By DAVID MILLER
Special to The Dispatch
When Tony Silvestri wasn’t racing his No. 24 Chevrolet S-10 Street Stock, he’d watch Super Late Models.
He’d always wanted test his skills in the top class in the state. The speed and power of Super Late Model cars – anywhere from 200 to 350 more horsepower than Street Stocks – fascinated him.
Now that he has it, it’s “scary as hell.”
Silvestri’s had just one race – a 16th-place finish at Magnolia Motor Speedway in March – to adjust to a lighter car with 200 more horsepower. He’s both anxious and eager to return to the track tonight when Magnolia hosts the Chevrolet Performance 525 Super Late Model Series. Racing begins at 7:30 p.m.
“I always said ‘before I hang ’em up, I’m gonna race [a Super Late Model],” said Silvestri, who now drives the black No. 27. “I’m pleased with our first performance, but we’re itching to get back on the track. The car is ready to go.”
Silvestri bought his Late Model car from fellow Late Model driver Tony Shelton, Sr. nearly two years ago. He initially raced with a Crate motor but put a SPEC motor in it at the end of last season. After years of saving, planning and patience, he’s put the Street Stock car in the garage and will race a full slate at Magnolia this season.
“On any given night, we are three or three-and-a-half seconds faster than Street Stocks,” Silvestri said. “It’s a whole different experience. It’s surreal, really. The motor and the car have some time on it, but it’s good to go. The Jay Dickens motor has about 600 horsepower, which, compared to some of the Lucas Oil guys that have 800-horsepower motors, isn’t a lot. But at Magnolia, you don’t really need all of that power.
“We’re not as fast as some of the other guys who’ve been doing this for a while, but we feel good about our first race. We didn’t have to go through B-mains, we passed some people, got passed, and were able to load up the car in one piece.”
Silvestri said he’s leaned on the advice of Shelton and Neil Baggett, who also races Super Late Models. He often picks Baggett’s brain at the track, seeking feedback on everything from Baggett’s car is handling to his setup.
“Gear ratio, what kind of stagger, there’s an infinite number of questions I have,” Silvestri said. “Neil is an incredible wheel-man and a class-act. Both Neil and Tony, they’ll answer whatever you ask them. And for me, that kind of advice and feedback is invaluable. We have so much we have to learn.”
NeSmith Late Models, NeSmith Street Stocks and Factory Stocks also will be in action tonight.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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