August 25, Brockton, MA--- Joe Brady of Stoughton, Mass., and his driver, Ted Christopher of Plainville, Conn., were among the missing in the Modified Racing Series event at Seekonk Speedway last weekend, no doubt due to the fact that the two were the subject of an intense tech inspection following the MRS race at the Waterford Speedbowl last week. "They kept checking my car to find something wrong, and they just kept going until they found something.  The official found an oversize valve by .015, and I'm not denying it wasn't to the MRS specs," said Brady. "Ted finished second and was pretty much off the pace behind the winner. What bothers me the most is that the officials didn't check the winner or the third place car. We were singled out (by the official), and I'm not happy about it, so much so that I plan to sue the MRS. I've got a grievance and more than likely we'll end up in Federal Court because the race was in Connecticut and the Modified Racing Series is based in New Hampshire."  A recent press release from the MRS revealed that Christopher and Brady forfeited prize money and points and are on suspension until year end.

Three former winners including defending champion Jeff Abold will be among the entries for Northeastern Midget Association’s 14th annual Boston Louie Memorial this Saturday night, Aug. 28, at Seekonk Speedway.  The event memorializes the memory of the legendary car owner Boston Louie Seymour. Hosted by the Seymour family, headed by matriarch “Miss Ellie,” the 29-lap feature has become the most coveted prize in New England Midget racing.

In addition to Abold, Russ Stoehr, who won the first “Louie” in 1997, and Randy Cabral, another former winner, will be participating. Two-time defending NEMA champion Cabral, who prevailed in 2000  and 2008, hopes to become the first three-time “Louie” winner.  The NEMA Lites will be on the agenda as well.  Anthony Marvuglio’s Lites win was one of 2009’s emotional highlights.

Emotion has always been part of “The Louie” starting with the number 29.  It belonged to Louie Seymour, “the man who towed a million miles”, out of Marlboro, Mass. to success on USAC’s Sprint Car and Silver Crown circuits.
It was at the 2000 "Louie" that Cabral, in a family car older than himself, won his first-ever NEMA race. Two years later, at the Waterford Speedbowl, a then 16-year old Bobby Santos, part of a Scrivani/Seymour effort, grabbed his first Midget checkered.

Abold was the first to put the #29 into Victory Lane, but it's hardly the first “Louie” success for the Seymour family. It got no better than 1999  when Louie’s boys, Bobby and Mike, finished one-two at Seekonk.
While Abold hopes to become the first back-to-back winner and Cabral the first three-time winner, Stoehr eyes a spot on the two-time list with Cabral, Joey Payne and Ben Seitz. Stoehr, who won with Bruce Beane in ’97, hopes to give the Angelillo team its fourth "Louie".
 
Ryan Newman continued his winning ways in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour with a victory in the UNOH Perfect Storm 150 at Bristol Motor Speedway on Wednesday. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver held off a late charge from seven-time tour champion Mike Stefanik over the closing laps to secure his second win of the season. Newman also won at New Hampshire Motor Speedway driving the Modified owned by Kevin Manion.
James Civali was the top NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour driver in the annual combination race in third place overall. Bobby Santos of Franklin and Todd Szegedy of Conn. rounded out the top five.

Rookie Justin Bonsignore, who won his first career Coors Light Pole Award earlier in the day, finished sixth, followed by Rockland native Dale Quarterley, Eric Goodale, Ryan Preece, at the wheel of Mike Boehler's entry out Freetown and Erick Rudolph.
 
Ted Christopher dominated much of the event before losing the lead to Stefanik on Lap 125 and pulling off the track suddenly on Lap 140 while running third. He finished 26th, nine laps down, and lost the points lead to Santos. LW Miller also lost the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour points lead to Civali by finishing 29th overall, 39 laps down.

There are a number of drivers looking to join a "Louie" win list at Seekonk Speedway this weekend that includes Drew and Nokie Fornoro and Jeff Horn. That group includes last season’s DAV winner Adam Cantor, Greg Stoehr, Jim Miller, Waterford Wings & Wheels winner Chris deRitis, Erica Santos, Mike Horn, Aaron Wall and John Zych Jr.  Lite contenders include Cabral, Anthony Nocella, Russ Wood Jr., Eddie LeClerc Jr., Bethany Viets, Paul Luggelle and Jim Santa Maria.

Boston Louie Results:
1997: 1. Russ Stoehr (Beane 26), 2. Nokie Fornoro, 3. Mike Seymour, 4. Drew Fornoro, 5. Babe Shaw
1998: 1. Drew Fornoro (Angelillo 45), 2. Bobby Seymour, 3. Mark Buonomo, 4. Russ Stoehr, 5. Ed Breault
1999: 1 Bobby Seymour (Seymour 9), 2. Mike Seymour, 3. Drew Fornoro, 4. Russ Stoehr, 5. Rudy Boetticher
2000: 1. Randy Cabral (Cabral 35), 2. Nokie Fornoro, 3. Joey Payne, 4. Jeff Horn, 5. Ryan King
2001: 1. Jeff Horn (Shaw 1s), 2. Russ Stoehr, 3. Drew Fornoro, 4. Mark Buonomo, 5. Kevin Weeks
2002: 1. Bobby Santos (Scravani 9), 2. Tim Bertrand, 3. Randy Cabral, 4. Howie Bumpus, 5. Russ Stoehr
2003 1 Joey Payne (Angelillo 45), 2. Ben Seitz, 3. Sean Caisse, 4. Tim Heath, 5. Glen Cabral
2004 1. Ben Seitz (Valeri 17), 2. Joey Payne, 3. Randy Cabral, 4. Bobby Santos, 5. Mark Buonomo
2005: 1. Joey Payne (Angelillo 45), 2. Jeff Horn, 3. Ben Seitz, 4. Chris Perley, 5. Erin Crocker
2006: 1. Nokie Fornoro ( Jarret 4), 2. Joey Payne, 3. Bobby Santos III, 4.Jeff Horn, 5. Randy Cabral
2007: 1. Ben Seitz (Valeri 17), 2. Joey Payne, 3. Nokie Fornoro, 4. Adam Cantor, 5. Shane Hammond
2008 1. Randy Cabral (Bertrand 47), 2. Jeff Abold, 3. Bobby Santos, 4.Jeremy Frankowski, 5. Joey Payne
2009: 1. Jeff Abold (Seymour 29), 2. Cole Carter, 3. Nokie Fornoro, 4. William Wall, 5. Randy Cabral. 
 
Waterford Speedbowl completed Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday’s program with a record-setting night, crowning its first division champion of the season.  Taylor Martin of Windham, New Hampshire, didn’t win the Bandolero race but he did finish third, which was good enough to secure the division Points Championship and make her the first female champion in the track’s 60-year history.  David Garbo Jr. of Stonington won his first ever Legends Cars race by executing a late race pass.  John Yagmin of Tolland won another Super X-Car feature, this time by inches after some last lap drama. Columbia driver Dan D’addario returned to the winner’s circle in the X-Cars, while the X-Modifieds rounded out the program with Waterford native Bubby Brouwer as the victor. 

Woody Pitkat of Stafford, Conn., dodged a bullet in the opening laps of the Sunoco Modified feature event and then looked like he was shot out of a cannon to score a dominating win at Thompson International Speedway on Thursday night. Larry Barnett of Moosup, Conn., reached a milestone on Thursday night.  Scoring his 50th Limited Sportsman feature win at Thompson in dominating fashion. Derek Ramstrom of Worcester, won his sixth Super Late Model feature of the season, while Rick Gentes of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, scored his fifth in Late Model action.

Among Stafford Motor Speedway’s five NASCAR Whelen All-American Series divisions, the Limited Late Model division sports the
tightest points race. Dan Flannery leads defending track champion Andrew Durand by a scant 6-point margin heading into this Friday night’s twin 20-lap Limited Late Model feature events. After a disappointing 13th place showing in the season opening CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler, Flannery took the points lead for the first time following the May 28th race and has led the points standings every week since. Flannery was able to build up a nice lead in the standings with 10 consecutive top-5 finishes, but finishes of 12th, 10th, and 8th in three of his last four starts has allowed Durand to cut the difference down to the current 6-point margin heading into this Friday night’s doubleheader event. With 2 races on tap, twice the amount of points are up for grabs and the slightest bobble.
 
Stafford has hosted modified racing since 1959 with races on dirt and asphalt including all different types of modifieds such as Whelen Modified Tour cars, ISMA Supermodifieds, Pro-4 Modifieds, SK Modifieds, and SK Light Modifieds. On Friday, September 10th, a new chapter will be written in the SMS Modified history book with the Inaugural Shark Cycle 100 for the Modified Racing Series.

The Late Model division took center stage at Stafford this past Friday night with the 3rd Annual Late Model 100, the second extra distance event of the 2010 season. Joining the Late Model 100 was Stafford’s SK Modifieds®, SK Light Modifieds, DARE
Stocks, and twin 20-lap Limited Late Model feature events. J.J. Hill was the big winner of the evening, taking his first career victory in the
100-lap extra distance classic. Newly crowned NASCAR Whelen All-American Series National Champion Keith Rocco took his 9th feature victory of the 2010 season in the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event, Tommy Barrett, Jr. took his 7th win of the 2010 season in the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature, Andrew Durand and Rob Dow were the winners of the 20-lap Limited Late Model features, and Kyle Casagrande became the first three-time winner of the 2010 season in the 15-lap DARE Stock feature.

Waterford Speedbowl hosted competitors from across New England and New York for the Nutmeg State 100 ACT Late Model Tour on Saturday night.  In addition, four divisions of NASCAR Whelen All-American Series were in action.  Joey Polewarczyk Jr., of Hudson, New Hampshire, won an exciting ACT Tour race, beating out Brian Hoar over the final five laps.  Tyler Chadwick of Ledyard won his second SK Modified race of the year surviving multiple restarts on his way to victory.  Al Stone, III, of New Haven came out on top of a wild conclusion to the Street Stock race, and Keith Rocco of Wallingford took the checkered flag in the finish of the A.B. CDL Driver Training Center Truck event. Preston’s Greg Moran, Sr., won his first Norwich Bulletin Mini Stock race of the year to round out the night’s racing.
 
Waterford Speedbowl will close out August with a busy week of events.  The shoreline oval will be in action four out of five days this week, highlighted by a Raceceiver National Legends Tour race as part of Saturday’s race program and ‘Old School Enduro’ racing on Sunday with $1,000 payouts to the winners.

The week will begin with the 10th season of Wild ‘n Wacky Wednesday.  Just two more events remain in that series, starting with this Wednesday’s event.  Twelve-year old Taylor Martin has already claimed the Bandolero points title, and sixteen-year old Anthony Flannery has the Legends Cars championship on his radar. The other division point battles remain tight with every position counting from this point forward.  As always, youth are admitted free on Wednesday with adult admission being $7.  Racing will start at 7 p.m.

Todd Annarummo of Swansea, Mass., passed race leader Jon McKennedy, of East Chelmsford, Mass., on lap 28, and went on to win the 100 lap Modified Racing Series, sponsored by BobValentiAutomall.com feature race at Seekonk Speedway.  Annarummo ran a strong race from the start and set a torrid pace throughout the 100-lap grind. “We used a lot of the car getting by Jon early. We didn’t have much left at the end, we were just hanging on.”  It was Annarummo’s first win with the series. He became the 11th different winner in 13 races in 2010.

Polesitter Ken Barry of Preston, Conn., dueled with McKennedy in the early stages of the event until McKennedy claimed the top spot. The defending champion led from lap 12 through 28.  Les Hinckley, III, of Windsor Locks, Conn., chased Annarummo to the checkers finishing 0.159 seconds behind the winner.  The runner-up finish by Hinckley was his best performance in recent weeks.

Dwight Jarvis of Ascutney, Vermont, finished third, followed by McKennedy and Jimmy Kuhn Jr., Bridgewater, Mass.  Then came Rob Goodenough of Swanzey, New Hampshire, Chris Pasteryak of Lisbon, Conn., Joey Jarvis of  Ascutney, Vermont, and Jacob Dore of Sanford, Maine. The race featured six different lead changes among four drivers. 28 race teams entered the event, 24 cars started the race with 16 drivers finishing on the lead lap. The next event for the Modified Racing Series will be held at Thompson on Thursday night, August 26.

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) has imposed an indefinite suspension from NASCAR competition on four drivers following an incident on Thursday, August 19, 2010 at Thompson.  NASCAR is the sanctioning body for races there, and NASCAR officials are in charge of the competition at that particular site. The official penalty notice from NASCAR cited the drivers for “Actions detrimental to stock car racing.”               

Race drivers Fred Michalski of Dayville, Conn., Scott and Trevor Michalski of South Killingly, Conn., and Scott Jassaume of Danielson, Conn., all received the same penalty from NASCAR.  In addition, the speedway has informed these drivers and Ruth Michalski of South Killingly, Conn., that they are no longer welcome on the property and around the race track.  “We feel the actions taken by NASCAR are appropriate considering the seriousness of the incident in our pit area last Thursday. We cannot and will not tolerate that kind of behavior by anyone. We believe that these actions are in the best interest of the Speedway, its fans and competitors”, said track owner, Don Hoenig.

The Modified Racing Series will return to Thompson International Speedway this Thursday night for their second 75-lap race of the season.  Les Hinkley of Windsor Locks, Conn., claimed victory in the hotly contested TOWN FAIR TIRE MRS feature race in June at Thompson and is looking to make it two in a row at the largest track on which the MRS competes. Hinkley will be challenged by current MRS points leader, Dwight Jarvis, and other contenders like Jon McKennedy, Rowan Pennink, Steve Masse and Ken Barry. A full field of Modified racers is expected for this event.            

One week after the MRS event, the track will play host to the third of four open competition Tour-Type Modified 40-lap shoot out races on September 2nd. The first Tour-Type Modified Shoot Out was won by Ronnie Silk. He narrowly defeated the driver who has won more races at Thompson this season than anyone else, Ted Christopher. Louie Mechalides finished third and was followed across the finish line by Steven Reed and Keith Rocco.            

The Tour-Type Modifieds returned on July 1^st and Mike Stefanik, the seven-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Champion, claimed victory. He bested Silk at the finish line, who was followed by Steven Reed, Louie Mechalides and Tom Bolles. Christopher managed a sixth place. Pits will open this Thursday at noon, grandstands at 4 p.m. and racing at 6 p.m.  

Abby's Kitchen in Pascoag, Rhode Island, will host a cruise on Thursday at 5 p.m.  Another cruise will be held at Wakefield Rehab beginning at the same time. On Friday and Saturday, the Cummington Fairgrounds will offer a Tractor/Engine Show at 9 a.m., while the Host Hotel in Sturbridge plans to hold an El Camino and Chevelle car show at 9 a.m.  The Marshfield Fair in Mass., will have a Demo Derby at 5 p.m., while McDonald's in Cumberland, Rhode Island, will offer a cruise beginning at the same time. Stafford Speedway in Conn.will hold their NASCAR stockcar program at 7 p.m. 

On Saturday, a Swedish Car Show will be held at the Larz Anderson Museum in Brookline, Mass.  Cruises will be on hand at 5 p.m. at Gold's Gym in Millis, Mass.  The Redline Diner in Framingham, Mass., and the Plymouth Waterfront are planning car shows all day. Another Demo and Fig. 8 event is scheduled to be held at the Marshfield, Mass., Fairgrounds. Stockcars will be on at both the Seekonk Speedway in Mass. and the Waterford Speedbowl in Conn.  Whip City in Westfield, Mass., will be  going with karts and mini sprints starting at 2 p.m. 

Sunday will wrap up the weekend with a Mopar car show at Bogies Restaurant in Great Barrington.  Patriot Square in Dennis, Mass., will host a car show, as will the LaSalette Shrine in Attleboro, Mass., all three at 9 a.m. A Tractor Pull will be on tap at the Marshfield Fairgrounds. Coventry, Rhode Island, Airfield will be the scene of a Truck/Engine Show all day.

    Lou Modestino is a long-time columnist and Public Relations person, working for numerous tracks in the northeast, and now writes for The Enterprise in Brockton, MA.  He may be reached at lmodestino@hotmail.com.

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