February 4, Brockton, MA--- The entries for the World Series of Stockcar Racing at the New Smyrna Speedway continue to roll in. As of last week Ted Christopher, driving the Brady Bunch Tour Modified out of Brockton Bob Grigas of Marshfield and Taunton's Dennis Costa have all entered that eight race series that gets underway this weekend.  The action at NSS gets underway at this Friday night, February 8 and winds up on Saturday night, February 16 with the Richie Evans Memorial races.
 
In a joint announcement Dennis Fleury Owner/Promoter of Twin State Speedway and Jack Bateman president of the True Value Modified Racing series announced that on Sunday Sept. 28th the True Value Modified Racing  Series will make their 1st appearance at the Claremont, N.H. 1/3 mile oval. Twin State becomes the third new venue on the 2008 True Value Modified Racing Schedule, increasing the number of races for the upcoming season to 19. The 100-lap race will be held on Sunday, Sept. 28 and will be a one-day event. It will be part of an exciting two-day weekend racing festival to close out the season at Twin State.
 
This will be the first visit to the 1/3-mile track for the series and will be the fourth speedway in New Hampshire scheduled to host an event in 2008. The True Value Modified Racing series will compete in five of the six New England states, the only touring modified series, which encompasses all of New England.
 
“With the addition of Twin State Speedway our series is scheduled to race at 11 different speedways in New England,” said Bateman. “We are excited about bringing our series to the great venues in this part of the country which has so many modified fans.”
 
The event will be a part of Twin State’s 2nd Annual Fall Classic. There will be racing all weekend long and as of press time the weekend will be divided up into to separate shows. Saturday’s portion will host all the Full Fendered divisions including Late Models, Super Streets, All Star Race Trucks, Legacy Cars, Strictly Stocks, Youth Sportsman and our Wildcat (4cyl Enduro) Division.
 
Then on Sunday it will turn into Open Wheel Madness as just open wheel divisions will take to the speedway. The True Value Modifieds will be headline of day, but also on tap will be the ultra fast NEMA Midgets, the NEMA Lite’s, and Twin State Speedway’s own Pepsi Modifieds. The Speedway is still in talks with additional open wheel series to complete the day. More info will be announced over the coming months about this event.
 
The first “official” event for the True Value Modified Racing Series is scheduled for Feb. 8, 9 and 10 at the annual Frank Maratta Show of Dreams this weekend. The series will have a display, featuring the cars of Jeff Pearl and Jack Bateman, at the 49th annual show currently held at the Connecticut Expo Center. The 2008 True Value Modified Racing Series will open at Monadnock Speedway in Winchester, N.H. on April 12.
 
Former Sharon and Foxborough resident Donald E. Phillips passed away recently. Back when the Jalopy Divisions were the rage in '49, '50 and '51, Phillips raced in those cars at the now shuttered Norwood Arena and the Lonsdale Racearena in RI.
 
SpeedwayEXPO will present a $5,000 recognition award to a deserving race team during the second annual SpeedwayEXPO presented by Sunoco, February 29-March 2 at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, MA. All racers who compete weekly in the Northeast will be eligible for the “Race to Excellence” Award and the cash prize of $5,000.
 
The strength of SpeedwayEXPO lies in the strong network of people who provide the excitement of short-track racing. The future of racing also lies with those same individuals, who compete weekly at tracks in the northeast. From Modifieds to Late Models, Street Stocks to Mini Sprints and from Lebanon Valley Speedway to Whip City from Twin State to Thompson and everywhere in between, the families who work hard all week to play hard on the weekend help make SpeedwayEXPO and short track racing special.
 
“Without short-track, we would have no EXPO and, for that matter, no magazine,” said EXPO’s producer, Silvio Calabi, who is also the publisher of Speedway Illustrated Magazine. “The company is pleased to make this extra commitment to our community.”
 
“It is important to all of us at SpeedwayEXPO that racers’ efforts are appreciated and supported,” said Event Coordinator Dale Wolbrink. “With this cash prize we can reduce the sacrifices that at least one team makes in order pursue its weekly racing passion.”
 
To be eligible, a driver or car owner must submit a one-page essay explaining why his or her race team deserves the “Race to Excellence” Award. Applications will be accepted via post at SpeedwayEXPO, 107 Elm Street, Salisbury, MA 01952 or online at editorial@speedwayillustrated.com. A link will also be available on the EXPO website at speedwayexpo.com.
 
Applicants must be registered with a local track, must have competed in a minimum of seven races (at any track) in 2007, and will be required to run a minimum of seven races during the 2008 season. Any team that competes weekly in a regional touring series or at a local weekly track in the Northeast can enter to win SpeedwayEXPO’s “Race to Excellence” Award.
 
A panel of judges will select the winning essay. The winner will be announced on Sunday, March 2, at SpeedwayEXPO. The winner must be present to collect the $5,000 prize.
 
Although only one racer can take home the coveted prize, all competitors will leave SpeedwayEXPO a little richer. A host of seminars have been scheduled for the weekend to help racers gain competitive advantage as they prepare for the upcoming season. Seminars will address topics like sponsorship searches, team building, safety, media relations and much more. A complete schedule of events is online at speedwayexpo.com.
 
Checking the schedule in southern New England this weekend are the following. Here's what's going on in southern New England this weekend. Down in Hartford, Conn. it's Frank Marratta's Auto Show and Cycle Show at the Conn. Expo Friday through Sunday. On Saturday and Sunday at the Bayside Expo in Dorchester it's the Northeast Motorcycle Expo. Take your pick on flat track motorcycle racing on Sunday. It's indoors on the dirt at MotoTown in Windsor, Conn. and on the ice at the Hamilton Sportsman's Club in Sturbridge.

    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. 

Long Island Motorsports News encourages you to patronize our fine sponsors---

Disclaimer:  Views expressed by columnists and all others on this website are strictly their own, and may not necessarily reflect the views and/or opinions of the management of Long Island Motorsports News.