New England Dodge Dealers 75 at Thompson Intl. Speedway
Daytona Beach, FL — Following nearly a month layoff the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will return to the asphalt at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway with the New England Dodge Dealers 75 presented by Charter Cable, Internet & Telephone on Thursday, June 19.
At Thompson International Speedway:
Since the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour formed in 1985, there have been 101 races at Thompson International Speedway.
In the first NWMT event at TIS – the 1985 Icebreaker – Richie Evans won the pole and took the checkered flag.
There have been 29 different race winners at TIS, led by Mike Stefanik’s 14 victories.
Jeff Fuller, who will be honored prior to the race as part of NASCAR’s celebration of 60 years of Modified champions, is tied with Tony Hirschman for the most poles won at TIS with 13 … There have been 34 different pole winners at TIS.
Ed Flemke Jr. won the first NWMT race of the year at TIS, the Icebreaker … There has not been a back-to-back winner at TIS since Hirschman in 2003.
There have been 11 different winners in the last 12 races at TIS.
The TIS record for the longest winning streak is four, shared by Evans, Fuller, Stefanik and Steve Park.
Park (1996) and Stefanik (1998) are the only drivers to sweep every race at TIS in a calendar year.
This race will feature 10 drivers who have previously reached Victory Lane at TIS.
Season Recap:
There have been three different race victors and three different pole winners through the first three events this year.
Ed Flemke Jr. ended a 53-race winless drought at the Icebreaker at TIS by earning his 17th career victory.
Ted Christopher earned his 26th career NWMT victory as he took the checkered flag in the Tech-Net Spring Sizzler at Stafford Motor Speedway.
Chuck Hossfeld earned the Coors Light Pole Award, nabbed the No. 1 bead in the redraw and took the checkered flag in the TSI Harley-Davidson 150 in the most recent race at SMS.
Ryan Preece, at 17 years old, became the youngest driver in NMWT history to earn the Coors Light Pole Award when he did it prior to the Spring Sizzler at SMS.
Selected Driver Highlights:
Eric Beers (No. 46 Chevrolet)
Has two wins and six poles in 115 career starts.
Has one career victory at TIS (9-10-06).
Finished in the top five in both Stafford races this year.
Has led the second most laps (164) among all drivers at TIS in the last five years.
Jimmy Blewett (No. 19 Chevrolet)
Has two wins and one pole in 49 career starts.
Has three top-fives in 14 career starts at TIS … His best finish at the track is second (10-15-06).
Originally finished fifth in the second Stafford race, but was penalized to the end of the field (31st) for failing post-race inspection.
Currently tied for the northeast region lead with eight weekly racing feature wins.
Ted Christopher (No. 36 Chevrolet)
Has 28 wins and 13 poles in 248 career starts.
Won the Spring Sizzler at SMS on April 27.
Has at least one victory in 10 consecutive seasons.
Is 36 points behind leader Hossfeld in the season standings.
Has six wins and four poles in his NWMT career at TIS.
Finished 10th at the Icebreaker in April.
In the last five years at TIS he has led more laps (345) and has more top five finishes (9) than any other driver.
Has led 79 of 445 (17.7%) completed laps this year.
James Civali (No. 28 Chevrolet)
Has four wins in 39 career starts, including one at TIS on April 15, 2007.
Earned first career pole in the season-opener at TIS.
Has finished in the top 10 in six of his 11 career starts at TIS.
Is fourth in the season standings, 68 points behind leader Hossfeld.
Ed Flemke Jr. (No. 10 Chevrolet)
Won the season-opener at TIS, ending a 53-race victory drought.
Has 17 wins and 16 poles in 357 career starts.
Has four wins and four poles in his career at TIS.
Is sixth in the season standings after three races.
Has made a record 298 consecutive starts … The last time he did not start an NWMT event was on July 22, 1992 at Riverside Park Speedway.
Rick Fuller (No. 77)
1993 NWMT Champion … Will be honored prior to Sept. 7 event at TIS.
Has 20 wins and 11 poles in 429 career starts … Last won at Waterford in May, 2003.
Has registered six top-10 finishes in 15 starts during the last five years at TIS.
Has eight career wins at TIS to rank third in the all-time list behind Stefanik (14) and his brother Jeff (10).
Bobby Grigas III (No. 09 Chevrolet)
Registered best career finish (third) at the Icebreaker.
Led the first laps of his career in the Icebreaker, and registered a career-high 54 laps led at SMS in the most recent race … His 66 total laps led this year rank third among all drivers.
With 19 career starts, he is still looking for his first career victory.
Matt Hirschman (No. 59 Chevrolet)
Has finished in the top 10 in three of 12 career starts at TIS.
Has finished on the lead lap in 20 consecutive races, the most among all drivers.
Is currently ninth in the season standings.
Finished third in the 2007 standings with 11 top-10s in 16 outings.
Is the son of five-time NWMT Champion Tony Hirschman.
Chuck Hossfeld (No. 4 Dodge)
Current NWMT points leader, 36 ahead of Christopher.
Has finished in the top three in each of the season’s first three races.
Ended a 48-race winless drought by capturing the TSI Harley-Davidson 150 at SMS.
Has led a series-high 85 laps this year, or roughly one out of every five laps completed.
Has six wins in 98 career starts, including one victory at TIS.
Has earned one pole at TIS, and has eight total in his career.
Has 10 top-10 finishes in his last 15 starts at TIS.
Rowan Pennink (No. 93 Chevrolet)
Is fifth in the season standings with two top-10 finishes.
Has finished in the top 15 five races in a row, tied with Christopher for the longest current streak.
Now in his second season, he has 17 career starts.
Ronnie Silk (No. 79 Pontiac)
Best finish this year is 21st at the Icebreaker … Has completed just 328 of 445 laps this year due to accidents.
Has one win and 14 top-10s in 43 NWMT career starts.
Is second in driver points after three races in the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour.
Mike Stefanik (No. 16 Pontiac)
Seven-time NWMT Champion … Was honored as part of NASCAR’s 60 years of Modified champions celebration prior to the TSI Harley-Davidson 150 at SMS.
Has a NWMT record 68 victories in 368 career starts.
Has a record 14 wins at TIS … Last win was the 2006 Icebreaker.
Has 12 top 10s in 18 starts at TIS during the last five years.
Has finished in the top five in the last two races this year and is currently eighth in points.
Todd Szegedy (No. 2 Ford)
The 2003 NWMT Champion … Will be honored at New Hampshire on Sept. 28.
Has 12 wins in 97 career starts, the best start-to-victory ratio (8:1) of any active driver.
Is in third place in season points, 61 behind Hossfeld.
Has two wins and three poles in his career at TIS.
Jamie Tomaino (No. 99 Chevrolet)
The 1990 NWMT Champion … Will be honored at Spencer Speedway on July 12.
Has six top 10s in 19 races at TIS during in the last five years.
Has only missed four of the 492 races in the history of the NWMT (1985-pr.).
Is one of three drivers (Rick Fuller, Carl Pasteryak) to make a start in all 24 years of the NWMT.
Upcoming Milestones/Benchmarks:
Ted Christopher has 28 career victories … The next win would put him in sole possession of fifth place on all-time list, passing Mike Ewanitsko.
Mike Stefanik has 40 career pole wins … The next would place him in a tie with Tony Hirschman for the all-time lead.
Jamie Tomaino will extend his own series record by making his 489th career start.
With a start at TIS, Tomaino will pass $1 million in career earnings.
Jimmy Blewett looks to make his 50th career start.
Christopher is two starts away from 250 for his career.
Chuck Hossfeld is two starts away from 100 for his career.
Todd Szegedy is three starts away from 100 for his career.
Ed Flemke Jr. is two starts away from 300 consecutive starts.
Sources: Jason Cunningham/NASCAR WMT PR