Over the last two years, Nickolas Hovey established himself as the driver to beat locally when it comes to the SK Light Modified division.
And following an ultra-dominant 2025 season, the 19-year old from Chaplin is ready to test the waters with some new ventures in 2026.
“I feel like it’s time to take on a new challenge,” Hovey told RaceDayCT. “That was my third year at Stafford in the [SK Light Modified]. I feel we were the fastest car every week. I feel like I did my job really well. I feel like I learned a lot. I feel like I learned pretty much everything I needed to from the [SK Light Modified] and I’m ready to take on the challenge of a different division.”
In 2025 Hovey had a division leading six SK Light Modified victories at Stafford. He ended up second in the SK Light standings at Stafford, four points behind division champion Meghan Fuller.
At Thompson Speedway Hovey won six of the seven SK Light Modified events in 2025 on the way to the division title. At the New London-Waterford Speedbowl Hovey had a division leading seven victories in 13 events to win that championship. Hovey also won the SK Light Modified championships in 2025 at the World Series at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway and was the top driver in the the inaugural Eagle Chevy Performance point standings organized by National Short Track Promotions.
“I felt like I proved a lot to myself and to other people this year that I can win races,” Hovey said. “As much as I really would like to win the championship [at Stafford], it wasn’t meant to be. You’ve got a lot of people out there who have run for many years in things and never won a championship. Just because you’re the fastest car every week doesn’t mean you’re going to win the championship.”
Hovey said the current plans for 2026 will see him take a gradual step into SK Modified racing while continuing to have a presence with an SK Light Modified. He also plans to run full-time on the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series.
Hovey will convert the SK Light Modified he ran at the Speedbowl in 2025 into an SK Modified. He said the plan is to run that car in selected in SK Modified events at Stafford and Waterford with support from Keith Rocco Racing. He said he also plans to run at least three of the marquee SK Light Modified events at Stafford in 2026.
He will run the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series for the Bagot family operation. Hovey made his Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series debut driving for the Bagot family in the Belltown Motors/Fowler’s Auto Recycling 100 on Aug. 23 at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl. In that event he started 27th in the 31-car field and drove to an 11th place finish.
“It really was a great showing for [the team and myself] I feel like,” Hovey said. “I think there was still some room to improve on my end. I really like the difference in doing that from what I’ve been running. It’s really big challenge. They offered me the seat again this year for the full series so I’m really happy to get that seat time.”
There is a possibility that plans could change at Stafford depending upon an open seat Hovey is hoping to land in. Cory DiMatteo has parted ways with the Hummel Motorsports No. 11 SK Modified team at Stafford. Hovey has inquired about filling the seat for 2026. Team management has not announced their plans for 2026 at Stafford.
“Obviously, if they call me and said they wanted me to drive that car I’d be ready to do that,” Hovey said.
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