(Stafford Springs, CT)—In only his second full season of competition in Stafford Speedway’s ultra-competitive SK Modified® division, Ellington, CT native Tyler Chapman finds himself leading the points standings as the 2026 season closes in on its midway point. Following a second place finish on May 22nd and his first career win on May 29th, Chapman and the #41 Chapman Apartment Homes team have climbed their way to the top of the points and Chapman holds the lead by 2 points or one position on the track over Keith Rocco heading into the Friday, July 3rd Lincoln Tech Kids Night feature event.
“I wouldn’t say we’re surprised, but we’re happy to be where we are right now because we put so much time and effort into the car every week,” said Chapman. “We’re able to show what we can do with the car and what our team is capable of. The SK division is packed full of good drivers. There’s guys like Keith Rocco who have been racing longer than I’ve been alive and the same with Todd Owen. Michael Christopher, Jr. has been racing for about 10 years now, just everyone has been doing it for so long and they have their cars on point and they’re dominant every week. For us to be able to beat any one of those guys is a huge accomplishment for us. We got our first win and we’re hopeful we can get another win but you can’t assume anything in a division where any one of 10 guys can win a race on any given week.”
“I really have to thank my Mom, my Dad, my two brothers, Rick, Robby, Chris, Glen, Jim, RJ, Greg, Brian, Keith Rocco, KRR, Tommy Foster, Anthony, everyone who helps us get to the track and my sponsors, Chapman Apartment Homes, Interstate Manufacturing, Backroads Smokin’ BBQ, New England Pizza, Constantine Paving, and Smyth’s Autobody.”
After winning the SK Light track championship in 2024 with a 10-win season, Chapman made the move into the SK Modified® division for the 2025 season. Chapman and the #41 team were able to post 3 podium finishes with a best finish of second, but little else went right for them.
“Last year was horrible for us, I think we wrecked more than we finished races,” said Chapman. “I think this year has been down to luck where last year people were wrecking right into us and this season so far people have been wrecking around us. Also we’re only working on one car this season versus two cars last year so we can put all our focus on the one car. I’d say I’m still learning every time I go out on the track. It’s not the SK division but we got beat in the Spring Sizzler® Monaco Tri-Track race by experience with most of the same guys that we race in the SK’s. We learn every time we go to the track and then we come back and try to conquer the next race.”
Chapman’s first career victory back on May 29th showed that the #41 team had a package capable of winning races and that they could post top-5 finishes on a consistent basis after an anything but consistent 2025 season.
“Winning was definitely huge for us,” said Chapman. “It’s one thing to win a race starting first but for our win we started 10th so we had to pass 9 cars and that made the win much cooler for everyone. That race showed that we were fast and that we’re here to compete. We finished second the week before we won so we’re happy that we’re able to show some consistent top-5 finishes this season and not having finishes of winning one week and then like a 17th.”
Having won the SK Light championship in 2024, Chapman and his crew know what it takes to win a championship. The challenge for them now will be to continue posting consistent top-5 finishes just as he has done through the first 7 races of the 2026 season.
“Our plan is to just not wreck the car,” said Chapman. “We’ve been very happy not wrecking the car this season so far. We like having our Saturdays back to spend time with family rather than working on the car like we were last season. My dad keeps me informed on where we are with the points and who passed the most cars every week. I would say we’re a laid back team and right now I feel like we’re the most laid back we’ve ever been in the last four or five years. If we finish races then the points will come and if we don’t finish then we won’t have the points. We’re hoping we can win more races this season but it’s tough out there. If you look at practice times, the top-15 guys are all within a tenth of a second or so of each other.”
Chapman will look for his second win of 2026 this Friday, July 3rd, which is Lincoln Tech Kids Night. July 3rd is a weekly racing program that will see Stafford’s SK Modified®, Late Model, SK Light, Limited Late Model, and Street Stock all in feature action along with two Big Wheel races for kids ages 3-7. Stafford’s Street Stocks will pull double duty as they will complete the final 11 laps from the June 12th feature event as well as run their regularly scheduled 20-lap feature.
Order Friday, July 3rd Lincoln Tech Kids Night Tickets
For more information, visit staffordspeedway.com, follow Stafford Speedway on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or contact the track office at 860-684-2783.
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