Canaan, NH — True Value Modified Racing Series founder and president Jack Bateman has announced that True Value Company, and various New England stores, will return as the signature sponsor…
Read moreCanaan, NH — To say that defending True Value Modified Racing Series champion Chris Pasteryak is excited over the opportunity that’s come his way would be an understatement. Three weeks…
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Winchester, NH — Point leader and defending series champion Kirk Alexander, Swanzey, NH., returned to his home race track Saturday night, started last in a 26 car field, passed cross town rival Rob Goodenough on lap 86, to win the” Bond Auto Parts 100″ in front of a near capacity crowd at Monadnock Speedway. The True Value Modified Racing Series event was Alexander’s 28th career victory and his third season opening win at the track known as “The Dog.”
Pole sitter Chris Pasteryak, Lisbon, CT., set a torrid pace holding off the constant challenges of 2007 Rookie of the Year, Peter Jarvis, Acutney,VT., Jarvis stayed within striking distance of Pasteryak with Bryan Shumway, Belchertown, MA., last years winner, Les Hinckley, Windsor Locks, CT., and 2006 champion Dwight Jarvis,Ascutney, in hot pursuit.
Waterford, CT — The top two “interested” finishers in Saturday night’s 35-lap SK-Modified feature will have “guaranteed” spots in the May 3 Connecticut Army National Guard True Value Modified Series 100. This continues a unique relationship between the ‘Bowl and TVMS.
The SK feature tops a five-division program that also includes a 30-lap Late Model feature and 20 lappers for the Sportsman, Mini Stock and Legends divisions. Qualifying starts at 5 PM.
Defending champion Kirk Alexander, Swanzey, NH., jumped into the lead on lap three and roared to victory in the” Governors Cup 100″ modified race Sunday afternoon at Lee USA Speedway, Lee NH. The win was Alexander’s 27th career victory with the touring series.
Despite early race pressure from Ted Christopher, Plainville, CT, and then David Pinkham, Buxton, ME, the three-time champion survived a caution plagued race that was once stopped for an overheating racer that sprayed water on the racing surface resulting in six cars retired to the pit area. Pinkham settled for second followed by E.Hartland CT’s Dale Evonsion, Madison,CT.,veteran Mike Holdridge, and Jon McKennedy, Chelmsford, MA. making up the top five.
[Photo Gallery] by Leif Tillotson
Canaan NH — The 2008 season for New England’s True Value Modified Racing Series gets the green flag this Sunday April 20, when the touring division invades the 3/8 mile Lee USA Speedway, Lee, NH., for 100 laps of green flag racing. The inaugural event, the first of 19 races scheduled for the new season, will be part of the annual “Governors Cup 200,” a special opening day race at the N.H.seacoast speedway. The TVMRS, now in its fifth year, will share top billing with the popular American-Canadian Tour for late model stock cars. The ACT will also compete in a 100 lap race.
Sunday’s event is also the first of eight guaranteed-starter races for the “Sunoco Race Fuels Mod-Mania 400” Sept. 6, 7 at Connecticut’s Thompson International Speedway.
Seven-time and defending American-Canadian Tour Late Model stock car champion Jean-Paul Cyr of Milton, VT will trade in his fenders at Lee USA Speedway on Sunday, April 20. Cyr will run both halves of the “New Hampshire Governor’s Cup 200,” racing the 100-lap features for both the ACT Late Model Tour and the open-wheel True Value Modified Racing Series.
Although he is more widely recognized for his success in full-fendered Late Model racing, Cyr is a veteran of the ground-pounding modifieds. He raced with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in 1998-99, capturing a pole position at Pennsylvania’s Jennerstown Speedway and a top-five finish at the Richmond Int’l Raceway in Virginia. Cyr will race for True Value Modified veteran driver/owner Gary Casella of Saugus, MA.
With one of the snowiest New England winters on record, The True Value Modified Racing Series has been forced to restructure its plans for the start of the new season as a recent snowfall and an abundant amount of remaining snow forced the postponement of the season opener at Monadnock Speedway, Winchester, NH. The “Bond Auto Parts -Spring Dash 100” will now be run Saturday April 26 at 6 PM. Mother nature forced tour operatives to seek other race venues for their annual pre-season practice sessions to prepare for season opening events.
Series officials’ advise a practice session is scheduled for Waterford CT., Speedbowl Saturday, April 5, 12 noon to 5:00 PM. Grandstands will not be open to the public. Pit gates open at 9 AM.
Dart Becomes Official Sponsor of Steel Head Engine Bonus Program
Canaan, NH — The True Value Modified Racing Series announced today that DART Machine will become the official sponsor of the 2008 Steel Head Bonus Program. The bonus program will reward the two highest finishing competitors will a steel head motor, as well as a commitment to the series year end point fund.
“It’s a real honor to have a company like DART take an interest in our series, we look forward to a long term relationship with them” said True Value Series President Jack Bateman. “We believe that our steel head program offers our competitors an option that is affordable and competitive on the race track. As DART becomes the Official Head of the True Value Modified Racing Series, we welcome the opportunity to promote a great product through our series.”
Canaan, NH — In a joint announcement, True Value Modified Racing Series president Jack Bateman and Thompson International Speedway owner Donald Hoenig advise additional races have been added for this years qualifying series for “Sunoco Mod-Mania” weekend at Thompson. The annual two day event will be held Sept 6-7 at the historic oval.
New England Racing Fuels, the official Sunoco Racing Fuel supplier and sponsor for New England’s modified racing series, will again present the special qualifying events including two newly added race tracks for the 2008 campaign. This years schedule has been increased to eight races. Six drivers captured guaranteed starting positions last year.
Vermont’s Jarvis brothers will try to win for the “home” crowd
Barre, VT — The True Value Modified Racing Series will make its first appearance at Barre, VT’s Thunder Road International Speedbowl on Sunday, May 25, at the Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic.
It has been forty-three years since a fire-breathing, open-wheeled modified stock car last roared around the high banks at the “Nation’s Site of Excitement.” Forty-three years ago, those same cars created quite a bit of controversy.
May 30, 1965: The annual 30-lap Memorial Day Classic has come to Thunder Road. For the first time in the track’s six-year history, powerful overhead V8 Modifieds are allowed to race weekly against the older flathead-powered coupes of Thunder Road. Outsiders Ernie Reid and André Manny have captured the first two events of the year, dominating over Thunder Road favorites Harold “Hard Luck” Hanaford, Chester T. Woods, Tony Colicchio, Ronnie Marvin, and the famous Ingerson brothers of North Haverhill, NH.
In a joint announcement, track owner Dennis Fleury and series president Jack Bateman, the principals responsible for the inaugural event, advise the 1st annual “Ricky Miller Memorial 100,” presented by New England Outdoor Furnaces,” will be held on Sunday afternoon Sept.28th as part of the Twin State Speedway Fall Challenge, a two day event.
Miller, a Twin State (Claremont Speedway) standout for many years before moving on to the Whelen Modified Tour and the NASCAR Busch Series died at the age of 34. The popular competitor, a one time Florida racer and crew chief for noted car owner/builder Mario Fiore, would also win the last Whelen Modified Tour race at the famed Riverside Park Speedway, Agawam, MA., and claim that tracks final championship for the modified division prior to it’s 1999 closing.
The final meeting for series officials and team owners/drivers was conducted Saturday, March 8 with new race director Mike Chapman going over rules, procedures, answering questions, and introducing new staff members to those in attendance.
Series founder Jack Bateman advised members that a new policy for heat race lineups is in effect for the new campaign. Starting positions will be determined by drawing for position. It was felt that race teams that are not able to compete at each event would benefit from the decision. Finishes in heat races and consi events will still determine feature lineups.
Concord, NC — Most racecar drivers spend Thursday nights preparing for their busy weekends at the track. This season, Bobby Grigas III will instead spend those evenings moonlighting as the driver of a Sunoco Modified in the Whelen All-American Series at Thompson International Speedway. Grigas will drive an entry owned by Jimmy Page of Blackstone, Massachusetts, in the full schedule of Sunoco Modified races for 2008.
“I’ll be driving the #00 Sunoco Modified at Thompson,” said Grigas, who raced a Late Model at the track on a regular basis earlier in his career. “I’m psyched to go back to Thompson. For the last two years, I’ve wanted to get a Sunoco Modified ride there. When we go there [with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour], I always try to watch the Sunoco Modified racing. They are so exciting and I get pumped watching that. It is hard-core racing – going out and banging wheels to win. That’s the kind of racing that I like. My parents told me that it seems like I’m even more excited about going and racing there then I am to race on the Tour.”
With Speedweeks and winter vacations behind us, the focus now switches to car shows and the countdown to opening day which is fast approaching. Racin’ Preview, the Marco Thomas produced wintertime stock car racing showcase, will take place Friday and Saturday February 22nd & 23rd at the Portland Expo in Portland Maine.
The TVMRS will be well represented with series officials on hand along with the modified race cars of both Jack Bateman and David Pinkham scheduled to be on display. Bateman will showcase his brand new SPAFCO # 17 racer while veteran car owner Tom Greeley debuts his new ride for Pinkham. The # 22 racer is a former Peter Daniels car driven briefly by Ben Rowe in TVMRS competition. By all accounts Greeley is a well liked and respected car owner that will be a nice addition to the TVMRS tour.
Canaan, NH — The True Value Modified Racing Series announced today that DART Machine will become the official sponsor of the 2008 Steel Head Bonus Program. The bonus program will reward the two highest finishing competitors will a steel head motor, as well as a commitment to the series year end point fund.
“It’s a real honor to have a company like DART take an interest in our series, we look forward to a long term relationship with them” said True Value Series President Jack Bateman. “We believe that our steel head program offers our competitors an option that is affordable and competitive on the race track. As DART becomes the Official Head of the True Value Modified Racing Series, we welcome the oppor-tunity to promote a great product through our series.”
Homecoming for the True Value Modifieds Set for Sept. 28th
Canaan, NH — In a joint announcement Dennis Fleury Owner/Promoter of Twin State Speedway and Jack Bateman president of the True Value Modified Racing series announced that on Sunday Sept. 28th the True Value Modified Racing Series will make their 1st appearance at the Claremont, N.H. 1/3 mile oval. Twin State becomes the third new venue on the 2008 True Value Modified Racing Schedule, increasing the number of races for the upcoming season to 19. The 100 lap race will be held on Sunday, Sept. 28 and will be a one day event. It will be part of an exciting two day weekend racing festival to close out the season at Twin State.
“We are pleased to add Twin State Speedway to our schedule,” said True Value Modified Racing Series President Jack Bateman. “After a long period of time and planning, and looking at race dates, we were finally able to put it together. Hopefully this is the 1st step in a long working relationship between Twin State and TVMRS. The track has a rich history for modified racing and the drivers on our series will certainly look forward to this event.”
Keene, NH — The True Value Modified Racing Series officially announced Saturday an eighteen race schedule, new sponsorships, and new racing events for the 2008 season. The announcement came at the tours winter meetings at Best Western Hotel, Keene, NH., by series president and founder Jack Bateman.
The series will kick off its new campaign at the Monadnock Speedway, Winchester, NH., on Saturday April 12 with a 100 lap feature race highlighting the season opener. The tour will visit the Winchester oval July 5, and again on Aug 23.
On Sunday April 20, the modifieds will join with the ACT Late Model Series at Lee USA Speedway, Lee, NH., for that tracks annual “Governors Cup 200.” Each division will compete in 100 lap feature races. Lee will also host the modifieds on July 11 and at their season ending Oktoberfest weekend Oct 4, 5.
Burlington, CT — New England Racing Fuels COO John Holland has announced his companies return and sponsorship support for the True Value Modified Racing Series through the 2009 season. The announcement was made in conjunction with the TVMRS winter meeting in Keene, NH.., Saturday January 12. Sunoco Race Fuels will be the official race fuel of the fifth year series.
Holland, a long time supporter of modified racing in New England and Sunoco Race Fuels, will present the touring series “Hard Charger” award at each race event in 2008. The award is presented to the competitor that passes the most cars in the series 100 lap races.
Canaan, NH —- Enthusiam and optimism for success were two key ingredients for 2007 as the True Value Modified Racing Series entered its fourth year of operation. New drivers, teams, personnel, and a first ever visit to the famed Oxford Plains Speedway, Oxford, ME., highlighted the new campaign. When the green flag dropped to kick off the new season, the Waterford Speedbowl, Waterford, CT, thanks to Mother Nature, played host to the opener for the New England based travelling modified tour. Traditionally the Monadnock Speedway draws the season opener but an uncooperative weatherman had other plans.
Local standout Rob Summers showed a strong field of competitors the fast way around the legendary speedway to notch the opening night “Town Fair 100” win. Summers took the lead on lap 34 and withstood repeated challenges from Ted Christopher, early leader Ed Dachenhausen, and runner-up Todd Patnode. Christopher eventually faded suffering mechanical problems, with Dachenhausen spinning while running second. Rounding out the top-3 was Kirk Alexander.
According to the Wiscasset Raceway web page, the True Value Modified Racing Series will race there on Saturday, June 28, 2008. It will be the third Maine venue for Jack Bateman’s open-wheeled Modified class, joining Beech Ridge in Scarborough and Oxford Plains on the 2008 schedule. The inaugural race at the midcoast Maine oval will be the second new venue joining the famed Thunder Road Speedbowl in Vermont. All-Star Speedway in Epping, NH also rejoins the schedule along with traditional venues like Monadnock.
At 3/8 mile, Wiscasset is the largest track in Maine (along with Oxford Plains) and features the highest banking, ranging from 10 to 12 degrees in the corners. The track opened in 1969 and has hosted famous Pro Stock races like the Coastal 200 and the one-off Big Dawg 400 won by Sam Sessions. Well-known track champions include Scott Chubbuck and Hall of Famer Stan Meserve. NASCAR star Ken Schrader raced a Late Model at Wiscasset and found victory lane in a pair of visits to the track, with the most recent trip coming in 2006.
Canaan, NH — The 2008 True Value Modified Racing Series Schedule was announced at the the 2008 Awards Banquet by series President Jack Bateman.
Seventeen races are on tap for the fastest growing touring series in the Northeast. The season is scheduled to begin on April 12th at Monadnock Speedway in Winchester, NH. and end at the traditional Oktoberfest at Lee USA Speedway in Lee, N.H. on October 19th.
The series will make its inaugural visit to Thunder Road Speedbowl in Barre, Vt on May 25th. It marks the first modified race at the historic ¼ mile track in over 40 years.
Chicopee, MA — Kirk Alexander of Swanzey, N.H. was honored Saturday night as the 2007 True Value Modified Racing Series Champion during the annual Awards Banquet at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Chicopee, Mass. It was the third series championship for Alexander who is also the all times series winner.
“I am very lucky to have a great team behind me”, said Alexander. “This championship is for my brother Tim, more than it is for myself.”
For the third time in four years, Swanzey, NH., modified racer Kirk Alexander will be crowned series champion when the True Value Modified Racing Series plays host to it’s 4th annual awards banquet honoring competitors for their achievements for the 2007 season . The gala event will be held Saturday Dec 1, 2007, at the Knights of Columbus Banquet Facility,
In addition to Alexander picking up top honors, a series of achievement awards will be presented. Those recipients are chosen by tour officials. The categories include Rookie of the Year, Hard Charger, Most Improved, Tough Luck, and Sportsmanship awards.
Lee, NH — Andy Seuss of Hampstead, N. H won his True Value Modified Racing Series of the 2007 season at the Lee USA Speedway Oktoberfest. Seuss passed 2007 series Champions Kirk Alexander with three laps remaining. Alexander, who had led from lap 21, had a tire go flat while leading.
“It’s been tough at times this season”, said Seuss. “I’m just glad we could have a strong run to end the year.”
Lee, NH — Chris Pasteryak of Lisbon, Conn., Ed Dachenhausen of Danbury, Conn. and Rob Goodenough of Swanzey, N.H. were the winners of the qualifying races in the True Value Modified Racing Series portion of the annual Oktoberfest at Lee USA Speedway. Those three drivers earned the first three starting positions in Sunday’s 100 lap event.
Ground-pounding, open-wheel Modified stock cars will return to Vermont in 2008, as the True Value Modified Racing Series makes its debut at Barre’s Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl during the 46th Annual Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic, Sunday, May 25. TVMRS founder and competitor Jack Bateman of Canaan, NH tested his car at the high-banked ¼-mile oval recently, and made the agreement with Thunder Road Promoter Tom Curley to bring the touring series to “The Nation’s Site of Excitement” next season for a 100-lap event as part of a doubleheader with the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Thunder Road Late Models.
“I think it’s going to be a great race,” said Bateman. “I’ve raced Thunder Road a lot in my career, but always in full-fendered cars like a Late Model or a Pro Stock. I wanted to test my Modified at the track before we made the decision to have a race there, and it went extremely well, better than I expected.”
Canaan, NH — The True Value Modified Racing Series will conclude the 2007 season with a 100-lap event on Sunday, Oct. 21 during the 22nd Annual Oktoberfest at Lee USA Speedway in Lee, N.H. Kirk Alexander of Swanzey, N.H., the newly crowned series champion, is looking forward to returning to Lee.
“I really enjoy racing at Lee,” said Alexander. “It’s a challenging track and there is a lot of room to race. The key to racing at Lee is conserving your tires.” Alexander clinched the third True Value Modified Racing Championship of his career with a second place finish at Seekonk, Mass. on Oct 7th. He will travel to Lee hoping to win the final race of the year.
Berkley, MA – When the checkered flag falls on the 2007 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season at Thompson this Sunday it will mark the end of an era in New England auto racing. Dick Houlihan, who began his racing career in 1972 at the now closed Lakeville Speedway (MA), will climb from his racecar for the final time.
Since that first start “Houly” has raced at tracks all around New England, the east coast, as far west as Indiana and even in Canada. Throughout his career he has driven for many car owners including Danny Fournier, Jim McCloud, Sam Medeiros, Frank Procopio, Bill Ambrosio, Dan Andruck, John McKenna, Lenny Ellis, Greg Paquin and Wayne Darling. Along the way Dick won over 150 Features and 9 championships including 3 NASCAR Weekly Series titles, one at Thompson in 1996 and back to back titles at Seekonk in 2002 and 2003. He was also voted the Most Popular Driver at Seekonk in 2001 and 2002.
Seekonk, MA — A record 232 race cars and trucks converged upon the 1/3-mile Seekonk Speedway for the Bay State facility’s season-ending D. Anthony Venditti Memorial Festival of Racing, an…
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