by Jay | Jul 5, 2010 | Whip City
Peter Dance Grabs First Win
at Whip City Speedway
BY MARK MCKEON
WESTFIELD, MA – Former track champion Pete Dance got his groove back and picked up his first 1200cc Mini Sprint win of the season at Whip City Speedway. Dance withstood a single late race caution and a charge from Jon Moore enroute to his green-to-checker victory.
The night was a study in contrast for the 270cc Mini Sprints. Their heat race was plagued by eight caution periods, including one for a wreck which saw two cars flip and eliminated 60% of the 10 car field. By the time the feature rolled around, most cars were repaired, the drivers were on their best behavior and Kendall Segar enjoyed a non-stop romp to pick up his second win of the year.
Ricci Hirth was the top dog in the 600cc Mini Sprints, leading from wire-to-wire in a non-stop race. J.D. Casazza showed championship form by winning both the 750cc heat and the feature. In the 750 Sportsman race, Kyle Smith picked up his third win in his last four attempts. (more…)
by Jay | Jul 3, 2010 | Whip City
Quad 4 Midget Enhancements Announced at Whip City Speedway
BY MARK McKEON
WESTFIELD, MA – Whip City Speedway co-owner Dave Pighetti has announced a series of enhancements to strengthen the Quad 4 Midget program at the Massachusetts dirt track.
“In response to requests from the Quad 4 Midget car owners and drivers, we’ve started awarding points and we’ll be crowning a Whip City Quad 4 Midget Champion for the first time this year,” Pighetti said. “We’re also supporting the efforts of some of the cars owners to recruit additional cars and drivers into the Quad 4 Midget ranks. We’re making track time available for persons with a serious interest in getting into Quad 4 Midgets. The track will also be responsible for enforcing the rules on the Quad 4 Midgets, just as we are with all our other racing divisions.”
“It’s the most economical form of racing there is,” said Quad 4 Midget owner Rusty Tefft. “It’s the most fun a Saturday night racer can have for short dollars. We’re trying to put people who might be interested in touch with people who might have equipment available. We’re not brokers, and we don’t make any money on transactions, we just want to get more people interested in the sport. Skip Matczak and I have cars that we can make available for a test drive by people who have serious interest. I have some engines that I’m willing to loan free of charge until the end of the year to any new entrants.”
“Rusty has the equipment that he has generously offered to loan, what I’m willing to donate is help with set-ups, welding and machine shop services,” said Matczak. “Racing a Midget on dirt without a wing is as exciting as it gets, because the driver and the chassis set-up are more important than the most powerful and most expensive engine. We have former Indy 500 Rookie of the Year Denny Zimmerman in a car and, at age 71, he’s having a ball.”
Anyone interested in learning more about Quad 4 Midgets can call Rusty Tefft at 860-942-4648.
by Jay | Jun 28, 2010 | Whip City
Jerry Sehn Scratches 7 Year Itch
at Whip City Speedway
BY MARK McKEON
WESTFIELD, MA – Jerry Sehn raced Mini Sprints for seven years without a win until his decisive 1200cc victory at Whip City Speedway on Saturday. Sehn, who last visited victory lane in 1991 as Utica-Rome Speedway Pure Stock track champ, led every lap and withstood a restart on lap 14, to win by 10 car lengths over Charlie Pease.
“The competition here is so close and the drivers are so good, that I put it in my mind that I had to get a good start,” said a smiling Sehn, who makes a seven hour roundtrip tow to race at the Whip. “After I did, I just kept on trying to hit my marks. The car got a little upset once in turn 1, but I tried to keep my focus on running my line. I really didn’t want a caution, so when the yellow flag came out I said ‘oh, no’, but I was able to get a good restart. Just before the race, we made a last minute change to the wing and I think that was a big factor.” (more…)
by Jay | Jun 22, 2010 | New England, Whip City
Beaudry Wins a Wild One at Whip City,
Mark Taylor Wins Once, Flips Once
BY MARK McKEON
WESTFIELD, MA – After blowing an engine while going for the lead in his last outing, Jamie Beaudry probably would have been satisfied with a third place finish this week in the 1200cc Mini Sprint feature. Instead, he found himself in victory lane when leaders Paul Rose and Mark Taylor crashed during a restart. Taylor got the worst of it, flipping and cartwheeling down the front stretch. Pat Potter also flipped in the same accident.
“After we blew the engine, all we had left was a stock 1000cc, and that’s what we ran with tonight,” Beaudry said. “We got lucky tonight, but we were unlucky last time, so now we’re even.”
It was an Otis Elevator night for Taylor. Prior to his grinding flip in the 1200cc feature, he had won the 750cc main event. (more…)
by Jay | May 31, 2010 | New England, Whip City
First Time Winners Abound
At Whip City Speedway
BY MARK McKEON
Westfield, MA – Saturday night’s session at Whip City Speedway provided a number of drivers the opportunity to collect their first feature win, either the first in their careers, or in the first in the current season.
Tyler Jackson claimed his first 750cc Mini Sprint victory, in a rapid race that was slowed by only a single caution flag. Tyler, last season’s 750 Sportsman champion, had struggled since moving up to the A-class, but his performance this week indicates that he’s put all the pieces together.
“We went over the whole car and made lots of adjustments,” Jackson said of his team’s preparations. “The track was really fast and it matched our set-up. Once Nikki Oullette got caught in lapped traffic, I was able to check out.” (more…)
by Jay | May 17, 2010 | New England, Whip City
Whelen Modified Tour’s Glen Reen
Whips Mini Sprints at Whip City
BY MARK McKEON
WESTFIELD, MA – NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour competitor Glen Reen made one of his infrequent appearances at Whip City Speedway and stole the show by leading every lap of the non-stop 750 Sportsman Mini Sprint feature.
“This is a really fun place to race,” Reen said after his victory. “The Tour can get pretty intense and pretty cutthroat. Here, everybody is friendly and out to have a good time. I love racing here.”
Reen, who was the Whelan Modified Tour Rookie of the Year in 2008, drove the Alloy Wheel Repair Suzuki powered Mini Sprint owned by Rob Walendy, who also drove it in the 750cc Class A feature. Walendy is a crew member and part time spotter on Reen’s Modified team. (more…)
