Lee USA Speedway general manager Joe Bassett expects to release a 2021 schedule for the Lee, N.H. track next week.
At this point Bassett doesn’t envision a return to the facility in 2021 for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, but he isn’t entirely closing the door on the possibility.
“If they can come up with a date that works with both parties and a package that works for both sides we’d be more than happy to work with them,” Bassett told RaceDayCT Thursday. “I’d be excited to have them back considering we haven’t had them for 20 years.”
The Whelen Modified Tour has run five times at Lee USA Speedway running one event annually from 1993-96 and returning to the track for the last event in 1998, which was won by Ed Flemke Jr.
“We have our schedule pretty well locked down,” Bassett said. “But something could be done to work with the Modified Tour. If not, we’re ready to roll with what we have and we do have a full schedule for 2021.”
Bassett’s vision for a Whelen Modified Tour event for 2021 at Lee has a specific hope to it, but one that is a little bit foggy when it comes to availability at this point in time.
New Hampshire Motor Speedway management announced last month that their September Full Throttle Weekend, which featured the Whelen Modified Tour Musket 250 in 2018 and 2019 and the Musket 200 in 2020, will not return in 2021. The Whelen Modified Tour is also not currently scheduled as part of the track’s NASCAR Cup Series Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 weekend, which is set for July 16-18, 2021.
Bassett sees the possibility of the Whelen Modified Tour running at Lee on July 16, 2021 as an attractive scenario should the series not be running at New Hampshire Motor Speedway that weekend. Lee USA Speedway is about 35 miles away from New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon.
New Hampshire Motor Speedway executive vice president and general manager David McGrath said Thursday morning that there was nothing new to report as far as the status of the Whelen Modified Tour as part of the July weekend in Loudon.
“Realistically what would work best for us is if we could get the Friday night before the Cup Series event at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, if [the Whelen Modified Tour] is not going back to Loudon,” Bassett said. “We’ve heard they aren’t going. We’ve heard they are going. But that would be the perfect date for us. I’m not saying that another date wouldn’t work, but that would be best for us.”
Shawn, do you you really want to be responsible for JD’s heart attack and subsequent death?
🌈JD🌈, tell us some more.
Ah for the good old days. Tracks posted their schedules, RaceDayCt published them with some highlights and then let the forum do our worst picking it to pieces. No such luck these days.
All the calls and follow ups must be like pulling teeth. Every track and race a transaction. It’s schedule day trading with no end in sight.
As more information dribbles out it appears there isn’t this unified rise to bury NASCAR after all. Seekonk, Monadnock and Lee, USA all with reasons for not scheduling a race but not slamming any doors. They’re all quite civil and open minded as it turns out.
Is it time to put away the pitchforks and clubs for this schedule season. Maybe not quite yet.
I’ve died 100O deaths already. It’s brutal. This actually brought me back a little.
Doug’s best post ever. A++++
Based on today’s comments we can assume the schedule is full but New England light. Hello Iowa, Rockingham etc. I’d take Bristol in a heartbeat but I don’t see it next Sept.
I remember the good old days when Dafella was only consumed with the speedbowl grandstands. Normally he’d be flipping out right about now with no word of a schedule coming from the track🤣🤣
Man this is popcorn worthy, the twists and turns on this schedule are crazy. Will they, won’t they, and will they at the same time as won’t they. JD being totally trampled all over the last few weeks and today specifically, only to have Lee throw that crumb out there about wanting to run the tour on cup weekend. What next?
🌈🦄 2020, I was not consumed with the Speedbowl grandstands, I was consumed with enjoying the idiocy of those that were believing every word that the grandstands were going to be completed, when a year and more later, nothing was happening. Yet, folks were still loyal and being “positive” after all that 💩 was thrown at them over and over. Even funnier when the manager guy Speluca, or what ever, came on here trying to trash me, but I always ended up being right, and nothing was done, and even he was laid to waste by the Waterford meat grinder. So yeah, I was consumed by the COMEDY OF IT ALL.
🤣🤣🤣😝😝😝🤪🤪🤪🤪😝😝🤣😝😝🤣🤣😝🤣🤪
Hey 🌈JD🌈, why are there all these problems with setting schedules for 2021?
What’s causing all this strife?
Seems to be a widespread issue affecting many, if not all, tracks. Do you have any idea? You are so smart, I figure you’d know.
I can see this happening…
A phone call between the track and NASCAR, about 2 weeks before an open weekend, COVID is not raging, but at some doable level that will allow a decent crowd.
LET’S DO IT!!!!
2802 Americans died yesterday from Covid-19. In 19 years if War with afghanistan only 2452 Americans have died.
Covid is real, and it’s deadly.
MASK UP
🌈JD🌈, what’s going on this year that the schedules aren’t out yet? You posted a while ago the dates that schedules are historically released, those dates have come and gone, and still no solid schedules. Did people forget how to use a calendar? 📆 📅 🗓 Maybe you can call ☎️ Trump ☎️ and have him fix this, after all, he has said he is the only one that can fix things. Is he already involved in this at all?
🦇💩🥜: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=720O_yBLrTs&feature=youtu.be
This is your cover song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnzHtm1jhL4
When all else fails, comfort yourself with this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f70Z3cvrQd0&list=FLHlopQ6svucxzi8naQ-xlIw&index=11
Rob p., 2,977 people perished in the 9/11 attack. That was considered an astonishing number. Keep that in mind as you watch the daily #TrumpPandemic statistics pile up.
The NH governor doesn’t expect anymore shutdowns or lockdowns in NH regardless of numbers.
Mods at Lee would be great. Mods not on NHMS schedule very bad. Getting neither would be terrible.
Good thing I enjoy Stafford Springs, CT.
*********IDIOT********
WHO EARNED THE RIGHT TO USE IT?
STARRING DAREAL (YOU’RE ALL IDIOTS) GOODFELLA
EPISODE 1: SIX DAYS OF CALLING PEOPLE “IDIOT” AS WE ENTER THE 2020 HOLIDAY SEASON.
darealgoodfella says
November 28, 2020 at 7:23 pm
Hey idiots, and that means you, …
darealgoodfella says
November 29, 2020 at 8:12 pm
Hey Phil, the only people that could take offense are the idiots, the people that refuse to mask up and do what is needed to address the #TrumpPandemic.
darealgoodfella says
November 30, 2020 at 9:09 am
Earl confirms he’s an idiot.
darealgoodfella says
December 1, 2020 at 9:38 am
Hey idiots, you don’t know who you are.
darealgoodfella says
December 2, 2020 at 5:10 pm
Only idiots would be surprised.
darealgoodfella says
December 3, 2020 at 8:25 pm
2020, I was not consumed with the Speedbowl grandstands, I was consumed with enjoying the idiocy of those that were believing every word that the grandstands were going to be completed, when a year and more later, nothing was happening.
SO ONE ASKS, DID THE PERSON THAT USES THE TERM “IDIOT” SO FREQUENTLY EARN IT WITH AN INSIGHTFUL BODY OF COMMENTARY? JUDGE FOR YOURSELF.
SUBMISSION NUMBER 1: DAREALGOODFELLA ON CHASE DOWLING LEAVING LFR.
darealgodfella says
October 6, 2018 at 1:53 pm
Sad, looks like Dowling will be the one working the Fry-o-lator, while looking for a driving opportunity. How many other chassis shops are there?
🌈JD🌈 says,
“The NH governor doesn’t expect anymore shutdowns or lockdowns in NH regardless of numbers.”
Them crazy Republicans:
https://www.rawstory.com/2020/11/new-hampshire-republicans-threaten-impeachment-of-their-own-gop-governor-over-mask-mandate/
🤣🤣😝😝🤪🤪🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤪🤪😝🤣🤣🤣🤣😁🤣🤪🤪🤣🤣🤣🤪🤪🤣🤪
Oh, those crazy NH Republicans.
The total deaths due to the #TrumpPandemic as of 12/3 are 282,829. Wilbur Ross, the US Secretary of Commerce in the Trump Administration says that is not a meaningful number of deaths since it is not large enough to have a material impact on the GDP.
The NH governor went from handling this well before the election to a train wreck after he got re-elected. Everyone that said it’d go away after the election are dead wrong, it’s only gotten worse.
Rob A, the NH Governor had nothing to handle COVID-wise much before the election because NH had inherently very low case numbers, and that was simply because NH is a low population density state with no reason to go there. It has since suffered greatly, as expected, with the pandemic slowly creeping into the low population density regions, such as NH.
Everyone that was saying COVID-19 would just go away are idiots. Those that believed them are compound exponential idiots.
Jimmy babe, call Lee. We can get this deal done today.
*********IDIOT********
WHO EARNED THE RIGHT TO USE IT?
STARRING DAREAL (YOU’RE ALL IDIOTS) GOODFELLA
EPISODE 2: SEVEN DAYS OF CALLING PEOPLE “IDIOT” AS WE ENTER THE 2020 HOLIDAY SEASON.
darealgoodfella says
November 28, 2020 at 7:23 pm
Hey idiots, and that means you, …
darealgoodfella says
November 29, 2020 at 8:12 pm
Hey Phil, the only people that could take offense are the idiots, the people that refuse to mask up and do what is needed to address the #TrumpPandemic.
darealgoodfella says
November 30, 2020 at 9:09 am
Earl confirms he’s an idiot.
darealgoodfella says
December 1, 2020 at 9:38 am
Hey idiots, you don’t know who you are.
darealgoodfella says
December 2, 2020 at 5:10 pm
Only idiots would be surprised.
darealgoodfella says
December 3, 2020 at 8:25 pm
2020, I was not consumed with the Speedbowl grandstands, I was consumed with enjoying the idiocy of those that were believing every word that the grandstands were going to be completed, when a year and more later, nothing was happening.
😷😷😷 darealgoodfella 😷😷😷 says
December 4, 2020 at 11:59 am
Everyone that was saying COVID-19 would just go away are idiots. Those that believed them are compound exponential idiots.
SUBMISSION NUMBER 2: DAREALGOODFELLA MARCH 2020 DEATH COUNT PROJECTION
🏁 🏁 🏁 darealgoodfella 🏁 🏁 🏁 says
March 20, 2020 at 5:38 pm
Authorities are expecting around 50-80% infection rates.
The mortality rate appears to be around 4%.
So the USA has a population of 330 million, half of that is 165 million. Then 4% of that is 6.6 million. We are looking at millions of people dying.
Sounds like Covid and DaReal have something in common.
Yep, Welding Wonders is an idiot.
If WeldingWonders had a moderate handle on arithmetic, and advanced geometric series progression, and statistics and probabilities, he would know that the projections from the authorities (March 20 post) are indeed plausible and are happening. First, that prediction was per the original Trump directive to do nothing, let the virus spread unchecked. We are indeed doing something, we are doing WFH, shut down high risk places (bars, restaurants, gyms, and other places where people gather in large groups) Trump did not want to do anything that would impact the awesome Obama/Biden economy. But we are already at almost 300,000 official deaths, and many, many more are expected as a result of this recent surge in cases. We are currently running at daily deaths on par with the 9/11 attack loss of life. The rate of infection and the rate of deaths is skyrocketing, and this will go on for months. The only thing that can explain that is people are not behaving. People are going to restaurants, bars, cafes, churches, and gatherings outside the immediate household, and are getting and giving infections. Luckily, much slower than expected because the smart people are not doing such careless, selfish and dangerous behaviors. Wearing masks, social distancing has worked. It has suppressed the RATE of spread of the pathogen. But idiots being idiots, they think they are invincible, and they do not follow protocols, and they get it and become a spreader. Idiots.
Furthermore, the national death tally is running much higher this year. Much higher than the additional KNOWN COVID-19 deaths.
There was no specific end to that projection. The vaccine is not the cure. Experts are saying that we will still need to wear a mask, social distance and abide by all other coronavirus protocols even WITH the vaccine. It is not known how long the vaccine will protect, booster shots may be needed every 6 months or so. People will be dying from COVID-19 all along. We will reach a million dead rather soon. The scary rate of increase is irrefutable.
People traveled for Thanksgiving. They are spreading the joy and coronavirus. These people and all they infected will be simmering, with the surge in cases and deaths starting about a week before Christmas. Then there will be more traveling over the Christmas and New Year break, spreading more joy and infection, and there will be another astronomical surge in cases and deaths a couple weeks later. The way the pathogen is spreading right now, it is being considered out of control by the experts and authorities. It will be wildly out of control in a couple weeks as these recent Thanksgiving super spreading starts to blossom, leading into the Christmas/New Year blossom explosion. It will take many months to settle down from this. Many months. Many months and hundreds of thousands dead.
The vaccine is not going to turn this off like a light switch. The behavior of this Administration has sowed huge mistrust in anything coming from it, and people do not trust the basic safety of the vaccines, and per surveys, only about 35% plan on getting the vaccine. 💉 That’s not enough to stop the pandemic. 😷
Mask up people.
🌈JD🌈 and Trump have a few things in common.
They love this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f70Z3cvrQd0&list=FLHlopQ6svucxzi8naQ-xlIw&index=11
I suppose I’m about to be an idiot. At least in terms of this point in time. Come April maybe it will be proven or maybe not.
Comment sections are adrenaline rushes over reacting to the now. The current mood is that the 2021 season at least at the start will be badly wounded. By a damaged economy almost for certain. By the pandemic maybe less so then appears now.
I don’t think it’s overstatement to say that not since WWII has so much money and resources been directed at one single crises world wide at one time as now. We are concentrating on Pfizer, Moderna and to a lesser extent GlaxoSmithKline. They are the tip of the spear.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/science/coronavirus-vaccine-tracker.html
There are competing messages now. One is that of optimism that the vaccines are real, will work and should tame the virus. The other is to not push it too hard lest people get even more complacent then they are now and make things worse. Bill Gates has pretty much been summing it up in his assessment of where we stand now.
Today Show
1 day ago
“Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, whose foundation has contributed $450 million to the global coronavirus response, tells TODAY that although “the next four or five months look pretty grim,” by spring, “we’ll be headed back to normal.” And while vaccine distribution is “going to be tricky” because “the federal government has abdicated some of its responsibilities in a public health crisis,” he predicts that “overall I think we will get it all out.”
Gates is not alone saying that. Spring is mentioned often by Dr. Scott Gottlieb and other experts as a turning point in the crises. Just after they scare the living snot out of us about what happens between now and spring.
What I think the forum is underestimating is two things. First the ferocity of the Covid19 response with regard to production and distribution. Second the speed with which partial immunization will impact the infection rate.
Production will ramp up at an astounding rate month by month and the number of people immunized although partial will be very impactful in reducing the opportunities for the virus to spread. Combining the natural seasonal decrease of the virus with the accelerating immunizations will produce results hard to imagine in our despair now.
It’s grim now there’s no other way to frame it. That doesn’t mean you can appreciate the historic significance of what is happening with regard to the response.
There will be set backs for sure. However baring a major shock like people getting severe reactions to various vaccines or supply chain issues there is every reason to believe that the 2021 racing season will have less as opposed to more impacts from Covid19.
Flasks up RaceDayCt nation. It’s always darkest before the dawn.
Thank you Dafella for doing your part and hiding in your basement for the duration. We salute you. See you at the track in a few years or maybe never. I pray one day all people will behave like you and not like all these idiots you speak of. Keep up the good fight brother 👊.