One of the most iconic symbols of Modified racing could be missing entirely from the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in 2014.
The legendary Boehler Racing Enterprises Ole Blue No. 3 with the Whelen Modified Tour (Photo: Corey Sipkin/NASCAR)
Boehler Racing Enterprises principal Michael Boehler confirmed Wednesday that, as of now, the team does not have plans to compete with the Whelen Modified Tour in 2014.
Ted Christopher drove Boehler’s iconic Ole Blue No. 3 last year, but Christopher and the team parted ways after the season was over.
The news comes a day after Mike Stefanik, arguably the division’s best driver of all time, announced he would likely not be racing with the series in 2014.
As of now Boehler said the plans for the team are to run part-time on the Valenti Modified Racing Series. In November Boehler had said he hoped to run part-time with both the Whelen Modified Tour and the Valenti Modified Racing Series.
“As far as the Tour stuff goes, I would love to be there, I’ve talked to three or four guys, but we haven’t come up with anything yet,” Boehler said. “Stefanik would be great, but I don’t think he’d be bring any sponsorship, which doesn’t really help us at all. We need that.”
The Ole Blue No. 3 is one of the legendary rides of Modified racing and a fixture on the Whelen Modified Tour since the division’s inception in 1985. The team was pioneered for decades by Boehler’s celebrated father Len, who passed away in 2001.
Before the Modified Tour was created, the team won NASCAR Modified National championships in 1967, ’68 and ’69 with Bugsy Stevens behind the wheel. On the current Modified Tour, BRE won championships with Wayne Anderson in 1994 and Tony Hirschman in 1995 and ’96.
The car has seen four drivers over the past four years. Ryan Preece ended a three-run behind the wheel of the BRE car after the 2010 season. Matt Hirschman drove the car in 2011. Keith Rocco and Ted Christopher shared the ride in 2012 and Christopher ran the car full-time in 2013.
Christopher finished 10th on the Whelen Modified Tour in 2013 with four top-fives and six top-10’s in 14 starts.
Gregg Hurley of Beverly, Mass. will run for Boehler in eight of the 17 Valenti Modified Racing Series events. Hurley is expected to run the three events at the Waterford Speedbowl, the three events at Seekonk (Mass.) Speedway and the two events at Lee USA Speedway in Lee, N.H.
Boehler said he’s hoping to have a driver to compete in the three Valenti Modified Racing Series events at Stafford Speedway and the two at Thompson Speedway.
Damn!
Who is Gregg Hurley??????? Never heard that name before just wondering where he came from??????
Who is Gregg Hurley and what has he accomplished in racing?
Gregg who???
as spoken on the Hill Racing article he is probably another rich kid or guy with money wanting to dabble with a well known team and has the money to do so.Talent gets you no where anymore it’s all about money which sucks.Look at Matt Hirchman wins a lot of the shows he shows up for but no rides???
Hopefully it’s not the Gregg Hurley that ran the #1 at the Speedbowl a few years back.
He loaded up and went home after being told to get out of the way in practice.
Looks like Gregg Hurley is a guy that wants to go racing. Problem with that Mr. What? or Mr. Me? Think you know more then the owners of the 3 about their car? All these boards are full of negative and chase sponsors away, then fans wonder why the car is not in the field. Good Luck Gregg Hurley and the Boehlers.
Hopefully you perform well enough to keep the #3 on track where we love to see it run anytime that team shows up.
Gregg Hurley is the guy that raced a few times at the speedbowl a couple years ago. The sk mod he had back then was an old Boehler car so they must have some kind of connection.
I know that this is beating a dead mule that this subject has been written about before.NASCAR needs to wake up and smell the coffee about the WMT.and the downward sprial to nothing. A another team is leaving(ole blue #3) to run the VMRS. Art Barry walked away from the WMT because it was getting out of hand with the money involved and all the b/s that nascar was putting out.Then I just read that NASCAR cut the purse and car count for the “Battle of the Beach” That is the way to help the teams survive.Also the 25 lap race at NHMS for the mods is a joke.Four grand to win ? It should 25k and 200 per lap!
Thanks Rich I wasn’t familiar with the name & just asked who he is & meant nothing negative by it. Some others chimed in & seem to know more about him I guess or not. Good luck to him & the Boehlers, I hope he runs good, too many are going out of racing as it is. Go 3 “Ole Blue”!!!