IGA Food Markets Increases Support Of Visconti Motorsports For 2017

On Monday morning Visconti Motorsports team owner John Visconti announced that Charles Reichert of IGA Food Markets will increase their sponsorship role with the team for 2017. That announcement will now allow the team and driver CJ Lehmann to not only to contend for the Eagle Auto Mall Crate Modified championship at Riverhead Raceway but also venture into the NASCAR Modified ranks. Visconti revealed that late last week he purchased the assets of Mark Sypher’s NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour team that fielded a team for Donny Lia over the past two seasons.

“To think after the 2015 INEX Legend Race Car season I was going to get out of racing” Visconti reflected, “then Eddie, Connie & Tom announce the new Crate Modified class for Riverhead and that got not only my eye but the attention of IGA Food Markets as well and off we went”. Next step for John, who is the son of Freeport Stadium Late Model icon Cookie Visconti was to find a driver for his new team enter Tommy Baldwin Jr. “I was speaking to Tommy about my new venture as he was a sponsor on my Legends car, he told me to speak with CJ Lehmann, not only can he wheel a car but he brings a talented and veteran team to the table with him” Visconti offered.

On track the 2016 Eagle Auto Mall Modified Crate season was in Visconti’s words “up & down” the team won a race and finished fourth in the final championship standings but it would be a night when things didn’t fare so well would that spoke volumes to Visconti and his wife Marie about their new team. “CJ had a throttle stick going into turn one and went into the wall full bore” he recalled, “luckily he was okay due to all the NASCAR safety requirements but the car was a write-off” It would be in the hours that followed the crash that Visconti Motorsports and marketing partner IGA Food Markets knew they had tabbed the right driver and team. “CJ was amazing, despite the hard hit and disappointment he stood there signing autographs and speaking with all the fans, that impressed not only myself but Mr. Reichert of IGA as well. There is no better representative for our team and marketing partners than CJ”

“Coupled with that the team resolve after the crash as well week in and week out lead by crew chief Mike LaMura and as I like to call him my man of action, Scott Lehmann and the entire #74 group was unreal. I thought we were done for the year but not them, they worked countless hours to get the car back on track and fast too” Visconti boasted. It was right then & there John & Marie knew making the next step into NASCAR Modified racing was logical as well a good fit with their new team that also consists of Pat McKeegan, Bryan Quilliam, Tim Halpin, Rich Lane, Bill Goffin, Cheyenne Raimondi, Kelly Webb, Jessica Cohan and Jeannette Johnson.

When I made my plans known about expanding into Tour Type Modified racing, Stephen Halpin got a hold of me about the Mark Sypher team assets being available and with IGA Food Market support among others we made the deal” John added. The purchase includes two complete Fury (LFR) Modifieds as well the entire contents of the Sypher team race shop.

“Funny how this racing games works out” Visconti shared, “one year removed from perhaps leaving the sport our team now owns an Eagle Auto Mall Modified Crate machine as well a complete NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour team”

As for the Visconti Motorsports 2017 plans the team owner is staying the course, ” our goal is still going after the Eagle Auto Mall Modified Crate championship at Riverhead Raceway” Visconti noted looking ahead ” we’ll run the Tour Type Mod at Riverhead when our Crate schedule allows getting ready for a full NASCAR Modified effort in 2018″. The team may also venture off Long Island as well in an effort to log laps.

Aside from the IGA Food Market increased participation Visconti also announced that Applebee’s, Baldwin Automotive, Long Island Truck Parts, Shore Mechanical, TJ Halpin’s, Handy Pantry and Pizza Time will continue serving as marketing partners with Visconti Motorpsorts in 2017.

It will indeed by a busy off season in the Visconti Motorsports race shop in the months to come as they prepare for the two Riverhead Raceway practice days in April 0f 2017.

Source: Bob Finan/RR PR