August 28, Brockton, MA--- Stafford Motor Speedway returned to racing action on Friday night, August 24th with Porter and Chester Summer Heat.  The action on the racetrack certainly lived up to the sponsor's billing as Woody Pitkat continued his SK Modified winning streak by taking down his fifth consecutive feature victory.  Tom Fearn ended Ryan Posocco's three-race Late Model winning streak by taking his third Late Model feature win of the 2007 season, Josh Sylvester came home a first time winner in the SK Light Modified feature, Rick Lanagan won his sixth Limited Late Model feature event of the 2007 season, and Duane Provost joined Sylvester as a first time winner by taking the DARE Stock feature event victory.

       The Rolex Vintage Festival presented by BMW is by far the most extraordinary arrangement of historic and vintage automobiles, both on and off the track, that the East Coast has to offer. This coming Labor Day Weekend, 31 August - 3 September 2007, Lime Rock Park will play host to classic and historic, rare and exceptional racecars that you don't see everyday, especially on the race track.

     The Rolex Vintage Festival presented by BMW at Lime Rock Park this Labor Day weekend will feature over 200 amazing cars, each with their own cherished story. They will all be strutting their stuff, both at speed and in perfect stillness, as Lime Rock Park concludes the celebration of its 50th Anniversary in 2007.

     The event, which is an anniversary of its own as the Labor Day highlight marks its twenty-fifth year, opens with practice on Friday and racing on Saturday, an on-track Automotive Extravaganza on Sunday, and racing again on Saturday and Monday afternoon.  Every car has its own story, and the Vintage Festival weekend brings many historically important and exciting cars together giving the opportunity to tell their story. Here's a sneak peek...

Masterpiece Collection - four extraordinary cars from the Northeast collection including two Le Mans Winners, a 1933 Alfa Romeo driven by Tazio Nuvolari, a Ferrari TR61 driven by Phil Hill and Olivier Gendebien.

Genius of Dr. Porsche - a group of cars all designed by Dr. Porsche including one of the finest Volkswagen in the land and the prototype Porsche Turbo that ran in 1973, but never in the United States.

Plastic Fantastics - a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Lotus Elite.

Outstanding cars - a group of IMSA cars including 935 Porsches driven by an enthusiast group from the West Coast. For example, Bruce Canepa bought a Porsche new and has raced it ever since.

     Among the above will also be a great selection of Rolls Royce and Bentleys along with the iconic American woody station wagons of the 30s and 40s. Not to mention the ex Vintage SCCA regular, Bill Binnie, a modern pro racer who has won his class at 24 Hours of Le Mans twice including this year. He will be driving a Ford GT40.

     In Thursday Night Thunder Needham's Kerry Malone was able to put his Sunoco Modified into victory lane at the Thompson Speedway in CT. while Raynham's Tom Cravenho cracked the top five after taking his own checkered flag a week earlier. Norm Wren won in the Pro Stocks, while Seekonk's Dave Berghman was the runner-up and Wareham's Les Rose, Jr. was next. Kingston's Nick Ribbe cracked the top ten in that event. Rick Gentes won another Late Model feature while Paul Newcomb, Jr. was seventh. Tim Sullivan won the Thompson Modified feature while Leo Oliviera of Raynham was next while his father-in-law Richie Ferriera, also of Raynham, came in seventh.

     The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour performed at the Mansfield (OH) Speedway last Saturday. But, it was another shortened race due to wet weather at lap 108 of 150 circuits. James Civali of CT ended up the winner. Breaking into the top ten was Marshfield's Bob Grigas while Canton's Rick Savary came in 13th with Bridgewater's Dick Houlihan 15th. Ignition problems sidelined Jerry Marquis in the Brady Bunch entry out of Brockton and he ended up 27th. The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour is on the road again this weekend. This time they will be at the Martinsville (VA) Speedway on Saturday. In the companion Busch East event at that Buckeye State oval Sean Caisse of NH won that one with Matt Kobyluck of Uncasville, CT having to settle for the runner-up spot. Jeffery Earnhardt was third. The next Busch East race is set for Friday, September 15 at NHIS in Loudon, NH.

      At Seekonk Speedway Ben Seitz of Monument Beach won the Louis Seymour Memorial NEMA Midget feature. Shane Hammond of Halifax cracked the top five in that one while Franklin's Bobby Santos, III was next with Plymouth's Randy Cabral coming in eighth and Bridgewater's Greg Stoehr managed to break into the top ten. Tim Scully, Jr. won the Pro Stock main leaving Taunton's Ken Spencer the leftovers with a second place. Rochester's Rob Murphy ended up fifth while Taunton's Scott Dion placed tenth. The Late Model feature was unofficial with Weymouth's John Dickerman taking the checkered flag first while Avon's Mike Becker came in eighth.  The Street Stock main at the Cement Palace saw Mike Lema of Taunton take third while Frank Duquette of E. Freetown came in fourth. The Sport Truck feature was also unofficial and Zach Tucan of Taunton came over the finish line first with Adam Murphy of Rochester fifth. Hugh Bowser of Taunton came in seventh followed by Andy Jeffery of Middleboro while Karl Brimlist of E. Wareham managed to get into the top ten.

         Ken Coolbeth of Morris, CT and Jared Mees of MI will bring one of the best two-rider battles in the long history of AMA Grand National Championship racing to Springfield, Ill., over Labor Day weekend, when the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship comes to the historic Springfield Mile.  In addition, the Illinois State Fairgrounds will also play host to the Springfield Short Track event, part of the Grand National Singles Championship. The weekend doubleheader takes place this Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 1-2.

        Coolbeth is having one of the best seasons in recent years in the AMA Grand National Series. His victory last weekend aboard his factory Harley-Davidson in Lake Odessa, MI., was his fourth straight. That kind of winning streak hasn't been seen in the championship since the late Ricky Graham's record breaking 1993 championship campaign.  While Coolbeth has scored four straight, he hasn't pulled clear of Jared Mees in the GNC Twins title chase. The reason is simple - Mees has won three races of his own and scored podium finishes every time he didn't win. The result is that only six points separate the top two riders as the series enters the homestretch.

      Coolbeth is happy with his current winning streak, but not satisfied. "I've got momentum on my side right now, and I want to keep it going," said Coolbeth, the defending AMA Grand National Twins champion. "There are not many points separating Jared and me so you have to be on top of your game every time you hit the track."

      Both Coolbeth and Mees are seeking their first Labor Day Weekend win at the prestigious Springfield Mile, one of the most tradition-filled races in motorcycle racing. "I've finished in the top two or three there in the last couple of years," Coolbeth said of the Labor Day Weekend Classic. "I feel pretty confident going into this year's race. We got some good notes from the Spring race there and I think we'll have a good set-up. I'm looking forward to trying to get my first win there. Everyone wants to win the Labor Day Springfield at some point in their career." Coolbeth won the Memorial Day Weekend race at Springfield in May to launch his successful 2007 campaign.  The Nutmeg State pro rider is sponsored by Bettencourt Honda/Suzuki in W. Bridgewater.

      The historic Springfield Mile will run on Sunday. On Saturday night the 10,000 seat Multi-Purpose Arena on the fairgrounds will be the site of the Springfield Short Track, part of the AMA Grand National Singles Championship. Coolbeth is somewhat unexpectedly atop the Singles series alongside Jake Johnson. The two are tied with just two rounds remaining. "I'm just as excited battling for the Singles championship," Coolbeth said. "Jake goes good at the Springfield Short Track, so I have to really get to it. I said at the beginning of the season that I wanted to win both championships and I think I have a good shot at it." The doubleheader races will be broadcast on MavTV.

     After owning the Riverside Speedway in Groveton, NH for the past 21 seasons, Scituate's CJ Robinson has sold the track to Harry Franssen of Loudon, NH and Port Orange, FL. CJ put his track on the block about five years ago.  Franssen has owned several race cars and teams over the years. And this will be his first attempt to operate a track.  "I'll still be around for the next 18 months helping in the transition of the northcountry track. Between promoter Dick Therrien and the new owner Harry Franssen the track is in good hands", CJ said. Three years ago Robinson hired Therrien to promote the track and in that time things have really turned around for that raceplant with new entries and improved attendance.  Other northcountry tracks have changed hands in the past few  years including Twin State in
Claremont, NH, All-Star in Epping, NH, Canaan Fairgrounds and Wiscasset Speedway on the Maine coast. White Mountain Motorsports Park in N. Woodstock, NH is also up for sale by the Avery family, who built the track a decade ago.

       Let's see what's happening around southern New England racing. On Wednesday night, August 29 Seekonk Speedway offers the rescheduled Open Wheel Wednesday which gets the busy Labor Day weekend off to an early start with the Open Competition Modifieds, Pro 4 Modifieds and the NEMA Midgets on that same card.  The 100 lap Modified feature will pay $10,000 to the winner. It's Thursday Night Thunder at the Thompson (CT) Speedway at 5 p.m. Stafford Speedway in CT plans a busy NASCAR program on Friday night. Saturday has Seekonk bringing back the Pro 4 Modifieds added to it's card while down on the CT coast Waterford Speedbowl plans the annual Double Down Shootout. Whip City in Westfield adds the Granite State Mini Sprints to it's dirt track program the same night. On Sunday there are two Demo Derby programs in southern New England at Seekonk and Waterford (CT). For the biker crowd the Capeway Rovers offer MotoX action Saturday through Monday. New
England Dragway in Epping, NH has Import Wars on Saturday and Jr. Dragsters on Sunday for the draggers. NHIS in Loudon, NH offers Vintage Motorcycle racing on Monday. 

    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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