(Press Release from Stafford Motor Speedway)
The Exit Realty Modified Touring Series will make its Stafford Speedway debut this Friday, June 2nd with a strong contingent of top modified talent lining the roster. Headlining the current entry-list are two of the top modified drivers in the region, Ted Christopher and 2017 NAPA Spring Sizzler® Champion Ryan Preece.
Ted Christopher, the all-time winningest driver at Stafford with 126 career victories including 104 SK Modified® wins, will pilot his familiar Brady #00 in Friday’s 125 lap feature. Christopher scored his most recent open modified victory behind the wheel of that same car in the June 2016 Stafford Valenti Modified Series 80. During his last time out with the Brady team, Christopher scored a top 5 at the NAPA Spring Sizzler® and was a contender for another victory in the closing laps.
“It’s all different, different drivers you’re racing against and new tires,” explained Christopher. “We know the car goes good but it’s all a matter of how the tires are going to work. We’re bringing the same car back that we won with last year with a spec engine in it and we’ll have pit stops that we can make if the car isn’t handling like we want, so I think we should be pretty good for the race.”
Along with Christopher, 2017 NAPA Spring Sizzler® Champion Ryan Preece is also scheduled to compete in Friday’s MTS 125. Preece, the current Modified Touring Series point leader, is 2 for 2 in Modified Touring Series competition, grabbing the inaugural Winchester 200 last season as well as the opening event for the 2017 MTS season with both races at Monadnock.
“I feel like it’s a good series and the rules are pretty close to the Tri-Track Series,” explained Preece. “The American Racer tires perform pretty well and I’m looking forward to having a tire we can change during the race and bring a little strategy into things.”
Preece and Christopher will have a tough task at hand, navigating a new series at Stafford. Between an unknown American Racer tire and a strong entry-list of Modified teams including the “Sultan of Stafford” Woody Pitkat, back to back SK Modified® Champion Rowan Pennink, past Stafford winners Steve Masse and John McKennedy, Whelen Modified Tour regular Eric Goodale, and arguably the best SK Light driver ever to log laps on the half-mile Tommy Barrett, getting to victory lane will not be easy.
“Everyone works on their cars and we’re just going to show up as prepared as we can be and try to have a solid day” continued Preece. “The rules are all pretty similar between series and we like the fact we can use our spec engine. I don’t think it’s going to be one driver stealing the show, there’s between 5-10 cars that can win the race. It’s going to come down to race strategy and how your car is handling, it’s going to be an exciting race for sure.”
The Exit Realty Modified Touring Series will take to the track with qualifying beginning at 6:15pm. Stafford’s five NASCAR Whelen All-American Series divisions will also be in action. Tickets for this event are on sale now and are priced at $30.00 for adult general admission tickets, $5.00 for children ages 6-14, and children ages 5 and under are admitted free of charge when accompanied by an adult. Reserved seat tickets are $32.00 for all ages. All ticket prices include 10% CT Admission Tax. Stafford Motor Speedway offers plenty of free parking along with overnight parking available for self contained Recreational Vehicles.
For more information, contact the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at 860-684-2783 or visit us on the web at www.staffordspeedway.com.
Great field and wide open on this first trip to Stafford on this young series makes it a must attend event. I’m actually excited to watch and see the racing and strategy as well in a 125 lapper which is an interesting length as to pitting for tires or not and a host of other possibilities.
Thanks to the Arute family for taking a chance and scheduling this series this year. It’s looking to be a success already with the driver line up looking to taste victory.
I think its kind of hard to tell at this point in the season. So far both the VMRS and MTS have struggled with car counts (around 21-22 cars I think) in 2017 and they did not go head to head yet against each other. Only time will tell but IMO four different modified series in New England (WMT, VMRS, MTS, TTOMS) is stretching the amount of race cars/teams, weekends to race, not to mention the added cost of both series running different tires. Racer’s only have so much money and time to spend for a season and someone is going to lose out, unfortunately it may be the race tracks, that are forced to pay high purses for low car counts and most likelyfewer fans in the seats due to the low car counts. I hope for the best but will be surprised if either the NMRS or the MTS have more than 24 cars in an event all year.
Larry D.
The Valenti Modified Racing Series had 29 cars show up at Stafford on May 19 with 25 cars starting the feature. They had 25 cars at Lee last weekend with 23 starting the feature.
Is this a race that has drivers that are new to sk
I did not see one name I recommend
This race is actually a dare stock event
Preece and tc run sk I thought
Preece left limited late model last year
Hope he can get used to sk racing
If any one needs advice fro. Me Let me know
I am a expert on stafford racing
Even darell looks to me 4 advice
Dareal
Is Melissa running this race?
Been going to Stafford for 45 yrs.
I’m not cheap, but $50.00 for a pit pass is where I draw the line. See you next week.
And 25 entered for Stafford this Friday…
Shawn, sorry my mistake I was just going by some info I read somewhere on facebook. I thought it must be true since it was on the internet. LOL. Anyway, I still stand by my thought that 4 touring modified series is not a good thing for us fans and for the racetracks due to lower car counts. I’m sure someone out there has and can post average car counts for the WMT, VMRS, MTS, and TTOMS in 2016 and I bet they will all have lower car counts this year with the exception of the WMT since NASCAR decided to merge the north and south tours. I really hope I’m wrong and I will still support all the tours (except the WMT events) and the racetracks that host them. IMO the WMT races are not worth the money you have to pay to watch them especially with the time trials and always starting the fastest cars up front and the 100 or so laps of follow the leader until its crunch time.
IMO the WMT races are not worth the money you have to pay to watch them especially with the time trials and always starting the fastest cars up front and the 100 or so laps of follow the leader until its crunch time.
That’s why it’s called SNORECAR. Too many laps of not racing to wait and see who wrecks who for the win. 125 laps and 1 tire is perfect. You change one or maybe not. Too bad MTS screwed up the Fuel thing but this event may well top the Tour in they’re own house.
Liz, why are you asking about Melissa?
All this time I thought you were her publicist and spokesperson.
I’m just a big fan and proud voter of the winner of three consecutive and current Whelen Modified Tour Most Popular Driver Award! While I’m also a fan of other drivers on the tour, Melissa is #1. I do like the Stolimoto boy too…
Much like I try to do with my wine palate, I’m also looking to expand my racing base, especially during the dead zone on the WMT schedule. You can never be sure what Liz will do!
Stafford skews the car counts because so many mod drivers are there already on a Friday night. You will always have slightly higher numbers there. Also, the WMT is on a long break which helps. Tri Track kicks off in 27 days too. We’ll see what everything looks like in July/Aug.
$50 is steep for a pit pass. MTS isn’t a $50 product yet.
NH Mark, purse is almost identical to the VMRS so i’d say its there, thats what drives all prices. Economics
Have been thinking about this one all week,and with only 23 cars entered along no heats for the regulars.(should at least run sk heats) Its not they are expecting a monster mts field. Poor weather forcast,while it is not going to be a washout I feel very confident the track will be hit with very bad timed passinf shower and bam there ya go 2 hour rain delay. The mod race is last of course ( gotta sell every cup of beer they can) Pricing is ridiculous as always. I love stafford but i really hate how they ALWAYS save the big race for last. did i say ALWAYS? Yes im aware its the headline,yes im aware they do it simply to force people to stay as they know soon as the mods (sks on a reg night ) run everybody leaves. But alot of peope drive a long way on a fri night to go to this track and quite frankly its getting to not worth getting home at 2:00 in the morning.. temps are going to drop below 50 tonight and while there some attractive entries 23 cars is harldy worth the pain and suffering of being forced to sit the all night. no thanks i will pass
The $50.00 pit fee is out of control for what a $26,000 purse. The people that run this track are nuts.
jeffrey speaks the truth.
I would think that the MTS would start out with introductory pricing. This is steep.
stan do the math, these tracks have to make enough money to keep the lights on. Why do you think so many go bust?
I say drop two divisions (alternate them)on the nights a touring division comes in. Drop the price to $20 and everyone is happy. Don’t worry you will sell more beer because I have an extra $10 in my pocket
Tri-Track at Seekonk has a $25 /$35 front/rear gate admission. Enough said.
I could not make it to the track to night as I was called into work at the last minute. Does anyone know where I can find a complete rundown of the finishing order? I saw a video shared online showing the lap 40 fuel stop but only saw about 20 +/- cars, is this correct? Looks like the stands were somewhat thin as well, did a lot of fans leave after the SK race or did the fans just not show up?
Larry D.
20 cars were there.
It looked as if about half or more of the fans that had been there were gone by the time of the lap 40 competition caution in the MTS event.
http://staffordmotorspeedway.com/june-2-2017-exit-realty-modified-touring-series-125-feature-results/
Let’s see if I can ease your pain a bit. I paid 45.00 for a pit pass at Spencer last night for a 75 lap ROC main with one support division. We had 19 cars and…19 fans ( it seemed) . Car counts are down everywhere and if promoters keep milking the back gate the sport will continue it’s decline.
20 cars at Stafford is not a good sign for MTS. They seem stuck at 20-22 cars without any other series running against them thus far. The first one paid $15K last year. The racing has been decent but they are not drawing them in. MTS also makes no mention of car counts on social media on race day. I don’t ever attend a race anymore without knowing which cars are there. If they don’t post, I don’t go. I’ll stick with the WMT and Tri Track. The other two tours just don’t do anything for me right now.