This past weekend NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series regular Renee Dupuis competed in the 32^nd annual Carquest ‘Fall Final’ at Stafford Motor Speedway (Stafford Springs, CT). 

For the last of four events scheduled at the .5-mile oval, the No. 90 team debuted their new Troyer chassis. Getting the new chassis prepared proved to be no small feat. Nonetheless, in the midst of an incredible tight schedule – which includes the biggest shows of the season (the 300, New Hampshire and the Fall Final) – the team worked relentlessly to get the car to the track. 

Arriving at the track on Saturday morning, the new car easily passed NASCAR’s stringent inspection. However, the team was forced to qualify the car with no testing as steering problems prevented the team from participating in the hour and a half long practice session. Faced with starting the 150-lap event with no testing, the team poured over the car late into Saturday and again early Sunday. 

Following Stafford’s annual ‘Pit Party’ the team lined-up at the rear of the field and soon found that their steering problems had returned. Ultimately the team found a $4 fitting on a high pressure line on the steering rack had been crushed by the manufacturer. As a result, the broken fitting, intermittingly, completely blocked the flow of power steering fluid causing the steering to lock up. 

After resolving the problem, Renee returned the track with the intention of using the remaining 63 laps as a test for the new car. In the end, the team finished in the 25^th position and gained enough confidence in the car to move on to the next show with great determination.  

With three weeks off, the team will compete in season-ending ‘World Series of Stock Car Racing’ at Thompson International Speedway on Sunday, October 17.