Timmy Solomito did not find out about Flamingo Motorsports’ decision to close its race team until Saturday.
While the decision came as a surprise in the Modified community, Solomito was understanding on why a car owner as tenured as Eric Sanderson decided to call it a career as an owner.
“Eventually, you know as a driver, that day will eventually come for anybody,” Solomito told Short Track Scene. Eric’s been in the sport for 40-something years. You just never know when a guy is ready to retire and start a new chapter in his life. I wish him the best and his family.”
Read more: Whelen Modified Tour Saturday notebook
Solomito thanked Sanderson and the Flamingo Motorsports team in a Facebook post Saturday night.
“It’s been amazing,” he said. “If you told me back when I was 12 years old, sitting on the back straightaway at Riverhead Raceway that I’d be driving for a Tour team and winning races, I’d probably look you in the face and tell you you were crazy. It’s been incredible. I wouldn’t be where I am without these guys and without Eric Sanderson and the entire Flamingo team.”
“Just grateful that we had some great years competing for championships, led laps, and that’s all you can really ask for. We’re going to go out today and race our hearts out trying to put the best show on for Eric and the team. We’ll see what next year brings.”
Solomito does not have any plans for the 2020 racing season as of yet.
“I haven’t really talked to anybody,” he said. “As of right now I’ve got nothing. We’ll see if anything comes about.”
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Paul Lambert is an aspiring collegiate journalist. A writer and broadcaster, Paul's excited to cover New England short track racing in 2022. Paul has also been published in the Boston Herald, Speedway Illustrated and on Autoweek.com.
Philiip Gwiazdowski
October 13, 2019 at 2:59 pm
Wow that sucks timmy someone will pick you up you have talent