RPW Exclusive: The Champ Trail: NASCAR’s Return To Bowman Gray, The Clash & More…

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Column Compiled By: PHIL SMITH / RPW – WESTERLY, RI – The NASCAR Clash officially moved into the Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem North Carolina this past weekend.

The season-opening NASCAR Cup Series exhibition race started 23 drivers in a 200-lap feature event on Sunday.

According to USA Today, one may wonder why there’s not a hyphen between Bowman and Gray. Well, you may not, but others may be asking, ‘Who was Bowman and who was Gray?’ Turns out, it was just one guy — Bowman Gray, long-ago president and chairman of the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company in Winston-Salem. Kind of a big deal, to say the least.

He was quite the local philanthropist, and his name isn’t just on the old football field/racetrack. In 1935, he died of a heart attack at age 61 while on a cruise ship off the coast of Norway, and he was buried at sea. True story. Anyway, Bowman Gray was built for football purposes but soon welcomed horses for trotter races around the perimeter, and eventually race cars and, from 1958-71, NASCAR.

On the matter of Winston-Salem? Yes, a hyphen. The name came from the merging of two neighboring towns in the early 1900s.

The Modifieds, which are the headlining division in weekly competition at Bowman Gray, ran a 125-lap exhibition race during the weekend. Twenty Eight cars started the event. It was not a good representation of what Modified Racing was all about. Close to 10,000 witnessed the event in 57 degree weather under cloudy skies. They couldn’t go ten laps without a caution. The clean up crew dragged their feet and the single finger salutes were displayed by competitors and fans alike.

Chris Fleming was the eventual winner, his 18th at the North Carolina track. Burt Myers finished second after coming from an 18th starting spot. Mike Speeny finished third with John Holleman, fourth. Brandon Ward completed the top five.

NASCAR tried to make it a race but old dogs can’t be trained to be new dogs.

For some real “Down South” type racing, On March 1 the SMART Tour gets their 2025 season started at Florence Speedway. On March 29 the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series kicks off their 2025 season at Thompson Speedway. On April 12 the Race of Champions Modified Series gets their season started at Lake Erie Speedway. And all summer long Modified racing will be showcased at places like Stafford Speedway and Thompson Speedway and so many other places.

What you saw on Saturday at Bowman Gray Stadium was not “Modified Racing”. It was a demolition derby with Modified style racer cars.

Evidently the folks that sat in the stands, close to 10,000 of them, enjoy that kind of racing. For a true representation one must take in the Modified Racing held at Stafford, Thompson, Waterford and Seekonk. It is the best of Modified Racing and the competition it produces.

Chase Elliott, a seven-time winner of the Most Popular Driver Award, made his own piece of history Sunday in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. In the first NASCAR Cup Series event at Bowman Gray Stadium since 1971, Elliott, a champion of NASCAR’s top-level in his own right, triumphed, dominating the 200-lap contest from the pole to win the Cook Out Clash.

Elliott faced challenges throughout the event, in the form of Toyota GAZOO Racing teammates Denny Hamlin and Tyler Reddick, who surged to the front of the pack around the halfway point of the event.

The Hendrick Motorsports driver got back in control of the race in the second half, after Hamlin made a mistake on a restart and slid up the racetrack, opening the precious inside line for Elliott to dart through, and back to the race lead.

Ryan Blaney finished second. Denny Hamlin faded back to third in the closing laps of the event, finishing nearly five seconds behind the eventual race-winner. Defending NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano was fourth, with Bubba Wallace rounding out the top-five.

Overall, the Cup cars ran a far better race than the B/G Modifieds.

The season opening NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Series event at New Smyrna this coming Friday night, Feb7. Time trials at 5:30, 200 lap event goes green at 7:30. Among those in the field will be Ron Silk, last year’s runner-up to Justin Bonsignore. Silk says that he and his team will not run a full schedule this year as they will be unable to take in some of the mid week events which have put a big strain on many of his pitcrew who work regular jobs and can not afford the lost wages lost from their regular jobs.

Ryan Preece Racing has announced that Luke Baldwin will compete in the full Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series schedule during the 2025 season. Baldwin will drive the No. 40 for Preece in eight of the 10 events and will pilot the No. 7NY for Tommy Baldwin Racing in the other two races, allowing him to compete for the championship.

The Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series 10-race schedule includes events at seven different tracks in four different states in the New England region. The schedule is the largest in the history of the series, founded in 2014.

The season-opener will take place at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park on Saturday, March 29 as part of their Icebreaker weekend. The series will continue with a second event at Thompson on May 14, followed by Thunder Road (May 24), White Mountain (June 7), Seekonk Speedway (June 25), Stafford Speedway (July 16), Star Speedway (August 2), New London Waterford Speedbowl (August 23), Stafford (September 27) and Seekonk (October 25). Jeff Preece, Ryan’s father, will crew chief the car.

Luke Baldwin will not have too much idle time on his hands. Tommy Baldwin Racing announced that Luke Baldwin will pilot the historic No. 7NY to compete for Rookie of the Year honors on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in 2025. Baldwin will compete in at least 12 of the 16 events on the circuit, beginning with the season opener at New Smyrna Speedway’s World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing on February 8.

Baldwin will also run the events at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park (March 30, August 6, October 12), Monadnock Speedway (May 3 & July 19), North Wilkesboro Speedway (May 18), Seekonk Speedway (May 31), Riverhead Raceway (June 14), Lancaster Motorplex (July 12), Richmond Raceway (August 14) and Martinsville Speedway (October 23). Additional events are possible and would be announced at a later date.

On a sad note, Bette-Jeane Locke, who passed away last week at her home in Punta Gorda, Fla., was a longtime fixture of operations as the office manager at Stafford Speedway in the 1970’s and 80’s. Her husband Peter was a longtime pace car driver at Stafford. Said former Stafford Speedway announcer Mike Joy: “Bette-Jean was the whole reason Stafford ran smoothly. Everyone who raced there and many fans knew her and Peter. They were great friends of ours as well as co-workers.

Janice Boehler, widow of legendary car owner Len Boehler, passed away on Jan 23. She was Matriarch of the Boehler family former team owner and supporter of Ole Blue for over 50 years!!

Coastal 181, Reading For Racers has released their 2024-2025 Catalog of great books. Among the newer titles is “Lazzaro, the man and his machine”. Lou Lazzaro became one of the Northeast’ most revered drivers of all time. He was equally as good on dirt as he was on asphalt. For many years he raced and won, sometimes three to five times a week at his home tracks, the Albany Saratoga Speedway in Malta, NY, Fonda Speedway in Fonda, NY and at the Utica-Rome Speedway in Vernon, New York. Lazzaro was a regular track representative for the All Star League that raced on dirt and asphalt tracks during the late 60’s. The most remarkable thing was that he did it all with the same car. One of his biggest fans believe it or not was Richie Evans. Other great reading in the Coastal 181 catalog include “Ray Everham-Trophies and Scars”, “Bugsy”, “Richie”, “Eddie Flemke” and “The Soul of a Modified” Lenny Boehlers Ole Blue. Call Coastal181 at 877-907-8181.

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).