12/23/2013
Joe Trenca
Mucci Motorsports 2013 Race Summary
After securing the 2012 Empire Super Sprints Rookie of the Year Honors, Joe Trenca and his Mucci Motorsports team were still looking for improvements in several areas for the 2013 race season.
The goals for the team was to qualify for more A-Mains through the qualifying heat races, compete at the front of the pack more consistently and obviously to get that first 360 sprint car feature win.
The season started out as they had planned for, Joe was qualifying for A-Mains and finishing the races respectfully, which ultimately put the team in the top 10 in Championship Point Standings leading into the grueling schedule of the Central New York Speedweeks. A very hot and dry early summer in Central New York saw this young driver and his team struggle to be competitive on the dry/slick local tracks, which led to a very frustrating 7 race stretch during Speedweek. On a positive note, the team did learn some valuable information which led them to become more competitive when they returned to those tracks. For the remainder of the 2013 season, Joe was consistently qualifying for races, consistently finishing races which led to another top 20 in Championship Points at the end of the race season and also gained him a lot of respect from his competitors, both young and old. Joe has quickly developed the reputation of being a very smooth and consistent driver.
The highlights for the 2013 season for Joe and his team would be the solid 4th place finish in the A-Main at the Oshweken Speedway during the preliminary race, held the night before the Canadian Nationals, while also being a top 10 qualifier out of the 40+ cars that were present that night.
A major crash at the Canandaigua Speedway with NASCAR Star Tony Stewart was a slight mid-season setback for Joe and his team, but they rebounded quickly and upon returning to that same track, Joe Promptly went out and won his qualifying heat race with a dominating performance. He ran in the top 3 and contended for the win in the A-Main feature race that night as well, which ultimately led to him earning the “fast time “award for the evening.
While dealing with a very busy race schedule already, Joe also made his name known at the Oswego Speedway, during the historic Budweiser International Classic Weekend. Joe landed a ride in the very fast and exotic I.S.M.A Winged Supermodifieds, and he promptly went out and qualified the car into the race in his very first time in a supermodified and at that track. Although motor issues sidelined him midway through the race, it was enough track time to catch the attention of several veteran car owners. In qualifying for this race, Joe has become the youngest driver to ever qualify for the I.S.M.A portion of Classic Weekend, at 16 years old. Joe’s family has deep roots at the famed Oswego Speedway, so having a successful first venture there was definitely a satisfying moment for Joe and his team. If everything falls in line, you may see Joe at Oswego again in 2014 for some limited appearances.
Although Joe and his dedicated Mucci Motorsports team did not end the season with the finishes they had hoped for, throughout the season they did learn some valuable setups that they will carry into the upcoming race season. During the off season, the team has acquired veteran crew chief Darren Schott and his long time mechanic and friend Tim Wilke; they both come from the Pennsylvania area and have extensive backgrounds in 360 and 410 sprint car racing. The team has some 410 races on their schedule for the 2014 season, and with the addition of Darren and Tim, Team owner Ron Mucci is more than confident that the combination of a veteran crew chief and his present Mucci Motorsports team, is what it’s going to take to get Joe in winning form in the 360 class and also to make an easier transition to the more powerful 410 sprint cars in the near future. For 2014 the team has also partnered with Shawn Miller from Inside Line Promotions to take the lead in our public relations and media management. In addition, we also are now working with Josh Holt from Driver Websites to increase the effectiveness of our website. The addition of these two parties will increase the visibility of our driver and team, but more importantly increase the awareness of our sponsors.
Submitted By: Admin Account
Article Media
