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TODD SZEGEDY
READY TO BATTLE
FOR HIS 20th CAREER WIN |
 The
NAPA Spring Sizzler® at Stafford Motor Speedway is
the longest continuous run event on the NASCAR
Whelen Modified Tour calendar. While the Sizzler
record books are filled with names like Christopher,
Stefanik, Evans, and Troyer, one driver who quietly
has amassed a sterling record in the Spring classic
is 2003 NWMT Champion Todd Szegedy. The Ridgefield
native has 8 top-5 and 9 top-10 finishes in 15
career Sizzler® starts with a best finish of second,
which he has achieved five different times (2003,
2007, 2009, 2015, 2016). Szegedy is primed to go one
spot better than his career best and take home his
very first NAPA Spring Sizzler® trophy behind the
wheel of the #85 Montanari Fuel / Stuart’s Auto
Chevrolet co-owned by Bob Katon and Kevin Stuart.
“I always feel good about coming to Stafford,” said
Szegedy. “I have a lot of experience there and my
crew chief Don [Barker] has a lot of knowledge for
Stafford. We know what we need to make the car go
fast, the challenge will be being able to make that
happen and making the right calls during the race.
Obviously we want to win but we’ve got to start
somewhere with good finishes. It’s always a little
disappointing when you don’t win and finish second.
I have 19 career wins and I’d really like to get to
the milestone of 20 wins and what better place to do
that than at Stafford? The Sizzler is definitely on
my bucket list for races that I’d like to win. A
Sizzler win would mean a lot to me but even more
would be how happy it would make the team. When you
win, there’s no better feeling than seeing how happy
the whole team is, it’s a very rewarding feeling.”
Szegedy is currently tied with Jerry Marquis for 8th
place on the all-time NWMT winners list with 19 wins
and he is one win away from tying Rick Fuller for
7th place. While Szegedy has enjoyed his fair share
of success during his career, he has recorded his
career numbers while driving for several different
car owners. Szegedy has driven for Barker, Mike
Smeriglio, Bob Garbarino, and Rob Fuller. For this
year’s NAPA Spring Sizzler®, Szegedy will once again
be driving for a new car owner or in this case car
owners as he is driving for the car owner
combination of Bob Katon and Kevin Stuart. While
driving for that many different car owners could be
a tough proposition for some drivers, Szegedy says
it’s no issue with him.
“I don’t find it tough to adapt to a new team or
figuring out what we want,” said Szegedy. “I have a
job to do, I go out on the track and I get the
information we need. I think the toughest thing is
finding time to get up to the race shop to do any
work on the car. Things like putting the seat in the
car, it doesn’t sound like much, but you’ve got to
be comfortable in the car and it’s tough to get the
seat installed. I know Kevin [Stuart] was looking to
continue Tour racing but a full schedule on your own
can can be pretty expensive and I think it was kind
of the same deal with Bob [Katon]. We looked at the
amount of help we had available and we figured if we
combined the two teams it would be a pretty good
fit. We have a good crew and it’s not such a big hit
out of the wallet for Kevin or Bob. It was just a
matter of if I could drive for them. These guys give
me everything I need to go out and win races and if
we can’t win then it’s not a big deal and we’ll have
as much fun as we can. There’s no pressure on me to
win.”
With Szegedy’s experience of racing SK Modifieds®
plus his 53 career NWMT starts at Stafford, he knows
exactly what it will take to win the 200-lap NAPA
Spring Sizzler®.
“I would say that you have to make the right calls
with the fuel and tire strategy,” said Szegedy.
“Sometimes this race can get strung out if there’s a
long green flag run, so you really need to linger
right around the top-5 all day. The extra laps can
be both good or bad. It gives you more time to
figure things out but it also gives you more time
for bad things to happen. No matter what happens,
you need to be at the front to challenge for the win
in the closing laps. I have a good team behind me
and I think if we can keep the car together and get
a few breaks, I think we can definitely challenge
for the win.”
The “Greatest Race in the History of Spring,” the
46th Annual NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler®, takes
the green flag on April 29-30. Tickets are available
and on sale now at the Speedway Box Office. Tickets
are priced at $40.00 for adult general admission
tickets, $5.00 for children ages 6-14, and children
ages 5 and under are admitted free of charge when
accompanied by an adult. Reserved seating is priced
at $42.00 for all ages. As always, Stafford Motor
Speedway offers free parking with overnight parking
available. Tickets are good for both Saturday and
Sunday admission. All ticket prices include 10% CT
Admission Tax. Discount Tickets will be available at
all 71 participating NAPA Auto Parts stores
beginning on Monday April 3rd. For a full list of
the 71 locations throughout Connecticut,
Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont,
please call the speedway office or visit us on the
web at
www.staffordmotorspeedway.com/participating-napa-auto-parts-stores.
For more information or to order tickets for the
46th Annual NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler®, contact
the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at
860-684-2783 or visit us on the web at
www.staffordspeedway.com.
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Source:
Scott Running /
Stafford Motor Speedway
Posted:
March 31, 2017 |
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