Champ Trail - December 27, 2016

  Many of the competitors on NASCAR’s touring divisions have received their license applications for 2017. No change from last year as the driver license is $380.00, owner is also $380.00. Mechanics and crew persons are $315.00 for 2017. Although it sounds high it is well worth it if one gets injured. One particular individual was injured in a horrific crash which took his foot off, broke his back and injured his medulla. NASCAR picked up the tab for what his insurance did not cover, somewhere in the neighborhood of $300,000. Many of their fees are outrageous, but the license fee is actually an insurance policy.
The Valenti Modified Racing Series released it’s 2017 racing schedule that includes a ten race series. Conspicuous by their absence is the Monadnock Speedway.

  Between the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, Modified Touring Series, Tri Track Series and the Valenti Modified Racing Series there will be a total of 30 Modified Touring races in New England during the 2017 racing season. It’s going to be a tight squeeze within the 31 week racing season from early April through early October. During the 2016 racing season there were 32 Modified races between the four tours. One of the 2016 Tri-Track Series events at Monadnock Speedway was cancelled due to no suitable rain date. It can be expected to see some cancellations in 2017 due to weather issues. For 2017 there is a conflict between Stafford Motor Speedway’s Modified Touring Series and Lee USA Speedway’s Valenti Modified Touring Series on Friday night, July 21 which will impact the entries at each track.

  The VMRS schedule for 2017 is as follows:
May 19: Stafford Motor Speedway
May 27: Lee USA Speedway, Lee, N.H.
June 17, Speedway 51, Groveton, N.H.
July 7: Claremont Speedway, Claremont, N.H.
July 21: Lee USA Speedway, Lee, N.H.
Aug. 12: New London-Waterford Speedbowl
Aug. 19: Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, Scarborough, Me.
Sept. 1: Stafford Motor Speedway
Oct. 7-8: Lee USA Speedway, Lee, N.H.
Oct. 13-14: Thompson Speedway

  A stand alone short track racing event will take place in 2017 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. North East Mini Stock Tour promoter Bob Guptil has joined forces with the Granite State Pro Stock Series and Valenti Modified Racing Series for the New England Short Track Showdown on July 1 at The Magic Mile.
  Four divisions – Pro Stocks, Tour-type Modifieds, Mini Stocks and Street Stocks – will compete during the Independence Day Weekend event.
Pro Stocks/Super Late Models will be sanctioned by the Granite State Pro Stocks Series; Tour-type Modifieds will compete under the Valenti Modified Racing Series banner and Mini Stocks will be sanctioned by the North East Mini Stock Tour. The Street Stock feature will be an open competition event.

  Bronson (Fla) Speedway owner Ann Young announced further details concerning the Saturday February 18th, 2017 Kick Off To Speedweeks powered by Sunoco Race Fuels Tour Type Modified race at the ultra fast 1/3 of a mile high banked oval. The 50-lap Tour Type Modified event will again pay $2,000 to the winner plus product prizes pushing the value of the victory over the $3,000 mark.
  While busy announcing the marketing partners for the Kick Off To Speedweeks powered by Sunoco Race Fuels, race officials were able to confirm that 2016 race winner Ryan Preece of Berlin, Ct. will indeed defend last year’s race win. Car owner Ed Partridge confirmed that Preece will embark on what the TS Haulers team hopes will be a 40-race 2017 race schedule commencing at Bronson Speedway Saturday February 18th.

  On a sad note, John Brouwer Sr, a fixture at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl passed away. John was the first true historian of the Speedbowl publishing a book with Dave Shippee in 1974 about the tracks first 23 seasons from 1951-1973. Brouwer was struck and killed by a motorist as he attempted to retrieve his mail at around 5:30 p.m. last Thursday.

  On the speedway stock market scene this week, two of the three speedway stocks were on the minus side. Speedway Motorsports went up 0.13 to 21.87 while the International Speedway Corporation dropped 0.45 to 37.85 and Dover Entertainment dropped 0.05 to 2.30. NASCAR fuel supplier Sunoco (Energy Transfer) went up 1.36 to 36.39 and new NASCAR cup sponsor Monster Beverage went up 1.07 to 45.57 while NASCAR tire supplier Goodyear dropped 0.70 to 31.64. The car manufacturers had an off week. Ford dropped 0.17 to 12.46, General Motors dropped 0.68 to 35.69 and Toyota dropped 0.10 to 120.90. In the home improvement sector, Lowes dropped 0.66 to 72.30 and Home Depot dropped 0.06 to 135.05. The NASCAR big team sponsors stocks had an off week with the exemption of Coca-Cola which went up 3.50 to 177.56. McDonalds dropped 0.10 to 123.14, Target Department Stores dropped 3.25 to 73.50, Aarons Rentals dropped 0.56 to 32.22 and Fedex dropped 4.62 to 191.86.

  On the tube this week:

  Wednesday, December 26
8:00 AM, Classic NASCAR - 1993 Daytona 500, FOX Sports 1

  Tuesday, January 3
9:00 AM, Classic NASCAR - 1979 Daytona 500, FS1

   That’s about it for this week from 11 Gardner Drive, Westerly, and R.I.02891. Ring my chimes at 401-596-5467.
E-mail: smithpe_97_97@yahoo.com.

Phil Smith has been a columnist for Speedway Scene and various
other publications for over 3 decades.
 

Source: Phil Smith / Champ Trail
Posted: December 27, 2016