The partnership between driver Bryan Narducci and SK Modified team owner Billy “Bear” Calicchio is over after eight events together in 2021 at Stafford Speedway.
Narducci spent his rookie season in the SK Modified division in 2020 with team owner Todd Owen. After parting ways with Owen following the conclusion of the 2020 season he connected with Calicchio, who was looking to return to full-time competition at Stafford in 2021.
“Things just didn’t work out,” Calicchio said. “I gave the kid a shot. You can blame me, you can blame the kid, you can blame whoever you want to blame. It just didn’t work and it’s over.”
Narducci is 15th in the SK Modified standings after seven points events at Stafford this year with one top-five and two top-10 finishes. He also ran Saturday’s non-points TickMike.com All-Star Shootout.
“I thought we’d get along really well because we’ve always gotten along really well,” Narducci said. “Working together though, things didn’t really gel. I’m never wrong and he’s never wrong, that sort of thing. Kind of the way we are. It just didn’t work.”
The 20-year old Narducci is in his sixth season running full-time at Stafford. He had six wins over two seasons in the Limited Late Model division (2016-17) and 13 victories over two years in the SK Light Modified division (2018-2019).
“It will be the first time going to Stafford to not race anything in over five years,” Narducci said. “It’s definitely going to be tough to get in the car from work and drive there knowing I’m not going to be getting in a race car.”
Narducci said late Wednesday he is holding out hope that he may be able to land a one-week stint this week in a Keith Rocco Racing ride for Friday’s SK Modified feature at Stafford, but the prospects of that happening weren’t looking great.
Calicchio said he would be departing the SK Modified division at Stafford and opting to run events at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl and Thompson Speedway for the remainder of the 2021.
“I’m done racing at Stafford,” Calicchio said. “When Tony [Alteri] from T/A [Engines] gets the motor done, I’m going back to [the New London-Waterford Speedbowl] on July 3 for their [Fast Five] race with a driver to be determined.
“I’m not happy with the politics at Stafford. I was left in the dark about the whole tire thing for the All-Star Race. No credits, get credits, got credits, you could borrow credits, you don’t have credits. [Stafford Speedway director of racing operations] Tom Fox talks out of both sides of his mouth and I can’t stand him.”
That’s a shame for both Bryan and Bear. Best of luck to both. Heard that there might be a tire shortage, any news on that?
Yes, hoosier said they are having a hard time getting the nylon to make the tires cause of covid. Thats what i was told 2 weeks ago when picking tires at waterford. You cant trust the chalk marks now because they are producing with whatever they can get now.
Will Bear reunite with Eric Berndt at the Bowl? Dylan Izzo? In any event, it will be good to see another competitive SK at the Speedbowl.
Bryan is finding like so many others before him that the transition from Lights to SK has a huge learning curve. Nobody in recent years has made the jump and quickly found success. Stafford SK’s typically have 15 cars within a few 10ths which is why it is the most competitive class it has become.
Oh good we have a shirts and skins dust up. I’ll call Narducci skins because that imagery is easier on the eyes mentally then an old guy as a skin.
That’s it 7 races? Did you not talk to Bryan or follow his career leading up to this season? He’s a hand full on and off the track. Patience and persistence was what was needed. Calicchio took the money from all of Narducci’s supporters not the least of which the Florida Connection. thought he could perform a miracle in a short period of time and bailed out. Was there an adult in this relationship?
I’m looking at the standings and don’t see what’s amiss. Contemporaries Hodgdon and Flynn struggling as well as journeymen Leary and Vasser. Narducci with a top 5 finish something that Arute and Moeller have not accomplished in points races.
Blaming Stafford politics……really. That’s the old Dave Sapienza everything but the kitchen sink approach. Sight something that had little to do with the real reason to help divert from the real reason.
The engine in the works, one foot out the door so how long ago did team moral start falling apart. The situation called for an adult to mentor a young man and it ended up with two young men butting heads.
There is a serious tire shortage in dirt racing. It was talked about during the Dream last week. They were limiting tire allotments per night. First time I have heard them doing that. I would think it would affect the asphalt tires as well.
I would hope Narducci finds a ride for Stafford. Stafford needs every SK they can get. Is there any hope of hooking back up with Owen. They seemed to have success in the SKL and were able to work together for several years. I would like to see Eric Berndt back in the 14. They had some success at Waterford last season and Eric has been successful at the big T in the past.
I found the tire allotment very confusing during the allstar event. The track announcer said during the broadcast that they couldnt change tires just swap them front to back and adjust pressures. Then they had an interview with a crew chief that said they had olld tires on and were riding out the first segment then coming in and changing to new tires for the later segments. So I can say that there were a few people that were confused on what the tire allotment strategy was for that event.
I wish all parties best of luck and hope to see them racing soon.
There is a serious tire shortage in dirt racing. It was talked about during the Dream last week. They were limiting tire allotments per night. First time I have heard them doing that. I would think it would affect the asphalt tires as well.
I would hope Narducci finds a ride for Stafford. Stafford needs every SK they can get. Is there any hope of hooking back up with Owen? They seemed to have success in the SKL and were able to work together for several years. I would like to see Eric Berndt back in the 14. They had some success at Waterford last season and Eric has been successful at the big T in the past.
I found the tire allotment very confusing during the allstar event. The track announcer said during the broadcast that they couldnt change tires just swap them front to back and adjust pressures. Then they had an interview with a crew chief that said they had olld tires on and were riding out the first segment then coming in and changing to new tires for the later segments. So I can say that there were a few people that were confused on what the tire allotment strategy was for that event.
I wish all parties best of luck and hope to see them racing soon.
Perhaps Dave Sapienza can drive for Bear at Thompson and the Speedbowl …
Surprise surprise. Bear screws someone over again. How many times has he done this to people now? When will it stop?
Sources say, he screwed Eric over as well and that He found out he didn’t have the ride by seeing the ct raceday article saying bryan was driving the car
Sounds like child like attitudes on both parts. For a “kid” to say he’s not wrong in discussions with the owner, not a smart move. I do not know either person, but it sounds like childs play. As far as “politics” sounds more like a sore loser to me. Admit it Bear. Stafford is THE Premier track in the Northeast, and you had a talented, but yet RAW driver, and were expecting what exactly???
The On track racing at Stafford could never measure up to Thompson….Not Today, Not 20 years ago, Not 50 years ago… Thompson you can go side by side, Lap after lap…At Stafford you go side by side for the Pace lap.
T/A engines? There’s your first problem. With Tony it’s always the chassis, never his power. Been there, done that.
Hopefully this will humble Bryan too. Doesn’t Rocco rent cars for this division? Maybe Bryan can find someone to rent him one for a few weeks. He needs some time to fine tune his raw talent. With a some humble pie and the right deep pocketed owner.. he can. Good luck Bryan. See you in victory lane soon.
LOL anyone thought this would work ? Eric Bernt drove the wheels off that car at Waterford ..THEN HES OUT ??? Narducchis support staff, along with a more or less idle (Stafford) car owner, all in a rush to get what they BOTH want and need forgot the results of his driving style will require several clips and bolt ons over time and here is where we land. Bear looks bad, Narducchi looks bad. .now its partly Tommy Fox`s fault ? that’s funny ! Bear taking the money and running to the bowl with a freshened up T/A motor thanks to the Florida connection .Narducchi and his “aggressive attitude and driving style” along with his sponsor’s left high and dry looking deeper in their empty pockets . bridges nuked beyond recognition. Hey, that’s racing . not the first or last time friends got together and are now enemies. racing is better at breaking up friendships and marriages than any other activity I have participated in . Will Bear go back to Keith ? Will Bear find a rich benefactor looking to put the next Joey Lagano in the car at the shoreline oval. Only Tony Alteri knows for sure ..
Narducci’s attitude has bit him in the ass once again. Bear fields top equipment, and knows how to set a car up, but found himself butting heads with a young under experienced driver. I’d have booted the kid too. One thing, where does Tony fit into this? Maybe I’m missing something here, but you can’t scream at the car owner, who has many many years experience, and assume no repercussions. Bear will land on his feet and continue on, Brian?
Heard that car has old 1970s stuff on it like a 4 link. Bear stuck in the 70s trying to make stuff work thats junk.
Atomic- I gather you didn’t watch last Friday night’s Sk race- side by side at least 8 laps for the lead. One of the best racing for the lead in a long time… Stafford posted it on Facebook/ take a look
Punk it’s so much better at Thompson that you might have to get use to watching sports car club racing soon
Maybe Bryan should go buy a new Dodge and talk to Tommy Bolles , he mentioned in a earlier interview he might consider putting a young kid in the car , that might be just what that car needs
So who do you think will be in bear’s car at the bowl? Berndt was fast down there last year.