Column Compiled By: PHIL SMITH / RPW – WESTERLY, RI – The Bowman-Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, NC began their 75th season last Saturday Night with the Hayes 200 for the NASCAR Modifieds.
Qualifying was held on Friday night. Burt Myers toured the flat quarter mile oval in 13.393 sec for the pole. Outside pole went to Brandon Ward who turned in a 13.399.
Third fastest was Lee Jeffereys. Tim Brown and Danny Bohn rounded out the top five.
With close to 17,000 fans who paid only $12.00 to get in for the 76th opener of the longest running NASCAR-sanctioned weekly series Burt Myers led all 200 laps in the featured Hayes Jewelers 200. It was his 92nd career win, second to Tim Brown who has 98, and it was vintage Burt Myers. Myers, the winner of 10 Modified championships, didn’t mince words when asked about his expertise on the restarts with 14 caution flags in the long race. He never panicked, hit his mark in each of the restarts and stayed in front the entire way.
Many drivers took turn on the cone restarts jumping out to Myers’ right to try and break him but nothing worked. The closest was Brown who finished second and was right on Myers’ tail for the final 10 laps. By the half way mark of the race. Brown, Danny Bohn and defending champion Brandon Ward were all in the hunt at one point. But Myers held them all off to get his season off to a good start as he chases title No. 11. Finishing behind Brown was Chris and Jordan Fleming who were third and fourth. Finishing fifth was Ward and Ryal Flores, who lives in Huntersville, was sixth. Burt’s brother, Jason, rebounding after a wreck to finish seventh.
The mayhem continues this week with twin 25’s for the Modifieds. Flo Racing will live stream.
The 52nd Annual NAPA Spring Sizzler® is set for Saturday and Sunday, April 27-28. Saturday, April 27th and will consist of two 40-lap NAPA Duel qualifying races for the Open Modified division. The 40-lap races will each pay $3,500 to win and will set the field for Sunday’s NAPA Spring Sizzler®. Stafford’s Late Model, Limited Late Model, and Street Stock divisions will complete Saturday’s racing program with qualifying and feature racing.
Sunday, April 28th will play host to the $20,000 to win 52nd NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler®. Filling out Sunday’s racing card will be qualifying and feature racing for the SK Modified® and SK Light Modified divisions along with last chance qualifiers for the NAPA Spring Sizzler®.
Numerous improvements have been made over the winter including all new mens and ladies restrooms on the midway.
Stafford Speedway’s 52nd Annual NAPA Spring Sizzler® has added ARCA Menards Series driver and Modified veteran Andy Jankowiak to the entry list. Jankowiak will be piloting his family owned #73 with sponsorship from Automotive Consultants, Florida Safety Systems, and Yukon Creek Sportsman Club. Jankowiak has had the Sizzler® in his sights for the last several seasons, but scheduling conflicts with the ARCA Menards Series had prevented him from making the trip to the Connecticut half-mile facility.
As of last weekend 35 entries have been received for the open Modified Spring Sizzler. FloRacing will live stream the entire weekend from Stafford. The speedway hosted a pre-season practice session last Saturday that drew in the neighborhood of 109 cars including 15 open mods, 24 SK Modifieds, 30 SK Lights, 14 Late Models, 12 Limited Late Models and 14 Street Stocks. Among those really getting around in the Open Mods were George Bessette, Kieth Rocco, Jacob Perry and Paul Arute. Quickest in the SK ranks were Tyler Barry and Andrew Molleur. Quickest in the Late Model ranks was Alexandra Fearn. All in all, one would have to guess that there will be between 140 to 160 cars on hand for Sizzler weekend.
Following a late-race battle with Roger Coss, Matt Hirschman scored the victory in the Spring Meltdown 75 at Mahoning Valley Speedway in Pennsylvania to kick off the 2024 Race of Champions Asphalt Modified Series season. Hirschman passed Coss on the outside of the tight Mahoning Valley bullring in the closing laps, leading just the final four circuits of the event for his 58th career ROC win. Hirschman started 12th after a re-draw. Zane Zeiner finished third.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Series continues on Spring Break. Next stop for the tour will be on May 4 at the Monadnock Speedway in Winchester, NH. After three events Ron Silk with two wins and a second is the point leader with a nine point edge over Justin Bonsignore. Jake Johnson currently sits third, 15 points behind Bonsignore. Craig Lutz sits in fourth spot, six points behind Johnson. Rounding out the top five is rookie sensation Trevor Catalano who is 5 points behind Lutz. Catalano was on the march to the front at Thompson when a dead battery did him in.
Bob Finan sends word from the Riverhead Raceway that cool and damp conditions greeted race teams and fans alike early on Saturday thanks to a frontal boundary working its way from west to east over Long Island. However, track owners Connie Partridge and Tom Gatz held firm that the practice session, albeit later than they’d planned would be completed Saturday. GM John Ellwood and the track facilities staff went to work once the moisture stopped to ready the track for action and nearly two hours later than planned the Blunderbusts hit the track to start 2024.
Timmy Solomito of Islip would click off the fastest lap among the 15 NASCAR Modifieds on hand touring the quarter mile in 11.662 during the third and final session. “The Natural” was a four-time winner in his USNE Chevy in 2023 racing just a handful of events due to his rapidly expanding Natural Designs firm. Timmy made seven starts last season.
Officials of the American – Canadian Tour are not fooling around when it comes to the enforcing of their motor rules. Following the conclusion of the Northeast Classic at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday, April 14, three engines were taken by American-Canadian Tour technical officials to an independent engine builder for further inspection. Following that inspection, the Redline Performance engine used by apparent winner Jesse Switser and the #25NH team was deemed to have had multiple infractions, this will result in the #25NH being disqualified from the win. This discovery of multiple infractions has also prompted officials to eliminate Redline Performance, based in Hallowell, Maine, from the American-Canadian Tour Approved Engine Builders list for one calendar year.
With the move, Derek Gluchacki has officially been declared the winner of the 4th annual Northeast Classic with Alexendre Tardif now second and Brandon Barker rounding out the official top three. The 25NH team has been stripped of the win and will receive last place points. “After inspection with tech officials, industry experts and with a member of the 25NH team present at engine teardown, it became clear that the Redline Performance engine was not within ACT specs,” said ACT managing partner Cris Michaud. “We appreciate the professionalism of the #25NH team. This is an unfortunate situation for everyone involved, but the team is ultimately responsible for the parts on their car.”
“The ACT Engine Program is a vital part of our Tour,” said ACT Director of Competition Pete Knights. “We’ll continue to make it clear that we will do whatever we need to ensure the continued success of this program with our approved engine builders.” With the ruling, Redline Performance will not be affiliated with the ACT Approved Engine Builder program for one calendar year. Redline Performance will be allowed to apply for reinstatement on April 18, 2025. The three engines taken following the Northeast Classic also included that of the #03MA and the #46x. These engines met specifications and were returned to the teams this week.
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).
