Statistical Advance: Analyzing the Spencer Speedway 155
Daytona Beach, FL — The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will make its first trip of 2009 to the Empire State for the Spencer Speedway 155 on Saturday, July 11 in Williamson, N.Y.
At Spencer Speedway:
History
• Spencer Speedway originally opened in 1955.
• The first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race at Spencer was held on July 4, 1985 during the Tour’s inaugural season.
• Spencer has held five NWMT races all-time.
Notebook
• George Kent won the inaugural NWMT race at Spencer in 1985.
• The five NWMT races at Spencer have produced five different winners.
• Although there have been only five NWMT events at Spencer, two drivers have earned multiple pole awards.
• Matt Hirschman took the checkered flag in the 2008 event and Williamson native Jan Leaty earned the Coors Light Pole Award … Leaty also captured the 1987 pole.
• Of the expected entrants for the 2009 edition, none have reached Victory Lane in an NWMT race at Spencer.
Up to Speed:
• Ted Christopher earned the Coors Light Pole Award and a trip to Victory Lane in the season opener at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway on April 5.
• Christopher also earned the pole and the win in the second race of the year at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway on April 26 … He became the first driver in NWMT history to begin the season by earning the first two poles.
• Christopher made it three-for-three when he earned the pole for the third race of the season, also at SMS, but finished second to Jimmy Blewett in the race … Christopher became the seventh driver in NWMT history to earn at least three-consecutive pole awards, and extended his mark for consecutive poles to start a season.
• Last time out at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Donny Lia earned his first win of the season and the 13th of his career … Doug Coby captured the pole, the second of his career.
• The points lead belongs to Christopher, who is 53 tallies ahead of Todd Szegedy.
Spencer Speedway Data
Race: #5 of 14 (7/11/09)
Track Layout: 0.5-mile oval
Banking: None
Race Length: 125 laps/75 miles
Qualifying/Race Data
2008 pole winner: Jan Leaty (19.098 seconds, 94.251 mph)
2008 race winner: Matt Hirschman (1 hr. 6 min. 7 sec., 45.374 mph)
NWMT Race Winners at Spencer
1985 … George Kent
1986 … Jeff Fuller
1987 … Mike McLaughlin
1994 … Mike Ewanitsko
2008 … Matt Hirschman
NWMT Pole Winners at Spencer
1985 … Jimmy Spencer
1986 … Jimmy Spencer
1987 … Jan Leaty
1994 … Steve Park
2008 … Jan Leaty
Selected Driver Highlights:
Eric Beers (No. 46 Chevrolet)
• Has two wins and nine poles in 131 career starts.
• Is 12th in points after four races.
• Finished 17th at Spencer Speedway in 2008.
• Competed in the Race of Champions event at Spencer in June and finished eighth.
Jimmy Blewett (No. 12 Chevrolet)
• Has five wins and one pole in 66 career starts … Won at Stafford Motor Speedway on May 22.
• Is fourth in the standings with top 10s in the three of the four races.
• Finished fourth at Spencer in 2008.
Ted Christopher (No. 36 Chevrolet)
• The 2008 NWMT champion.
• Has 33 wins and 21 poles in 269 career starts … Has at least one win in 11 consecutive seasons … His 33 wins rank fourth on the all-time list and his 21 poles rank ninth.
• Earned the Coors Light Pole Award in the first three events of the year, and the race win in the first two … Finished second in the third race.
• Finished 19th at Spencer in 2008, one of his three finishes outside the top 10.
• Brings a current streak of nine top-10 finishes in a row to Spencer.
Doug Coby (No. 19 Chevrolet)
• Has one win, two poles and 29 top 10s in 85 career starts.
• Is currently 11th in points with a best finish of sixth last time out at New Hampshire Motor Speedway … Earned his second career Coors Light Pole Award at the New England 100.
Ed Flemke Jr. (No. 10 Chevrolet)
• Has 17 wins and 15 poles in 374 career starts … Has made a record 315 consecutive starts … The last time he did not start a NWMT race was on July 22, 1992 at Riverside Park Speedway.
• Is eighth in the season standings after a runner-up finish last time out at NHMS.
• Finished 16th at Spencer in 2008.
Chuck Hossfeld (No. 22 Chevrolet)
• Will make 2009 debut after running a full campaign in 2008.
• Has seven wins, eight poles and 64 top 10s in 111 career starts.
• Finished third at Spencer in 2008 and was second in the RoC race there in June.
• The 1999 Spencer track champion.
Woody Pitkat (No. 28 Chevrolet)
• Has 10 top 10s in 21 career starts.
• Is currently ninth in points with three top 10s in four starts.
Ryan Preece (No. 3 Chevrolet)
• Has two poles, a win and 13 top 10s in 34 career starts.
• Is currently sixth in points with three top 10s in four starts.
• Finished 25th at Spencer in 2008.
Erick Rudolph (No. 59 Chevrolet)
• Has five top 10s in 13 career starts.
• Registered top 10s in five of nine starts as a rookie in 2008, but has yet to finish a race in 2009.
• Finished 24th at Spencer in 2008 and third in the RoC race there in June.
Ron Silk (No. 79 Pontiac)
• Has three wins, a pole and 26 top 10s in 60 career starts.
• Is currently seventh in points with three top 10s in four starts.
• Finished as the runner-up at Spencer in 2008.
Mike Stefanik (No. 16 Pontiac)
• The 1989, 1991, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002 and 2006 NWMT champion.
• Has 69 wins, 42 poles and 257 top 10s in 385 career starts … Holds NWMT record for most championships, wins, poles, top fives and top 10s.
• Is currently fifth in points with three top 10s in four starts.
• Finished fifth at Spencer in 2008.
Todd Szegedy (No. 2 Ford)
• The 2003 NWMT champion.
• Has 13 wins, five poles and 71 top 10s in 114 career starts.
• Is second in points, 53 behind Ted Christopher, and has top 10s in each of the four races.
• Finished seventh at Spencer in 2008.
Jamie Tomaino (No. 99 Chevrolet)
• The 1990 NWMT champion.
• Has three wins, six poles and 234 top 10s in 503 career starts.
• Become the first driver in series history to start 500 races at the Icebreaker … Has missed only four of the 507 races in the history of the NWMT (1985-present) … Is one of only two drivers, along with Carl Pasteryak, to make a start in each of the 25 years of the NWMT.
• Crossed the line 21st at Spencer in 2008 and best finish there was fourth in 1985.
Upcoming Milestones/Benchmarks:
• Ed Flemke Jr. will extend his record consecutive starts streak to 316.
• Jamie Tomaino will extend his series record for starts to 504.
• Mike Stefanik’s next victory would make him the eighth driver in NASCAR history to earn 70 wins in a series … All others on the list accomplished the feat in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
• Ted Christopher is two wins shy of tying Tony Hirschman for third on the all-time list at 35.
• Donny Lia’s next win would move him past Richie Evans and George Kent on the all-time wins list … The trio currently has 12 apiece.
Sources: Jason Cunningham/NASCAR WMT PR