Column By: PHIL SMITH / RPW – WESTERLY, RI – The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Series closed out their 2019 season with the running of the Annual (57th) World Series at the Thompson Motorsports Park Speedway.
Now that the dust has settled many are looking forward to the 2020 season. NASCAR is expected to release the schedule at the Championship Awards Banquet in November.
In the meantime speculation has it that Myrtle Beach may be off the schedule as South Boston in Virginia will open the season on March 21.
Stafford hosted three events in 2019. It looks like the mid-summer 150 lapper may go away as a new event at Iowa has been scheduled. The Spring Sizzler and the Fall Final will bookend their season.
The Thompson Motorsports Speedway is rumored to be making some management changes but their signature events will remain including the IceBreaker in the Spring and the World Series in the fall.
Martinsville Speedway in Virginia will bring the Modifieds back as will Jennerstown in Pennsylvania. Riverhead Raceway on Long Island has recently done some repaving is expected to again host two events.
No word as yet from Oswego or Seekonk but the Modifieds are expected to return as events at those tracks were exciting and successful. The New Hampshire International Speedway will again host two events.
While Justin Bonsignore was savoring his win at Thompson, Mat Williamson and car owner Buzz Chew were counting the big prize won for taking the victory in the Super Dirt Week 200 at the Oswego Speedway.
While Bonsignore had a good pay day (NASCAR doesn’t announce money won), Williamson had a far greater one as he collected $50,000 cash for his victory.
Tim Fuller was second at Oswego and collected $25,000 for his efforts. Third place finisher Brett Hearn earned $15,000.
With the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Series drawing record crowds, it seems that track promoters could do a little more in the payoff line…just my opinion.
Next up is the Tri Track Modified Series Haunted 100 at the Seekonk Speedway next weekend. Ron Williams, the 2019 Stafford Motor Speedway SK® Modified champion, holds a 23-point advantage over defending Series champ Matt Hirschman going into the final race of the season for the Tri-Track Open Modified Series (TTOMS).
There are 50-points up for grabs in the Haunted Hundred scheduled for Saturday, October 26 at Seekonk Speedway in Seekonk, MA.
While points are coveted, the 100-lap main event for the ground pounders will pay $6,000 to win.
In what is quickly becoming a traditional Halloween happening, the Haunted Hundred for the Modifieds will also include the Pro-All-Star Series (PASS) for a 150-lap Super Late Model feature event. The already stout schedule of short-track racing will also include a 50-lap Late Model race paying $2,000 to win.
The International Speedway Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select Market: ISCA; OTC Bulletin Board: ISCB) (“ISC”) announced last Friday, October 18, 2019 the closing of the previously announced merger contemplated by the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 22, 2019, with NASCAR Holdings, Inc. (“NASCAR”), pursuant to which ISC became a wholly owned subsidiary of NASCAR.
ISC shareholders, including shareholders representing a majority of the total voting power not held by certain controlling shareholders of ISC, approved the transaction at a special meeting on October 16, 2019. Under the terms of the merger agreement, shareholders (other than certain controlling shareholders of ISC) are entitled to receive $45.00 in cash, without interest, for each share of ISC Class A common stock and Class B common stock.
As a result of the merger, ISC is now a privately held company. Trading of ISC Class A common stock on NASDAQ was suspended on October 18, 2019, and the Class A common stock will cease to be listed on NASDAQ. Further, ISC Class B common stock will cease to be quoted on the Over-The-Counter Bulletin Board. ISC intends to deregister its common stock and suspend its reporting obligations with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and it will no longer hold an annual meeting of shareholders.
