With Santos Returning, Garbarino Looks To Make Modified History
Mystic Missile Racing looks to become first team to earn three-straight championships
When the 2011 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season takes the green flag at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway on April 10, longtime car owner Bob Garbarino will be in a position with which he has become familiar in recent seasons: defending champion. This difference this spring, however, will be that he has his champion driver back behind the wheel for an encore performance.
After he captured titles in 2007 and 2009 with driver Donny Lia, Garbarino had the task of filling the seat for the subsequent campaign as in each instance Lia took an opportunity to race in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. A third crown was earned last year with Bobby Santos behind the wheel, and that’s the way things will remain for the upcoming campaign.
Crew chew Bob Mueller – perhaps the key to pulling the three title seasons together – is also back to help lead the ‘Mystic Missile’ toward what could be a historic third-consecutive title. In 26 seasons of Whelen Modified Tour competition, no team has been able to pull off a “three-peat.”
As the Whelen Modified Tour heads to Thompson for the first of four races at the venerable northeastern Connecticut speedway, Mystic Missile Racing will enter the championship favorite, but there will be no shortage of challengers.
THE COMPETITION
Ted Christopher: The Whelen Modified Tour’s winningest driver in the last decade is a threat to take the checkered flag every time out, and thus a championship contender by default. The longtime veteran finally broke through for his first title in 2008 and has finished third in the two seasons since.
Matt Hirschman: After a two-year absence, the son of five-time Whelen Modified Tour Champion Tony Hirschman will be poised for a title of his own. Matt finished as the championship runner-up in 2008, and has teamed with legendary Boehler Racing Enterprises and the No. 3 ‘Ole Blue’ in his return to the Tour.
Ryan Preece: While he may still have a decade or two less experience than some of his competitors on the Whelen Modified Tour, Preece now has four seasons under his belt and has proven that he can more than hold his own. After a runner-up finish in 2009, he slipped to sixth in points a year ago, but will start fresh in 2011 with a new – but experienced – No. 11 team.
Mike Stefanik: The Whelen Modified Tour all-time leader in wins and points championships had a resurgent 2010 season that lead to a runner-up finish in the standings after three-straight seasons out of contention. The team is intact, and the 52-year-old is as hungry as ever for title No. 8.
Todd Szegedy: With top-five points finishes in each of the past five seasons, the 2003 champion is an annual championship threat. One of the most consistent top race finishers on the Tour through the years, he registered just eight top 10s in 14 2010 races, but with new chassis and a reunification with his 2003 title-winning crew chief, Szegedy hopes to once again be in the championship hunt.