“Welcome to the Show” has been one of the branding slogans in recent years at Stafford Speedway.
When it comes to the 50th NAPA Spring Sizzler on April 23-24 “The Show” at Stafford will be welcoming the veteran Modified driver known as “Showtime”.
Jimmy “Showtime” Blewett confirmed to RaceDayCT on Thursday that he has filed an entry for the Spring Sizzler.
Blewett said nothing changes concerning the reputation of the event as one of the big ones on the Modified racing calendar with the race changing from a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event to an independent Open Modified show for 2022.
“It’s the Sizzler,” Blewett told RaceDayCT. “Obviously we’ve always done it [as a Whelen NASCAR Modified Tour race]. In my eyes it’s still the Sizzler to me. It’s just one of those races that you want to have your name in it. They’re going to have a good field of cars there, there’s going to be a lot of big names there.”
Blewett will run for team owner Ryan Fisher with their new PSG Motorsports organization. Blewett and Fisher are working together this year to run selected Modified events.
“This thing that we’ve put together in a short period of time, we’ve had our eyes set on things, but it’s a group of guys that we’ve talked about doing races and we’ve done too much talking and not enough racing because we haven’t had stuff together yet.
“It’s something that my car owner looked forward to fielding a car in. He grew up around racing … and he’s followed the sport and knows the history of the Spring Sizzler. … For him this is another thing on his bucket list of things to do, to field a car in the Spring Sizzler.”
Of Blewett’s six career Whelen Modified Modified Tour victories, three have come at Stafford with the most recent coming in 2016 at the historic half-mile.
“I feel like we’ll have just as good a piece as anybody going there,” Blewett said. “… It’s one my favorite tracks and I’ve had some good runs there. Hopefully we unload and we’re right there. I just look forward to getting there.”
50 % of His Wins are at Stafford ….. So He will be a contender if they can get the car to rotate the turns and handle the long green flag runs that have happened in some of the recent tour races on the tricky half mile … I always enjoy and root for the Blewett’s after watching John and Jimmy at Thompson, It was a truly truly sad day when they crashed in turn 1 and John lost His life .. I can’t even imagine the horror of Jimmy being there and seeing the whole thing… So I hope and pray for Jimmy to be very successful every time He straps in a race car…. it shows His Courage and strong willpower .. How can you not root for a Man like Him ..Go Showtime !!!!! Sizzler trophy would look great on the mantle place !!!!!! Although Thompson is my Favorite Track to watch the Modifieds …. I have seen firsthand many drivers lose their lives there…. it’s taken quite a few, in the years I have been going to the High Banks….RIP…..
I guess we all have different ways of viewing drivers. I sure don’t think poor Jimmy the wreck was 14 years ago. Blewett for me is the Wall/dive bomb guy. He pops up at various places with some good runs like New Smyrna but otherwise I don’t attach special significance to this entry. Off the top of my head he seems to be a non factor at Stafford with no recent NWMT runs I can recall or open appearances but lets see what the record books show.
Only four wins at Stafford. 2005 an SK win. Tour wins in 2008,2009 and 2016.
Two NWMT appearances in 2019 in the Burtuccio 21, coming 23rd and 11th.
32, 8 and 14 in 2018.
Nothing in 2017 but 2016 his best year at Stafford with finishes 31, 2,1 and 3.
No doubt if you stick him in a modified no matter where he’ll know what to do with it and try to get to the front ASAP. On the whole though in recent years his involvement has been spotty in modifieds and non existent at Stafford. It’s hard to see him being a factor at all in the Sizzler but races aren’t run on predictions.
If you had to list 5 drivers that are absolutely at the top of the list to get for a prestigious event who would the be? Mine excludes the Stafford regulars and would look like this.
1) Hirschman-you’d think Preece would be first but as far as modifieds go Hirschman is “the man” so he is first in my book.
2) Preece-our guy in the Bigs, well known and extremely popular.
3) Coby-Stafford roots, NWMT wins at Stafford, 6 time NWMT champ and the SRX win. Based on his resume he could easily be ranked no 1.
4) J. Bonsignor-the reigning NWMT champ.
5) Santos, Santos, Santos-wildly popular enough said.
Wild card entries that would be eye catchers
Amy Catalano- it’s a historic race and it should have female representation. Mom Catalano is the real deal and can compete if she get one of the Catalano A cars.
Sapienza- not my cup of tea but very popular. More for his public relations wins off the track then on and a Hirschman/Sapienza story line would have legs.
Ryan Newman- modified chops with a national reputation
Bobby Labonte-Old but SMART. Hall of Fame, national recognition and popular.
Jimmy Blewett has popularity because of his lineage, not his driving. The popularity and reputation of his ancestors seems to have stuck to him for some reason. Jimmy has not lived up to the cachet and reputation of his surname.