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01/21/2015 |
ANDERSON STAYS WITH SOLOMITO FOR 2015
Will Continue
Tour Competition With Shawn Solomito |
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour team owner Wayne
Anderson will transition from one brother to another
as Shawn Solomito will take over behind the wheel of
the No. 75 Chevrolet for the 2015 season.
Anderson,
the 1994 Whelen Modified Tour titlist, rejoined the
tour full-time as an owner last year with driver
Timmy Solomito, who captured the Sunoco Rookie of
the Year Award. The younger Solomito moved to
Flamingo Racing this offseason, which left Anderson
with a vacancy.
Anderson decided to stick with a familiar situation
moving forward. Like Anderson, the Solomito family
hails from Long Island (Islip) and calls Riverhead
Raceway their home track. Shawn is an accomplished
short-track racer in his own right, and was
available, so it was an easy transition for
Anderson.
“I knew the family, and I knew they were diehard
racers,” Anderson said of the Solomitos. “They’re
great people, and they want to go racing.”
Exit Timmy, and enter Shawn.
“He’s been racing quite a few years and has a good
head on his shoulders,” Anderson said of Shawn, who
was part of Anderson’s crew a year ago.
Solomito has nine career Whelen Modified Tour starts
since 2011, seven of which were with his family’s
team. He has recorded an average finish of 18th with
a best run of fourth at Riverhead in 2013. The
25-year-old earned a NASCAR Whelen All-American
Series track championship and New York state title
at the vaunted Long Island quarter-mile in 2012.
With Butch Capuano on board as the crew chief,
Anderson and Solomito currently plan to contend for
the Riverhead modified division title as well as
compete on the Whelen Modified Tour. The two tour
races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway are the only
schedule conflicts that may force a decision on
which way to go.
“I’m definitely excited,” Solomito said of his first
opportunity to run the tour full-time. “I was with
[the team] with Timmy all last year when he drove
for Wayne so I know the good equipment that he
supplies for us.
“I’m ready to get out there and showcase what I
think I’m capable of doing. It’s a matter of seat
time and learning the tracks and how those guys
race. The series is competitive and I’m sure it’s
going to be a challenge this year, but I’m
definitely looking forward to it.”
Solomito’s first Whelen Modified Tour start in the
No. 75 Eastport Feeds/Axel Anderson Inc. Chevrolet
will be the 2015 season-opening Icebreaker 150 on
April 12 at Connecticut’s Thompson Speedway
Motorsports Park. |
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Source: Jason Cunningham / NASCAR
Posted:
January 21, 2015 |
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