Waterford Speedbowl cancelled its NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing program scheduled for Saturday, April 26 due to damp weather forecasted throughout the evening. Action returns to the shoreline oval next Saturday, May 3 with a six-division NASCAR Whelen All-American Series program. The 50-lap Street Stock Showdown event, originally scheduled for April 26, will take center stage on May 3. The visiting New England Truck Series race scheduled for April 26 has been added to the June 28 race program.
The 50-lap extra-distance Street Stock Showdown event joins the regularly scheduled races for the SK Modified®, Valenti Auto Mall Late Model, Mini Stock, SK Light Modified and INEX Legend Cars divisions on May 3. Next Saturday’s event kicks off a busy stretch for the Speedbowl as two returning event nights are added to its weekly lineup in May.
Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday, featuring $8 adult grandstand admission and free youth grandstand admission for ages 14 and under, hits the track for its 14th season on Wednesday, May 7. On the heels of the affordable mid-week event night, Sho & Go at the ‘Bowl returns on Friday, May 9 with free grandstand admission for all attendees for 100 foot spectator drag racing plus car cruise show. A special test and tune session for drag racing competitors is scheduled for Friday, May 2. Spectator grandstands will be closed.
New Hampshire Motor Speedway is offering the $48 Jimmy Johnson Speedway ticket package. You can get one adult ticket and two children’s tickets plus a 15 minute Q&A session with Jimmie for the Lowe’s HBuild & Grow Clinic. And if you have already purchased tickets you can do an add on. Call NHMS at 603-783-4931.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returns to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the 22nd consecutive year on July 13, 2014 in the form of the Camping World RV Sales 301. The sponsor joined on in 2013 and kept the long-standing tradition of the extra mile at NHMS.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returns to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the 22nd consecutive year on July 13, 2014 in the form of the Camping World RV Sales 301. The sponsor joined on in 2013 and kept the long-standing tradition of the extra mile at NHMS. This crucial Race for the Chase can play a big role in building a driver’s momentum toward a championship run. From 2010-12, Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman and Kasey Kahne used wins in this race to carry themselves into the NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup, but in 2013, Brian Vickers upset the field for his first win since 2009.
According to published reports, there’s been some discussion about staging Modified races on the new Thompson Motorsports Park’s 1.7 mile road course. The brain storming session between Area Auto Racing News editor and track owner Don Hoenig. Among the possible events would be a three road racing series by NASCAR at Thompson, Lime Rock Park and Watkins Glen. Modified races on a road course, though, require heavy duty transmissions in order to “horse around” the 500+ hp race cars. Part of the strain on the race car is the ability of the race car to make both right and left hand turns at high speed.
The typical NASCAR Modified is designed only to turn left. The modifications would require major changes and the results could be less than desired. redesigns of the suspension systems are complex and expensive. The current modified suspension for an oval track requires stagger of the tires. A road course setup would require a suspension akin to a Indy Car and the unified Sports Car Series. Both Modified drivers and team owners are not so eager about this possible proposal and there’s a likely-hood that NASCAR couldn’t get enough entries.
Stafford Motor Speedway opened its doors for racing in 2014 with feature events for its SK Light, Limited Late Model, and DARE Stock divisions as part of the Saturday CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler Weekend festivities. Tylerl Hines took the checkered flag in the 20-lap SK Light feature, Duane Provost was the winner of the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature, and Ryan Fearn won the 15-lap DARE Stock feature.
In the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature, Geoff Boisjolie got a good run to the outside of Wesley Prucker to take the early race lead. Tyler Hinze followed Boisjolie’s lead and took to the outside groove to get around Prucker and move into second. Rich Hammann was now pressuring Prucker for third, but Prucker was able to hold him off and Hammann fell back into a duel with Bob Charland for fourth place on lap-4. Hines was applying heavy pressure to Boisjolie for the race lead, but Boisjolie was able to keep himself at the front of the pack. Prucker continued to run third with Dylan Menditto now in fourth and Jay Goff in fifth at the halfway point of the race.
Hines made his move for the lead on lap-11, making a strong run to the inside of Boisjolie in turn 3 to move out front. Menditto made a move under Prucker to move into third place on lap-15 and Goff was now locked in a side by side duel with Nick Salva for fifth as Hines continued to lead Boisjolie with 4 laps to go. Prucker and Goff spun in turn 1 and collected the car of Joey Ferrigno to bring the caution out with 17 laps complete.
As the cars circulated under caution, rain began to fall and the race was red/checkered, making Hines the first SK Light feature winner of the 2014 season. Boisjolie finished second, with Menditto, Salva, and Charland rounding out the top-5.
In the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature, Cliff Saunders took the lead at the green and began to set the pace ahead of Duane Provost. Austin Bessette moved into third, with Albert Saunders and Jesse Hinze behind him making up the top-5. Provost was quickly closing the gap to Cliff Saunders at the front and he made a move to take over the race lead on lap-5, going under Saunders in turns 1+2.
Bessette got by Cliff Saunders for second and Hinze was challenging Albert Saunders for fourth place with 9 laps complete. Hinze made the pass on lap-10 with Norm Sears following him through, dropping Albert Saunders from fourth back to sixth place. Justin Bren got together with Paul Arute with Arute spinning in turn 1 to bring the caution out with 12 laps complete.
Provost took the lead on the restart, but as the field made its way through turns 1+2, Sears spun right in front of Andrew Hayes to bring the caution right back out before a lap could be completed. Provost again took the lead on the restart with Bessette right behind him in second. David Arute got around Cliff Saunders to move into third with Hinze in fifth behind Saunders. Glenn Bartkowski made a move around Cliff Saunders on lap-16 to move into fifth while Provost continued to set the pace at the front of the field. Kelsey Rottino spun on the backstretch to bring the caution out with 18 laps complete and set up a green-white-checkered finish.
Provost took the lead on the restart with Arute pulling alongside Bessette for second. Bartkowski was fourth and Sears and Hinze were side by side for fifth. Provost pulled away from Arute on the final lap to take the checkered flag. Bartkowski was able to edge out Bessette at the line for third place and Hinze rounded out the top-5.
In the 15-lap DARE Stock feature, Ryan Fearn made a strong 3-wide move at the green flag to take the early race lead. His sister Alexandra quickly moved into second behind Ryan with Brandon Michael, David Comeau, and Frank L’Etoile, Jr. making up the top-5. Jeff Jolly spun in turn 1 on lap-6 to bring the caution flag out for the first time.
Ryan Fearn got the jump on the restart and pulled away from the field to resume the lead of the race. Comeau moved up to second on the restart with L’Etoile and Alexandra Fearn side by side for third. There was a three-wide battle for fifth between Bill McNeil, Johnny Walker, and Brandon Michael with McNeil coming out of the duel with the position.
McNeil continued to charge his way towards the front as he pulled alongside L’Etoile for fourth place on lap-11 and then made the pass on lap-12. Gus Coelho and Bryan Iwaniuk both spun on the backstretch on lap-14 but they were able to continue and the race stayed green.
Fearn led the field to the checkered flag to pick up the first win of the 2014 season in dominating fashion. Comeau finished second, with McNeil, L’Etoile, and Alexandra Fearn rounding out the top-5.
SK LIGHT MODIFIED (20)
1) Tyler Hines, North Haven
2) Geoff Boisjolie, East Hampton, Ma
3) Dylan Menditto, Brooklyn
4) Nick Salva, Prospect
5) Bob Charland, Stafford
6) Todd Douillard, Palmer, Ma
7) Rich Hammann, Tolland
8) Jeremy Sorel, Westfield, Ma
9) Branden Dion, Taunton, Ma
10) Robert Palmer, Lisbon
11) Rit Dulac, Plantsville
12) Glenn Griswold, Vernon
13) Stephen Kopcik, Newtown
14) D.J. Burnham, East Hartford
15) Pete Lopuch, West Redding
16) Paul French, Andover
17) Jodi Johnson, Medway, Ma
18) Wesley Prucker, Stafford
19) Jay Goff, Stafford Springs
20) Joey Ferrigno, East Hartford
21) Chris Gombos, Naugatuck
LIMITED LATE MODEL (20)
1) Duane Provost, Indian Orchard, Ma
2) David Arute, Tolland
3) Glenn Bartkowski, Manchester
4) Austin Bessette, Stafford Springs
5) Andrew Hayes, Charlton, Ma
6) Norm Sears, Andover
7) Cliff Saunders, Stafford
8) Jesse Hinze, Farmington
9) Paul Arute, Tolland
10) Albert Saunders, Stafford
11) Kelsey Rottino, Willimantic
12) Justin Bren, Palmer, Ma
DARE STOCK (15)
1) Ryan Fearn, East Longmeadow, Ma
2) David Comeau, Palmer, Ma
3) Bill McNeil, Preston
4) Frank L’Etoile, Jr., Wethersfield
5) Alexandra Fearn, East Longmeadow, Ma
6) Brandon Michael, Granville, Ma
7) Johnny Walker, Ludlow, Ma
8) Jeff Jolly, Wallingford
9) Andrew Marchese, Tolland
10) Dan Dembek, Hamden, Ma
11) Nicole Chambrello, Kensington
12) Doug Phelps, Jr., New Salem, Ma
13) Gary Spinnato, Jr., Wallingford
14) Barry Fluckiger, Vernon
15) Bryan Iwaniuk, Vernon
16) Allison Coelho, Wilbraham, Ma
17) Kaitlyn Brice, Manchester
18) Gus Coelho, Jr., Wilbraham, Ma
Rookie Tommy Barrett Jr. topped the field in Saturday qualifying at Stafford Motor Speedway in advance of Sunday’s prestigious NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler 200. It was the first 21 Means 21 Pole Award by Coors Brewing for the 18-year-old rookie from Millis, Mass.
Barrett posted a fast lap of 18.221 seconds (98.787 mph) to earn the pole position in his fourth career Whelen Modified Tour event, and just his second in the No. 22 Canto Paving/Ferguson Water Works Chevrolet. He became the 88th different driver in 30 years of Whelen Modified Tour competition to earn a pole.
Joining Barrett on the front row for Sunday’s 200-lap event will be Woody Pitkat, who earned his first career pole on April 5 in the season-opening event at Thompson (Conn.) Speedway Motorsports Park. Pitkat’s fast lap Saturday at Stafford was 18.267 (98.538).
Thompson opener winner Justin Bonsignore qualified third while two-time Spring Sizzler winner Doug Coby will start fourth and reigning Whelen Modified Tour titlist Ryan Preece fifth. The rest of the top 10 qualifiers included: Rowan Pennink, Ron Silk, defending race winner Bobby Santos, Jimmy Zacharias and Ron Yuhas Jr.
Ted Christopher, who holds the record for the most Whelen Modified Tour wins in the Spring Sizzler with five, qualified 13th for the 43rd overall edition of Stafford’s traditional season-opening weekend.
Sunday’s NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler 200 is slated to go green at approximately 3:15 p.m.
Qualifying Results
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour – NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler 200 Lineup
Race Sunday; Qualifying Saturdayat Stafford Motor Speedway Stafford, Conn.
Lap Length: 0.5 miles
1. (22) Tommy Barrett, Jr., Millis, Mass., Chevrolet, 98.787
2. (88) Woody Pitkat, Stafford, Conn., Chevrolet, 98.538
3. (51) Justin Bonsignore, Holtsville, N.Y., Chevrolet, 98.511
4. (2) Doug Coby, Milford, Conn., Chevrolet, 98.339
5. (16) Ryan Preece, Berlin, Conn., Ford, 98.269
6. (93) Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon Valley, Pa., Chevrolet, 98.226
7. (6) Ron Silk, Norwalk, Conn., Chevrolet, 98.157
8. (44) Bobby Santos, Franklin, Mass., Chevrolet, 97.885
9. (3) Jimmy Zacharias, Candor, N.Y., Chevrolet, 97.863
10. (64) Ron Yuhas, Jr., Groton, Conn., Chevrolet, 97.709
11. (52) Matt Hirschman, Northampton, Pa., Chevrolet, 97.646
12. (4) Donny Lia, Jericho, N.Y., Dodge, 97.572
13. (13) Ted Christopher, Plainville, Conn., Chevrolet, 97.440
14. (58) Eric Goodale, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 97.025
15. (75) Timmy Solomito, Islip, N.Y., Chevrolet, 96.873
16. (48) Keith Rocco, Wallingford, Conn., Chevrolet, 96.769
17. (39) Richie Pallai, Jr., Yorktown Heights, N.Y., Chevrolet, 96.722
18. (07) Patrick Emerling, Orchard Park, N.Y., Chevrolet, 96.675
19. (8) Glen Reen, Wilbraham, Mass., Chevrolet, 96.634
20. (99) Jamie Tomaino, Howell, N.J., Chevrolet, 96.303
21. (77) Gary Putnam, Vernon, Conn., Chevrolet, 95.546
22. (18) Ken Heagy, Calverton, N.Y., Ford, 95.092
23. (33) Wade Cole, Hartland, Conn., Chevrolet, 94.335
24. (38) Dave Salzarulo, Monson, Mass., Chevrolet, 93.907
25. (71) T.J. Zacharias, Candor, N.Y., Chevrolet, 92.478
26. (26) Gary McDonald, Ronkonkoma, N.Y., Pontiac, 90.498
27. (01) Melissa Fifield, Wakefield, N.H., Chevrolet, 87.336
We had a conversation with Bob Mosscoffian the promoter of the Summer National that ran for 22 years on Main St. in downtown Worcester, MA until 2013 when he moved the motorsports event to the Thompson Speedway in Connectiicut some 15-miles south of his previous location. But, during the winter Bob claims that his show was shown the door at the newly revamped Thompson Motorsports Park. The reason given to Bob was that there wasn’t room for him on the track’s busy schedule.
So it seems that Moscoffian wasn’t happy with the way the city fathers treated him at the downtown Worcester location and that’s why he moved the show to Thompson. Burning his bridge with Worcester and getting shuffled out of Thompson put him in a real hurt. “I spent 70 grand promoting the new location on advertising and promotion. I’m not very happy with that. In fact I’m pretty upset about it, lamented Moscoffian.
We heard other things from some contacts at Thompson who felt that the Summer National drew a tough crowd and there was too much drinking and the show went into the late of the night. We do know that Bob tried to move the show to Framingham but it didn’t work out. “I’m not going to tone this show down to just a quiet cruise night and car show.I’m going to get a new location for next year,” promised Bob Moscoffian.
No one needed to show Bobby Santos the way to Victory Lane at Stafford Motor Speedway; he’s a frequent visitor.
The Franklin, Mass., driver won the NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler 200 on Sunday for his 11th career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victory, with six of those coming at Stafford, including three of the last four Spring Sizzlers.
Santos, who started in the eighth position, took the lead from rookie Tommy Barrett Jr. on Lap 115 and battled with Doug Coby, who won the 2006 and 2012 Spring Sizzlers, down the stretch to record the win. Coby looked left, right, over and under for a way around Santos in the closing laps, but had to settle for the runner-up finish.
“I knew he was a little better than us, so I was very nervous,” Santos said of the pressure he faced from Coby down the stretch. “The yellows (cautions) definitely helped. I think the race definitely went our way at the end.”
On the last lap of the event, Santos used a lap car through the final turns to essentially set a pick on Coby and get just the space he needed to secure the victory.
“I knew that if he [Coby] was within a bumper of me that he probably could have tried something into Turn 3, but the lap car there prevented that from happening,” Santos said. “When I saw the lap car on the bottom, I knew we were pretty safe from there.”
“Bobby did what he was supposed to do, he pulled up to the lap car and used it as a pick,” Coby said. “I’m disappointed, but I’m also happy. It’s two straight top-threes to start the season, and we’ll keep marching on.”
Rowan Pennink crossed the line third followed by Woody Pitkat in the fourth spot while Justin Bonsignore rounded out the top five. The remainder of the top 10 was five-time Spring Sizzler winner Ted Christopher, Donny Lia, Timmy Solomito, Matt Hirschman and Ron Silk.
Santos, the 2010 Whelen Modified Tour champion, led a group of five drivers with top-10 finishes to own at least one tour title. The others were Coby, Christopher, Lia and Silk.
Barrett claimed his first Whelen Modified Tour pole win on Saturday and finished 11th.
NASCAR Next driver and defending tour champion Ryan Preece was looking for his first Spring Sizzler victory, but engine problems spoiled his day and he settled for a 24th-place finish.
The event had seven lead changes among five drivers which is the most in a Stafford race since there were 10 on May 1, 2010.
Sunday’s race was the 29th time the Whelen Modified Tour has headlined NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler weekend. A third win for Santos now has him tied with Rick Fuller for the third-most wins in Stafford’s prestigious opening weekend event. Santos’ trio of triumphs has come in his last three Sizzler appearances. He did not participate in the 2012 race.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour returns to Stafford for its next event in just under four weeks. The TSI Harley-Davidson 125 is set for Friday, May 23.
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour-NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler 200
Unofficial Results
Sunday
At Stafford Motor Speedway
Stafford, Conn.
Lap length: 0.5 miles
(Start position in parentheses)
1. (8) Bobby Santos, Franklin, Mass., Chevrolet, 200 laps, 66.977 mph.
2. (4) Doug Coby, Milford, Conn., Chevrolet, 200.
3. (6) Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon Valley, Pa., Chevrolet, 200.
4. (2) Woody Pitkat, Stafford, Conn., Chevrolet, 200.
5. (3) Justin Bonsignore, Holtsville, N.Y., Chevrolet, 200.
6. (13) Ted Christopher, Plainville, Conn., Chevrolet, 200.
7. (12) Donny Lia, Jericho, N.Y., Dodge, 200.
8. (15) Timmy Solomito, Islip, N.Y., Chevrolet, 200.
9. (11) Matt Hirschman, Northampton, Pa., Chevrolet, 200.
10. (7) Ron Silk, Norwalk, Conn., Chevrolet, 200.
11. (1) Tommy Barrett, Jr., Millis, Mass., Chevrolet, 200.
12. (18) Patrick Emerling, Orchard Park, N.Y., Chevrolet, 200.
13. (20) Jamie Tomaino, Howell, N.J., Chevrolet, 200.
14. (14) Eric Goodale, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 198.
15. (23) Wade Cole, Hartland, Conn., Chevrolet, 198.
16. (10) Ron Yuhas, Jr., Groton, Conn., Chevrolet, 194.
17. (26) Gary McDonald, Ronkonkoma, N.Y., Pontiac, 194.
18. (24) Dave Salzarulo, Monson, Mass., Chevrolet, 194.
19. (25) T.J. Zacharias, Candor, N.Y., Chevrolet, 191.
20. (27) Melissa Fifield, Wakefield, N.H., Chevrolet, 182.
21. (22) Ken Heagy, Calverton, N.Y., Ford, 180, accident.
22. (9) Jimmy Zacharias, Candor, N.Y., Chevrolet, 174, accident.
23. (21) Gary Putnam, Vernon, Conn., Chevrolet, 174, accident.
24. (5) Ryan Preece, Berlin, Conn., Ford, 170, engine.
25. (19) Glen Reen, Wilbraham, Mass., Chevrolet, 152, suspension.
26. (16) Keith Rocco, Wallingford, Conn., Chevrolet, 41, oil leak.
27. (17) Richie Pallai, Jr., Yorktown Heights, N.Y., Chevrolet, 17, suspension.
Race Statistics
Time of Race: 1 hour 29 minutes 35 seconds
Margin of Victory: 0.122 seconds
Fastest Qualifier: T.Barrett, Jr. * (98.787 mph, 18.221 seconds)
Caution Flags: 9 for 45 laps.
Lead Changes: 7 among 5 drivers.
Lap Leaders: W. Pitkat 1-6; D. Coby 7-9; W. Pitkat 10-25; D. Coby 26-42; T. Barrett,Jr. 43-49; R. Pennink 50-113; T. Barrett,Jr. 114; B. Santos 115-200.
Standings: 1. J. Bonsignore, 86; 2. D. Coby, 84; 3. W. Pitkat, 84; 4. T. Solomito, 76; 5. B. Santos, 74; 6. T. Christopher, 74; 7. R. Silk, 71; 8. E. Goodale, 69; 9. M. Hirschman, 68; 10. R. Pennink, 66.