LEWISBERRY, Pa. — Accomplished mechanic Lee Stauffer is turning wrenches again on the Central Pennsylvania circuit.
For the first time since guiding Greg Hodnett in John Trone’s No. 39 in 2013, Stauffer returns to his PA Posse roots as the full-time crew chief for Kyle Moody and his family team, Moody Motorsports.
Stauffer agreed to join the operation two weeks ago and is already four races into the dynamic Moody set out for when he elevated his operation to the 410 ranks eight years ago.
The 30-year-old driver from Lewisberry, Pa., has sought consultants for advice through the years, and that’s certainly helped Moody and his team reach a competitive state. But Moody couldn’t overlook a void much longer.
“At the end of the day, I couldn’t get anyone to come to the race track and that’s what you need,” Moody said. “Doing everything myself was not getting me the results. Knowing that, it’s not like there’s an abundance of mechanics out there, and reputable ones. … The cards just kind of fell [Lee’s] way.
“Our personalities are a lot alike,” Moody added. “We get each other. So far, the dynamic has been great.”
There aren’t many résumés better than Stauffer’s. Since he began working alongside his late father, Ed Stauffer, in 1990, he’s amassed more than 250 wins. A pair of Williams Grove National Open titles and three Tuscarora 50 victories top the list.
Perhaps his greatest accomplishment is the legacy attached to the Apple Motorsports No. 12 with Hodnett at the wheel, one of the most successful entries during the early 2000s.
Moody and Stauffer always stayed close, a connection forged by their fathers, Ed Stauffer and Larry Moody, as maintenance machinists for the Harley-Davidson in York, Pa.
Over the summer, the two frequently shared ideas and goals. Quickly, building something together grew convincing.
Now, Moody gets the crew chief he’s long desired while Stauffer adds to his new lifestyle, being remarried and living in Thomasville, Pa., 15 minutes from Moody’s Saturday night track, Lincoln Speedway in Abbottstown, Pa.
“I want some grassroots back in my life,” Stauffer said. “The racing here is tough. It’s a great area. It has been for many, many years. I hope I can keep that going and be included in that for many, many years.”
Since Stauffer last wrenched full time in Central PA, he’s worked for Brad Sweet, Craig Dollansky, David Gravel, Dominic Scelzi, Gio Scelzi, Shane Stewart and Tucker Klaasmeyer.
It’s all the knowledge Moody dreamt of surrounding himself with when he moved to 410s in 2014. For the first time, his operation has two crew members on payroll, too, a big step for Moody and his wife, Brittany, alone.
But Moody knows it could take some time before a 125-race winless streak comes to an end. All facets of his race team are being reworked under Stauffer’s guidance.
“It’s like we’re starting over,” Moody said. “Really, if we wanted to do it right, we would take a month and get everything right. But that’s not feasible.
“We badly want to prove ourselves,” he added. “Me, yeah, I get a win here and there, whatever. I want more than that. Him? He’s been down whatever roads he’s been down.
“I think we’re both at that point in our careers, maybe different paths, that at the end of the day, we’re both looking to prove ourselves,” Moody continued. “It might not happen overnight. We’re looking to build something in the future where we can be a staple in Pennsylvania.”