Christopher Builds On Stafford Legacy
Connecticut Racer Extends Track Titles Record To Nine
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – For the most successful driver in the long and storied history of Connecticut’s Stafford Motor Speedway, Ted Christopher has little left to accomplish. At this point it’s just about round numbers.
“Somebody asked me at the beginning of the year if there was any goal I was looking for,” Christopher said. “I said, ‘Well I would like to get to 10, but I’ve got to get to nine first’. So now I guess I’ve got to look for 10 in the next couple of years.”
Already Stafford’s winningest driver in terms of both race victories and championships, Christopher enhanced his legacy with a ninth NASCAR Whelen All-American Series title at the historic half-mile in 2014.
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The end result may have been familiar for Christopher, but the process to reach No. 9 was decidedly different than Nos. 1-8.
Christopher’s longtime right hand man on the No. 13 Long Island Freightliner Chevrolet SK Modified is Michael O’Sullivan, who has served as the team’s crew chief for all but the first Stafford titles. With Christopher focused 9-to-5 on his bustling transmission repair business, O’Sullivan has kept the cars in order going on two decades, but the 44-year-old suffered a mid-season stroke that rocked the team.
While O’Sullivan recovered, Christopher had to move forward with a huge void to fill. He had taken the SK Modified points lead for the first time the night before O’Sullivan’s stroke, but it would be a battle down to the very last lap of the season with Ryan Preece for the championship.
In the Sept. 28 season finale, Christopher needed to finish third or better to secure the title, but a quarter of the way through the feature things weren’t looking good as Preece led and Christopher was penalized to the tail end.
“I was pretty depressed when I was back there in 25th,” Christopher said. “I was like ‘Oh man, I just threw this deal away,’ but I never give up until the checkered flag waves.”
Through the final 30 laps the Plainville, Connecticut, driver put the experience and patience that he’s acquired through the years to good work and methodically worked his way back. Preece won the race, but Christopher finished third.
The final championship margin was two points for Christopher; O’Sullivan was at the track and made it down to Victory Lane to join in the jubilation.
“This one was special because of the situation with Mike,” Christopher said. “That was a trying thing, but a lot of people on the team stepped up, friends pitched in and a lot of people came on board and helped us get through that.”
It was a different route to a title on the track as well for Christopher, who possesses a track record 122 career feature wins, including 101 in the SK Modified division, but a June 27 triumph was his only checkered flag of 2014. In 17 outings, however, his lowest finish was ninth.
“It was also different because we only won one race, but we were so consistent and we finished every race in the top 10,” Christopher said. “That’s how you win championships.
“There was one year where I won nine out of 13 features and didn’t win the championship. Winning races is one thing, but to win championships you’ve got to be consistent.”
For a 56-year-old driver that wore the tag of “wreckers or checkers” earlier in his career, the maturation has materialized profitably with seven titles in the last 15 years.
“It’s unfortunate that when you get older, all people look at is your age and what you probably shouldn’t do, and not what I actually do,” Christopher said. “I’m not your normal 56-year-old.”
But still, at 56, the questions naturally start to surface about how much longer he’ll continue to compete. Despite the ever-increasing time required to manage his business, Christopher retains a strong desire to race, and he’s already looking forward to a title defense in 2015.
It’s been a long and sustained record of success at Stafford for Christopher, whose name adorns a section of the frontstretch grandstand. His first title there came in 1987. He doesn’t really get sentimental about it, but the bond Christopher has formed through the years with the track and its management, the Arute family, is deep.
“When I first started there, it was a tough road for me,” Christopher said. “Jack Arute [Sr.] was always tough on me, but tough in a good way, and it paid off in the end because Stafford has been a great place for me and I’m glad I have a great history there. It’s always a special place for me.”
So back to those round numbers – in addition to a 10th Stafford title, Christopher also lists reaching 100 feature wins at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park as another goal. He has 98 entering the northeast Connecticut oval’s season-ending events on Oct. 18-19, where he will contend for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour title in addition to running the Whelen All-American Series Sunoco Modified finale.
In addition, Christopher’s 13th career Whelen All-American Series track championship now has him tied with NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee Larry Phillips and Donny Reuvers for fourth-most in the program’s history, a fact previously unbeknownst to him.
“Oh really,” Christopher exclaimed when informed of the company he now keeps. “Larry Phillips, I remember him, he was amazing.
“Well, I guess that’s another goal. Maybe I can look at getting a few more championships then.”
Christopher will be recognized alongside champions from each of the 58 NASCAR-sanctioned tracks at the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Awards on Dec. 12 in the Charlotte (North Carolina) Convention Center at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Sources: Jason Cunningham/NASCAR PR