Stafford Speedway management revealed Monday that two SK Light Modified division veterans have been suspended for their part in a brawl in the pit area following the end of the Friday’s weekly racing card.
Drivers Nick Anglace and Zach Aszklar were both suspended for the next four events at Stafford Speedway
Both drivers were cited for Unsportsmanlike conduct, safety violation and Actions detrimental to the sport of auto racing.
In addition to the four event suspension, each driver will be forced to start last in the first two events they run following their suspensions.
The SK Light Modified division ran its showcase 40-lap Dunleavy’s Modifiedz Night event on Friday. Aszklar finished 18th in the 37-car field for the event. Anglace was 27th.
Anglace currently sits fourth in the SK Light Modified divison standings at Stafford. Aszklar is 17th the SK Light Modified standings.
I find this year to have been extremely entertaining in regards to drama central. Nick Anglace, as we know, is not shy to show his colors at all. Old news. But from the looks of it Aszklar has been chewing on the ends of so many peoples cords, I can’t help but notice all he does is complain about his overdriving and blame others for it. Aszklar sailed in underneath Bessette almost in desperate need for positioning and slammed into the back of Anglace in doing so.
Now, I do not know what went down in the pit area, but it seems to me both these clowns need a circus to perform at, and happened to be with each other.
Aszklar hasn’t done well since 2011. Anglace however, has a much better track record. Is it jealousy? or is it actually racing?
I agree with Aszklar being a wrecking ball but Anglace typically puts on a hell of a show – his problem is his temper. He reminds me of a few Waterbury/West Haven/Plainville area drivers back in the day… Anyone have any info on what started the fight?
Anglace, he’s the scorpion. It’s just in his nature. The double bird last year resulting in a suspension then an encore of boorish behavior in September getting a $200 fine for foul language in an interview.
Top 5 in the points, has a pretty routine dust up, checks with his danglers for advice on what to do and they say Nick…..be a man…..escalate. Then Bob’s your uncle…..gone.
If there’s any justice as a repeat offender they should not let the car run like last year with the old man in the driver seat.
Gotta love bleacher posts Anglace wrecking machine don’t know what you’re watching except maybe he’s beating your driver. He’s been wrecked just as much as other people but it’s always the 10 cars fault according the these posts the last few years. It’s funny the 10,18,39,82,7,29,44 all can race hard even side by side when it comes to rest of field half day not belong behind the wheel on car unmentioned can’t see over dash last year twice almost hit someone in the pits never mind on track. And cudos to Stafford for what suspended him and someone mentioned the middle finger last year well certain track management said it was the highest rated race night since FloRacing started there it’s what people miss emotion anger when it happens. Oh wait there not some celebrity Nascar driver so they can’t be that way whatever find another sport to watch since TC Bo Gunning etc there hasn’t been any excitement in racing oh wait Kopcik and the body slam other then that nothing boring follow the leader. Watch how boring the next 4 weeks or rest of year is without the 10 car coming to the front battling with the top guys get your pillows out.
not saying this is the thought process but…
The SKL field started 37 cars Friday. Great problem to have for the track, two get in a fight. Very easy to throw them out for quite a while and there will be zero negative effect on the track in terms of size of the field and so forth. As a matter of fact more than likely this will be looked at long term as a fantastic move by SMS to throw down the gauntlet on pit violence and other teams will certainly take notice and watch their own temper and other outsiders will say to themselves “SMS doesn’t fool around, lets race there instead of the track we are at because that’s a circus”
Easy decision by SMS and everyone should take notice because the precedence has been set now.
ps. the video has over a million views on WorldStarHipHop.com already
I’m going to respectfully disagree with the observation that a message has been sent that will make any kind of difference going forward.
-June 2021 Rocco and Williams got physical. Multi event suspension plus other penalties.
-Last year a whole slew of people associated with the Wesson/Kopcik spit and fit got all kinds of suspensions and other penalties for their very public brawl.
-I can’t find the details but a Late Model driver has gotten indefinitely suspended in the past, not for fighting but for serial bad behavior reacting, not thinking in the moment.
All pretty strong messages ending teams season from a points standpoint but the message never sinks in to every participant in the sport.
Racing is an emotional sport. There will always be a small percentage of people that are not thinking anything through they’re just reacting.
Nick Anglace Facebook post 7/29
“Got absolutely drilled last night for no reason. People driving over their heads. Got hit so hard it blew a power steering line off so we lost power steering then on the restart lost all power to the engine so it obviously knocked something else off or loose. Ended our night P27. Likely lost a championship racing for 7th with 20 laps to go by someone 15th in points. Feels great. Multiple drivers came over to me after the race saying the same guy got them too so maybe Stafford should look into it. Makes you not wanna go back, you do everything right all year so far just for it to be taken away over something stupid when your minding your own business.”
Anglace did get drilled for sure. Aszklar goes around, Anglace saves it and gets an at-a-boy for saving it. Other then the power steering pump it looked like a pretty pedestrian SK Light dust up not worthy of risking a felony for. The post with no mention of any physical stuff conveniently compartmentalized from the context of the entire episode and it’s aftermath. Zach Aszklar has never been on my radar as a menace he’s got an SK Light championship on his resume back in 2012. Maybe he is a menace but if everyone started fights for similar wrongs they’d need a state police sub station at the track to break up the brawls every Friday night.
Funny how the the Big 3 in NASCAR get to “have at it” but not here in CT. Stafford has thrown out so many competitors for life but somehow they get to come back
Steve,
One, I’m not sure why you think any way NASCAR officiates, enforces or penalizes anything in their three national divisions would have any relevance to anything taking place at Stafford Speedway? Stafford has no affiliation with NASCAR and is under no obligation to operate in any way similar to how NASCAR operates.
And not for nothing, but, what has happened recently in the “The Big 3” that is any way comparable to what happened to bring on the penalties that were the reason for this story. Because I’m having a hard time remembering seeing anything in any “Big 3” events recently comparable to the brawl that took place Friday.
I find it funny. There are those who can successfully drive a race car, win races and are easy on equipment. Then, there are those who think they can drive a race car, and probably should get a different hobby. If you wreck every week for a few seasons, do everyone a favor…Give it up… I don’t care how much money daddy has, you simply can’t buy talent.
If those two guys are thrown out for four weeks, they shouldn’t even be allowed in the pits. Stay home !!
Was this a brawl between 2 people or an actual brawl like the one last year?
Hillary 2024,
There were numerous people involved. I would say the violence was focused on the two penalized drivers, but definitely others who were jumping in and out during the fight, which also covered a lot of ground in the pit area.
In all my years being actively involved in racing, that was one thing that never happened, is fighting. Our driver was well respected both on and off the track, and if a situation happened he would talk it out with the other driver. He also made it clear that as crew members we should not engage in disrespectful behavior.
Welcome to life in 2023 RobP. Folks buy racing video game an think they can be a race car driver.Family post a video eating out and there a food expert. Guys & Girls post selfies and all think there future super models. People post political “opinions” and think there Tim Russert. Just say ..it is what is… and everything is ok. Wouldn’t be surprised if these 2 sit by the phone wating for Tommy Baldwins call.
So Rob p if your driver went to “talk it out” with another driver involved and got punched or almost punched in the face you’re saying he would have walked away? We were pitted near the confrontation and the 28 I guess dad started with Anglace all the 10 driver said was can I talk to the driver wondering why he’s always trying to wreck me I don’t even know him etc and the old man started grabbing him shoving him escalated whole talk. Then Zach comes out of trailer swinging tire wrap roll like a bat trying to hit Anglace and from there it got worse why not just come out without anything to hit people with and ask what’s up instead came out ready to fight. Like it’s been said it’s an emotional sport things get heated quick but none of this would have happened if people just talked it out instead of starting the shoving and swinging. Just my opinion
modfan.
Thanks for the firsthand account. I always wonder what happened in these situations. It sounds like some sort of discipline was warranted/
Unfortunately modfan, Nick Anglace is not saint here. He was screaming at the 28 in the 28’s pit stall and then started punching the side of aszklar’s car. The whole thing doesn’t happen if Anglace doesn’t lose his mind
Thestory,
Indeed, there is video of Anglace seemingly trying to damage someone else’s car during what took place Friday.
Update now that I have seen the video.
The video starts out with Anglace and Aszklar screaming at each other, with said crew around. Words turn sour, Anglace goes to walk away and then beats in the right side quarter panel of Aszklar’s car with his fist in anger. Aszklar comes running around the left side of the car with a tire wrap roll and swings it at Anglace. They push and shove, Anglace is escorted away by crew to the other side of the pit, trying to keep his footing.
Anglace then gets free from the crew and starts to run back towards Aszklar, who is taunting from wherever he is. Aszklar then comes jump running in with a karate kid like kick toward Anglace. Finishes with a dog pile of sweaty dudes trying to break up the fight, Aszklar at the bottom.
We know these “first hand accounts” tend to evolve. I red the comment with the “I guess” and Anglace sounding like a bastion of reason and was thinking this can’t be the end of the story. Only two people in this forum tend to be the final word that being Mr. Courchesne and Stuart Fearn and I’m not so sure about Fearn if it’s a Fearn Motorsports car involved.
The penalty records show one contact penalty for Anglace 6/30 in 9 features and the one for Aszklar on lap 23 last Friday in 8 features. So where’s all this rough riding everyone is talking about from these two?
A couple drivers could have gone after Sammi Anderson now she had a rough night on Friday. Warned once then changed lanes causing a jingle. Aside from the fact she’d probably be a stand up gal and readily admit the mistake I doubt anyone would be banging on her car demanding answers.
Nope it’s old Mr Emotion raising his ugly head.
To all you racers out there tell me how often contact, even a real shot, knocked a hose off you power steering pump? Would that be the return line that typically uses hose clamps?
Anglace does not have to replace a clip, bad finishes are common for most every car in the SK Lights so a good points finish was not off the table with so many events to go. Change the hose and win next week. Old Mr. Emotion fixed that for sure……….like last year.
So what’s the beef? If you think you’re wronged smile, wait and get him later the good old fashioned way.
Cheesh, these kids today, all balls, no brains. That obviously is not true but it sounded good in my head.
Stick with Shawn’s story on this one guys. Unfortunately I missed the action as I was probably still at the double hook after watching the feature from there. These dust ups happen quickly and usually die out just as quickly but usually with a bunch of mouths on each side promising to kick the others ass now or sometime in the future.
I did see the cell phone video (exactly 1 minute) of the said action. It was interesting enough to watch a few times but it’s not going to get favorited that’s for sure. Others have already covered the highlights… the Ralph Macchio style Karate Kid reloaded running kick and that was after the poor weapon choice of either a pool noodle or roll of saran wrap (can’t tell in the grainy video). Audios not bad, I could make out the all to common promises to kill them, etc.
For what it’s worth I’m pretty sure Anglace was totally unaware this was being recorded either as there was not even one, let alone two, fingers thrown at the camera. Perhaps next time.
Personally I don’t really know the history with Aszklar but apparently both have had issues before because 4 weeks is quite a hefty penalty. Again tho, easy for the track to do when they have 37 cars showing up.
Modfan, never had to worry about that, our driver was respected by the other drivers. Things were different back then, drivers “leaned” on each other they didn’t just blaitenly dump each other. They raced hard and it was exciting to watch. There were those who simply couldn’t drive, but they usually ended up in the back after the first few laps. I have a photo of Jim and Ryan Possoco going through turns 1&2 both sideways wheels cut to the right, just inches apart. The 2 crew gave it to my dad that year at the banquet after we won the championship over them. They raced side by side for at least 5 laps “leaning” on each other, but not wrecking each other, we won that night, Ryan was 2nd. Besides, if anyone took a shot at Jim, they were in for a bad night, he could handle his own.never came to that though.