STAFFORD, CT :: Shawn and Timmy Solomito have raced for many years. They’ve competed against each other at Riverhead Raceway many times. But one thing they haven’t done is race together off Long Island on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.
That will change on Friday at the TSI Harley-Davidson 125 at Connecticut’s Stafford Motor Speedway. Qualifying for the race was held a week ago before rain came and postponed the race a week. Shawn will start 21st and Timmy will start 11th.
“My brother helps me out a lot,” said Timmy. “So it was really cool just to see him there. I know he’s been wanting to do this for a while but he’s been sacrificing a lot just so I could do it. He’s a big helping hand when we go away with my car.”
Friday marks the first start at Stafford for Shawn who enjoyed running the race track just in the limited amount of practice time he had last week.
“It’s a lot of fun, honestly, when you’re out there by yourself,” said Shawn. “It’s a very fast race track. But it also has similarities to a short track where you have to run the bottom groove and make sure your car is good on the bottom and make sure you get off the corners like you’re on a short track.”
He said his goal is to just finish the race on the lead lap and learn as much as possible. Meanwhile Timmy is said he’s hoping to at least come away with another top 10 after finishing eighth at Stafford’s Spring Sizzler in April.
“I’m really just trying for another top 10 to keep the consistency there,” said Timmy. “And just trying to get it home in one piece is the main thing.”
But regardless of where either Solomito finishes they’re both having fun racing with each other. Timmy said it’s different having Shawn, a champion at Riverhead, ask him what is the best line around the track.
“It was pretty cool to have him ask me how to get around the place,” said Timmy. “It made me feel pretty good.”
