PLENTY IN STORE FOR NASCAR WHELEN MODIFIED TOUR
Electronic Timing & Scoring, Spec Engine New To Tour
The 2008 season for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will be one of
reflection with the celebration of 60 years of champions, and a year of
progression for race teams and fans alike, when it takes the green flag
April 6 with the Icebreaker at historic Thompson (Conn.) International
Speedway.
New to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in 2008 is the
implementation of an electronic scoring system for all 16 races. Also
new to the tour for the coming season is the option for race teams to
utilize a spec engine.
This year will also see a major sponsor change for the pole
award and the return of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour to a pair of
tracks in upstate New York.
At the top of the list of changes for 2008 will be the tour’s
leadership. Announced by NASCAR in February, Chad Little has succeeded
Ed Cox as director of the Whelen Modified Tour. Little, a former driver
in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and the NASCAR
Camping World Series West – where he was the 1987 champion – has been a
NASCAR official since 2005.
NASCAR will implement an updated scoring system for the
Whelen Modified Tour in 2008. The AMB Timing and Scoring System, which
has been used in previous NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races at New
Hampshire Motor Speedway and Martinsville ( Va. ) Speedway , will now be
utilized at every track on the schedule. Among the many benefits of this
system will be that each race team can get live wireless scoring updates
on their own computers.
“It is the right time for us to take advantage of the
improvement in technology,” Little said. “The AMB system will make the
timing and scoring of the tour races a more efficient process.”
The 2008 season will see NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race
teams have the option to run a cost-effective spec engine. First
introduced in the NASCAR Camping World Series in 2006, the spec engine
is a package developed by Wegner Motorsports that utilizes precisely
specified components in order to reduce engine costs and provide
durability. The engine available for Modified race teams consists of the
same recipe as the one utilized in the Camping World Series.
“After two successful on-track Modified tests, NASCAR is
excited to make its approved spec engine program available to race teams
in the Whelen Modified Tour,” Little said. “This engine program was
designed as a cost-effective alternative for race teams, and is not
mandatory.”
Also new to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in 2008 is Coors
Light, which will carry the sponsorship of the pole award. Coors Light
replaces Budweiser as the pole sponsor in each of the touring and
national divisions. Coors Light will award each pole sitter throughout
the season as well as hand out the postseason award to the driver who
earns the most poles through the year.
Although not new to NASCAR, sister tracks in New York –
Chemung Speedrome and Spencer Speedway – will once again host NASCAR
Whelen Modified Tour events in 2008. A one-third mile oval, Chemung
hosted a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race was in 2001. The track is
steeped in Modified history, having been built by the Bodine family in
1951. Spencer, a half-mile track, will welcome the Modifieds back for
the first time since 1994, and the fifth time overall. The Whelen
Modified Tour will be at Spencer on July 12 and Chemung on October 4.
“NASCAR is excited about the Whelen Modified Tour returning
to western New York ,” Little said. “The Modifieds have enjoyed a loyal
following throughout the northeast, and the Empire State has a long and
distinguished history of Modified racing.”
The 2008 season will be a special one for the NASCAR Whelen
Modified Tour. NASCAR plans to honor the history of its oldest division
throughout the season as it celebrates 60 years of Modified champions.
To follow all of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour action in
2008, fans are encouraged to visit the new and improved NASCAR Home
Tracks web site (www.nascarhometracks.com)
that will feature up-to-date news, race results, standings, and local
track information and directions.
