Story By: EMILY WINSLOW / ASHLEY CAPPETTA RACING – ABBOTTSTOWN, PA – Ashley and the Cappetta Racing Team put together a solid night that ended with a top 10 finish for the first time this season at the Barry Skelly Memorial.
Ashley Cappetta and the Gettysburg Trading Post, Mike’s Towing and Recovery, Yesteryear Antique Center, Stoner’s Auction, O’Brien’s Fuel and Service, Iron Horse Trains, Republican Club of Hanover No. 89 were back in action at Lincoln Speedway on Saturday for the Barry Skelly Memorial.
Cappetta’s night started with a pill draw of 43 which usually would not be a great way to kick things off, but the number 43 holds a special place in Ashley’s heart, and she did not allow herself to be defeated as the number 43 kept appearing to her and her crew throughout the night. Cappetta lined up sixth for her heat race and drove her way up to fourth putting her in a redraw spot. Ashley drew the 8 for the start of the 25-lap Summer Series feature. Cappetta got up to fifth early in the race, “The track in the beginning was good and then I felt like I just protected my position for the second half of the race.” After running fifth for a few laps, Cappetta got passed and sent back to sixth where she would run until a caution on lap 16, the cautions hurt us.” Ashley would finish where she started in eighth, for her first top 10 and best finish of the season.
Despite a solid finish, the new Hoosier tires continue to throw a curve ball at Cappetta and the team, “The tires faded, and I wasn’t as comfortable at the end of the race.” In addition to the tires at the end of the race, Cappetta has been fighting a shoulder injury, “Those extra five laps hurt because of my shoulder, but I’m happy to be able to finish where we did.” Ashley said that the new tires aren’t as noticeable in the shorter heat races, but when it comes to the feature, there is definitely a difference, “We need to figure out the extra adjustments to make me comfortable through the entire night and feature.” Each week the team is learning something new when it comes to the tires. It is worth noting that this tire change came just as teams were finally getting comfortable with the new wing.
Cappetta Plugging Away at Weldon Sterner Memorial
Things are starting to fall into place for the Weldon Sterner Memorial at Lincoln Speedway on October 14 and Ashley has been hard at work behind the scenes. Sponsors are still rolling in and Ashley and Pat Sterner are still looking for a few more partners to put together the vision they have for the 20th anniversary of the race, “We have some exciting things planned for the fans and the racers that we can’t wait to share.”