2/20/2009
MODIFIED TEAMS
READY FOR BRISTOL TIRE TEST
Six Teams Will Test “Worlds
Fastest Half Mile” For Hoosier Tires |
Bristol Motor Speedway, the newest addition to the schedule for the NASCAR
Whelen and NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tours, will welcome teams from
each series for a Hoosier Tires test on Tuesday, Feb. 24.
The .533-mile high-banked oval in Tennessee will play host to
NASCAR’s Modified divisions for the first time in 2009 with a combination
race. In preparation for the Aug. 19 race date, Hoosier and NASCAR invited
six teams to participate in the test.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will be represented by its
defending champion Ted Christopher, 2003 titlist Todd Szegedy and Ronnie
Silk. The NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour will have its reigning
champion Brian Loftin and 2007 series winner L.W. Miller on hand to test.
Troyer Race Cars was also invited to provide its No. 98 house car
for the test session and Matt Hirschman was selected to get behind the
wheel. Hirschman, who was runner-up in the 2008 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour
championship standings, is currently looking for a ride for the 2009
campaign.
While the Modifieds have not previously run at Bristol, some of the
test drivers have been there before, including Christopher. The Plainville,
Conn., driver attempted to qualify for a NASCAR Nationwide Series race at
Bristol in 1999, but hasn’t been back to the track since and is looking
forward to making laps in a Modified.
“I think the Modifieds are going to be good there,” Christopher
said. “I don’t think we’re going to go much faster than we go at Thompson.
We’ll probably sustain a faster speed, but I don’t think it’s going to be
much different when we get into the turns. Who knows, we’ll know when we get
there.”
Like Christopher, Loftin has some laps under his belt at Bristol
from when he raced in the former Goody’s Dash Series and he’s looking
forward to taking his Modified around the high concrete banks.
“I’m definitely excited about going up there and checking it out,”
Loftin said. “A Modified going around there is just going to have to be
wicked.”
While only six teams will participate on-track during the test
session, all teams from both the NASCAR Whelen and NASCAR Whelen Southern
Modified Tours with a valid 2009 NASCAR license are welcome to attend and
observe.
Haulers are scheduled to park at 7 a.m. and the test session is
slated to run from approximately 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Notebook:
• The NASCAR Whelen and NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour combination
event at Bristol on Wednesday, Aug. 19 will be a 150-lap race. Green flag
for the Modifieds will drop 6 p.m. and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
will follow with the O’Reilly 200 at 8 p.m.
• NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Ryan Newman plans to participate in
three Modified races in 2009; the aforementioned Bristol combination event
and both NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Newman won the pole and led 28 laps before getting caught up in an accident
in his Modified debut last September in the New Hampshire 100. He piloted
the same car to Victory Lane on Feb. 9 at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway.
• Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway has announced that all four of its
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race dates in 2009 have title sponsorship.
Tech-Net and CARQUEST will sponsor the track’s 200-lap season-opening Spring
Sizzler on April 26, TSI Harley-Davidson returns to sponsor the 150-lap May
22 race, Town Fair Tire is back on board to sponsor the Aug. 7 150-lapper
and CARQUEST will be back as title sponsor for Stafford’s season-ending
150-lap race – the Fall Final – on Oct. 4.
• The Flamingo Motorsports No. 16 Modified driven by seven-time NASCAR
Whelen Modified Tour Champion Mike Stefanik will be featured in the NASCAR
display at the 2009 SpeedwayEXPO, Feb. 27-March 1 at the Eastern States
Exposition in West Springfield, Mass. Stefanik will be in attendance Friday
evening, Feb. 27, for the Riverside Park Speedway reunion – held in
conjunction with SpeedwayEXPO – along with fellow NASCAR Whelen Modified
Tour competitors Ted Christopher, Renee Dupuis and Reggie Ruggiero.
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Source: Jason Cunningham
/ NASCAR PR
Posted: February
20, 2009 |
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