Rob Summers will return to the NASCAR Whelen Modified tour from the ISMA Super-Modifieds in 2016. (Credit: Jim Feeney photo.)
When the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour comes to Stafford for the 45th Annual NAPA Spring Sizzler, one driver who will be looking forward to the race is Rob Summers. The 2016 season will mark a return to full-time NWMT competition for Summers, who hasn’t run a Tour race since the 2013 season. Summers has recorded 4 of his 7 career pole positions and 3 of his 14 career top-5 finishes have come at the Connecticut half-mile facility.
“Stafford is a track that I seem to have a niche at,” said Summers. “Everything seems to really go good for me at Stafford and I’m hoping that we can do something decent for the Sizzler. I haven’t been to Stafford in a couple of years so it’ll be nice to just be able to go back and get out on the track and go racing.”
Summers will make his return to NWMT racing behind the wheel of the Mike Murphy owned #64 Complete Construction / Fast Track Electric / Hughes Motors Chevrolet that was formerly piloted by Ron Yuhas, Jr. and Anthony Nocella. The two parties go back 10 years together while racing at Waterford and they struck up a deal around Christmas for Summers to take the keys of the #64.
“I know Mike from when I ran at Waterford back in 2005 and I know Ron [Yuhas, Jr.] and his father and a deal materialized around Christmastime,” said Summers. “It’s been a long time, I don’t even remember the last time I ran a Tour car. I’m looking forward to doing it and being a little closer to home. I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t be competitive. Mike has great equipment and a great crew and hopefully things will go well for us. It would be awesome to be able to win a race this year, especially if it was at Stafford.”
Summers is no stranger to finding his way into victory lane at Stafford during the NAPA Spring Sizzler. Summers piloted his own #11 car to victory in the SK Modified® feature during the 2008 Sizzler and he won an ISMA Supermodified feature at Stafford the year prior. With Yuhas, Jr. serving as the crew chief, Summers feels like he has all the ingredients in place to find his way to victory lane once again.
“I’m hoping we can win a race this season, we’re certainly going to try to give it hell,” said Summers. “It’s kind of a new team and you always want to go out and win races. We’re going to set the bar high for ourselves and hope for the best. Ron Yuhas, Jr. will be the crew chief on the car and I think that having him as the crew chief will be a big help for me. When I tell him what the car is doing he’ll know what I’m talking about and the best changes to make since he’s driven the car in the past. The whole team is real enthusiastic and everyone is working really hard on the cars this winter.”
Source: Stafford Motor Speedway PR/Scott Running