RPW Exclusive: The Champ Trail: NASCAR’s Clash Up Next, Almost Speedweeks & More…

Column Compiled By: PHIL SMITH / RPW – WESTERLY, RI – The 2024 NASCAR Cup season begins this coming Sunday, Feb 4 as the 150 lap Busch Light Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum takes the green at 8:00pm.

Fox TV will supply coverage.

Pre-race coverage begins at 6:00pm on Saturday with Cup practice. Four heat races, beginning at 8:30pm will determine starting spots. A last chance qualifying (Consi) event at 6:30pm on Sunday will fill out the qualifying field.

Believe it or not only 1 week remains 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, 1/26 the entry list of tour type modifieds totals 33. 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 34 entries have been received so far. There are 24 Pro Late Models entered including Brody Monahan and Anthony Bello from Connecticut and Ray Minieri from Bayshore, Long Island, NY.

Action at New Smyrna begins on Thursday night, 2/8/2024 with World Series Practice Night. Opening night is Friday, 2/9 with Super Late Models 35 laps, Pro Late Models 35laps, FL Modifieds 35laps, Sportsman 35laps and Bomber A 20laps. Saturday, Feb 10, The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Series comes to town and will run a 200 lap feature.

Also on the Saturday night card are Pro Late Models 35 laps, Sportsman 50 laps and Bomber A 20 laps. World Series night no. 3 has been designated Super Sunday. Featured will be Super Late Models 35 laps, Pro Late Models 35 laps, Florida Modifieds 35 laps, E-Mods 30 laps and 602 Modifieds 25laps. On Monday, 2/12, the tour type Modifieds begin their five night run with a 50 lapper. Also in competition are Pro Late Models 35 laps, FL Modifieds 25 laps and 602 Mods 25 laps.

Auburndale Speedway Showdown Series officials announced an incentive for 602 Modified teams who plan to attend the upcoming Auburndale Speedway races in February. The 602 Modifieds will compete in double feature events on Thursday, February 8, both set for 30 laps. On Friday, February 9, there is one, 30-lap race scheduled. All of this Auburndale Speedway racing is part of a full weekend that begins on Thursday and goes through Saturday. Many teams who compete at Auburndale will then make the trip to New Smyrna Speedway for the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing beginning on February 11.

Announced this past week, the purse for the event is eligible to increase for the winner if there are a certain amount of cars on property. If there are over 30 cars on property, Thursday’s twin 30-lap feature races for the 602 Modifieds will both pay $750 to win. If more than 24 cars show up for Friday’s racing events, the 602 Modified 30-lap event will pay $1,000 to win.

A combined point fund offered for the 602’s requires competitors to compete in all six events. The current point fund, sponsored by Aqua Duck Water Transport and Professional Motorsports Solutions, totals to $1,000. It will pay $500 to win, $300 for second and $200 for third. All Involved are actively trying to find additional sponsors to increase the point fund and expand the positions involved to the top-10 or even top-15.

Its all about the way they present their weekly division program and the Stafford Motor Speedway leads the way in that department. The Stafford management has announced that for the 9th consecutive season, Olson Apartments of Agawam, MA has signed on to continue their participation in the Stafford Speedway contingency program. Olson Apartments will provide a weekly $75 bonus to each SK Light third place finisher this season, providing an extra $1,650 for drivers during the 2024 season. The first Olson Apartments contingency bonus of the 2024 season will be paid out on April 28 as part of NAPA Spring Sizzler Weekend.

A recent piece in Auto Week stated that Geoff Bodine Said Parity In NASCAR Has ‘Ruined Racing’. The 18-time race winner in Cup Series also pointed out the current rules package has taken innovation out of the sport, made it less fun. “You can change a little bit (on today’s NASCAR Cup cars) but not much, and to us older guys, that’s ruined racing,” says the 74-year-old Bodine. “We always liked to be innovative. I always tried to design something better. Now, NASCAR might outlaw it, which they did a lot, but that was the fun part of racing back then. You could try to make something better. You can’t do it today.

The sport began its transformation into big business in the 1980s when corporate America discovered NASCAR as a marketing tool. Bodine says prior to that time drivers didn’t receive salaries. They received a percentage of their winnings if they didn’t own their team. The split was usually 60% team owner and 40% driver. Bodine believes the fact that drivers now receive salaries as the result of sponsorships and aren’t totally dependent on their finishing positions for take-home pay contributes to today’s aggressive driving.

Bodine, whose 1987 three-race wrecking ordeal with Dale Earnhardt at Charlotte Motor Speedway became the basis for a scene in the movie Days of Thunder, maintains that when NASCAR didn’t stop the seven-time NASCAR champion from wrecking people, younger drivers followed suit. “They (NASCAR) slowed it down for a while, well that got boring,” Bodine says. “So, then it’s ‘Okay, wide open again guys.’” A lot of that has carried over to the touring divisions and the weekly tracks.

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).