March 18--- Jeff Pearl figures he’s paid much too much in dues when it comes to the SK-150, the crown jewel of Waterford(CT) Speedbowl’s 11th annual Budweiser Modified Nationals March 31-April 1. The $5,000-to-win 150 tops a nine-division menu

      “Dennis Gada and I are the only guys who have made every race,” says Pearl, the 1998 Speedbowl SK champion.  “Dennis has won it and I think it’s my turn now.” Pearl was second to Gada in 2003. “We’re going to be much more aggressive than we would normally be,” continues Pearl pointing out that philosophy starts with time trials. An accomplished time trialer, Pearl takes a special pride in doing well in that discipline.

      SK time trials will kick off qualifying for all nine divisions – the Speedbowl’s Late Model, Sportsman, Mini Stock and Legends divisions along with the Northeastern Midget Association, Pro4 Modifieds, AllStar Race Trucks and Allison Legacy Cars – on Saturday.

    “Starting in the top five spots is the key to winning the race,” he adds. “Coming through the field just takes too much out of the car.”  The Legend, Truck, Pro4 and Legacy features will
follow time trials on Saturday. Extra-distance features for the Late Models (50 laps), Sportsman (30) and the Mini Stocks (30) along with the Midgets share the Sunday menu with the SKs. A pit party complete with the Shriner Clowns kicks things off on Sunday.

    Pearl, who has 23 career Speedbowl wins (fourth on the all-time SK list) hopes experience will be a major factor in the race itself.  The son of Connecticut Modified legend Jerry Pearl will “let the race take care of itself.”   Management of car and tires will be the primary concern in the SK-150 and that, suggests Pearl, is not exactly a secret.

   Frank Ruocco will be looking to make it two straight SK-150 wins while a host of drivers including last year’s runner-up Kenny Horton are determined to thwart his plans.  Pearl and Gada are part of a strong group determined to keep the money at home. It also includes ’05 winner Tom Fox, Rob Janovic Jr., Shawn and Diego Monahan, young Jeffrey Paul and Frank Mucciacciaro Jr. The
championship season begins meaning all will be concerned with points as well.

      Ted Christopher has intentions of adding to his Speedbowl resume:  a championship (’92) and 33 SK victories including the ’99 Mod Nats. Rob Summers, the ’05 champ, Doug Coby and Jay Miller, the latter two planning a full assault on the ‘Bowl this year, are other contenders.   All are top Connecticut Valley drivers.

     Here's an update from the folks at Pit Stop Talk airing on  Fox Sports New England and other outlets. Watch Pit Stop Talk at Riverside Speedway and Sugar Hill Speedway on March 24 1:30 p.m. on FSN. PST will also be airing on WYCN TV 13 Nashua, New  Hampshire every Wednesday evening at 8 p.m. EST and on Saturday mornings at 11:30 a.m. EST. Pit Stop Talk will be in attendance for the 2nd annual Lee USA Speedway car show at the Lilac Mall on Route #125 in Rochester, New Hampshire on Saturday, March 31 and Sunday, April 1, 2007.

       The PIT STOP TALK CHALLENGE has set a date for Saturday, June 23  at Londonderry Raceway in Londonderry, NH with a rain date of Saturday, June 30.  This event will be captured on camera by the PST Crew and aired on FSN and other local channels in the New England Area.  The rules are that you  must be 18-years of age, no open toe shoes, and long pants or sweats must be worn.  Everything else is supplied by Londonderry Raceway, including the karts your team of (6) will be driving.  So, get your team together and register at Pit Stop Talk at: www.pitstoptalk.com or
get additional info by email at: Hosts@pitstoptalk.com.

      Phil Kurze, Vice President of Motorsports for Whelen Engineering, will serve as the grand marshal for 36th Annual Tech-Net Spring Sizzler presented by CARQUEST at Stafford Motor Speedway on April 27-29, 2007.  “I’m proud and honored to be named the grand marshal of the Tech-Net Spring Sizzler,” said Kurze.  “We’ll be kicking off the first season of the Whelen All-American Series, and to also have the Whelen Modified Tour as part of the show is an extra bonus.  Here at Whelen, we love short track racing and this is where we want to be and who we want to be involved with.  The Whelen All-American Series is where you can find the racing stars of tomorrow racing today at a local track near you, and we’re just thrilled to be able to be a part of it all.”

     “CARQUEST Auto Parts is entering our 22nd season of sponsorship at Stafford, and we’re proud to have Phil Kurze serve as the grand marshal of the Tech-Net Spring Sizzler,” said Rich Pallai, Vice President of Marketing with CARQUEST Auto Parts.  “Whelen’s level of involvement at both the national NASCAR Touring level as well as their grass roots involvement with the Whelen All-American Series mirrors CARQUEST’s motorsports involvement, and we’re looking forward to another great Tech-Net Spring Sizzler.”

      Whelen Engineering began their motorsports sponsorship as the primary sponsor of Ted Marsh’s Busch Series cars, and in 2005 they expanded their sponsorship and became the title sponsor of both the Whelen Modified Tour and the Whelen Southern Modified Tour.  Whelen Engineering has taken their sponsorship commitment to another level for the 2007 season, becoming the title sponsor of the NASCAR Weekly Series, which will be known as the Whelen All-American Series.

      Whelen Engineering is based in Chester, Connecticut, and they are a leading manufacturer of automotive, aviation, industrial and public emergency lighting and warning systems.  Their products have widespread applications in NASCAR, including warning lights, caution lights, safety vehicles, pit
road light displays, pace vehicles and many other areas.  All Whelen products are made in the U.S.A.

     The CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler is the oldest and longest running race on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour schedule.  The Sizzler tradition began in 1972 as the idea of Dick Berggren, Lew Boyd, and Bruce Cohen as a way to hold a prestigious race in the springtime during a time period where prestigious races always took place in the fall.  After Fred DeSarro won the initial Sizzler in front of a standing room only crowd of over 10,000, Jack Arute, Sr. bought the rights to the race from Berggren, Boyd and Cohen in 1973, and it has since become the signature event of the half-mile, with some of the greatest names in modified racing tasting the fruits of victory.

    Since the inaugural Sizzler in 1972, there have been 21 different winners with 8 drivers winning the race multiple times.  Of those 21 winners, 6 drivers have won a Whelen Modified Tour championship.  In 2003, NASCAR released a list of the top-10 modified drivers of all-time, and of those 10 names, 8 were Sizzler winners: Richie Evans, Mike Stefanik, Geoff Bodine, Tony Hirschman, Bugsy Stevens, Fred DeSarro, Jimmy Spencer, and Reggie Ruggiero.  Other names who have driven to Sizzler victories include Ed Flemke, Maynard Troyer, Bob Polverari, Greg Sacks, Brian Ross, Ted
Christopher, Jeff and Rick Fuller, Mike Ewanitsko, Jan Leaty, John Blewett, III, Jerry Marquis, and Doug Coby, who is the defending race champion.  Mike Stefanik leads all drivers with four career Sizzler wins.  Right behind Stefanik are Ted Christopher and Rick Fuller, who each have three Sizzler
victories.  But perhaps the driver with the best overall record in the Spring Sizzler is Reggie Ruggiero.  Ruggiero holds the record for most career Sizzler starts with 23, and Ruggiero also holds Sizzler records for the most career top-5 finishes with 12 and most top-10 finishes with 14 to
go along with his two career Sizzler victories.

    This year’s 36th edition of the Tech-Net Spring Sizzler gets underway Friday, April 27 with a practice session for Stafford’s weekly divisions. The practice session will be open to the public at no charge.  Action continues on Saturday, April 28 with Bud Pole Qualifying for the Whelen Modified Tour cars, along with heat and consolation races for Stafford’s weekly divisions.  Saturday will conclude with feature events for the SK Light, Limited Late Model, and DARE Stock divisions.  The Sizzler concludes on Sunday, April 29 with the CARQUEST Belts & Hoses Pit Party followed by
Stafford’s SK Modified and Late Model feature events, with the 200-lap Tech-Net Spring Sizzler headlining the Sunday activities.

    Tickets for the Sizzler are on sale now at the Speedway Box Office.  Tickets are priced at $35.00 for adult general admission tickets, $5.00 for children ages 6-14, and children ages 5 and under are admitted free of charge when accompanied by an adult.  All tickets include admission to both the Saturday, April 28 and Sunday, April 29 events.  Reserved seating is priced at $38.00 for all ages.   Stafford Motor Speedway offers free parking with overnight parking available.

      New England’s MotoTown USA in Windsor, CT  is another state-of-the-art facility that includes an interesting hitch: For the first time ever AMA Supermoto will race a portion of the event indoors, cutting through the 120,000 square foot building’s motocross track floor. It's set for August 18 and is the only New England appearance this year for that coast-to-coast series.

    Camping World and RVs.com have joined together to sponsor the NASCAR Busch Series race at New Hampshire International Speedway on Saturday, June 30.  The Camping World 200 presented by RVs.com will be a part of the LENOX Industrial Tools 300 event weekend and will bring the leading racers in NASCAR's Busch Series to “The Magic Mile” for their only appearance in New England this season.

    In making this announcement NHIS Chairman Bob Bahre said, “We are proud to welcome Camping World and RVs.com to the New Hampshire International Speedway family.  Their support of our NASCAR Busch Series race means a great deal to us and our fans.  Camping World’s commitment is another example of the popularity of NASCAR racing here in New England.”

      “The Camping World 200 presented by RVs.com is an extension of the NASCAR team sponsorships that these two great brands already have in place,” said Joe McGahan, Vice President of Marketing at NHIS.  “We are extremely pleased that they choose New Hampshire International Speedway to further develop their involvement in NASCAR.  This sponsorship will give both Camping World and RVs.com an opportunity to showcase their brand and the quality products that they offer to the thousands of RV enthusiasts in attendance at each of our NASCAR event weekends, as well as, the millions of television viewers expected to watch the race live on the ABC Network.”

      “We are excited for the opportunity to align ourselves with the Bahre family and New Hampshire International Speedway,” said Marcus Lemonis, President and CEO of Camping World.  “New England is one of our fastest growing markets, and we are eager for our retail stores to participate in promoting this event.  I am confident that our sponsorship will add to what is already one of the premier NASCAR weekends on the schedule, while supporting the passion of the thousands of our consumers who are using their recreational vehicles to enhance their experience at NHIS.”

     Good seats are available for the Camping World 200 presented by RVs.com on Saturday, June 30.  Saturday’s schedule will also feature NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series final practice, qualifying for the NASCAR Busch Series, and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour New England 100.  Tickets may be ordered by calling Speedway Guest Services at (603) 783-4931 or by visiting the Speedway’s Web Site at www.nhis.com to purchase tickets online.

     STEADY EDDIE-MEMORIES OF ED FLEMKE, MODIFIED RACING'S FASTEST PROFESSOR is another book offered by Coast 181, 29 Water St., Newburyport, MA 01950. It's priced at $23.95, plus $6 S&H. If you order it by april 25 you will get a free  framable 8 1/2x 11 Eddie Flemke print by Charlie Lindmar.

       Fresh from his southeast swing in AMA Flat Track Motorcycle racing Ken Coolbeth of Warren, CT racked up a win at the Oglethorpe Speedway in Savannah, GA plus a second and a third at the Daytona Municipal Stadium during the traditional March Bike Week in Florida.  In February Coolbeth bested McKenna at MotoTown in Windsor, CT the new indoor motorcycle track in the Connecticut Valley.  McKenna, a Bettencourt Honda(W. Bridgewater, MA) team mate of Coolbeth's, appears up for the challenge.  The Plymouth, MA rider has spent the winter ice racing in addition to getting back on the dirt in mid-February.

    A practice session starting at 11 a.m. this Saturday, March 24 will precede the Go-Kart events will get the green flag starting at 12:30 p.m. The Flat Track Motorcycles are scheduled for a 5:30 p.m. post time. For further information on Round Two of three events promoted by Sideways Promotions Indoor Series contact Pete Giammalvo, phone 978-874-1732 or e-mail peterg11@verizon.net.  For complete schedule of classes go to www.sidewaysprom.com or check out the facility at www.mototownusa.com webpages on the internet.  

        This Saturday there's a practice session for all divisions that will compete in next weekend's Modified Nationals at the Waterford Speedbowl in CT at noon.  The Capeway Rovers in Middleboro offers Round 3 of the Jack Frost Series.

    Lou Modestino is a long-time columnist and Public Relations person, working for numerous tracks in the northeast, and now writes for The Enterprise in Brockton, MA.  He may be reached at lmodestino@hotmail.com. 

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