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Column Compiled By: PHIL SMITH / RPW – WESTERLY, RI – The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour traveled to the Monadnock Speedway on Saturday, July 20. Twenty one cars were on hand for the 250 lap event.
The Catalano family has been trying to win a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race since 2018. Prior to that an uncle, Buck Catalano was one of the top Late Model competitors in New York state. Last Saturday night, 17-year-old Trevor Catalano delivered the victory that his entire family so desperately wanted.
Trevor, the youngest of three brothers currently racing on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, held off reigning series champion Ron Silk to win the Duel at the Dog 250.
“This is awesome,” Trevor said. “My mom and dad, they give us everything they can to come out here and be competitive. They gave me everything and anything that I know. I just can’t thank my parents enough.”
Prior to Saturday, the best NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour performance for the Catalano family belonged to 26-year-old Tommy Catalano, a runner-up result at Richmond Raceway during the 2022 season.
To improve upon that performance, Trevor and the Catalano Motorsports team had to gamble. When the caution flag waved for the stalled car of Tim Connolly with 71 laps left, most of the leaders opted to head to pit road for a fresh Hoosier Tire. Three drivers, Kyle Bonsignore, Woody Pitkat and Trevor, instead chose to stay out and inherited the top three positions. Patrick Emerling and Ron Silk, who had been the leaders prior to the caution, would line up fourth and fifth for the restart.
Once racing resumed, Trevor went to work. He passed Pitkat with ease and took the lead from Bonsignore on lap 195. Trevor promptly built a half second lead on the field, but it didn’t last. Behind him, Silk was on the move. After moving past Bonsignore with 53 laps remaining, Silk quickly set off in pursuit of Trevor. The next 50 laps saw Silk apply pressureto the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour rookie. He tried to coax him into a mistake and nearly got an opportunity with 23 laps left when Trevor bobbled in Turn 3.
Silk got to his inside, but wise beyond his years, Trevor used the lap car of Melissa Fifield as a pick and forced Silk to fall back in behind him in turns one and two. “I messed up a couple times. I thought Ronnie (Silk) was going to get me. He raced me clean,” Trevor said. “I was just trying to drive as hard as I could without messing up.” That was as close as Silk would get to completing the pass. Trevor crossed the finish line .254 seconds ahead of Silk to earn his first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour win in just his ninth start.
Silk, to his credit, said he didn’t want to shoehorn Trevor out of the way. He wanted to beat him clean, but just didn’t have the car to do it. “I probably just needed to turn the center a little bit better,” Silk said. “I would say we were basically even. I didn’t want to knock him out of the way. He did a great job. He didn’t make any mistakes. I was hoping he would make one and I could get my nose under him. “Congratulations to Trevor. He did a phenomenal job.”
After fading through the field during the final restart, Emerling drove back to finish third. Matt Hirschman and Kyle Bonsignore completed the top five. Sixth thru tenth included Woody Pitkat, Justin Bonsignore, Matt Kimball, Tommy Catalano and Austin Beers.
Four cautions slowed the event. The first caution was displayed on lap 19 for Tim Connolly who stopped on the front chute with apparent suspension problems. The second caution was displayed for Kyle Bonsignore who spun in turn four. The third caution was a result of a four car tangle which included Stephen Kopcik and Brian Robie on the front chute. The final caution was displayed for Connelly again who stopped in turn one.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season continues Saturday, Aug. 3 with the running of the Nu-Way Auto Parts 150 at New York’s Lancaster Motorplex. FloRacing will provide live coverage of the event starting at 8 p.m. ET.
Due to severe weather that was forecasted for last Wednesday night, the GAF Roofing Modified Masters was postponed to Friday, July 26th. The King of the Crate SK Light race has been moved to the NAPA Fall Final, September 28th
Close to 30 tour type Modifieds were entered for the Wednesday night event. The 100 lapper will pay $12,000 to win. Preliminaries will consist.of Time Trials, Heat Races and a Pole Dash. The Stafford management made the right call as it rained big time around 8:00pm.
At 5:00 pm at the Stafford Speedway on Friday night and the grandstands were packed for the night’s Cleetus McFarland New England 900. It was a different kind of show which attracted a crowd that you don’t usually see on a Friday night. The Cleetus McFarland New England 900 ended with the greatest fireworks show ever seen at the Speedway.
Weekly racing at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl saw the return of Matt Buckler to the announcers tower after a long recovery from foot surgery. His ad-libs are priceless. My Racing News reported Kyle James took the lead from the drop of the green in the SK Modifieds® with Rob Janovic Jr quickly taking over the top spot. Jon Puleo watched in wait until lap 10 when he made quick work of Janovic. A returning Joey Ternullo met the concrete just two laps later, when Tim Jordan worked his way into second. A second quick yellow flag came out and Jordan nailed the restart on Puleo and takes off from the pack. A caution halfway when Anthony Flannery did his best skateboard trick over the hood of Janovic set the stage for some mid-pack excitement. James would pull out of line on the following restart that collected Todd Owen and Justin Gaydosh. When racing finally got back underway, Jordan had the field covered but Flannery and Owen were slicing and dicing their way through the field high and low, getting into a tough fight with Chase Cook and Andrew Molleur as laps clicked down. Jordan won his third feature event of the season with Owen and Flannery rebounding to finish on the podium. Andrew Molleur and Eric Berndt rounded out the top five.
Down in the southland rain washed out the action at the Bowman Gray Stadium.
On a sad note, former NASCAR Modified Tour Official Bill Brice, 87 of Wall Twp. passed away Friday, July 19, 2024 at his home surrounded by his loving family.
Bill was born in Neptune to William P. and Mary P. (nee Durkin) Brice, Sr. He had resided in Belmar before moving to Wall Twp. in 1962. He was a Communicant of St. Catharine’s Parish, Spring Lake. He was a proud veteran of the US Air Force serving during the 1950’s. He was the owner and operator of Brice’s Auto Supply, Freehold for many years.
He was an avid racing fan, and in 1963 he was the Sportsman Champion at Wall Stadium driving car #28. He was a NASCAR enthusiast and had worked there for over 30 years, and followed the NASCAR Modified Tour.
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).