Bob Garbarino Mum On Whelen Modified Tour Plans For 2017 Season

Bob Garbarino

Two times since the inception of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, team owner Bob Garbarino hasn’t had a car in the season opening event.

In the 1986 and 1988 Whelen Modified Tours season opening events – both at Orange County Speedway in Rougemont, N.C. – Garbarino’s iconic No. 4 car was missing from the starting field.

Saturday the Whelen Modified Tour will once again open its season in the Carolina’s and once again Garbarino’s car will be missing from the field.

Garbarino and his Mystic Missile team will not make the trip to the Whelen Modified Tour season opening Performance Plus 150 Saturday at Myrtle Beach Speedway in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Though the question remains, what is the status of the one of the division’s most legendary and well-known teams.

Jimmy Blewett drove for Garbarino in 2016, racing to a sixth place finish in the season standings. But the pair parted ways immediately after the season ending event at Thompson Speedway last October.

Reached Wednesday Garbarino said he didn’t want to talk about what is happening with his team.

“I just don’t want to say anything right now,” Garbarino said.

Garbarino’s team has been a fixture on the Whelen Modified Tour since the series’ inception in 1985.

Garbarino has won three Whelen Modified Tour championships, twice with Donny Lia (2007 and 2009) and once with Bobby Santos III (2010).

After the Myrtle Beach event, the Whelen Modified Tour returns to action with the running of the Icebreaker 150 at Thompson Speedway on April 2.

Comments

  1. Entry list for Myrtle Beach has been posted on NASCAR Hometracks. No Mystic Missile. No driver listed for Tommy Baldwin Racing. What happened to Donny Lia? Could this be why Bob can’t talk about what is going on with his race team?

  2. Well Joe after Shawn’s post I’m not that confident that the V4 will be racing

  3. Pete Kelly says

    I think y’all should have some fun with this… First, George Brunnhoelzl III 28 is not entered at all financial reasons… but Tommy’s 7 opens up no Lia. The #4 still available on tour … no Jason Myers- finances, but does this mean anything? I have been waiting for Bob to speak, so now I have the green light. He is racing, period. His hauler has been serviced, the Missile is just parked for this weekend. I had Szegedy was in the 4 early on in ’15 & ’16 had Blewett before anybody, but did anyone listen. Little tidbits for y’all, Starrett still in play possibly but not just Starrett…The first driver Bob was pondering, which we both liked, to fill his seat in ’17 committed to another car part time, mistake on his part. Trust me, I know the answer to the riddle…seriously… I want to see y’all conjecture first. Shawn, you just have to interview the right driver & the answer will be obvious to all. Teddy ? George III? Donny? Fergytime? But just maybe… is there Smoke on the horizon? or maybe Orchard Park NY? By the way, Godspeed JDB! P.S. I will let the cat out of the bag eventually.

  4. darealgoodfella says

    Pete Kelly, I can cross off 5 off those you mentioned… leaving just one. Too bad a deal wasn’t made with the one that got away… would have been a good match.

  5. Maybe Bob isn’t going to choose from the pool of drivers still available. Who knows, Bobby Santos could even be in play!

  6. Would be nice for the tour, but I think smoke already has a busy schedule,just my thought

  7. Crazy in NY says

    Ohhhhh cryptic like a Trump tweet. Nice Pat. Tony temper in a Mod would be great for the sport and Patrick E in the 4 I’d wager against . Time for the RDCT posters to vent……

  8. Crazy in NY says

    Make that Nice Pete…..sorry

  9. So the way I see this is Pete has the inside track on the selection, so riddle me a riddle and we will all be in suspence until Bob makes the announcement. Frankly I don’t really care Go Justin!

  10. Shawn,It’s nice to see a story written by you.Press releases are great however,your writing about our area racing issues is what keeps us reading every day.I am sure keeping up with this website is a tremendous amount of work.We appreciate it!There are dozens of local and regional teams seriously “stoked” as they ready for the upcoming season;Let’s hear some new angles on their story.Thanks,and please get to work 🙂 Oh, I love the “Mystic Missile”,but GO JUSTIN!

  11. darealgoodfella says

    You Justin fans are in for a very tough season.

    Relax on the Mystic Missile… history shows that if not for the last minute, nothing would get done. See who shows up at Thompson.

  12. If Donny Lia is not in Tommy Baldwin’s car this weekend look for him to be in The Missile at Thompson. Personally, I’m hoping Teddy gets the nod.

  13. Looks like my hunch was wrong. Donny just posted a pic of the 7ny ready to roll. Okay Pete Kelly, whose in Missile?

  14. Dareal, somehow I knew the honeymoon would end before it started. The 51 will be just fine new crew chief and all. GO JUSTIN!

  15. dareal,it is a very tough and long season.it’s starting today and Justin will be in the thick of it all year

  16. Frank Douglas says

    Jeremey Mayfield. ?

  17. Somebody w deep pockets

  18. How about Steve park returning to the tour?

  19. Jan Opperman says

    It won’t be Stewart Friesen… Maybe Matt Shepherd for 10 races…

  20. Ifyouonlyknew says

    Well just because things aren’t pre entered doesn’t mean anything, I can tell u for sure it won’t be mayfield he can’t race Nascar and it won’t be teddy just because I know that what I can tell u is talking to a very reliable source who has been in Florida before he makes his way home to Ct is that the mystic missle is unsponsored and undriven at the moment and has been for sale everything, but to be honest like every business man says everything has a price so who knows but I can tell you also is that heath reasons and time for retirement have come into play. If anything it will be part time to sell the stuff u think other then that it’s sad to say but it could be the end.

  21. Overhead Cab says

    Bob’s hauler should in the New England Motorsports Hall of Fame museum class of 2023.

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