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April 2008 – YankeeRacer.com


‘Welcome Home’ Sign For TVMS At ‘Bowl

Waterford, CT — The “welcome home” sign will be waving Saturday night when the True Value Modified Series returns to Waterford Speedbowl for the Connecticut Army National Guard 100. Ted Christopher, Dale Holdridge, Chris Pasteryak and Ed Dachenhausen, all successful in the past, will be returning.

Kirk Alexander, after a third win in as many starts, leads the TVMS back to the Speedbowl. Alexander, the defending champ, came from deep in the field to win last fall, taking advantage of the ‘Bowl’s outside groove. Dale Evonsion, Jon McKennedy, Les Hinckley, Jack Bateman, Chris Wentzel and Rob Goodenough are also contenders.

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Thursday Night Thunder to Rumble Again at Thompson

Thompson, CT — Opening night of Thursday Night Thompson Thunder (TNTT) is set for May 22nd. The 2008 racing season marks the ninth year that the popular Thursday night race program has been thrilling race fans in New England.

Thompson’s six NASCAR Whelen All American Series divisions compete weekly in what has to be the fastest, most efficiently run race program to be found anywhere in southern New England. Feature event racing begins around 7 PM and fans are headed home by 9:30 PM. However, during that period, fans get to see six feature events with the best drivers the region has to offer.

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Alexander Shines in Monadnock Opener

Winchester, NH — Point leader and defending series champion Kirk Alexander, Swanzey, NH., returned to his home race track Saturday night, started last in a 26 car field, passed cross town rival Rob Goodenough on lap 86, to win the” Bond Auto Parts 100″ in front of a near capacity crowd at Monadnock Speedway. The True Value Modified Racing Series event was Alexander’s 28th career victory and his third season opening win at the track known as “The Dog.”

Pole sitter Chris Pasteryak, Lisbon, CT., set a torrid pace holding off the constant challenges of 2007 Rookie of the Year, Peter Jarvis, Acutney,VT., Jarvis stayed within striking distance of Pasteryak with Bryan Shumway, Belchertown, MA., last years winner, Les Hinckley, Windsor Locks, CT., and 2006 champion Dwight Jarvis,Ascutney, in hot pursuit.

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Gada And Yuhas Score At Speedbowl

Waterford, CT — Six-time champion Dennis Gada charged from a 20th-place starting spot, passed Jeff Pearl with 10-laps remaining and went on to win Saturday evening’s 35-lap SK Modified feature at the Waterford Speedbowl. It was the 59th career triumph for the 2008 Budweiser Modified Nationals winner. Following Gada was Ron Yuhas Jr, Keith Rocco, Pearl , and Frank Ruocco.

In other action, Ron Yuhas Jr. grabbed the first Late Model win of his career in taking down the hotly-contested 30-lap main event. Starting deep in the field, Yuhas, a veteran Modified competitor, took the lead from Ed Reed Jr. Defending champion Bruce Thomas Jr., who was after a third straight win, slipped past Reed for second. Marc Curtis and, Tim Jordan completed the top five.

[Photo Gallery] by Nick Vasquez

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Gada & Yuhas Capture Speedbowl Honors

Waterford, CT — Dennis Gada charged from a 20th-place starting spot to pass Jeff Pearl with 10-laps remaining to win the 35-lap SK Modified at Waterford Speedbowl Saturday evening. It was the second victory of the season for the 6-time champion. Following Gada across the line was Ron Yuhas Jr, Keith Rocco, Pearl, and, Frank Ruocco.

SK Modified driver Ron Yuhas Jr. took the first Late Model win of his career. Starting deep in the field, he passed early leader Ed Reed Jr. following a late-race caution. Defending champion Bruce Thomas Jr. slipped past Reed for second. Completing the top-5 were Marc Curtis, and, Tim Jordan.

[Photo Gallery] by Nick Vasquez

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Rolfe Holds Cyr Off for Oxford ACT Victory

Home track stock car favorite Ricky Rolfe of Albany Twp., ME held off a fast-closing Jean-Paul Cyr to win the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) New England Dodge Dealers 150 at Oxford Plains Speedway on Saturday.  Cyr’s late charge was enough to bring him alongside Rolfe’s Race Basics/Swasey Excavation #51 Ford with less than ten laps remaining, but the former track champion won by about two car lengths.

“We lapped a lot of cars early, but when the field started to catch up, I had to try some new lines around the track,” said Rolfe.  “We found that the upper groove was the place to be, and it worked.”

[Photo Gallery] by Leif Tillotson

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A Time For Everything

Many times in life we question why things happen. The timing of things puzzle us. Why did this happen? Why now? How do we deal with things that we don’t understand. Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Events happen in our life that do not follow the plan we have in our head. Think of a race day, how many of them go the way you planned? One thing is guaranteed about race day, it will not go the way you planned. We adapt and get thorough it the best way we can.


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Adams Leads Oxford Plains Drivers to ACT Event

Champion stock car driver Travis Adams will lead his home-track contingent to the American-Canadian Tour’s New England Dodge Dealers 150 at Oxford Plains Speedway on Saturday, April 26. Adams, of Canton, ME won the last ACT Late Model Tour event held at the fast 3/8-mile oval in October, and has captured three of the last five Late Model Track Championships there.

Long touted as a potential winner in ACT competition, Adams downplayed the situation until he finally broke through in 2007. “It’s like you’re just one of the competitive ones – ‘Oh, he’s a threat to win,'” he told writer Travis Barrett at a press conference on Tuesday, “but if you don’t win, I don’t really consider you a threat.” Adams dropped the self-imposed illusion following his October score, a race in which he battled former Oxford Plains Speedway ACT Late Model Tour event winner Scott Dragon of Milton, VT for nearly 150 laps. He also finished third at the Time Warner Cable 100 at OPS in August, and then became the fourth OPS regular to win an ACT race, joining Ricky Rolfe (2002), Ryan Moore (2001), and two-time winner Shawn Martin (2004 and ’06).


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Points And Positions Up For Grabs

Waterford, CT — Points and positions will be up for grabs in Saturday night’s 35-lap SK-Modified feature, the headline event of another five-division program at Waterford Speedbowl. Diego Monahan takes the SK point lead in the evening but it is a very short one.

Two “guaranteed” spots for the May 3 Connecticut National Guard True Value Modified Series 100 are also part of the spoils. The highest two “interested” finishers will get the slots.

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True Value Spots Part of Saturday’s Spoils

Waterford, CT — The top two “interested” finishers in Saturday night’s 35-lap SK-Modified feature will have “guaranteed” spots in the May 3 Connecticut Army National Guard True Value Modified Series 100. This continues a unique relationship between the ‘Bowl and TVMS.

The SK feature tops a five-division program that also includes a 30-lap Late Model feature and 20 lappers for the Sportsman, Mini Stock and Legends divisions. Qualifying starts at 5 PM.

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ACTion News 4/23/08

Last July, it was only a proverbial “matter of time” before young Joey Polewarczyk won his first American-Canadian Tour Late Model stock car race. Many saw the potential for the rising star, and he delivered at Seekonk Speedway in August. Now he’s up to two ACT wins, having dominated Sunday’s 100-lap New Hampshire Governor’s Cup race. The 18 year-old Hudson, NH driver passed Lee USA Speedway legend Larry Gelinas for the lead on lap 10 and never looked back. At times before the race’s final caution period on lap 66, Polewarczyk more than a full straightaway lead.

On paper, that looks a little boring, but the fact is that the battles for position throughout the remainder of the field were excellent. Gelinas, John Donahue, Randy Potter, Cris Michaud, Scott Payea, and Eddie MacDonald put on a great show as they swapped positions, darting around lapped traffic. However, one lapped car, the driven by Donald Theetge, set up an outside-lane mistake by Donahue, costing him a chance at a podium finish. As Donahue and Payea ran door-to-door for third place on the previously mentioned lap 66, they split Theetge’s slowing car (the former Série ACT Castrol Champion had handling issues throughout the main event) – Payea filling the open hole on the inside lane, Donahue bravely daring to go three-wide up high. The result was Donahue looping the National Guard #26 Ford in Turn 4, bringing out the yellow flag.


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Touring with the Pro-4’S

Richardi Family Racing…Organized Chaos

Easton, MA: While the Pro-4 Division has a few weeks off, I went looking for some victims (I mean competitors) to get to know better. When the Richardi’s were called, they were very gracious and invited me for dinner so we could talk in a casual setting with the whole family present. With Roast Chicken, mashed potatoes and fresh broccoli set on the table, it was time to get to know the characters better. Rob Sr. has been into racing for a long time. Until seven years ago, most of his experience, however, was in Drag Racing. Barbara’s interest came from being the only female in a seemingly men’s world. Robby, now 23, captured the racing bug at the young age of seven when he was taken to see a race in New Hampshire. Instantly he was focused on the track and what was happening on the other side of the fence. Twenty-one year old David, followed in his brothers’ footsteps and wanted to show big brother that he was just as good if not better in competition.

Having very different styles on the track, both of the boys started in the SYRA (Seekonk Youth Racing Association) division about seven years ago at Seekonk Speedway and the Mini Cup Division on the New Hampshire and Maine tracks. Robby loves to run hard and believes that he can conquer whatever or whoever challenges him. David tends to be a little more cautious but won’t back down from the job at hand. When asked who was the better driver, they both hesitated, looked at each other and claimed that the other was better. While in SYRA, both of these young men brought home many awards, from Rookie of the Year, to Wins, and Points placement. Since joining the Pro-4 Club ( in 2003), the awards have kept coming. Some of them being very outstanding and prestigious.


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Attention: Seekonk Sport Truck Owners

With the change to Hoosier racing tires this spring, we have identified a problem that we would like to bring to the attention of our Sport Truck teams immediately. During practice, it was determined that GM chassis trucks are prone to have an issue with the right front tire rubbing the outer tie rod. At this time, it seems to have only affected the GM trucks. We have developed the following options to combat this issue. Unless other chassis are found to have a problem these options will be given to GM owners only.

1) Spindles: Some trucks have moved the steering arm on the spindle to give a clearance of no less than one-half (1/2″) an inch between the tie rod and tire. Please note that this modification should only be done by someone who specializes in this type of work.


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Near-Record Speeds In Speedbowl Action

Waterford, CT — The respective last laps in last Saturday night’s features are Waterford Speedbowl, including at 14.096 seconds effort by eventual SK-Modified winner Rob Janovic Jr., were all close to existing “qualifying” records.

Janovic’s lap was a mere .003 off the SK record set at last year’s Pepsi 300 by Kenny Horton. It was actually not the fastest SK lap of the night, the electronic scoring catching Jeff Pearl below the 14-second bracket in a heat.

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Developer for NYC Kingsbridge Armory midget site picked

New York CIty, NY — The New York City Economic Development Corp. has picked The Related Companies to redevelop The Bronx’s Kingsbridge Armory – a former Post World War II indoor midget track venue.

The Related’s plans include renovating what has been billed as the world’s largest armory into mostly commercial space. Related’s plans, whose details were not available as of press time, include some community space among a big box retailer, a cinema, a bank branch, a fitness center and a local business incubator to fit within the armory’s 575,000 square feet.

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