Stone, Packard, Atkins headed to New Smyrna Speedway
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, FL – Devil’s Bowl Speedway may be buried under three feet of snow in chilly Vermont, but that won’t stop three of its regular stock car competitors from firing their engines. Todd Stone, Emily Packard, and Brandon Atkins are ready to compete in the 49th annual World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway during Florida Speedweeks, February 13-21, with both the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series and the American-Canadian Tour.
Stone, of Middlebury, VT, swept NASCAR Whelen All-American Series (NWAAS) championships last year in the open-wheel Florida Modified division at the World Series at New Smyrna and in the Bond Auto Parts Modifieds at Devil’s Bowl, but moves to full-fender cars in 2015. His World Series ride is a G. Stone Motors-sponsored Ford Fusion for the Pro Late Model class, which has pre-registered entries from 11 states and three Canadian provinces, coast-to-coast. Stone said that practice sessions helped him learn his car’s setup, and he posted top-10 lap times in final practice on Thursday.
“The Pro Late Model cars have bump-stop suspension, which is a lot different than the ACT Late Models my team raced years ago,” Stone said. “There’s a learning curve, but I think we’re going to be pretty good. It’s funny – there’s a lot of young talent here with more experience in these cars, and I’m the grey haired guy just starting out. We just want to have some fun and get away from the snow back home.”
Stone will race his Pro Late Model seven times in nine nights at New Smyrna, beginning his hunt for NWAAS Division II national championship points. When he returns north he will run the Central Vermont Motorcycles Late Model division at Devil’s Bowl and is contemplating a part-time schedule in the Late Models at Airborne Park Speedway in Plattsburgh, NY – both of which also accumulate NWAAS Division II points.
Teenagers Emily Packard of East Montpelier, VT, and Brandon Atkins of Au Sable Forks, NY, will be among the 29 American-Canadian Tour (ACT) entries at New Smyrna for 100-lap events on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday nights. Packard finished third in 2014 Devil’s Bowl Late Model standings with three wins, and fourth in ACT points, while Atkins is a former Devil’s Bowl winner and was the 2014 ACT Rookie of the Year. The ACT Late Model Tour visits Devil’s Bowl Speedway for the People’s United Bank 100 on Saturday, June 6.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway will update progress of the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna (FL) Speedway through its social media pages, on Facebook at facebook.com/DevilsBowlSpeedway and on Twitter at @DevilsBowlSpeed. Fans are encouraged to follow World Series action with live streaming video on www.FansChoice.tv powered by www.speed51.com, and also coverage from www.vtmotormag.com; use the social media hashtag #NewSmyrnaWS. Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s 49th season of stock car racing opens Saturday, May 9. For more information, visit www.DevilsBowlSpeedwayVT.com or call (802) 265-3112.
LINKS FOR COVERAGE OF WORLD SERIES OF ASPHALT STOCK CAR RACING:
Devil’s Bowl Speedway Facebook – Facebook.com/DevilsBowlSpeedway
Devil’s Bowl Speedway Twitter – @DevilsBowlSpeed
FansChoice.tv (Live Streaming Video) – FansChoice.tv
Speed51.com (Live Updates) – Speed51.com
Vermont Motorsports Magazine – VtMotorMag.com
NASCAR Home Tracks – NASCARHomeTracks.com
PHOTO: Middlebury’s Todd Stone (#1x) runs with Erica Thiering (#96) of Edmonton, Alberta at New Smyrna Speedway in Florida during a mid-week practice session; Stone will race seven times in nine nights during the 49th annual World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing, February 13-21. (Speed51.com photo)