Thompson, CT — In difficult times, sometimes the best way to cope is to get back to normal, the “new” normal. The new normal at Thompson International Speedway is a Sunoco Modified event without standout John Blewett III. Last week, Blewett of Howell, NJ, lost his life at the Speedway after being involved in an incident during the Whelen Modified Tour main event.
The management, fans, friends, and family joined the racing community in mourning the tragic loss of such a talented driver and loyal friend. On Thursday Night, the Thompson International Speedway hosted a moving tribute to John Blewett III.
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SENIOR TOUR BRINGS “THE GOLDEN SPUR SPEEDWAY ALIVE”
Just like Rip Van Winkle, Lakeville Speedway in Lakeville, Ma has been a sleep for over 30 years. Rip Van Winkle woke in his tatter clothes and long white beard, Lakeville wears is overgrowth of greenery and vines. Thirty years of summer have passed; thirty years of winter snow have passed since the closing of this grand old track, only to be awakening by the roar of bulldozers. As you enter this 5/8 oval dirt Speedway you can see were the track had once been over 60 feet wide now the size of a bike path. No the bulldozers were not going to level and build stores or parking lots like most of the close tracks. The bulldozers were there to give Lakeville Speedway a clean shave.
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Waterford, CT — In a battle of siblings, it was Chris Bakaj narrowly prevailing over his brother Mark in the caution-filled 20-lap Legends feature on Wednesday evening. Just past the halfway point, Chris took the lead and went on to win by a scant margin.
Other feature winners were Richard “Bubby” Brouwer (X Modified), Steve Barrett (Super X Car), and, Michael Trask (X Car).
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It has been a challenging week. What started with anticipation of another great race has ended with a vacancy in our hearts. How do we get through the days and weeks ahead? It will be difficult. The reality of our sport is all to clear sometimes and all too painful. The modified family is dealing with another tragic loss. Let us spend some time working through this. Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
John III was a friend. He was someone who had a passion to race. You didn’t have to spend much time with him to know what made him tick. He wanted to race, not just race but win. John was a racer, a racer’s racer.
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Waterford, CT —In the midst of two very close point battles, Waterford Speedbowl competitors are turning extraordinary speeds. The stretch drive continues Saturday night with a 35-lap SK-Modified feature headlining a five-division program.
The SK and Mini Stock championship wars capture the spotlight. In each case, defending champions Dennis Gada and Danny Field are playing “picking up points when we can games” against competitors seeking their first titles. Both were winners for the fourth time last week.
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Agawam, MA — This event marks the tenth annual appearance of the NASCAR Busch North Series at Riverside Park Speedway.
Bobby Dragon of Milton, Vt. won the first NASCAR Busch North Series event at Riverside Park Speedway on August 29, 1988. Second place finisher Chuck Bown of Portland, Ore. now drives on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series while third place finisher Dale Shaw of Center Conway, N.H. recently moved to the NASCAR Busch Series.
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Daytona Beach, FL — Todd Szegedy was declared the winner of the New England Dodge Dealers 150 presented by Budweiser at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway. The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race, which took place Thursday, Aug. 16, was halted after 107 of the scheduled 150 laps due to a multi-car accident.Driver John Blewett III died at Hubbard Regional Hospital as a result of injuries suffered in the incident.
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Naples, ME — In 2004, Johnny Clark scored his first-career Pro All Stars Series North Super Late Model victory at Wiscasset Raceway (ME). After that season, the tour did not visit the Coastal Maine track again for another race until Sunday’s race there.
Once again, Clark showed that he knows that track well. The Farmingdale, Maine driver started 12th, in front of a packed house, but worked through the field and dominated the middle stages of the race on the way to his third PASS North victory of 2007.
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WEST HAVEN, VT – So much for the bounty. One week after having his winning streak broken, Ken Tremont Jr. returned to victory lane at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Sunday…
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Seekonk, MA — Windsor Locks, CT’s Les Hinckley overpowered local favorite Vinnie Annarummo on a lap 84 restart and held off the veteran to capture the Airgas 100 for the…
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Waterford, CT — Dennis Gada prevailed for the fourth time in 2007, taking the 35-lap SK Modified feature. Passing early leader Diego Monahan with 22-laps remaining, the defending track champion took command on a number of late-race restarts to win by several car lengths. The event marked Gada’s 56th career Speedbowl victory.
Other feature winners were Dennis Botticello (Late Model), Jim Procaccini (Sportsman), Danny Field (Mini Stocks), and Bill Leonard (All Star Race Trucks).
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Oxford, ME — Chris Perley of Rowley, Mass., became the all-time winner in International Supermodified Association history Saturday night, dominating the New England Dodge Dealers Maine Classic at Oxford Plains Speedway.
The 75-lap triumph was the ninth victory in 12 starts this season for Perley, who also won an event at Lee USA Speedway in New Hampshire on Friday evening.
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Belmar, N.J — USAC Northeast Ford Focus Series point leader Jeff ABold of Pennellville, N.Y. won Saturday night’s 25-lap feature at Wall Township Speedway in his Team Abold Racing/A & P Automotive Hawk, leading all 25 laps. Jeremy Tsihlis, Shaun Gosselin, P.J. Stergios and Jake Stergios rounded out the “top-five.”
Sources: USAC PR
Lakeville, CT — Mohegan Sun Chevrolet driver Matt Kobyluck of Uncasville, Conn., muscled his way to a spectacular victory in the Mohegan Sun 200 at Lime Rock Park, the NASCAR Busch East Series’ only road course race of the season Saturday afternoon.
The 82-lap, 125.46-mile event was a short-track style affair was action packed with five full course cautions and intermittent “local” caution periods.
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Groton, CT — It is considered by most to be the marquee event of the season for the Northeastern Midget Association. On Saturday night, August 25, 2007, the Seekonk Speedway and the Seymour Family proudly present the 11th Annual Boston Louie Seymour Memorial Coors Light Silver Cup Classic. This prestigious event honors the patriarch of the noted Seymour Racing family of Marlborough, MA.
The “Boston” Louie Seymour Memorial Coors Light Silver Cup Classic is presented annually by the Seymour Family and a host of sponsors to pay tribute to one of Midget racing’s most endearing characters. Termed the “man who traveled a million miles”, Seymour earned notoriety nationally for his ability to build stout race cars and winning race teams. While traveling the country from his home in Massachusetts, Louie Seymour earned accolades at the top level of open-wheel racing with prominent drivers like Kenny Schrader.
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Lee, NH — The Ollie Silva Memorial 75 got off to a real rough start at Lee USA Speedway Friday night but when all was said and done, Chris Perley came away with his eighth win of the season, and a tie for the ISMA All-Time win list. What was purported to be one of the largest crowds in years saw one hometown boy – Perley – take the lead on lap 38 from another hometown boy – Justin Belfiore. Another young hometown boy, Mike Ordway Jr., gained second on lap 42, to chase Perley to the checkers. It was a popular podium finish.
“It’s awesome to bring one home for the hometown crowd. There are so many people who came out. There’s a lot of pressure. You’re afraid you’re going to be an idiot out there. The first lap, the back of the car got drilled. The car lifted up. I was sideways. I thought we were all done. I just got lucky and plugged away. I’m just ecstatic. We’re still on a roll and that new bucket of luck still has some in it, so we’ll keep on rolling on to Oxford. To be tied for the top spot in the ISMA all-time wins is amazing. It’s great to just be among those guys at the top.”
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With rain falling on the track, Stafford Motor Speedway has cancelled its August 17TH NASCAR Whelen All-American Series feature events. All rain checks sold for the event will be honored…
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The T.S. Haulers team is in mourning in the wake of the tragic incident that took the life of their Sunoco Modified driver, John Blewett, III. The fact that this accident also involved the team’s Whelen Modified Tour driver, John’s brother Jimmy, makes this disastrous occurrence all the more devastating. The mishap took place at Thompson Speedway in Thompson, CT Thursday evening.
Team owners, Eddie and Connie Partridge said, “Our thoughts and our prayers are with the entire Blewett family, John’s girlfriend, Crystal and her entire family. We’ve considered all of the Blewett’s as part of our family since Jimmy first drove for us. It’s just so surreal that in a blink of an eye how the future of people’s lives change and how overwhelming this is to us.” The team has no comment of their future racing endeavors at this time.
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Thompson, CT — A racing accident at the Thompson International Speedway has claimed the life of NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour driver John Blewett, III of Howell, New Jersey. The accident occurred following a restart on lap 107 of a 150 lap event.
“Everyone at the Thompson Speedway is deeply saddened by this tragic accident. John Blewett, III was a driver who was admired and respected by the racing community and his loss will be felt for a long time to come. It is impossible to express our feelings in words. We do, however, extend our deepest sympathies to John’s family, friends and his many fans,” said track owner, Donald Hoenig.
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Words have tremendous power. What we say can change the direction of someone’s life. In addition to that how we encourage people goes a long way in determining their ability to live. We can make a tremendous difference if we just take a second and think about how the words we are about to say and the things we are about to do. Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
“Put your mind in gear before you put your mouth in motion” is a popular statement but we should add “before we put our Chrome Horn in someone’s rear.” Sometimes we encourage people to get even!
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Thompson, CT — John Blewett III, 33, died after an accident involving a car driven by his brother, Jimmy Blewett, 26, during the New England Dodge Dealers 150 August 16th at Thompson International Speedway. On lap 107, the brothers, from Howell, N.J., were racing for the lead following a restart.
The crowd of about 8,000 went silent as safety crews rushed to the accident, which occurred between turns 1 and 2. At 10:20 p.m., John Blewett was taken by ambulance to Hubbard Regional Hospital in Webster, Mass., where he was pronounced dead.
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Thompson, CT — The Whelen Modified Tour event was stopped at lap 107 on Thursday night after an incident that involved John Blewett of Howell, NJ. John was transported to Hubbard Regional Hospital in Webster, MA for further evaluation. At press time, no information was available on John’s condition. No decisions have been made regarding the remainder of the 150-lap event.
Earlier in the evening, Tommy Cravenho of Raynham, MA, withstood a number of cautions to score his first victory of the season. Fred Astle, Jr. of N. Westport, MA, continues to run strong in the Pro Stock division winning his second feature event in three weeks. Rick Gentes of Woonsocket, RI streaked to consecutive wins in the Late Model division. Ed Puleo of Branford was another first time winner on the season after taking down the victory in the Limited Sportsman Division. Roger Larson, Jr. of Milford, MA, and Rick Blanchard of Pascoag, RI, added to their win tallies in the TIS Modified and Mini Stock divisions respectively.
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Naples, ME — PASS style racing is back at Wiscasset Raceway this Sunday afternoon August 19th with heat races starting at 3PM, and it’s almost in full force. The PASS…
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Waterford, CT — X Modified driver Kevin Shea’s fortunes improved greatly Wednesday evening, as he celebrated his second 20-lap feature victory of the season. Having wrecked his car during a freak rain shower in practice the week before, Shea was ecstatic about being back in the winners circle. “There were a lot of late evenings last week putting this thing back together, my crew was really great about it,” said Shea. “Tonight it was all about setting our marks and hitting them. I’m really happy, especially after what happened to us last week.”
Richard “Bubby” Brouwer & Chris Drouin Jr. completed the top-three.
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Like the golfer getting the birdie on the 18th hole after a disastrous round, Ronnie Silk capped a difficult 2006 season with a ninth-place finish at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway.
“We didn’t have the greatest season last year,” Silk said. “We had a good car at a lot of tracks, but just couldn’t put together the finishes.”
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Heading from a successful racing doubleheader at Mansfield Motorsports Park, the ISMA-Wirtgen super series has only a few days before they land in New England at Lee USA Speedway (NH) on Friday Aug. 10 for the Ollie Silva Memorial 75 and then head north to Oxford Plains Speedway in Maine.
A lot of the New England contingent will be right in their backyard at Lee including Mike Ordway Jr., who is just a stone’s throw away. And, then there’s Perley, Martel, car owner Howie Lane, Dave Sanborn, Justin Belfiore, Jamie Timmons, Eric Emhoff, Joe Petro, and possibly Russ Wood. A couple Mainers are expected at one or both of the shows in Vern Romanoski and the old vet Bentley Warren.
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Thompson, CT — Donny Lia will lead the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour back to the Thompson International Speedway on Thursday, August 16th. Lia will tackle the BUDWEISER 150 presented by the New England Dodge dealers with the same determination that has gained him five wins in eight starts this season. Lia has enjoyed incredible success in one of NASCAR’s most competitive divisions.
However, Lia knows that the BUDWEISER 150 at Thompson will be anything but a walk in the park for his Mystic, CT based team. The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour is loaded with fast cars and very talented drivers and each one of them is looking to best Lia in this annual mid-week racing spectacle.
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Waterford, CT — Point leaders Jason Palmer (Legends), John Yagmin (Super X), Brad Voglesong (X-Cars) and Bubby Brouwer (X-Modifieds) will be the “rabbits” when the Wild n’ Wacky series continues Wednesday.
A “toll booth race” for the X-Cars is also on the schedule.
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Daytona Beach, FL — The NASCAR Grand National Division, Busch East Series makes its only road course appearance at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Conn., this week with the Mohegan Sun NASCAR Busch East 200 Saturday, August 18.
This year’s edition of the 82 lap, 200 kilometer (125.45 miles) event marks the 15th annual appearance by the series at the 1.53-mile course.
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Six-time American-Canadian Tour (ACT) stock car racing champion Jean-Paul Cyr of Milton, VT is searching for his first main event victory of the 2007 season, and is a prime candidate for victory in the Kancamaugus 100 at New Hampshire’s White Mountain Motorsports Park on Saturday night. A four-time winner at the beautiful ¼-mile oval track, Cyr has been “oh-so-close” to the winner’s circle in nearly every race this season.
Through eight events, ACT Late Model Tour point leader Cyr has an amazing statistic of seven top-five finishes, including six in the second- and third-place positions. In his last outing at White Mountain in June, Cyr’s machine was heavily damaged in a qualifying crash. With the help of many of his ACT Late Model Tour competitors and his own Rick Paya-led Ehler’s RV/Sticks & Stuff team, Cyr was able to not only return to action later in the evening and qualify for the main event, but he rode the tough outside lane from 27th starting position to finish third. The performance has been regarded by many veteran observers as the comeback of the decade.
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