Stafford Springs, CT — Stafford Motor Speedway has received its first Whelen Modified Tour entries for the 38th Annual CARQUEST Fall Final Weekend, scheduled for Oct. 1-Oct 3. The first entries for the 2010 CARQUEST Fall Final Weekend are Mike Stefanik, Richie Pallai, Jr., and Ken Heagy. Pallai is chasing Justin Bonsignore for 2010 Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors while Stefanik is chasing after Ted Christopher and Bobby Santos, III in an effort to secure what would be his 8th career Whelen Modified Tour championship.
Stefanik has owned the CARQUEST Fall Final with 8 of his 20 career Stafford Whelen Modified Tour victories coming in the fall classic event. Stefanik had a streak of 2 wins in a row in the CARQUEST Fall Final broken last season by Donny Lia. Stefanik currently sits third in the 2010 Whelen Modified Tour championship standings, 61 points behind championship leader Bobby Santos, III and 29 points behind Ted Christopher, who is second in the standings.
Former Stafford SK Modified® competitor Pallai is currently sitting second in the 2010 Sunoco Rookie of the Year race behind Justin Bonsignore and he is currently 15th overall in the 2010 championship standings with 1 top-10 finish to his credit in 11 starts this season. Pallai will also be handing out free CARQUEST Belts & Hose Tee-Shirts during the CARQUEST Belts & Hose Pit Party on Sunday, Oct. 3.
Continue reading ‘Stafford Speedway Receives First Whelen Modified Tour Entries for 38th Annual CARQUEST Fall Final Weekend’
Don’t forget to tune in to the Budweiser King of Beers 150 (Aug. 12) NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race from Thompson International Speedway tonight on VERSUS at 7 p.m.
VERSUS can be found at:
DirecTV Ch. 603 / 603 HD
Dish Network Ch. 151 / 151 HD
Cable – check local listings
Sources: Jason Cunningham/NASCAR WMT PR
Makes It 2-for-2 In Whelen Modified Races With Bristol Win
Bristol, TN — Ryan Newman continued his winning ways in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour with a victory in the UNOH Perfect Storm 150 at Bristol Motor Speedway Wednesday.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver held off a late charge from seven-time tour champion Mike Stefanik over the closing laps to secure his second win of the season. Newman also won at New Hampshire Motor Speedway driving the Modified owned by Kevin Manion.
James Civali was the top NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour driver in the annual combination race in third place overall. Bobby Santos and Todd Szegedy rounded out the top five.
Continue reading ‘Newman Perfect In Thunder Valley’
Rookie Earns First Career Pole, First Pole At BMS
Bristol, TN — Justin Bonsignore became the first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour driver to earn a Coors Light Pole Award at Bristol Motor Speedway, and in the process also earned the first pole of his career.
Bonsignore, a rookie from Holtsville, N.Y., posted a fast lap of 14.835 seconds (129.343 mph) to earn the pole position for tonight’s UNOH Perfect Storm 150 at Bristol. The third-to-last to car to go out, Bonsignore knocked three-time 2010 pole-sitter Bobby Santos (14.842/129.282) from atop the chart, then held on as Todd Szegedy (14.839/129.308) put together a run that qualified him second.
While this is the second edition of the race with the Whelen Modified and Whelen Southern Modified Tours, Bonsignore is the first pole winner at Bristol as qualifying was rained out in the inaugural event a year ago.
Continue reading ‘QUALIFYING: Historic Pole For Bonsignore’
Qualifying For UNOH Perfect Storm 150 Set For 2:45 p.m.
Bristol, TN – James Civali led the way through two practice sessions Wednesday morning at Bristol Motor Speedway in advance of the UNOH Perfect Storm 150 NASCAR Whelen Modified and Whelen Southern Modified Tour combination race.
Civali laid down a fast lap of 14.785 seconds (129.780 mph) in the 50-minute final practice, the quickest lap of any driver in either session. The Meriden, Conn., driver also posted the fastest lap in the 110-minute first practice of the day at 14.903 (128.753).
Civali was followed on the speed chart in the first practice by Tim Brown (14.996/127.954), Chuck Hossfeld (15.013/127.809), Justin Bonsignore (15.014/127.801) and Ron Silk (15.016/127.784).
Continue reading ‘PRACTICE: Civali Head Of The Class’
Don’t forget to tune in to SPEED tonight at 6 p.m. ET to see the UNOH Perfect Storm 150 NASCAR Whelen Modified & Southern Tour race live from Bristol Motor Speedway.
SPEED can be found at:
DirecTV Ch. 607 / 607 (HD)
Dish Network Ch. 150 /150 (HD)
Cable – check local listings
Continue reading ‘Tune-In Alert: Bristol’
The NASCAR Whelen Modified and Whelen Southern Modified Tours are at Bristol Motor Speedway for Wednesday’s UNOH Perfect Storm 150 combination race.
For updates throughout raceday and the UNOH 150, please click here: LAP-BY-LAP
ENTRY LIST | EVENT SCHEDULE | PRACTICE | QUALIFYING | RESULTS
Daytona Beach, FL — The NASCAR Whelen Modified and Whelen Southern Modified Tours will get together for the lone combination race of the season this Wednesday, Aug. 18 for the UNOH Perfect Storm 150 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.
At Bristol Motor Speedway:
• First NASCAR race was on July 30, 1961 … The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was won by Jack Smith.
• Bristol Motor Speedway was originally an even half-mile oval with a seating capacity of 18,000. The configuration was expanded to .533 miles in 1969 and the capacity has increased to its current level of 160,000.
• There have been a total of 99 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, 56 NASCAR Nationwide Series and 12 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events at BMS entering this week.
• Wednesday’s UNOH Perfect Storm 150 will mark the second time the NASCAR Whelen Modified and Whelen Southern Modified Tours have competed at BMS.
• Donny Lia captured the checkered flag in the inaugural race at BMS last year en route to the NWMT title … George Brunnhoelzl III, who crossed the line fourth overall, was credited with NWSMT first-place points as that Tour’s top finisher. There was no pole winner as qualifying was rained out.
• This year’s event will see new winners for the respective Tours. Lia now competes in the NCWTS and Brunnhoelzl now drives for a NWMT team.
Continue reading ‘Statistical Advance: Analyzing The UNOH Perfect Storm 150 At Bristol Motor Speedway’
UNOH Perfect Storm 150 Combination Race Set For Wednesday
Following the highly-anticipated inaugural appearance for the NASCAR Modifieds at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway a year ago, the UNOH Perfect Storm 150 is back on the schedule for Wednesday, Aug. 18.
This year’s edition will be the lone combination event for the NASCAR Whelen Modified and Whelen Southern Modified Tours. The two Tours will compete for separate points, but for one purse and overall finish, in the combination race format.
With last week’s shake-up in the standings, the UNOH Perfect Storm 150 will carry even more significance for the Whelen Modified Tour championship contenders. Bobby Santos had led through the first four months of competition, but Ted Christopher has won two of the last four races and just supplanted Santos last week at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway.
Continue reading ‘News & Notes: Mod Tours Head To Bristol’
Stafford Springs, CT — Five years ago, Jack Arute posed a simple question to a lanky, 15-year-old kid in a bustling pit area at Stafford Motor Speedway.
“You wanna drive one of my cars?” Arute asked, wide eyes and a wider grin.
Richie Pallai Jr. almost deferred to his father. He looked in the direction of the family patriarch, caught himself and turned back to Arute. He didn’t want to give his father a chance to make up his mind for him. That split-second decision to answer for himself changed Pallai’s sporting life forever.
“That night at Stafford, Teddy Christopher dumped somebody for the lead. So Jackie Arute comes up to me and says, ‘So, you want to do this?’ I’m like, ‘Dude, there’s nothing more I want to do than try this,’ ” Pallai recalled, standing in that same Stafford pit area before a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event there earlier this month. “He said, ‘OK, we’re starting an SK Light division next year. You wanna drive my car?’
Continue reading ‘CHOOSING SIDES: Pallai Turns to Racing to Fuel Competitive Fire’
Takes NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Points Lead With Win
Thompson, CT — For most of the night Ted Christopher made it look easy. Almost too easy.
Christopher paced the field from the start and only relinquished the lead twice during the Budweiser King of Beers 150 on Thursday at Thompson International Speedway to record his 37th career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victory.
It was Christopher’s 10th Whelen Modified Tour win at Thompson, and his fourth in the Tour’s last six races at the .625-mile oval. The Plainville, Conn., driver led 141 of the 156 laps.
[Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto
Continue reading ‘Christopher Dominates Budweiser 150 At Thompson’
Thompson, CT — As the old adage goes, if it weren’t for bad luck NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour driver Ryan Preece would have no luck at all.
This time the misfortune reared its ugly head Thursday night at Thompson International Speedway, where Preece had charged up to fourth in the Budweiser King of Beers 150 — only to have something short-circuit in the electrical system of his No. 3 Cape Cod Copper/Mizzy Construction Chevrolet. The car affectionately nicknamed “Ole Blue” rolled to a halt on the long Thompson backstretch, finishing Preece’s night.
The final rundown: A 22nd place finish at a track where he finished second to open the current season back in April.
Continue reading ‘ROUGH AND TUMBLE: More Bad Luck For Ryan Preece And Ole Blue’
Thompson, CT — On Thursday night, Thompson International Speedway hosted their traditional summer classic-the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Budweiser 150 and the big winner was Ted Christopher of Plainville, CT. A dominating performance in the WMT found Christopher in victory lane with the point lead.
Christopher also scored a thrilling victory in the Sunoco Modified feature. Fellow Whelen Modified Tour double-duty driver Mike Stefanik of Coventry, RI, turned in a dominating performance to earn the Super Late Model victory.
In other NASCAR Whelen All-America Series action, Mark Oliveira of Blackstone, MA, was victorious in an eventful Late Model feature. Scott Sundeen of Douglas, MA, took down his first Limited Sportsman win of the 2010 season. R.J. Marcotte of Millville, MA, continued to roll in the TIS Modifieds. Dwayne Dorr of Ledyard, CT, posted his second Mini Stock win.
[Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto
Continue reading ‘Christopher Earns WMT Pole, Two Race Victories & Point Lead at Thompson; Stefanik Scores First Super Late Model Win; Oliveira, Sundeen, Marcotte & Dorr Also Weekly Winners’
Wins 22nd Career Whelen Modified Tour Pole
Thompson, CT — Former NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Ted Christopher took advantage of drawing a late qualifying number to earn his 22nd career Coors Light Pole Award overall, and his sixth at Thompson, with a fast lap of 18.624 seconds (120.812 mph).
Christopher piloted his No. 36 Al-Lee Installations Chevrolet around Thompson International Speedway to the top spot in tonight’s running of the Budweiser King of Beers 150. He was followed by Rowan Pennink, Mike Stefanik, Bobby Santos and Eric Berndt.
Bobby Santos, who was fastest in practice held earlier in the day in his No. 4 Mystic Missile Dodge, held the top spot for most of qualifying with a fast lap of 18.775 seconds until veteran Mike Stefanik catured the top spot with a time of 18.763 seconds.
Continue reading ‘QUALIFYING: Chirstopher Gets It Done’
Budweiser King Of Beers 150 Qualifying Set For 5:30 p.m.
Thompson, CT — Bobby Santos led the way in afternoon NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour practice in advance of tonight’s Budweiser King of Beers 150 at Thompson International Speedway.
Santos, who won practice, qualifying and the race in the Whelen Modified Tour’s first appearance of the year at Thompson, laid down a fast lap of 18.697 seconds (120.340 mph) during the 90-minute session on Thursday.
The current points leader, by a mere six tallies over Ted Christopher, Santos set the track qualifying record in the season-opener at Thompson. He’ll look for his fourth Coors Light Pole Award of the year when qualifying gets underway today at 5:30 p.m.
Continue reading ‘PRACTICE: Santos Once Again Leads The Way’
In the NASCAR world, a crew member is the backbone of any team that helps a driver achieve success on the track. Often times the person leading the way behind the scenes is the crew chief. In the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, the crew chief is the person that works tirelessly behind the scenes to help his driver and team become winners.
This week’s profile features Phil Moran, crew chief of the No. 98 Mohawk Northeast/Original Pizza Logs Chevrolet driven by Erick Rudolph.
Name: Phil Moran
Age: 51
Birthdate: March 13, 1959
Hometown: Preston, Conn.
Name and age of children: Lauren, 20
Team: HBR Motorsports
Driver: Erick Rudolph
Shop Job: Crew Chief, Mechanic
At-track job: Crew Chief
Full-time occupation: Race car fabricator and mechanic
Racing background: I got involved when I was 12 years old living next to Art Barry. I got started with him full-time when I was 25 years old.
Most memorable moment in racing: Winning the last Modified race at Nazareth and the 2003 championship with Todd Szegedy
Other interests or hobbies: RC helicopters
What would people be surprised to learn about you: I’m really a nice guy!
Favorite kind of music: Soft rock
Favorite movie: Days of Thunder
Favorite food: Burgers
Person you most admire: Art Barry
Personal vehicle: 2008 Toyota Camry
Continue reading ‘CREW PROFILE: Phil Moran’
Don’t forget to tune in to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour on VERSUS tonight at 7 p.m., to watch the Town Fair Tire 150 that was held on Aug. 6 at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway.
VERSUS can be found at:
DirecTVCh. 603 / 603 HD
Dish Network Ch. 151 / 151 HD
Cable – check local listings
Daytona Beach, FL — The second race for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in 2010 at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway is scheduled for this Thursday, Aug. 12 with the Budweiser King of Beers 150.
At Thompson International Speedway:
History
• Opened on May 26, 1940 as the first asphalt racing surface in the United States, and the largest track in New England at the time.
• Has one of the oldest NASCAR affiliations in the nation.
• Held NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races in 1951, 1969 and 1970.
• Has played host to 110 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races, the most of any facility in the NWMT’s first 26 years of competition.
• Features six NASCAR Whelen All-American Series divisions as part of the “Thursday Night Thompson Thunder.”
Notebook
• There have been 29 different race winners at TIS, led by Mike Stefanik’s 14 victories.
• There have been 37 different pole winners at TIS, led by Jeff Fuller’s 13.
• Bobby Santos set the NWMT qualifying record in the first race of the year at TIS, and then led 91 of 150 laps to take the checkered flag.
• Ted Christopher has won three of the last five races at TIS, and finished fourth there in the season-opener.
• The preliminary entry list for the Budweiser 150 features nine drivers who have won at TIS during their careers: Stefanik (14), Christopher (9), Ed Flemke Jr. (4), Ron Silk (3), Todd Szegedy (3), Santos (2), Eric Beers (1), James Civali (1) and Chuck Hossfeld (1).
Continue reading ‘Statistical Advance: Analyzing The Budweiser King of Beers 150 At Thompson’
Budweiser King of Beers 150 Up Next For Whelen Modified Tour
Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway will play host to the most-crucial race of the 2010 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season to-date as the Budweiser King of Beers 150 is up next on Thursday, Aug. 12.
The season standings are tighter than at any point in the 2010 campaign after the results of the Town Fair Tire 150 on Aug. 6 at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway. Bobby Santos now leads Ted Christopher by just six tallies, the smallest margin in nine races so far this year. Coincidentally, Santos and Christopher are the last two drivers to win at Thompson, site of Thursday’s race.
Santos, who has led in points the entire year since his season-opening win at Thompson on April 11, suffered engine trouble last time out at Stafford and finished 23rd. The Franklin, Mass., native brought a 67-point lead into the event, and had a lead as large as 129 points this year, but Christopher has all but eliminated that gap in the last four races.
Continue reading ‘News & Notes: Tour Tight In Points’
Ends 26-Race Winless Streak In Town Fair Tire 150
Stafford, CT — Todd Szegedy ended the longest Victory Lane drought of his career Friday night when he won the Town Fair Tire 150 at Stafford Motor Speedway.
Szegedy, who had been winless since September 2008 at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway, took the lead from Mike Stefanik on Lap 100 en route to his 14th career win. It was the third triumph at Stafford for Szegedy, who led a race-high 54 laps.
Stefanik finished second and Ron Silk third. It is the fifth-straight top-five finish for Silk, who earned the Coors Light Pole Award earlier in the day. Erick Rudolph and Ted Christopher rounded out the top five.
[Photo Gallery] by Adam Fohlin
[Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto
Continue reading ‘Szegedy Captured Whelen Modified Checkers At Stafford’
