Published at February 16, 2013
in Adirondack, Beech Ridge, Dover, Holland, Irwindale, Jennerstown, Lee USA, Lime Rock Park, Monadnock, NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, Nazareth, NHMS, Riverside Park, Seekonk, Stafford, Star, Thompson, Uncategorized and Waterford.
3-time NASCAR BNS Champion Owner was 64
Steve Griswold, owner of the GRIZCO Racing team for 18 years (1988-2005), passed away on Sunday. He was 64.
Steve and Peg Griswold fielded the #55 entry on the NASCAR Busch North Series (now called K&N Pro Series East). Brad Leighton drove for the team 1995-2002. Mike Stefanik drove the car from 2003-2005. The team captured 3 championships (1999-2000, 2005) with Brad Leighton and Andy Santerre.
In 2005, GRIZCO moved to North Carolina and created the first multi-car team in series history for Andy Santerre, Mike Stefanik and Brad Leighton. The team’s historic final season saw a 1-2 points finish with teammates Santerre and Stefanik. Santerre captured his historic 4th consecutive series championship.
Continue reading ‘GRIZCO Racing Owner Steve Griswold Passes’
New deal will run through the 2017 Sprint Cup Series season
New Hampshire Motor Speedway officials announced today the entitlement sponsorship extension of OSRAM SYLVANIA, which will keep the SYLVANIA 300 on the Magic Mile marquee for another five years. The deal, which was revealed at the NASCAR Sprint Media Tour, will partner New England’s largest sports and entertainment facility and one of the world’s largest lighting companies through the 2017 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.
SYLVANIA has sponsored the fall NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at NHMS for the last decade.
Since taking over as the entitlement sponsor in 2003, SYLVANIA has seen nine different drivers win its race, one claiming the SYLVANIA 300 as their first-career victory – Clint Bowyer in ’07. The SYLVANIA 300 also served as one of the races in the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship since the NASCAR playoff’s inception in 2004.
Continue reading ‘SYLVANIA Inks 5-Year Extension as Sponsor at NHMS’
February 24-Sports Car Club-NH, S3 Parking Lot
March 30- FANtasy Drive Open House
April 4-NH Cycling Club, Road Course
April 5-7-Exotic Driving Experience, Road Course
New in 2013, the Exotic Driving Experience allows need-for-speed fans the opportunity to race the 1.6-mile road course in some of the world's most exotic sports cars.
April 6-BMW Club, S3 Parking Lot
April 11-NH Cycling Club, Road Course
April 12-14-Motorsports Lab, S3 Parking Lot
April 12-COM Sports Car Club-Open Test, Road Course
April 13-14-PCA North Country, Road Course
April 17-18-Rusty Wallace Driving Experience, Oval
April 18-NH Cycling Club, Oval
April 19-Open Test-Cars, Road Course
April 20-NH Karting Association, S3 Parking Lot
April 20-Renegade Playground Challenge, NHMS Obstacle Course
April 20-21-NER SCCA
April 21-Sports Car Club-NH, S1 Parking Lot
Continue reading ’2013 New Hampshire Motor Speedway Schedule’
Modified Tour, All-American Series Driver Has Grand Plans
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Connecticut’s Ryan Preece – one of the “race anytime, anywhere” drivers that permeates NASCAR’s weekly and regional touring ranks – plans to launch his aggressive 2013 racing schedule with the inaugural UNOH Battle At The Beach at Daytona International Speedway, Feb. 18-19.
Preece has steadily increased his racing involvement since bursting on the scene at age 16 in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in 2007. Now 21, the Berlin, Conn., racer is looking at nearly 100 races in total for the 2013 season, starting with his first trip to the “World Center of Racing.”
“Drivers at my level, we don’t ever know if we’ll have the opportunity to race on the big track at Daytona, so to be able to be there [to race the short track] is pretty cool,” Preece said.
Continue reading ‘Preece To Begin Busy 2013 Slate In Daytona’
Perry Eager for 2013 Karting & Modified Racing
Mike Perry of Dighton, MA closed the 2012 season with a fourth-place finish on New Year’s Eve at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. The Mike Roe #26 prominently featured “Prayers for Sandy Hook” decals in recognition of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims. “We were going to do something at the race but it was last minute, we were going to sell stickers and donate the money to the fund. … I gave out stickers to Brandon Rusczek and Ryan Preece.” Perry will keep the paint scheme on his kart for all 2013 races.
Perry has been racing Champ Karts since he was 18. He has raced at Atlantic City twice and every event in Providence. “I was glad that we redrew 3rd, putting us out of any disaster that could happen because there is usually 1 or 2 big wrecks. This was our first race ever on a new chassis that Brandon Mullis at Mullis Speed Concept prepared T/O Redemptions (powered by Baker Racing Engines) with FFM cut and prepared tires. We switched chassis builders over the winter and we were happy with a 4th place finish.”
The first of 18 races on the 2013 slate will be Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall on February 2nd. After a successful debut with the new Champ Kart, Perry is looking forward to Atlantic City. “We actually brought the kart back to the shop that night and the next day we unloaded it and I talked with Brandon Mullis about what we can do and we changed a bunch of things on the kart. These karts react to small changes unlike the other chassis make (Prokart) where we would have to make big changes in order for it to respond.”
Continue reading ‘Mike Perry Remembers Newtown with Top-5 Finish in Providence’
Waterford, CT — This season, KLM Motorsports, competitors on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, led by car owner Mike Murphy of Valley Cottage, NY, and driver Ron Yuhas, Jr. of Groton, CT, will pay it forward during the 2013 season. Beginning in January and running through the remainder of 2013, the team will engage in 64 acts of kindness, symbolic of their car number, as part of the “Race It Forward 2013” program.
“We are incredibly fortunate to be able to race at this level,” said car owner Murphy, “and even more blessed to do it as a cohesive team that is more like an extended family. It is just the right thing to do to pay it forward. ” “The Murphy’s give us every advantage,” said Yuhas.“This amazing family would much rather that we ‘repay’ their kindness and generosity by helping others.”
Some of the most significant “Race it Forward” acts scheduled for 2013 will benefit the team’s favorite organization, Special Olympics Connecticut. The team will participate in the Penguin Plunge at Ocean Beach Park in New London, CT, on February 17, 2013. The New London Penguin Plunge raises funds for Special Olympics Connecticut' s year-round programs of sports training and athletic competition for people with intellectual disabilities.For the second consecutive year, the team will also serve as volunteers at the annual Summer Games held in New Haven. A host of other events to benefit the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, local community projects, and individual fans will take place during the year.
Continue reading ‘KLM Motorsports to Pay It Forward during 2013 Season with Acts of Kindness’
Published at December 10, 2012
in Lee USA, Monadnock, NEMST, NHMS, Riverside, Stafford, Star, Thompson, Thunder Road, Waterford and Wiscasset.
The North East Mini Stock Tour (NEMST) will carry its large head of steam built in 2012 of large car counts and breathtaking racing with photo finishes into 2013, the NEMST’s fifth year in competition. The NEMST held its first event at Canaan Fair Speedway May 23, 2009 with Emerson Cayer taking home first NEMST winner’s trophy. Since that day the tour has held 33 additional events with 13 different Feature winners. The largest news in NEMST history came in February of 2012 when the dates at New Hampshire Motor Speedway were released for the mini-stocks to run on the 1.6 mile road course and the mini-oval setup in turn 2, as well as the news in 2011 of the NEMST signing on national sponsorship from Texas Roadhouse.
“We have worked very hard in making the series better from year to year and raising the bar for competitors, fans, and sponsors alike. The news of 3 brand new to us race tracks and the return to the NEMST’s home state of Maine is sure to make a tidal wave throughout the mini-stock racing community.” said NEMST Promoter Bob Guptill. Big news came in the form of one new track confirmed at the year end Championship Banquet in November with a date at the famed ½ mile of Stafford Motor Speedway confirmed in April for Stafford’s opening weekend Spring Sizzler.
Without further suspense, here is the 2013 Schedule of Events.
Continue reading ‘The Setup For A Legendary 5th Anniversary’
Action At All 3 Connecticut Short Tracks, 3Companion Events
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR announced today the 2013 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour schedule that will feature traditional dates at some of the premier short tracks and speedways in the northeast.
In its 28th season of competition, the Whelen Modified Tour will see the 14-race slate spread across seven tracks in four states. New to the schedule in 2013 will be a special event as part of Speedweeks at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and a second date at Riverhead (N.Y.) Raceway.
“Modified fans are some of the most passionate in motorsports,” said George Silbermann, NASCAR vice president, regional and touring series. “The 2013 calendar will give them plenty of opportunities to enjoy the stars, cars, and the tremendous excitement of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.”
The season will commence with the inaugural UNOH Battle at the Beach non-points event on the short track at Daytona on Feb. 19 in which the Whelen Modified Tour and Whelen Southern Modified Tour will compete in combination.
Continue reading ’2013 Whelen Modified Schedule Announced’
Slate Includes First Trips To Pensacola And Road Atlanta
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR announced today the 2013 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East schedule that features 15 points races at 13 different tracks across the eastern United States.
The 27th season of K&N Pro Series East competition will see NASCAR’s top developmental division visit 10 states highlighted by six national series companion events including a pair of first-time visits to Florida.
“The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East features the stars of tomorrow, a very diverse entry list, and some of the most compelling racing action in the sport,” said George Silbermann, NASCAR vice president, regional and touring series. “The 2013 calendar provides an excellent mixture of local short tracks, NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide companion events, speedways, and a new high-profile event on a renowned road course. These are all the right ingredients for another outstanding season of racing excitement in NASCAR's stepping stone to the national series.”
Continue reading ’2013 K&N Pro East Schedule Announced’
Published at November 15, 2012
in ACT, ACT LM Tour, Airborne, Beech Ridge, Canaan Fair, Devil's Bowl, Lee USA, NHMS, Riverside, Sanair, Star, Thunder Road and White Mountain.
Three New Tracks Slated for 2013
ACT officials have announced a 14-race schedule for the 2013 American Canadian Tour season at eleven different Northeast short tracks. The schedule will include three new additions to the Tour schedule. There will also be three more non-point counting special events during the 2013 campaign.
The Tour will return to 2012 tracks Lee USA Speedway, Thunder Road, Devil’s Bowl Speedway, Airborne Speedway, White Mountain Motorsports Park, and Beech Ridge Speedway in 2013. A visit to Riverside Speedway in Groveton, NH is planned for a 150-lap event on Sunday, June 2nd and will mark the first time ACT has raced there since 2004. The American Canadian Tour will also head to Canaan Fair Speedway on Saturday, June 15th for the first time since 2005, and has set a date for Star Speedway on Saturday, July 6, last visited in 2003.
The American Canadian Tour schedule will include two point-counting combo events with the Canadian Série ACT Castrol at Sanair Super Speedway, which will be increased to a 150-lap event from 100, and at St-Croix, QC’s Circuit Riverside Speedway for the 4th Annual Can-Am 200.
Continue reading ’2013 ACT Schedule Announced’
Adam Fohlin
[NASCAR WMT]
[NASCAR Sprint Cup & K&N PSE]
[F.W. Webb 100]
[Photo Gallery] by Nathan Teto
[Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto
Whelen Modified, K&N East Drivers Take Different Path To Wins
LOUDON, N.H. – Someone offered to hold Doug Coby's trophy when he hit the infield media center for the post-race press conference on Saturday afternoon, but Coby was having none of it.
“I'm not letting this thing go,” Coby said.
Coby's victory in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour F.W. Webb 100 was one half of a day at New Hampshire Motor Speedway that saw two drivers win their first career races at The Magic Mile. For Coby, he got some much needed breathing room at the top of the Whelen Modified Tour standings and grabbed a win he'd been chasing in one form or another for years.
For Kyle Larson, his New Hampshire victory came in his very first start at the 1.058-mile oval. Larson not only picked up his second win of his rookie season in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, but he also was able to gain some ground on Brett Moffitt in the overall series standings.
Two drivers on Saturday with two very different stories united by one thing – a win at the largest track either series visits annually.
Continue reading ‘FIRST-TIMERS: Coby, Larson Get NHMS Firsts’
Rev Racing Driver Earns Second K&N East Win In G-Oil 100
LOUDON, N.H. – Kyle Larson won a drag race to the finish line against Corey LaJoie to capture the G-Oil 100 checkered flag in NASCAR K&N Pro Series East action Saturday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Larson, a 20-year-old rookie from Elk Grove, Calif., took the lead from LaJoie on Lap 86 and held on through a pair of restarts for his second victory in 11 K&N Pro Series East races.
Larson, who competes for Rev Racing in NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity initiative, also won earlier this year at Gresham Motorsports Park on June 9 in Jefferson, Ga. Saturday marked the eighth victory for Rev Racing in the last two seasons.
“I was really loose on the restarts, I got loose again off of [Turn] 4 and let Corey get to my quarter panel, and luckily he didn’t have enough speed to beat me to the line,” Larson said of the final dash to the checkered flag.
Continue reading ‘Larson Edges LaJoie In Thrilling NH Finish’
Laperle, Polewarczyk Battle to Finish Second and Third
Tiverton, RI’s Ray Parent took his “feel good” story to another level with a payday worth over $6,000 on Saturday, September 22 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, picking up his first-ever ACT victory in the 4th Annual Bond ACT Invitational. Parent upset Serie ACT Castrol Champion Patrick Laperle, and former Invitational winner Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. for the emotional win.
Two-time Invitational winner Eddie Macdonald demoralized the field in the early going, charging from the 26th starting position while ACT Rookie of the Year Jimmy Hebert flew to the front. Hebert had made it from sixth to third in the first lap, and by lap 12 had powered by Former Oxford Plains Speedway Champion Ricky Rolfe for the point. Hebert began to pull away until teen sensation Emily Packard heartbreakingly backed into the wall on lap 15, ending her day.
Ray Parent took advantage of the timely caution, after starting 20th on the field he thrilled the cheering crowd with a four-wide move on the following restart to break into the top five. Wasting no time, he ducked underneath again for another three-wide move moments later, and by lap 19 he had stolen the lead from the hopeful Hebert. As Parent began to pull away, Macdonald, ACT point leader Wayne Helliwell, Jr., Polewarczyk, Kawartha Speedway Champion Dan Mchattie, and Laperle arrived on the scene. Macdonald quickly got to second place, and loomed large in Parent’s mirror.
Continue reading ‘Parent Thrills, Steals First ACT Win at Invitational’
Fifth Win Of The Season For Whelen Modified Tour Leader
LOUDON, N.H. – Doug Coby held on in a two-lap dash to the finish to win the F.W. Webb 100 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday to score his fifth NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour win of the season.
It marked the seventh career win and first victory at the Magic Mile for the Milford, Conn., driver – who extended his lead in the championship standings.
“I’ve only won at Stafford, Thompson and Waterford in my career and to come outside of Connecticut – being a Connecticut boy – to come to this stage and on TV, it’s a pretty unbelievable feeling,” Coby said.
In a race that featured lead changes on nearly every lap early on, Coby took command on Lap 84 and never relinquished the top spot. While he charged to the checkered flag after a restart with two laps remaining, second-place running Ted Christopher ended up slamming the wall after contact from Donny Lia, who went on to take the runner-up spot as the race finished under caution.
Continue reading ‘Coby Captures First Magic Mile Win’
Whelen Modified Tour Teams Prepare For F.W. Webb 100
LOUDON, N.H. – Donny Lia topped the speed chart in NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour practice at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Friday.
The two-time tour champion from Jericho, N.Y., lapped the Magic Mile in 28.952 seconds at an average speed of 131.556 mph, as teams prepared for Saturday's F.W. Webb 100.
Rowan Pennink was second quickest in the 95-minute practice session, turning a lap of 29.196 seconds (130.456 mph). He was followed by Ron Silk, Ted Christopher and Patrick Emerling. Completing the top 10 were Eric Beers, Doug Coby, Jimmy Blewett, Mike Stefanik and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular Ryan Newman.
Continue reading ‘PRACTICE: Lia Sets Pace At New Hampshire’
40 Drivers Participate In K&N East Practice At The Magic Mile
LOUDON, N.H. – Cale Conley paced NASCAR K&N Pro Series East practice for the G-Oil 100 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Friday.
The Vienna, W. Va., driver turned a lap of 29.792 seconds (127.846 mph) late in the 90-minute practice session, in which 40 drivers participated.
Hattori Racing Enterprises teammates Sergio Pena and Brett Moffitt were second and third, respectively. Pena lapped the Magic Mile in 29.939 seconds at an average speed of 127.219 mph. Moffitt, the defending race winner who leads the championship standings, turned in a time of 29.981 seconds. He was followed by Ben Kennedy and Corey LaJoie. Rounding out the top 10 were Darrell Wallace Jr., Michael McGuire, Travis Pastrana, CJ Faison and Eddie MacDonald.
Continue reading ‘PRACTICE: Conley Leads Field At NHMS’
Analyzing The F.W. Webb 100 At New Hampshire
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will return to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the F.W. Webb 100 on Saturday, Sept. 22 in Loudon, N.H. Below is a statistical look at the performance of series and selected drivers at the track:
Loudon Race Setup
• Ted Christopher is the all-time wins leader at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with 10. Five of those wins have come in NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour competition.
• Season points leaders Doug Coby and Ryan Preece will be in search of their first NHMS win this week. The pair has combined to win six of 11 races this year.
• Ron Silk, third in points, is the defending winner of the F.W. Webb 100 and has finished in the top five in seven of the last eight races at NHMS.
• NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Ryan Newman will once again compete with the NWMT this weekend. He has two Modified wins at NHMS.
At New Hampshire Motor Speedway:
History
• Groundbreaking for New Hampshire International Speedway was Aug. 13, 1989.
• The official opening was June 5, 1990 and the first NASCAR event was a NASCAR Nationwide Series race on July 15, 1990.
• The first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race was held on Sept. 2, 1990. The NWMT has raced there each year since.
• The track was renamed New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2008.
• The largest racing oval – and the largest sports facility overall – in New England.
Notebook
• There have been 56 all-time NWMT races at NHMS, the most of any facility outside of Connecticut.
• There have been 17 different race winners, led by Mike Stefanik with eight.
• There have been 23 different pole winners, led by Jan Leaty’s six.
• Each year since 2007, with the exception of Ryan Newman’s season sweep in 2010, the eventual NWMT champion has won an event at NHMS during their title run.
Continue reading ‘Whelen Modified Statistical Advance: Loudon’
Analyzing The G-Oil 100 At New Hampshire Motor Speedway
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will head to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the G-Oil 100 on Saturday, Sept. 18 in Loudon, N.H. Below is a statistical look at the performance of the series and selected drivers:
Loudon Race Setup
• Points leader Brett Moffitt is the defending winner of this race and has an active streak of five-consecutive top-five finishes at NHMS.
• A three-time winner at NHMS, Eddie MacDonald enters this race with an active streak of nine-consecutive top-10 finishes at his home track.
• Second in points, Kyle Larson will make his NHMS debut this week. In four previous starts this year at national series tracks the rookie has an average finish of fifth.
New Hampshire Motor Speedway:
History
• Groundbreaking for New Hampshire International Speedway was Aug. 13, 1989.
• The official opening was June 5, 1990 and the first NASCAR event was a NASCAR Nationwide Series race on July 15, 1990 in which NASCAR K&N Pro Series East drivers competed in combination.
• The first NKNPS East stand-alone race was held on Sept. 2, 1990.
• The track was renamed New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2008.
• The largest racing oval – and the largest sports facility overall – in New England.
Notebook
• There have been 56 stand-alone NKNPS East races at NHMS, more than any other track.
• There have been 25 different race winners, led by Brad Leighton’s eight.
• There have been 29 different pole winners, led by Kelly Moore’s six.
Continue reading ‘K&N East Statistical Advance: Loudon’
Preece Closing The Points Gap With Three Races Left
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The annual September race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway always signals that the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour schedule is drawing near its completion, and this year’s F.W. Webb 100 figures to have plenty of championship implications with the points race the tightest it’s been in three months.
With his victory on Sept. 15 at Riverhead (N.Y.) Raceway, Ryan Preece moved into second in the championship standings, just nine tallies behind leader Doug Coby. Preece has been in the picture the entire season – having ranked in the top three in points since mid-May – but he hadn’t been this close until now.
With finishes of third, third and first in his last three outings, the 21-year-old from Berlin, Conn., has knocked off 46 points off of his deficit to Coby.
Coincidentally, it was during that same three-race stretch where Coby also encountered his first adversity of the year. A top-10 finisher in each of the season’s first eight events, the 33-year-old from Milford, Conn., has 11th, 13th and 22nd as his last three results. Preece’s win at Riverhead was magnified by the fact that Coby suffered his first DNF of the year in the same event.
Continue reading ‘Whelen Modified Tour News & Notes: Loudon’
Points Leader Moffitt Looks To Defend NHMS Win
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Iowa Speedway may technically be Brett Moffitt’s home track, but you’d be hard-pressed to say that the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East points leader is more at home at a facility than he is at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
After a DNF in his debut at the “Magic Mile” in 2009, Moffitt has averaged a podium finish in his subsequent five visits, and he’s the defending Loudon winner. He’ll head to NHMS this week with a high level of comfort in an effort to repeat.
“We’ve run up front every time we’ve gone there, so it was good to finally get the win,” Moffitt said. “We’re taking that same [winning] car back this year, so hopefully we can get another one.”
Driving the No. 11 Hattori Racing Enterprises Toyota this season, Moffitt has compiled a pair of wins and nine top 10s across 10 events and enters this week’s G-Oil 100 with a 20-point lead in the championship standings.
Continue reading ‘K&N Pro Series East News & Notes: Loudon’
F.W. Webb 100 To Be Carried Live From The “Magic Mile”
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR has announced the F.W. Webb 100 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday, Sept. 22 will air live on SPEED at noon ET.
The addition of television coverage for this race has also changed the previously-announced start time. The F.W. Webb 100 will now take the green flag at 12:15 p.m. instead of 3 p.m.
The New Hampshire 100 for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will now follow the F.W. Webb 100 on the race card at New Hampshire that day at 2:30 p.m. That race will air on SPEED as originally announced, on Thursday, Sept. 27 at 3 p.m.
Continue reading ‘Whelen Mods Tour At NHMS To Air On SPEED’
Veteran Edges Silk By .003 Of A Second At Line
LOUDON, N.H. – Who says the older drivers can’t mix it up with the young ones? Mike Stefanik proved he can still take home checkered flags.
Seven-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Mike Stefanik edged Ron Silk by .003 of a second to win the Town Fair Tire 100 in a photo finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Saturday.
“I am just happy this old man can mix it up with the young guys out here,” said the 54-year-old Stefanik after climbing out of the No. 66 Canto & Sons Paving/Robert B Our Co. Ford in Victory Lane. “I asked my spotter how many to go. She said 5 to go. I counted two more and went for it.”
Saturday 07/14:
[Photo Gallery] by Adam Fohlin
[Photo Gallery] by Nathan Teto
[Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto
Continue reading ‘Stefanik Wins Thriller In Loudon’
Stefanik Credits Lafontaine With Win At New Hampshire
LOUDON, N.H. – Before Mike Stefanik won the Granite State Classic last season, he had gone 13 years between victories at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
He hardly waited that long to make a return trip to the Magic Mile's Victory Lane.
In the second-closest NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour finish in track history, Stefanik inched past Ron Silk to win the Town Fair Tire 100 on Saturday afternoon. It was the eighth career Modified win for Stefanik at New Hampshire – a series-high – and the 72nd career Tour win for the all-time Tour leader.
“This is huge, man,” Stefanik said. “This is New Hampshire. It doesn't get any better than this in our division.”
Saturday 07/14:
[Photo Gallery] by Adam Fohlin
[Photo Gallery] by Nathan Teto
[Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto
Continue reading ‘NOTEBOOK: Crew Chief Makes Difference’
Santos Goes From Daytona To New Hampshire This Weekend
LOUDON, N.H. – Bobby Santos III may only be running a partial, race-to-race schedule on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour this season, but there are a few events that were “musts” in the driver's mind.
“Absolutely. I love being here,” Santos said Friday after practice for the Town Fair Tire 100 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. “I would have been pretty disappointed if I would have missed these races this year. The two races up here and the race at Bristol are the ones I really wanted to run this year. I'm excited to be here.
“I love racing Modifieds here, so hopefully we can have a good run.”
Saturday 07/14:
[Photo Gallery] by Adam Fohlin
[Photo Gallery] by Nathan Teto
Continue reading ‘NOTEBOOK: A Different Draft This Time’
Defending Whelen Modified Champ Wins First Pole Of Season
Loudon, N.H. – The last time Ron Silk was at New Hampshire Motor Speedway he picked up a win from the pole on the way to winning the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship. It appears Silk wants a repeat this weekend at the New England track.
Silk won his second consecutive pole at New Hampshire and sixth of his career during qualifying for the Town Fair Tire 100 Friday. The Norwalk, Conn., driver outdistanced the field with a lap of 29.492 seconds (129.147 mph) around the 1.058-mile oval to take the top spot for the first time this season.
The Town Fair Tire 100 is scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m. The tour will have a final 45-minute practice session Saturday morning from 8:15 a.m.
Saturday 07/14:
[Photo Gallery] by Adam Fohlin
[Photo Gallery] by Nathan Teto
Continue reading ‘QUALIFYING: Silk Leads Field at NHMS’
Tops Whelen Modified Tour Chart In 1 1/2-Hour Session
LOUDON, N.H. — Donny Lia posted the fastest lap during Saturday morning's 1 1/2-hour practice session for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Lia's speed of 129.825 mph around the 1.058-mile oval set the pace as the tour preps for Saturday's Town Fair Tire 100.
Ron Silk was second quickest at 129.327, followed by Ted Christopher at 128.702. Bryon Chew and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Ryan Newman were fourth and fifth, respectively.
Qualifying for the Town Fair Tire 100 is slated for Friday at 4:45 p.m., with the race Saturday at 1 p.m.
Continue reading ‘PRACTICE: Lia Sets Pace at Loudon’
Analyzing The Town Fair Tire 100 At New Hampshire
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will take part in this weekend’s racing action at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with the Town Fair Tire 100 on Saturday, July 14. Below is a statistical look at the performance of selected drivers on the tour:
Selected Driver Highlights:
Eric Beers (No. 45 Horwith Freightliner/John Blewett Inc. Ford)
• Has two wins, nine poles and 74 top 10s in 175 career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts.
• Has nine top 10s in 20 starts at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with an average finish of 14th and a best finish of third in 2005.
Ryan Blaney (No. 98 Mohawk Northeast Chevrolet)
• Will attempt to make his first NWMT start in the Town Fair Tire 100.
• Has made three NASCAR Nationwide Series starts this year with a best finish of seventh in his debut at Richmond International Raceway.
• Has one NASCAR K&N Pro Series West start, a win in the 2011 finale at Phoenix International Raceway. In five NASCAR K&N Pro Series East races he has posted four top 10s with two runner-ups.
Jimmy Blewett (No. 76 John Blewett Inc./Ling Trucking Chevrolet)
• Has five wins, a pole and 29 top 10s in 90 career NWMT starts.
• Has three top 10s in five races this year. Had three top 10s across 16 races the two previous seasons.
• Has three top 10s in 14 career starts at NHMS with an average finish of 21st and a best finish of second, twice.
Continue reading ‘Whelen Modified Statistical Advance: Loudon’
