Sprint Cup Series veteran won both 2010 NHMS events
Daytona Beach, FL — While the regular competitors on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will tell you that they enjoy racing against the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ Ryan Newman, you can bet that they’d also be more than happy to defeat him, something they were not able to do a year ago.
Newman went 3-for-3 overall in his Whelen Modified Tour moonlight in 2010, including a sweep of the two races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The veteran of many forms of auto racing from South Bend, Ind., posted an average finish of 21st in his first three Modified races at NHMS, but he and the No. 7 Aggressive Hydraulics/Menards Chevrolet team led by Kevin ‘Bono’ Manion had it all figured out last year.
Hoping to lead the charge to dethrone Newman at the ‘Magic Mile’ is Ted Christopher. With 10 total triumphs overall at NHMS, and two wins in five races so far this year, he looks to be up to the challenge.
Continue reading ‘News & Notes: Tour Regulars Look To End Newman’s Run At New Hampshire’
Thompson, CT — Thompson’s Premier NASCAR Whelen All-American Series division, the Sunoco Modifieds, will face their toughest test of the season this week at the historic Connecticut oval. The longest race of the season, 50 laps, will be the challenge facing this division’s race teams when the green flag drops on their main event this Thursday. An autograph session with these drivers will be held on the midway before their 50-lap grind. This special night will be presented by the Series’ Title Sponsor, Whelen Engineering.
In the first eight events of the 2011 racing season, five different drivers have visited victory lane in this highly competitive, open wheel, division. The year started with Todd Ceravolo putting everyone on notice that he would be tough this season when he secured the first of two races on Icebreaker weekend. The next day, it was Ted Christopher who bested the field and set the stage for the intensity of competition that would prevail into the summer months.
Once the regular season got underway in May, Keith Rocco laid claim to victory lane on the opening night of Thursday Night Thompson Thunder (TNTT). Ryan Preece claimed the top spot in the next event but Rocco came back strong a week later and claimed the win. Then came Thursday, June 16th. Rocco and Woody Pitkat staged what was arguably one of the best Modified races seen in years. Pitkat claimed that win and the stage was set for some extremely exciting races to come. Fans were not disappointed as each of these racers has been in the thick of the battle ever since, but it has been Rocco who has emerged on top in the last two weeks.
Continue reading ‘Sunoco Modifieds Go for 50 Laps on Thursday’
New England 125 Up Next After Month Break
Daytona Beach, FL — With the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season on the backstretch of its 2011 schedule after a month break, the New England 125 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is up next on Friday, July 15.
With his sixth-consecutive top-five finish last time out at Langley Speedway on June 18, Max Gresham took the points lead for just the second time in his career. Unlike the previous instance, however, Gresham hopes to make it stick longer than one race. The recent high school graduate will have his work cut out for him though. Despite a ninth-place effort in his debut at NHMS in the 2009 fall race, and a successful 2011 campaign thus far, Gresham will have to overcome the two finishes outside the top 20 that he registered in Loudon a year ago.
In Gresham’s rearview in the standings – 17 points out – is Matt DiBenedetto, who is 1-for-1 in his career at the ‘Magic Mile’ thanks to a win in the New England 125 two years ago. After splitting the season in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota with Gresham in 2009, DiBenedetto has enjoyed a successful return to the K&N Pro Series East this season with the No. 15 X Team Racing Toyota. He’s recorded top 10s in all but one race and reached Victory Lane at Bowman Gray Stadium.
Continue reading ‘News & Notes: East Heads To Loudon’
