When Stafford Speedway begins the 2023 season with the 51St The NAPA Spring Sizzler®, Ron Silk is certain to be counted amongst your pre-race favorites. Silk and the #16 Blue Mountain Machine/Future Houses positioned third in final yr’s Sizzler® and received the season ending NAPA Fall Ultimate in September. With a median end of 4.3 in Stafford’s three begins final season, Silk and his staff are desperate to get again to the Connecticut half-mile facility.
“The staff and I are positively wanting ahead to returning to Stafford,” mentioned Silk. “We thought the Sizzler® was an incredible occasion final yr with loads of vehicles, lots of people within the stands and a very good payday. We ran very well within the Sizzler® and obtained third however we would have liked a bit extra to have the ability to sustain with Matt [Hirschman] and Ryan [Preece]. We have made some enhancements to the 2 remaining races we have run at Stafford and it was actually good to get a win within the fall ultimate final yr. It is a new yr and a brand new race, however it’s all the time good to get again on the monitor after your final win there. We’ll attempt to take all of the positives we will from the autumn ultimate to Sizzler® however you continue to should have a quick automotive and make the best choices, so we nonetheless have a bit bit of labor to do. “
“We had been all pumped for Sizzler®,” mentioned Silk co-owner Joe Iannon. “Ronnie is snug at Stafford and the staff all the time has a good time once we race there. We really feel our automotive has every part it takes to make it occur at Stafford so we’re all wanting ahead to Sizzler®. Sizzler® will likely be considered one of our highlights of the 2023 season for positive and we’re very assured and stay up for April.”
50 final yry Operating “The Best Race in Spring Historical past” resulted in a number of format modifications. As an alternative of time trials, groups needed to qualify for the race by ending in a qualifying place in considered one of two 40-lap NAPA Duel races. Drivers who didn’t qualify via the NAPA Duel went right into a 15-lap Final Likelihood Qualifier to earn the ultimate beginning positions within the 100-lap NAPA Spring Sizzler®. The brand new format noticed 41 vehicles try and qualify for 33 vehicles, and created an environment across the race that was appreciated by all rivals.
“I used to be actually taken by the ambiance,” Silk mentioned. “I felt like I used to be on the monitor 15 or 20 years in the past once I was youthful with a buzz in regards to the monitor and the racing. Actually as a racer, I am an enormous fan of time trials, however for the followers it is far more thrilling to have freestyles, particularly when the race lasts over two days. Like Sizzler® I actually like the concept of a 40 lap warmth race as an alternative of 10 laps as a result of when you get a nasty begin draw you at the least have a while to do one thing about it Final yr we had been fortunate sufficient to win the duel race, which was a day Good in itself for a 40-lap race, and I feel that is one of many essential causes there was a lot pleasure across the race final season. With every part that occurred final season, the race solely must be greater and higher this season.”
Final yr, the NAPA Spring Sizzler® paid out a assured $15,000 to win plus any contingent cash earned and paid $1,250 to begin the race out of a complete revealed prize pool of over $130,000. For the 2023 NAPA Spring Sizzler®, the purse has been elevated to pay the winner a assured $20,000 with $1,500 to begin the race out of a complete revealed prize pool of over $140,000.
“Stafford has completed an incredible job with the portfolio,” Silk mentioned. “I used to be wanting on the bag the opposite day, and though it will be a really troublesome feat, if a driver may win a duel race and lead all 100 laps to win the race, the payout could be about $38,500, which might actually be an incredible factor.”
“Sizzler is all the time thrilling with the variety of rivals that come to Stafford and the monitor is all the time filled with followers,” mentioned Yannone. “Stafford does an incredible job with the bag and that actually helps carry consideration to the mods.”
Silk made his NAPA Spring Sizzler® debut in 2004 and has since made 15 begins with a greatest end of third, which he did 3 times, together with final season. Silk want to add Sizzler® to his profession win checklist whereas his proprietor says a Sizzler win could be an merchandise on his and the staff’s bucket checklist.
“The Sizzler is unquestionably a prestigious race and it is one of many greatest races I’ve but to win, so it positively would imply lots to me to win a race like that towards such an space of competitors with an incredible ambiance surrounding the race,” Silk mentioned. “It could be actually good if the staff may get some momentum going Early within the season and it will be a very good day on high of that. Because of my homeowners Tyler Heidt and Joe Iannon, Future Houses, Blue Mountain Machine, and all of the crew who surrender their free time to go racing with us. All of us get pleasure from doing it however it’s nonetheless an enormous dedication and we could not do it with out their assist.”
“If we will win a Sizzler® award, it’ll positively be one thing for our bucket checklist and we’ll all be thrilled,” mentioned Yannon. “Ronnie is the man who did it and our crew chief Phil Moran together with Tyler Haidt and myself and everybody on the crew, all of us have the utmost confidence that we will make it and it will be completely improbable to win a Sizzler® race.”
51St The annual NAPA Spring Sizzler® takes place on Saturday, April 29, and can include two 40-lap qualifying races of the NAPA Duel for the Open Modified Division. Every of the 40-lap races can pay $3,500 to win and set the sector for the NAPA Spring Sizzler® on Sunday. The late-runners from the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) may also return to Stafford Speedway on April 29 with a 75-lap benefit with over 40 vehicles anticipated to race. The Restricted Late Mannequin, Road Inventory and Classic All-Star divisions will spherical out the racing program on Saturday.
Order NAPA Spring Sizzler® Tickets #51
Sunday, April thirtieth will likely be internet hosting the $20,000 to win 51st NAPA Auto Components Spring Sizzler®. Filling out the race cross for Sunday will likely be eligible and race benefit for the SK Modified®, SK Mild Modified and Late Mannequin divisions together with a Final Likelihood Qualifier for the Spring Sizzler®.
For extra info go to staffordspeedway.comComply with Stafford Speedway on Fb, Twitter, or Instagram, or name the monitor workplace at 860-684-2783.
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