10 to Go with Doug Coby

At Turkey Derby XL at Wall Stadium Speedway in New Jersey we spoke with the 2012 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion and 2013 NWMT runner-up, Doug Coby. Coby ran the No. 20 machine in the tour-type 150-lap event and finished second to Matt Hirschman.

Coby announced shortly after the Turkey Derby that he is leaving the Wayne Darling-owned No. 52 that he won the 2012 title with to drive the No. 2 machine owned by Mike Smeriglio in 2014.

When did you get started in racing?

Doug Coby: 1986 in quarter-midgets at Silver City Quarter Midget Club in Meriden, Conn. And then we raced “Little T” (quarter-midget track at Thompson International Speedway in Connecticut) as well so we were every Saturday and Sunday racing both tracks.

How many types of cars have you raced and which one is your favorite?

Coby: Oh man. Quarter-midgets, late models, pro stocks, SK’s, tour cars, and NEMA (Northeastern Midget Association).

Tour car (modified) is definitely my favorite. They’re just the right combination of handling and power. And I feel comfortable in them, but that’s just because I’ve driven them for a long time now. But I wouldn’t give up a tour ride for another type of car.

Here at Turkey Derby there are a whole bunch of different cars, like a dirt modified. Have you ever been interested in running that?

Coby: I’ve never driven dirt in my entire life. I would like to. I like seeing how Jimmy (Blewett) is doing. If I got into a good dirt car I could maybe learn a little bit. Jimmy told me it would take a few weeks to get a handle on the different style of driving, but he said once you get going in it and you learn how to drive it, it’s just another race car. I like dirt modifieds. I like dirt late models too. I think they’re cool as shit. I would like to try one. I don’t know where though, and wouldn’t like to start off from scratch knowing nothing and people around me that don’t know anything. If I did it I would want to work with somebody that could coach me and teach me what to do.

What track do you want to race at the most that you haven’t gotten to yet?

Coby: Richmond. Just from what everybody says it is a pretty cool place. I went to college in Richmond and my first year on the Tour was the first year Richmond was not on the schedule. I was kind of excited to go there when I got my tour ride and then I never got to go. One of these days I hope.

Do you have any superstitions or routines that you do each week? Or any lucky charms?

Coby: No. I used to carry a bunch of four-leafed clovers with me in my late model and my pro stock. A bunch of crew member’s kids and people would find them in random spots and give them to me. At one point I had as many clovers as I had wins so people kept saying the next time I get a clover I’d get another win. But that kind of faded away, I guess, once I got to the modifieds. I don’t do anything now. I do the same routine once I get in the car, but it’s not for any superstitious reasons. It’s just because that’s what I do and remember to do it that way.

What’s that routine like?

Coby: Well, just in terms of how I put my belts on and what comes first and what goes next. I do the same order every single time I get in every car I ever drive. Just because then I know that I have accounted for everything and made sure I did everything the right way.

I don’t like when people hand me things. I don’t like when people hand me my helmet unless I can’t reach it. I don’t like when people hand me gloves when I’m not ready to put my gloves on, because they go on last. That’s just me. I take them and I go “okay thanks,” and then I put them down and keep doing what I was doing.

What is your favorite racing moment?

Coby: Well obviously winning the Tour championship last year was pretty neat.

I have a couple of quarter-midget memories set the tone for me as a kid and made me really like racing a lot. So I think those memories are really important to me. And then once you get to be an adult and you just want to win races and championships. It’s like, of course that’s what we want to do, but I think discovering that you like to win races and championships when you’re a lot younger is the memories that really stay with you.

But in terms of more recently I think winning at Loudon (New Hampshire Motor Speedway) under green. I won (my) first race at Loudon under caution. And this past year we won at Loudon under green and it was a battle to the end and it was a great race and we ended up winning so that was cool too.

What is your most embarrassing racing moment?

Coby: Probably when I won with the 20 car at Waterford (Conn.) Speedbowl and I put it in the infield with the checkered flag in hand and we got stuck in the grass and spun it around and covered the car in mud. That was something that people still talk about and rib me about, including my own team.

Have you suffered any injuries racing and if so, what was your worst?

Coby: Nothing other than jammed fingers. No broken bones or anything. Never been knocked out in a racecar, knock on wood. Nothing huge. Just getting knocked around a little bit. I wrecked at Riverhead (N.Y.) Raceway this year. Throttle stuck. It hurt pretty bad, but nothing permanent so to say.

 

Source: Rob Blount/LongIslandJam