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Tag: NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour

  • NASCAR Modified legend Mike Stefanik dies in plane crash

    NASCAR Modified legend Mike Stefanik dies in plane crash

    Staff Report | NASCAR.com

    Mike Stefanik, one of two drivers in NASCAR history to win nine national series or touring championships, died Sunday in a small single-seat plane crash.

    He was 61.

    The winningest driver in the history of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, Stefanik’s career stretched nearly 30 years. He won the tour championship seven times, and in 1997 and ’98 completed the remarkable feat of winning the Whelen Modified Tour and Busch North – now NASCAR K&N Pro Series East – titles simultaneously.

    “Mike Stefanik was one of the most successful drivers in NASCAR history, but even more so, he was a true representative of our sport,” NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France said. “His tough, competitive nature and excellence on the race track won him the respect and admiration of fans and competitors alike. His career stretched more than 30 years, bridging the generations between Jerry Cook and Richie Evans to our current drivers. He recorded achievements in this sport that are likely untouchable, and his legacy as a champion will endure. We will keep his wife Julie and his family and friends in our prayers.”

    RELATED: More from Home Tracks

    Stefanik’s nine overall NASCAR championships tied him with NASCAR Hall of Famer Richie Evans for most in NASCAR history.

    Stefanik also won rookie of the year honors at age 41 in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series in 1999, finishing 13th in points in his only full season in the series.

    He was a six-time nominee for the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

    Stefanik had 12 wins and 65 top fives in 164 East starts, finishing second in the championship points in 2005 in his last season in the stock-car series.

    RACING-REFERENCE: Mike Stefanik Career

    It was the Modifieds where he really made his legacy.

    He competed on a limited schedule in tour’s inaugural season in 1985, finishing fifth in his debut at Connecticut’s Stafford Motor Speedway. He capped his storied career with four starts in 2014, finishing with a 10th at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

    He holds the record for most tour wins with 74, nearly 30 more than the second-winningest driver. Stefanik set the record for most wins in a season (13 in 1998) and holds the tour record for poles won at 48. He also shares the record with Evans for most consecutive tour races won at five.

  • Emerling Puts On Clinic in Modified Race at Thunder Valley

    Emerling Puts On Clinic in Modified Race at Thunder Valley

    BRISTOL, Tenn. — Patrick Emerling led from start to finish to win the Bush’s Beans 150 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

    He led all 150 laps, and held off Doug Coby in the closing laps to win for the first time in his career in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.

    “To win Bristol, it takes the words right out of your mouth. It’s our best win ever…It’s a dream come true,” Emerling said.

    Coby finished second and Justin Bonsinger rounded out the podium.

    Chase Dowling and Ryan Preece rounded out the top-five.

    Andy Seuss, Rowan Pennick, Ronnie Williams, Bobby Santos and Matt Swanson rounded out the top-10.

    Caution flew six times during the race, most notably for a five cars were collected in a Turn 4 wreck on Lap 9, three of which retired from the race. Another led to the 75 of Jeremy Gerstner slamming into the sand barriers that protect the leading edge of the outside front stretch pit wall, with 56 laps to go.

  • Tony Eury Jr. To Make Modified Crew Chief Debut

    Tony Eury Jr. To Make Modified Crew Chief Debut

    Todd Szegedy Will Pilot No. 15 15-40 Connection Modified At “The Last Great Colosseum”

    MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 15, 2016) – LFR Chassis will be back in action in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (NWMT) at Bristol Motor Speedway, as Todd Szegedy and Rob Fuller Motorsports team up for the Bush’s Beans 150. The team is thrilled to announce that veteran NASCAR crew chief, Tony Eury Jr., will make his NWMT crew chief debut this week.

    Although this will mark Tony Eury Jr.’s first race as a NWMT crew chief, Eury has an impressive resume as a NASCAR crew chief and looks forward to broadening his list of accomplishments with Rob Fuller Motorsports in Bristol.

    “After getting to know Todd, I am excited to be his crew chief in Bristol,” said Eury. “I think we have a legitimate shot to win, and we’re going to have some fun with it as well. I’ve paid attention to how the track is from past modified races, and I think working on super late models every week can be applied to working on the modified car as well. We are going in with a game plan, but I might bring a few ideas to the table that we can try and see what happens!”

    Todd Szegedy, who is running a limited schedule in the NWMT with Rob Fuller Motorsports, will be back in the No. 15 15-40 Connection car. Although the Bush’s Beans 150 will be Szegedy’s only third race of the season with LFR Chassis, he is no stranger to competing in the modifieds at Bristol.

    Out of seven starts at Bristol, Szegedy has recorded three second-place finishes, along with a Top-5 finish in the series. Szegedy looks to record another solid finish at “The World’s Fastest Short Track,” a place he knows he can win at.

    “Bristol is my favorite track,” said Szegedy. “It’s got sheer speed, yet it’s fast enough where you need to respect the track. It’s got multiple racing grooves, which is what I really love about the track. I want to go there, get the pole and then win the race – it’s that simple. I think we are capable of doing just that with the equipment Rob provides.”

    Ryan Newman will also return to the NWMT with LFR Chassis in the No. 7ny Aggressive Hydraulics car. Newman has had success in his six NWMT starts at Bristol, recording two wins and three Top-5’s at the infamous short track. Rob Fuller will crew chief for Newman, as Newman looks to add on to his exceptional list of finishes at Bristol.

    “I’m looking forward to working with Ryan,” said Fuller. “I know we have a good baseline with the LFR car, so it’s just a matter of getting him where he’s comfortable. With those guys not running very often it’s tough to keep up, and the teams and drivers in this division are tough for sure. Hopefully, I can help these guys and we can have fun at the same time.”

    Fans can keep up with this week’s events at Bristol Motor Speedway by following LFR Chassis and Rob Fuller Motorsports on Facebook and Twitter at @LFRChassis.

    About LFR Chassis

    LFR Chassis, founded in 2014 by Rob Fuller, manufactures cutting edge racecar chassis that are user-friendly and provides high-end components and customer service to the top-tier modified and late model race teams across the nation. Daily operations are overseen by former NASCAR crew chief Tony Eury Jr. with Jeff Fultz leading the Late Model division and Ryan Stone on the modified side. LFR Chassis is located at 117 Crosslake Park Drive in Mooresville, N.C. To learn more, call (704) 662-3306 or visit http://www.LFRChassis.com.

    About 15-40 Connection

    Inspired by the fact that delayed diagnosis is holding down improvements in teen and young adult cancer survival rates, 15-40 Connection is driving a New Cancer Conversation to improve cancer survival rates for all ages. This means educating individuals to recognize subtle yet important health changes that need to be checked by a medical professional and to become active participants in their own health care by sharing and collaborating with their health care provider. For more information, please visit http://NewCancerConversation.org

  • Ryan Preece – Fueling his Passion to Win

    Ryan Preece – Fueling his Passion to Win

    Ryan Preece is the consummate racer. It’s not only his career choice, it’s the driving force that fuels his passion for winning.

    The NASCAR Next alum began racing full-time in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in 2007. The following year, he became the youngest driver in the series history to capture a pole. Preece won the championship in 2013 and claimed another first as the youngest champion in NWMT history. No stranger to winning, he moved up to the NASCAR XFINITY Series in 2016, driving the No. 01 Chevrolet for JD Motorsports, where he faces the biggest challenge of his career.

    Accustomed to winning, he moved up to the NASCAR XFINITY Series in 2016, driving the No. 01 Chevrolet for JD Motorsports, where he faces the biggest challenge of his career.

    His season has been one of ups and downs and Preece is currently 18th in the XFINITY Series point standings. In 12 starts, his best finish was at Talladega where he finished 15th. It was his fourth top 20 finish this year.

    I spoke to Preece about the different aspects of transitioning from the NWMT to competing in the XFINITY Series and why he still continues to race modifieds at every opportunity.

    The trick, he says, is “managing expectations. Every week, we’re pretty much in that bubble where it’s 24th–18th. When you’re racing against teams that have quite a huge budget, our goal is, with everything we’re doing, maximizing what we can.“

    “That’s why I still race my modifieds quite often, to manage the part of me that’s a racer and wants to win races. At the end of the day, racing against JGR, Roush and a lot of teams that have a lot of manufacturer support; I wouldn’t say we don’t have manufacturer support because we do. Chevy’s been really great to us, but their budgets are probably 10 times what ours is. It’s kind of hard to race against that.

    “But like I said, that’s why I race modifieds, to fuel the fire in me that wants to win.”

    Preece also explained how racing modifieds is a way for him to keep his confidence level high.

    “Because it’s my first year full time, every time you get out of the car you’re looking at the speed charts and saying ‘hey, what can I do here? What am I doing wrong?’ Every race car I’ve ever been in my entire life, it’s usually been one of the quicker cars to winning races. Right now, not having that, you sit back, you look back and wonder, ‘Where are we missing this, what am I doing wrong?’

    “That’s why I have to keep racing. I have to keep racing modified, I’ve got to keep racing whatever I can to keep winning races because it’ll mentally beat me up if I don’t.”

    While racing on a limited budget against cars with more horsepower is not ideal, Preece maintains that being competitive on the track is a combination of several factors.

    “To be honest with you,” he says, “I’m more of a person that’s going to say car goes 100 times further than motor. With the tapered spacer they run, horsepower is almost irrelevant. You’re on the throttle for so long especially with how much aero plays, you’re not out of the gas very much so that’s really the big thing.

    “These cars have come so far as far as how they’re set up. Ten years ago, 15 years ago, everybody used to call them taxi cabs because they used to roll over, drive different. Now they’re pretty immaculate right off the truck. You’re really nitpicking for everything you can get.

    “These cars that are top five, they’re nearly perfect. When you got a perfect race car, it’s hard to beat them. It’s the little things you got to start looking for.”

    Preece compares it to a puzzle and he’s quickly learning how all the pieces fit together.

    “There are always things I need to work on. I’d say right now it’s a lack of going to the racetracks experience. Even though I’m getting better with mile-and-a-half tracks, that’s something I’ve probably only gone to about six or seven times my entire racing career. I like them a lot but right now it’s just trying to find the feel we need. We’re getting closer, still just trying to find that feel because if you can’t find that feeling, if you don’t know what you’re searching for, it’s a struggle to find what you want and what you need.

    “I’m starting to learn that with these cars. The way these cars are set up, how I would go about it in my modifieds is totally different than this. So understanding the pieces of the puzzle, to break down what I’m feeling on the racetrack and relate it to what Zach (McGowan, crew chief) needs to do in the garage, you’ve got to break through that barrier and understand all the different pieces of the puzzle.”

    This year will certainly be a season of learning and growth for Preece and his team. But there should be little doubt that Preece will return to his winning ways; he simply won’t accept anything less.

  • Tommy Barrett Jr. Finds Victory Lane In Bush’s Best Beans 150

    Tommy Barrett Jr. Finds Victory Lane In Bush’s Best Beans 150

    Nineteen-year-old Tommy Barrett Jr. had a fantastic final restart with just four laps to go and drove away from Bobby Santos and Justin Bonsignore to score his first win in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in the No. 22 Canto Paving/Ferguson Waterworks Chevrolet.

    In his tenth career start, the Massachusetts native worked his way around Santos and led the final 12 laps en route to victory. Santos seemed to be well on his way to victory and easily drove away from Barrett on an earlier restart, but in the post-race interview, Santos said his car became tight and he could not hold off the hard charging Barrett.

    Bonsignore, last week’s winner at Thompson, started from the pole position and ran strong all night, but ended the night in sixth in his No. 51 in his chem3.com Chevrolet.

    NASCAR Sprint Cup Series star, Ryan Newman, who has competed in several modified events over the last several years, worked his way up from the 11th place starting spot to finish fifth. Newman, however, never seemed to be a threat to win.

    Wednesday night’s race was also the sixth time that the North and South divisions of the Whelen Modified Tour competed in a combination race. JR Bertuccio was crowned the winner of the Southern Tour with his 13th place overall finish. He will, however, be credited for a win in his division.

    The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour now travels to Riverhead Raceway for the Riverhead 200 on September 13.

  • Doug Coby Wins Whelen Modified Race and Sets Sights on Repeat Championship

    Doug Coby Wins Whelen Modified Race and Sets Sights on Repeat Championship

    In a race where the lead changes were frenetic, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, Doug Coby, driver of the No. 52 Furnace & Duct Supply/Seekonk Grand Prix Chevrolet, made the pass when it counted most and took the checkered flag in the Town Fair 100 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

    Although the reigning champ, this was Coby’s first win of the season, his second New Hampshire victory and his eighth career Modified Tour Victory. And after sitting out the last race at Riverhead Raceway due to a qualifying wreck, he is back in championship contention, hoping for a repeat performance.

    “It’s really neat to be in Victory Lane here,” Coby said. “I’ve been really close a lot of times.”

    Coby has most certainly done his homework on New Hampshire Motor Speedway, including trying to plot out the best strategy to get him into the winner’s circle.

    “I’ve really studied the draft here and watched a lot of video when I missed a win or an opportunity to finish in the top-five,” Coby said. “It’s not going to happen all the time but I feel that I have a great understanding of where I need to be positioned at the end of the race.”

    “And it’s just a matter if I can get there,” Coby continued. “Both wins, I wanted to be running second on the last lap because I think that’s the best place to be to get a win here.”

    “It just so happens that we had a caution and we won last race in September here and I think the 3 and the 16 running side by side gave me an opportunity to start moving my car around and not giving them a chance to get a good draft on me,” Coby said. “There were about four lapped cars as well that I could use their air to pull me forward.”

    “Then it was just crazy and chaotic because you’re listening to your spotter and looking everywhere and thinking to yourself, am I doing the right thing?” Coby continued. “I’m coming to the white flag and saying I’m not going to win this thing.”

    “ So, just one of those deals where I don’t know how the heck it happens but you’re in.”

    Coby’s victory was especially sweet after having wrecked out of the race at Riverhead the previous race weekend. The driver of the No. 52 actually had to sit on the sidelines and watch as he had no backup car available to him.

    “We didn’t come here with Riverhead on our minds,” Coby said. “We came here with defending our race win at Loudon on our minds.”

    “I knew in practice that we have every bit as good of a car that we had in September,” Coby continued. “So, that gave me a little extra confidence.”

    Coby also hopes that his win, along with the Modifieds being on one of the biggest stages at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, will call more attention to the series. He said that the Whelen Tour has the best combination of drivers of all different ages and capabilities.

    “Loudon’s still the biggest race on the schedule in terms of putting the Modifieds out in front of the public,” Coby said. “I hope when I win and get to do interviews, that it makes other people interested  in seeing the Modifieds and learning more about our drivers and the personalities that we have.”

    “Teddy (Christopher) is in his 50’s, I’m in my 30’s and Ryan (Preece) is 22 and that’s who was battling for the win out there,” Coby said. “I think that says something about the skill level and our series and for Ryan, the maturity that he possesses and of course Ted, the knowledge that he has.”

    “And I guess I’m somewhere in the middle.”

    While Coby does have thoughts of the championship repeat on his mind, he acknowledged that he and his team have work to do to be able to truly compete.

    “I think we have a way to go before I assess the championship fully,” Coby said. “I have to get through the August Bristol race.”

    “If you’re anywhere in an arm’s length distance of the championship, then you still have a shot.”

    Coby assessed the championship competition and shared his opinion that young driver Ryan Preece is the one to beat for that honor.

    “Obviously the 16 team of Ryan Preece has it going on this year,” Coby said. “They changed a motor this week and he went out and led most of the second half of the race.”

    “Ryan is the strongest competitor hands down,” Coby continued. “But there are eight of us out there really and it’s the same eight cars battling for the top spots.”

    “For us, it’s a matter of getting back to where we’re at,” Coby said. “We won the championship last year for a reason and we’re in Loudon victory lane for a reason.”

    “We’re coming back and we’re not going to let it be easy on anybody.”

    Coby also gave a nod to another Ryan in the field, Cup competitor Ryan Newman, who finished fifth in his No. 7 Menards/Wix Filters Chevrolet.

    “Ryan Newman did not time trial well but then Ryan Newman blew right by me before the break,” Coby said. “Obviously they have tremendous equipment and he is a Cup driver so he knows what he’s doing here.”

    “It’s great to have him in our field,” Coby continued. “They take it very serious and want to win races.”

    “And I’m sure they’re just as unhappy as every other Modified team that didn’t win today.”

    Ted Christopher, veteran driver of the No. 3 Silver Dollar Construction/Cape Cod Copper Chevrolet, came in second and Ryan Preece, who was also making his debut in the Nationwide race, finished third in his No. 16 East West Marine/Diversified Metals Ford.

    “Our cars usually do put on a show,” Christopher said. “Just came up a little short.”

    “Really want to thank the guys for giving me a car capable to win here in a bunch of years,” Christopher continued. “The last cautions just brought everybody closer but it was the three of us at the end.”

    “Anytime you have a day where you can take the car off the trailer, run up front and lead laps is a good day,” Preece said. “We had a head gasket that went in practice, so we had to swap motors.”

    “For them to put that back up motor and time trial twelfth, I knew we had a good race car,” Preece continued. “We were fourth on that restart and then made our way up front in the top three.”

    “It’s great to be a part of this team and I’m looking forward to running 200 laps in that Nationwide race.”

    Andy Seuss and Ryan Newman rounded out the top five and Woody Pitkat, Eric Berndt, Chuck Hossfeld, Richie Pallai Jr., and Jamie Tomaino completed the top-10 finishers in the Town Fair Tire 100.

     

  • Kevin Harvick Opens Door While Door Shuts on Ryan Newman

    Kevin Harvick Opens Door While Door Shuts on Ryan Newman

    The old saying of one door closing and another opening was most fitting for both Kevin Harvick and Ryan Newman at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

    Harvick officially announced that the door has been opened for him at Stewart-Haas Racing while Ryan Newman acknowledged that the door has been shut for him at that team.

    “It’s nice to officially end all the speculation,” Harvick, the new 2014 driver of the No. 4 Budweiser Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing, said. “For me, Stewart-Haas was intriguing just for the fact that you have Tony (Stewart) as a teammate who’s been a big part of what we did at KHI to get it started.”

    “We have a friendship that goes beyond the race track,” Harvick continued. “Obviously Gene Haas makes it very intriguing with the guarantees that he made to make the deal happen to put the car on the race track.”

    “When you have a family and you start seeing those guarantees of sponsorship for the car, it makes you think about things,” Harvick said. “I think not only about those two pieces, but also the Hendrick tie with the engines and the support.”

    “I think the potential is really high with all those resources and relationships and things that go with it.”

    “I got a phone call from Tony (Stewart) on Wednesday about 20 minutes to seven and we talked for basically 20 minutes,” Newman said. “That was it.”

    “His phone call was about making the announcement and that I would not be a part of Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014.”

    Both drivers acknowledged that they have the highest regard for Tony Stewart, both as a friend, racer and team owner.

    “I feel like our relationship is going to help progress things as they move forward on the performance side,” Harvick said. “Tony balances a lot of things and I’ve been in that boat.”

    “I think it’s going to allow me the time to help him and be able to make it better.”

    “We only ever argued over how hard we race,” Newman said. “That is the kind of friends Tony and I are.”

    “His stress was the importance of our friendship and that to me will never change.”

    Both drivers talked a great deal about sponsorship as for Harvick, his major sponsor Budweiser will be following him to Stewart-Haas Racing while Newman is currently unsure about the status of any of his sponsors.

    “We’ve had three years with Budweiser and looking forward to moving forward with them as a sponsor,” Harvick said. “Those guys at SHR took full responsibility to have the car funded and that made my life a lot easier.”

    “We have great sponsors in Quicken Loans, Wix Filters, Aspen Dental, Code 3 Associates, and Outback,” Newman said. “They have all done us well.”

    “There are no answers that I have,” Newman continued. “Obviously I have my own homework to do.”

    “I want to be competitive,” Newman said. “I’m not just going to go out there and just find a ride.”

    “I want to find a ride with somebody that has the same goals and perspectives as I do.”

    Both Newman and Harvick had nothing but praise for their current teams, Stewart-Haas Racing and Richard Childress Racing respectively. And both intend to race as hard as possible for their owners and teams.

    “I’ve had a good run,” Newman said. “I look forward to finishing out this year.”

    “Look forward to the opportunity to make the Chase, win races and putting ourselves to have a chance to win a championship,” Newman continued. “That’s my ultimate goal and it always has been.”

    “We’re going to go out and race every week as hard as we can,” Harvick said. “It’s not like we detached ourselves from what we’re doing and those guys on the team, they don’t care about the politics of the sport; they just want to win races.”

    “They like spraying beer in Victory Lane and as a group we’re going to do that until we get to Homestead,” Harvick continued. “We’ll start working on the future plans when that race is over.”

    The two drivers, however, expressed very different emotions about the transition, with Harvick on one hand talking about the change as rejuvenation while Newman showing his upset about the uncertainty of his future.

    “It wasn’t anything personal from Richard (Childress, team owner) or a team standpoint doing anything wrong,” Harvick said. “It was just me needing to rejuvenate myself to get to the race track and really be excited to show up.”

    “Just like everybody else’s job, sometimes you just need a change to get going again.”

    “I do not know what my future holds,” Newman said. “I have no idea right now.”

    “That’s something that weighs on my shoulders,” Newman continued. “That is part of racing and part of the situation that I’m in.”

    While the door is opening for Harvick and closing for Newman in 2014 at Stewart-Haas Racing, both drivers have to focus this weekend on competing at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the 21st Annual Camping World RV Sales 301.

    In fact, Ryan Newman is doing double duty at the Magic Mile, racing both in the Cup Series and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.

    “For me, it’s a track position race,” Newman said. “You get a limited number of chances to adjust on your race car and tune your race car and work in those windows that either the cautions or the green flag runs give you.”

    “Excited it’s a big race this weekend for Wix Filters and they are also sponsoring the modified which is a lot of fun for me.”

    “We know that we have to come back here and race for the Chase so obviously this is an important weekend to kind of evaluate where we are with our short track program,” Harvick said. “Flat tracks are a big part of the Chase.”

    “I think this is an important weekend to fully understand what we need to do going forward.”

    So, what will the future hold for Harvick as a new door opens and Newman as a big door closes?

    “I can’t say I’m happy with how everything unfolded,” Newman said. “There will be a change for me in 2014 and I don’t know what that change is.”

    “It’s nice to be in this position to be able to focus on racing a car and getting the performance and doing the things we need to do,” Harvick said. “It’s worked out well.”

     

     

  • The Future of NASCAR – Spotlight on Ryan Preece

    The Future of NASCAR – Spotlight on Ryan Preece

    To say that the month of June has been exceptional for Ryan Preece is an understatement.

    On June 3rd, he was named as part of the ‘Final Ten’ in the Peak Stock Car Dream Challenge. Each of these drivers will compete for the opportunity to win a development deal with Michael Waltrip Racing.

    Four days later, NASCAR released the roster for the 2013 NASCAR Next initiative.

    This program is designed to highlight the next generation of NASCAR’s rising stars. The drivers will participate in media and promotional activities throughout the coming year. Ryan was one of 13 drivers chosen and is the only representative from the Modified Division.

    “I’m looking forward to being a part of it,” he says. “As a modified driver I’m representing the entire modified tour and that’s pretty special.”

    June 13th brought more news. Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) announced that Ryan would make his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut with them in July at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He will participate in testing with the Nationwide Series car before the race and due to a scheduling conflict, Ryan had to withdraw from the Peak Stock Car Dream Challenge. The decision was difficult but he feels he made the right choice.

    “It’s unfortunate,” he admits, “but I feel like the deal with TBR is important and I’m excited. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime. Sometimes in life you have to make decisions and go down the path you think is right.”

    To round out the weekend, Preece won back to back races Friday evening at Stafford Motor Speedway, adding his name to the record books. His first win was in the SK Modified feature event. An early spin on lap two sent him to the back of the field but he wasted little time charging to the front and captured the checkered flag.

    After a quick celebration, he jumped into his NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (NWMT) car for the TSI Harley-Davidson 125 presented by G-Oil. A flat tire sent him to the rear of the field but Ryan rallied back once again and captured his sixth career NWMT series win.

    Ryan has been racing full-time in the NWMT division since 2007. He was championship runner-up in 2009 and 2012 and is the current point leader this season. He also races full-time at Stafford Motor Speedway, Thompson International Speedway, part-time at Riverhead Raceway and participates in any other events he can fit into his schedule.

    Ryan’s recent recognition and success should come as no surprise. He lives and breathes racing.

    A native of Berlin, Conn., the 22 year old has been surrounded by the sport his entire life.

    “My mother’s father owned modifieds and my dad started out in street stock and drove pro stock for a little while,” Ryan reminisces. “Then he stepped back and got me into racing when I was about 6 or 7 years old.”

    He began competing in quarter midgets at Silver City in Meriden, Connecticut. He eventually began traveling and competing at more tracks. From there he progressed to a dirt Sprint Micro car and continued to move up as he gained experience.

    At the age of 13 Ryan had a chance meeting that would significantly impact the direction of his career.

    “There was a guy parked across from us at a race track in Pennsylvania,” Ryan explains. “He owned a modified and his name was Billy Swartz. He came over to my Dad and was joking with me and kept trying to get me to try out the modified. I was young and shy at the time but a few weeks later he convinced me to sit in the car. So I sat in it and they buckled me in and sent me out for a practice run. For my first time, I was pretty quick. That’s what started me down the path to driving modifieds.”

    The family soon made the decision to sell the Sprint Micro and buy a modified car. Ryan gives his Dad credit for encouraging him to take the time to learn before rushing to compete.

    “I think it’s a big reason that a lot of car owners trust me to race their cars,” he told me. “I don’t tear up a lot of equipment and we run really well.”

    He appreciates the continued support of his car owners and sponsors including East West Marine, Gunsmoke Stables, Flamingo Motorsports and Falmouth Ready Mix.

    “They make all of this possible,” he stated. “I wouldn’t be able to do it without them.”

    It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact qualities needed to produce a successful race car driver but if passion and dedication is any indicator, you haven’t heard the last of Ryan Preece.

    He summed it up best saying, “racing is pretty much all I do. I really have no interest in anything else. I want to win races.”

  • Mike Stefanik Wins by Narrowest of Margins in NASCAR Whelen Modified Race

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]While it was almost too close to call, veteran NASCAR Whelen Modified racer Mike Stefanik took the checkered flag in the Town Fair Tire 100 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

    Stefanik, in the No. 66 Canto & Sons Paving/Robert B. Our Co. Ford, scored his 72nd career win over competitor Ron Silk by just 0.003 seconds. He is the sole leader with Modified victories at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with eight, including two of the last three.

    “Believe it or not, I came out of Turn 4 and I thought this was going to be tight,” Stefanik said. “I actually physically sat up in the seat as much as I could and peered over the front of the car and rolled my eyes to see which bumper was ahead.”

    “I just wanted to win after such a hard fought battle,” Stefanik continued. “You hate to give them away because they don’t come often enough.”

    For Stefanik, this was indeed the closest finish of his long and storied career. And he made clear that he never tires of that winning feeling.

    “I’ve lost them, but not by that little bit,” Stefanik said. “Literally, I was looking across the cars to see which one was ahead. I’ve never done before that in my 36 years of racing.”

    “This feeling I have today never gets old,” Stefanik said. “I’m 54 years old and I still feel like I’m 21.”

    Stefanik has also been very good at the ‘Magic Mile’, a track that he has raced since the days of the Busch North Series. And his magic recipe for winning at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is fairly simple.

    “Put yourself in real good equipment, surround yourself with smart people, that’s A-1 because you can’t do it with a slug,” Stefanik said. “I like to overdrive the entry in this type of format and have a ballet-type perfect balance.”

    “It’s just a style of racing that I picked up on in the 90s and I don’t care if you win practice or where you start, just give me that nice set the tires down in the corner and some steam under the hood and we’ll be all set.”

    Stefanik’s prime competitor was Ron Silk, who finished that very close second in his No. 6 Reynolds Auto Wrecking/Schnitzer race car.

    “It was a lot of fun,” Silk said. “Whenever you get in the lead draft at New Hampshire, crazy stuff is happening the whole time.”

    “I don’t know what it looked like but it was a lot of fun in the car,” Silk continued. “Mike did an awesome job.”

    “I ran him up and he was able to hang onto it and beat me back to the line,” Silk said. “Congratulations to him.”

    This was also the closest finish that Silk has seen in his racing career. In fact, he was not sure even at the end of the race who won.

    “If it was 0.003 of a second, I’d say it was the closest finish I’ve been involved in,” Silk said. “But it sucks being on the wrong end of it I can tell you that.”

    The driver of the No. 52 Reynolds Auto Wrecking/Furnace & Duct race car, Doug Coby finished third. And he had to overcome quite a bit of adversity to achieve his best career finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

    “My race was a little different than Ron’s because I pitted four times before the break, “ Coby said. “We were just struggling on that Nationwide rubber and Cup rubber really bad.”

    “We made the right adjustments at the break,” Coby continued. “We tried to make some smart moves at the end and ended up third.”

    “It feels awesome.”

    Eric Beers, piloting the No. 45 Horwith Freightliner/John Blewett, inc., and Todd Szegedy, driving the No. 2 Dunleavy Repair/A&J Romano Construction Ford, rounded out the top five finishers in the Modified Tour.

    Cup driver Ryan Newman, behind the wheel of the No. 7 Menards/Aggressive Hydraulics, finished 30th after a tire problem ended his promising run.