It was an already a stacked field brimming with the best talent around in Modified racing.
Now it’s just that much more stacked.
NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Preece confirmed to RaceDayCT that he officially filed his entry Wednesday morning for Saturday’s CBYD Modified Classic 81 at Stafford.
“I’m looking forward to coming to run this event,” Preece told RaceDayCT “The Tri-Track Series has done something special. The work they have put in to take every Tour Type division and make a competitive rules package for everyone, is something all fans should be excited about.”
It will mark the second Tri-Track Open Modified Series Preece has run this season. He also ran with the series in July at Star Speedway in Epping, N.H.
Saturday’s event at Stafford marks the inaugural race for the Tri-Track Open Modified Series at Stafford. The $10,000 to win CBYD Modified Classic 81 has more than fifty cars on the entry list and has grown to be come on of the most anticipated Modified events in years in Southern New England.
“The $10,000 to win is just the cherry on top,” Preece said. “I see Super Late Models & many other divisions racing for 10k and up to win. With the Modifieds being an elite type of race car in the Northeast, it’s awesome to see the effort that those guys put in to not only help the race teams, but also bring a top notch show for the fans.
“Having fifty plus cars in attendance will make it tough, but the car & tools Eddie and Connie Partridge provide me with gives me confidence to say we can show up & have a strong race car to go for the [win].”
Preece is no stranger to success at Stafford where he sits 11th on the track’s all-time overall win list with 35 victories.
He was the 2011 SK Modified champion at Stafford and has 25 career victories in the division. He also has eight NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins at the historic half-mile to go with one Modified Racing Series victory. His last victory at Stafford came in an Open Modified 80 show on June 14, 2019. Preece also won the 2013 Whelen Modified Tour title.
With Preece in the field at Stafford, the Tri-Track Open Modified Series will now have drivers representing 10 of the last 10 Whelen Modified Tour champions in Saturday’s race. Justin Bonsignore, the 2018 and 2020 champion will be driving for Jimmy Paige.
Six-time Whelen Modified Tour champion Doug Coby (Titles in 2012, ’14, ’15, ’16, ’17 and ’19) is driving for Gary Casella. Ron Silk, the 2011 Whelen Modified Tour champion, will be driving for Bob Horn.
Was Hoping To Hear This News!!!!
Someone call 911. Doug is on the ground gasping for air like a fish out of water holding his chest like Fred Sanford.
I knew this was going to happen, just waiting to see it.
Pretty ambitious for him. Saturday race in conn., and a 3:30 start on Sunday in Texas in cup.
I realize cup doesn’t have practices or time trials, but I give him a lot of credit to attempt this.
Oh to be young again…….
Hope he has his COVID-19 TrumpPandemic status up to date.
Unreasonable to infer that he knows he has no ride in Cup next season, so why not race where his heart lies?
MikeL,
I don’t think making any assumptions about Ryan’s future employment is of any relevance to the conversation here. Since focusing his efforts on competing at the national level with selected NASCAR divisions, Ryan has every year found time to compete in select Modified events. Please don’t make his personal decision to race in Saturday’s event some sort of jumping off point for your speculations about Ryan’s opportunities in his other career endeavors.
I got an unofficial count of 54 entries as posted on Staffords site. Jeez they really are pulling out all the stops to get me to go to this race. Weather looks good. This race is starting to get into the cant miss once in a lifetime category. I may have to just say uncle and give in. They hit Richie Evans 61 in entries and I am in. Only issue, I cant think of many drivers who arent already on the list. It does sound better than painting a couple of bedrooms. Enjoy looks like it will be a good one.
Hey Mike, Ryan has been on fire since the Kentucky wreck. Has gotten everything out of that car in recent months. Best average finish in Superspeedway races the last two years too. Next year’s drivers moves are about over. I suspect Ryan will be back in the 37. Let’s see what he can do with a little lady luck next year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stdi-1tIUhM
Ya hear that Elizabeth. This is the big one. I’m coming to you honey.
Nope not like that at all JD but this is the big one all right in a good way.
We hate the pandemic don’t we? Yet out of it ironically we’ve been treated to one of the most intense, condensed periods of great racing in our lives. Double ironically because even though capacities have been capped we’ve had unparalleled access to regional racing via streaming. This race and now with Preece making the show was almost preordained by fate as the only appropriate event for a screwy season winding down.
To find a one day race event with that many modifieds vying for one first prize I’d have to go back to Danbury RaceArena in the 1960’s. In that era, at that track there was only one division and it took a full night to sort out a winner from 50 plus cars. I’m probably embelllishing that memory but in any event every Saturday night the pits were loaded. Maybe some of the older fans have similar memories on the track they grew up with.
At this stage I don’t even care who wins. First and foremost I’ll be hoping everyone is safe on and off the track even Ronnie Williams. Otherwise enjoying the spectacle of it all and appreciating everyone from TTOMS to Stafford to the competitors and sponsors that are making it happen. Even Ronnie Williams.
No one needs to be wringing their hands about Preece’s chances of keeping his day job. Racers race. He’s not only stepping in to pilot a car he in all likelihood is the guy that convinced a well connected owner with his own big event coming up and a bunch of his friends to once again put a package together to compete for one race. Loyalty and charisma accomplishes those sorts of efforts. Don’t look now but Preece has a run going for him in Cup with some good to great finishes. . He’s on a roll and he may be bringing those positive waves to Stafford on Saturday.
Greatest race this year and Goodfella will still be locked in his house being safe to bad maybe when Biden wins he’ll feel all warm and fuzzy cause Out of no where Biden will follow all the scientists and we’re all good.
Shawn Courchesne I find it amazing that of all the digressive and altogether irrelevant and far more speculative comments on these boards on specific issues, you allege something that is quite a stretch at best. I merely offered it as a question. I concede it may have been tangential to this article, but it certainly does not warrant your personal overreaction.
I’m glad he is at the event; my post implies that. Perhaps I should have been more explicit. I will be at the event on Saturday; other commenters may not. That issue, i.e. getting fans to the track, yes physically at the track, not via app, should rank as the most important concern for all modified fans. I apologize for writing what some may have misconstrued as speculation.
See you Saturday!
MikeL,
Sorry, I didn’t mean to come off as I was chastising you. I don’t want to see the comments go off on a tangent of people for some reason speculating that Ryan chose to race at Stafford Saturday because of some issues involving his full-time job with JTG Daugherty Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series. The train can go off the tracks pretty quick here sometimes and I was just trying to avoid seeing that happen.
“getting fans to the track, yes physically at the track, not via app, should rank as the most important concern for all modified fans.”
Just a slight clarification. Race Monitor is an “app”. A set of algorithms that provide data to your computer automatically from sensors. Streaming races is no more an “app” then is watching the NFL on CBS. It’s live content, live announcers, people manning camera’s and audio equipment all overseen by actual people in production making decisions on the fly as to what is shown and said on air.
Facebook
“Stafford Motor Speedway
Based on the entries received for Saturday’s Call Before You Dig Modified Classic 81, Tri Track Open Modified Series officials have determined there will be a 25 lap b-main with the top 2 transferring to the big show
Qualifying Races
Consolation Races
B-Main
Feature
THIS>WILL>BE>A>SHOW”
The Greatest Race Of Fall. !!! Who will be Crowned the” King of The Modifieds”..???!!!! I will be there along with my suitcase …
Glad to hear Preece has decided to race this event.wish I was attending as I had planned to do, but had the misfortune of totalling my truck last night trying to avoid hitting a big deer that most likely would have destroyed it Both me and my wife spent most of the night at separate hospitals, and today we find ourselves., Could have been allot worse. I don’t want to waste the money to go to the race, because I’d probably have to leave early due to my injuries. Hope you that do attend get to see a great day of racing.
Glad To Hear You And Your Wife Are OK Rob P!! Be Thinking Of You And Your Wife!! I’ve Talked To You At Tracks In The Past.. You And I Are Big T.C. Fans {If I Remember Right} Rest Up And Heal Up!
Rob p. thank God you and your wife are ok! A terrible happening, but glad both of you are able to recover from it!
Rob p, I am so sorry to hear about you and your wife and thank God you are both OK. This has been one heck of a year for you and I will bet you will be glad when 2020 is over.
Get well soon my friend.
Rop p., Hope you and wife are well soon.
Take care.
Rob P.,
Wishing you and your wife a speedy and complete recovery. Sorry to hear about the crash.
It is such a huge bummer that we are in this dangerously accelerating and deadly pandemic right now.
This would be a great event to draw out huge crowds.
Be careful out there folks.
Wear a mask, keep your distance, bring plenty of sanitizing wipes. Follow the rules from the experts.
It’s going to be quite a show. The format, drivers from many series, all sorts of cars will add up to a great event. Let’s hope the on-track behavior is under control. Something like this can turn into a demolition derby in no time.
Have fun, be safe.
Just remember drivers, this will be recorded for future reference.
Thanks to everyone for your kindness. We are both doing ok, allot of bumps and bruises. The truck did its job.
Hope anyone going to the race enjoys themselves and stays safe.
There are so many good drivers entered, it’s tough to pick a winner. I think a Stafford regular is going to win, don’t know which one though.
Agree with Rob p., this event is heavily weighted towards Stafford regulars, which includes drivers and Crew Chiefs.
Preese at track practicing today , car’s at track practicing since Wed ,sounds like some are taking this race seriously
Ok, going out on a limb. I’m picking Pitkat, Williams, Owen, Rocco and Christopher for top 5, not sure of the exact order, but leaning toward Woody for the win.
RobP, I don’t know if you have seen the Stafford live video coverage of races before, but I expect you will be doing that today. Enjoy. I’ll be interested to hear what you think.
Glad Rob p. and his wife are ok. But how the heck was he planning on attending this event after all the corona horror stories we’ve been hearing from him all year. Isn’t this the second wave?