Sal Accardi Jr. Returning to NASCAR Modified Ranks With Car Owner Rich Schlegel At Riverhead in 2016
After spending a good portion of the past seven years searching for a quality NASCAR Modified ride to compete in, Sal Accardi Jr. of Deer park announced this week he indeed has landed that ride for 2016 with Connecticut car owner Rich Schlegel. The new combination will race weekly in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series at Riverhead Raceway starting with the tracks Grand Opening night May 7th.
Accardi last competed full time at Riverhead in 2008 but the rising costs of fielding a car weekly combined with a lack of sponsorship forced Sal to sell his NASCAR Modified, a bittersweet choice at the time. Ever since then Sal has been putting out “feelers” for a NASCAR Modified ride. Enter social media. Sal explained, “a buddy of mine Pete Sindone was surfing around on Facebook one day and saw a guy seeking a driver for 2016. Well I took a shot and contacted Rich Schlegel and we starting talking” Sal noted after nearly a year of speaking back and forth with Schlegel they arranged to meet at the Long Island Auto Motive Swap Shop at Riverhead Raceway in December. “Rich was there buying some parts from Bill Park and we met and struck a deal for me to drive for him” Accardi disclosed.
“I can’t tell you how excited I am for this opportunity with Rich Schlegel” Sal stated, “we will run weekly at Riverhead Raceway and perhaps maybe hit a Tri Track Series race or two, we’ll see”. Sal did admit like most local race teams he and his new car owner are in the process of searching for a sponsor for their newly formed team.
Accardi recently went up to Schlegel’s home in Griswold, Ct. to start the process of assembling his new ride, “we hung the front end among other things” Sal said. The team will compete with a 2 Kwik 2012 chassis underneath them out the shop of veteran racer Rick Kluth. As for their engine program Accardi will keep that close to home on Long Island relying on a Big Sal’s Race Engine with a 18 degree powerplant.
According to Accardi the only detail yet to be ironed out is what car number the team will use, “Rich has raced as the number fifty eight over the years and I was the ninety three when I last drove, we’ll figure that out down the road.”
“I’m like a kid again” Accardi admitted. “I can’t wait for spring to get back to the track. I look forward to racing under the new Riverhead Raceway ownership team of Eddie & Connie Partridge and Tom Gatz. We’re hoping for success and to have some fun along the way”.
The 2016 NASCAR Whelen All American Series will start at Riverhead Raceway with Grand Opening night Saturday May 7th complete with a huge Fireworks display. Sal Accardi and his NASCAR Modified counterparts will kick off their season with a 40-lap feature event.