Digging Deep With Denise: Visiting With David Arute

“Digging Deep With Denise” is a semi-regular question and answer feature with local racers and racing personalities produced by RaceDayCT’s Denise DuPont

There Is No Place Like Home: David Arute SK Modified Driver

When you are born into a racing family it is inevitable that you would be involved in racing in some capacity. David Arute is the youngest son of track owners Mark and Lisa Arute.  David is currently the general manager at Stafford Speedway. In addition to that role he owns and operates Big Haus USA Racing Products and is president of DP Motorsports, a four car racing team. David competes in the SK Modified division weekly at his home track, Stafford Speedway.

What are your Goals for 2023?

“That is a tough one. Over the winter it was definitely focusing on the SK [Modified] trying to be right there in points and run for a championship. We had a tough start to the year with overheating issues which changed that plan to just trying to get the best positions that we can and go for more wins than we got last year- which is tough to do in the SK division.”

David’s 2023 plan is to run the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series full-time and Open Modified events when he can.

“The original goal for the Open Modified and Monoco Tri-Track Series was to complete every single lap, gain experience and try to get respect from drivers. I think that my first race sixth place finish was a surprise for many. I especially was surprised at Thunder Road because it was my first time there. Then to follow it up with running 5th at the half-way mark at Seekonk [Speedway]. I am hoping this will put us on the map with a couple other drivers where they will race me with more respect throughout the year.

“Racing with the same guys at Tri-Track events, eventually they will catch on that we are a fast car. We deserve the same amount of respect that I give to them while racing. We will see what happens and we can hopefully sneak a win by the end of the year which would be awesome. We will see what happens.”

Stafford Speedway is your home track, while running in other series you travel to other tracks. Your thoughts on running at other race tracks?

“Right now it is tough. I could drive Stafford with my eyes closed because I know where every single bump is and everything is on the track. But, I do enjoy going out to another track because there I do not have to worry about a toilet getting clogged or if the heat races are on time. We just get to relax in the trailer and focus on the car and making it better. Here [at Stafford Speedway] when we are running the fall final Tri-Track Series, it is going to be running around preparing both cars. If something happens on the track, I have to run out there and I lose that focus on the car and what we need to improve.

“I enjoy going off and running the Monoco Modified Series and a couple of the MRS [Modified Racing Series] events. I like running Oxford [Plains Speedway in Oxford, Me.]. Those are small little bull rings I enjoy. But in the end, you cannot beat home. Hopefully we will have a good run at the Fall Final and hopefully we will do a couple other Open Modified races here on a Friday night. Then we will go from there.” 

Besides being born into a racing involved family, why do you race?

“That is another tough question. Racing is definitely high adrenaline. But to me here at Stafford, the quiet time is when I am in the race car and it is relaxing. Once I am on the track, I do not have to worry. Then there is the team comradery. Having all the guys and team members that you make great friends with. If I was not racing, I would not have the group of 12 guys I hang out with every weekend to go fishing and be good buddies with. … Being born into racing I always watched from the grandstands and dreamt about racing those guys like Doug Coby Woody Pitkat, Ron Silk and Matt Hirschman. And to do that now is just surreal to be up there racing with them.”

If you could change anything about Modified Racing, What would you change?

“Everyone talk years ago about the Nerf bars being one bar. And you could not really rough up anyone with it. Now they are kind of beefed up so you can kind of lean on people. If there was one thing I could change I guess it would be that. Then it would get drivers to drive more respectfully. Instead of throwing a car at you or something like that. … There is not much I would change. Racing right now is where you sit on the end of your seat every time you see or hear a modified roll out.” 

If you were not racing and you took the race track out of it, what would you be doing?

“I don’t know. It would be tough to get away from racing. You would have to separate yourself totally and take up another sport like fishing I guess. There you would be on a boat and still have a motor and some power. I really do not know what I would do if I did not have racing.”

Goals for the future?

“I have an amazing family at home. We are growing into a family of four and that is my number one focus. I always have the motto that family comes first, then the race track and then the race car. Racing is amazing and an Arute has never won a championship before in a full size car. So it would be amazing to do that which will be tough to do. But if I could do anything – it would just to be competitive. To be able to go to a race track and be admired versus: ‘oh yeah, he is just a guy that was always in the way’.

“I know I am not going to be a Cup or Xfinity driver. So the weekly racing is just amazing so you can directly connect with the fans so much. And Modified racing has always been in my blood so that will be my focus even down the road.”