(Press Release from NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications)
Michael Bennett celebrates in victory lane at Stafford Motor Speedway with his son Chace (Photo: Driscoll MotorSports Photography)
Michael Bennett is no stranger to Stafford Motor Speedway, he’s been racing there for years. His recent success at the Connecticut track, is something he and his team has been working towards for years.
“We’ve had a pretty good season so far,” Bennett said. “We started it off with a win and so far everything has been going to plan except for an engine mishap.”
The 31-year-old has had quite the successful career at Stafford. He’s been racing there since 2002 when he began in the DARE Stock Division and has continued to move up the ranks ever since. The Stafford Springs, Connecticut, native won the limited late model division in 2005 as well as numerous most popular driver awards, and is looking to add late model title this season.
He is currently leading the half-mile oval’s late model division with 480 points after tallying three wins, eight top-five and 11 top-10 finishes. His closest threat is Joshua Wood, who has 464 points entering this week’s competition. Bennett is also climbing the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Division II points, where he has moved to 16th with 253 points.
“We’ve been fortunate to have success since I’ve started,” said Bennett. “The team has stuck together and winning is what we expect, it keeps the morale up. We expect to run well and then depend on luck to keep the car together.”
His climb to the top wasn’t an easy one, Bennett and his team were plagued by car troubles and bad luck until this season.
“I tried to race in the open-wheel SK Modified Division, but it wasn’t what we were looking for,” Bennett said. “We came back to late models last season, but struggled with the car.
“We decided to find something different this season and found what we were looking for in the new car. I knew this car and had experience with it, I had worked on it when I was a part of Woody Pikat’s team. We came right out with it this season and won. It responds well, it fits my style and it’s made a big difference.”
His growing family has also helped his performance on track.
“I have a son, Chace, and a daughter on the way any day now,” said Bennett. “My son taught me patience. Since starting a family my attitude has changed, I want to win but it’s not the end of the world if I don’t.”
While winning isn’t everything, he does enjoy the recognition it brings his team.
“I don’t worry about the standings or the points,” Bennett said. “They don’t matter until the end of the season. But the recognition it brings my team, who has been with me since the start, is nice. We’ve been building towards this for so long and it’s finally coming together. The success feels nice, but it’s not the most important thing.”
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Division II-V drivers are ranked by their best 14 NASCAR points finishes in series-sanctioned events. Drivers receive two points for every car they finish ahead of – up to 18 cars – and three points for a win, with an additional two points available if the driver starts 10th or lower.
In the other NASCAR Whelen All-American Series standings:
Division II: Chris Hawkins (Oklahoma’s Salina Speedway and Flint Creek Speedway) still maintains his hold on the top spot with 370 points. Jesse Dennis (Iowa’s Adams County and I-80 Speedways, and Nebraska’s Junction Motor Speedway) continues to trail by four points. Brett Kressley of Pennsylvania’s Grandview Speedway remains third while Taylor Branch and Thomas Neal round out the top five. Branch and Neal race at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Division III: Ryan Jenkins who races at Adams County Speedway in Corning, Iowa, and I-80 Speedway in Omaha, Nebraska, has held onto his lead in the division standings with 424 points. Four drivers from South Carolina’s Greenville Pickens Speedway – Brad Burns, Bobby Emory Jr, Shane Hill and Blake Gregory – round out the top five.
Division IV: Brad Derry (I-80 and Adams County) leads Devin Stansbury of Ohio’s Columbus Motor Speedway and defending division champion AJ Sanders, who races at Bowman Gray and North Carolina’s Caraway Speedway. Ryan Smith of Columbus and Al Saunders of Connecticut’s Stafford Motor Speedway, are fourth and fifth, respectively.
Division V: Don Tavernia (South Carolina’s Anderson Speedway and Greenville) leads the Division V over Aaron Van Fleet of Pennsylvania’s Motordrome Speedway, Greenville’s Michael Cross, Jack Kirby (Salina and Flint Creek) and Greenville’s Chad Tavernia.
Established in 1982, the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series is NASCAR’s national championship program for weekly short track auto racing. In all, 57 paved and dirt tracks throughout the United States and Canada participate.
Connecticut-based Whelen Engineering is the series’ title sponsor. Whelen Engineering is a leading manufacturer of automotive, aviation, industrial and emergency vehicle lighting. NASCAR tracks and pace cars across North America are among the many showcases for Whelen products.
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