Location : Orlando, Florida

About: Premier automotive specialty products trade event

Venue : Las Vegas Convention Center

Fuller Content with Thompson Finish

RFM and company left Thompson Speedway with their goals accomplished… finish in one piece.

Practice started Saturday and the Draco Mod was fast out of the trailer. “We tested some new things last week and that really put us ahead of the curve this week,” explained Rob.

Rob sat top ten on the NASCAR scoring sheet most of the practice and was ready for the weekend’s unusual format. This race was the first UNOH Shootout of many to come. The format was different but made for great racing. Two 125 lap races were first, one for the Northern cars and one for the Southern cars. Rob ran the Southern race as there were fewer cars in that event and the track promoter needed to have as many cars as possible in both fields. These races were followed by a 50 lap dash for cash between the best 36 Modifieds the country had to offer. The RFM group had a plan. It was to feel out the car in the first race and charge in the second. The first 125 lap race was underway. This race was special to the Fuller Family and the Northern Modified fan base for another reason. Jeff Fuller (Rob’s uncle) made the trip north to compete in the Southern Modified race. “This is definitely cool”, explains Rob. “Jeff has done so much in this division and to race him this weekend is definitely a moment I won’t forget.” The two had actually never competed against one another, so the fans got a real treat to see them compete at the track where it all began for the Fullers 40 years ago.

The RFM group stuck to the plan. Rob rode around the high banked track until it was about 50 to go and the charge was on. Rob got up to the sixth position and with just 6 laps to go the teams luck ran out. The Draco Mod was out of gas. “Wow…. pretty embarrassing here”, is all Rob said about that. This misfortune left the RFM team starting scratch (36th) in the 50 lap shootout. Rob wasted no time in coming to the front in this race. By lap 10 he was 21st, lap 25 he was in the top 15 and still coming strong. The end result was 13th and a bunch of smiles. “That’s what it’s about”, describes Fuller. “We had a great car and best of all we had fun.”

The RFM group has some new faces this year and each did their part. “We all joke around about the contractor, plumber and Boylston Public Works Department, but I couldn’t be happier with Dana, Rob and Steve. “We set out to have fun and be competitive in this series and that’s what we did this weekend.” Jimmy Fuller is getting the car ready during the week at the new RFM facility in Shrewsbury and Steve Garepy is bolting the fresh Hoosiers on for Rob each week. “That’s special to me”, Rob says of Steve and Jimmy’s efforts. “Steve Garepy was friends with my Mom and Dad in the ‘70”s and 80’s and always was there for my Dad when he was racing. To have him help me out as well means the world to me. Jimmy’s work has spoken for itself, without his experience holding all of us together none of this would be possible.”

The RFM group will head to the shop and regroup for Loudon in 2 weeks. A couple more runs like this weekend and look for the RFM boys to be battling for top 10’s in no time!

Fuller Reflects on Loudon

RFM and company made the first trip of 3 to the famed New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, NH last week. Robs back was against the wall before the hauler pulled out of the new shop. “Two of our main guys are on vacation with their families this week, so we are shorthanded which isn’t a good feeling heading to Loudon,” explained Fuller.

Practice started Thursday afternoon and right off the bat the Draco modified had issues. “We had a wicked skip in the motor for the first few runs,” explained Fuller. “Bono and his guys lent us a spare ignition and it seemed to fix the issues.”

With the first problem behind them, the RFM team continued with remainder of practice. On the fourth run Rob radioed to the team that the transmission didn’t sound right. After looking into the issue, a big problem arose. “I have to take the blame on that”, explains Fuller. “Gordy, the guy who does my transmissions, is pretty good at not safety wiring the plugs if there is no fluid and sure enough it was dry.”

NASCAR let RFM unload on Friday while the Nextel Cup cars practiced to change the transmission. Unfortunately, Rob’s bad luck was about to turn worse. Race day morning Rob and the guys unloaded the Draco Modified ready to put there bad luck behind them. While priming the motor before am practice Rob noticed the oil pump belt was missing teeth. “That was not good at all”, says Fuller. “At that point we decided to just load up instead of risking the motor blowing up in practice.”

Needless to say, it was a long ride home for Rob. On the flip side, the ride provided time for the weekend to sink in. “Man, I knew I should have waited until I was organized in my new shop, house, and life for that matter before I tried to make a race”, explained Rob. “This is not how I got to where I am in my career now by rushing and being unorganized. It’s embarrassing!”

Fuller, obviously upset, ended the interview with that moment. When the team gets the power plant back from Tony’s shop they will assess the situation and make a plan for the remainder of the year. The overwhelming amount of pressure and stress applied to Rob over the last few months with all that’s going on in his world it is almost unfathomable. With the house about done and the and the new RFM /Draco Racing shop in its last week of construction, it would be safe to say that the RFM group will be back in winning race form in no time.

RFM Completes Thompson Test in New Modified

RFM and company set off to Rochester, NY, home of Troyer Race cars on Wednesday to assist in the final touches on the all new NASCAR Modified before heading to the track on Friday night. The test was a one day deal on Saturday so the RFM group had their hands full to shake down the new piece and then put the hammer down and see what they had. “We were a little behind at the shop, but I couldn’t be happier with the car that Billy Colton and his team put together”, says Fuller. “Honestly that is one of the things I look forward to in moving back up to the Northeast. Guys like Billy do whatever it takes to get the job done at hand without making excuses and they completed the task I set for them….. build the baddest modified they could.”

The car that unloaded in Thompson, CT was one of the most technologically advanced modifieds to make a lap on the famed 5/8 mile. After a 15 minute shake down, Rob went out in the next practice and found himself a mere .2 off of the reigning tour champ Bobby Santos (who is also on the famous purple springs this year). “I’m very pleased”, explains Rob. “When you put it all in perspective we over achieved at this test.”

The 2011 RFM team added a few new faces this year as well. Rob reunited with some old friends from Massachusetts that are lending a hand and Jeff DeMinck will be on board in the crew chief roll as well. “I think Jeff will be the perfect fit for our organization”, explains Fuller. “He is detailed, organized and loves to race, what else could I ask for?”

Although the test was a success on most levels, Rob still thrives to improve when they return in 2 weeks. “If it wasn’t Thompson, I would be happier”, says Fuller. “This is my home track, I’ve been coming here for 30 years and have seen my family (Bobby, Ricky and Jeff) do some amazing things here, so I tend to put a little more pressure on myself to run good, even though I have limited time on the tricky 5/8 mile.”

The RFM group will head back to Rochester, regroup and come back stronger and ready to race at the infamous IceBreaker 2011. Look for Rob and the rest of the RFM group to be a threat at the track that he calls “home”.

Draco Springs to Have a Dominating Presence at IceBreaker

When Rob and his RFM, Draco Spring Modified rolled into the Thompson IceBreaker in 2010, they found themselves alone on the Draco Spring “purple island”, if you will. Not the case this year at all.

After watching the speed the RFM modified had during the 2010 season, Rob and his purple springs started turning heads in NASCAR’s oldest division. “This is what I enjoy the most”, says Fuller. “I love developing, testing, and then offering a superior product to these racers that work their butts off to race on a weekly basis without 7-Post Rigs, engineers, and private planes.”

Among the new customers is the reigning Whelen Modified Tour Champion Bobby Santos. After leaving the Thompson test last week, the famous 4 car was on the top of the leader board with the purple springs. “I’m very impressed with the product,” says crew chief Bob Mueller. “I especially like how much nicer it is when scaling the car. One turn is always a consistent increase or decrease where my old springs were all over the board.”

Another car that had power of purple was Todd Szegedy in the 2 car. Todd was one of the fastest cars all day at Thompson as well. “We did a back to back test at Caraway and it was a huge improvement in forward bite,” describes crew chief Phil Moran. “I worked with Rob and Draco Springs last year and got first-hand experience on the advantage we had in springs.”

The battle for the title could come down to these two drivers this year. Then throw in the Draco modified driven by Rob for seven shows this year and the “purple island” could be a popular place next season for sure!

Division: NASCAR Whelen Modified

Venue : Thompson International Speedway

Division: NASCAR Whelen Modified

Venue : Thompson International Speedway

Division: NASCAR Whelen Modified

Venue : Bristol Motor Speedway

Division: Tour Typed Modified

Venue : Thompson International Speedway