Column Compiled By: PHIL SMITH / RPW – WESTERLY, RI – The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Series heads to the east end of Long Island this coming Saturday, September 14.
Track spokesperson Bob Finan advises that there is nothing like a good old-fashioned NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour tussle on a quarter mile bullring with huge championship implications hanging in the balance.
That is the scenario awaiting Justin Bonsignore and Ron Silk who are heading to Riverhead Raceway for the Eddie Partridge 256. For the two most recent WMT champions Saturday’s race will be Déjà vu all over again after they waged a titanic battle during last year’s 256 prior to Justin Bonsignore taking the victory.
Of the 29 cars that made up the Miller Lite Tribute to Wayne Anderson 200 field in May, a dozen came from the Riverhead Raceway Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series roster. The hottest WMT driver heading to Long Island is Patrick Emerling of Orchard Park, NY who will be seeking his third consecutive win on tour. Emerling, a one-time Riverhead victor comes to the 256 with wins at Thompson Motorsports Park and the Oswego Speedway, pulling him to within 24-points of the WMT championship lead.
Fifth place WMT driver Craig Lutz recently tuned up for the 256 with a runner-up finish in the Cecil Palm Tree 66 in August and is primed for his first Riverhead WMT win, fifth overall. The Catalano brothers of Ontario, NY are headed south with Trevor, Tommy and Tyler all hoping for success as are 2024 WMT regulars Tim Connolly and local favorite Ken Heagy.
While the official NASCAR entry list for the Eddie Partridge 256 has yet to be released, the driver of the Boehler Motorsports entry, Tyler Rypkema, will be of interest. Michael Boehler is currently fifth in the WMT Owners standings, just two points ahead of Russell Goodale in sixth. Jake Johnson who had been driving the Boehler Old Blue stepped away from the ride after Thompson.
While the win last September held personal significance for Justin Bonsignore by tying Mike Ewanitsko on top of the Riverhead all-time WMT win list at 11, his 2023 championship aspirations would fall short to Ron Silk in the end. The duel, and theater provided by Bonsignore and Silk left the fans on hand or watching on Flo Racing was legendary. Bumper shots, clanging nerf bars, crossing each other over off the corners, all the while Silk’s rear brake rotors cherry red from intense heat.
In the final laps Silk would fade to third when local rising talent Mark Stewart of Riverhead snuck by for runner-up honors, while Bonsignore celebrated. Justin Bonsignore with 460 points holds a five point edge over Ron Silk who has 455 points. Patrick Emerling sits in third with 436 points.
In Friday night action at Stafford Speedway Alexandra Fearn was the big winner of the night by surviving several green white checkered attempts to finish the race and hold off Adam Gray and then Darrell Keane to score her first win of the 2024 season. Andrew Molleur was a first time 2024 winner in the SK Modified® feature, Tyler Chapman won for the seventh time this season in the SK Light feature, Devon Jencik won for the second time in the Limited Late Model feature, and Travis Downey recorded his third win in the Street Stock feature.
Alexandra Fearn is a real racer. There are some women who profess to be race drivers that will never sit in victory lane or even the top ten. They get in the starting field because there are short fields and nine times out of ten they get black flagged off because they are going to slow. Fearn started on the front row and held off numerous challenges to the finish.
Andrew Molleur started eighth as Tyler Hines led the start with Anthony Flannery in second. Michael Gervais, Jr. and Todd Owen were wheel to wheel for third with Marcello Rufrano in fifth. Owen quickly took third and then took second from Flannery on lap-3 before taking the lead on lap-4. Flannery was now second behind Owen with Gervais in third, Rufrano in fourth, and Andrew Molleur and Hines were side by side for fifth. Hines took fifth on lap-8 with Molleur right behind him in sixth as Owen continued to lead Flannery and Gervais.
Several cars spun in turn 3, including Jon Puleo, Steven Chapman, Austin Beers, Dylan Kopec, and Cory DiMatteo to bring the caution flag out with 12 laps complete. Owen took the lead on the restart with Gervais, Flannery, Rufrano, Hines, and Molleur behind him. Gervais pulled alongside Owen for the lead on lap-14 but Owen was able to hold him off and he went back to the lead on lap-15 with Gervais falling in line behind him.
Flannery and Rufrano were dueling wheel to wheel behind the lead duo for third with Molleur in fifth and Hines in sixth. Rufrano got the better of the fight with Flannery to move into third on lap-18 before Flannery took a hard hit into the turn 4 wall to bring the caution back out with 18 laps complete.
The field completed one lap before the caution came back out for Troy Talman, who went around in turn 3.Molleur took the lead on the restart but Gervais came right back on his outside to challenge for the top spot. Molleur cleared Gervais on lap-22 with Owen now to the inside of Gervais looking to take second. David Arute was up to fourth with Michael Christopher, Jr. and Hines fighting wheel to wheel for fifth place with Keith Rocco right behind them in seventh place.
With 30 laps complete, the order was Molleur, Gervais, Owen, Christopher, Arute, Hines, DiMatteo, Rocco, Mikey Flynn, and Puleo. Wesley Prucker went around in turn 3 to bring the caution flag back out with 33 laps complete.
Molleur was once again the leader back under green with Gervais and Owen again going wheel to wheel for second. Gervais took second on lap-35 while Christopher, Owen, and Hines briefly went 3-wide behind Gervais for third with Christopher emerging in third, Owen fourth, and Hines fifth.
Molleur led the field to the checkered flag to pick up his first win of the 2024 season. Christopher made a last lap pass in turns 3+4 to snatch second from Gervais at the line with Owen fourth and Hines rounding out the top-5. Sixth thru tenth included David Arute, Cory DiMatteo, Mikey Flynn, Troy Talman and Keith Rocco.
The New London-Waterford Speedbowl and the Riverhead Raceway were both rained out.
While rain blanketed the northeast clear skies greeted SMART competitors at the Caraway Speedway in North Carolina. Brandon Ward was the winner of the 99 lapper. Brian Loftin finished second with Anthony Bello, third. Burt Myers and Danny Bohn rounded out the top five.
Sixth thru tenth included Luke Baldwin, Jimmy Blewett, Frank Fleming, Tom Buzze Jr and Ryan Newman. It has been announced that Ryan Newman has entered the up-coming Tri-Track event at Stafford.
Six different winners have now graced Pace-O-Matic Victory Lane during the 2024 SMART Modified Tour season, two shy of the season-long record of eight, set just last year. Ward took the lead on lap 67 from Brian Loftin while the two navigated through some slower traffic during the 99-lap race.
The Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park was alive last Sunday with the Back to School Bash. The event was promoted by the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) and the Pro All Star Series (PASS).
According to a promoter’s press release the event was headlined by the Back to School Bash 75 for the Thompson Late Models featuring a $17,000 purse, including a $5,000 winners share, the Thompson Sunoco Make Believe 604 crate Modifieds, AZ Roofing SK Light Modifieds, Street Stocks and Mini Stocks make it a full card of Sunday afternoon racing.
The SK Lights went 25 laps. Tyler Chapman took the win over Steven Chapman, John O’Sullivan and Meghan Fuller. The Make Believe 604 Modifieds, all eight of them, went 50 laps. Jon Puleo took the win over Todd Owen, Isaiah Newcomb, Tyler Barry and Derek Ramstrom. The 20 lap Street Stock event was won by Ryan Waterman. Al Stone III finished second with Corey Fanning, third. The Late Model 75 lapper was won by Tom Carey III over Gabe Brown, Eric Sands, Nick Johnson and Ryan Morgan.
On a sad note, NASCAR Pioneer Paul Goldsmith passed away. A motorcycle racer-turned-stock car racer, Paul Goldsmith, had no idea that his victory in a 1953 race on Detroit Fairgrounds was going to change his career trajectory forever and give NASCAR one of its best drivers. It’s a sad day for not just the NASCAR community, but the entire motorsports community as we bid adieu after his recent passing at the age of 98. Goldsmith was the longest-living NASCAR and IndyCar starter. Known for his versatility, he was part of the IMS Hall of Fame, Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, Motorcycle Hall of Fame, USAC Hall of Fame, and Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame. Such was his prowess! And the NASCAR community comes together to mourn the legend. Piloting a Smokey Yunick-owned Pontiac, he clinched a dominant five-car-length victory in the final race held on the legendary Daytona Beach, Florida, beach road course.
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).
