Derek Ramstrom
Since he was a teenager and beginning to dominate behind the wheel of a Super Late Model locally and with the Pro All-Stars Series, many have asked Derek Ramstrom when the day would come when he would get behind the wheel of a Modified in competition.
The answer comes Saturday when Ramstrom, of West Boylston, Mass., competes in the Tri-Track Open Modified Series SBM 125 at Star Speedway in Epping, N.H.
Ramstrom’s family owned racing team – long competitors at Thompson Speedway – purchased a Tour Type Modified over the offseason, with hopes of competing in some NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events this year at Thompson Speedway and possibly Stafford Motor Speedway.
But with the focus early in the year on Ramstrom’s Super Late Model endeavors around the country, the Modified has been in waiting.
So the team decided to run at Star this weekend, a track where Ramstom has multiple previous wins in a Super Late Model.
“I’d prefer to have my first race at Thompson with the [Whelen] Modified Tour, because that’s my favorite track,” Ramstrom said. “But I mean, I don’t really care. I just want seat time, whether it’s with the [Valenti Modified Racing Series] or the Tri-Track Series or the [Whelen Modified Tour].
Tuesday Ramstrom, a multi-time Pro Stock/Super Late Model track champion at Thompson, got to rev up his Modified during testing at Star Speedway in preparation for the weekend.
“I’m thrilled,” Ramstrom said. “It’s a lot of fun. I tested [Ted Christopher’s] car once when we were at Stafford. I drove his SK [Modified] for about 10 laps. But that is the only time I’ve ever driven a Modified up until today. It’s going good. I wouldn’t say we’re fast, I don’t really know what a good time is here. We’re just trying to get the idea of the car.”
Ramstrom said he’ll take confidence in knowing the track with him Saturday, though his biggest unknown will be the competition.
“The only thing I’m a little worried about is racing with drivers that I don’t know,” Ramstrom said. “I don’t know who is going to do what. Who I can actually trust and race with and race side-by-side with without getting fenced. That will come with time. I just need more seat time. We should definitely be competitive here though.”
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