08/01/2004

Hossfeld Back to Winning Ways at Seekonk

Seekonk, MA -- It has been a long time coming and on Saturday night Chuck Hossfeld and the Mystic Missile racing team earned their first win of the 2004 season in NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series competition.  The team turned in a dominating performance to score the victory in the Coca-Cola 150 at Seekonk Speedway in Seekonk, MA.  Hossfeld led a total of 83 laps en route to the victory. 

"This is a huge shot in the arm for us," said the Buffalo, NY driver.  "We have been trying some new things on the car this season and unfortunately we have struggled with it."

With an arsenal of proven racing data, the team collectively decided to reference information collected in 2003.  "We went back to our notes from last year," said crew chief Greg Schroder.  "I did it for Chuck." 

His driver reciprocated fully with an outstanding performance. 

"Through it all though we hung together as a team and tonight it turned around for us," continued Hossfeld.  "We hopefully have the right combination again."

The combination seemed to work right from the word go on Saturday.  During practice the Mystic Missile was one of the fastest cars on the stopwatch.  In Bud Pole qualifying a lap at 12.131 seconds was good enough to earn Hossfeld third quick time.  After the redraw he would begin the 150-lap event from third.  

It became evident right from the start that the crew had given Hossfeld a good racecar.  By the third lap, Hossfeld had moved into second passing Jeff Malave and began applying pressure to the leader Eric Beers.  Any progress was slowed when the first caution of the event flew on lap 13. 

On the lap 19 restart, Hossfeld slipped back to third as Malave was able to use the inside groove to regain second.  It did not take long for Hossfeld to mount a challenge for the runner-up spot again. Lap-after-lap Hossfeld would peak to the outside of Malave through the corners but then had to settle back in behind on the straight-aways.  He got a good run on lap 36 and was able to make the pass stick.  Hossfeld then set his sites on the leader Beers, who had run out to a 10-car length advantage while the two had battled for second. 

At lap 50, the leaders had a three-car break away from the pack.  Hossfeld was glued to the back bumper of leader Beers while Malave chased closely behind.  The top-three cars had built up a half-straightaway advantage over the rest of the field.

A pair of cautions near lap 60 set up a series of events that would eventually find Hossfeld in command of the event.  A restart on lap 61 put him to the outside of Beers.  The two ran wheel-to-wheel for nearly ten laps.  Hossfeld kept digging on the outside, inching closer to the lead with each lap.  Finally, on lap 68 Hossfeld was the new leader. 

By the halfway marker, Hossfeld led Dick Houlihan, Beers, Donny Lia and Malave in the top-five.  As the green flag laps mounted, Lia appeared to get stronger and stronger.  Once passed Houlihan, he reeled in Hossfeld.

Just as a battle for the lead was shaping up between Hossfeld and Lia the fourth caution of the event flew on lap 94.  The race went back to green on lap 100 with Hossfeld still in control.  For a short time, Hossfeld enjoyed a little breathing room as Houlihan, who had moved into second on the restart, and Lia battled for second. 

It was not long before Lia, free of Houlihan, went back at Hossfeld's lead.  On lap 130, Lia caught Hossfeld in lapped traffic.  Over the final laps, Lia tried to make the outside groove work but it was all Hossfeld when the checkered flag flew. 

This is the third time this season that Hossfeld has led the most laps in Modified Series competition.  Saturday night he also led the most important one, the final one.

"This was a lot of fun tonight," said Hossfeld. "We had some good clean hard racing with a bunch of really great drivers."

A gratifying win was just what Hossfeld and his team needed. 

"When you win you feel like a million bucks," continued Hossfeld with a wide grin.  "No matter how much you struggle, when you finally win one all the other stuff just goes away. The win makes it all worth it!" 

The Coca-Cola 150 at Seekonk Speedway signified the start of the second half of the season.  With a renewed optimism and the feeling that they are back on track, Hossfeld, Schroder and the entire Mystic Missile racing team is pumped up for the racing that lies ahead. 

Next up for the NASCAR Featherlite Series is the 200-lapper at Riverhead Raceway in Riverhead, Long Island, NY on Saturday, August 7, 2004. 

Source:  Dale Wolbrink/NASCAR FMS PR/Chuck Hossfeld PR
Posted:  August 1, 2004