Statistical Advance: Analyzing the CARQUEST Fall Final at Stafford Motor Speedway
Daytona Beach, FL — The next-to-last race of the 2010 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season is slated for Sunday, Oct. 3 with the CARQUEST Fall Final at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway.
At Stafford Motor Speedway:
History
• The Stafford Springs Agricultural Park opened in 1870 … The current race track was originally used for horse racing, which gave way to automobiles after World War II.
• Stafford Motor Speedway became a NASCAR track in 1959 and was paved in 1967.
• The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour has held 97 races at SMS since the Tour began in 1985 … The NWMT has run there every year of its existence, except for 1988.
• The 97 all-time NWMT races at SMS rank second only to the 111 held at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway.
Notebook
• There have been 30 different race winners at SMS, led by Mike Stefanik’s 20 victories.
• There have been 37 different pole winners at SMS, led by Stefanik’s 15.
• Ted Christopher, Bobby Santos and Todd Szegedy have won the first three races of the year at SMS.
• Santos earned the first two poles of the year at SMS and set the track pole record in the Spring Sizzler … Ron Silk earned his first SMS pole in the August race.
• The preliminary entry list for the CARQUEST Fall Final includes nine drivers who have won at SMS during their careers.
Stafford Motor Speedway Data
Race: #13 of 14 overall, #4 of 4 at SMS
Track Layout: .5-mile asphalt oval
Banking: 9 degrees in Turns 1 & 2, 7.5 degrees in Turns 3 & 4
Race Length: 150 laps / 75 miles
Qualifying/Race Data
2009 Pole Winner: Donny Lia (18.579 seconds, 96.884 mph)
2009 Race Winner: Donny Lia (1 hr. 14 min. 4 sec., 61.971 mph)
Qualifying Record: Bobby Santos (17.965 seconds, 100.195 mph, 5/1/10)
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 SMS. 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.
• Todd Szegedy earned the pole and led all but four laps in the inaugural race at Lime Rock Park on July 3, but Dale Quarterley wound up with the checkered flag.
• In the NWMT’s first trip to Monadnock Speedway since 1990, Christopher edged pole winner Erick Rudolph for the checkered flag on July 17.
• Rowan Pennink earned his first career NWMT win at Riverhead Raceway on July 31 while George Brunnhoelzl III also captured his first career Coors Light Pole Award.
• Szegedy ended the longest winless drought of his career when he took the checkered flag at SMS on Aug. 6. Ron Silk earned his first career SMS pole prior to the race.
• Christopher won for the third time in 2010 with his triumph at TIS on Aug. 12. He also earned the pole award prior to the race.
• Newman returned to Victory Lane the last two times out at Bristol Motor Speedway and NHMS. Justin Bonsignore earned his first career pole at BMS while Newman had the NHMS pole.
• Santos brings a seven-point lead on Stefanik in the season standings to SMS. The top four in the standings are separated by 94 points.
• The 2010 season will conclude with the Sunoco World Series of Speedway Racing on Sunday, Oct. 17 at TIS.
Selected Driver Highlights:
Eric Beers (No. 76 Horwith Freightliner Chevrolet)
• Has two wins, nine poles and 59 top 10s in 151 career starts.
• Is 10th in points with six top 10s in 12 races.
• Has 15 top 10s, a best finish of second and an average finish of 13th in 32 career starts at Stafford Motor Speedway.
Eric Berndt (No. 54 North End Auto Parts Chevrolet)
• Has a poles and five top 10s in 38 career starts … The pole came at SMS in 2009.
• Has three top 10s is six starts this year … Best finish was fourth at Monadnock Speedway.
• Has two top 10s, a best finish of sixth and an average finish of 21st in 17 career starts at SMS.
• Led a career-high 101 laps in the second SMS race.
Jimmy Blewett (No. 14 Ling Trucking/Atlantic Sprinkler Chevrolet)
• Has five wins, a pole and 25 top 10s in 77 career starts.
• Has two top 10s in eight starts this year … Best finish was second in the second SMS race.
• Has two wins, eight top 10s and an average finish of 15th in 20 career starts at SMS.
Ted Christopher (No. 36 Al-Lee Installations Chevrolet)
• The 2008 NWMT champion … Has 37 wins and 22 poles in 291 career starts … His 37 wins rank third all-time and his 22 poles are ninth … Has at least one win in 12-straight seasons.
• Has three wins and seven top fives this year … Is third in points, 70 behind Bobby Santos.
• Has 10 wins, four poles, 36 top 10s and an average finish of 14th in 71 NWMT starts at SMS.
• The winningest driver in SMS history across all divisions and series at 110, he has won NWMT races there in nine of the last 11 years.
James Civali (No. 79 Hill Enterprises/Coors Light/Sunoco Pontiac)
• The 2006 NWMT Sunoco Rookie of the Year … Has four wins, a pole and 29 top 10s in 56 starts.
• Has four top 10s in nine starts this year with best finishes of sixth in the SMS Spring Sizzler and at Martinsville Speedway.
• Has 10 top 10s and an average finish of 11th in 14 starts at SMS … First win came there in 2006.
• Is leading the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour standings by three points on Andy Seuss with one race remaining … Has two wins and eight top 10s in nine 2010 NWSMT starts.
Eric Goodale (No. 58 JT’s Lumber/Perimeters for the Home Chevrolet)
• The 2009 NWMT Sunoco Rookie of the Year … Has 10 top 10s in 27 career starts.
• Is seventh in points with six top 10s … Has finished in the top 10 in five-straight races.
• Has an average finish of 16th and a best finish of seventh in eight career starts at SMS.
Chuck Hossfeld (No. 59 Ed Bennett Properties Chevrolet)
• Has seven wins, nine poles and 72 top 10s in 125 career starts.
• Is ninth in points with six top 10s and a best finish of seventh on three occasions.
• Has a win, two poles, 18 top 10s and an average finish of 11th in 29 career starts at SMS.
Woody Pitkat (No. 28 Ramar-Hall/TSI Harley-Davidson Chevrolet)
• Has 15 top 10s in 42 career starts.
• Is 13th in 2010 points with a pair of top 10s.
• Has four top 10s in 10 career NWMT starts at SMS with an average finish of 16th and a best finish of seventh.
• Has 50 career NASCAR Whelen All-American Series wins at SMS.
Ryan Preece (No. 3 Davidson Co./Mizzy Construction Chevrolet)
• Has four poles, three wins and 27 top 10s in 55 career starts.
• Is sixth in points with six top 10s … Best finish of the year was second at Riverhead Raceway.
• Has a win, a pole, six top 10s and an average finish of 15th in 14 career starts at SMS.
Dale Quarterley (No. 52 Furnace & Duct Supply Chevrolet)
• Has three top 10s in five career starts … This will be his first NWMT race at SMS.
• Won at Lime Rock Park, finished seventh overall at Bristol and was sixth at New Hampshire.
• Had seven top 10s, including two third’s, in 18 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East starts at SMS.
Erick Rudolph (No. 98 Mohawk Northeast/Original Pizza Logs Chevrolet)
• Has a win, a pole and 18 top 10s in 33 career starts.
• Is eighth in points with six top 10s … Best finish was second at Monadnock.
• Has four top 10s, a best finish of fourth and an average finish of 15th in 10 starts at SMS.
Bobby Santos (No. 4 “Mystic Missile” Dodge)
• Has four wins, three poles and 21 top 10s in 41 career starts.
• Has led in points through 11 of the first 12 races … Has three wins, three poles and nine top 10s.
• Has a win, two poles, three top 10s and an average finish of 18th in eight starts at SMS.
Ron Silk (No. 6 T.S. Haulers/Calverton Tree Farm Chevrolet)
• Has four wins, two poles and 38 top 10s in 79 career starts.
• Is fourth in points with seven top fives … Recorded best career SMS finish, third, in August.
• Has four top 10s and an average of 20th in 20 SMS starts.
Mike Stefanik (No. 16 Diversified Metals/R.B. Enterprises Pontiac)
• The 1989, 1991, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002 and 2006 NWMT champion.
• Holds NWMT records for most titles (7), wins (70), poles (43), top fives (209) and top 10s (274).
• Is second in points, seven behind Bobby Santos, with 10 top 10s this year.
• Has 20 wins, 15 poles, 64 top 10s and an average finish of seventh in 81 starts at SMS.
Todd Szegedy (No. 2 Wisk/Snuggle Ford)
• The 2003 NWMT champion … Has 14 wins, seven poles and 86 top 10s in 135 career starts.
• Is fifth in points with eight top 10s, highlighted by a win at SMS in August.
• Has four wins, two poles, 24 top 10s and an average finish of eighth in 35 starts at SMS.
Sources: Jason Cunningham/NASCAR WMT PR