This year’s off season has been longer than we are normally used to. After having engine problems in September the team decided to halt racing for the year and begin the preparation for 2021. For the upcoming year there would be team structure changes along with the need for new equipment to be purchased, this undoubtedly put a strain on time, resources and budget.

But, with the extra time realized, we could focus on various upgrades the team has spoken about. For 2021, the front end geometry has been revise, and tweaked to give us the action we want. It has also been upgraded to allow for simple and quick adjustments as need.  In the rear suspension it has been totally overhauled to be more in line with the successful setup we ran in our Pro4 modified days. That car was so responsive to changes it has always been the desire of Derek to have that feel back. Even though the car has not left the shop yet, his excitement on how the rear end moves and reacts is high.

The other place where we not necessary made improvements but still had a change is in the engine department. As our business arrangements changed at the end of last season, it meant the need for a new power plant. We had to say goodbye to the strong Dodge power plant we ran for the previous 3 years and  find a new engine. AS we do not have any brand affiliation requirements the search was wide open to find a good solid engine. After an extensive search we found a great core piece in a prior K&N 358 engine. Having a motor that was built to NASCAR specs means there was confidence it will perform as required. After adding our accessories and new plumbing where needed, the engine has been fired and is ready for its maiden trip to the track.

Stay tuned for further updates as we get closer to the beginning of the season.

Feel free to reach out to us at doug@ddr-motorsports.com

As we have all experienced, 2021 has not be kind to many. I pray for all those tragically affected by the pandemic and wish strong health to others as we head into the winter months. In speaking of the winter months, its time for a quick update on the our future racing plans.

As I have spoken about earlier, my business partner and I have agreed to part ways at the end of 2020. We each have different ideas of the team’s direction and it is with some sadness we do not continues. I thank him for the effort he put forth and I can confidently says neither of us would have been tour type car owners with out the other.

With the split, there was a mutual agreement of access division and it left us having to seek out a new powerplant for the race car. Luckily it was not a hard search as there were some fairly stout pieces available. A few weeks ago, Derek and I drove to the Mid-Atlantic states and picked up an new to us 18 Deg Chevy 358 ci V8 to power our Raceworks modified. We feel confident the machine will not be lacking in HP as we enter 2021.  There are some other upgrades and refreshing going into the car as well, and not to mention the building of a second car. When they all come together, we speak more about them.

Many people have been asking, what are you doing next year for racing. And this is a good question, as there are a lot of options in the New England modified space. For starters, we are looking at the new Thompson Speedway Outlaw open shows. With the track one of the closest to our home it only makes sense to go where our fans can see and Derek has had some good runs there in many cars, including the tour type mod.  Other ventures include trying to run several if not all the Tri-Track races, and of course if we can squeeze in an MRS race it would be great as we always like racing with those guys. Much of what our schedule will pan out to be is based on time and funding. We are constantly on the hunt for new marketing partners and as with most teams the time to prepare well is limited. But you can rest assured, we will do everything in our power to be competitive.

In closing I’d like to thank our partners and sponsors from 2020 as if it wasn’t for them we couldn’t have done this. So special shout-outs to New Hampshire Oil Undercoating, Competitive Tire, and Ashaway Performance Engine. We also want to thanks Shibles Family Mattress for returning to DDR Motorsports for 2021.

See you all soon!

During a recent warm spell, it was a nice break to get out and get some sunshine. For the DDR Motorsports Development team and driver Derek Robbie, it meant the ability to get out in the garage with the door open and feel the anticipation of the new race season not far away.

Beside the normal break down, repair and replace that occurs every year, during this off season the team has gotten a new home for the #27 Tour Type modified. They would like to thank Randy Tucker and Competitive Tire of Millis, MA for working with them to find a small spot in their shop for the car. DDR Owner, Doug Robbie has assisted Randy with his late model for the past couple of seasons, and hopes to get Randy back out on the track again in 2020.  

As with Seasons past, the potent Dodge power plant is at Ashaway Performance Engines (APE) under the awesome watch of Norm Perry to be ready when the team takes the track in April of 2020. Norm’s power making ability has been great over the past few seasons and the team see no reason it won’t be again this year.

During the off season, DDR driver Derek Robbie and Crew Chief Mark Giordano has continued to work together at the Indoor Racing Series to stay sharp for 2020. Back a week or so, Derek competed in the Allentown, PA event and though was caught up in a couple of accidents, Derek performed the best he has in this series to date. Plan for the upcoming races include Derek practicing the car at Atlantic City before turning it over to Matt Galko as Derek has some work commitments, and then back up to Syracuse, NY for the final race od the series.

As for the team’s race schedule this year, it is still a work in progress at the moment. The modified world is going through a shift and there are many options to look at. Currently there have been 19 dates released to the modified community in which the team could compete in. These include the MRS and Tri-Track series along with several open shows. There are many factors consider as we move forward into 2020 so stay tuned as we will release our schedule soon.

There is alo several other things in the works, we’ll let you in on as we move forward into 2020. Keep an eye on the DDR Website and the Facebook page as well as the Derek Robbie Motorsports Facebook page for details.

Doug Robbie
Owner #27 Tour Mod
doug@ddr-motorsports.com

We all know racing is a team sport and without the assistance of your crew, family, and sponsors you’d not be successful in racing. Generally at the end of the year you take your crew to the banquet or out to dinner, you take your family on a well-deserved vacation and you visit your sponsors with an appreciation award. These are all wonderful things to do for those you have established relationships with, but what do you do to assist in generating new relationship to assist you in increasing your success?

This question is asked over and over by racers usually in the form of how I get sponsors. It is the age old question that has no single answer. I know for us here in DDR Motorsports Development, the best recipe we have is interaction, this includes Interaction with the fans, interaction current sponsors, and interaction with potential sponsors. I cannot tell you the amount of support or recommendations we have gotten by just being a good guy.

Where is this going? Well, as many of you know I attended the Performance Racing Industry   (PRI) show last week in Indianapolis. If you’ve never heard of it, look it up. The PRI show is owned by SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) and is the biggest racing focused trade show in the world. PRI, while there you have the opportunity to see the newest products for racing and talk with those who manufacture the products. Really a great opportunity.

I have been attending the PRI show for 5 years now and one of the things I always make sure I do is thank those who spend the time to speak with me at the show. You see, the show consists of thousands of vendors and tens of thousands of people, that’s a lot of people in lots of discussions. During our conversations we do the trade show shuffle where they may scan our badge, capture our email address or exchange business cards, but how do I make sure I stand out. I follow up with them after the show.

Following up after the show is easy, but it does take some effort on your part. For me, I spend the time going through the catalogs and business card I collected during the show and select the ones I’m interested in learning more about or would like to create a stronger relationship with. I then sit down and write each of them an email thanking them for spending the time with me, maybe a small excerpt about what I learned from them and how I look forward to working with their company in the future. I personally just completed my list of 50 companies last night and have already heard back from four companies acknowledging my appreciation for their time. This is a small thing, but in times when thousands of people are knocking on your door looking for stuff, you need to set yourself apart from the crowd.

So the take away from this is say hi to everyone to show them you’re interesting, and use good old fashion etiquette as a closer to make them remember you.