(Press release from Stafford Speedway)
The pride of Howell, NJ, “Showtime” Jimmy Blewett is set for a big weekend of racing at the NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler April 23rd and 24th. Blewett has not only entered the 50th Annual NAPA Spring Sizzler® but will also get behind the wheel of a Keith Rocco owned SK Modified® and battle with Stafford’s best in the 40-lap SK Modified feature. Blewett partnered with Ryan Fisher and Primary Services Group to form a new open modified team for the 2021Turkey Derby. After winning yet another Turkey Derby, Blewett is hopeful he can continue his winning ways at Stafford behind the wheel of the #02 PSG Motorsports / John Blewett, Inc. Chevrolet.
“A friend of mine from back home, Ryan Fisher, had always wanted to have a modified team so we put a team together for the Turkey Derby last year and we ended up winning the race,” said Blewett. “We’re a new team and we’re still trying to figure out crew members and things like that but all in all it’s a great team with great equipment. We have a newer Troyer chassis and a Mike Pettit engine so I’m looking forward to the race. My realistic goal for the Turkey Derby was to go out and get a solid top-5. I always want to win any race I enter but you also have to have realistic goals. Going to the track with a new team, whether it’s your home track or not, it gave us a lot of comfort to be able to unload and have a fast car right off of the trailer with a new combination. You’re racing against guys who all have great teams with great cars so you need to have good equipment behind you and Ryan Fisher from Primary Services Group has given me everything and anything that I’ve needed. Stafford has always been one of my favorite if not my favorite track to go to so I’m really looking forward to it. I think we’ll have as good of a shot as anyone going into the Sizzler®.”
The Open Modified NAPA Spring Sizzler® won’t be the only race that Blewett competes in during the weekend. Blewett has teamed with Keith Rocco to drive one of Rocco’s SK Modified® cars. With a Fall Final SK Modified® victory to his credit back in 2005, Blewett likes his chances of running at the front of that race as well.
“I wouldn’t be able to do any of this without Tick Mike, Primary Services Group, and Extreme Wheel Repair as sponsors for both the open modified and the SK car,” said Blewett. “Keith and I have always been good friends and we’ve been fierce competitors in the past. There’s no one better to team up with than Keith to run an SK car. I went to Keith’s shop the other day to see him working on my car and he was working harder on my car than he was working on his own car. Keith gives you the best that he can possibly provide and I’m just looking forward to getting back to Stafford and doing some racing. Hopefully this is something that I can do more races with Keith this season. I’m hoping that I can do maybe 3 to 6 races in total with Keith. It all depends on how the Sizzler goes and our sponsorship situation. I love Stafford and I’m very comfortable getting around the track. I’ve always loved racing SK type cars and I’m really excited.”
Another thing that has Blewett excited is the fact that the winner of the NAPA Spring Sizzler® will earn a starting position in the SRX event that is returning to Stafford on Saturday, July 2nd. Last year’s SRX event saw Doug Coby outlast an all-star field that included the likes of 4-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves and NASCAR Cup Series champions Tony Stewart, Bobby Labonte, and Bill Elliott.
Click here to order NAPA Spring Sizzler Tickets
“I feel like that’s one of the main reasons why we’re all coming to Stafford,” said Blewett. “Everyone wants to win the race and get that SRX slot so we can go out and show the world what modified racers are all about. Doug Coby did a great job of showing that last year and if I should get that spot in the SRX race, I promise I won’t let anyone down.”
In order for Blewett to win the NAPA Spring Sizzler®, he first must qualify for the race. Blewett and the nearly 50-car strong entry list will do battle in twin 40-lap heat races on Saturday, April 23 to set the top-20 drivers in the starting lineup. The remainder of the 32-car field will be filled by twin 15-lap last chance qualifying races on Sunday, April 24 with the final 2 positions going to provisional starters. Drivers will have to find a balance between racing hard enough in the qualifying races while trying to simultaneously save the car and the tires for the start of the 100-lap Sizzler®.
“The biggest thing for everyone is going to be making the race,” said Blewett. “You’re going to have to play some strategy because we only get a certain number of tires for practice, qualifying, and the race. I have an idea of what I want to do and Tommy Baldwin has been very helpful with how he thinks I should approach the qualifying races and how he’s going to approach them. I have a lot of good people behind me and time will tell how things play out. It’s pretty neat to see a return of the heat race format for qualifying. I’ve been watching a lot of the older Sizzler videos on my Roku and YouTube and I think it will be better racing and the fans will really enjoy the heat races.”
The 50th running of the NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler® kicks off on Saturday, April 23rd and Sunday, April 24th. The weekend will begin with the NAPA Auto Parts Duel qualifiers on Saturday the 23rd. Also on hand Saturday, April 23rd will be the PASS Super Late Models, Street Stocks, Limited Late Models, and Vintage All-Stars. Sunday, April 24th will be the headliner with the 100-lap NAPA Spring Sizzler® along with qualifying and feature races for the SK Modified®, Late Model, and SK Light Modified divisions. Tickets can be ordered online at staffordspeedway.com/tickets.
For more information, visit www.staffordspeedway.com, checkout Stafford Speedway on Facebook or Twitter, or contact the track office at 860-684-2783.
It’s Showtime! Jimmy Blewitt in an SK prepared by Keith Rocco. Could get interesting.
Pinch me there are so many interesting sub plots to Sizzler weekend this being one.
Bert Myers came up and tried his hand in the SK’s in a KRR car. How can I say this. Hmmm, he sucked. Car was all over the place in the corners. Interesting because KRR cars never unload and suck and his rentals are usually in the hunt at some point in the race.
Now Blewett is going to give it a try and we’ll see won’t we? My view the SK’s are like swimming with piranha. They all race together, they know how to race the division, they know the track, it’s a close racing sprint and they eat outsiders alive.
I’d be shocked if any outsider let alone Blewett could crack the top 5 but it will be riveting to see him try.
Burt sucking could be as simple as going from a Fury (LFR) chassis to a Troyer, or a tour type car to an SK. Surprised Burt didn’t enter the Sizzler, with all the prestige and perks that come with it. Showtime has allot of laps at Stafford, and I’d expect him to be a contender.
1. 01 Artie Pederson II John Meade/Billy the Kid
2. 02 Jimmie Blewett Troyer/Pettit
3. 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. 5 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
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
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
This is the big one, the Sizzler 50th. It’s going to be really hard to make the main event and thus only appropriate we have a Sizzler Pick-em equally difficult to win.
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.
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 scored.
SIZZLER 50th LCQ Pick Two
Top 10 cars from the “Duels” 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 the B-Main Feature winner. 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 winner and makes the Sizzler field will get one point.
If one of your drivers finishes the highest of all the drivers qualifying via the LCQ races or B Main winner you get two points.
PROVISIONALS EXCLUDED FROM LCQ PICK TWO.
Question is can we pickers rebound from the Richmond debacle where no one got more then one of their top 5 correct.
Simple answer to why Myers is not running the Sizzler. Opening night of Bowman-Gray is this Saturday. We all know how the Myers family values the championship there over all else, and good for him.
There is a huge difference between a tour type mod and an SK mod never mind jumping from one chassis manufacturer to another.
A one off deal in a class with a different engine package, different set up, different chassis and a track where the driver has limited experience doesn’t = a driver sucking (Burt Meyers).
But who am I, it’s only my opinion. I’m obviously not the Dr. Phil of racedayct.
Then I stand corrected for using the term “sucked”. For those with more sensitive constitutions would “non competitive” suffice?
So if I say the 51 team are a bunch of pussies for passing on the Sizzler I’ll bet that would be frowned upon as well. More specifically since the decider is Ken Massa he’d be the pussy would he not were the term apt?
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. Say what you will about NASCAR no organization does pomp and circumstance better. 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 as far as tour modifieds are concerned moves around. This year based on money, car counts and fan interest Mt Everest is at Stafford Motor Speedway next weekend.
Isn’t the 51 right down the road in Milford, Ct at Stones Parts and Performance? An authorized Fury Race Cars authorized 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.”
If you say so Mr Stone. Like Hirschman Stafford is not a good track for the 51 team only last year breaking through for a win. 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?
Even so I still can’t get all those images and stories from the NASCAR publicist reigning all kinds of praise on the 51 team and the trophy. A trophy you could argue tries to make the point size matters when in this case it may not. Stone will be at the Sizzler consulting for Fury, Bonsignor as well if nothing else then to bust Coby’s chops. If the 51 is a great team and there is an iconic event to prove they are a great team why not load up that A list car, in that A list hauler, filled with A list equipment and brain power and travel Northeast a ways.
It’s absolutely wrong to term a person so accomplished from business success to racing as Mr. Massa a pussy my apologies for that. Let’s call it “strategically nonengaged”.
No doubt they’ll be a bare knuckle brawl at Stafford in a few days, more open, more races to qualify and fewer rules then the NWMT. It’s not fair to term the 51 as pussies for concentrating on the NWMT championship. It’s the smart decision for sure remaining strategically nonengaged if the goal is a NWMT championship. Not to be confused with the best tour modified team that in all likelihood will have a Sizzler win in their resume.
Burt Meyers wouldn’t run this Sizzler… it is packed with local talent that have TONS of Stafford experience. Meyers doesn’t have a chance in this race. Better for his rep and ego to stay away, good thing there’s a race down south so there’s a legit excuse. The southern guys always suck against northern guys, no matter where they raced. This race is packed with Stafford talent. It’s almost gonna be a SK race in Tour cars. It’s gonna be awesome.
Or, with the diverse talent and early season jitters, it could suck.
Or somewhere in between.
No more Matt Buckler at Stafford? After his demotion last summer, this news is not terribly surprising.
Be good to get this big event in and over with early in the season as tire supply issues are getting worse. STA released a memo yesterday that dirt tire production has stopped and 15″ modified and late model asphalt tires will soon stop for at least two weeks due to nylon shortage. Hoosier released a statement that prices are increasing across the board and there will be further production shortages. PASS used up a fair amount of their P48 Hoosier right side tires at Loudon this week due to tread failures and there isn’t a commitment on stock resupply. Good possibility there will be some event cancellations going forward, or even more drastic changes in usage policies due to tire shortage.
Well that was sufficiently depressing about the tires.
Stafford has a series of interviews with drivers on FloRacing that are worth a watch. Their production in the interviews just gets better and better flashing to video pertinent to comments made by the drivers. In another that new video score board is flashing over Kyle Rickey’s shoulder.
The move to Kyle Rickey is a solid one. He’s younger and you have to get younger at some point in the announcers booth and he’s a real polished professional.
From what I remember last season Matt Buckler wasn’t looking to be in a good state of health. I suspect that played a part.
There have been a couple of cancellations already from tire shortages in dirt racing. The non wing Sprint car division lost a few shows this weekend. STSS and Fonda modifieds which runs Amcerican racers have allowed teams to run Hoosiers. Grandview speedway AR lifted its tire stamp program because there is no inventory to sell at the track for the next two weeks. A couple of tracks are reducing feature laps in an attempt to limit tire wear. Most tracks have instituted a strict tire buying limit. Everything I have heard is it is getting bad and is only expected to get worse as the tire manufacturers are just now starting to halt production. With the short supply increased input costs, prices are going up.
I would assume with the asphalt season really just getting started up here in the Northeast, we will see a lot of the same issues. Its probably a bad time to change the format of the Spring sizzler but when it was announced who knew these tire issues would materialize. And honestly what are they running 100 lap feaure 40 lap qualifier 8 lap heat maybe an additional 15 lap consi. So you are looking at 148 laps to 163 laps compared to 150 last year plus 2 for qualifying. Not much difference in lap count, but a significant change in the amount of heat cycles with the format change. I kind of agree can the heats and draw for the 40 lappers. Drivers would hate that idea, as a fan I would a That saves a heat cycle. I am sure they will combine the two consi races into one if the car count dictates the change.