Steckly & Rette Jones Embracing Dominion ASA Debut

Kyle Steckly in action with the ASA STARS National Tour. (Photo Courtesy of Rette Jones Racing)

THORNBURG, Va. – After a top-10 finish last month at Five Flags Speedway that helped get their ASA STARS National Tour campaign back on track, Rette Jones Racing’s Kyle Steckly heads to Dominion Raceway for the Appalachian Sucker Punch 250 presented by Jones Utilities Saturday night.

Dominion marks uncharted territory for the ASA STARS National Tour, but while the unfamiliar may rattle some teams, the Mooresville, N.C.- based Rette Jones Racing squad is leaning into the challenge — and sees it as a prime opportunity to capitalize.

“I’ve done a lot to prepare for Saturday night,” said Steckly. “I’ve definitely been doing a lot of studying, watching old races from there. We also had a recent test there that was extremely beneficial as we try to dial in our car closer each and every week.

“I’m really excited to head back there and race this weekend — it reminds me a bit of some tracks we have back home in Canada.”

To gear up for the third race of the ASA STARS National Tour season, Steckly and the Rette Jones squad spent an afternoon at the iconic short track recently fine-tuning their No. 30 Ford Mustang.

“We were able to make it to Dominion for a test, which was definitely a huge benefit,” said Steckly. “We built a notebook and were able to establish a strong baseline heading into race weekend. The car felt really balanced, and it gave us a solid direction on what we need to fine-tune heading into Saturday night.

“Having the chance to get comfortable on the track before race day takes a lot of pressure off. It allows me to focus more on execution and race craft, rather than just learning the line. Dominion is a unique track, and every lap during that test gave me more confidence that we’ll be competitive.”

Luckily for Steckly, his momentum appears to be shifting in the right direction. After a tough start to the season with a rough outing at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway and an early exit during his ARCA Menards Series debut at Daytona (Fla.) Int’l Speedway, the team turned the tide in Pensacola, putting together a clean, consistent race that resulted in a strong top-10 finish.

“It was huge,” said Steckly of the rebound at Five Flags. “We had a really solid weekend and showed speed from the time we unloaded. It was a big confidence boost not just for me but for the whole team.

“We needed that run to get our season pointed in the right direction, and now we’re focused on building from it. Hopefully, we can keep that momentum rolling into Dominion this weekend and keep climbing.”

While the goal is to challenge for the win in Saturday night’s Appalachian Sucker Punch 250 presented by Jones Utilities, Steckly acknowledged that if circumstances keep his Mark Rette-led team from contending for the victory, another top-10 finish will be critical in maintaining their championship push.

“I’m going to (the track to) win as always, but I think if we continue to grow and carry that momentum with a top-five finish, I’ll be happy,” Steckly said. “It’s all about stacking solid results right now. Every race is a chance to improve, and if we keep putting ourselves in the mix, the wins will come.”

Rette, Steckly’s crew chief and the co-owner of Rette Jones Racing, is eager for the opportunity to build on the team’s recent momentum and give his young driver another new track to showcase his talent.

“We’ve seen the growth in Kyle every time he straps into the car,” said Rette. “Dominion is a new challenge for the series, but that levels the playing field a bit — and I think it’s a place where Kyle can excel.

“We’re putting in the work to give him a car capable of running up front, and if we execute, I believe we’ll be in the hunt.”

Fans unable to attend in person can watch the Appalachian Sucker Punch 250 presented by Jones Utilities live via TrackTV.com.