NEW ENGLAND MOTORSPORTS SOUTH June 17, 2014

By Lou Modestino

Due to rainy weather conditions, Stafford Motor Speedway has canceled its Summer Blast-Off program that was scheduled for Friday, June 13th. With the Summer Blast-Off becoming the fourth rain out of the 2014 season, Stafford Motor Speedway has added Friday, September 19 to its 2014 event schedule. The DARE Stock Xtra Mart Xtra D feature that was originally scheduled as part of tonight’s Summer Blast-Off program will move to next Friday’s Town Fair Tire VMRS 80 program and the fireworks will move to Friday, July 11th. The Limited Late Model Xtra D feature will be moved to Friday, June 27th.

The 2014 edition of the Oxford 250 just received the entry blank from the legendary Steve Park who will be bringing his G Body Parts, Sunoco, Super Late Model to compete in this year’s mega event at Oxford Plains Speedway. Park, a two time Sprint Cup Series winner became the 45th entrant for the race scheduled for Sunday, July 20, 2014 at 2pm.

“I have always wanted to compete in the Oxford 250, stated Park. This is one of the most prestigious racing events in the Northeast, and to be a part of it in 2014 really excites me. I used to attend this race with my dad when I was younger, and I always hoped to drive in this event some time during my life, and now thanks to G Body Parts, Sunoco, New England Racing Fuel and car owner Dickie Woodman, we will be there attempting to add an Oxford 250 win to my resume. I am looking forward to coming up to the State of Maine a little bit early to enjoy what the Oxford area has to offer. Some of my great friends and supporters from Key Parts have also purchased a suite for the Oxford 250 weekend, and I plan on spending a lot of time meeting and greeting their Key Parts family. I haven’t felt this excited in a long time, it’s going to be a great experience.”

New England Race Fuels, John Holland is very excited that they were able to help pull this deal together with Sunoco to support Steve Park and the Dickie Woodman team at the Oxford 250. Holland said this about the situation, “We are very proud to be a part of helping Steve Park return to the Northeast to race at the Oxford 250. Everyone knows that Sunoco is a major player in the motorsports arena, and they are very excited about Steve Park once again racing up north. Steve is a great spokesman for the sport, and we love his New England racing heritage. He has worked hard all his life to be the best racer he could be, including a pair of Sprint Cup wins, and now we have the opportunity to help support his Oxford 250 efforts in 2014. This support fits perfectly in Sunoco’s racing plans.”

PASS President, Tom Mayberry is also excited about Park coming to the Oxford 250. “It’s always great to have a driver with the credentials of Steve Park enter your race, but this one is extra special as he is a grassroots racer who paid his dues here in the Northeast. He has raced everything from Go-karts to Sprint Cup Cars and has been successful in everything he has competed in, and has never forgotten where he came from. I am extremely proud to add Steve’s name to the entry list of the Oxford 250.”

The 41st edition of the Oxford 250 will take place on Sunday, July 20th at 2pm featuring 250 green flag laps of racing for the ultra fast Super Late Models. A $1,000 to win PASS Mod race will also highlight the card. Oxford 250 weekend begins on Friday night, July 18th with the Sun Journal hosting the PASS Mods, PASS Sportsman, and several support classes in action. Then a giant night awaits race fans on Saturday night as Dunkin’ Donuts presents the NEMA Midgets & NEMA Lites, as well as Round #2 of the Dave’s Small Engine Repair, PASS Northeast Late Model Series. Several other divisions will see action as well.

The next stop for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will be Saturday, June 21 when Waterford Speedbowl hosts the Mr. Rooter 161. The event is one of the most anticipated of the year on
both the tour and Speedbowl schedules, going 161-laps in distance at the three-eighths mile oval in a tribute to the late Richie Evans. The previous two editions of the event have produced some of the more exciting finishes in recent memory on the tour.

Doug Coby carries momentum to the Connecticut shoreline for the Mr. Rooter
161. The 2012 series champion and 161 race winner is fresh off a dominant
performance at the tour’s last race at Stafford Motor Speedway on June 6.
In 2012, Coby fended off a late race bid from Ryan Preece over a
green-white-checkered finish, proving to be a pivotal point in his
championship run that season. Last year, Coby turned in another strong
run but it was Preece that used a green-white-checkered finish to take the
win away in another thrilling conclusion between the two.

While all eyes may be on a rubber-match Coby and Preece, several others
will be looking to use a Speedbowl triumph to vault them to a title run.
A star-studded field of cars is expected to generate an action packed
edition of the 161 once again.

The event and its unusual lap count pays homage to the memory of nine-time
NASCAR Modified champion Richie Evans, whose car was infamously numbered
“61”. One of NASCAR’s greatest racers of all-time, Evans was among the
first inductees into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011. Race fans are
encouraged to “remember Richie” at the event with stories and memorabilia.

Mr. Rooter 161 advance ticket sales are available online at Speedbowl.com
along with the detailed event schedule and more information. Adult
grandstand admission for the event is $38.00 and youth age 6 through 14
will be admitted for $10.00. Kids age five and under will be admitted
free, and the Speedbowl offers acres of free parking.

Pit Gates open on June 21 at 9:30am for NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour
haulers only. Spectator grandstands open at 1:00pm for Mr. Rooter 161
practice, which is tentatively set to begin at 1:15pm. Time Trials for
the Mr. Rooter 161 are scheduled for 5:00pm followed by qualifying races
for the Speedbowl’s NASCAR Whelen All-American Series divisions. Main
events begin at 6:30pm beginning with the SK Modified® race.

Mr. Rooter Plumbing services Connecticut residents and commercial
properties with courteous, fully licensed technicians available 24 hours a
day. More information about their services will be available on race day
at the Speedbowl for the Mr. Rooter 161.
The Valenti Modified Racing Series returns to Stafford for the first of 3 appearances during the 2014 season on June 20th with the race being brought to you by Town Fair Tire. The 2014 season will mark the 16th consecutive season that Town Fair Tire has been an advertising partner at the famous Connecticut half-mile track.
When the Valenti Modified Racing Series makes its first of three appearances of the 2014 season at Stafford Motor Speedway on June 20th for the Town Fair Tire VMRS 80, Rowan Pennink will be in search of his first Stafford victory. Pennink has run well at Stafford in the past with the #25 Monk’s Hand Cleaner machine, recording 4 top-5 finishes in 8 career VMRS starts at Stafford. Among those top-5 finishes is two second place finishes and a third place finish, but Pennink is still in search of his first Stafford victory. Pennink has already scored a win in 2014 at Monadnock and he is looking to make the Town Fair Tire 80 his second win of the 2014 season.
When the Valenti Modified Racing Series makes its first of three appearances of the 2014 season at Stafford Motor Speedway on June 20th for the Town Fair Tire VMRS 80, Rowan Pennink will be in search of his first Stafford victory. Pennink has run well at Stafford in the past with the #25 Monk’s Hand Cleaner machine, recording 4 top-5 finishes in 8 career VMRS starts at Stafford. Among those top-5 finishes is two second place finishes and a third place finish, but Pennink is still in search of his first Stafford victory. Pennink has already scored a win in 2014 at Monadnock and he is looking to make the Town Fair Tire 80 his second win of the 2014 season.
Stafford Motor Speedway has lined up an impressive field of current and former open wheel champions for its 4th Annual Champions For Charities Event, which will take place on Friday, June 27th. During the coming weeks, Stafford Speedway will offer a profile on each of its championship winning drivers and the charity they will be racing for and this week’s Champions For Charities spotlights falls on 3-time NEMA Midget Champion (2008, 2008, 2011) Randy Cabral, who will be racing to help support The Shane Hammond Believe Foundation.
Since the green flag fell on the 2014 SK Modified® campaign in the NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler, the season has belonged to Ryan Preece and the #2 Sullivan and Sons / J.G. Poulin Drywall team. They have won the first three races of the 2014 season, which puts them in some elite company at Stafford. While Preece is the first SK Modified® driver to have won the first 3 races of the season, the feat has been accomplished three times before by modified drivers at Stafford. Ernie Gahan turned the feat in 1963 when Stafford was still a dirt track, Fred DeSarro won the first three races of the 1972 season, and Greg Sacks won the first three races of the 1982 season. There have been many instances of a driver winning the first two races of a season, but Preece, Gahan, DeSarro, and Sacks have been the only drivers to go three for three to open a modified season at Stafford.

An action packed and entertaining six division NASCAR Whelen All-American Series race program hit the track Saturday at Waterford Speedbowl. Repeat winners were commonplace during
the event, including Keith Rocco of Berlin, who doubled up on the night with wins in the SK Modified® and Valenti Auto Mall Late Model division races. Josh Galvin of Franklin won another Street Stock race and Randy Churchill was back in Victory Lane following the SK Light Modified
feature. Jeff Lee of Uncasville was the only new winner, a career first victor in the Mini Stock ranks. Allen Coates added another Speedbowl win to his career in the visiting New England Truck Series race.
The SBM 125 IV Modified Open held at Star Speedway on Saturday night proved to be the most competitive and exciting race in the four year history of the event, with three different race leaders over the final eight laps of the $46,301 event.

Jon McKennedy of Chelmsford, Mass. drove his family owned car to the victory, leading only six laps in the entire event to collect $6,175 for the popular victory. McKennedy won a three-car race for the lead in the closing laps that had fans on their feet at the end of the race.

Defending race winner Matt Hirschman took the lead from his outside pole starting position, based on a top eight redraw of the 24 starters. He was chased by a number of different drivers in the top three during the first half of the event.

Steve Masse, Tommy Barrett, Mike Douglas Jr., and Rowan Pennink were among that group. Several drivers elected to make a pit stop for a right rear tire when the caution waved just after lap 50, but Hirschman and the rest of the top five stayed out.

Les Hinckley was one of those who pitted, and on lap 74 he drove past Hirschman on the outside for the race lead. Hinckley hoped that wpould be the winning pass, but Pennink had other ideas, as he took the lead away on lap 95.

The close racing continued, as Hinckley drove past Pennink on lap 118 with McKennedy beside him on Pennink’s rear bumper. McKennedy quickly took second and began applying pressure to the race leader as a caution waved with 119 laps complete.

That caution was all McKennedy needed as he lined up alongside Hinckley for the restart, and with a fresher right rear tire, he was able to power by Hinckley to take the prestigious victory at his home track.

Hinckley held on for second and $3,725, with Richard Savary, Steve Masse and Anthony Nocella, all drivers from Massachusetts rounding out the top five finishers. Hirschman pitted for a tire after he spun, finishing 13th to earn a $4,141 payday that includes lap money.

Here is the official finish and payoff.