Ryan Preece (6), Doug Coby (2), Ryan Newman (77), Bobby Santos III (44) and Justin Bonsignore (51) in action during the Whelen Modified Tour Eastern Propane & Oil 100 last July at NHMS (Photo: Fran Lawlor)
On Wednesday NASCAR officials revealed the 2018 schedule for the Whelen Modified Tour.
Next year’s schedule includes the addition of a new 250-lap Whelen Modified Tour event as part of a three division short track extravaganza weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Sept 21-22.
The new short track showcase weekend replaces the former NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series weekend that had been in place at the track since 1997.
NASCAR informed competitors and team owners Wednesday that the Whelen Modified Tour event will pay $25,000 to the winner.
The new weekend event will also include the K&N Pro Series East in a special global showdown that will also welcome the top drivers from the Peak Mexico Series and Whelen Euro Series. The track will also welcome the NASCAR Pinty’s Series for that division’s first race outside of Canada.
$25k to the winner is great for a 100-150 lap race but for 250 laps maybe not so much when you consider a minimum of 4 sets of tires and wear and tear for the weekend. It would be interesting to see what 10th place pays, maybe $2k? I remember back in the day when the Tidy Cat car was winning races NASCAR used to release the purses for the NHIS races and it was over $18k.
This should be awesome. People have been yearning for the Thompson 300, this is even better.
Look back at Martinsville speedway back when the modified ran there used to be descent pay to run there , I agree with you should pay 1,500 to start to cover at least the tire bills, by the way how well I know I worked on a modified for 20 years in North Carolina, 8 championship
I think that whole show is an excellant idea,it should a great field of cars.
This is going to be a better event then the Cup race was….although the truck series was always fun to watch there…the mods ALWAYS put on the best show there…take off the restrictor plates and let them boys have at it!!!….should put the ACT tour in on the short track showdown weekend and bring in the ARCA series for a race….
Lonnie tire bill will be 2500 at least and any front running teams will probably freshen engine I would hope 4000 to take the gree
I will be interested to see how the purse is loaded. If it is front loaded then there will be nothing left for mid pack back. The average WMT race costs the teams around 7k per event. This race is twice the distance they usually run and it is on a one mile track, not 200 laps on a 1/4 mile track like Riverhead. Somehow financially it makes no sence to me. I would rather see this distance run at Thompson or Martinsville with a big purse. Only my opinion.
Fifield can do this 250 laps on one set of tires.
Dareal that’s funny I think and hope it will be a good turnout my first race was the Thompson 300 was hooked the tour being a headliner fingers crossed good crowd and start of something good they moved a few shows around to make schedule a bit easier so MAYBE they are starting to listen
Bill d, talk it up, tell your friends, have them tell their friends and get them up to Loudon for an incredible Modified racing event.
I’ve often hoped to get a little longer race, and allow hot pit stops. Make it a real race. This is outstanding. I imagine they will do stages, probably 75, 75 and 100 laps.
I will dareal I also hope they have live pit stops and maybe bonus money if they do stages
It’s a tough call on Purse and price for NHMS, I am sure the income for a sept cup weekend is millions of dollars even with the crowd size getting smaller every year compared to what this weekend will bring in, how many people will show up to watch? 5k? 10k? seems if u get that much in sept u are doing good and again big ? is how many MOD teams will show, if 20-25 then I say BUST FOR ALL!!
wmass01013, I agree, the crowd at the modified event is crucial. This isn’t the Camping World or xfinity series that have like 14 people in the stands. Clearly those series are supported by sponsors, TV revenue, etc. and not gate revenue.
I still believe that Loudon is the Holy Grail of Modified racing. People, lots of people, have shown up on Saturdays at Loudon FOR THE MODIFIEDS. Now the Mighty Mods are the headliner. Well deserved.
The total purse will HAVE to be well distributed to get cars to show up. Top loaded will discourage many teams.
Brings back memories of the ROC at Pocono, an incredible Modified event.
I can’t wait for this event.
We, the hard core fans, have to promote this event.
I am worried about car count with the cost factor, NASCAR factor and teams stay in their region for the most part, example WMT 20-25 ROC 20-25 MRS 20-25 now tri track DID start out good last year with car count but in the end 20-25 was it for them. do I wish for POCONO numbers? yes but I think will never come close.
Please NASCAR and NHIS no gimmicks for this race. Start up to 50 cars like the old Thompson 300, run the race from start to finish without competition yellows, fake debris cautions, etc, etc. Have “live” pit stops where the teams actually have to race against each other and could play a major part in their teams success or lack of.
Most importantly pay a fair purse to throughout the whole field. Maybe $2500 or so just to start. This could be a great race if the correct effort is put behind it to promote it. How about getting some retired Cup drivers back in the field like Tony , Carl, and maybe Jr?
retired CUP drivers would make it the gimmick U DOONT WANT
Wmass, cup drivers are no gimmick they race just like everyone else. Some are even really competitive like Ryan Newman and Stewart. The mod division needs something extra to entice regular non-modified fans to the show to make it a success so NHIS would do it again the following year
darealgoodfella: Thank you for your complements, but even I don’t think that Melissa can do this race on a single set of tires. I’m looking forward to packing my cooler (and my purse, wink! wink!) for this event!
Liz, what “complements”? I didn’t even give you a compliment.
What’s the “wink! wink!” about?
She’s got the sangria is her purse dummy.
The mod teams do not want the ringers. Just like the Monster drivers are not welcome in the xfinity series.
Doug wrote: “She’s got the sangria is her purse dummy.”
What is your reading level?
Is English your secondary or tertiary language?
Being a nascar event – it will not draw many cars, maybe 35 cars, 10 that have a chance to win
Well, given that Cup is at Richmond that night you don’t have to worry about ringers. Strategy will play a big roll. Fuel mileage too. I good easily see someone stealing the money with pit strategy. Hopefully guys like Emerling, Hossfeld, Myers, Nocella, McKennedy, Suess, Money Matt come out for this show. Im sure a race like this will bring out others. Heck of an event for $25.
Easy dareal! There is no need to berate poor Doug just because he beat you to the punch… Pun intended of course! Have a glass of wine on me… 🍷 or three 🍷🍷🍷
And thanks again for your complements on Melissa’s superior tire wear. I’m hoping it pays off big next year!
Well NhMS has to make it a fun weekend, have guaranteed starters from other tracks, races, do fun things on the midway, PROMOTE PROMOTE PROMOTE, LAP money is good, but still need more!!
Liz, good pun!!! 👏😆
Craig, you have a good source for your info?
So that’s $100 to the leader of each and every lap? That’s another $25,000 in winnings to be made available.
That will bring out the HUGE flux capacitors.
Motors are definitely going to be refreshed for this event.
The lead-a-lap winnings will be hogged by about 4 cars. Those cars could end up taking each other out. This could lead to very interesting racing.
Hey Liz, with that great tire lack-of-wear, maybe Melissa will be able to lead a lap. You know, she can stay out during a caution and inherit the lead, then start in front and get run over. I do think NHMS is her best track, lots of room to stay away from the other cars.
Tisk, Tisk! They’re is no reason to be so negative in November! I feel like I’m soon going to have to make you some of my famous eggnog to loosen you up dareal. I think you are running your track bar way too low!
Hey Liz, what happened with the NWMT Most Popular Driver Award this year?
I didn’t see the voting website.
I like eggnog.
RIP MTS. We hardly knew ya
Liz, even you are not exempt from the Grammar Police.
Liz wrote, “They’re is no reason to be so negative in November!”
Next time, use “There” instead of “They’re”.
I can’t stop thinking about your egg nog, I love egg nog.
Does anybody know what happened with the NWMT Most Popular Driver Award this year?
Did I miss it?
Just so we’re clear. the flux capacitor of fiction neither generates nor is it responsible for movement of the time machine. It simply stores the energy. And if a flux capacitor was used in a modified you’d never realize it. The winner could have come in forth, changed prior events to gain the victory and we’d never realize it. Wrap you mind around that one why don’t you.
Somebody 🤡 needs to learn what fiction is…
Within the fiction, the flux capacitor can be powered by a plutonium reactor or a Mr. Fusion Home Energy Reactor. The energy source develops the 1.22 gigawatts of electricity that is stored in the flux capacitor that is released when the modified reaches 88 MPH and is transmitted through the body and causes the modified to penetrate the space time continuum. At one time it was necessary for the body to be stainless steel to conduct the energy efficiently but that limitation has since been overcome by integrating the rub rails. While it may appear that the flux capacitor is responsible for speed it is not. A good old Chevy small block is more then sufficient to reach the required 88 MPH. The driver waits for the appropriate caution, activates the energy source on the pace lap building energy in the flux capacitor, takes the green, accelerates and bingo the space time continuum is pierced as soon as the car hits 88 MPH somewhere on the back stretch. Did Doug Coby win the original WMT championship? Maybe not if he indeed had Dr Browns system and tech missed it. Blows your mind right? All those complaints about Preece who actually may have won it the original reality.
Back to a deep dive into Medicare Advantage plans. Boring. Don’t forget all my fellow geezers, open enrollment ends December 7.
Looks like somebody needs a high fiber diet.
You introduce the fiction of the flux capacitor Lionel Train Engineer in good fun and then refuse to play along with my attempt to advance the theme by relating it to racing. And of course the inevitable retreat to your dark place and body function related deflections. So sad.
The three Back to the Future movies were rollicking good times of sci fi magic, interweaving time travel and it’s consequences with every day peoples lives. It’s too bad you couldn’t get into the spirit but completely predictable.
ok, I made an itsy bitsy little grammar mistake there… I could blame the autotext on my mobile phone. I could also blame the speed of the ICE4 train I was riding on (no Lionel trains for me!) Or maybe it was just a bit too much Taittinger Prestige Rose Brüt celebrating one of my other infamous endeavors… wink, wink!
Regardless, be kind boys, it’s the holiday season! Bottoms up everyone!
Man I love the chicks that race, that are fans and comment here. Were I to not respect the complexity and depth of the female mind I would say Liz Cherokee you have three interests. Melissa Fifield, drinking and whatever is behind the wink. But as a humble congenial chauvinist I understand what I will never understand. Women’s meaning generally extends beyond what they actually say. I accept I am not bright nor perceptive enough to understand the unspoken meaning. Live long and prosper.