2018, and Noah Korner last season. The race has provided its fair share of thrills and spills over the past 3 years, with Korner making his winning pass in the final corner of the final lap after a green white checkered restart in 2019, Rufrano having to hold off a host of pursuers over several restarts in the second half of the race in 2018, and Gonyaw leading the final 7 laps in 2017 after the leaders wrecked while racing for the lead with 7 laps to go. Dunleavy expects more of the same for this race.
“This year might be the most nervous I’ve ever been for this event,” said Dunleavy. “It’s a big race for the SK Lights and it’s only the third race of the season. We’re going to be going 40 laps this Friday night, the SK Lights have only raced 40 laps through the first 2 races, and there’s a lot of rookie drivers. I’m an adrenaline junkie for racing and the SK Lights are the building division for future drivers. The SK Lights are a great division and there’s not a lot of distractions for the drivers like pit stops or radio communications so they can focus on a great race and that’s what we’ve had the last 3 years. When it comes down to those last 10 laps of the race, everyone in the stands are on their feet and that’s the way 2020 has been at Stafford so far in all divisions. I think it’s going to be a breathtaking race for sure.”
Between Gonyaw not participating in the SK Light division this season, Rufrano now racing in the SK Modified® division, and Korner not attending the race as he is in the middle of changing his SK Light car into an SK Modified® car, the Dunleavy’s Modifiedz Night feature is guaranteed to produce a fourth different winner in as many years. Dunleavy has a special feeling that this year’s event will see one of the 5 female SK Light regulars, Cassandra Cole, Nikki Chambrello, Amanda West, Sami Anderson, or Alina Bryden end up in NAPA Victory Lane.
“I have a gut feeling that this year is going to be a ladies night,” said Dunleavy. “It’s pretty awesome there’s 5 female drivers in the SK Light division this season and I really hope that one of them can win the race.”
The 2020 SK Light season has been a season of first-time winners thus far with Jon Puleo winning on NAPA Auto Parts Opening Night back on June 26 and Brian Sullivan becoming a first time winner last Friday night, July 17. Puleo followed his opening night victory up with a victory in the non-points race that was held last Saturday, July 18 as part of the Bud Light Open 80 program.
Stafford’s SK Modifieds®, Late Models, Limited Late Models, and Street Stocks will all join the SK Lights in feature action this Friday night. General admission tickets have sold out but there is still a limited amount of paddock tickets available for this Friday night’s Dunleavy’s Modifiedz Night. Tickets must be purchased online and there will be no tickets sold at the gates the night of the race. For any fans who can’t make the race in person and still would like to watch the race, they can order the live stream of Dunleavy’s Modifiedz Night from staffordspeedway.tv for $20.
For more information, visit www.staffordspeedway.com, checkout Stafford Speedway on Facebook or Twitter, or contact the track office at 860-684-2783.
What would modified racing be like without Doug Dunleavy? Doug provides sponsorship for race teams, in just about every division from mini stock to WMT, as well as sponsoring numerous events throughout the season. So I say THANKS DOUG! Racing needs more people like him.
It is a credit to the division to have a strong female contingent and this year Amanda West has a real shot to be first woman to win in the division.
The Lights are wide open. 10 cars are capable of winning. No drama this week about a sell out. Guess the bloom is off that particular rose. No matter. Things are getting a little more routine is a good sign.
The fact we have read no stories in RaceDayCt about infections at Stafford or pretty much any of the regional tracts at events so far has not gone unnoticed knock on wood.
Yes, Doug, so far there have been no reported infections from racing events here in New England. It’s a testament to the hard work, and sacrifices just about everyone have made to beat down the virus. Now we all have to band together, and keep taking those sacrifices to assure that maybe, just maybe, we’ll get to enjoy more racing , and possibly complete the season. It’s not really much to ask, wear a mask (although the humidity makes it uncomfortable) social distance where you can and practice good hygiene. Not much when you consider the alternative.
Hope everyone remains safe strong and sane, and enjoying the racing when you can.
I’ve gotten hooked on the Youtube interviews with WWII vets called Veteran Chronicles. Even for those that fought the same battles such as the Battle of the Bulge or Okinawa the observations each makes are so different. Each have their own perspective on what being in harms way meant to them. That was real sacrifice.
So far you’ve mentioned that sacrifice deal numerous times Rob p and each time it gets more pathetic. There are many people working hard and sacrificing in the pandemic from medical professional to meat packing workers. The rest of us that would include most of us writing these inane posts are simply being asked to do a few simple things that in no way can be framed as sacrifice. It’s almost nothing other then a few basic behavioral changes.
Sacrifice my ass. It’s the least we can do. The absolute least and that sacrifice BS is an insult to people that are really called upon to go over and above which is not that vast majority of we here.
None of the Avery cars are in SK competition at Stafford tonight?!
Rafter Fan,
No they are not. Chase Dowling is sitting out the weekend. Woody Pitkat is on vacation and Glen Reen is apparently taking a week off.