(Press release from Doug Coby Racing)
With $15,000 on the line in the 50th NAPA Spring Sizzler this weekend at Stafford Motor Speedway, Doug Coby would love to add another trophy in the prestigious event to his resume. Coby, a former track champion at the Connecticut half-mile early in his career – over 20 years ago – has four previous wins in the Spring Sizzler in 2006, 2012, 2016 and 2019. As the track gets ready to celebrate this special anniversary of the race, Coby is going to be a top contender to chase the big prize.
The race weekend will start with the NAPA Auto Parts Duel on Saturday, April 23 – where the field will be split into two, 40-lap races, each worth $4,000 to win. From there, Sunday’s 100-lap Spring Sizzler will be worth $15,000 to win – meaning a driver could collect over $20,000 for winning the race, including lap money bonuses.
The winner of Sunday’s Spring Sizzler will also earn a guaranteed seat for the SRX (Superstar Racing Experience) event at Stafford on July 2. Coby, who won the inaugural SRX race at his home track in 2021, would love to have a shot to make it two-for-two.
The event is the first of Doug Coby Racing’s 2022 schedule – one that includes a new crew chief – John McKenna. The combination of McKenna and Coby have worked together and won races before, and they are ready to roll to chase the Sizzler trophy.
“We feel good,” Coby said. “I know John’s ability and we will be ready with different things to try. The Sizzler has a ton of history in New England Modified racing – and to have four of them already is awesome to begin with – but to get the fifth win, at the 50th anniversary, would be pretty special. My first Tour-Type Modified win came at the Spring Sizzler in 2006 and it’s definitely something I’ll always remember. I think the driver who wins the 50th is definitely going to remember it.”
The Spring Sizzler is the first of seven races on Doug Coby Racing’s tentative 2022 schedule. From Stafford, the team will plan to move to Claremont Motorsports Park on Memorial Day weekend, Friday, May 27, for another $15,000 to win the race.
Stafford’s weekend schedule includes qualifying on Saturday at 2:30 p.m., which will include the NAPA Auto Parts Duel races. On Sunday, racing is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m., with the NAPA Spring Sizzler 100 scheduled to take the green flag at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are available online at StaffordMotorSpeedway.com and will also be available at the track on race day. For those who can’t make it to the track, the race will air live on FloRacing.TV as part of a subscription.
For more information on Doug Coby Racing, visit DougCobyRacing.com and follow the team on Facebook for race updates.
Hey, has Justin Bonsignore entered the Sizzler yet?????
The last chapter hasn’t been written yet on the Doug Coby-Justin Bonsignor driver comparison but to this point one thing is clear. While the social media competition is pretty even as far as actual driving goes Bonsignor is no Doug Coby.
We saw all the images of Bonsignor and the 51 last year after winning the NWMT championship at championship week in Nashville. Schmoozing with the elite of NASCAR and posing with that huge trophy. Boy can NASCAR do big time or what? Hirschman was pretty successful as well so how’d he celebrate with the Hirschman clan over pizza and beer?
If you buy the NASCAR press clippings you’re thinking the 51 climbed the Mt Everest of tour modified racing and stands alone at the pinnacle. I’d argue these days Mt Everest is far as tour modifieds are concerned moves around. This year based on money, car counts, elite teams and fan interest Mt Everest is at Stafford Motor Speedway this weekend.
Isn’t the 51 right down the road in Milford, Ct at Stones Parts and Performance? An authorized Fury Race Car dealer are they not? Wouldn’t you normally see the most successful car using a Fury chassis at an event where there are a lot of people that buy race car chassis’s. Ideally to prove how good the product is one would think.
Digging Deep with Denis 9/28/2021.
What challenges do crew chiefs have at Stafford Speedway?
“Stafford is tough. It is a flat track and not a lot of banking. The banking at those other tracks help you. Stafford is tricky to get a hold of and it changes day to night – the race cars drive completely different during the day then at night. So you have to keep up with it and make the proper changes. Stafford is probably one of the trickiest places we race at.”
Well there you have it. Like Hirschman Stafford is not a good track for the 51 team only last year breaking through for a win. Unlike Hirschman, Massa and his gang are unwilling to take on the finicky track filled with top teams if they don’t have to. There is a NWMT championship to win, the 51 is still digging out of a hole from the New Smyrna bust so focusing on Riverhead is the smart thing to do is it not? Stone will be there to consult for Fury no doubt and Bonsignor for nothing else then to bust Coby’s chops but the 51 team………MIA.
I still can’t get all those images and stories from the NASCAR publicist reigning all kinds of praise on the 51 team and their typically oversized trophy that for my money is over compensation. If they were the team all those splashy media images represent and there is an iconic event to prove they are a great team how do you stay on the sidelines? Why not load up that A list car, in that A list hauler, filled with A list equipment and brain power and travel Northeast to compete.
Way way back the underlying spirit of modified racing represented best by the first Sizzler but true in other big events was simply to congregate and compete against the best. Prior to 1985 modified racing had less structure but the big teams showed up at the biggest events not for a season long championship but to compete. Richie Evans had a dry spell in the early 1980’s at the Sizzler but continued to show up and compete against a paddock full of modifieds simply because that’s what the best did. All the best teams from all the local tracks far and wide showing up to see how they stacked up competing against each other.
Ken Massa and the 51 team are too smart for that. They know the odds are long, their rep would likely take another hit like in the Thompson and Islip 300 events and they’d end up looking very average. Distinguished only by their reams of NASCAR press clippings.
They’ve taken the route of strategic non-engagement based on competitive disinterest.
This isn’t the turn of the century when the best modified team was the winner of the Nascar modified championship. Tour modified racing now looks more like it did prior to 1985 when the current Nascar championship was structured. Go ahead 51, chose to be strategically non-engaged and competitively disinterested but you’ll never be able to lay claim to be the best tour modified team no matter how splashy those media images are or how big a trophy they give you.
No doubt they’ll be a bare knuckle brawl at Stafford this weekend, more open, more races to qualify and fewer rules then the NWMT. No brief and uncluttered qualifying laps to earn you a top starting spot in a one race format offering the reigning princess, excuse me prince of NASCAR the best shot to remain above the fray and dominate. They’d have to get down in the mud and compete and clearly they are too smart for that.
Say what you want about Coby he’ll be getting down in the mud starting Saturday as will a bunch of others with long resumes. Too bad Ken Massa and the 51 couldn’t muster that good old modified competitive spirit necessary to step outside their NASCAR cocoon just once mid season, take the gloves off and go at it just to see where they stand in the real tour modified world.
SIZZLER 50 FORUM PICK-EM
1. 01 Artie Pederson II John Meade/Billy the Kid
2. 02 Jimmie Blewett Troyer/Pettit
3. 1 Patrick Emerling Fury/Bob Bruneau
4. 1ny Chuck Hossfeld Troyer TA3/Performance Technology
5. 3 Ryan Preece BRE/Bob Bruneau
6. 4ma Jeff Gallup Fury/Bob Bruneau
7. 4nh Tommy Barrett Jr LFR/Pettit
8. 6 Matt Galko Troyer/Billy the Kid
9. 7ny Mike Christopher PSR/Bob Bruneau
10. 9ct Chase Dowling LFR/Billy the Kid
11. 10 Doug Coby LFR/RYR
12. 11 Cory DiMatteo Raceworks/Bob Bruneau
13. 11ct Dylan Izzo TFR/Pettit
14. 16 Ron Silk LFR/Lanci
15. 19 Anthony Bello Troyer/TA
16. 21 Tyler Barry SPAFC/Pettit (Withdrawn)
17. 24 Mikey Flynn SPAFCO/Pettit
18. 25nc Bobby Labonte Troyer/RYR
19. 25 Matt Swanson Troyer/Pettit
20. 25ct Anthony Flannery SPAFCO/Billy the Kid
21. 25nh Brian Robie Troyer/Billy the Kid
22. 28 Buddy Charette LFR/RYR
23. 31 Noah Korner Troyer/Pettit
24. 34 Dave Etheridge SPAFCO/Billy the Kid
25. 35 Andrew Moeller TFR/RYR
26. 43 Devin O’Connell Troyer/Bob Bruneau (Withdrawn)
27. 44 Anthony Sesely 2Kwik/Performance Technology
28. 44ma Bobby Santos LFR/Billy the Kid
29. 48 Marcello Rufrano LFR/Pettit
30. 50 Ronnie Williams Troyer/Pettit
31. 52 Mark Bakaj Troyer/RYR
32. 55ct Teddy Hodgdon Troyer/Pettit
33. 55b Robert Bloxsum Troyer/Habicht
34. 57 Keith Rocco Troyer/Pettit
35. 58 Eric Goodale Troyer/RYR, Billy the Kid
36. 60 Matt Hirschman Troyer/Bob Bruneau
37. 66 Austin Kochenash TFR/Hutter
38. 75ct Chris Pasteryak LFR/Bob Bruneau
39. 76 Dana DiMatteo Troyer/Pettit
40. 79 Jon McKennedy LFR/Bob Bruneau
41. 81 Todd Owen Chassis Pro/RAD
42. 81nj Jack Ely Troyer/Boardwalk Race Engines
43. 82 Craig Lutz LFR/RYR
44. 88 Woody Pitkat LFR/RYR
45. 92 Anthony Nocella LFR/Pettit
46. 179 Stephen Kopcik SKM/T/A Engines
Just added
15 David Arute
POINTS SYSTEM;
3 – points for picking the Winner
1- point for EACH car picked in top 5
2- points for most cars picked in top 5
3-points for the “Outsider”-can be any driver even a favorite points earned only for the win. OUTSIDER CAN NOT APPEAR IN YOUR TOP 5. Go ahead and pick a top team for your outsider and you get two great chances at earning the 3 points. Just remember if he or she does not win you lose the points you may have gotten by including the driver in your top 5.
LCQ PICK TWO
10 drivers from each Duel race on Saturday qualify for the Sizzler. Pick two drivers you think will NOT qualify in the Duel 40 races on Saturday but will make the Sizzler field via the LCQ races or B Main Feature on Sunday. If one or both qualify in the Duels they’re eliminated from scoring.
Each driver you correctly identify that races in the LCQ races or B Main Feature and makes the Sizzler field will get one point.
If one of your drivers finishes the highest in the Sizzler of all the drivers qualifying via the LCQ race or B Main Feature you get two points.
PROVISIONALS EXCLUDED FROM LCQ PICK TWO.
HOME TEAM VS INVADERS BONUS
Pick the Home Team (SK Regulars) vs Invaders (NWMT) and earn 2 additional points
HOME TEAM-Rocco, Williams, Christopher, Kopcik & Rufrano
INVADERS-Hirschman, Silk, McKennedy, Goodale, Lutz
SENTIMENTAL FAVORITE PICK ONE
Blewett(02) OR Preece(3) OR Labonte (25) OR Santos(44ma) OR Pitkat (88)
CAN ONLY PICK ONE-HIGHEST FINISHER EARNS 1 ADDITIONAL POINT
ENGINE BUILDER BONUS
Bob Bruneau (60,7ny,79) vs Pettit (57, 25,92) OR RYR (10,82,88) OR Billy the Kid (9ct, 44ma, 6)
CAN ONLY PICK ONE-HIGHEST SCORE USING RACTDAYCT PICK-EM SCORING WINS ONE ADDITIONAL POINT.
CELEBRITY BOUNTY/HANDICAP
Should Mr. Courchesne enter this competition any participant that beats his score receives an additional two points.
Tie Breaker-RaceDayCt rules. 1 point to the winner, 2 points for second, 3 for third etc. Lowest score wins the tiebreaker. Only applies in the event of a tie. ONLY the top 5 cars PLUS the Outsider scored.
**************************************************************************************************
Name…Top 5 picks ….Outsider… LCQ Pick 2 …. Home Team or Invaders … Sentimental Favorite…Engine Builder
Doug….9ct, 7ny, 60,57,16….10….31&34…Home Team…Pitkat…Pettit
Jake…..60, 9ct, 3, 10, 79…..7ny…44ma&57..Invaders….Preece…Bob Bruneau
Eddie…16, 79, 7ny, 60, 10…44ma..25nc&25nh..Invaders, Pitkat…Bob Bruneau
I’m pretty dad gum sure there will be no tie breaker on this can of worms.
wouldn’t count Coby out, but there are so many gb rest teams, that picking a winner is tough. I think Todd Owen wins
Well, it is indeed difficult to pick anything here.
The blend of drivers is a big disrupter. A huge factor is going to be the wrecking. We all know it, especially since this is an early season race, and rust, cobwebs and anxiety will be in play.
I can see MH riding somewhere safe, to stay out of trouble and save tires, while hoping the rest of the contenders are taken out.
This is a race where they are going to pace for many laps, and the last 30 or so are going to be crazy, perhaps the craziest 30 laps ever in modern Modified racing. Or the worst.
It’s going to be survival of the fittest, first and foremost. Who is best at staying out of and away from trouble?
Spotters will be crucial.
csg picks
1 9ct. 2 60 .3 10ct 4. 7ny 5 57 outside 44ma lc 57 and 81 invaders Blewett engine BTK
1. 01 Artie Pederson II John Meade/Billy the Kid
2. 02 Jimmie Blewett Troyer/Pettit
3. 1 Patrick Emerling Fury/Bob Bruneau
4. 1ny Chuck Hossfeld Troyer TA3/Performance Technology
5. 3 Ryan Preece BRE/Bob Bruneau
6. 4ma Jeff Gallup Fury/Bob Bruneau
7. 4nh Tommy Barrett Jr LFR/Pettit
8. 6 Matt Galko Troyer/Billy the Kid
9. 7ny Mike Christopher PSR/Bob Bruneau
10. 9ct Chase Dowling LFR/Billy the Kid
11. 10 Doug Coby LFR/RYR
12. 11 Cory DiMatteo Raceworks/Bob Bruneau
13. 11ct Dylan Izzo TFR/Pettit
14. 16 Ron Silk LFR/Lanci
15. 19 Anthony Bello Troyer/TA
16. 21 Tyler Barry SPAFC/Pettit (Withdrawn)
17. 24 Mikey Flynn SPAFCO/Pettit
18. 25nc Bobby Labonte Troyer/RYR
19. 25 Matt Swanson Troyer/Pettit
20. 25ct Anthony Flannery SPAFCO/Billy the Kid
21. 25nh Brian Robie Troyer/Billy the Kid
22. 28 Buddy Charette LFR/RYR
23. 31 Noah Korner Troyer/Pettit
24. 34 Dave Etheridge SPAFCO/Billy the Kid
25. 35 Andrew Moeller TFR/RYR
26. 43 Devin O’Connell Troyer/Bob Bruneau (Withdrawn)
27. 44 Anthony Sesely 2Kwik/Performance Technology
28. 44ma Bobby Santos LFR/Billy the Kid
29. 48 Marcello Rufrano LFR/Pettit
30. 50 Ronnie Williams Troyer/Pettit
31. 52 Mark Bakaj Troyer/RYR
32. 55ct Teddy Hodgdon Troyer/Pettit
33. 55b Robert Bloxsum Troyer/Habicht
34. 57 Keith Rocco Troyer/Pettit
35. 58 Eric Goodale Troyer/RYR, Billy the Kid
36. 60 Matt Hirschman Troyer/Bob Bruneau
37. 66 Austin Kochenash TFR/Hutter
38. 75ct Chris Pasteryak LFR/Bob Bruneau
39. 76 Dana DiMatteo Troyer/Pettit
40. 79 Jon McKennedy LFR/Bob Bruneau
41. 81 Todd Owen Chassis Pro/RAD
42. 81nj Jack Ely Troyer/Boardwalk Race Engines
43. 82 Craig Lutz LFR/RYR
44. 88 Woody Pitkat LFR/RYR
45. 92 Anthony Nocella LFR/Pettit
46. 179 Stephen Kopcik SKM/T/A Engines
Just added
15 David Arute
POINTS SYSTEM;
3 – points for picking the Winner
1- point for EACH car picked in top 5
2- points for most cars picked in top 5
3-points for the “Outsider”-can be any driver even a favorite points earned only for the win. OUTSIDER CAN NOT APPEAR IN YOUR TOP 5. Go ahead and pick a top team for your outsider and you get two great chances at earning the 3 points. Just remember if he or she does not win you lose the points you may have gotten by including the driver in your top 5.
LCQ PICK TWO
10 drivers from each Duel race on Saturday qualify for the Sizzler. Pick two drivers you think will NOT qualify in the Duel 40 races on Saturday but will make the Sizzler field via the LCQ races or B Main Feature on Sunday. If one or both qualify in the Duels they’re eliminated from scoring.
Each driver you correctly identify that races in the LCQ races or B Main Feature and makes the Sizzler field will get one point.
If one of your drivers finishes the highest in the Sizzler of all the drivers qualifying via the LCQ race or B Main Feature you get two points.
PROVISIONALS EXCLUDED FROM LCQ PICK TWO.
HOME TEAM VS INVADERS BONUS
Pick the Home Team (SK Regulars) vs Invaders (NWMT) and earn 2 additional points
HOME TEAM-Rocco, Williams, Christopher, Kopcik & Rufrano
INVADERS-Hirschman, Silk, McKennedy, Goodale, Lutz
SENTIMENTAL FAVORITE PICK ONE
Blewett(02) OR Preece(3) OR Labonte (25) OR Santos(44ma) OR Pitkat (88)
CAN ONLY PICK ONE-HIGHEST FINISHER EARNS 1 ADDITIONAL POINT
ENGINE BUILDER BONUS
Bob Bruneau (60,7ny,79) vs Pettit (57, 25,92) OR RYR (10,82,88) OR Billy the Kid (9ct, 44ma, 6)
CAN ONLY PICK ONE-HIGHEST SCORE USING RACTDAYCT PICK-EM SCORING WINS ONE ADDITIONAL POINT.
CELEBRITY BOUNTY/HANDICAP
Should Mr. Courchesne enter this competition any participant that beats his score receives an additional two points.
Tie Breaker-RaceDayCt rules. 1 point to the winner, 2 points for second, 3 for third etc. Lowest score wins the tiebreaker. Only applies in the event of a tie. ONLY the top 5 cars PLUS the Outsider scored.
**************************************************************************************************
Name…Top 5 picks ….Outsider… LCQ Pick 2 …. Home Team or Invaders … Sentimental Favorite…Engine Builder
Doug….9ct, 7ny, 60,57,16….10….31&34…Home Team…Pitkat…Pettit
Jake…..60, 9ct, 3, 10, 79…..7ny…44ma&57..Invaders….Preece…Bob Bruneau
Eddie…16, 79, 7ny, 60, 10…44ma..25nc&25nh..Invaders..Pitkat…Bob Bruneau
CSG….9ct, 60, 10, 7ny, 57…44ma…57&81..Invaders…Blewett…Billy the Kid
58 7ny 10 3 82 16 25nc 02 Invaders 88 RYR