(Press Release from American-Canadian Tour)
For the first time in 15 years, the thunder of the Modified Racing Series (MRS) is coming to White Mountain Motorsports Park. The long-running New England–based Modified tour arrives in N. Woodstock, NH this Saturday, September 5 at 6:00pm for the Honor to Essential Workers 100 as part of a holiday extravaganza presented by Caron Fabrication.
MRS officials are expecting a field of more than 25 cars for the long-awaited event. With household names such as Anthony Nocella, Woody Pitkat, Todd Owen, Richard Savary, and Ronnie Williams expected in attendance, it will be a big Labor Day Saturday whether fans are watching in the beautiful North Country or from the comfort of home on the Northeast Sports Network.
Saturday’s event is the first MRS visit to White Mountain since the 2005. The Modified Racing Series was founded in 2004 and made four trips to the track in its first two years — including both Labor Day dates. Now the pleas of drivers and fans have been answered with the renewal of that tradition.
Several competitors anticipated this weekend already have experience at White Mountain. Woburn, MA’s Anthony Nocella and Bellingham, MA’s Woody Pitkat, two former MRS champions, started both NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events this year and ran the Bullring Bash event in 2019 with Nocella winning the latter. Pitkat made two starts in an American-Canadian Tour Late Model this year as well.
Still, it is too early to declare either the frontrunner. Six-time MRS winner Richard Savary of Holbrook, MA was a contender in the final laps of the Bullring Bash event. Ellington, CT’s Ronnie Williams won MRS features last year in at three different tracks and will try to put another notch in his belt.
Other former winners expected include Millis, MA’s Tommy Barrett, Feeding Hill, CT’s Jeff Gallup, and Auburn, NH’s Mike Douglas Jr. Series officials also say perennial Stafford Motor Speedway SK Modified contender Todd Owen of Somers, CT is making the trip north. A full list of expected drivers can be found at www.themodifiedracingseries.com.
The Honor to Essential Workers 100 is part of “Twin 100s” with the Foley Oil & Propane Late Models. The Leaf Peepers 100 has become another late-summer tradition and arrives as the year-long “King of the Mountain” championship chase enters the stretch drive.
With three point-counting events left, a pair of White Mountain titans are going at it for the title. Five-time champion Stacy Cahoon of St. Johnsbury, VT snapped a two-plus year winless drought last time out. In doing so, he put himself in position to nab a sixth championship. Cahoon is 13 points ahead of eight-time champion Quinny Welch. Groveton, NH’s Welch has yet to win a race this year but leads the division with seven top-5 finishes.
Not far behind are Monroe, NH’s Oren Remick and South Barre, VT’s Mike “Beetle” Bailey. Remick has won countless races at White Mountain over the years but is still searching for his first championship. Bailey, like Cahoon, recently broke a long winless streak and could be a dark horse in the battle. Craftsbury Common, VT’s Joel Hodgdon completes the top-5.
Saturday’s program also includes championship action for the Wells River Chevrolet Flying Tigers, Woodsville Guaranty Savings Bank Strictly Stock Mini’s, and 7-Eleven Dwarf Cars. Barton, VT’s Shane Sicard is in the catbird seat for his third straight Flying Tiger championship. The four-time 2020 winner has a 24-point lead over Hardwick, VT’s Jaden Perry. Rookie Kasey Beattie of St. Johnsbury, VT, who is the only driver to finish in the top-10 at every event, sits third.
The experience of Bethlehem, NH’s Brett Jackson continues to lead the youth of Littleton, NH’s Tyler Thompson in the Strictly Stock Mini’s. Jackson has finished in the top-5 at all nine point-counting events, giving him a 13-point edge over Thompson. St. Johnsbury, VT’s Colby Bourgeois has been unstoppable in the Dwarf Cars and leads teammate Jason Wyman after three straight victories.
White Mountain Motorsports Park celebrates Labor Day this Saturday, September 5 at 6:00pm with Twin 100s. Both the Modified Racing Series and the Foley Oil & Propane Late Models have 100-lap main events presented by Caron Fabrication along with a full card for the Wells River Chevrolet Flying Tigers, Woodsville Guaranty Savings Bank Strictly Stock Mini’s, and 7-Eleven Dwarf Cars.
The front gates open at 3:30pm. Admission is $20 for adults and $5 for kids ages 12 and under. A $25 live pay-per-view broadcast is also available on the Northeast Sports Network at www.NSNsports.net.
For more information, contact the White Mountain Motorsports Park offices at (802) 244-6963, [email protected], or visit www.whitemountainmotorsports.com or www.themodifiedracingseries.com. You can also get updates on Facebook at @WhiteMtnMotorsports.
I’m really considering going, haven’t been up there since the year it opened I think, when I was a kid. I remember seeing Dick Trickle racing there, I’ll never forget seeing him walk on the track and flipping his cigarette off into the grass above the wall along the front stretch.
That entry list looks pretty compelling, especially if DJ Shaw shows up, would definitely be interesting seeing him in a mod.
27 cars, strictly a Northern modified feel and agree very compelling for streaming in my case.
Nocella in his own 92 and the 25 have to be among the favorites. Todd Owen for the Stafford faithful is interesting. Matt Kimball now glowing brightly on the guys to watch radar.
For anyone deciding to join me the NSN stream was lower definition when I last viewed the first fanless Late Model race with them but perhaps that has changed. Otherwise it was terrific and the White Mountain announcer no nonsense straight call first rate. Plus we get to see the whole event and not just the tour modifieds.
No problems getting it up on your big TV as NSN is Roku, Apple TV, Android TV and Amazon Fire friendly.
I’m watching on NSN, the number of mods that actually showed up looks like less than half the list they put out. Very few of the big names seem to have shown up.
Observations
-not going to blame the MRS for advertising 27 possible entries and producing 14. There was no reason to believe 27 cars would travel north to this race based on the current status of the MRS. On the other hand there are over 30 cars registered for the Stafford Twisted Tea open coming up and they typically are off no more then 5 cars and do confirm entries prior to the race.
-if you’re into Late Models that clearly are the favorite up north it was a good show. Good Late Model car count and some pretty terrific two wide racing. Second Late Model race I’ve seen up there and that track seems ideal for the LM’s with racing going on everywhere on the track. Modifieds not as racy up there. Support divisions were chock full of good racing as well. I love New Hampshire tracks for loading up on divisions that allow people with average budgets to get out on the track and compete.
-MRS feature was meh. The car count light for sure but it was far too easy for the Cassella 25. Williams floated around in 3rd and 2nd, got his opportunity on a restart, a little racing I suppose but then cruised off for the win. Seemed to me Pitkat in the feature and heat was the only one really racing hard at the front in that one. 6 cars finish on the lead lap, massive intervals separating each added up to a field that was not equal in any respect.
-NSN puts on a flawless, basic stream and shows everything nicely with a couple camera’s.. Problem is it’s low definition and you can’t see any numbers. It’s perfect for the WM, Thunder Road audience that know all the cars.Outsiders like me it’s a blur and colors. Tell you what though it does show how smart Stafford was to go with the streaming provider they did with picture quality second only to NBC Sports Gold.
-track announcer was terrific calling the Late Model and support divisions. Really old school high energy straight call..A bit of a coward however in handling safety protocols unlike Dodge and Buckler who stress doing the right thing to keep everyone safe. He basically said do it because the state government may be watching and restrict fans more if they don’t like what they see. Even expressing a little bitterness that they would come north to tell locals what to do. Not exactly a profile in courage for that guy. Plenty of geezers in the crowd to try to keep safe.
-Spence calling the MRS was a perfect match. A sleepy call for an uneventful race.
-overall the cost at $25 plus tax well worth it if you are into Late Models and the support divisions. For this Nutmegger concentrating on modifieds it was a bust and the worst tour modified race of the pandemic season from a competition standpoint.
-It’s been 17 years of so for Bateman and the MRS. A success by any standard based on longevity. It never really became a challenger to the NWMT but certainly commanded a significant niche.
Things change. The market has changed and the alternatives have been more successful. The low pay out, points accumulation model is dead. Don’t know if the MRS is dead the northern tier modifieds will have to decide that by showing up or not. There is no question however it has fallen to last place in watchability and bang for the buck.
Streaming tip of the day: Consider the Staffordspeedway.tv next day recast at only $10.
Best alternative is to be there watching. Next is to stream it live. Next day recast is a new, third option. Still see all the action as it happened while it’s still fresh and at a bargain price. Blast forward when the lights go out or wall repairs are necessary while catching all the action.