July 2--- “Seekonk Speedway is not for sale or in the process of being sold,” Vice-President Francis Venditti reiterated, quelling a rumor of unknown origin that has been circulating among fans and competitors.  “We’re not planning to sunset our program, and that has never been a consideration for us at all,” explained Venditti, whose late father, D. Anthony Venditti,
founded the speedway in 1946.  “I want to dispel these stories personally because they are completely incorrect and totally false.  I honestly don’t know where the rumors have come from, but I can say that our plans are to continue to work towards growing the business, and further cementing our relationships with fans, competitors, and sponsors.”
 
      On a recent Saturday night, Venditti addressed the issue with race teams in the speedway pit area and then took to the track’s public address system to reiterate his message to the fans.  “There are all kinds of stories circulating about the property being sold, and even the land being used for other purposes.  Nothing could be further from the truth.” 
 
      The historic third-mile oval enjoyed its largest Saturday night crowd of the season recently with the visiting True Value Modified Racing Series on hand.  The Cement Palace, which can accommodate close to 12,000 spectators, hosts weekly events on Fridays and Saturdays and has seen drivers including Martin Truex, Jr., Ricky Craven, Ken Schrader, Kyle Petty,
Bentley Warren, Erin Crocker, and Bobby Santos III compete there in recent years.
 
        “It’s a tradition we hope to continue for many years to come,” Venditti states, noting the many veterans and up-and-comers who have stopped in.  “Our third annual Viveiros Insurance Modified Madness event, which pays $10,000 to the winner, is coming up on Wednesday, July 18, and we’ve had a tremendous response to that race again this year.  We’ve also welcomed aboard some new sponsors this year and in the past few years, including Miller Brewing Company, Narragansett Beer, Francis Farm, and Kraze’s Speed Equipment, which have facilitated us in giving fans and competitors bigger races with bigger purses.” 
 
          The month of July kicks off with a bang at the Thompson (CT International Speedway. Two very special race events have fans of the old and the new excited about the track’s offerings. The highlight of July Schedule is the “Full Fender Frenzy” scheduled for Saturday, July 14. NASCAR’s all-new Busch East Series will make its first appearance ever at the historic Thompson Speedway.
 
       The Busch East Series is NASCAR’s newest driver development division and features race teams owned and operated by some of NASCAR’s biggest names. Just some of the Busch East team owners include Dale Earnhardt, Inc., Joe Gibbs Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, Wood Brothers/JTG Racing and Rusty Wallace. Drivers for these teams include Jeffrey Earnhardt, the grandson of the Late Dale Earnhardt, Connecticut’s amazing 16 year old Joey Lagano, Sean Caisse, Jamie Hayes and Chase Austin.
 
            In addition to these famous race teams, the Busch East also includes many of the former Busch North Series top competitors. Eddie MacDonald of Rowley, a winner in the inaugural Busch East season, also has a win under his belt at Thompson. Joining MacDonald will be such fan favorites as Kelly Moore, Brian Hoar, Matt Kobyluck, Dave Dion, Glenn Sullivan and Bill Penfold. It will be an amazing combination of race team expertise and driving talent when the all-new Busch East Series takes to the track for their 100 lap Thompson debut.
 
            This “double spotlight” event will also feature the Pro All Star Series (PASS) in a 75-lap main event. PASS boasts some of northern New England’s best talent. The PASS driver’s roster includes such fan favorites as Ben and Mike Rowe, Johnny Clark, Richie Dearborn, Travis Benjamin, Rick Martin of Westport and many more. The Pro All Star Series has become an annual favorite at Thompson and will play a major role in the “Full Fender Frenzy” event.
 
            This special Saturday race program will also include three of Thompson International Speedway’s NASCAR Whelen All American Series divisions. The Late Models, Limited Sportsman and Mini Stocks will make up the balance of the program.
 
            Even before the Busch East and Pro All Star series invade Thompson, the track will present a holiday special on Thursday, July 5. In keeping with a Thompson tradition, all six of Thompson’s NASCAR Whelen All American Series divisions will be in competition and they will be joined by the mighty midgets of NEMA. The Midgets have been part of the Thompson
International Speedway legacy for more than fifty years and that tradition will continue on Thursday, July 5.
 
          The fastest open wheel cars in the Northeast will return to Stafford Motor Speedway on Tuesday, July 10 as the IMSA Supermodifieds will make their fourth annual appearance at the Connecticut half-mile.  Joining the ISMA Supers will be the NEMA Midgets and the Pro-4 Modifieds, making for an exciting evening of open wheel competition.
 
      Three-time ISMA Supermodified Series champion Chris Perley headlines the field of expected Supermodified drivers.  The two-time CARQUEST Extreme Tuesday feature winner has won two of the first three races of the 2007 ISMA Super season, and leads the points standings by 22 points over former Whelen Modified Tour driver Rob Summers, who has taken over the driving duties ofthe #97 Howie Lane owned car.  Other drivers fans can expect to see include 2001 ISMA champion Dave McKnight, Nokie Fornoro, Mike Ordway, Jr., and Mike Lichty. ISMA Supermodifieds are 1850-pound racecars that are powered by 470 cubic inch engines, which produce over 700 horsepower.  The ISMA Supers also have wings on top of the cars that are connected to air shocks, which allows the wing to level out on straightaways, allowing for maximum straight-line speed, and then move to a vertical position in the turns, which gives the car more downforce and allows for breathtaking corner speeds.
 
      The ISMA Supermodified cars lap around Stafford Motor Speedway in the mid 16-second range, making them nearly two seconds a lap faster than Whelen Modified Tour cars.  The ISMA Supers will race 50 of the fastest green flag laps that you will see anywhere in the Northeast. Joining the ISMA Supers are the NEMA Midgets and Pro-4 Modifieds.  The NEMA Midgets are similar to the ISMA Supermodified cars in that they are a lightweight, winged car with a tremendous horsepower to weight ratio.  The Pro-4 Mods are 4-cylinder modified cars that turn their motors near 10,000rpm.
 
      In three previous races, there has yet to be a repeat NEMA Midget feature winner.  Nokie Fornoro, Jeff Horn of Ashland, and Bobby Santos, III of Millis, MA have each won the NEMA Midget portion of CARQUEST Extreme Tuesday, and looking to join that list as NEMA feature winners will be drivers like Ben Seitz of Monument Beach, Randy Cabral of Plymouth, Joey Payne, Lou Cicconi, Pete Pernesiglio, and Adam Cantor.
 
      While there has yet to be repeat feature winner from the NEMA Midgets, the Pro-4 Modifieds have also yet to have a repeat feature winner, although the same car has won the last two CARQUEST Extreme Tuesday feature events.  Mike LaJoie was the inaugural winner, with Mike Weeden and then Jeff Zuidema winning the race with both driving the 1m car.  Norm Wrenn is the driver of the 1m car this season, and he is also the most recent Pro-4 Modified feature winner, so Wrenn will be a driver to watch when the Pro-4 Mods return to SMS.
 
      Tickets for the 4 Annual CARQUEST Extreme Tuesday are on sale now at the Speedway Box Office.  Tickets are priced at $30.00 for adult general admission tickets, $5.00 for children ages 6-14, and children ages 5 and under are admitted free of charge.  Reserved seating is priced at $32.00 for all ages.  Stafford Motor Speedway offers plenty of free parking with overnight parking available.
 
      Following what many consider the most competitive finish in the four year existence of the tour two weeks ago at Seekonk, MA; the stars and cars of the TVMRS kick off the month of July at Monadnock Speedway, Winchester, NH; Saturday July 7 with the running of the “Firecracker 100.” Jim Boniface was the winner of last years holiday event.
 
      On Friday night July 13, the series swings to the seacoast area of New Hampshire, to Lee USA Speedway for the “Mid Summer Modified Shootout”, a 100 lap green flag event. Kirk Alexander won last years July event.  On Wednesday July 18, series drivers will be traveling to the Seekonk Speedway, for the third annual “Modified Madness” $10,000 to win “Viveiros Insurance 100” at the Rte 6 oval. The race will be officiated by TVMRS officials.
 
      Modified racing returns to the famed Oxford Plains Speedway, Oxford, ME; July 21, as part of the prestigious Oxford 250 weekend.  Fans and drivers alike are anxiously looking forward to the “Maine-ly Action Sports 100” The event will be the first ever appearance by the TVMRS at the legendary Rte 26 oval. The TVMRS will close out month July 28 with a return to the high banks of the Monadnock Speedway for another 100 lap green flag event. Andy Seuss won the event in 2006
 
        Whelen Modified Tour driver Richard Savary of Canton, MA recently registered his modified for a return to the series. Bobby Santos III of Millis, MA was the first driver to officially enter the July 18, $10,000 to win race at Seekonk Speedway. Since then, Mike Stefanik, Vinnie Annarummo and Tucker Reynolds have entered. Kirk Alexander is the defending champion. Alexander will take a 24 point lead over Louis Mechalides into Saturday’s race at Monadnock. Les Hinckley is 37 points off the top spot and defending champ Dwight Jarvis 54.
 
     At NHIS in Loudon, NH last weekend area drivers had their share of problems while Don Lia drove the Mystic Missile #4 out of CT to a shortened NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour 100 to 78 laps to accommodate an ESPN broadcast of the Busch Grand National 200. Lia beat Ted Christopher. Bob Santos, III of Franklin ended up seventh in the Boehler entry out of E. Freetown. Rick Savary of Canton ended up 11 in the Art Barry machine out of CT. Bridgewater's Dick Houlihan placed 22nd. Jerry Marquis in the Brady Bunch #00 out of Brockton had plenty of problems and ended the day in 28. A similar fate befell Marshfield's Bob Grigas who smacked the fourth turn wall on lap 34.
 
     In the NASCAR Busch East race at NHIS, Joey Logano of Middletown, CT won another one while Michelle Thereault of Bristol, CT was 13 and Russell's Jeff Anton came in 14 at the checkered flag.
 
     At Seekonk last Saturday, hometown driver Dave Darling recorded another win in the Pro Stocks while W. Bridgewater's John Dabrowski cracked the top five. Ken Spencer of Taunton came in seventh while Scott Fournier of Berkley was ninth and Steve O'Brien managed to finish in the top ten.  Taunton's Scott Dion was eleventh and Raynham's Todd Henshaw was 18.  Matt Breault of Acushnet won the Late Model main with Holbrook's Barry Shaw taking down a fourth. Mike Becker of Avon put his car in seventh place. Norton's Mark Hudson placed 15 and Jake Vanada of Berkley was next. Elmer Wing, III of Lakeville won the Sport Truck Feature while N. Dighton's Chris DeMoura was 20, Mike Lima of Taunton took 24 and Mark Henshaw, Jr. finished 25.
 
      Fast Friday at the Cement Palace had double Mini Cup Features. Casey Sanchez won the first SYRA (Mini Cup)600 and was chased to the stripe by N. Easton's Chris Igo while Norton's Tim Brown took down third. In the second SYRA 600 main Chris Igo  took the checkered flag first while Tim Brown ended up sixth. The first 750 SYRA was won by Dylan Estrella of N. Attleboro then Matt Burke of Plymouth while Brian Mondeau of Bridgewater made the top five with E. Taunton's Jariah Rodrick next. In the second SYRA 750 Chris Robinson took that one then Brian Mondeau and Matt Burke. Jeriah Rodrick was seventh.

       In last weekend's PASS 150 Pro Stock race at the All-Star Speedway in Epping, NH. Mike Rowe of ME won it while Westport's Rick Martin finished 25.    Ryan Vanasse of Warwick, RI came pretty close to winning last weekend's ACT 100 Late Model race at the White Mountain Motorsports Park in Woodstock, NH. He led the first 94 laps until handling problems forced him to relinquish the point and he managed to salvage an eighth place at the finish six circuits later.
 
       Stafford Motor Speedway in CT returned to Friday night racing action with the rescheduled June 29 CARQUEST Dealer Night.  Driving to victory lane were Zach Sylvester in the 40-lap SK Modified feature, Tom Fearn in the 30-lap Late Model feature, Glen Reen in the 20-lap SK Light feature, Rick Lanagna in the Limited Late Model feature, and Dean Casagrande
in the 15-lap DARE Stock feature.
 
      Ken Coolbeth of Morris, CT ended up second in the AMA Flat Track Championship race at Lima, OH last weekend behind Jared Mees of MI. Coolbeth was 11 in his qualifying heat and went onto win the Semi.  Ken is currently second overall in points behind Mees.  The next event on that schedule is at Route 66 Speedway in Joliet, IL this Saturday.
 
     Checking Lou Modestino's New England Motorsports Schedule reflects the following in southern New England. Thompson Speedway in CT offer's Thursday Night Thunder starting at 5 p.m. On Friday Stafford (CT) Speedway has a five division line-up with the Late Models going the 100 lap distance. Take your pick Saturday with Seekonk (MA) and Whip City in Westfield, MA and Waterford (CT) all going that night. The latter track has 300 laps total for features that night. On Sunday it's the Capeway Rovers MotoX going all day starting at 9 a.m.  The American LeMans Series stops at Lime Rock Park in CT. this Friday and Saturday.  Draggers have the entire weekend at the New England Dragway in Epping, NH.

    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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