Column Compiled By: PHIL SMITH / RPW – WESTERL, RI – Seventy five years ago in 1949 Charlie Barry was the 20 lap feature winner at the Buffalo Civic Stadium in New York. The midgets ran at Seekonk with Ray Janelle taking the win.
Seventy years ago in 1954 the New London Waterford Speedbowl ran their rescheduled 50 lap Sportsman Fall Championship. Joe McNulty took the win before rain came in to wash out the non Ford feature.
Sixty five years ago in 1959, Lionel Arel was the Friday night winner on the dirt at the Stafford Springs Speedway. Len Duncan was the winner of an ARDC Midget race at Danbury. Johnny Sandberg was the top dog at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl as he won the 25 lap Sportsman feature on Sunday afternoon. Other winners at the shoreline oval were Billy Greco in the non-Fords and Ben Hewitt in the Bombers.
Sixty years ago in 1964, Marvin Panch was the Grandnational winner at the North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carollina. Bugsy Stevens took the A division feature at the Seekonk Speedway. Mike Lawrence was the 15 lap Cadet division winner.
Fifty five years ago in 1969, the Norwood Arena, long a part of the tri-track-modified circuit in New England ran its last Modified event. The track would continue for a couple more years but would run only late models. Roland LaPierre Sr. won the final event. He was followed by Eddie Flemke, Fred DeSarro, Bugsy Stevens, Bob Melnick and Billy Schulz. Freddie Schulz was the final modified driving champion and Dick Armstrong was the final modified championship owner. An industrial park now sits on the former site of the high banked 1/4 mile speedway in Norwood, Mass. The Norwood Arena Speedway was the fastest 1/4 Mile NASCAR stock car racing track in the 1960’s. The Modifieds ran their final event of the year at Stafford on Sunday. Leo Cleary, driving the Sonny Koszela No.15 took the win over Smokey Boutwell, Ed Yerrington, Bill Slater, DeSarro and Flemke. Henri “Red” Barbeau was the 100 lap A diviaion winner at Seekonk. Airborne Park in Plattsburg, N.Y. ran a double point event also on Sunday. Jerry Cook took the win over Dick Fowler and Bugsy Stevens. Stevens was trying to overcome a 441 point deficit that Jerry Cook held for the NASCAR Modified Championship.
Fifty years ago in 1974, Staffords Fall Final featured 80 lap events for the Modifieds and 80 laps for the Busch North division. Bugsy Stevens took the modified win over Richie Evans, Geoff Bodine and Jerry Cook. Bob Dragon was the late model winner. Seekonk fell victim to rain.
Forty years ago in 1984, the Oswego Speedway closed out their season on Saturday with the Modifieds, which saw Jim Spencer take the win over Richie Evans, Brian Ross and Roger Treichler. Stafford ran their Fall Final on Sunday with Reggie Ruggiero taking the win. Richie Evans finished second and sewed up the Northeast Regional and Nascar National Modified Championship. Brett Bodine finished third.
Thirty five years ago in 1989, the Modified Tour Series was at the Shangri-La Speedway. Jeff Fuller, driving for Art Barry, took the win. Steve Park finished second and was followed by Rick Fuller and Satch Worley. Also on tap that weekend was the Fall Finale at Waterford where Dennis Gada took the win.
Thirty years ago in 1994,Waterford ran their Fall Finale. Todd Ceravolo took advantage of a blown engine in leader John Anderson’s modified and walked off with the season ending win. Ceravolo started on the pole and led the early going until getting passed by Anderson. Rob Janovic, driving the Mike Gada no.21 drove a very competitive race and finished second. George”Moose”Hewitt finished third and was followed by Jerry Pearl, Scott Spaulding, Phil Rondeau and Jim Broderick. Jay Stuart won the Late Model main. In Winston Cup action at Charlotte, Dale Jarrett took the win after a dominant Geoff Bodine blew a head gasket. Terry Labonte was the Grandnational winner.
Twenty five years ago, in 1999, the Thompson World Series and the D. Anthony Venditti Memorial at Seekonk rained out. Fifty-eight Modifieds were at Thompson with Tony Hirschman taking the pole. It was damp but not raining up in central New York State. The Race of Champions was run at Oswego with 53 entries. Chuck Hossfeld took the win over Mike Muldoon and Lee Sherwood. Ted Christopher was a pre race favorite but crashed out of the event. The big event of the weekend was the annual DIRT-Eckerd 300 K at Syracuse. Kenny Tremont took the lead from Vic Coffey on lap 115 of the 188-lap event and went on to record the biggest victory of his career. Tremont received $86,525.Ken Brightbill finished second and pocketed $31,200.Also on this weekend it was announced that NASCAR had awarded a weekly racing sanction to Claremont Speedway for 2000. RJ Reynolds announced that they were discontinuing sponsorship of NASCAR’s weekly racing series because of results of tobacco litigation. Chrysler announced that they would be returning to Winston Cup racing with Ray Everham one of the key players. Michael Waltrip scored a Busch Grandnational win at Charlotte after Mike McLaughlin ran out of gas on the last lap while leading. Jeff Gordon won the rain delayed Winston Cup event that had to be run on Monday.
Twenty years ago in 2004, the Thompson Speedway had released their final point standings for 2004. Todd Ceravolo, with five wins included with 16 top 5’s was the Sunoco SK-type Modified Champion. Ceravolo won a close battle over Jeff Malave. Malave scored two wins included with 15 top 5’s. Ted Christopher, with four wins, ended up in third spot. Kerry Malone and Eric Berndt rounded out the top five. Corey Hutchings, with nine wins, took the Late Model Championship. Dennis Botticelo, with two wins, finished second. Ryan Posocco, with two wins, ended up in third spot. Charles Bailey III, 3 wins, and Marc Palmisano, 2 wins, rounded out the top five.
The Waterford Speedbowl closed out their racing season with the Town Fair Fall Finale. With numerous track division titles on the line competition was intense to say the least. In addition to qualifying for the track’s regular divisions on Saturday features were held for All Star Truck where Chris Correll took the win. In the Legends Jeff Paul made it five out of eight for the year, Pro Four Modifieds where George Sherman took the win and two divisions of X-Cars where Brad Vogelsong and Chris Avery recorded wins.
On Sunday, the NEMA Midgets started it off with a 25-lap feature. Ben Sikes took the win after pre race favorite Bob Santos III dropped out with a smoking engine. Next out was a 50 lapper for the Mini-Stocks. Richard Brooks took the lead just past the half way mark and held off Joe Godbout for the win. Glen Colvin was awarded the division championship. Following the Minis were the Sportsman. Roger Perry became the surprise winner after the front three, Ed Gertsch, Norm Root and Keith Rocco, got tangled up in turn one with five laps to go. Gertsch and Root spun and were put to the rear. Officials felt that Rocco was guilty of rough riding and put him to the rear also. It was later learned that officials had made a bad call as Gertsch had in fact suffered a flat tire, which caused him to check up. Rocco did touch him slightly but should have not been put to the back. In a determined bid, Rocco came from the rear of the field after the restart and finished third and won his division title. Corey Hutchings had previously sewed up the Late Model division title. Hutchings put icing on the cake as he drove to a convincing win over Allen Coats and Ed Reed Jr.
Dennis Charette took the lead from Chris Pasteryak on a lap 51 restart and went on to take the win in the Modified 100. It was a game of luck and wits between Dennis Gada and Eddie Reed Jr. to see who would become the 2004 Modified Champion. Gada’s luck soured right from the start when he developed a smoky power steering leak. After repeated pit stops while the field was under caution for miscellaneous spins Gada’s crew was able to make repairs and keep their driver on the lead lap. Gada later got collected in a spin but didn’t do any damage. Reed, on the other hand, held a fair lead going into the event and only had to stay out of harm’s way and finish to garner his first title. Reeds luck began a downturn on lap 59 when his left front tire was beginning to lose air. A caution on lap 65 allowed him to pit and make a change. Restarting in the rear as the field took the green on lap 68 Reed got collected in a wreck triggered by Shawn Monahan whom bounced off of Doug Coby. The wreck all but sheared off the right front suspension and tire from Reed’s car. He somehow was able to drive to the pit area where an army was on hand to assist the Gordon Rogers crew in making repairs. Sheer determination on the part of his crew got him back in competition. In the meantime Gada had worked his way back to the front and was on Charette’s bumper at the finish. Reed was able to limp home and despite losing a lap in the closing stages finished 17th to win the division championship. Ron Yuhas Jr. finished fourth with Chris Pasteryak, fifth.
The Nextel Cup along with the Busch Racing Series were in Kansas City last weekend. Joe Nemechek took the Busch Series event over Greg Biffle. He carried his winning ways over to Sunday as he also won the Nextel Cup event over Ricky Rudd.
Ted Christopher was among the missing at Waterford. Christopher spent the weekend in Virginia racing a late model at the Martinsville Speedway and at the Concord Motorsports Park in North Carolina. Christopher started dead last at Concord and took the win. At Martinsville he missed the qualifying cut.
Tim Fuller won the DIRT Eckered 200 at Syracuse. Fuller was running third on the final lap when leader Kenny Tremont ran out of gas and second place runner Matt Sheppard shredded a tire. Fuller collected $50,000 for his efforts.
Fifteen years ago in 2009, At the Waterford Speedbowl the Fall Finale wound up the racing season at the shoreline oval. Ryan Morgan overcame adversity to checker the 20-lap Legends Car race, leading Saturday afternoon action. Bill Leonard won the NEATV Truck Series race and Wayne Coury Jr. won the Outlaw Stock race. Keith Rocco would have to wait another year before he could say he had won Modified championships at all three Connecticut NASCAR sanctioned ovals. Rocco and Ron Yuhas Jr were locked in a battle for the SK Modified Championship as the shoreline oval closed out its season. It all came to an end for Rocco when he pitted with 52 laps remaining in the close-out 100 lapper. Rocco missed the restart and virtually handed Yuhas the title. Rocco had been leading the 100 lapper when he chose to pit during a caution when something didn’t feel right in the front end of his car. Rocco ended up losing numerous laps and ended up finishing in 17th spot. Yuhas finished second behind Jeff Paul.
As is usual, Modified racing at the Speedbowl is rough and tumble and survival of the fittest or luckiest. Joe Perry and Dennis Charette led the 27-car SK Modified field and championship chase to green for their 100-lap event. The fireworks started off turn four of lap one when Tom Abele Jr., who started third, and Charette made contact. That crossed the pair up in front of a stacked field behind, resulting in an 11-car pig pile entering turn one.
All eyes were on point’s contenders Ron Yuhas Jr. and Keith Rocco. Heads up driving helped them from getting collected in the incident, as cars literally scattered in every direction around them. Dennis Gada, Jeff Pearl, Allen Coates and Matt Gallo were among those headed pit side in need of repair but able to continue on the lead lap of the race.
The restart proved no better, as Abele and Janovic came together off turn four coming to the green flag, ending with Abele’s car at rest against the turn one wall after making race ending contact with the wall. Once green, Jeff Paul moved inside of Perry to take over at the front. Racing only went a few laps before something broke on Pearl’s car, sending the Salem driver hard into the turn one wall on lap seven. When the green returned, only one more lap was able to be completed before caution flew again for a single car spin. That lap proved key however, as Rocco used a bump and run move on Paul to take over the lead off turn two on lap 10.
Rocco ran at the front with Paul and Janovic giving chase. Yuhas moved around the outside of Perry for fourth and closed in on the top three. Caution on lap 26 for a spin by Charette slowed what was the first look at how the race for the win and championship would shape up. Rocco had pressed early to get out front, with Yuhas in tow looking all over Janovic for third. Rocco lead through lap 38 when Paul, challenging outside, capitalized on a slip by Rocco to reclaim the top spot. Paul stretched out his lead as Rocco began backing up, something appearing to go away on his machine. Caution came out on lap 47 when Shawn Solomito spun off the backstretch. Rocco used that opportunity to duck in to the pits for service on what turned out to be a broken panhard bar. The championship hunt turned when the race returned green with Rocco still in the pits as his team made the repairs.
Paul reclaimed the lead when the action returned with Yuhas in second, Dennis Gada moving to third, and Janovic battling Mark Bakaj for fourth. Yuhas pressed Paul at the front. Gada sat three cars back in third. Further back, Bakaj took fourth but Janovic looked to take it back. Those two came together in turn four with 20 laps remaining to bring out caution.
That was the final restart Paul needed to master. He did, going on to his third victory of the season. Yuhas settled for second, good enough to clinch his first track title in his 10th season competing at the track.
Dennis Gada, finished third and was followed by Allen Coates and Matt Gallo.
Other winners in the Fall Finale were Ronnie Oldham Jr. in the Street Stocks, Tim Jordan in the Late Models and Lou Bellisle III in the Mini Stocks.
Next up at the Waterford Speedbowl was the never ending saga between track owner Terry Eames and his creditors who had a foreclosure slated for October 31.
The True Value Modified Racing Series converged on the Seekonk Speedway for the annual D. Anthony Venditti Classic. Mike Stefanik scored his first ever win at what is known as the Cement Palace. Starting 22nd, the former NASCAR Modified Champion didn’t break into the top ten until lap 60 of the 100 lap event. Hooked up, Stefanik broke into the top five by lap 70 and set his sights on the victory. By lap 85 Stefanik had zeroed in on the bumper of leader Dwight Jarvis after passing Rowan Pennick for the second spot. Also on lap 85 Jim Dolan spun, setting the stage for a restart, which would see Stefanik, vault into the lead for the eventual win. Jarvis held on to finish second and was followed by Pennick, Steve Masse, Ryan Preece, Richard Savory and Mike Douglas.
Matt Sheppard came into Super DIRT Week in Syracuse, NY with two big goals. One was his own to achieve, while the other required help from a competitor. Sheppard did his part by winning Sunday’s Rite Aid 200. The second goal, winning the Mr. DIRT points championship, eluded him by two points when New Jersey’s Brett Hearn finished 20th to win the season title. Had Hearn finished 21st, Sheppard would have reached both goals. With 20 laps to go, the goal of winning the race looked unreachable. But then race leader Jimmy Phelps ran into the first of three problems he would have on the day. His car began to sound as if something major was wrong under the hood. Sheppard, who was in second place, said he could see that Phelps was having trouble.
Even with the car not running well, Phelps led until just 10 laps remained. That’s when Sheppard passed him on the backstretch. On the next lap, Phelps shredded his right rear tire. Once he lost the tire, he came to pit road and encountered problem number three. The team was planning to get him back out to finish the race, but as Phelps tried to leave he realized he no longer had high gear. And that ended his day. Tim McCreadie, finished second despite trouble on his final pit stop. Before the race, teams had expressed concern about the congestion that would be on pit road with most teams taking a mandatory pit stop soon after the halfway point of the race. That was exactly what happened, and McCreadie got caught behind another car in his pit stall. As he tried to exit, he made contact with the other car twice. Fortunately for him, it only cost him track position, and the damage to his car was minimal. Late in the race with only five laps to go, he was able to get around fellow North Country driver Tim Fuller to take second. He would not have time to catch the race winner and was left to wonder what might have been.
In NASCAR action at Fontana, CA, Joey Logano simply got mad after Greg Biffle put him in the wall Saturday in the Nationwide Series race at Auto Club Speedway. His father, Tom, tried to get even, and lost his NASCAR credentials in the process. Logano recovered to win the 300-mile race, pulling away from Brian Vickers over the final two laps to pick up his fifth series win of the year, and second in a row. The elder Logano approached Biffle’s car in pit lane after the race and made at least one hand gesture in Biffle’s direction before a NASCAR official intervened.
Tom Logano was apparently upset about the scrape Biffle and his son on lap 50. The veteran was challenging for the lead when he hinted over the radio that he was going to put the young driver in the fence. Moments later Biffle slid up the track while passing Logano on the inside, a move that slightly damaged Logano’s No. 20 Toyota.
In NASCAR Sprint Cup action at Fontana, Jimmie Johnson surged past Juan Pablo Montoya and easily survived a late challenge from Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon to take the win.
Gary Danko’s Speedway Line Report radio show reported on Monday, Nov. 6 that US Marshalls would be auctioning off the racing equipment from Jim Galante’s Mystique Motorsports operation, which included six fully built or partially built Whelen Modified Tour and SK Modifieds, a Freightliner tractor trailer and race car hauler. Various racing equipment would also be included in the auction, which would take place at Metro Auto Body and Towing at 722 Wethersfield Ave. in Hartford. Included in the inventory were two complete NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour cars with Ford motors, two NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour car chassis under construction, one complete SK Modified car with a Chevrolet engine, one SK Modified under construction and tons of various racing parts plus a 53 foot Featherlite Race Car trailer with Tractor.
The Charlotte Business Journal reported that Motorsports Authentics needed extensions to pay off royalties and to renegotiate contracts with various teams or it could end up in bankruptcy, according to a Speedway Motorsports Inc. filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission .
Owned 50-50 by track operating rivals Speedway Motorsports (TRK) and International Speedway Corp., Motorsports Authentics held the rights to sell clothing, diecasts and other merchandise for many of the top drivers and teams in the sport, including Dale Earnhardt Jr., Hendrick Motorsports and Stewart-Haas Racing. Motorsports Authentics stopped paying certain guaranteed royalties under several license agreements during the summer of 2009 when royalties on the projected sales were less than the guaranteed minimum royalties, according to the SEC filing. The company had received notice from licensors alleging default if Motorsports Authentics didn’t pay the unearned royalties by certain deadlines.
The Daytona Beach News-Journal reported that Grand-Am Series driver J.C. France, the son of Grand-Am founder Jim France and the grandson of NASCAR founder Bill France was arrested on Oct.8 in Daytona on drug charges. Also arrested was Russell Van Richmond, the son of one of Jim France’s former wives. The 43-year old J.C. France and the 40-year old Richmond were both charged with DUI and possession of crack cocaine.
Ten years ago in 2014, NASCAR has closed out their 2014 Whelen All-American Series championship Series. Anthony Anders has been declared the series champion. The 43-year-old Anders, who competes at the Greenville Pickins Speedway in South Carolina, accomplished the feat by leading the national points standings every week of the season and finishing with 30 wins, ninth most in a single season in the history of the series.
Two-time national champion Lee Pulliam of North Carolina finished second, while Connecticut’s Keith Rocco finished third. It is the fourth straight year Pulliam had been among the top three, while Rocco stretched his run to eight seasons, every year under the current format, of being in the top four.
Anders had 30 wins, 44 top fives and 48 top 10s in 51 races at Greenville, South Carolina’s Anderson Motor Speedway and Myrtle Beach Speedway, as well as North Carolina’s Hickory Motor Speedway. Pulliam continued his incredible four-year run, adding 25 wins, 41 top fives and 42 top 10s in 46 starts to his resume. The 26-year-old from Semora, North Carolina, has 92 Late Model wins since 2011. He won his first North Carolina championship to go with the Virginia titles he has won in 2012-14. Rocco also added to his own legacy. The 29-year-old from Wallingford, Connecticut, won his seventh straight Connecticut championship. He has already clinched the SK Modified Division title at Waterford Speedbowl, and is third at Stafford Motor Speedway and second at Thompson Speedway heading into each track’s final weekends. Rocco, who had 16 wins, 35 top fives and 40 top 10s in 46 starts, will be on the big stage in Charlotte for the awards as one of the top three drivers in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series for the sixth straight year.
When Mike Stefanik took his helmet off at Loudon it was his last time as the multi-time NASCAR Modified Champion had decided to retire from driving, once and for all. Stefanik had nothing to prove and a career to be proud of. Stefanik began his racing career at Stafford in 1976, driving a back up six cylinder All American car belonging to Bob Witcop. Believe it or not, the night before he was to make his debut, he was hit by a car outside an auto dealership where he worked. When Stefanik made his start a week later, he realized that being on the track in competition was serious business. Stefanik picked up his first LTD Sportsman win in 1978, but it was in 1979 when he dominated the division with eleven wins. He moved up to the modifieds in 1980 and garnered his first open wheel win at Riverside Park on July 12. Stefanik ran at both Stafford and Riverside, gaining confidence and experience plus, he caught the eye of Richie Evans. Evans talked Sonny Koszela into giving the young hot shoe a ride in the famous Woodchopper Special that had been formerly driven by Ernie Gahan, Leo Cleary, Kenny Bouchard, Fred DeSarro, and Bugsy Stevens.
The combination worked so well that Stefanik literally became part of the family as he married Koszela’s daughter Julie. The alliance and marriage into the Koszela family enabled Stefanik to become a full time race car fabricator as well as a driver.
Stefanik began racing on the NASCAR Feather Lite Modified tour and has been extremely successful. When the opportunity to race on the Busch Grand National North (BGNN) series presented itself in 1991, Stefanik jumped at the chance and has been equally successful there. In seven years he entered 102 BGNN events with six wins and 56 top 10’s. In 1997, Stefanik became the second driver in the 50 year history of NASCAR to win two division titles, the Feather Lite Modified and BGNN, in the same year.
By the time the dust had settled from the Richie Evans-Jerry Cook rivalry that fueled NASCAR Modified racing in the 1970s, Massachusetts native Mike Stefanik was beginning a career that would redefine success in NASCAR racing. Stefanik’s career accomplishments include four track championships, four Most Popular Driver awards, 74 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victories (through 2013) and nine NASCAR championships. Stefanik’s seven Whelen Modified Tour titles (1989, ’91, ’97, ’98 ’01 ’02 and ’06) are accompanied by two K&N Pro Series East championships, which he earned in 1997-98. Incredibly, Stefanik won the dual championships in two consecutive seasons, making him the first driver since Lee Petty to win two NASCAR division titles in a single season, and the only driver to do it twice.
Jack Arute Sr had to be be rolling over in his grave as the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour hit a new low at the Stafford Motor Speedway as only 22 entries showed for the annual Fall Final. Stafford had run Modifieds every year since 1959. Their future at the track could be in jeopardy. During the 1988 season the Modifieds were not part of the season schedule as track owner Jack Arute felt his SK’s deserved top billing. The SK’s ran all the big shows. The competition was good but the big names of the day chose to ignore the track. Attendance suffered and Arute brought the Modifieds back. In recent years NASCAR had changed rules and hiked up fees in order to compete. One by one, teams had fallen by the wayside. Of the 22 cars on hand maybe 14 had a chance of a top finish. The rest were field fillers.
Bobby Santos, from Franklin, Massachusetts, posted a fast lap of 18.506 seconds (97.266 mph) Saturday to capture the Coors Light Pole Award for the sixth time in the last eight NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events at the Nutmeg oval. Second fastest was secured by rookie Tommy Barrett Jr., who laid down a fast lap of 18.529 (97.145). Season points leader Doug Coby qualified third at 18.548 (97.046). Defending NAPA Fall Final 150 winner Donny Lia qualified fourth and Eric Goodale was fifth.
Ryan Preece scored a one-two punch at the Fall Final at Stafford on Sunday as he won the Whelen Modified Tour 150 and the SK Modified 40 lapper. While Preece won both battles it was Ted Christopher who won the war for Track Championship honors. In the SK 40 lapper, Christopher finished third after overcoming an early race penalty for contact on the track to clinch his record 9th career Track title.
In the Mod Tour event Preece broke out of his winnless slump after a season-long absence from Victory Lane, and collected his 10th career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victory by holding off Christopher. Immediately following the checkered flag things go a little testy. After the finish Preece and Christopher spun in turn two after they made contact. Both drove away unharmed.
Preece, the defending tour champion, had to weather a final challenge by Christopher after a late caution set up a final restart with two laps remaining. Christopher had an early advantage but Preece was able to power back by for the victory. Preece led a race-high 79 laps in recording his first win since Sept. 14 last year at New York’s Riverhead Raceway.
Ron Silk rallied back to finish third, followed by rookie Tommy Barrett Jr. and Patrick Emerling. Woody Pitkat was sixth and Eric Goodale seventh. Championship points leader Doug Coby finished eighth and took advantage of second straight rough outing by Justin Bonsignore (21st) to extend his points lead. Coby leads Christopher, who moved into second, by 28 points and Bonsignore by 39 heading into the season finale coming up at the Thompson Speedway on Oct 19. Donny Lia and Rowan Pennink rounded out the top 10. Bobby Santos, who won the Coors Light Pole Award in qualifying Saturday, finished 12th.
In other Stafford action, Tom Butler scored a wire to wire victory in the 30-lap Late Model feature event while Adam Gray celebrated his second consecutive Late Model championship.
In the SK 40 lapper, Dan Avery took to the outside of Preece on the final lap but Preece was able to hold him off to the checkered flag to pick up his sixth win of the season. Christopher finished third. Keith Rocco came home fourth with Todd Owen rounding out the top-5.
In NASCAR Whelen All-American Series action at the Waterford Speedbowl Keith Rocco won the SK Modified® feature while Jason Palmer won the Valenti Auto Mall Late Model race. Ed Gertsch Jr. returned to Victory Lane after a long hiatus in the Street Stocks, Ken Cassidy Jr. took the night’s Mini Stock race and Paul Buzel continued a hot streak in the SK Light Modifieds. Mike Christopher Jr. won another INEX Legend Cars feature and set a track record, while Taylor Bowser won in the visiting Mini Cup series event.
Rocco found the winner’s circle for the eleventh time of the year in SK Modified® racing. He checkered a non-stop 35-lap race that took under nine minutes to complete from start to finish. Rocco started in ninth position and quickly moved into contention, taking second on lap-10. He ran down leader Rob Janovic Jr. of Waterford by lap-16 and applied heavy pressure until making an inside move stick as they raced to turn one on lap-21. Once clear of Janovic, Rocco had smooth sailing through the finish. Janovic wound up second and Joe Gada of Salem was third. Rocco already secured the division’s 2014 championship, his second in a row and fourth overall.
Rocco’s win placed him second on the all-time winners list with 102 victories at the shoreline oval.
The final event of the year takes place this coming Saturday and Sunday when the track hosts Finale Weekend.
On the horizon, later in October, the track may be up for a foreclosure auction. Many rumors persist as to whom will be bidding on the property and what it future holds. The Waterford Speedbowl has been in existence since 1951. Racing at the shoreline oval has been highly competitive and it would be a shame to see it go away.
In Modified racing in the Southland, George Brunnhoelzl held off Burt Myers Saturday night in a green-white-checkered finish and in the process kept alive his hopes for a fifth NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour championship with his win in the Zooland 150 at the Caraway Speedway in North Carolina.
JR Bertuccio finished third, followed by Danny Bohn and championship points leader Andy Seuss. Brunnhoelzl cut Seuss’ championship points lead from 18 to nine with two races remaining. Myers, who entered the night winning three of the last four races, remains in third place 22 points out of the lead. Jason Myers, Luke Fleming, Brian Loftin, and rookies Bobby Measmer Jr. and Joe Ryan Osborne completed the top 10.
Jeff Gordon drove away from Brad Keselowski in the final 100 laps of Sunday’s AAA 400 at the Dover International Speedway to score his fourth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory of the season, locking himself into a spot in the second round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Kyle Busch was the Nationwide Series winner.
The Associated Press reported that a grand jury has decided against charging NASCAR star Tony Stewart in the August death of another driver at a sprint car race in upstate New York. The decision was announced Wednesday, Sept 24, nearly seven weeks after Stewart’s car struck and killed Kevin Ward Jr. at a dirt-track race on Aug. 9 in Canandaigua (can-uhn-DAY’-gwah).
Ward had climbed from his car after it had spun while racing alongside Stewart. The 20-year-old walked down the track, waving his arms in an apparent attempt to confront the three-time NASCAR champion.
Toxicology reports revealed Kevin Ward Jr., was under the influence of marijuana on the night he was struck and killed by a sprint car driven by Tony Stewart, Ontario County (N.Y.) District Attorney Michael Tantillo said Wednesday. Tantillo said the level of marijuana in Ward’s system was high enough to impair judgment.
Five years ago in 2019, The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour returned to the track for the annual NAPA Fall Final at Stafford Motor Speedway. Saturday morning at Stafford saw a hint of fall with highs in the 40s before the sun came up. A banner field of open wheeled Modifieds were on hand including 34 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour cars, 34 SK Modifieds and 33 SK Lights. It was great to see the late Bob Potter remembered with his car number (51) and checkered flags painted on the infield grass. Potter’s car, the 51 that he and Jiggs Beetham built in the Freddy’s TV garage in Norwich paced the field with former SK Modified champion Jerry Pearl at the wheel. Mike Stefanik was also remembered as a throw-back X-6 driven by Timmy Solomito paced the Whelen Modified Tour field.
In somewhat of a surprise, Chris Pasteryak took the pole for the Fall Final. Pasteryak toured the half mile oval in18.515mph which equates to 97.218mph. Doug Coby was a tick off with a time of 18.548 which placed him on the outside pole. Bobby Santos III was third fastest with Justin Bonsignore and Ron Silk rounding out the top five. In other Saturday action at Stafford, feature events for its Limited Late Model, and Street Stock divisions, as well as a feature event for the Vintage All-Stars and the special Ladies Challenge feature that raised over $18,000 for various charities were run as part of the Saturday NAPA Auto Parts Fall Final Weekend festivities. The Street Stock feature was also the third and final leg of the RSMPCO.com Street Stock Triple Crown that split $4,500 from RSMPCO.com among the top-10 finishers with Meghan Fuller taking home the winner’s share of $1,000. Taking feature wins were Matt Clement in the Limited Late Model feature, Fuller in the Street Stock feature, Don Howe in the Vintage All-Stars Feature, and Nicole LaRose in the Ladies Challenge. Jeremy Lavoie clinched his second consecutive Limited Late Model track championship and Zack Robinson became the 2019 Street Stock track champion.
Sunday dawned bright with mid 70-degree temps. The perfect weather led to a near capacity crowd that witnessed the inaugural win of Craig Lutz ending a long dry spell. Lutz, who was making his 66th start on the tour. Lutz who has been a contender all year, took the lead from Doug Coby on lap 118 and in the end was pulling away from Justin Bonsignore who had passed Coby who was beginning to fade, held on for third. Chuck Hossfeld, who did an all nighter after running in the Race of Champions at Erie Pa, finished fourth. Matt Swanson, in Ole Blu, rounded out the top five. Ron Silk finished sixth, followed by Bobby Santos III, Woody Pitkat, Chase Dowling and Patrick Emerling.
Lutz started ninth and rode inside the top 10 for the duration of the race but shined when it mattered most. Chris Pasteryak earned his first career Mayhew Tools Dominator Pole award in qualifying, and led the first six laps, before Coby took control. Bonsignore took the lead from Coby just before halfway and paced the field until a caution just after lap 100, when leaders pitted multiple times for tires. It would be the only caution of the day that Coby, Bonsignore and Lutz entered pit road.
Pasteryak would lead eight more laps after cycling back to the lead, but couldn’t hold the top spot, as Coby slid by, then a restart gave Lutz his opportunity. Lutz passed Coby and never looked back, minding a gap back to Bonsignore for the final 10 laps.
Twenty six of the original 34 starters were running at the end. Sixteen were on the lead lap. Five cautions for 27 laps slowed the event. The first caution came on lap 14 when JB Fortin spun on the front stretch and collected Tyler Rypkema. Fortin continued and was able to finish 17th while Rypkema retired with a broken axle. The second caution was displayed on lap 28 when Fortin spun in turn three. The third caution came on lap 41 when Sam Rameau took a hard lick in the turn 1 wall. Rameau emerged unhurt bit his car was done for the day placing him 32nd in the finish. Debris in turn three brought out the fourth caution on lap 103. The fifth and final caution was displayed on lap 111 when the track was blocked by a five car wreck. It appeared that Ron Silk hit Eric Goodale who lost control and hit the fence, breaking a spindle. Also collected were the cars of Anthony Nocella, Andrew Molleur, Silk and Timmy Catalano.
In other Sunday action at Stafford, taking down feature wins were Todd Owen in the SK Modified® feature, Wayne Coury, Jr. in the Late Model feature, and Teddy Hodgdon in the SK Light feature. Owen’s win meant he ended the season tied with Ronnie Williams in the points standings, but Williams had 5 wins this season to Owen’s 4 to make him the champion for the second consecutive season. Hodgdon came into the NAPA Fall Final as the SK Light points leader and he won his first Stafford championship in grand style by winning the race.
The 69th Annual Race of Champions was contested at Lake Erie Speedway (PA), continuing one of the most storied traditions in Modified racing. Despite a constant threat of rain that eventually temporarily delayed the Race of Champions 250, “Big Money” Matt Hirschman wouldn’t let it rain on his parade, scoring his seventh Race of Champions 250 win.
Hirschman led the field from the start, saving his tires while leading the field from the drop of the green flag. His red 60 modified would go on to lead through the fuel stop, before finally pitting for tires during a caution on lap 157. George Skora III would inherit the lead during the pit cycle, taking the lead just in time for a quick lake effect rain shower to douse the Erie, PA facility on lap 171. Despite Skora III’s prayers for the event to end, a valiant effort by track officials was able to dry the track through spitting precipitation and fog that had rolled in off the track’s namesake lake.
Skora led briefly following the rain delay, but Hirschman had no problem cutting through the field with fresh tires. Hirschman fell to tenth on the pit cycle but returned to the lead just 15 laps later. Despite late charges by Skora III and Eric Beers, Hirschman never looked back, leading the last 60 laps to score his fifth straight Race of Champions 250 win, adding to his wins at Oswego and Chemung. Eric Beers finished second with Skora, third. Scott Wylie and Austin Beers rounded out the top five. Sixth thru tenth were Chuck Hossfeld, Patrick Emerling, Daren Scherer, Mike Leaty and Randall Richard. At the conclusion of the event Hossfeld and Emerling did an all nighter as the high-tailed it to Stafford Springs Ct to compete in the NASCAR Whelan Fall Final Modified Series event.
Down on Long Island, Tom Rogers Jr. scored his 5th NASCAR Modified victory of the 2019 season Saturday night at Riverhead Raceway in a season ending 50-lap contest. The win was the 57th of Tom’s career moving him to just six wins behind all time track leader the late “Charging” Charlie Jarzombek. Rogers also won his 10th Figure Eight event of 2019 tying him with the late Joe Biondolillo Jr. for second on that all time win list with 53 tallies each. After a rough 2018 season weather wise that saw Riverhead Raceway rained out eight times the 2019 Saturday night NASCAR Whelen All American Series ran straight through from May until Saturday night without a rain out. The only blemish during the summer was two Wednesday night washouts in August. Dave Brigati was runner-up in his JDL Environmental Chevy while Chris Young wrapped up an impressive season with a third place finish in the Riverhead Building Supply Chevy. Dylan Slepain of and John Baker completed the top five.
AJ Allmendinger raced to his first NASCAR victory in five years Saturday in the Xfinity Series playoff race on The Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Chase Elliott overcame a costly mistake that nearly wrecked his car to win a sloppy race in scorching temperatures on The Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Last year, 2023, Due to the forecast of steady rain throughout the weekend Stafford Speedway and Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series officials officially postponed the NAPA Auto Parts Fall Final to Saturday, October 28th. It was only fair to the competitors and fans who had already made plans to compete elsewhere in the coming weeks
The Stafford Motor Speedway and the Monaco Tri-Track Series had previously jointly announced that the 80 lap 80 lap Fall Final will carry a total purse of over $60,000. The winner will receive $15,000 with second paying $4,000. With over 30 cars entered, those who fail to make the final cut will receive $300. The Tri-Track Series is slowly but surely becoming the premier modified racing series in the northeast.
Friday night at Stafford one of the largest fields of cars were on hand as the speedway beat the on-coming rain and wind from a tropical storm that was headed for the northeast. Twenty-nine SK Modifieds, forty two SK Lights, Sixteen Limited Late Models, nineteen Late Models and twenty four street stocks jammed the pit area.
The speedway hosted Maybury Kids Night with Stafford’s five weekly divisions in feature action. Scoring feature wins were Todd Owen in the SK Modified® feature, Andrew Durand in the Late Model feature, Tyler Chapman in the SK Light feature, Damian Palardy in the Limited Late Model feature, and Ryan Waterman in the Street Stock feature. The two kids big wheel races were won by Callie Midford and Makayla Midford. Kevin Gambacorta finished second in the Late Model feature which was good enough to clinch the 2023 Late Model championship with one race to go.
In the SK Modified 40 lapper Todd Owen started 12th and methodically worked his way thru the 27 car starting field into the top three on lap 23 as he passed Anthony Flannery for second spot behind Marcello Rufrano. Owen secured the lead following a restart on lap 30 when Rufrano slipped to third which allowed Kieth Rocco to move into the second spot. Owen led to the finish, recording his second win of the season. Owen holds a 68 point edge over Cory DiMatteo. Rocco followed with Rufrano, third. Flannery, fourth and Troy Talman rounded out the top five. Sixth thru tenth included Cory DiMatteo, George Bessette, Jr., Noah Korner, Michael Christopher, Jr. and Jack Baldwin. Baldwin, by the way, is the son of Tom Baldwin Jr.
The SK Light 20 lapper saw Tyler Chapman come out on top at the finish in the 36 car starting field. Chapman started ninth and held off Chris Mathews for the win. George Bessette Jr, in a determined run from his 18th starting spot, finished third and is now tied with Brian Sullivan for championship honors. Sullivan finished in fourth spot. Rounding out the top five is Luke Baldwin, another son of Tom Baldwin Jr. Sixth thru tenth included Alexander Pearl, Norm Sears, Tyler Barry, Casey Vogt and Daltin McCarthy.
On a sad note it was announced that car owner Jean Guy Poulin had passed away. Jean-Guy Poulin, 80, of Hartford, CT, beloved husband of Brigitte (Dumais) Poulin, passed away Thursday, September 21, 2023. Jean-Guy was born in Notre-Dame-des-Pins, Quebec, Canada and was the son of the late Armand and Jeanne (Loubier) Poulin.
He worked and owned a drywall business, JG Poulin Drywall for over 50 years, building a life for his family in Hartford, CT. He was a man full of passions that went far beyond business. He loved racing and was very mechanically inclined. He designed and built innovative snowmobiles which advanced the sport of snowmobile oval racing. He raced all over the country and in Canada. In 1986 he became a driver on the Connecticut short track racing scene. Through the years he would continue to own and sponsor many successful race teams at Stafford Motor Speedway. Jean-Guy has been a part of the fabric of Stafford Speedway for over 30 years.
Kieth Rocco was one of the many was helped to develop into a championship contender. He said, “Words can not describe what this man has done for my racing career! He took a chance by putting me in his car with no open wheel or modified experience and when we were done we etched our name in the record books as champions! Countless stories and memories dynoing and searching for more power probably because he read it in hot rod magazine! When you see your brother Marcel up there tell him he can still keep his fords we don’t want them! RIP Jean Guy #78 Thanks for everything!”
The New London Waterford Speedbowl fell victim to rain.
Bob Finan sent word that with a Nor’ Easter barreling towards Long Island just in time for the weekend, Riverhead Raceway officials announced last Friday morning their doubleheader of racing planned Saturday & Sunday has been canceled. The Cecil Palm Tree 160 event for the NASCAR Modifieds, a Crown Jewel Series event will be downsized to a 66-lap affair and move to Championship Saturday September 30th. The Sunday Championship Day now slides over to Sunday October 1st.
For the seventh time in his career, “Big Money” Matt Hirschman from Northampton, PA won the US Open 125 for the Race of Champions Modified Series on Sunday evening at Lancaster Motorplex Speedway in western New York. Mark Hoch from West Seneca, NY won his second straight US Open event in the Budget RV Outlet of Buffalo Street Stocks. Jeff Brown from Hamburg, NY won his third US Open Late Model event. Jeff Szafraniec from Akron, NY won his first US Open in the Rusty Diamond Cores 4 Cylinders.
In NASCAR cup racing, Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron took the lead on a restart with six laps remaining and held off the field to claim Sunday’s Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 victory on a steamy-hot, highly dramatic afternoon of NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs action at Texas Motor Speedway.
It marks a historic 300th victory for the championship Hendrick Motorsports organization – the most in NASCAR history for a Cup Series team – and is the series-best, personal-high single-season sixth victory of the year for the 25-year-old Charlotte native Byron. He came from third place on the final restart to ultimately drive away from the field and take a 1.863-second victory ahead of Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain to claim an automatic berth in the Round of 8, which starts in three weeks. Ryan Preece finished 23rd.
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).
