Statistical Advance: Analyzing The Lime Rock 100 At Lime Rock Park
Daytona Beach, FL — The inaugural appearance for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at Lime Rock Park is set for this Saturday, July 3, with the Lime Rock 100 in Lakeville, Conn.
At Lime Rock Park:
History
• Lime Rock Park opened in 1957.
• This will be the inaugural event for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at the road course.
Notebook
• There have been 223 NWMT races all-time in the state of Connecticut between the ovals at Thompson International Speedway (110), Stafford Motor Speedway (96) and Waterford Speedbowl (17).
• Among the NWMT drivers entered for the inaugural Lime Rock 100, three have won NASCAR K&N Pro Series East races at LRP … Dale Quarterley (2001, 2003), Ted Christopher (1997), Mike Stefanik (1998).
• There have been six road course races in NWMT history, all at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International from 1996-2000.
• Christopher (1999, 2000) and Stefanik (1996, 97) combined to win four of the six NWMT races at The Glen.
Lime Rock Park
Race: #6 of 14
Track Layout: 1.53-mile, 12-turn road course with “Optional Uphill” utilized
Race Length: 66 laps/101 miles
Up to Speed:
• Bobby Santos opened the 2010 season with a win in the Icebreaker at Thompson International Speedway on April 11 … He established a track record in qualifying as he earned the pole.
• Santos also set the track-record in qualifying at Stafford Motor Speedway for the Spring Sizzler on April 24 … The race was postponed to May 1, and was won by Ted Christopher.
• Santos was back in Victory Lane in the third race of the season on May 28 at Stafford … Prior to the race Santos also earned the Coors Light Pole Award.
• Santos earned his third win in four outings when he captured the Martinsville Speedway checkered flag on June 6 … Mike Stefanik was the pole winner.
• NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Ryan Newman captured the pole and the race win in the New England 100 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on June 26.
• With top-fives in all five races, Santos leads Christopher by 129 points in the season standings.
• The next race will see the NWMT return to Monadnock Speedway for the first time since 1990 on July 17.
Selected Driver Highlights:
Jimmy Blewett (No. 14 Ling Trucking/Atlantic Sprinkler Chevrolet)
• Has five wins, one pole and 25 top 10s in 75 career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts … Earned at least one win in four straight seasons entering 2010.
• Is 13th in points after five races … Best finish was second at Stafford on May 28 … Has suffered DNFs the last two races.
Justin Bonsignore (No. 51 M3 Technology Chevrolet)
• Has four top 10s in seven career NWMT starts … A runner-up effort at Martinsville Speedway is his best career finish.
• Is sixth in the standings with a pair of top 10s in five races.
• Is competing for 2010 Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors against Richie Pallai Jr.
Ted Christopher (No. 36 Al-Lee Installations Chevrolet)
• The 2008 NWMT champion … Has 35 wins and 21 poles in 285 career starts … His 35 wins are tied for third all-time and his 21 poles are ninth … Has at least one win in 12 straight seasons.
• Is second in points after five races with three top fives, highlighted by a win at Stafford on May 1.
• Recorded four top 10s in five NASCAR K&N Pro Series East starts at Lime Rock Park, highlighted by a win in the 1997 race.
• Finished in the top 10 in three of his six NWMT starts at the Watkins Glen International road course, with wins in 1999 and 2000.
• Tested at Lime Rock for Hoosier Tires in May.
Ed Flemke Jr. (No. 10 Ron Bouchard’s Auto/Kleer Lumber Chevrolet)
• Has 17 wins and 16 poles in 386 career starts … Has made a record 329 consecutive starts … The last time he did not start a race was on July 22, 1992 at Riverside Park Speedway.
• Is 18th in points after five races … Earned first top 10 of the season at New Hampshire.
• Finished in the top 10 in three of his six NWMT road course starts at The Glen.
Chuck Hossfeld (No. 59 Ed Bennett Properties Chevrolet)
• Has seven wins, eight poles and 68 top 10s in 118 career starts.
• Is 16th in points after five races … Best finish was sixth at Stafford on May 1.
• Has three career wins at NHMS, including the June 2008 photo finish with Ted Christopher.
Richie Pallai Jr. (No. 39 Bosch Spark Plugs Chevrolet)
• Has made six career NWMT starts … A ninth-place effort at Martinsville is his best career finish.
• Is eighth in the standings after five races.
• Is competing for 2010 Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors against Justin Bonsignore.
Dale Quarterley (No. 52 Furnace & Duct Supply Chevrolet)
• Has two career NWMT starts … 1996 at The Glen and 2008 at New Hampshire.
• Recorded two wins, a pole and six top 10s in 13 career NKNPS East starts at Lime Rock.
Rowan Pennink (No. 93 Monk Mechanics Hand Cleaner Chevrolet)
• Has 21 top 10s in 48 career starts.
• Is 15th in points after five races … Best finish was fourth at Stafford on May 1 … Has three-straight finishes of 25th or worse.
• Tested at Lime Rock for Hoosier Tires in May.
Ryan Preece (No. 3 Mizzy Construction/Reynold’s Auto Wrecking Chevrolet)
• Has four poles, three wins and 24 top 10s in 48 career starts.
• Is fifth in points after five races … Has finished in the top five in 11 of his last 14 starts.
Bobby Santos (No. 4 “Mystic Missile” Dodge)
• Has four wins, three poles and 17 top 10s in 34 career NWMT starts.
• Leads in points after five races … Has three wins, a second and a third.
• Became the first driver in NWMT history to win three of the first four races of a season.
• Also earned the pole for the first three races of the year … Set track records during qualifying in the first two races of the season.
• Has led 29-percent (233 of 791) of all completed laps so far in 2010, and has led in all five races … Has gained an extra 30 points with the addition of lap leader bonus points in 2010.
• Tested at Lime Rock for Hoosier Tires in May.
Ron Silk (No. 6 T.S. Haulers Chevrolet)
• Has four wins, two poles and 32 top 10s in 72 career starts.
• Moved from 10th to seventh in points with a season-best finish of fifth last time out at New Hampshire.
Mike Stefanik (No. 16 Diversified Metals/R.B. Enterprises Pontiac)
• The 1989, 1991, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002 and 2006 NWMT champion.
• Has 70 wins, 43 poles and 268 top 10s in 398 career starts … Holds NWMT records for most championships, wins, poles, top fives and top 10s.
• Slipped from second to fourth in the season standings after a finish of 27th at New Hampshire … Had finished in the top 10 in the first four races of the year.
• Recorded two wins (1996, 97) and three top fives in four NWMT starts at The Glen.
• Has a win (1998) and seven top 10s in nine NKNPS East starts at Lime Rock.
Todd Szegedy (No. 2 Wisk/Snuggle/UNOH Ford)
• The 2003 NWMT champion … Has 13 wins, six poles and 82 top 10s in 128 career starts.
• Is third in points after five races with four top fives … Best finish was third at Stafford (May 28) and Martinsville.
• Finished 33rd in the 2000 NWMT race at The Glen.
Jamie Tomaino (No. 99 Supreme Racing Chevrolet)
• The 1990 NWMT champion … Has three wins, six poles and 236 top 10s in 516 career starts.
• Has missed only five of the 521 races in the history of the NWMT (1985-present) and is currently the only driver to record starts in each of the 26 years of the NWMT.
• Is 25th in points after two races … Best finish was 14th at Stafford on May 28.
• Finished in the top 10 in two of his six NWMT road course starts at The Glen.
Sources: Jason Cunningham/NASCAR WMT PR