2010 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Schedule Announced
Daytona Beach, FL — NASCAR has announced the 2010 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour schedule, which is highlighted by 14 events in five states with two venues added.
Staples on the schedule since the Whelen Modified Tour’s inception, Connecticut ovals Stafford Motor Speedway and Thompson International Speedway will once again play host to seven combined events in 2010. The half mile at Stafford will entertain the Tour four times and Thompson three, including the season-opener on April 11 and the finale on Oct. 17.
Also returning to the schedule will be the traditional events at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on June 26 and Sept. 18 in Loudon, N.H. The Whelen Modified Tour, which has a history of producing exciting finishes at the “Magic Mile,” held its 50th all-time event at The Granite State oval this past fall.
After the success of the inaugural event at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in 2009, the “World’s Fastest Half Mile” will return to the schedule in 2010, once again as a combination race with the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour. The Modifieds will run as a part of a doubleheader on Aug. 18 with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
“NASCAR is pleased to announce that the 2010 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will once again feature some of the premier short tracks and speedways that New England and the eastern region has to offer, as well as the exciting addition of a road course back to the schedule,” said George Silbermann, NASCAR Managing Director of Racing Operations.
The 2010 schedule will feature two venue additions: Lime Rock Park and Monadnock Speedway.
The 1.53-mile road course at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Conn., will play host to the Whelen Modified Tour for the first time on July 3 as part of a doubleheader with the NASCAR Camping World Series East. It will mark the first time the Tour has competed on a road course since 2000. There have been six previous road course races in Tour history, all at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International. The competitors will run the course in the traditional clockwise fashion, but will utilize the “new course.”
The July 17 event at Monadnock, located in Winchester, N.H., will mark the return for the Whelen Modified Tour to the quarter-mile oval for the first time in two decades. The Tour held five events there from 1986-90.
Other 2010 schedule highlights include:
• In addition to the first and last races of the year, Thompson will also play host to the Tour on Aug. 12. Thompson has held 109 Tour races all-time, the most of any venue.
• Stafford will have the traditional Spring Sizzler (April 25) and Fall Final (Oct. 3) events, which will bookmark mid-season dates at the historic half mile on May 28 and Aug. 6. The May race will be extended to 125 laps in 2010. Stafford’s 94 all-time Tour races are second only to Thompson’s total.
• Riverhead (N.Y.) Raceway will return to the schedule on July 31. Riverhead and Thompson are the only venues to play host to the Whelen Modified Tour in each season of its existence.
• Martinsville (Va.) Speedway will welcome the Whelen Modified Tour for the 35th time on June 6. In a change for 2010, Martinsville will be a doubleheader with the Camping World Series East, and not a combination race with the Whelen Southern Modified Tour. The 2010 race will be 200 lapsjust like in 2009.
The schedule announcement was made from the site of the NASCAR Touring Series Awards Gala in Concord, N.C., whereWhelen Modified Tour titlist Donny Lia and the rest of the touring series champions will be honored Saturday night. Fans can watch the live online stream at www.nascarhometracks.com at 7 p.m. ET.
2010 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Schedule
Date Track (Length) Location
Sun., April 11 Thompson International Speedway (.625-Mile) Thompson, Conn.
Sun., April 25 Stafford Motor Speedway (.5-Mile) Stafford, Conn.
Fri., May 28 Stafford Motor Speedway (.5-Mile) Stafford, Conn.
Sun., June 6 Martinsville Speedway (.526-Mile) Martinsville, Va.
Sat., June 26 New Hampshire Motor Speedway (1.058-Mile) Loudon, N.H.
Sat., July 3 Lime Rock Park (1.53-Mile Road Course) Lakeville, Conn.
Sat., July 17 Monadnock Speedway (.25-Mile) Winchester, N.H.
Sat., July 31 Riverhead Raceway (.25-Mile) Riverhead, N.Y.
Fri., Aug. 6 Stafford Motor Speedway (.5-Mile) Stafford, Conn.
Thu., Aug. 12 Thompson International Speedway (.625-Mile) Thompson, Conn.
Wed., Aug. 18 Bristol Motor Speedway (.533-Mile) * Bristol, Tenn.
Sat., Sept. 18 New Hampshire Motor Speedway (1.058-Mile) Loudon, N.H.
Sun., Oct. 3 Stafford Motor Speedway (.5-Mile) Stafford, Conn.
Sun., Oct. 17 Thompson International Speedway (.625-Mile) Thompson, Conn.
* Combination race with the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour
All dates subject to change