Christopher Wants to Extend Late-Season Hot Streak
THOMPSON — Mike Christopher Jr. was so hot at the end of the 2018 Stafford Speedway season, he doesn’t want the story to end.
So he’ll be heading to the New London-Waterford Speedbowl for the first time this season to compete in the 80-lap SK Modified feature at The Finale which will take place Saturday and Sunday. There will be 15 divisions of race cars in action over the two days, including the SK Modifieds.
“I don’t have a doubt in my mind we’re going to have a good car,” Christopher said. “The biggest thing at Waterford is that, everything is faster and everything is tighter. But it’s a lot harder to pass. It’s all about knowing how to race there. It’s a lot harder to pass in an SK Modified than it was in a Legends car. But I’m not worried. We should be alright.”
Few drivers know how to pass in a Legends car more efficiently than Christopher does. In the 2014 season, he racked up 25 victories on his way to both the Wednesday and Saturday Legends championship. Those 25 wins are a Speedbowl record for most wins in a season, breaking the old record of 24 set by Keith Rocco in 2013 and 2014.
Christopher then shifted gears to the Modifieds at Stafford for the next four seasons.
This season he was able to turn the corner in the Modifieds, driving a car formerly driven by his late uncle, the legendary Ted Christopher.
Christopher posted four wins, including the last three races of the season to finish third in the standings.
“We finished so well at Stafford, we decided to go to Thompson for the World Series,” Christopher said. “And we had a fast car there, so we decided to go to Waterford.”
The car that Christopher ran at Thompson, however, wasn’t the same car he used for his three-race winning streak. He was driving the Stafford car he used the previous three years. He squeezed some dazzling results out of it, however.
“I never raced at Thompson before, but the car was fast,” Christopher said. “We had the fastest car in practice on Friday. We started the feature 19th and got all the way to third on the last lap. But then it was all about the driver.”
Christopher got into trouble trying to torpedo underneath the second place car, Ryan Preece, on the final lap and wound up finishing out of the Top 10.
“I figured I had nothing to lose,” Christopher said. “So I tried that move. But we did get as far as third place, so that was encouraging.”
His Modified career at Waterford is limited to one race — filling in for Ted Christopher in the Doug DiPisa owned car No. 13.
“But we were fast that day,” Christopher said. “I do know the track well because of all the wins I had in a Legend. That knowledge should help me.”
Christopher’ sponsors include Mohawk Northeast, Eagle Fence and Guardrail, Napraco and Craig Equipment Corp.
Christopher says he’s going to the Speedbowl for one reason — to win.
“That’s the mentality you have to have, to go for a win,” Christopher said. “That’s what we did at Thompson and that’s what we’re going to do at Waterford. It will definitely be a show.”
Especially if Christopher’s hot streak can last for one more week
Speedbowl notes
Sunday’s SK feature promises to be the most competitive of the season. Bryan Narducci, NASCAR’s Division III champion, will be driving a car Todd Owen has driven all year at Stafford Motor Speedway.
Ronnie Williams, the 2018 Stafford SK champ, is expected to drive the No. 41 SK Modified normally driven by Matt Hirschman. Also expected to compete is Chase Dowling, the winner of the Whelen Modified Tour Musket 250, driving a car normally driven by Joey Ternulo. And former Speedbowl Legends champ Cory DiMatteo is scheduled to drive his No. 6 SK,
The newcomers will be taking on the Speedbowl regulars, led by point leader Kyle James, Todd Own and Rob Janovic, who are tied for second, Andrew Molleur and Matt Galko.
The CT Pro 4 Modified championship could go down to the final turn of the final lap when its feature takes place Saturday. Brett Meservey leads the leads the way with 254 points, but isn’t expected to attend the Finale. Randy Cabral has 252 points in second, while Doug Merservey has 233. P.J. Peters has wrapped up the Lite Division with 312 points.
Press release from the New London-Waterford Speedbowl
Contact Mike Serluca at mikes@speedbowlct.com
Sources: Mike Serluca/New London-Waterford Speedbowl PR.