Column Compiled By: PHIL SMITH / RPW – WESTERLY, RI – Believe it or not only 2 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, 1/21 the entry list of tour type modifieds totals 29. This does not include entries for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event scheduled for Saturday, Feb 10. The field of 602 Modifieds will be extremely stout as 28 entries have been received so far.
After an all-day practice day on Thursday, February 8, racing action will officially get underway at New Smyrna on Friday, February 9 with five divisions in action. The Super Late Models and Pro Late Models will headline the evening, and they will be joined by the Florida Modifieds, Sportsman, and Bomber A divisions.
One can make the argument that the second night of action has quickly become the biggest of the week with the 200-lap season-opener for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour bringing in capacity crowds for each of its first two years. The Mighty Modifieds will be joined by the Pro Late Models, Florida Modifieds, Sportsman, and Bomber a classes.
Night Three is a “Super Sunday” of racing at New Smyrna Speedway as it will be headlined by the Super Late Models once again. Pro Late Models, Florida Modifieds, E-Mods, and the 602 Modifieds will all be in action. After one night away, the Tour Modifieds are back on Monday night for their first of five nights in a row of racing. Monday’s slate will consist of the Tour Modifieds, Super Late Models, Pro Late Models, Florida Modifieds, and 602 Modifieds. Tuesday, February 13 will see the annual Clyde Hart Memorial race expand from 100 laps to 200 laps. The race will also become an ASA STARS National Tour event and will be the series’ season opener. Last year, the Clyde Hart Memorial became an ASA Southern Super Series race for the first time. After a successful night in 2023, ASA officials decided to add another 100 laps to it and make it the opener for the second-year ASA STARS National Tour. The Super Late Models will be joined by the Tour Modifieds, making this night one of the biggest nights in all of Speedweeks.
While Valentine’s Day is typically a day for love, this year it is also a day to pay tribute to a fallen legend of Modified racing as it is the night of the annual John Blewett III Memorial 76 for the Tour Modifieds. This race has become one of the most important events in all of Modified racing each year. The Super and Pro Late Models will also be on the schedule that night, as well as the Florida Modifieds and 602 Modifieds.
Thursday night sees only the three premier divisions in action for longer-distance races. Tour Modifieds, Super Late Models, and Pro Late Models will be in action. Friday, February 16 is the penultimate night of action for the 2024 World Series. It is also the finale for the Tour Modifieds and the Pro Late Models. The Modifieds will end their week with the running of the annual Richie Evans Memorial 100, and the Pro Late Models will end their week with the Hart to Heart Pro Late Model 100. Super Stocks, Pro Trucks, Ground Pounders, and Bomber B divisions will be in action as well. The final night of racing for the 2024 World Series of Asphalt will take place on Saturday, February 17 and six divisions will be in competition headlined by the Orange Blossom 100 for the Super Late Models. The Florida Modifieds, Super Stocks, Pro Trucks, Mod Mini, and Bomber B divisions will also be on the card on Saturday night.
For the third year in a row, all nine nights of racing will be broadcast live on FloRacing. FloRacing has been the broadcast home for all things NASCAR Roots, including the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, ARCA Menards Series, and much more, since 2022.
Defending NAPA Spring Sizzler® champion Ronnie Silk and the #16 Haydt-Yannone Racing team with sponsorship from Blue Mountain Machine / Future Homes have filed the first Open Modified entry for the 52nd running of the NAPA Spring Sizzler®, set for April 27-28 at Stafford Motor Speedway. Silk is joined on the Sizzler® entry list thus far by David Arute, George Bessette, Jr., Eric Goodale, and Woody Pitkat with over 40 entries expected to be submitted. Officials have announced $125,000 in prize money, including $20,000 to win for the 52nd running of the NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler®.
In some news from south of the Mason-Dixon line, Sadler-Stanley Racing, an open-wheel modified team owned by former NASCAR driver and TV personality Hermie Sadler and Virginia Attorney and State Senator Bill Stanley, announced their 2024 driver lineup. The 2000 NASCAR Cup Series champion, Bobby Labonte, will return to the team for three NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races and select SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic events. Labonte will compete in NASCAR action at Richmond (March 29), North Wilkesboro (October 5) and Martinsville (October 26). His full SMART Modified Tour schedule will be announced at a later date.
Jonathan Cash will make the jump to full-time competition in the No. 16VA, racing for the title on the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic. Luke Baldwin, a rising Modified driver and son of former NASCAR Daytona 500 winning crew chief Tommy Baldwin Jr., will also run the 7VA full-time on the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic. Baldwin’s focus will be to race for the title, but also the Racing Electronics Rookie of the Year in his move to Tour-Type Modifieds in 2024.
Tommy Baldwin Racing announced that Bryan Narducci will join the team for the 2024 season, competing part-time in an SK Modified at Stafford Motor Speedway. Narducci will split the ride with TBR driver Jack Baldwin, announced on Wednesday to run 11 events during the 2024 season. Narducci will fill out the remainder of the schedule in the SK Modified. The team will have assistance from Ken Barry with SPAFCO, a New England based PSR Chassis dealer, to make weekly racing possible. The entry will be a PSR Chassis.
Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) also announced that six-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Doug Coby will pilot the No. 7NY for select Tour events in 2024. The team will begin the season at New Smyrna Speedway for the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing and the Whelen Modified Tour opener on Saturday, February 10. Baldwin and Coby plan to run seven of the 16 Whelen Modified Tour events. They will compete at Richmond Raceway on Friday, March 29, Riverhead Raceway on May 18 and New Hampshire Motor Speedway as part of NASCAR’s National Series weekend on June 22. The combination will return to the track on Wednesday, August 14 at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park, Saturday, October 5 at North Wilkesboro Speedway and Saturday, October 26 at Martinsville Speedway.
“Tommy has a deep racing history in the Modified community and when you drive for him, you know he’s going to bring fast cars to the track,” Coby said. “Having the opportunity to work with them again in 2024 to simply try to win races is something I’m really excited for.” Coby and Baldwin first paired together in 2022 and won events at Riverhead Raceway and Lee USA Speedway in their first two races together. They also picked up a victory at Langley Speedway that season – one that saw Tommy Baldwin Racing seal the Whelen Modified Tour owner’s championship with multiple different drivers. Coby drove the No. 7NY in 13 events last season with one victory and six top-five finishes.
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).
