RPW Exclusive: The Champ Trail; Getting Ready For Speedweeks, No SRX In 2024 & Much More…

Column Compiled By: PHIL SMITH / RPW – WESTERLY, RI – Believe it or not only 3 weeks remain before the flat lands of central Florida come alive with the sound of race car engines at the New Smyrna Speedway and the official start of the World Series and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Series.
The World Series runs from Feb 9 thru Feb 17. The Whelen Modified Tour Series event is scheduled for Saturday night, Feb 10. For the third consecutive year, the Tour will open at New Smyrna Speedway in Florida as part of the track’s “World Series of Asphalt Stock Cars Racing” during NASCAR’s Speedweeks, racing under the lights.
The 66th running of the DAYTONA 500 at nearby Daytona International Speedway then takes place a week later to conclude the opening week of NASCAR action.
As of last Friday, 1/13 the entry list of tour type modifieds totals 25. This does not include entries for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event scheduled for Saturday, Feb 10. The field of 602 Modifiesd will be extremely stout as 28 entries have been received so far.
The WMT New Smyrna 200 will carry a total posted purse of $109,200 for 32 starters. Gone for the 2024 season is the Mayhew Tool Award $1,000 Per Race, The Phil Kruze Halfway Leader Award $450 per Race.
The entire World Series is expected to be live streamed by FloRacing.
A subscription to FloRacing is well worth the price. It’s the next best thing to being there!
Three-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Justin Bonsignore got the opportunity to compete in the ARCA Menards Series pre-season test at Daytona International Speedway this past weekend. Bonsignore drove a car prepared by Andy Hilenburg, the 1995 ARCA champion, who also has two Daytona ARCA wins to his credit. The cars are prepared by Fast Track High Performance Racing. The pre-race test is in preparation for the upcoming ARCA Menards Series opener at Daytona during Speedweeks on Saturday, February 17. The weekend will also include the opener for the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500.
Seven different drivers earned the right to take laps around Daytona via the “Road to Daytona” program. Invites include the two regional series that are part of the ARCA Menards Series platform – the three ASA-branded touring super late model series, the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion and the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series frontrunners. Although current 2023 champion for the Whelen Modified Tour Ron Silk didn’t make the trip, Justin Bonsignore filled the seat to take laps around one of the fastest and iconic tracks in the world. The trip will be his first laps on the Daytona high-banks of his career.
“Taking laps at Daytona is definitely something every race car driver dreams of when you start racing,” Bonsignore said. “Appreciate the opportunity given by NASCAR, ARCA, Andy and his entire team to be able to get behind the wheel. Looking forward to soaking in the experience and showcasing the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour on this stage.” Defending ARCA Menards Series East champion William Sawalich led the way in the second and final day of on-track activity at the annual ARCA Menards Series pre-race practice at Daytona International Speedway.
Sawalich, driving the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, timed in at 49.318 seconds/182.489 miles per hour. His speed was 0.014 seconds quicker than NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour veteran Patrick Emerling, who timed in at 49.332 seconds/182.437 miles per hour in his No. 53 Emerling/Gase Motorsports Ford. Anthony Bello who is a New England racer was fourth fastest. Bonsignore was 30th fastest.
In a press release from the New London-Waterford Speedbowl track officials unveiled the 2024 full season schedule, packed full of action from their weekly racing, returning series, and even a new one to the shoreline oval. Drivers can shake off the cobwebs on April 18th and 25th for some pre-season open practices as they gear up for Blast Off 2024 on May 3rd-5th. That Friday will be a practice session for Blast Off competitors only. Saturday the 4th will be headlined by the Milton CAT Modified Racing Series! The MRS make their return to the Speedbowl for the first time since Matt Swanson won in 2020. They will also be in competition at The Finale on October 19th.
Back after a few years’ hiatus, our Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday competitors of the X-Cars, Super X-Cars, and INEX Bandoleros will have a chance to compete in a pre-season exhibition. Also, on Blast Off Saturday, the Evolve Pro Trucks open their season.
Blast Off Sunday, May 5th, will be headlined by a 73 lap SK Modified® main event, representing 73 years of the Speedbowl. The day will kick off with a pit party and hold feature races for all 7 of their weekly divisions including the Late Models, SK Lights, Street Stocks, Mini Stocks, Trucks, and INEX Legend Cars.
NASCAR Hall of Famer Ray Evernham and former team owner Rob Kauffman have formed IROC Holdings LLC with the intent to have an IROC event in 2024 with historic IROC cars while exploring future opportunities, according to a release issued Monday. The two have also acquired the rights to the IROC brand.
The International Race of Champions was held from 1973-2006 and featured races in identically prepared cars among drivers from NASCAR, IndyCar, Formula 1 and other series.
Peter Milano stated that Everham left SRX because he didn’t want to be involved in the day to day operations. In reality, there is not much difference between the IROC Series and the Cup Series now a days anyway?? You have single source parts dealers that every team has to use. Kind of silly to start IROC again when you basically already have it every Sunday.
Hot on the heels of the IROC announcement comes word of the cancellation of the SRX (Superstar Racing Experience). The SRX event scheduled for Thursday, July 11th at Stafford Speedway has been canceled. SRX officials have announced that the series will not hold races in 2024. All tickets purchased for the event will be refunded within the next 5 days.
“SRX officials contacted us this afternoon (Friday Jan11) and have informed us that the 2024 SRX season has been canceled,” explained Stafford Speedway COO Paul Arute. “We had a great run with the series and want to thank the entire SRX staff for entrusting us in launching and hosting the series. Thanks to our loyal fans, the 3 sold out events hosted at Stafford were incredible.”
The SRX Series began in 2021, with Tony Stewart claiming the series’ inaugural championship. Stewart has been the series’ winningest driver to date, with five victories in 18 races over three years. Marco Andretti won the 2022 championship, with Ryan Newman taking the title in 2023. The 2023 season also saw the series move from Saturday night races to Thursday night broadcasts on ESPN during the six-week summer series. 2024 races for the series were scheduled at Stafford Speedway, Thunder Road International Speedbowl, Slinger Speedway, Berlin Raceway and Cedar Lake Speedway.
The Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series will continue to grow in 2024 with the series expanding to its largest schedule in the division’s 11-year history. The Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series will visit seven different tracks as part of an eight-race schedule in 2024. The previous largest schedule for the series was a seven-event slate in 2022. The 2024 schedule includes first-time visits for the series to Thompson Speedway in Thompson, Connecticut and White Mountain Motorsports Park in North Woodstock, New Hampshire. The 2024 schedule also includes return visits for the series to Thunder Road International Speedbowl in Barre, Vermont, the New London-Waterford Speedbowl in Waterford, Conn., Star Speedway in Epping, N.H., Stafford Speedway in Stafford, Conn. and the return of two events to the schedule at Seekonk Speedway in Seekonk, Massachusetts.
“We’re proud to see the series continuing to grow, with an increasing number of events and the addition of new venues to the schedule,” Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series managing partner Ed Bennett said. “We’ve worked hard in cultivating strong relationships with our returning tracks and doing what works best to continue to make events at those tracks special, and we’re looking forward to building on the new relationships we’ve made for 2024. Thompson Speedway and White Mountain Motorsports Park are two places that competitors and fans have wanted to see on our schedule and we are thrilled to be able to make that happen.”
The 2024 season kicks off with a much anticipated inaugural event for the division at one of the most historic venues in Modified racing history. The Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series will be a headlining event on April 6 as part of the Icebreaker weekend at Thompson Speedway. In what has quickly become a Memorial Day weekend tradition for the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series, the second event of the season will take place on May 26 at the historic Thunder Road International Speedbowl. One of Modified racing’s crown jewel events takes place on June 26 with the running of Open Wheel Wednesday for the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series at Seekonk Speedway. The fourth event in 2024 will mark the second new venue visit of the season for the series with the division’s inaugural event at White Mountain Motorsports Park on July 27. The New London-Waterford Speedbowl will play host to the fifth event of the season on Aug. 10. It will mark the third consecutive year the series has visited the shoreline oval in August. The traditional Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series event at Star Speedway will now be part of the track’s historic Star Classic weekend on Sept. 15.
The Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series returns to Stafford Speedway for its sixth event of 2024 to headline the track’s 51st NAPA Fall Final weekend on Sept. 28. After a one-year hiatus from the track, the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series’ traditional season-ending event – the Haunted Hundred – returns to Seekonk Speedway on Nov. 2. The American-Canadian Tour will also host its season finale at Seekonk as part of the Haunted Hundred card.
Sid DiMaggio has announced that he and his company are starting production on his next film in his #InsideTheVault documentary series, which will profile the life & career of the legendary 9-time NASCAR champion Mike Stefanik. We are also looking for production sponsors to tell help us get this project to the finish line. Anyone interested can visit sidsview.com/sponsorship. DiMaggio and his company did an outstanding job on the life and racing career of the late Fred DeSarro.
Belated Happy Birthday wishes to retired driver and track champion at Waterford and at the Thompson Speedway, Todd Ceravolo who has turned his sixtieth lap. Ceravolo has all but recovered from a close to two year battle with cancer. During his racing career Ceravolo served as a co-crew chief with his brother Rick and played a vital part in the championships won by Bob Potter and Dickie Doo Ceravolo. He is also the father-in-law of former NASCAR National Champion Keith Rocco.
In some sad news, Johnny Bryant, who drove the No.57 Modified in NASCAR Modified events in Virginia and North Carolina has passed away. John “Johnny” Pedigo Bryant, 82, of Fieldale, VA, passed away on January 8, 2024. He was born on May 10, 1941, in Patrick County, VA. Johnny was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother and uncle. He was known for his tough and steadfast nature, as well as his faithfulness and hard work. In 1968, Johnny began a racing career that spanned 24 years. He started on the dirt tracks of Fairystone and Hillsville but soon found his niche driving an asphalt Modified. He, his crews and his family traveled the east coast from Daytona to Loudon venturing as far west as Indianapolis. His career is highlighted by a Caraway Speedway track championship in 1983 and a dominating win at North Wilkesboro Speedway in 1988 where he was the first winner to use the lift to victory lane (this race can be viewed in its entirety on YouTube). He had 22 wins at Bowman Gray Stadium, 2 of which came on the same night in a double-header. That record stood for a decade. He was also voted Most Popular Driver for two seasons. His most memorable win at BGS was the 1975 Winston 350 where he drove with a broken left hand and overcame a two-lap deficit to claim the victory (this was long before there was a “Lucky Dog” rule). The biggest win of his career came on the same weekend that Richie Evans passed away in 1985 at Martinsville Speedway. He led 127 of 200 laps, was awarded the Timeliest Move of the Race and is the last southern driver to win a Modified race at Martinsville.
In the Good News department, congratulations to Tom Baldwin Jr who has won the most important race of his life as he announced that he is now cancer free!
The all new book, The Modified Years At Stafford, by the Grace of God and 600 hp, is gaining interest and has become a must have in race fans and competitors library. Race by Race, Year by Year, it’s all there. Read all about it! Books are now available on Amazon.com and Coastal 181 (877-907-8181 toll free) and are available thru Stafford’s web site in their store. Order yours now. Makes a great gift!
With the cooperation of the Arute family another book has been published with pictures and biographies of the 50 Greatest Drivers at Stafford.
The Stafford Motor Speedway had become the epicenter of NASCAR Modified racing in the northeast by the late 1980’s. From its dirt beginnings to its lightning-fast asphalt, Stafford had become the toughest and most gratifying track to score a victory. The Arute family which has owned and guided the destiny of the facility commissioned their thousands of loyal fans to name their favorite drivers. In alphabetical order so as not to offend anyone:
Tom Baldwin, Gene Bergin, Brett Bodine, Geoff Bodine, Ken Bouchard, Ron Bouchard, Mario “Fats” Caruso, Rene Charland, Ted Christopher, Leo Cleary, Tim Connolly, Jerry Cook, Corky Cookman, Pete Corey, Fred DeSarro, Richie Evans, Mike Ewanitsko, Ed Flemke, Sr., Jeff Fuller, Rick Fuller, Ernie Gahan, Bill Greco, Bo Gunning, Ray Hendrick, George “Moose” Hewitt, Tony Hirschman, George Janoski, Charlie Jarzombek, George Kent, Buddy Krebs, Randy LaJoie, Jan Leaty, Jerry Marquis, Mike McLaughlin, Ray Miller, Steve Park, Bob Polverari, Bob Potter, Brian Ross, John “Reggie” Ruggiero, Greg Sacks, Ollie Silva, “Wild” Bill Slater, Jimmy Spencer, Mike Stefanik, Carl “Bugsy” Stevens, George Summers, Jamie “The Jet” Tomaino, Maynard Troyer and Satch Worley.
Books are priced at $17.95 each and be purchased at the track at the Novelty Booth or at the Stafford Motor Speedway on line store. Books are also available at Amazon.com and at Coastal181 (877-907-8181).