ARCHIVES

07-05-06: STAFFORD, CT----John Blewett, III of Howell, NJ didn't want any of the drama that a last lap pass for the win might have created. Especially when it's your brother that your passing for the lead and robbing him of his first career tour win. John passed brother, Jimmy with 14 laps remaining to win the previously rained out 150 lap race at the Stafford Motor Speedway before a mediocre crowd at on July 4th. MORE>>
07-03-06: Todd Szegedy of Ridgefield, CT wants potential car owners down south to know that he can still drive and win.
Thursday night at the Thompson Speedway, the 2003 NASCAR Whelen modified tour champion reminded everyone on the tour that he is back and looking to reestablish his name. Szegedy took over the lead from Eddie Flemke, Jr. on lap 67 and then fought off Flemke and James Civali to capture the New England Dodge Dealers 100 before a packed house. MORE>>
06-19-06: While the NASCAR Whelen modified tour was off in the western hills of Pennsylvania at the Jennerstown Speedway, I decided to head off to the Connecticut shoreline and take in the newest rave for modified racing, the True Value Racing series. The True Value modifieds are the brainchild of former modified tour driver, Jack Bateman, who became disenchanted with the owners of the Claremont Speedway. MORE>>
06-12-06: Ted Christopher of Plainville, CT suddenly finds himself without a modified ride. Thanks to the federal government. Christopher, who drives the #13 Mystique Motorsports Chevrolet arrived at work on Friday, June 9th to find federal marshals loading up his race cars and equipment all due in part into an ongoing investigation into his car owner, James Galante of Danbury, CT. MORE>>
06-05-06: When word was leaking out that Don Hawk, the director of NASCAR's touring series had either resigned or was asked to leave, it set off shock waves in the modified community. While many people liked Hawk for his direct approach, many also viewed him as another in the long line of NASCAR mouthpieces telling people in the modified series what they wanted to hear. I called Phil Kurze, the director of Whelen Motorsports and the modified series sponsor, to get his reaction to Hawk leaving his post. MORE>>
05-08-06: When word was leaking out that Don Hawk, the director of NASCAR's touring series had either resigned or was asked to leave, it set off shock waves in the modified community. While many people liked Hawk for his direct approach, many also viewed him as another in the long line of NASCAR mouthpieces telling people in the modified series what they wanted to hear. I called Phil Kurze, the director of Whelen Motorsports and the modified series sponsor, to get his reaction to Hawk leaving his post. MORE>>
05-08-06: Officials of the Waterford Speedbowl announced this past weekend that they will host a second modified tour event during the 2006 season. It will either be held on Saturday, September 23rd or Sunday, September 24th as part of the Waterford Speedbowl season finale weekend. It was rumored lately that Waterford might get the 17th race of the season but many felt when Waterford opted to take a True Value modified event in June instead of a second tour race that they were happy with the one tour race. MORE>>
05-01-06: STAFFORD, CT----------Doug Coby of Milford, CT should have at least four or five wins on the NASCAR Whelen modified tour but various mechanical problems and crashes ended sure-fire trips to victory lane. So when Coby qualified poorly and needed to take a provisional just to get into the field for the Spring Sizzler, he wasn't high on the list of potential winners. But Coby proved everyone wrong and cruised to his first ever tour win in the most prestigious of all races of the modified tour, the Stafford Spring Sizzler. MORE>>
04-10-06: THOMPSON, CT-------Mike Stefanik of Coventry, RI proved that despite all of the young drivers on the Whelen modified tour, the tour still belongs to the 'old guys.' Stefanik, running full time on the modified tour this year because his Busch East team folded is focused on winning his seventh modified title and said winning at Thompson was a great way to start the hunt. Stefanik beat back the charges of Chuck Hossfeld, Reggie Ruggiero, Ted Christopher and defending series champion, Tony Hirschman. MORE>>
03-27-06: Well, it¹s been quite a while since I¹ve sat at my computer, but when youlive in Connecticut, there is something called college basketball that keeps you busy during the winter months. Since that time, a lot has gone on in the world of the NASCAR Whelen modified tour. The last time we looked at the 2006 schedule that NASCAR put out, there has been much discussion about it, most of it not good. NASCAR officials told me in February that they were still looking to add to the 14 races that will make up the 2006 season. When I talked with Ed Cox, the director of the modified tour this past week, he too said the goal was to add one or two races for 2006. MORE>>
01-09-06: Now that NASCAR has released a preview of the 2006 NASCAR Whelen modified tour, there has been much discussion on various modified chat rooms as well as word of mouth. Most are not pleased with a 14-race schedule and the fact that ten of the races are in Connecticut. When word was out that the Thompson 300, a race steeped in modified history was being replaced with a 150 lap Whelen modified tour event on that weekend. Also on the tap would be a 100-lap for the Race of Champions modifieds and a 100-lap event for the True Value modifieds as well as a 50 lap SK modified race. MORE>>

01-02-06: When NASCAR officials spoke at the banquet just a couple of weeks ago they said most would be pleased with the schedule. One certainly finds this schedule hardly anything to get excited about. The Riverhead Raceway, which for years a staple on the series is only having one event instead of their usual two while the Waterford Speedway is losing one race from the last couple of years. MORE>>

01-02-06: The 2005 NASCAR Whelen modified tour closed the season off on December 16th as Tony Hirschman of Northampton, PA was crowned the tour champion for the second straight year and the fifth time in his career. The gala banquet was held at the magnificent Mohegan Sun Casino in southeastern Connecticut and was attended by more than 500 people. It was the third straight year the banquet has been held at the Casino and judging by the response of those attending, the banquet has found a permanent home. MORE>>

2005
11-14-05: For the second straight year and for the fifth time in the past 11 season, the NASCAR Whelen modified tour championship will reside in Northampton, PA. When Tony Hirschman took the checkered flag at the Thompson International Speedway, he capped off another championship season but for the quite champion, it looked as though he might have to settle for the runner up position. MORE>>
10-31-05: One of the classiest teams and driver called it a career this past weekend at the Thompson International Speedway. The records will show no championships on the modified tour and no wins but the respect by everyone on the modified tour is immense. We are talking about the team of Tony Ferrante, Jr. and his father, Tony, Sr. MORE>>
10-24-05: For the third consecutive weekend, the big winner in racing has been Mother Nature as she once again caused the postponement of the World Series at the Thompson Speedway and the Waterford Speedbowl finale. The northeast, which for most of the summer had no rain, now has seen well over two feet of rain in some parts of the New England region. As the skies have opened up and has caused havoc with schedules at Thompson, Waterford and many other race venues in the northeast. Thompson Speedway officials postponed the race on Friday afternoon after looking at the National Weather Service and then in a conference call with officials from NASCAR in Daytona Beach, FL decided to call it and move it back to the weekend of October 28th and 29th. MORE>>
10-10-05: For the third time and twice in the past weekend, the NASCAR Twin 100's featuring the season finale for the Busch North series and the second to last NASCAR modified tour race was rained out at the Thompson International Speedway. The Twin 100's now are set to the season finale for both of NASCAR's touring series in the northeast on Saturday, October 29th. The race was originally scheduled to be run in June but with humid conditions, thunderstorms popped up and forced NASCAR to reschedule the race for Saturday, October 8th. MORE>>
10-03-05: Tony Hirschman hardly shows much emotion. That is one of the reasons that you can't count out the four time modified tour champion because of his business like approach to racing. But Hirschman showed that the Carquest Fall Final meant a lot to his chances to win a fifth title as he dominated the race, leading 133 of the 150 lap event. Hirschman, of Northampton, Pa. won for the fifth time on the Whelen modified tour and cut the points lead deficit from 61 to 36 points over Ted Christopher, who finished fifth. MORE>>
9-26-05: What do NASCAR and the World Wrestling federation have in common? They both act and think like they are legitimate sports. In reality, they have nothing to do with real sports. That is the reaction that many people got following NASCAR's inaction following the Nextel Cup race at the New Hampshire International Speedway last week. How else can you explain drivers on the track throwing helmets and drivers purposely driving back on the track and running over another car and NASCAR saying in a rough tone 'don't do this again or else.' MORE>>
9-19-05: LOUDON, NH-----The NASCAR Whelen modified tour has always been the best division racing at the New Hampshire International Speedway but right now, Teddy Christopher is out to prove he is one of the best drivers at the demanding one mile oval. On Friday afternoon, Christopher captured not only the NASCAR Whelen modified tour 100 lapper but earlier in the day won the Busch North 125. MORE>>
9-12-05: THOMPSON, CT-------TC WINS 300-WORDS FLY BETWEEN COBY AND LIA Ted Christopher of Plainville, CT scored one of his biggest modified wins when the NASCAR Whelen modified tour points leader captured the Thompson Sunoco 300 at the Thompson International Speedway. Christopher, notching his 22nd career win and his second straight big win after taking the Made in America 300 one week earlier at Martinsville, VA. He will go for the trifecta this Friday at the New Hampshire International Speedway. MORE>>
9-05-05: MARTINSVILLE, VA. ------- As the laps were winding down in the inaugural Made in America 300, Ted Christopher knew that he had one shot left to try and win. With just 24 laps remaining in the race, Christopher got a good jump on the lap 226 restart. He then nudged leader, Mike Stefanik in turn one and then went on to cruise to the win before more than 18,000 fans to witness the historic first night race at the Martinsville Speedway. MORE>>
8/29/05: WATERFORD, CT---------Jerry Marquis of Broadbrook, CT struggled so much early in the season, many wondered if he and new car owner, Bob Garbarino would gel before it was too late. MORE>>
8/8/05: Chris Kopec, one of the more popular drivers on the modified tour has decided to hang up his helmet. Kopec, from Ware, MA was a former Riverside Park Speedway and joined the modified tour becoming one of the most consistent drivers on the circuit. MORE>>

8/1/05: SEEKONK, MA------- For Eric Beers of Northampton, PA, it wasn’t a matter of if but when. When became a win on Saturday night when the ‘other’ driver from Northampton scored a win on the NASCAR Whelen modified tour MORE>>