CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler Event Info Bulletin
EVENT INFORMATION BULLETIN
31st ANNUAL CARQUEST TECH-NET SPRING SIZZLER
SATURDAY & SUNDAY, APRIL 27 & 28, 2002
2002 CARQUEST TECH-NET SPRING SIZZLER
NASCAR FEATHERLITE MODIFIED SERIES EVENT NOTEBOOK
• The 31st annual CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler will represent race 2 of 19 for the NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series on their 2002 schedule of events.
• Posted awards for the CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler total $77,575.
• Stafford Motor Speedway Broadcasting will provide live, worldwide audio coverage of the CARQUEST Spring Sizzler. The event will be aired worldwide on www.staffordspeedway.com via Yahoo! Broadcast.com.
• Sarah Fisher, voted as the most popular Indy Racing League competitor last season, will serve as grand marshal for the CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler, and will send the Featherlite Modified Series field on it’s way by uttering the most famous words in motorsports, “Gentleman, start your engines!”
• Jeff Fuller, the 1991 Spring Sizzler winner, and 1992 FMS Champion, will return to Stafford for the Spring Sizzler, driving the #17 owned by Ed Whelen. He has 31 career FMS victories, good for 3rd place on the all-time FMS winners list, with 5 victories coming at Stafford.
• John Blewett, III is the defending champion of the CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler. The win was the first Sizzler win for Blewett, and his 2nd career win at Stafford. He also won the 2000 ASB American Classic 150.
• As of April 18, 2002, Stafford Motor Speedway has received 46 entries for the CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler.
• The CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler can be seen on a tape delayed basis on SPEED Channel on Monday, May 6 at 8:00 p.m. as part of SPEED Channel’s “Racing Across America” Series.
• Bud Pole qualifying will commence at 1:00PM Saturday. The fastest 28 cars from time trials, will transfer to Sunday’s CARQUEST Spring Sizzler. Fastest qualifier will draw to determine redraw of top 6, 8, or 10 cars. Four provisional starting positions based on 2000 FMS point standings and owner attempts are available. A past champion’s provisional is also available to make up the 33 car starting field.
• Mike Ewanitsko holds the Stafford Motor Speedway – NFMS track qualifying record of 18.102 seconds – 99.437 mph. Ewanitsko set this mark during the 2001 CARQUEST Fall Final weekend.
• The CARQUEST Spring Sizzler will mark the first of four appearances by the NFMS at Stafford Motor Speedway in 2002. The NFMS returns May 24th, August 23rd, and September 29th.
• Last year’s NFMS winners at Stafford Motor Speedway were John Blewett, III (CARQUEST Spring Sizzler), Mike Ewanitsko (Connecticut Classic), Mike Stefanik (ASB American Classic) and Ted Christopher (CARQUEST 300 – Fall Final).
• The CARQUEST Spring Sizzler will mark the 63rd Featherlite Modified Series event held at Stafford Motor Speedway and 383rd event overall since the series’ inception in 1985.
• Richie Evans won the first Featherlite Modified Series event held at Stafford Motor Speedway – the April 14, 1985 Spring Sizzler.
2001 CARQUEST SPRING SIZZLER RECAP
• Ed Flemke, Jr. was the Bud Pole winner during last year’s CARQUEST Spring Sizzler. Flemke’s pole time was 18.383 seconds – 97.917 mph.
• John Blewett, III is the defending champion of this event. Blewett’s margin of victory last year was 1.52 seconds over Reggie Ruggerio. He started 21st and led the final 18 of 200 laps to record his first career Spring Sizzler victory. Blewett took over the lead of the race for the first time on lap-183 of 200 when Mike Stefanik and Rick Fuller made contact while battling for the lead. He then drove away from Reggie Ruggerio and Ted Christopher in the closing laps to take the win.
• 2001’s top-ten finishers were: (1) John Blewett, III, (2) Reggie Ruggerio, (3) Ted Christopher, (4) Jerry Marquis, (5) Tony Hirschman, (6) Mike Stefanik, (7) Robbie Summers, (8) Charlie Pasteryak, (9) Chris Kopec, and (10) Jamie Tomaino.
• Ted Christopher led the most laps in last year’s race. He led 148 of 200 laps. Time of the race was 1 hour, 37 minutes and 17 seconds, at an average speed of 61.676 mph. There were 10 caution periods for 50 laps. 4 drivers exchanged the lead on 5 occasions. 7 of 33 cars finished on the lead lap.
CARQUEST SPRING SIZZLER HISTORY
• The CARQUEST Spring Sizzler is the longest continuously run NFMS event in the country. á This will be the 31st annual CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler. The first Spring Sizzler was held in 1972 and was won by Fred DeSarro.
• 18 different drivers have won the CARQUEST Spring Sizzler. Multiple CARQUEST Spring Sizzler winners include Mike Stefanik (4), Richie Evans (3), Maynard Troyer (3), Rick Fuller (3), Mike Ewanitsko (2), Reggie Ruggerio (2) and Greg Sacks (2).
• Former CARQUEST Spring Sizzler winners who have filed entries in 2001 include John Blewett, III (’01), Ted Christopher (’88), Jeff Fuller (’91), Rick Fuller (’92, ’99, ’00), Bob Polverari (’81), and Mike Stefanik (’89, ’90, ’97, ’98).
• Reggie Ruggiero holds three different Spring Sizzler career records. He has the most career starts in the race (19), most career top-5 finishes (11), and most career top-10 finishes (13).
• Rick Fuller holds the CARQUEST Spring Sizzler 200-lap average speed record of 79.382 mph set in 1992.
2002 CARQUEST TECH-NET SPRING SIZZLER
NASCAR WEEKLY RACING SERIES EVENT NOTEBOOK
• Stafford Motor Speedway has formed their own television production company, SMS Images & Teleproductions. SMS Images will be producing a 30-minute television show that will be featured weekly on NESN every Friday afternoon at 3:00 beginning May 10.
• Stafford Motor Speedway Broadcasting will provide live, worldwide audio coverage of the CARQUEST Spring Sizzler. The event will be aired worldwide via Yahoo! Broadcast.com.
• Reliable Welding & Speed, of Enfield, has become the presenting sponsor of the SMS Rookie of the Year award. Reliable Welding & Speed will present a $700 bonus to the SK Modified Rookie of the Year, and $500 to the Late Model Rookie of the Year. SMS currently has 9 SK Modified and 13 Late Model rookie drivers registered to race this season.
• Stafford Motor Speedway SK Modified contingency partners include: CARQUEST Auto Parts, All American Auto Glass, Dillon Ford, and New England Race Fuels – Sunoco Brand.
•Late Model contingency partners include CARQUEST Auto Parts, Atlantic Coast Trailer Sales, New England Race Fuels – Sunoco Brand, and the Lisa/Lisa contingency presented by Mike & Kathy Barry.
•Stafford Motor Speedway Coors Light 21 Means 21 SK Modified contingency partners include Comfort Systems USA – Hartford, and New England Race Fuels – Sunoco Brand.
• Last year’s Spring Sizzler winners were Willie Hardie (SK Modified twin-40 sweep), Gary Pelletier (Coors Light 21 Means 21), Mike Quintiliano (Late Model) and Mike Gigantino (DARE Stock).
• Ted Christopher is the two time defending Stafford Motor Speedway – SK Modified champion. Christopher is also the two-time defending NASCAR Weekly Racing Series presented by Dodge New England Regional champion, and he is also the defending WRS national champion.
• Christopher pocketed over $165,000 for winning the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series National and New England Region championships last year.
• Jim Peterson is the defending Late Model track champion. He posted 5 wins, 14 top-5, and 19 top-10 finishes in 20 starts to collect his first career Late Model track championship at SMS.
• 189 total number requests have been submitted for the 2002 racing season at SMS. 75 numbers in the SK Modified division, 58 numbers in the Late Model division, and 56 numbers in the DARE Stock division.
• The SK Modified division had 9 different winners in 22 races last season: Lloyd Agor (2), Eric Berndt (2), Ted Christopher (9), Chuck Docherty, Willie Hardie (3), Jeff Malave, Kerry Malone, Todd Szegedy, Jimmy Williams (2).
• The Late Model division had 10 different winners in 20 races last season: Marc Atkinson, Bob Botticello, Conrad Cote, Scott Garrity, Jim Peterson (5), Woody Pitkat (2), Mike Quintiliano (2), Jay Stuart (4), John Yale, Jr. (2), and Chuck Zentarski (2).
• The DARE Stock division had 12 different winners in 17 races last season: Stacey Botticello, Mike Como, Jr. (2), Gerry Durand (2), Mike Gigantino, Scott Hitchcock (2), Bill Kauffman, Dan King, Bobby Leone (2), Tom McNamee, Norman Sears (2), Gary Spinnato, Jr., and P.J. Zarrella.
2001 FINAL SK MODIFIED CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
2001 FINAL LATE MODEL CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
FINAL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR STANDINGS:
SK Modified Division
1. Donny Travaglin 674
2. Wayne Bellefleur 430
3. Gary Pelletier 342
4. John Sandberg 310
5. Jay Miller 266
Late Model Divison
1. Scott Cook 358
2. Herb Carlon 170
3. Steve McQuillan 138
4. Dave Birkenshaw 78
5. John Bowes 24
• NEXT EVENT: Friday, May 3, 2002 NASCAR Weekly Racing Series – Opening Friday Night – Main Events 8:00PM
Sources: Scott Running/Stafford Motor Speedway PR