STAFFORD SPRINGS, CT — Gary Rice Shop Equipment is returning to Stafford Speedway for a full season in 2026 after joining the track’s contingency program midway through 2025. The company will provide first-place bonuses to SK Modified® and SK Light feature winners throughout the season — $150 per win for SK Modified® drivers and $125 per win for SK Light competitors.
Combined, the bonuses represent a total contribution of $6,150 to Stafford’s open-wheel drivers in 2026, with the SK Modified® division carrying a prize pool of $3,150 and the SK Light division at $3,000.
“We love racing, especially the modifieds, and we really enjoy coming to the track to watch the races,” said Gary Rice, owner of Gary Rice Shop Equipment. “The business that I have and the line of equipment that we offer really caters to racers with shops. We do things like automotive lifts, air compressor systems, and tire machines and we offer a racer’s discount on shop equipment. I don’t think there’s any other company like ours that advertises with circle tracks like we do and we’ve found that it works pretty fast for us. It’s nice to have a big presence at a track like Stafford.”
The competitive depth of Stafford’s modified divisions was on full display in 2025 — eight different drivers collected a Gary Rice bonus in SK Modified® competition, while nine different drivers earned one in the SK Light division.
Rice noted that the company is already working with several competitors heading into the new season. “We helped Wesley Prucker out with a new lift for his shop and the Christophers recently reached out to us about a new lift for their shop,” he said. “We should be back on board this season with Meg Fuller and we might be back on Wesley Prucker’s car. Depending on how the summer goes for us, we might do a Gary Rice Shop Equipment night at the track and sponsor a race.”
About Gary Rice Shop Equipment: The company specializes in light to heavy duty lifts, storage lifts, air compressors, bulk fluid storage tanks, and a variety of other shop equipment, and also performs hydraulic cylinder and engine work ranging from racing engines to everyday street engines. Gary Rice Shop Equipment can be found on Facebook (Gary Rice Equipment & Service, LLC) and on Instagram (@GaryRiceShopEquipment).
The first Gary Rice Shop Equipment contingencies of the 2026 season will be awarded at the 54th Annual NAPA Spring Sizzler® on April 25–26 at Stafford Speedway. Tickets are available now.
