Waterford, CT — Waterford Speedbowl was in action with a five division NASCAR Whelen All-American Series program on Saturday evening that saw veteran Jeff Pearl of Salem return to victory lane, his first win of the year in the 35-lap SK Modified® feature. Jeff Smith of Old Lyme won his first career feature taking the 30-lap Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Model race. Defending Street Stock champion Brandon Plemons of Uncasville found the checkered flag for the first time of the year while Griswold’s Louis Bellisle was the Norwich Bulletin Mini Stock winner. Anthony Flannery of East Hampton continued to tear up Legends Cars competition, taking his record 11th straight win in the division, a new Speedbowl record.
Diego Monahan led the opening laps of the SK Modified® feature ahead of a hungry field of competitors. Pearl moved to second from his third place starting position on the initial start, bringing Jeff Paul to third behind him. The first caution flew on lap two when dirt was kicked up onto the racing surface in turn two. Caution waved again on lap three when Joe Perry spun off turn two.
Monahan continued to lead on the restart. Pearl pressured him for the lead with Ron Yuhas Jr. and Paul racing side-by-side for third. Pearl shot to the inside of Monahan entering turn three on lap 10, taking over the lead with Ron Yuhas Jr. in tow as he advanced his way past Paul. Tom Abele Jr.slipped by Monahan for third, with Paul and Keith Rocco also moving by Monahan as he slipped back in the outside lane on lap 12. A lap later Glenn Pressell III spun off turn two to bring out the caution flag and slow the action on lap 13.
Loudon, NH — Kyle Busch became the first repeat winner in the NASCAR Nationwide Series history at New Hampshire Motor Speedway today, proving that no matter where or what he is driving Kyle can dominate.
Driving the No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota, Busch dominated this history-making day at NHMS, becoming the all-time lap leader surpassing Mark Martin in the NASCAR Nationwide Series with a total of 8,117 laps. He is also now tied with Kevin Harvick for second place in the all-time Nationwide winners book with 36 wins.
“I wish there was money for laps led,” said Busch. “It’s a testament to this team. It comes down to being competitive and working together as a team. It’s remarkable to beat a guy like Mark Martin who did so much in this series and can still come back any day in this series and win races.”
Seekonk, MA — Once again, Mother Nature proved to be no fan of short track racing in Southern New England on Saturday, forcing the postponement of the 3rd Annual Dusty You Memorial Race. This event has become one of the favorites for the Late Model competitors, as many of them knew Dusty well from his time at the various speedways. Dusty was the car owner for Team 99, which his son Glenn drove for many years. They competed with success in the Street Stocks, Late Models, and Pro Stocks at Seekonk Speedway. But you wouldn’t be surprised to the the Team 99 bus pull up to any short track in New England. Traveling to the bigger shows at Lee USA and Thompson Speedways, not to mention other events as well, Dusty, Glenn and the entire Team 99 became well known to the competitors as well as the fans.
The Dusty Young Memorial race will be held this Saturday, July 3rd, as part of a FANtastic weekend. Also on hand Saturday is the annual kids Tryke Race. Kids from the ages of 3 through 7 will compete on track for bragging rights and supremecy over their peers. Last year saw over 30 kids compete in the two classes, broken up by age groups. Helmets and safety gear is mandatory for competitors. More information can be found on our website, seekonkspeedway.com.
Manion’s Involvement Helps Modified Tour Continue Growth
Loudon, NH — NASCAR’s oldest division was given some new innovation on Saturday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Taking a break from his day job as a Sprint Cup Series crew chief for Jamie McMurray, Kevin “Bono” Manion fielded the winning Whelen Modified Tour entry for Ryan Newman in the New England 100. Newman’s No. 7 Aggressive Hydraulics/Menards Chevrolet raised some eyebrows with the body work behind the right rear tire, with sheet metal flared in an unusual way.
“I actually got the idea from a car I saw here last year,” said Manion, whose roots in racing trace back to the Whelen Modified Tour before he ascended the NASCAR ladder. “There are no templates, no body rules really for these cars — they’re called ‘modifieds’ for a reason.
“Over the last couple of years, the cars have started looking significantly different. Ideas and innovation are what racing’s always been about.”
Loudon, NH — The last 10 laps were a race fans dream. Two cars traded the lead and it was anyone’s race. As the drivers came out of turn one side by side on the last lap of the New England 100, the crowd was on their feet. The difference between first and second place was just 0.125 seconds!
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular Ryan Newman captured the checkered flag behind the wheel of the No. 7 Aggressive Hydraulics/Menards Chevrolet, narrowly edging out Ted Christopher’s No. 36 Al-Lee Installations Chevrolet. The two came within inches throughout the entire Whelen Modified Tour race, but the finish was clean.
“To have a race slide-jobbin’ back and forth like we did at the end, that’s what fans love to see, and I am proud to be able to put a show on for them, and I thank Teddy for racing me clean there at the end,” said Ryan Newman.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Driver Earns First Whelen Modified Tour Win
Loudon, NH — Ryan Newman passed Ted Christopher in Turn 3 of the final lap and held off New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s winningest driver to earn his first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victory Saturday afternoon.
Newman, a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular, made his fifth NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour start for car owner and 2010 Daytona 500 winning crew chief Kevin Manion. Newman and Christopher put on a memorable show in the closing laps of the New England 100. They came to the white flag side by side, and after Christopher nosed into the lead on the backstretch, Newman used the outside to make the winning pass.
Newman’s margin of victory was .125 seconds. Newman won the Coors Light Pole Award in Thursday’s qualifying. He led three times Saturday for 28 laps.
Loudon, NH — Brad Keselowski will lead the field from the pole position when the green flag flies for the New England 200 this afternoon.
This is the first time the Rochester Mills, MI native has started at NHMS from the top spot. The NASCAR Nationwide Series points leader is in great position to continue an impressive streak of finishes in 2010. Keselowski hasn’t finished outside the top-15 in all 15 starts. This season, he’s had three wins and 12 top-five finishes.
The driver of the No.22 Ruby Tuesday Dodge ran the fastest qualifying lap time of 29.376 seconds at a speed of 129.657 mph. He will lead a quartet of Sprint Cup Series drivers on the first lap of the race.
Brockton, MA — The Cole Carter-Bertrand Motorsports relationship continues when Carter drives the Bertrand #39 in Northeastern Midget Association action at Thompson (Thursday night, July 1) and Stafford (Tuesday, July 6).
Carter, part of one of open wheel racing’s most storied families, collected a fourth at last year’s Thompson World Series for Bertrand. He was also second at Seekonk Speedway’s Boston Louie.
He’ll be part of NEMA’s busiest pit, a teammate of both Randy Cabral and Chris DeRitis.
Derek Ramstrom of West Boylston, Mass., won his fourth feature event of the season at Thompson International Speedway in Thompson, Conn., on Thursday night. Ramstrom, the defending Super Late Model champion at the track, has four victories this season in just six starts. He started fourth in the 30-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series event and sprinted to the lead before the field completed the first lap. From there, Ramstrom went unchallenged to the victory and moved into a 3-way tie atop the division’s point standings with Mike O’Sullivan and Dennis Maxfield.
WHO: Derek Ramstrom, W. Boylston, Mass.
WHAT: No. 35 Charter Communications/Matthews Truck Service and Towing Chevrolet
WHERE: Thompson International Speedway, Thompson, Conn. (.625-mile oval)
Loudon, NH — How good is Kyle Busch? He is not even running a full time Nationwide Series schedule this season, yet he is closing in on the record books faster than he can get around “The Magic Mile.”
At today’s New England 200, Busch has three direct opportunities to land in the Nationwide Series history books, two of which involve another NASCAR star, Mark Martin.
Busch needs to lead only 91 laps to pass Mark Martin for the most all-time laps led in NASCAR Nationwide Series history. Busch has led 7992 laps and Martin has led 8082.
Loudon, NH — In final preparations for today’s New England 100, Erick Rudolph paced NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour practice at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Rudolph turned a fast lap of 128.667 mph in the 40-minute Happy Hour session. Rudolph qualified fourth on Thursday and will look for his first win at New Hampshire.
Rudolph was followed on the speed chart Saturday morning by Bobby Santos, Jimmy Blewett, Todd Szegedy and Eric Beers.
Stafford Springs, CT — Stafford Motor Speedway returned to racing action with a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series program on Friday, June 25th. Keith Rocco picked up his third consecutive and sixth overall win of the 2010 season in the 40-lap SK Modified® feature, Woody Pitkat got win number four of 2010 in the 30-lap Late Model feature, Matt Galko scored his second victory of 2010 in the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature, Dan Flannery won his fourth race of 2010 in the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature, and Andrew Hayes picked up his first win of 2010 in the 15-lap DARE Stock feature.
In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event, Tom Bolles took the lead at the green with Mark Bakaj, Zach Sylvester, Josh Sylvester, and Jeff Malave behind him. Zach Sylvester quickly worked his way into second and he began to hound Bolles for the lead. On lap-9, Sylvester was able to pull alongside Bolles, but Bolles ran strong in the outside groove and he maintained control of the race lead.
The caution came out with 12 laps complete for Woody Pitkat, who stalled in turn 2. Bolles was the leader back under green with Zach Sylvester behind him. Frank Ruocco moved into third, with Josh Sylvester and Ted Christopher rounding out the top-5. Pitkat and Dan Avery spun in turn 2 to bring the yellow back out with 15 laps complete.
Seekonk, MA — Providence driver Willy Sanchez Held off Newport’s Curtis Rolando and division leader Nicholas Lascuola of Brockton to come home the winner in Seekonk Speedway’s Youth Racing Association entry-level division, Friday night. The win ended Lascuola two-race victory skein. It wasn’t an easy win for Sanchez, however, as Rolando and Lascuola pestered him most of the distance. Jason Enos and Shelby Donovan filled out the top 5. It was a victory of sorts for Donovan, as she had taken a trip to the pit area by ambulance after an extremely hard hit she suffered during a 3-car crash during her qualifying race. The precautionary checks by EMT’s found no injuries and she and her car returned to the track for the feature race.
Christine Cavallaro took advantage of polesitter David Lougee of Taunton as she leapt from the outside of the front row into the lead, rushing out to a quick, three-car lead on the first lap. But Rolando came from the second row to second place and began to give chase. Lascuola, having drawn the 10th starting position, thanks to his win last week, was moving rapidly through the pack. Sanchez moved quickly into contention from his sixth place starting spot on the outside of the third row.
Lougee spun out on lap four, bringing out the caution flag. The restart saw Cavallaro on the pole with Sanchez right behind her. Branden Dion was on the outside of the front row with Lascuola behind him and Rolando held the pole in the third row. It took two restarts to get the race going again, as Jason Enos looped in turn two on the first go-around out of the caution. But on the second restart, Sanchez went to the lead with Lascuola on his coattails. After five laps completed, Sanchez led Lascuola, Cavallaro, Rolando and Dion. On the next lap, Lascuola went to the outside and passed Sanchez, but Sanchez played underneath and went back into the lead on Lap 8, with a good deal of paint trading.
Waterford, CT — Waterford Speedbowl was in action with a five division NASCAR Whelen All-American Series program on Saturday evening that saw veteran Jeff Pearl of Salem return to victory lane, his first win of the year in the 35-lap SK Modified® feature. Jeff Smith of Old Lyme won his first career feature taking the 30-lap Bob Valenti Auto Mall Late Model race. Defending Street Stock champion Brandon Plemons of Uncasville found the checkered flag for the first time of the year while Griswold’s Louis Bellisle was the Norwich Bulletin Mini Stock winner. Anthony Flannery of East Hampton continued to tear up Legends Cars competition, taking his record 11th straight win in the division, a new Speedbowl record.
Loudon, NH — Kyle Busch became the first repeat winner in the NASCAR Nationwide Series history at New Hampshire Motor Speedway today, proving that no matter where or what he is driving Kyle can dominate.
Loudon, NH — The last 10 laps were a race fans dream. Two cars traded the lead and it was anyone’s race. As the drivers came out of turn one side by side on the last lap of the New England 100, the crowd was on their feet. The difference between first and second place was just 0.125 seconds!
Loudon, NH — Ryan Newman passed Ted Christopher in Turn 3 of the final lap and held off New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s winningest driver to earn his first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victory Saturday afternoon.
Loudon, NH — Brad Keselowski will lead the field from the pole position when the green flag flies for the New England 200 this afternoon. 
Loudon, NH — How good is Kyle Busch? He is not even running a full time Nationwide Series schedule this season, yet he is closing in on the record books faster than he can get around “The Magic Mile.”
Stafford Springs, CT — Stafford Motor Speedway returned to racing action with a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series program on Friday, June 25th. Keith Rocco picked up his third consecutive and sixth overall win of the 2010 season in the 40-lap SK Modified® feature, Woody Pitkat got win number four of 2010 in the 30-lap Late Model feature, Matt Galko scored his second victory of 2010 in the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature, Dan Flannery won his fourth race of 2010 in the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature, and Andrew Hayes picked up his first win of 2010 in the 15-lap DARE Stock feature.
