WHELEN MODIFIED TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP
TO BE SETTLED AT THOMPSON

   The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion will be crowned this weekend during the XTRAMART World Series of Speedway Racing at the Thompson International Speedway. After a very competitive season on the Tour, it will be the final race of the year that determines the championship of the oldest, fastest and most exciting of NASCAR’s touring divisions.
   Ted Christopher is looking to secure his first-ever championship ring in the Whelen Modified division. Following his sixth place finish at Stafford’s Fall Final, Christopher enters the last race with a 35 point advantage over Matt Hirschman.
   Christopher’s season at Thompson has had its ups and downs. He scored at 10th place finish at the season-opening Icebreaker and then went on to secure a 2nd in June. The August Whelen Modified Tour race saw Christopher finish 3rd and his effort in September ended with the # 36 team scoring 14th in the final standings. In the same events, Hirschman has scored finishes of 16th, 7th,2nd and 9th. Still in the hunt, even though it is a long shot, is former title holder, Todd Szegedy. Going into the final event, Szegedy finds himself 143 points behind the leader.
   The race for the coveted Whelen Modified title began at Thompson when Ed Flemke opened the season with a victory in the Icebreaker. The June race for the WMT was won by Ronnie Silk as was the August appearance of the Tour. In September, it was former champ Todd Szegedy who graced victory lane. The fifth and final WMT race this season at Thompson is bound to be extremely competitive. Both Christopher and Hirschman will be looking to secure their first win of the season at the ultra-fast, high banked oval and will also have an eye on the slim difference between them in championship points chase. Many of the rest of the drivers will be looking to end their season among the top ten in points.
   Much of the racing world’s attention is focused on the outcome of the WMT race. However, champions will also be crowned in the ISMA Super Modified division, NEMA Midgets, Pro Four Modifieds and the ARTS truck series. The competition in all of these divisions will be intense and fans are expected to see some of the best racing of the season during the three-day World Series.
   Titles have already been claimed in all six of Thompson’s NASCAR Whelen All American Series divisions. This will eliminate the concern of securing points for these race teams and allow for an all out assault on a drive to victory lane in front of the huge World Series crowd. Drivers in the Sunoco Modifieds, Pro Stocks, Late Models, Thompson Modifieds, Limited Sportsman and Mini Stocks will all be geared for a “go for broke” approach to gaining a win.
   Much the same can be said for the three exciting “Outlaw” divisions that generate so much excitement each and every year. The majority of these race teams makes their annual trip to Thompson for the World Series and arrive with visions of a season-ending win on the big tack.
   It’s a race fan’s dream weekend. Three big days, over five hundred race cars, thousands of fans, and lots and lots or racing. It’s the grand finale of the racing season in New England for the year. The long New England winter is just around the corner and fans love this huge racing and party weekend that Thompson hosts every year.
   Grandstands open at 4:30 PM on Friday for qualifying of the cars that will have their feature races Saturday evening. On Saturday, grandstands open at 10AM for practice and qualifying for the Sunday afternoon feature events. Once all qualifying is done on Saturday, the first of the weekend’s fourteen features will roll out onto the speedway. Eight feature races will be held on Saturday night alone. Sunday’s schedule has the grandstands opening at 10 AM with pre-race ceremonies, including a tribute to former NASCAR Modified champion, Bugs Stevens will start at about 11:30 AM.
   The Raceway Restaurant and Lounge will be open for an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet on both Saturday and Sunday mornings beginning at 7 AM and a huge dinner and dance will be held there Saturday night. It’s a fun-filled weekend like no other and it’s only at the Thompson International Speedway. The 35th annual XTRAMART World Series of Speedway racing. Don’t miss it.

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