Atlantic City, NJ — Mike Tidaback could only sum up his “Gambler’s Classic” presented by SoBe Life Water victory with three words: “dream come true.”
Tidaback, who first attended races at Boardwalk Hall at age five back in 1973, etched his name in the prestigious list of race winners on Saturday night, earning $5,000-plus as the victor of the 40- lap M&R Midget (TQ Midget/600cc Micro-Sprint) headliner.
In doing so, the ATQMRA regular upheld the honor of the Three Quarter Midget contingent against a talent-laden field of superstars.
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Long-time drag racing fans will see a familiar name rocketing down the quarter mile at NHRA tracks this season. Ford Customer Service Division (FCSD) is bringing its Motorcraft brand back to professional drag racing, and this time it’s bigger than ever.
Motorcraft and Ford’s growing national network of Quick Lane Tire & Auto Centers are joining forces to launch a major marketing initiative for the 2008 NHRA season that will include primary sponsorship of the Shelby Mustang nitro Funny Car of Bob Tasca III and Tasca Racing, along with a major interactive trackside presence at 14 NHRA events.
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Atlantic City, NJ — Lou Cicconi Jr. showed he is poised to better his 2007 runner-up finish by one position this time around.
Cicconi took the checkered first in the final M&R Midget ‘Roaring 20’ Friday night at Boardwalk Hall during ‘A-1 Racing Products presents Qualifying Night,’ a prelude to the “Gambler’s Classic” presented by SoBe Life Water to be contested on the hall’s concrete floor on Saturday (Jan. 19).Cicconi was second to Joey Payne in the race’s ’07 running.
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20-Year-Old is Chosen to Drive #47 Advance Auto Parts Modified for Riggs Racing
How do you replace a king? That was the question that Riggs Racing faced this off-season after the long-time driver of their Advance Auto Parts Dodge Modified, Junior Miller, decided to scale back his racing schedule. Together, Miller and the Riggs team won two of the last three NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championships.
Success was nothing foreign to either party, the Riggs team has won nearly 100 Modified races through the years with drivers like Miller, Jamie Tomaino, Paul Radford, Johnny Bryant, Tony Jankowiak, “Puddin” Swisher and Tim Arre. Miller had also won more races than anyone could count, having earned the title “King of the Southern Modifieds” in the process.
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Stafford Springs, CT — Stafford Motor Speedway will participate in TSI Harley-Davidson’s “Meet the Drivers” Event at their Ellington store on Saturday, January 26th from 12pm to 2pm. A host…
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Salisbury, MA — SpeedwayEXPO, proudly presented by Sunoco, will again recognize the talent, competitive spirit, and dedication of the Northeast’s racing community with its annual SPEEDY Awards, honoring racers, fans and others who excelled during the 2007 season.
The nominees and winners in 11 categories will be honored at the SPEEDY Award ceremony at EXPO on March 2 at 3:00PM, hosted by Speedway Illustrated Editor Karl Fredrickson. SpeedwayEXPO takes place on the weekend of February 29-March 2 at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, MA.
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Have you ever taken the time to look back on your life and reflect on those people that had an influence on you and what you have attained? I think if we take the time to do that we would see the tremendous blessings God has provided for us. We would see that God’s hand has been on our lives. Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
I have a little test for you this week. It is of the closed book variety, no looking. The following is the philosophy of Charles Schultz, the creator of the “Peanuts” comic strip. Spend a few minutes reviewing the following questions.
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Stafford Springs, CT — Stafford Speedway has announced that Valvoline, in conjunction with CARQUEST Auto Parts, has renewed their SK Modified® 1st place contingency partnership for the 2008 NASCAR Whelen…
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Second Time in Three Years Modified Driver in Endurance Event
Daytona Beach, FL — Ted Christopher has never been shy about driving anything with wheels. So it’s no surprise the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour veteran jumped at the chance to run in the 2008 Rolex 24 at Daytona.
Christopher is one of three drivers currently committed to take the wheel in the Southard Motorsports Riley-Lexus Daytona Prototype (DP) car co-sponsored by Whelen and Loctite for the Jan. 26-27 event.
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Clearly the most competitive regular field in New England will get back at it when Waterford Speedbowl begins 58th consecutive season with the 12th annual Modified Nationals on April 12-13.
The NASCAR Whelen All American divisions – SK Modifieds, Late Models, Sportsman and Mini Stocks – plus the Legends produced 37 different winners in 2007. The battle for the championship in all but one division went to the final event.
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George M. Janoski, 79, of Janoski Rd., Ashford, beloved husband of the late Janie (Friese) Janoski, passed away on Saturday, (January 12, 2008). He was born in Stafford Springs, son…
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Rene Charland, affectionately known to many racing fans simply as “The Champ” could use some well-wishes from his fans. The 79-year-old Agawam, MA native began his career at the old…
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W. Suffield’s Norrie 1,200cc Mini Sprint’s New Victor Windsor, CT — Matt Norrie, of W. Suffield, Conn., became the Bud Light 12 Pack Race Series’ freshest feature winner here in…
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Newburgh, NY — The Allison Legacy North Race Series honored it’s top ten competitors of the 2007 season at their annual banquet in Mansfield, MA this past weekend. The top honor once again went to the 2006 series champion Anthony Frissora, the first back to back champion in the series short history. Anthony dominated the 2007 season with 5 wins 11 top fives and 13 top tens in 14 starts. Series Director Michael A. Vasquez, Sr. stated “Anthony is one of the best drivers I have ever seen strap into a legacy car, his car control and skills on the track are what true champions are made of”. After defending his championship Anthony has decided to step out of his 3X New England Trim, Mc Namara Auto Sponsored Monte Carlo has he prepares himself for college. However there are deals in the works to see Anthony back in a Legacy car for a select few races in 2008.
Also honored were fourth place finisher and ALNRS 2007 Rookie of the Year Kristy Chaves. Kristy had an amazing start to her 2007 season as she started the year upside down on the roof of her 24k Acme Sanitation sponsored Chevy Monte Carlo when she was caught up in a practice crash the day before the season opener at the Waterford Speedbowl. The team showed their determination when they returned to the track Saturday morning after pulling an all nighter to make the necessary repairs. The teams hard work paid off has the driver finished second in her first ALNRS race. The driver then followed this up with 6 top fives and 12 top tens. She also had 3 second place finishes in 2007.
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Keene, NH — The True Value Modified Racing Series officially announced Saturday an eighteen race schedule, new sponsorships, and new racing events for the 2008 season. The announcement came at the tours winter meetings at Best Western Hotel, Keene, NH., by series president and founder Jack Bateman.
The series will kick off its new campaign at the Monadnock Speedway, Winchester, NH., on Saturday April 12 with a 100 lap feature race highlighting the season opener. The tour will visit the Winchester oval July 5, and again on Aug 23.
On Sunday April 20, the modifieds will join with the ACT Late Model Series at Lee USA Speedway, Lee, NH., for that tracks annual “Governors Cup 200.” Each division will compete in 100 lap feature races. Lee will also host the modifieds on July 11 and at their season ending Oktoberfest weekend Oct 4, 5.
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Waterford, CT — A large contingent of competitors and fans of the Waterford Speedbowl converged on the Groton Motor Inn & Suites on Saturday evening for the 2007 Awards Banquet.
In the evenings opening comments, former Director of Media Relations and presently a consultant to the Speedbowl, Pete Zanardi stated the following;
“We are very close to announcing what the present operating team has been battling for over the past four months. We hope to announce in the very near future that the Waterford Speedbowl operating team will also be the owner of the facility. Perhaps it makes less than perfect sense to make this announcement at this time, but management believes it is very important tonight to justify the faith many of you have shown in us and to assure you that your efforts toward the 2008 season were and are not in vain.”
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To Our Fans and Competitors-
The speedway continues to work on various aspects of the program that we hope will reflect positive change in 2008. Several new sponsorship partners have joined our team for the upcoming season, and we’re lookign forward to working with each of them and putting our best foot forward. Some of the changes that we’ve bene working on are identified in this week’s blog.
PIT CREW LICENSES FOR MINORS:
In response to requests from our competitors, we have re-evaluated the minimum age allowed to work on race cars in the pit area. We agree that many high school age (15-17) boys and girls would like to participate in our race teams and gain experience before turning 18. Therefore, the minimum age has been lowered to 15. However, all minors between the ages of 15 and 17 must hold a pit crew license. BOTH parents and or legal guardians MUST sign consent forms which will need to be notarized. A parent or legal guardian must also be present at the track with the minor at all times to be able to give consent for treatment in the case of a medical emergency. Fee to purchase and process a minor’s license is $25. For more information, please contact the track office directly.
FAST TRACK MEDICAL RESPONSE SYSTEMS
In 2008, Seekonk Speedway will implement the medical history bracelets for drivers, crew members, and track officials that are currently in use at various facilities including Thompson and Stafford. More information will be provided on this process at Saturday’s awards banquet
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Naples, ME — The 2008 Pro All Stars Series (PASS) Super Late Model North schedule is complete and the series’ eighth season is highlighted by some big new races, a change in the point format and a brand new series within a series.
The fastest full bodied race cars in the northeast will tackle a fourteen race schedule with stops at eight of the top short track racing venues in New England and Maritime Canada.
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OSR Series Overview Old School Racing Champion’s Tour (OSRCT) is a new racing series debuting in 2008 that will have retired and semi-retired champion drivers competing in a 10 race regular season schedule followed by a “Last Chance Race” and a “Championship Race”.
The Drivers:
Eligible drivers are previous NASCAR Cup, Busch, Truck race winners, series champions from ARCA, CART and Indy Car, and previous Indy 500 winners that are not currently competing full time in any of the previous series. There will be 15 drivers competing in each regular season race and 20 drivers in the OSRCT Championship Races.
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Stock car drivers Jean-Paul Cyr and Jamie Fisher were feted at the 2007 American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Banquet of Champions at the Sheraton-Burlington Hotel & Conference Center in South Burlington, VT on Saturday night. Cyr collected the seventh ACT Late Model Tour Championship of his career – his fifth in a row, an ACT record – while Fisher was given the prestigious Don MacTavish Award, ACT’s highest honor.
Cyr, of Milton, VT, strung together a remarkable record of consistency to capture the 2007 ACT Late Model Tour crown. He drove the #32 Ehler’s RV/Sticks & Stuff Chevrolet to five consecutive podium finishes to begin the 13-race season, and never finished a race in lower than 12th position. Cyr led a season-high six events in four U.S. states and Québec for a total of more than 230 laps. His car owner, Rick Paya, received a Champion’s check worth $10,000 for the efforts of his team. Cyr edged two other Milton, VT natives, Scott Payea and Brent Dragon, for the title. New Hampshire drivers Randy Potter and Roger Brown rounded out the top five. Completing the top ten drivers, in order, were Brian Hoar, Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., Donald Theetge, Ron Henry, and Jamie Fisher.
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Burlington, CT — New England Racing Fuels COO John Holland has announced his companies return and sponsorship support for the True Value Modified Racing Series through the 2009 season. The announcement was made in conjunction with the TVMRS winter meeting in Keene, NH.., Saturday January 12. Sunoco Race Fuels will be the official race fuel of the fifth year series.
Holland, a long time supporter of modified racing in New England and Sunoco Race Fuels, will present the touring series “Hard Charger” award at each race event in 2008. The award is presented to the competitor that passes the most cars in the series 100 lap races.
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Vernon, CT — In less than one week, the racing community’s only indoor all-automotive swap meet will be held on the grounds of the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, MA. On January 19 & 20, 2008, the Better Living Center will be transformed into a racer’s paradise with over a million parts available. Thanks to the foresight of well-known promoter Ben Dodge over 30 years ago, this annual event has thrived. In recent years, it has been heralded by Hemmings Motor News as the largest all-automotive indoor swap meet in the country.
It has earned its title not only for the enormous size of the venue, with vendor space totaling over three acres, but also for the number and variety of vendors. A host of leading retailers and wholesalers will be joined by private sellers to offer a wide range of parts and accessories, safety equipment and tools. Racers will find products for every phase of their off-season projects.
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It’s time for NASCAR to open the record books. LENOX Industrial Tools and New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) announce they have gone the EXTRA MILE – literally – with the…
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Stafford Springs, CT — Stafford Motor Speedway has announced that The Davidson Company has renewed their commitment to the SMS Contingency Program for the 2008 season. The Davidson Company will…
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Green Flag Drops for New Era at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Loudon, NH — Closing documents were completed today, finalizing Speedway Motorsports, Inc.’s (NYSE:TRK) purchase of New Hampshire Speedway, Inc.…
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Mansfield, MA — Dusty Young, 73, of Mansfield died on Thursday January 10, 2008 at home surrounded by the care of his loving family. He was the beloved husband of Beverly A. (Richards) Young to whom he was wed to on October 11, 1959.
Born in Boston, MA on June 29, 1934 he was a son of the late Lyman D. and Gertrude L. (Brown) Young.
He grew up in Melrose and Boston and served in the United States Air Force. Mr. Young was a retired truck driver and had worked for Fibertec in West Bridgewater for over 20 years. Following retirement he had worked part time for Clair Acura in Walpole and at Carlier Auto Sales in North Attleboro.
An avid NASCAR fan, Dusty began his racing career at Norwood Arena and was the owner of the Team 99 Race Car at Seekonk Speedway. His family also shared his enthusiasm for auto racing. He also enjoyed his daily trips to Honey-Dew Donuts and to Tedeschi’s Market both in Mansfield.
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Joey Logano
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Seventeen-year-old racing sensation Joey Logano, the most highly-touted driver to hit the NASCAR ranks in a decade, is dying for a chance to take a spin in Jeg Coughlin Jr.’s Jegs.com Chevrolet Cobalt after a visit to team owner Victor Cagnazzi’s race shop in Mooresville, N.C.
Logano and Coughlin met at last weekend’s Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge charity race in Lake Placid, N.Y., and became fast friends while competing on the Olympic course. In between runs, they naturally talked about their respective forms of racing and Coughlin suggested Logano stop by VCR shop, which is near Logano’s adopted hometown, to familiarize himself with straight-line racing.
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Atlantic City, NJ — NASCAR, considered the premier sanctioning organization in motorsports, will have a major presence in the huge Motorsports 2008 Race Car Show presented by VP Racing Fuels. The show, filling close to 300,000 square feet of the Atlantic City Convention Center, opens at noon on January 18th and continues through until 5 pm Sunday, January 20th.
The NASCAR display will cover 3,000 square feet of the show. It is the first time in a number of years that the Daytona Beach, Florida based sanctioning organization has been part of the show and it is the first time that they have taken a major role in the 23 year history of the show.
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