by Jay | Jun 9, 2015 | Connecticut, Modified, NASCAR, Thompson, Whelen Modified
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Finishes Up Marathon Run at Thompson Speedway Motorpsorts Park for the Mr. Rooter 125
(Thompson, CT) – The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (NWMT) teams have been working hard the last couple weeks getting ready for a marathon run of races at all three of Connecticut’s short tracks. The Mr. Rooter 125 on Wednesday, June 10 at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park (TSMP) will mark the last of the three races held within a 12-day span. With three different drivers winning the first four races of the season, the battle for the championship is already off to an exciting start.
Ryan Preece currently holds the top position, after winning the last two NWMT races at Waterford New-London Speedbowl and Stafford Motor Speedway. Woody Pitkat, who has also scored a win this season, is next in the standings and is looking for his first NWMT championship after a breakout season in 2014. Last year’s champion, and winner of the first NWMT race of the season at TSMP, Doug Coby will look to climb to the top of the standings with another win at the Mr. Rooter 125.
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by Jay | Jun 8, 2015 | Connecticut, NEMST, Touring Series News, Waterford
Sonnhalter Falls Inches Shy In Speedbowl Finish
Many teams across New England felt that the 2014 NEMST event at Waterford Speedbowl may have been the final time the series battled on the weathered Connecticut surface. Thankfully Waterford Speedbowl was bought in the off season and kept a race track. The NEMST would have a chance to return to one of the raciest tracks in New England once again, this time under a new name, management, and officials.
Saturday night the touring mini stocks filled the gates of New London-Waterford Speedbowl with a 20 car field set to take green later in the evening. Nick Anderson and Toby Wells won their respective Environmental Engines heat races however Wells would be forced to start in the rear of the field after failing to report directly to the NEMST inspection trailer following the heat race. The invert of 4 rows was drawn by Anderson after winning his heat.
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by Jay | Jun 7, 2015 | Connecticut, Stafford
Pennink, Fearn, Salva, Hayes, Robinson, & O’Connell Score June 5 TSI Harley-Davidson 125 Feature Wins at Stafford
(Stafford Springs, CT)—Stafford Speedway returned to NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing action with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in the house for the TSI Harley-Davidson 125. Taking down NASCAR Whelen All-American Series weekly feature wins on the night were Rowan Pennink, who picked up his third win of the 2015 season in the SK Modified® feature, Tom Fearn scored his second consecutive victory in the Late Model feature, Nick Salva was a first time winner in 2015 in the SK Light Modified feature, Andrew Hayes got his first win of 2015 in the Limited Late Model feature, Zack Robinson was a first time career winner in the DARE Stock feature, and Devin O’Connell picked up his second win of the 2015 season in the Legend Cars feature.
In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event, Ted Christopher took the lead on the outside of Jeremy Sorel with Michael Gervais, Jr. taking second and Dan Avery moving up to third. At the end of lap-2, Sorel was side by side with Glen Reen for fourth and the caution came out for Tyler Hines and Ronnie Williams, who both spun in turn 2.
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by Jay | Jun 5, 2015 | Connecticut, NE Street Stock Tour, Touring Series News
Jim Boyle Slows Down for Special Cause – North East Street Stock Driver Participating in Walk Now for Autism Speaks
EAST HARTFORD, CT – North East Street Stock Tour driver Jim Boyle will not be racing on the tour this weekend, but will be behind the wheel of a more important matter.
Boyle and his Boyle Home Improvement/ Northeast Auto Machine Chevy Monte Carlo will be in attendance at the Walk Now for Autism Speaks takes place June 7, at Rentschler Field, in East Hartford, CT. The Walk Now for Autism Speaks event helps raise funds to support research and programs that change the future for those who struggle with autism.
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by Jay | Jun 5, 2015 | Connecticut, Stafford
Keith Rocco Looking for First NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Victory in TSI Harley-Davidson 125 at Stafford Speedway
(Stafford Springs, CT)—When the green flag falls on the TSI Harley-Davidson 125 this Friday at Stafford Motor Speedway, Keith Rocco will be looking to emulate Woody Pitkat. Pitkat picked up his first career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour win at Stafford last August and followed that up by winning first Modified Racing Series feature two weeks ago at Stafford. Rocco already won his first MRS race at Stafford in August 2011 and he is now hoping to collect his first NWMT win at Stafford, just as Pitkat did.
In only 2 races together, Rocco and the #22 Canto Paving / Milton Caterpillar team have been a force to be reckoned with. Rocco qualified 10th for the NAPA Spring Sizzler, but he was running as high as second before a faulty alternator wire saw him slide back to 12th at the checkered flag and Rocco qualified 2nd at Waterford last weekend and finished 10th. With his experience at Stafford, he is hoping that the TSI Harley-Davidson 125 could be his breakthrough race.
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by Jay | Jun 5, 2015 | Connecticut, Stafford
Ryan Preece Hoping for Repeat of 2013 Performance in TSI Harley-Davidson 125
(Stafford Springs, CT)—Over the past 5 seasons, the TSI Harley-Davidson 125 has become a championship predictor for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. Since 2010, every winner of the TSI Harley-Davidson 125 has gone on to win the championship that season. Ryan Preece accomplished the feat in 2013 and he hopes that he can repeat that 2013 performance this Friday to build on the momentum of his victory last week, his first of the season with his new Ed Partridge owned #6 T.S. Haulers team.
“It’s definitely a good start to the summer,” said Preece. “Tommy [Grasso] has been working real hard and we’ve been trying to figure out our new Troyer car. We agreed when we tested [at Waterford] our old car would be better on the longer runs and to go out and win that race and give all the guys a win was pretty cool. We’ll have our new car for the Stafford and Thompson races and I think we’re going to have a strong car this Friday at Stafford. We had a really good car at the Sizzler and I feel like the car is going to be good again. I just want to keep the strong runs we’ve had going and keep on doing what we’ve been doing.”
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NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Finishes Up Marathon Run at Thompson Speedway Motorpsorts Park for the Mr. Rooter 125