Stafford Motor Speedway

Michael Scorzelli Excited to Return to Stafford for Call Before You Dig Pro Late Model 81

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(Stafford Springs, CT)—With his last race at Stafford Speedway coming in the Fall Final of 2015, Pro Late Model driver Michael Scorzelli is looking forward to the Inaugural Call before You Dig Pro Late Model Open 81 on May 29.  Scorzelli was a Stafford Late Model regular from 2013-2015 and his prior track experience was a major factor in Scorzelli adding the race to his 2020 schedule for his #18 Syracuse Utilities Chevrolet team.

“We’re really looking forward to the race,” said Scorzelli.  “I had nothing but good experiences at Stafford, I have a few wins there, and Bob Fill has things pretty well figured out with our chassis so we’re all pretty excited.  This was one of the first races that we put on our 2020 schedule as soon as the Stafford schedule came out and we saw they were going to be hosting this race.  One of the biggest reasons why we’re looking forward to Stafford is I run better on the larger tracks like Stafford, Thompson, and Loudon.  With the runs we’ve had at Stafford and the competition we faced in the past, I think we can do pretty well.  I’m hoping we can race at Stafford once or twice a year every year.  I have to thank my sponsors Syracuse Utilities and BNC Motorsports, Bob Fill for setting the car up, and we just hooked up with Larry’s Auto Machine so we’re looking forward to what we can do with their engines.”

After changing engine builders to Larry’s Auto Machine in the off-season, Scorzelli is anxious to see how his new engine combination will work in his #18 car and he is hoping to carry the momentum he gained at the end of the 2019 Granite State ProStock Series into the CBYD Pro Late Model 81.

“We needed to have a sealed motor for this race so we have a new engine and new transmission to put into the car and pretty much everything except for the frame is new on our car,” said Scorzelli.  “We ran 6 or 7 Granite State races last year and I think we figured some things out towards the end of the season.  We have good equipment and we’re heading in the right direction with our car so we’re hoping that can carry all of that over to the 2020 season.”

Scorzelli raced three full seasons in Stafford’s Late Model division from 2013-2015, scoring two wins and a best finish of fourth in the points standings in 2014.  While Scorzelli will be leaning on his previous experience to help get a leg up on the competition, he isn’t the only driver on the entry list with a Stafford background to lean on.

“I think it’s going to be a tremendous mix of drivers between modified drivers who have raced a lot at Stafford versus Late Model guys like Cory Casagrande who has a lot of Stafford experience, Ray Christian, who is good whatever track he goes to, Devin O’Connell is always fast in the Super Late Models, and Mike O’Sullivan is going to be tough,” said Scorzelli.  “I don’t think Ray or Devin have any laps around the big track at Stafford but that doesn’t seem to slow them down at all.  I’ve seen them both go to tracks they’ve never been to before and they qualify and race up front.  I’m sure more of the Granite State drivers will be joining the field along with some modified regulars so it should be an interesting race.”

With 2 Stafford Late Model wins to his credit, Scorzelli knows what it takes to win a race at Stafford and he would like nothing more than to add a third Stafford win to his racing resume.

“I think we have a shot at winning the race if we can stay out of trouble and take care of the car,” said Scorzelli.  “We have some laps at Stafford so we’re comfortable there but a lot of the other guys have the same experience level.  To win the first race in a Super Late Model since the PASS cars were at Stafford, it would be one of the biggest wins I’ve ever been a part of.”

With a tire compound for the Inaugural CBYD Pro Late Model 81 still to be determined, Scorzelli feels like handling characteristics will play a major factor in who is able to come away with the checkered flag.

“Stafford is a super fast track and in order to win you’ll have to play it smart for 81 laps,” said Scorzelli.  “I’m not quite sure what tires we’re going to be using for the race but you’ll have to have patience and conserve the tires to be there at the end.  If we can be there at the end of the race, that’s where things happen.  The motors we have are probably slightly less than what the Late Model cars at Stafford run but it’s all about handling with our cars.  The shock package and setup in your car is what’s going to carry you through the race.”

Scorzelli and the Pro Late Model field will take to the track for the CBYD 811 Pro LM Open on Friday, May 29.  For more information, visit www.staffordspeedway.com, checkout Stafford Speedway on Facebook or Twitter, or contact the track office at 860-684-2783.

New Hampshire Motor Speedway

Three Racing Series Added to The Flat Track’s 2020 Lineup

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King of Dirt Crate Modified Series, Sprint Cars of New England and the Granite State Mini-Sprint Racing Club will make their debut at The Flat Track at New Hampshire Motor Speedway this summer.

LOUDON, N.H. – Three new series have been added to The Flat Track lineup during New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s three major event weekends giving race fans more summertime racing. King of Dirt Crate Modified Series, Sprint Cars of New England and the Granite State Mini-Sprint Racing Club will debut at The Flat Track as part of June’s Motorcycle Week at NHMS, July’s NASCAR race weekend and September’s Full Throttle Fall Weekend.

“We are excited enhance our major event weekends by adding more racing for our fans,” said David McGrath, executive vice president and general manager of New Hampshire Motor Speedway. “Last year’s events at The Flat Track were a lot of fun, and we’re looking forward to even more fun in the dirt this summer.”

The King of Dirt Crate Modified Series will bring the first ever dirt modified stock car race to The Flat Track on Friday, September 11 as a part of Full Throttle Dirt. This event kicks off New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s third annual Full Throttle Fall Weekend, which continues on Saturday, September 12 at the historic 1.058-mile oval. This new dirt event will bring the top Sportsman Modified racers from all around New England and New York for a 40-lap main event, marking King of Dirt’s first appearance in New Hampshire and the farthest east the tour has ever traveled.

Sprint Cars of New England will debut a pair of 30-lap races on the 0.25-mile Flat Track at Full Throttle Dirt on Friday, September 11 and wrapping up Motorcycle Week at NHMS on Saturday, June 20. The competitive racing club was founded in 2002 and features 600-horsepower alcohol-injected winged sprint cars that race in New Hampshire and Vermont.

The Granite State Mini-Sprint Racing Club will take to the track for 20-lap races on Saturday, June 20 during Motorcycle Week and return on Friday, July 17 for Friday Night Dirt Duels presented by New England Racing Fuel to kick off the NASCAR Cup Series Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 race weekend. This family-oriented racing club was formed in 1984 and uses motorcycle engines and drive components.

Improvements to the racing surface are underway for The Flat Track’s 2020 season, which will include adding banking and 10 feet of width to the corners and approximately 2,000 yards of new natural clay surface, courtesy of Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven, Vt.

The Flat Track is the first track to be built in New England in the last 25 years. Crews turned roughly 186,095 square feet of ground and 3,000 tons of clay to build the 0.25-mile track which first opened in June 2019. The Flat Track, located directly behind the North East Motor Sports Museum, is the fourth racing surface on New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s 1,200-acre property, which already includes the famed 1.058-mile NASCAR oval, 1.6-mile road course and 0.25-mile mini-oval.

The Flat Track’s 2020 Schedule:

  • February 15-16: Snocross at The Flat Track
    • Eastern Snocross Tour
  • June 13: Laconia Short Track
    • American Flat Track
  • June 20: Motorcycle Week at NHMS
    • Sprint Cars of New England
    • Granite State Mini-Sprint Racing Club
  • July 17: Friday Night Dirt Duels presented by New England Racing Fuel
    • Granite State Mini-Sprint Racing Club
    • Granite State Legends Cars
    • USAC Dirt Midget Association
  • September 11: Full Throttle Dirt
    • King of Dirt Crate Modified Series
    • Sprint Cars of New England
    • USAC Dirt Midget Association

For more information on events at The Flat Track, including the June 13 Laconia Short Track, the June 20 Motorcycle Week at NHMS, the July 17 Friday Night Dirt Duels presented by New England Racing Fuel and the September 11 Full Throttle Dirt, visit New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s website at NHMS.com or call Fan Relations at (603) 783-4931.

GSPSS- Granite State pro Stock Series

Joey Doiron crowned 2019 GSPSS Champion

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The Granite State Pro stock Series officially brought its 2019 season to a close on Saturday February 22, at the Thompson Speedway Motor Sports Park clubhouse. The season ending banquet of champions was a chance for the teams of the GSPSS to get together one last time as part of the 2019 season and honor their champion.

   Joey Doiron and his team were officially crowned champions for the 2019 season and at the end of the night they took home the champions check worth $4000.00, the largest in series history. In addition New England Race Fuels and Sunoco gave Doiron a champion’s jacket and American Racer outfitted both Joey and his car owner / father with Jackets to commemorate their achievement. Doiron graciously thanked series president Mike Parks, the series officials and each of his team members individually. He then thanked his wife, kids, mom and finally his father as he got emotional talking about all the years they shared leading up to this championship. Doiron not only took the Championship but $500.00 from crazy Horse Racing for setting fast time in time trials an amazing five out of eleven times, far more than any other competitor.

   In addition to crowning the champions, a number of specialty awards were handed out. Bobby Pelland and youngster Jake Matheson were crowned co- AR Bodies rookies of the year as both teams had successful first Granite State Pro Stock Series seasons. For winning the rookie title they were each awarded a $1000.00 certificates from AR bodies.

   Also given out was the annual John “Boy” Hoyt memorial dedication to motor sports award. This award is given to someone who goes above and beyond for the sport of auto racing. The 2019 award winner was Barry Gray in honor of his unwavering dedication to, and support of the series. Gray, the 2016 series champion, was humbled and nearly speechless as he received his plaque.

   There were a number of contingency awards given out starting with two AR Bodies gift certificates that went to Ray Christian III and 2017 series champion Devin O’Connell. O’Reilly Auto Parts donated $600.00 worth of gift cards with four teams getting $150.00 each. The teams of Luke Hinkley, Bobby Pelland, Joey Doiron and Barry Gray each had their numbers pulled. All the names went back in the hat and Barry Gray was instructed to pull the winner of a brand new VDL carburetor and he pulled his own number twenty nine.

   The final group to be honored were the top ten in points, seven of whom were in attendance to receive their trophy’s, point fund money and be honored by their fellow competitors. Along with Doiron, Ray Christian III, Devin O’Connell and Jimmy Renfrew Jr were recognized for their top five point’s position. Josh King wound up in fifth in the point standings but a last minute work emergency forced him to miss the banquet. Also in attendance were sixth through eighth place point’s finishers Luke Hinkley, Bobby Pelland and Mike Mitchell who received trophys and point fund checks.

   The complete 2019 point standings as well as the 2020 schedule and more can be found at www.gspss.net along with all the latest series news. Also follow the series on facebook twitter and instagram for all the latest news and highlights.

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