OT: SRX at Stafford

[Chin Diesel]

Motorsports race fan or not this is real good publicity for CT, Stafford Motor Speedway and short track racing.

National TV and first race of this made for TV series.

The Indy 500 winner is spending his weekend in the sticks of CT. Doesn't get much better than that.

Local champ Doug Coby joins Tony Stewart, Helio Castroneves and other racing legends at Stafford Motor Speedway to kick off the Superstar Racing Experience

Doug Coby is OK with driving what has been called the “Rocky Balboa” car, although he isn’t necessarily considering himself an underdog, not at a track he knows as well as Staffor…

www.courant.com

 

[Get a Job]

Motorsports race fan or not this is real good publicity for CT, Stafford Motor Speedway and short track racing.

National TV and first race of this made for TV series.

The Indy 500 winner is spending his weekend in the sticks of CT. Doesn't get much better than that.

Local champ Doug Coby joins Tony Stewart, Helio Castroneves and other racing legends at Stafford Motor Speedway to kick off the Superstar Racing Experience

Doug Coby is OK with driving what has been called the “Rocky Balboa” car, although he isn’t necessarily considering himself an underdog, not at a track he knows as well as Staffor…

www.courant.com

I used to race with Doug Coby at Silver City in Meriden. Didn't know he was making money racing. Good for him.

 

[Dove]

Motorsports race fan or not this is real good publicity for CT, Stafford Motor Speedway and short track racing.

National TV and first race of this made for TV series.

The Indy 500 winner is spending his weekend in the sticks of CT. Doesn't get much better than that.

Local champ Doug Coby joins Tony Stewart, Helio Castroneves and other racing legends at Stafford Motor Speedway to kick off the Superstar Racing Experience

Doug Coby is OK with driving what has been called the “Rocky Balboa” car, although he isn’t necessarily considering himself an underdog, not at a track he knows as well as Staffor…

www.courant.com

Helio was looking like he loved being here. A great interview for local stations here. And Kyle Petty, too

 

[Chin Diesel]

Helio was looking like he loved being here. A great interview for local stations here. And Kyle Petty, too

I was talking with my dad about the race earlier today.
As a littlin' we used to go up to Stafford in late 70's and the 80's.
My dad was saying Castronoves mentioned he had never raced a 1/2 mile track in his life before this weekend.

 

[Waquoit]

I was talking with my dad about the race earlier today.
As a littlin' we used to go up to Stafford in late 70's and the 80's.

I saw Geoff Bodine win the feature back then starting last because he got there too late to qualify. I'm not a huge fan but a night/afternoon at Stafford has always been a good time.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Where’s the starfford speedway board? I want to talk about who should start: Jackson/Gaffney/Hawkins

 

[JustbrewitMan]

I just watched the race last night on CBS SportsNetwork. Great TV production quality, great job by all the organizers (both Stafford & the SRX series folks).

The place was packed and rocking! Reminded me of going there with my dad as a young kid to watch the Spring Sizzler.

The racing quality was really good...pretty evenly-matched cars, and there was some nice battling for the lead. SRX folks clearly had thought out scenarios to maximize entertainment value. Having a backup car to use for the main event in case of terminal mechanical failures and having worn tires to approximate tire wear for the competing cars was forward-thinking and was put to use (Greg Biffle switched to the backup car).

Knowing the track well was clearly important, as Doug Coby (local Modified hotshoe for years) was the class of the field, but he also couldn't pull away due to balanced cars and occasional cautions to bunch the field back up.

I've watched enough races there to know what the fastest way around the track is & the best way to execute passes...it's "diamonding the corners" fwiw. Coby was doing it to perfection all night...it seemed the rest of the drivers either weren't paying attention to his lines or they couldn't figure out the exact timing to make it happen right. All the legends at that track (Teddy Christopher, etc.) know the secret.

Anyhow, kudos to everyone...I'll likely record this series and watch them here n there when bored. Just as good use of time as casual 'yardin about stuffing wire into junction boxes!

 

[Banta55]

I was talking with my dad about the race earlier today.
As a littlin' we used to go up to Stafford in late 70's and the 80's.
My dad was saying Castronoves mentioned he had never raced a 1/2 mile track in his life before this weekend.

Helio , ran much better than i thought he would...Ernie Francis as well.