Variety of Motor Packages Coming to Tri Track Debut at Stafford Looking for $10,000 Check
SEEKONK, Mass. — When the Tri Track Open Modified Series rolls into Stafford Motor Speedway on Saturday for the Call Before You Dig Modified Classic 81, a variety of different motor packages will come with the top talent in Modified racing to chase a $10,000 winning prize.
As previously released by Tri Track ahead of the Monadnock date in August, there are multiple different motor packages possible for each event. At Stafford, it will be no different. With talent coming from multiple different divisions, there will be various engine packages, and all of them will have a shot to take a purse of over $57,000 with contingency and additional bonuses included.
There will be a 21-degree Dart Spec Head Tour-Type motor under the hood of the No. 00 for Jimmy Paige and driver Justin Bonsignore and others in the field, while various drivers will compete with an 18-degree Tour-Type engine, including names like series points leader Matt Hirschman, Woody Pitkat, Mike Christopher Jr., Ron Silk, Todd Owen and more.
There will also be a collection of drivers using the approved NASCAR spec motor that runs on the Whelen Modified Tour – with names like Matt Swanson, Blake Barney, Calvin Carroll, Dave Sapienza, Andy Jankowiak, Chris Pasteryak and more taking that route. Additional motor packages in the field will include the 23-degree Tour-Type motor with drivers like Craig Lutz, the Dart Steel Head Engine and a FORD motor.
“A variety of different packages like this with top talent is what makes open modified racing so fun to watch for our fans,” Ed Bennett, Managing Partner of the Tri Track Open Modified Series, said.
As with every other event, different motor packages require different weights to keep a level playing field. Per the Tri Track rulebook, cars come to the track with a package that they wish to run and most conform to the current rules. There are Tour Type Modified engines, SK Modified and Sportsman Modified motors, DART Steel Head engines, NASCAR spec engines and more in the field. Depending on the motor combination a team runs, their overall car weight might be different. For example, Tour Type Modified motors that are between 355ci-364ci are 2,610 pounds on the scales. Those between 365ci-372ci are 2,600 pounds, while a NASCAR Modified Tour spec engine must be 2,660 pounds. The DART Steel Head engine must be 2,650 pounds.
The talent lining up to compete is going to put this race on a field in its own as the top Modified event in 2020. NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champions Justin Bonsignore (2020, 2018), six-time champ Doug Coby and Ron Silk are joined by top Tri Track names like Woody Pitkat, Chase Dowling, Ronnie Williams, Les Hinckley, Richard Savary and more. A full, updated entry list as of Tuesday morning is available on the Stafford Motor Speedway website.
With different motors, there are also different engine builders in the field, with names like Hutter, Performance Technology, Bob Bruneau Engines, Mike Pettit Engines, Billy the Kid Race Engines and more building for competition. Although there is a bit of a weight difference between some of the motors, it doesn’t show on the track, with different packages winning and running at the front.
See below the story for a full list of which teams are planning to bring which motor to the race.
For more information on Stafford Motor Speedway, visit staffordmotorspeedway.
For more information on the Tri Track Open Modified Series, visit tritrackmodifieds.com, and follow the series on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
MOTOR PACKAGES EXPECTED: TRI TRACK AT STAFFORD:
00 – Justin Bonsignore – 21-Degree Dart Spec Head Tour-Type Built Motor
00 – Tommy Membrino Jr. — 18-Degree Tour-Type engine
06 – Les Hinckley – 23-Degree Aluminum Tour-Type engine
1 – Joey Cipriano — 18-Degree Tour-Type engine
2X – Paul Kubesha — 18-Degree Tour
3 – Matt Galko — 23-Degree Aluminum Tour-Type engine
3 – Matt Swanson – NASCAR Spec Engine
6 – Woody Pitkat — 18-Degree Tour
7NY – Mike Christopher Jr. — 18-Degree Tour-Type engine
8 – Nick Salva — 18-Degree Tour-Type engine
8 – Cam McDermott — 18-Degree Tour-Type engine
9 – Tommy Barrett Jr. — 18-Degree Tour-Type engine
9 – Chase Dowling – NASCAR Spec Engine
11NC – Burt Myers – FORD Motor
11 – Matt Vassar – 18-Degree Tour-Type engine
13 – Dylan Izzo — 18-Degree Tour-Type engine
14 – Blake Barney – NASCAR Spec Engine
20 – Max Zachem — 18-Degree Tour-
21 – DRIVER TBA (Art Barry’s car) — 18-Degree Tour-Type engine
23 – Troy Talman — 18-Degree Tour-Type engine
25 – Doug Coby — 23-Degree Aluminum Tour-Type engine
25 – Calvin Carroll – NASCAR Spec Engine
25 – Brian Robbie — 18-Degree Tour-Type engine
25CT – Anthony Flannery — 18-Degree Tour-Type engine
33 – Michael Gervais Jr. — DART Steel Head Engine
34 – Dave Ethridge — 18-Degree Tour-Type engine
35 – Andrew Molleur — DART Steel Head Engine
36 – Dave Sapienza — NASCAR Spec Engine
44 – Trevor Bleau — 18-Degree Tour-Type engine
44 – Anthony Sesely — 21-Degree Dart Spec Head Tour-Type Built Motor
46 – Craig Lutz — 23-Degree Aluminum Tour-Type engine
48 – Marcello Rufrano — DART Steel Head Engine
50 – Ronnie Williams — 23-Degree Aluminum Tour-Type engine
50 — Ron Silk — 18-Degree Tour-Type engine
50 – Noah Korner — 18-Degree Tour-Type engine
55 – Ryan Doucette — 21-Degree Dart Spec Head Tour-Type Built Motor
57 – Keith Rocco — DART Steel Head Engine
58 – Eric Goodale — 21-Degree Dart Spec Head Tour-Type Built Motor
59 – Andy Jankowiak – NASCAR Spec Engine
60 – Matt Hirschman — 18-Degree Tour-Type engine
66 – Austin Kochenash — 18-Degree Tour-Type engine
74 – Manny Dias — 18-Degree Tour-Type engine
74 – Shawn Thibeault — 18-Degree Tour-Type engine
75 – Chris Pasteryak – NASCAR Spec Engine
76 – Kirk Alexander — 21-Degree Dart Spec Head Tour-Type Built Motor
176 – Cory DiMatteo — 18-Degree Tou
78 – Walter Sutcliffe Jr. — 18-Degree Tour-Type engine
81 – Todd Owen — 18-Degree Tour-Type engine
92 – Anthony Nocella — 23-Degree Aluminum Tour-Type engine
99 – Richard Savary — 21-Degree Dart Spec Head Tour-Type Built Motor
Sources: SOUZA MEDIA/KYLE SOUZA