Column Compiled By: PHIL SMITH / RPW – WESTERLY, RI – The Monaco Ford Tri-Track Series visited the New London-Waterford Speedbowl last Saturday night.
A very healthy field (31) Modifieds were on hand. Among the quickest in warm-ups around the 1/3rd mile oval were Stephen Kopcik who toured the track in 14.406 seconds. Close a hand was Matt Hirschman who turned a 14.516 second lap. Others in the top five were Matt Swanson, Teddy Hogdon and Kyle Bonsignore.
The field was set by three qualifying heats of 10 laps each. Heat winners were Eric Berndt, Chris Pasteryak and Jake Johnson. All 31 cars on hand started the event.
To no ones surprise Matt Hirschman, who swept wins in both Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series events in 2023 at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl, made it three in a row at the Connecticut shoreline oval. Kyle Bonsignore finished second with Stephen Kopcik, third. Brett Meservy finished fourth with Mike Christopher Jr rounding out the top five. Sixth thru tenth includrd Eric Berndt, Anthony Nocella, Max Zacham, Teddy Hogdon and Woody Pitkat. It was Hirschman’s 253rd career win.
Weekly racing at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl saw Andrew Molleur taking the victory in the SK Modifieds over Berndt and Jon Puleo. In the Late Models it was Jason Palmer.
The Thompson Motorsports Speedway ran a Wednesday night racing program that was another failure at the pit gate as competitors continued to ignore the track in droves. There were only 13 Street Stocks, 10 Late Models, 7 Mini Stocks, 8 SK Light Modifieds and 8 Make Believe Modifieds which are 602 crate Mods.
The Modifieds ran 50 laps with Jon Puleo taking the win over Keith Rocco and Isaiah Newcomb. Tyler Chapman won the 30 lap SK Light 30 lapper that paid $1,000 to win. Nickolas Hovey finished second with John O’Sullivan, third. Derek Gluchacki won the 25 lap Late Model event over Jake Johnson and Matt Lowinski-Loh. Corey Fanning won the 20 lap Street Stock feature over Al Stone III and Larry Barnett. Two of the 13 starters were disqualified. The Mini Stocks ran 15 laps with Kevin Moore taking the win over Jared Roy and Ryan Pomposelli.
Wednesday night excitement at Thompson continues this week on Wednesday, Aug 14 with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Thompson 150! Also headlined by the New England Supermodified Series (NESS), the Thompson 150 program will also include continued track championship action courtesy of the Thompson Make Believe Sunoco Modifieds, a $1,000-to-win AZ Roofing SK Light Modified showdown, the Late Models, Street Stocks and Mini Stocks for a seven division Wednesday night showcase! Post Time is set for 5:00pm. Resent racing programs have been a bust in both car counts and grandstand attendance.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Series will be at the Thompson Motorports Park Oval Speedway this Wednesday, August 14 for a 150 lapper. Hopefully this event will draw a respectful field of cars and a full grandstand of fans.
The Stafford Motor Speedway made a noon time decision to call a rain-out for last Friday night. The Spear Bro’s Kids Night has been postponed due to weather. The next event at Stafford Speedway will be held Friday, August 16th when the Open Modifieds return for the Lincoln Tech Open Modified 80. Spears Bro’s Kids Night will now be held on Friday, September 20th. All sign-ups for the big wheel race scheduled for August 9th will be transferred to the next kids night on August 30th.
An additional event has been added to the 2024 schedule. NAPA Auto Parts Champions Night will now be held Friday, October 4th with weekly racing now scheduled for Friday, September 27th.
In Modified action at the Bowman Gray Stadium, it was Burt Myers and Lee Jeffreys scoring the twin 50 lap wins. Brandon Ward finished second in the first 50 lapper and was followed by Chris Fleming, Mike Speeny and John Holleman IV. In the nitecap Fleming finished second with Myers, third Ward and Speeny rounded out the top five.
The Riverhead Raceway on Long Island finally got a break and was able to complete a Saturday night program. JB Fortin led wire to wire to win his second Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series 50-lap NASCAR Modified feature of 2024 in front of family and friends on I Love America night. Chris Young continues to collect top five finishes in 2024 with a runner-up showing. Timmy Solomito. Defending champion John Beatty Jr. was fourth and Owen Grennan completed the top five.
Area Auto Racing News, America’s leading Auto Racing Trade newspaper announced last week that the Whelen Engineering Company sponsorship of the NASCAR Tour Series is set to expire at the end of 2024 on December 31. Back in 2017 Whelen signed a multi- year extension to continue to be the title sponsor of NASCAR’s oldest division. It is hoped that Whelen will re-up with NASCAR as the sponsorship of the Modifieds has made it the No.1 of the sanctioning body’s divisions. Whelen sponsorship has taken the Modifieds out of the back yards and has put them on the big stage of the sanctioning body. Anyone involved with the Modified tour will agree it’s a tough grind to support the division but come the end of the year teams and competitors are well rewarded for their efforts. It is sincerely hoped that Whelen Engineering, a Connecticut company that manufactures and sells safety lighting and associated gear for emergency vehicles will continue their sponsorship with a long extension.
Whelen is also the sponsor of the NASCAR EURO Tour, the NASCAR Hall of Fame with the Whelen Wall of Champions and the Mazda MX-5 Series.
.On a sad note, Leo M. Donahue, 88, of Homestead Road, Ledyard, CT, passed away on Sunday morning, August 4, 2024 at the Bannister Center of Providence. He was pre-deceased by his wife, Marlene B. (LaJoie) Donahue in 2021. He is survived by his sister, Joyce DiGangi of Ledyard, CT, his sister, Maureen Reale of Westerly, RI and good friends David and Brenda Santos of Pawcatuck, CT.
Mr. Donahue was born in Westerly, RI on March 1, 1936, the son of the late Jack and Ann (Govern) Donahue. Leo’s hobbies growing up was building “Modified Race Cars” and driving them. He raced at local tracks in Waterford, CT, Norwood, MA, Thompson, CT and Stafford Springs, CT. Leo was a quality control manager at the George C. Moore Company for 49 years. After retirement, he went to work part time at Enders Island in Mystic, CT to take care of the grounds. He was a Third Order of the Marist Society of Mary and also served as Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist at St. Michael Church, Pawcatuck, CT.
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).
