Column Compiled By: PHIL SMITH / RPW – WESTERLY, RI – The weekend began at the Thompson Motorsports Park Speedway oval with what was called Thursday Night Thunder or should be called Thursday night Blunder.
The folks from the American-Canadian Tour have attempted to keep oval track racing alive at Thompson to no avail with struggling car counts and sparse crowds thanks to the spoken attitude of the fourth generation Hoenig family that looks down their noses at anything that isn’t a sports car.
Thursday night was no different. There were only eight Make Believe Modifieds (602 crates), John Puleo took the win with Keith Rocco, second and Isaih Newcomb, third. There were seven SK Lights. Tyler Chapman took the win over Nick Hovey and Meghan Fuller. There were 12 Street Stocks. Larry Barnett took the win over Scott Sundeen and Ryan Waterman. Brian Tagg was the Late Model, 10 cars, winner and there were nine Mini Stocks.
With the exception of the Whelen Modified Tour Series events at Thompson which draw decent fields of cars and decent crowds it’s time to throw in the towel for the weekly or semi-weekly oval track racing.
What a difference a day makes, 24 little hours, says the song. The racing action shifted to the Stafford Motor Speedway on Friday night for the Open Competition Modified Masters 100 lapper for tour type Modifieds. Twenty six cars plus a full grandstand graced an almost perfect evening of racing. Ronnie Silk started on the pole by virtue of his heat win, took the checkered flag and the $12,000 winner’s purse in addition to a wool jacket supplied by Stafford Springs’ own America Woolen Company that went along with the victory.
Silks run to the checker was flawless as he led the first 59 laps before pitting for fresh rubber. Restarting seventh, Silk wasted little time as he sliced thru the field to retake the lead from Matt Swanson in turn four on lap 78. The big story of the night was the fantastic run turned in by Jacob Perry. By virtue of his third heat win, Perry started third. At the drop of the green he shot by Chris Pasteryak and placed himself on Silk’s bumper for 79 laps before pitting for fresh rubber. Following the restart as Silk advanced to the front as Perry’s car lossened up and after getting as high as fifth slid back to sixth at the checker. At the finish it was Silk in for the win with Swanson settling for second. Max Zachem finished third with Mike Christopher Jr. and George Bessette rounding out the top five. Bessette came from a dead last starting spot. Sixth thru tenth included Jacob Perry, Teddy Hodgdon, Stephen Kopcik, Chris Pasteryak and Keith Rocco.
Only two cautions slowed the event. The first caution was displayed for Dana DiMatteo who stopped on the track with a blown transmission and the second caution was displayed for Marcello Rufrano who spun in turn four while running ninth.
Stafford Speedway also hosted its five weekly racing divisions as part of the GAF Roofing Modified Masters program on Friday. Mikey Flynn was the big winner of the night taking his first career SK Modified® feature victory in the 40-lap feature event which ran non-stop .Flynn was the 96th different division winner. Adam Gray was a Late Model feature winner for the second consecutive week, Chris Matthews was a first time 2024 winner in the SK Light feature, Matt Clement notched his second win of the season in the Limited Late Model feature, and Jason Lafayette scored his second win of 2024 in the Street Stock feature.
The town of Rehoboth, Mass seems to be the breeding ground for championship race car drivers. First it was Carl Bugs Stevens and now it is Jake Johnson.. Johnson. used non-stop race strategy to get to the lead and drove away from Woody Pitkat over the final laps to win the 100-lap Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series feature Saturday at White Mountain Motorsports Park in North Woodstock, N.H. There were 21 cars on hand. Johnson started the 100 lapper in fourth spot after finishing second in the second heat. Heat winners were Woody Pitkat and Teddy Hodgdon.
Stephen Kopcik finished third with Anthony Nocella and Matt Kimball rounded out the top five. It was the first ever Tri-Track event at White Mountain. Sixth thru tenth included Matt Hirschman, Jon Mckennedy,Ron Williams, Kyle Bonsignore and Teddy Hodgdon.
. The first caution flew on lap 74 for the stopped car of Chris Pasteryak. The second caution flew on lap 83 when Hirschman tried to get under Pitkat in a battle for fifth place. In turn four, with Hirschman in the low lane, there was contact and Hirschman spun to the infield. The final caution flew on lap 90 for the spinning car of Hinckley. On the restart it was Johnson easily getting the jump Pitkat to pull away over the closing laps.
History was made at the Riverhead Raceway on Saturday night. When the yellow-checker fell on the NASCAR Tour Type Modified event, Tom Rogers Jr. of Riverhead rewrote the history books with his 64th career victory. Rogers entered the scheduled 50-lap event tied with “Charging” Charlie Jarzombek of Baiting Hollow at 63 wins. With an ambitious 10-feature event program on the menu Saturday, the Tour Type Modified race was halted on lap 19 after numerous caution flags.
The NASCAR Modified feature was one of the most brutal events ever seel at the eastern Long Island oval. Matt Brode moved out front at the drop of the green but in a sign of things to come the first caution waved just after the first laps was in the books. On the early restart, Rogers like Jarzombek, a former five-time track champion got the measure of Brode and was the new race leader on lap 2. Brode, who has endured a rough 2024 campaign ran second until lap 7 when he was passed by Chris Young to start the 8th circuit. The race, bogged down by stops and starts continued to have issues and drivers were warned by race control time was not on their side. That warning went unheeded. The final straw came on lap 19 when a multi-car incident exiting the fourth turn ended the race. Once the wreck was cleared, the field put in proper running order, the checker flag, accompanied by the yellow waved over the hood of the Denise & Ken Darch owned machine driven by Tom Rogers Jr. In true Rogers fashion, he performed a Picasso like burnout on the backstretch, climbed on the roof of his car and in a pose, Rocky Balboa would have been proud of put his arms in the air, his silhouette barely visible through the smoke.
Weekly racing at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl saw Eric Berndt score his 27th career SK Modified victory. Anthony Flannery was second and Jon Puleo, third. Other winners at the Connecticut shoreline oval were Chris Garside in the 50-lap Mini Stock feature, Nickolas Hovey in the 25-lap SK Light Modified feature, Doug Curry in the 30-lap Late Model feature, Al Stone III in the 25-lap Street Stock feature. It was Stone’s 67th career victory in the division and Tyler Chapman of Mystic got his sixth win in nine features this year in the 25-lap Truck feature.
Twin 25s were on tap at Bowman Gray in North Carolina. Local favorite Tim Brown recorded his 101st win as he won the opening 25 lapper over Burt Myers and Mike Speeny. Brandon Ward won the nitecap over Junior Snow..
The New England Auto Racers (NEAR) President April May Preston-Elms is honored and pleased to announce the 2024 NEAR Hall of Fame Class. The landmark 26th class for the region’s most highly regarded motorsports shrine will be formally inducted into the NEAR Hall of Fame on Sunday, November 3, at the Log Cabin in Holyoke, Massachusetts.
A wide-ranging group of announcers, drivers, crew chiefs, car owners, fabricator, and promoters including Skip Barber, Peter Daniels, Russ Dowd, Mike Greci, “Radical” Rick Martin, Paul Newman, Bobby Seymour and Dale Shaw will join the NEAR Hall of Fame, raising the total to over 280 members enshrined.
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).
