RPW Exclusive: The Champ Trail: Mods At Speedbowl, NASCAR & SMART Mods At Wilkesboro & More…

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Column Compiled By: PHIL SMITH – WESTERLY, RI – Last weekend was a busy one for both the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Series, the SMART Modified Tour and the Modified Racing Series. The Whelen Modifieds and the SMART Modifieds were at the North Wilkesboro Speedway and the Modified Racing Series was at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl in Connecticut.

The Speedbowl also ran a 100 lap SK Modified event. The SMART Tour event ran on Saturday night and the Whelen Modifieds ran on Sunday. The MRS event at Waterford was on Saturday afternoon and the SK Modified event will be on Sunday afternoon.. FloRacing provided live streamed coverage of both events from North Carolina. Riverhead Raceway on Long Island was also in the Saturday mix.

No live coverage was provided of the Speedbowl event. The pit areas were jammed. According to RaceMonitor.com there were 30 MRS cars on hand for three qualifying heats. Winners were Artie Pederson over Rob Janovic, Les Hinkley and Max Zachem. Andrew Molleur was the winner of the second heat over Brett Meservy, Joey Mooch and Jon Miken Dylan Izzo won the third heat over Jeff Rocco, Chris Pasteryak and David Arute.

Brett Meservy had himself a career moment as he won the MRS event at the Connecticut shoreline oval. He used an APE built powerplant in his car. APE built engines are a product of Ashaway Performance Products which is owned by Norm Perry. Meservey’s win was his first in his new chassis with a Dodge motor. Just as much a career moment was the performance turned in by Jacob Perry. Perry drove the Baggot MRS entry from a 28th starting spot to a strong second place finish. Just as impressive was the third place finish by David Arute. his first career MRS Start in just his second time ever at The New London-Waterford Speedbowl. Rounding out the top five was Dylan Izzo and Jon McKennedy.

Waterford ran a 100 lapper for the SK Modifieds, ending the season with a full field of competitors. Taking the 100 lap win was Timmy Jordan. Cory Dimatteio finished second with Mike Christopher, third. Steven Chapman finished fourth with Joey Teranille, fifth. Anthony Flannery finished sixth to clinch his first SK Modified division championship at the Speedbowl. Other Sunday winners at the shoreline oval on Sunday were Brody Monahan who won the 30-lap Late Model feature, Jason Palmer was second. Palmer’s runner-up finish earned him his fifth Late Model championship at the track. Palmer also won Late Model titles in 2015, 2020, 2021 and 2023. Evan Bourgeois won the 25-lap SK Light Modified feature to clinch his first championship in the division. Sami Anderson was second and Tyler Barry was third. Brad Strickland won the 25-lap Truck feature and annexed the division’s championship by one point. Aaron Plemons won the 25-lap Street Stock feature and secured the division championship by one point. John Bavolacco won the 25-lap Mini Stock feature. PJ Evans won the 25-lap Legends feature and the division’s championship.

Overall the New London-Waterford Speedbowl closed out the season on a high note with a good crowd and a healthy car count. Hopefully the shoreline oval will continue in 2025 with a positive season.

Thirty competitors were on hand at North Wilkesboro championship event. A bit of drama surrounded the event after Burt Myers’ win at South Boston Va a week previous was allowed to stand. Following post race inspection there were some questions as to the legality of the Myers engine but the win was allowed to stand.

Prior to the event Jimmy Blewett and Andy Seuss withdrew from the event. Both were feeling ill and felt it best that they did not compete. Thirty SMART entrants ran against the clock for starting position. Setting fast time was Matt Hirschman with a 17.196sec time. Hirschman redrew the top four. Justin Bonsignore, who would be doing double duty, drew the pole for the 99 lapper. Hirschman drew the outside pole. Burt Myers drew third and Luke Baldwin, fourth. Starting fifth was fifth place qualifier Jake Crum.

At North Wilkesboro Justin Bonsignore was on a mission. As a contender for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Series title it was his mission to get familiar with a track he had never seen before. He entered the SMART event and won it, holding off SMART title contender Luke Baldwan and Matt Hirschman for the win. It was a survival of the fittest and luckiest. It was not a signature day for title contender Burt Myers. Myers started third after the re-draw and it was all downhill after that. The final straw came on lap 64 when Myers and Danny Bohn tangled with the end result being that Myers ended up against the inside wall with race ending damage.

Following Bonsignore and Baldwin at the finish was Matt Hirschman, Jake Crumb, Austin Beers and Bobby Labonte. Carson Loftin finished seventh with Ryan Newman, eighth.

In less than 24 hours Justin Bonsignore returned to the North Wilkesboro Speedway and scored a one-two punch as he won his second event of the weekend as he scored a convincing win in the Brushy Mountain Powersports 150 at the historic North Carolina oval. In an event that drew only 20 cars, six were SMART cars.

Bonsignore started fourth but had moved into the lead by lap 10 after passing Austin Beers and Matt Hirschman. Only one caution slowed the event, that coming on lap 33 when Sam Ramaeau spun in turn 4 on lap 33. The event ran non-stop after that. Following Bonsignore at the finish was Matt Hirschman, Austin Beers, Patrick Emerling and Tyler Rypkema on the lead lap. Sixth thru tenth, one lap down, included Chase Dowling, Luke Baldwin, Bobby Labonte, Carson Loftin and Kyle Bonsignore. Ron Silk, who lost the point lead, finished 11th.

Silk still has a shot at the title as the series heads to Martinsville. His NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour win on Sunday was his fourth of the season and second straight. It was also his 44th career Whelen Modified Tour win – tying Reggie Ruggerio for second on the all-time NWMT wins list. Bonsignore also took back the series points lead heading for the finale at Martinsville Speedway (October 26) by 10 points in search of his fourth series championship. The final stop on the calendar will be at Martinsville on Saturday evening for the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200, which airs live on FloRacing at 8 p.m. ET.

In other news, after a successful turn out of cars and spectators it looks like the present promoters of the Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park will re-up their lease for 2025. Special events only including PASS, ACT and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Series seem to do the trick.

The Riverhead Raceway on Long Island closed out their racing season on a rough note. After rain washed out the Championship Night for the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Series at Riverhead Raceway the event was pushed back to the third weekend in October. In the 50-lap NASCAR Modified feature Owen Grennan avoided all that was going on around him to collect his first career victory. Earlier Grennan romped to his 21st career triumph in the Eagle Chevrolet Crate Modifieds.

In the case of the final regular season Modified event, the division perhaps saved their worst for last. The race ran clean and green over the first half and beyond with Roger Turbush showing the way over Timmy Solomito and his nephew Mark Stewart. The fight for second went back and forth and was physical at times, which was just fine with leader Turbush. A chain of events that surfaced on the 44tht lap would find Turbush spinning off turn four during a restart he felt he was jumped on, Stewart winding up in the wall with right front damage after contact, Solomito retiring from the event after being sent to the rear for the contact.

When the race went back green Owen Grennan, who was fourth when all the craziness started was the new race leader with Chris Young and John Beatty in tow, Beatty coming from dead last in the field. Beatty and Young worked their way by Grennan for a hot minute before they had their own altercation. After passing Grennan, Young tried to slide in front of Owen but when he did his left front wheel caught the right rear of Beatty’s car, sending John headlong into the wall entering the third turn. Beatty had a wrecked race car, and Young was sent to the pits for his role.

That chain of events put Owen Grennan back out front for a restart with a handful of laps remaining with Justin Brown now second. Grennan was not going to let this opportunity to win his first NASCAR Modified event slip through his fingers again taking the popular win. “I cannot say enough about Rob Pelis, his family, Eastport Feeds for believing in me, giving me this opportunity, this is what is all about, winning a Modified race” the elated winner boasted.

Justin Brown was runner-up in the Motorcycle Mike Attorney At Law Chevy, Jack Handley Jr third in the Hydro Action Chevy. Dylan Slepian was fourth and CJ Lehmann, fifth.

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).