3/5/2009
WHELEN MODIFIED TOUR
COMPETITORS DO BATTLE INDOORS
by Tracy Chirico |
As indoor racing returns to Rhode Island for the first time in nearly five
decades this weekend, there are a number of potential story lines that could
make headlines. In the top-billed Three-Quarter (TQ) Midget races, four
drivers who competed on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour during the 2008
season will each make a run at capturing the prestigious trophy and bragging
rights that would come with a victory in either or both nights' feature
events.
Ted Christopher, the defending WMT champion, will head into the race knowing
that he has equipment that is very capable of winning. After all, it is the
same equipment that he took to Victory Lane at Boardwalk Hall during the
Gambler's Classic indoor races in January.
Christopher's car, which was
purchased specifically for the purpose of racing in Atlantic City in that
single event each year, was on display at the Area Auto Racing News booth at
SpeedwayEXPO last weekend. At one point during the weekend, Christopher was
spotted taking measurements on the car.
Since winning his first-ever WMT title, the 50-year-old Christopher
has been keeping busy. In addition to capturing the win in Atlantic City,
the driver recorded four victories in the Tour-Type Modified division in New
Smyrna during Speedweeks. En route to his Modified championship, Christopher
had grabbed four wins and 13 top ten finishes in 16 starts.
Another 50-year-old driver who is a regular on the WMT, Mike Stefanik, is
also among the entrants for the Providence indoor event. For Stefanik, the
race in his home state will mark his first time competing in an indoor
event. He does, however, have quite the impressive resume, consisting of
seven Modified championships and two Busch North titles. In 2008, Stefanik
finished seventh in WMT points. His record for the season included one win
and ten top ten finishes in 16 races.
Christopher, Stefanik, and the rest of the field will have plenty
of young competition as well. Billy Pauch Jr., a 21-year-old driver from New
Jersey, will be making the trip to Rhode Island to compete in the event. The
driver competed in 13 WMT events in 2008, recording one top ten finish and
closing out the season 21st in points.
Massachusetts resident Bobby Santos III is making the trip to
Providence to compete in the indoor event as well. Santos took part in the
Gambler's Classic TQ race in Atlantic City in January, taking home an 11th
place finish in the 40-lap main event. Santos had a rather impressive
showing in Atlantic City in 2008, finishing fourth in the main event and
receiving the award for being the highest finishing 600cc Micro-Sprint in
the race. The 24-year-old Santos finished third in Northeastern Midget
Association (NEMA) points in 2008. During the season, he also participated
in seven WMT events, scoring four top ten finishes and finishing 31st in
points.
The action in Providence kicks off at the Dunkin' Donuts Center on
Friday night, March 6th, with the grandstands opening at 6:30 p.m. Twenty TQ
cars will take the green flag for the 20-lap feature event. The grandstands
will also open at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 7th, and fans will be treated
to a 30-lap feature for the TQs. Twenty-lap Champ Kart features will also be
run on both nights.
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Source: Tracy
Chirico / TheChromeHorn.com
Posted: March
5, 2009 |
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