by Jay | Nov 17, 2009 | NASCAR, NASCAR K&N Pro Series, New England
The 2009 season for the NASCAR Camping World Series East featured arguably the best rookie class in history as four first-year drivers finished in the top 10 in the standings and nearly two-thirds of the checkered flags were captured by cars with a yellow stripe.
Heading the class was Ryan Truex, who not only earned Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors, but captured the 2009 Camping World Series East championship as well. Only current NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rising star Joey Logano had accomplished that feat prior to Truex.
Truex, from Mayetta, N.J., won three races in his first season as a development driver for Michael Waltrip Racing. For the son of Martin Truex Sr. and younger brother of Sprint Cup Series driver Martin Truex Jr. – both former competitors in the Camping World Series East – the season didn’t get off to a roaring start. A stellar mid-season run and strong finish, however, was enough to edge veteran Eddie MacDonald by 34 points for the title.
Three races into the season, Truex had recorded an average finish of 21st, but the turnaround was dramatic. In the fourth race of the season, Truex captured his first 21 Means 21 Pole Award presented by Coors Light at South Boston (Va.) Speedway and finished third in the race for his first career top five. That effort began a streak of seven straight podium finishes – highlighted by wins at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International, Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway and Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Conn. – that moved him from 12th in the standings to just one race away from the title.
Heading to the season finale at Dover (Del.) International Speedway, Truex maintained a slim 30-point margin on MacDonald, but when the checkered flag flew, the former crossed the line one position ahead of the latter and the trophy was in hand.
In the season finale at Dover, Truex wasn’t the only standout rookie celebrating. Brett Moffitt of Grimes, Iowa, dominated at the “Monster Mile” for the second win of his rookie campaign. Driving for Camping World Series East veteran Andy Santerre, Moffitt won the pole in his series debut and went on to register six top fives and nine top 10s, good enough for third place in the season standings.
Joe Gibbs Racing development driver Matt DiBenedetto made a big splash as well in 2009. The Grass Valley, Calif., native had an average finish of 6.7 in just seven starts with a win at Tri-County Motor Speedway in Hudson, N.C., and a last-lap battle with Truex in June at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H., that resulted in another victory. DiBenedetto earned a series-high three 21 Means 21 Pole Awards presented by Coors Light and led more laps than any driver despite participating in just two-thirds of the races.
While Truex, Moffitt and DiBenedetto were perhaps the most prominent, the 2009 rookie class also had depth. Alan Tardiff registered eight top 10s – including a season-best third place at Tri-County – and finished seventh in points despite not competing in one race. Alex Kennedy’s respectable season resulted in a 10th-place finish in the standings with three top 10s, highlighted by a career-best finish of fourth at Lime Rock.
Matt Kurzejewski made nine starts and was 15th in the standings while Jarit Johnson, the younger brother of three-time defending Sprint Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson, finished 17th in points with seven starts.
A host of other up-and-coming racing talents also had impressive efforts in spot starts in 2009. Richard Childress Racing’s Ryan Gifford had an average finish of 6.3 in four starts while Childress’ grandson, Ty Dillon, had a pair of top 10s in three outings. Max Gresham, who split time in the JGR No. 18 with DiBenedetto, also recorded two top 10s in three events. Noted road racer Patrick Long had an average finish of ninth in four outings and nearly won at Watkins Glen while dirt racers Kevin Swindell and Josh Richards showed plenty of asphalt talent in their six combined starts.
by Jay | Oct 23, 2009 | NASCAR, New England, Thompson
Whelen Modified Tour Championship To Be Settled This Sunday At Thompson
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 22, 2009) – When the green flag drops on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour’s season finale – the World Series of Speedway Racing presented by Xtra Mart – this Sunday at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway, the waiting game will finally be over.
Donny Lia took his fourth checkered flag of the season last time out on Oct. 4 at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway and moved into the championship points lead for the first time this year. The 2007 titlist has little breathing room atop the standings, however, as Ryan Preece crossed the line third that day to sit a mere 26 points out of first.
After a scheduled off week, the 2009 championship was to be settled at Thompson on Oct. 18, but rain and snow forced the event to be postponed. Now with a more promising forecast, the World Series of Speedway Racing looks likely to take the green flag this Sunday, and the Whelen Modified Tour champion will finally be crowned. The three-week layoff has led to heightened anticipation for both title contenders.
“I’m really pumped up and excited to go to Thompson,” Lia said. “It’s been about three weeks since we raced, and it was supposed to be two weeks, so you just get amped up. You want to go to the race track and race. These three weeks off has seemed like forever.”
Preece – like Lia – has avoided getting impatient, but is likewise anticipating returning to the track.
“I’m ready to race,” Preece said. “You get all these people talking about the championship – who they want to win, who wants to win – that kind of deal. You kind of just want it to come, and get it over with. I’m just looking forward to the race, and seeing if we can pull it off.”
While both have not lost sight of the big picture, they intend to bring the same mentality to the track this weekend that they have each and every race this year: race to win.
“You go to every race to win the race,” Preece said. “That’s what you’re paid to do. That’s what we want. We’re definitely going [there] to win the race, and we have the car and the team capable of doing it. I’m definitely going there looking to win the race, and let the points fall wherever they do.”
Although Lia has a points cushion entering the weekend, don’t expect him to ride around on Sunday either.
“You kind of stick to the same principles and same goals, which is to win the race,” Lia said. “We always just go for the win and get the best finish we can. Just take the same approach to it, try to win the race and let everything else fall into place from there.”
Lia can clinch his second NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour crown in three years by finishing fifth or better at Thompson, but with Preece so close behind, there are a number of scenarios that will make every lap important in the season finale.
The World Series of Speedway Racing presented by Xtra Mart is scheduled to commence for the Whelen Modified Tour with practice and qualifying on Saturday, Oct. 25. The 150-lap race is set to go green on Sunday, Oct. 25 at approximately 3:30 p.m.
by Jay | Oct 18, 2009 | NASCAR
Jimmie Johnson has done it again. He won the NASCAR Banking 500 Saturday night, extending his lead over teammate Mark Martin to 90 points in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship.
Johnson drove away from the field after dicing with teammate Jeff Gordon in the closing laps of the 334-lap race.
It was Johnson’s sixth win at Lowe’s Motor Speedway and put him another step closer to a fourth consecutive championship, which would be a first in NASCAR history.
Trailing Johnson at the finish line were Matt Kenseth, with his best finish since winning at Auto Club Speedway in February, Kasey Kahne, Gordon, Joey Logano, Clint Bowyer, Casey Mears, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex and Kurt Busch.
Martin had his worst night of the Chase thus far after accidentally hitting the rear of Juan Pablo Montoya’s car on a restart. The accident ended Montoya’s streak of top-five finishes at four, and relegated Martin to a 17th-place finish. Montoya didn’t fare so well. He wound up 35th.
It was not a good night for other Chase drivers as well. Denny Hamlin ran with the leaders before losing an engine. Carl Edwards was the victim of an accident and his damaged car lost an engine when he returned to the track in an attempt to get as many points as possible. Edwards was 39th. Brian Vickers had another terrible run, finishing 34th.
Other drivers in the Chase wound up better with Ryan Newman finishing 11th; Tony Stewart 13th and Greg Biffle 16th.
The race was delayed several minutes by a cold, spitting rain but it stopped and Johnson took off from the pole in quest of another win at LMS, a track he owns in recent statistics.
Sam Hornish Jr. brought out a caution on Lap 3 when he spun and barely glazed the second Turn 2 wall. The race was back underway at Lap 7 and Hornish spun again, this time off the fourth turn. Once again, the former Indy 500 winner escaped with no serious damage to his car.
When the race resumed on Lap 13, it was Johnson out front, followed by Martin, Kyle Busch, Newman, Kahne, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, Montoya, Kenseth and Hamlin. Montoya had gained 10 spots in just a few laps from his 18th starting position.
Rain prompted NASCAR officials to throw a caution again on Lap 35. Following pit stops, Kenseth was the leader on the 42nd lap restart with Johnson and Kyle Busch right behind him. Rounding out the top 10 were Hamlin, Biffle, Kahne, Montoya, Gordon and Newman.
Johnson eventually regained the lead with Hamlin in second and Kenseth third. By Lap 70, Johnson had built nearly a full-second lead, showing everyone why he has been so successful at this 1.5-mile hometown track.
However, just a few laps later, Hamlim zoomed to the front in his FedEx Toyota owned by Joe Gibbs.
All of the frontrunners pitted under green between Laps 93 and 96 and when the smoke cleared, it was Kenseth in front briefly before Hamlin took back over, followed by Kyle Busch, Johnson, Montoya, Mears, Martin, Bowyer, Kahne and David Reutimann.
Kyle Busch spun in Turn 4 at 120 laps to bring out another caution. Gordon was the leader on the 124th lap restart with Biffle, Newman and Hamlin in tow.
Martin got into the back of Montoya on the restart, causing considerable damage to Montoya’s Chevrolet. Montoya dropped well back in the pack due to the accident because his right rear fender was bent outwards, acting like a parachute catching the wind.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. pulled into the garage shortly after the restart with transmission problems.
At the halfway mark (162 laps), the top 10 were Gordon, Hamlin, Johnson, Kahne, Kenseth, Biffle, Newman, Bowyer and Bill Elliott.
Montoya brought out a caution when his ill-handling car spun shortly before the halfway point. He lost two laps while his crew made repairs.
by Jay | Oct 14, 2009 | NASCAR, New England, Thompson
The 25th season of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will draw to a close and a champion will be crowned at the World Series of Speedway Racing presented by Xtra Mart on Sunday, Oct. 18 at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway.
The final stop for the Whelen Modified Tour in 2009 will be a familiar one as Thompson has played host to more events than any other venue in the Tour’s 25-year history. And as the season concludes, a familiar storyline has once again come to the forefront: a tight championship battle.
Donny Lia – the 2007 Whelen Modified Tour champion – carries a slim 26-point lead into the season finale. Lia, from Jericho, N.Y., earned his Tour-high fourth win of the year last time out at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway, and consequently took the points lead for the first time this year.
Although he may have momentum on his side after winning three of the last five races, Lia will have his hands full at Thompson, however. Ryan Preece is Lia’s closest competition at just 26 markers back.
Preece, from Berlin, Conn., has been the season’s most consistent top finisher. Highlighted by a pair of wins and third-place efforts in the last three races entering Thompson, Preece has a Tour-high nine top-five finishes in 12 starts this year. Recent history has shown that – barring mechanical failure or getting caught up in an accident – Preece will be at or near the front on Sunday.
The Lia versus Preece match-up provides an interesting storyline entering the World Series. The No. 4 “Mystic Missile” driven by Lia has been a fixture in NASCAR Modified racing since 1962 with car owner Bob Garbarino, while the No. 3 “Ole Blue” Modified of Boehler Racing Enterprises began competition in 1957 under the direction of the late Len Boehler. History has come full-circle in the 25th season of the Whelen Modified Tour with Lia and Preece the title frontrunners in cars that represent the longest-running Modified teams in the Northeast by far.
For all intents and purposes, it is a two-horse race between Lia and Preece. Although still mathematically alive, Ted Christopher, Todd Szegedy and Rowan Pennink will be long shots for the championship trophy at Thompson. Szegedy and Pennink will be eliminated from contention when Lia takes the green flag and Christopher – at 109 points out of first – would need to win and have Lia finish worse than 30th to pass the current points leader. Should that happen, Christopher would also have to leapfrog Preece by finishing sixth or better, assuming Preece finished between 22nd and 32nd.
The 2009 World Series marks the second year in a row – and just the latest on the list of instances – where the championship comes down to the last race. A year ago, Christopher carried a 35-point lead to Thompson against Matt Hirschman. Christopher went on to win the race and secure his first title.
Raceday Notes: The smallest championship points differential occurred in 1995 when Tony Hirschman edged Steve Park by three points … If Lia were to win the title, he would become just the fourth driver in Whelen Modified Tour history to earn multiple championships, joining Tony Hirschman (5), Jimmy Spencer (2) and Mike Stefanik (7) … If Preece were to clinch the title, it would mark the third year in a row that the crown goes to a first time winner, following Lia in 2007 and Christopher in 2008 … Lia enters the race with 15 career wins, which has him tied with Spencer on the Whelen Modified Tour all-time list, and one shy of the totals of Mike McLaughlin and Park … The Whelen Modified Tour champion will earn a secured starting position in the 2010 NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown, to be held Jan. 29-30 at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale (Calif.) … Renee Dupuis will attempt to make her 100th career Whelen Modified Tour start at the World Series.
Fast Facts
The Race: World Series of Speedway Racing presented by Xtra Mart
The Place: Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway
The Date: Sunday, October 18
The Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
The Distance: 150 laps / 93.75 miles
Race Purse: $85,971
2008 Winner: Ted Christopher
2008 Polesitter: Eric Beers
Event Schedule: Saturday: Practice 11 a.m. – 12 p.m., Qualifying 2:20 p.m.
by Jay | Oct 12, 2009 | NASCAR
~ 19 year old wins first race at Auto Club Speedway ~
San Bernardino County, Calif. (Oct. 10, 2009) – In one of the most exciting NASCAR NNS races of the year, Joey Logano (No. 20 GameStop/Brutal Legend Toyota) captured his first win at Auto Club Speedway, his second in consecutive weeks and fifth of the series by holding off Brian Vickers (No. 32 Dollar General Stores Toyota) to win the Copart 300 on Saturday.
“That was the most fun race I’ve ever had in my life,” the 19-year-old Logano said. “I went from a point where I don’t have a shot at this to trying to salvage a top 10 out of it to bringing home a W.”
Logano’s crew chief Dave Rogers thought Logano “really showed a lot of heart” with the victory. He’ll go for three in a row next week in Charlotte. “It could happen,” Logano said. “I never lose doubt that we’re going to get this thing right. We’re back in victory lane where we belong.”
Logano started on the pole but spent most of the race coming back from an early race incident with Greg Biffle (No. 16 CitiFinancial Ford), who later got tangled with Denny Hamlin (No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota) with less than 10 laps to go.
Did Logano think he could come all the way back and win it? “Not till the end. I promise you that,” he said. “I didn’t think we had a shot at it after Biffle decided to put us in the wall.
“You can’t put this (No.) 20 team down. I’ll tell you what, we never quit, we kept bringing it all day.”
NNS points leader Kyle Busch (No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota) left his car early in the race because of a fever and was replaced by Hamlin, who ended up finishing in 31st place after tangling with Biffle and Brad Keselowski (No. 88 GoDaddy Chevrolet).
Said second-place finisher Vickers: “It was a good run. There was one run there where we led for a while. We were better on the long runs. We had a good car. Probably the two best cars were the 18 and 20. They had just a little bit more.”
Carl Edwards (No. 60 Valvoline Ford) was third and gained 90 points on Busch and currently trails him by just 155 points. “I hope everybody took notice of how great that race was. People talk about this racetrack but they forget that we have the highest speeds here of any racetrack and we have the most racing room. I think tomorrow we’ll have less restarts and more green-flag racing.
“This is one that I’d like to go back and watch again for just the pure excitement of it.”
Does he think he can catch Busch? “There are five races left and that’s only 32 points a race so we can do that.”
There were a track-record 10 caution flags during the race.
Fans attending Auto Club Speedway’s Inaugural Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race — the Pepsi 500 on Sunday, is sure to experience even more exciting world-class NASCAR racing. In addition to the high speed thrills, fans can also take advantage of free parking, bring in their own food, or partake in the unbelievable menu items on site as well as other cost-savings opportunities while enjoying a full day of entertainment and fun at a fantastic family value.
The ACS entertainment lineup includes rock-and-roll legend Foreigner who will perform live at the Speedway’s Opportunity, California FanZone main stage. Multi-platinum recording artist and actor Jesse McCartney will perform the National Anthem prior to the Pepsi 500. Kelsey Grammer will serve as Grand Marshal, giving the most famous command in racing “Gentlemen, start your engines.” Christian Slater will take the wheel of the Official NASCAR 2010 Chevy Camaro Pace Car. Audrina Patridge of MTV’s “The Hills” will wave the Green Flag to get the Pepsi 500 underway.
by Jay | Oct 9, 2009 | NASCAR, New England, Thompson
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 8, 2009) – The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour is a racing series steeped in history. Whether you trace its roots to the beaches of Daytona in 1948, or the paved banks of Thompson, Conn., in 1985, there is plenty of history and tradition to go around. The present-day incarnation of that tradition will be on full display as the Tour heads to Thompson International Speedway to crown the 2009 champion.
The World Series of Speedway Racing presented by Xtra Mart – the finale for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour’s 25th season – will see two of the most notable teams in the history of the New England Modified racing battling for the trophy. Donny Lia, pilot of the No. 4 “Mystic Missile” Dodge owned by Bob Garbarino, will take a 26-point lead on Ryan Preece, driver of the No. 3 “Ole Blue” Chevrolet, of the famed Boehler family.
“It’s pretty cool – this being the 25th season [of the Tour] – and the two longest running teams going for the championship,” Preece said. “It just goes to show you that experience helps a lot to contend for a championship.”
The only two Modifieds that carry a nickname, the Nos. 4 and 3 have been around longer than any other teams. Garbarino fielded his first “Mystic Missile” in 1961, nearly a quarter of a century before the present-day Whelen Modified Tour was founded. “Ole Blue” dates back even further as legendary car owner and builder Len Boehler founded the team in 1957.
Garbarino’s dedication to NASCAR Modified racing through the decades was finally paid off in 2007 when Lia delivered the longtime owner his first championship. The No. 4 has featured a host of notable drivers in the seat through the years, but the pairing of Lia with the team in 2007 resulted in the perfect combination to bring home the trophy. Garbarino, who was recently selected as a 2010 inductee for the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame, has only the utmost respect for the No. 3 team.
“We’ve been parking alongside of them for a long, long time, and anything that’s in my truck they can have, and I think that goes the other way too,” Garbarino said. “I’m happy for them – I’m glad that they’re in the running for this whole deal.”
Garbarino reasoned that because the teams have been so close through the years, it will be tough for one to leave Thompson disappointed.
“I almost wish it was any other car in the pit area [in championship contention],” Garbarino said. “I consider those guys all good friends – and this won’t change the friendship at all – but somebody’s going to win and somebody’s not going to win.”
Now in their sixth decade of Modified competition, Boehler Racing Enterprises continues to be a stalwart. The cars built by Boehler – a 2004 NEAR Hall of Fame inductee – produced NASCAR Modified national championships in 1967-69 with Bugs Stevens behind the wheel. “Ole Blue” earned another three-peat in the mid-1990s as Wayne Anderson (1994) and Tony Hirschman (1995-96) captured the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour titles. And while Len passed away in 2001, his widow, Jan, and son, Michael, have sustained the family tradition.
Like Garbarino, BRE President and Manager Michael Boehler has mutual respect for the competition.
“Bob and his wife Joan are great, great people – they’re first class,” Boehler said. “They’re always the first ones there to lend a hand if something goes wrong. They’re positive, encouraging people, and they’ve given their life to the sport like we have. There’s not many of those families left that do that, so it’s just great that it’s the “Mystic Missile” against “Ole Blue” [for the title].”
The significance of the two teams competing for the title is not lost on the drivers either, even though they are only in the second year with the respective teams.
Following his win at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway on Oct. 4, Lia acknowledged the history of the two cars that will battle for the 2009 championship.
“The 3 car and the 4 car – they’ve been around forever – and are a big part of Modified history,” Lia said. “So for me, whether I was driving the car or not, I think it’s pretty cool that those two cars are going for it.”
While Lia is already part of – and will look to add to – the history of the “Mystic Missile,” the 18-year-old Preece is just in his second year behind the wheel of “Ole Blue,” and his third year of NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour racing overall.
“I’m really happy that the 3 car is where they are, and that we’re going for the championship together,” Lia said. “He’s a good kid, and he’s got a great future ahead of him. Hopefully we can hang on and win it, but if they do, that’s pretty cool.”
The young Preece is well-versed in Modified history. His grandfather – Bob Judkins – was a longtime Modified car owner.
Lia can clinch his second Whelen Modified Tour crown by finishing fifth or better at Thompson, but with Preece just 26 points out, there are a number of scenarios that will make every lap important in the season finale.
The World Series of Speedway Racing presented by Xtra Mart will commence with practice and qualifying for the Whelen Modified Tour on Saturday, Oct. 17. The 150-lap race is set to go green on Sunday, Oct. 18 at approximately 3:30 p.m.
