2013 Racin’ Preview Photos
NEW ENGLAND MOTORSPORTS SOUTH for February 23 to 25
By Lou Modestino
The last lap provided all the drama for the second consecutive night at the UNOH Battle At The Beach. As a result, NASCAR veteran Steve Park and rising star Cameron Hayley walked off with the winner’s trophies Tuesday in the inaugural non-points event at Daytona International Speedway.
Thanks to a bump from behind from Park, Mike Stefanik of RI looped his car off of Turn 2 on the final circuit of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race. That enabled Park of East Northport, N.Y., to drive off to his first career Daytona win on Tuesday night. It was the two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winner’s first Modified victory since 1996. “It was just short-track racing. He probably had a car capable of winning, but we had the luckiest car. I’m just glad we won,” Park said. “It’s huge. You can win races all over this country, but you’re not going to have a Daytona trophy like we have here.” (more…)
NEW ENGLAND MOTORSPORTS NORTH for February 23 to 25
By Lou Modestino
People’s United Bank will usher in the summer stock car racing season at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven, VT for the second year in a row. The 171 year-old, New England-based financial institution will present the People’s United Bank Memorial Day Special to begin the 2013 Friday night NASCAR Whelen All-American Series schedule on Friday, May 24 at 7:00pm. The headline Bond Auto Parts Modified division will run twin 25-lap features as part of a full card of racing that also includes a holiday fireworks show.
Veteran New York state drivers Leon Gonyo and Ron Proctor each scored in last year’s People’s United Bank Memorial Day Special twin Modified features. Proctor’s victory was the first of a three-win campaign that led to his second-straight Devil’s Bowl Speedway and NASCAR Vermont State Championships. Proctor will return in search of a three-peat, but is expected to be challenged by the likes of Brandon, VT’s Vince Quenneville, Jr., Hunter Bates of Middlebury, VT, Alex Bell of Cambridge, NY, and 2012 Rookie of the Year Joey Roberts of Georgia, VT. (more…)
BEAR RIDGE SPEEDWAY: More Bang For Your Buck At Bear Ridge Speedway
Affordable family entertainment at New England’s premier dirt track
BRADFORD, VT – Bear Ridge Speedway is offering affordable family fun and entertainment all summer long for the Connecticut River Valley. Conveniently located just minutes from Interstate 91 in Bradford, VT, Bear Ridge Speedway is New England’s premier dirt short track and the weekly home of the region’s top open-wheel and full-fender stock car racers.
The 99ROCK Weekly Racing Series invades the 46 year-old quarter-mile clay oval each Saturday night, May through September, at the famous “6:00-ish” starting time. In the event that track or weather conditions delay the target 6:00pm start time by a few minutes, fans are often treated to trivia contests and rewarded with prizes, or get to know current and former drivers through one-on-one interviews. (more…)
ECS Snocross News: Valcourt, QC Event Recap
Asselin claims Triple Crown final in Valcourt for East Coast Snocross series,
Presented by AMSOIL and Woody’s Traction
Wallenstein, Pilotte notch Pro Lite wins
VALCOURT, Quebec (Feb. 18, 2013) — Quebec native Donovan Asselin stole the headlines with a dominant performance last Friday afternoon, winning the high-stakes final round of the inaugural Triple Crown series for Pro and Pro Lite riders in Super Competition Motorsport (SCM) and East Coast Snocross (ECS).
Asselin’s victory was part of Day 1 in the 31st annual Grand Prix Ski-doo de Valcourt, presented by FOX. Finishing second in the Triple Crown Pro final was Corin Todd (Bailey/Hulten Polaris), while Lincoln Lemieux (Lemieux Racing/Ski-doo) filled out the podium in third. Asselin led from start to finish on a very well-prepared Ski-doo.
TV TIMES for February 23 to 25
Sprint Cup drivers trying to adjust to the G6 cars
By Lou Modestino
Saturday night’s Sprint Unlimited didn’t really answer any questions about the new G6 car. As a matter of fact, we may not know what the verdict is until after the Thursday Duels and Sunday’s 500. In the meantime, Kevin Harvick seemed to have it all down pat, for now at least, when he held off Greg Biffle coming down to the end of the Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway.
Harvick had this to say in victory lane: “I was nervous about the 20 and 14. Rather than talking about being a Lame Duck at RCR, my guys want to win all of the time.” Harvick will leave the RCR Team at the end of the season. In the process, Harvick gave RCR it’s 8th win in the Sprint Unlimited event. Let’s see if he can carry it over into Thursday’s Duels or better still into Sunday’s 500. By the way, Kevin had to be pushed to victory lane because something happened to the car when he was doing those victory donuts! (more…)
NEW ENGLAND MOTORSPORTS SCHEDULE FOR 2/18-2/24/13
by LOU MODESTINO
2/22-2/23/13
Portland Expo(239 Parker St., ME)-Racin Preview Presented By Moody Collision Centers,
Tracks, Tours And Other Racing Related Displays. Fri. 4-9 p.m., Sat., 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
Sunday, 2/24/13
VFW(193 Dean St.,Norwood, MA)-Dave Vazgeez Indoor Swap Meet, Part &
Memorabilia, 9 a.m.
Danica Patrick Makes History by Winning Pole for the Daytona 500
Rookie Driver Becomes First Woman to Win a Sprint Cup Series Pole; Gordon Secures Outside Pole
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Danica Patrick made NASCAR history on Sunday at Daytona International Speedway by winning the pole for the 55th annual Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 24.
Patrick, driving the No. 10 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing, turned a fast lap of 196.434 mph around the 2.5-mile tri-oval to become the first woman to win a pole for a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event.
“It’s really amazing how much effort is put into a qualifying car for Daytona and really only the front row is what sticks for Sunday,” Patrick said. “It’s nice that all that hard work can pay off and that we can give ourselves that opportunity to lead the pack down into the tri-oval for the green flag of the Daytona 500.”
Patrick’s pole tops the previous best starting position for a female in the Daytona 500, which was 18th by Janet Guthrie in 1980. She is also the first rookie to win the Daytona 500 pole since Jimmie Johnson in 2002.
Read Full Story – http://checkupracing.com/2013/02/18/danica-patrick-makes-history-by-winning-pole-for-the-daytona-500/
Photos: Sprint Unlimited at Daytona
Visit for more photos – http://checkupracing.com/2013/02/18/photos-sprint-unlimited-at-daytona/
NHMS Unveils Wheel and Deal
New Hampshire Motor Speedway unveiled the Toyota Wheel and Deal Pre-Race Show, an interactive game which will give away $250,000 in prizes to fans before the New Hampshire 300.