On Tap: Double Vision Connecticut Weekend For Valenti Modified Racing Series

Looking to check out some Valenti Modified Racing Series action?

Take your pick this week in Connecticut.

The Connecticut short track racing weekend is bookended this week with Valenti Modified Racing Series events. The series tries for a third consecutive Thursday to run at Thompson after two rainouts. Then they’re back in action Saturday as part of the Wings And Wheels event at the Waterford Speedbowl.

Stafford Motor Speedway has the final event of its Call Before You Dig 811 Challenge Friday.

Where: Thompson International Speedway
What: NASCAR Whelen All-American Series event and Valenti Modified Racing Series
When: Thursday
Schedule: 75-lap Valenti Modified Racing Series, 30-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified, 40-lap Late Model, 20-lap SK Light Modified, 20-lap Limited Sportsman and 15-lap Mini Stock. Grandstands open: 2 p.m.; Qualifying begins: 6 p.m.
More: The sixth week of Thursday night racing at Thompson in 2013. … The Valenti Modified Racing Series makes the first of two visits to the track this season. The series had originally been scheduled to run three events at Thompson this year, but an event was rained out on May 19. This event has been rained out the last two Thursdays. It’s the first of two Valenti Modified Racing Series events in Connecticut over a three day span. After Thompson the series runs at the Waterford Speedbowl on Saturday. … Steve Masse won the most recent Valenti Modified Racing Series event on Saturday at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough, Me. With a fifth place finish in that event former Thompson Speedway SK Modified division regular Rowan Pennink took over the series points lead from Tommy Barrett Jr. Barrett, who finished eighth at Beech Ridge, now trailed Pennink by four points with nine events remaining this season. … Masse, Pennink and Barrett are the only multi-time winners in eight events this year. Each has two victories. Other winners this season include Lou Mechalides and Dwight Jarvis. … Over 10 Valenti Modified Racing Series events all-time at Thompson, Pennink has three victories and is the only multi-time series winner at the track. Other former series winners at the track are Kirk Alexander, Les Hinckely, Lou Mechalides, Todd Owen, Andy Seuss, Mike Stefanik and Ted Christopher. … In the track’s last event on July 18, Matt Gallo won for the first time in his career at Thompson in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified division. … Keith Rocco leads the SK Modified division point standings. Ryan Preece, Woody Pitkat and Kerry Malone are in a three-way tie for second, six points behind Rocco. Todd Ceravolo is fifth in the standings, 12 points behind the leader. … Rocco has won four of seven SK Modified events at Thompson this year. Gallo, Preece and Malone are the other winners at the track this year in the division.

Where: Stafford Motor Speedway
What: NASCAR Whelen All-American Series event
When: Friday
Schedule: 40-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified, 30-lap Late Model, 20-lap SK Light Modified, 20-lap Limited Late Model and 15-lap DARE Stock. Grandstands open: 5:15 p.m.; Qualifying begins: 6:15 p.m. Features begin: Approximately 7:15 p.m.
More: The 12th week of Friday night racing at Stafford in 2013. … Eric Berndt won for the first time in 2013 in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified feature last week at Stafford. Doug Coby, who finished second in the event, took over the division points lead. Coby has not won an SK Modified event at Stafford this year. Ryan Preece, who has six wins in 12 races this year at Stafford, sits six points behind Coby in the standings. Woody Pitkat is in third, 18 points behind Coby. Preece and Ted Christopher, are the only multi-time SK Modified winners this year at Stafford. Christopher has two wins. Other SK Modified division winners this season include Danny Cates, Rowan Pennink and Keith Rocco. … Late Model division standings leader Adam Gray won last week and has finished in the top-three in the last 11 consecutive events at Stafford. Gray’s only finish outside the top three in 11 events this year was an 18th place in the first race of the year. Gray holds a 60 point lead over second place Tom Fearn at the top of the Late Model standings.

Where: Waterford Speedbowl
What: NASCAR Whelen All-American Series event and Wings and Wheels special
When: Saturday
Schedule: 100-lap Valenti Modified Racing Series, 35-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified, 50-lap ISMA SuperModified, 25-lap NEMA Midgets, 25-lap NEMA Lites, 25-lap SK Light Modified,
Grandstands open: 1 p.m.; Qualifying: 5 p.m.; Features: 6:30 p.m.
More: The 16th event of the season at the shoreline oval is the sixth Wings and Wheels Show at Waterford. The event brings the Valenti Modified Racing Series, the International Super Modified Association and the Northeastern Midget Association together on the same card. … It’s the second of two visits this year to Waterford for the Valenti Modified Racing Series. The division opened its season at the track on April 7 with Steve Masse winning. Masses scored his second victory of the season last Saturday at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough, Me. … Masse is one the four multi-time winners in 14 Valenti Modified Racing Series events all-time at Waterford. Doug Coby, Chris Pasteryak and Jon McKennedy also each have two victories at the track. Other former series winners at Waterford include Bobby Grigas III, Rob Summers, Kirk Alexander, Rowan Pennink, Jerry Marquis and Tommy Barrett Jr. … In the track’s last event, Diego Monahan won the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified feature. It was the first SK Modified win at Waterford for Monahan since 2007. … Division points leader Keith Rocco has won five of 15 SK Modified events at Waterford this year. Other winners this year include Tyler Chadwick (three wins), Kyle James (two wins), Todd Ceravolo, Jeff Rocco, Joey Gada and Rob Janovic Jr. … Keith Rocco won the Late Model feature last week. It was his sixth Late Model victory of the season at Waterford. Rocco holds a 41-point lead over second place Dillon Moltz in the division standings.