Trial By Inferno: Buddy Charette Ready For Test In Tour Type Mod At New Smyrna World Series

Buddy Charette (Photo: Courtesy of Buddy Charette)

The Tour Type Modified division roster for the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway is teeming with names that run the spectrum of familiarity, success and experience. 

Drivers that represent winning Modified championships in a plethora of divisions. More than 100 wins across the spectrum of top level Tour Type Modified racing is represented on the roster. 

It’s fair to say when it comes to the five consecutive nights of Tour Type Modified features coming up next Monday through Friday at New Smyrna Speedway, the track will be loaded with majority of the best talent around of Modified racing. 

And then there’s Woodstock driver Buddy Charette, throwing himself square into the mix of a 40-plus team roster for his first experience of Tour Type Modified racing. 

Charette, who has competed locally in recent years in SK Modifieds, Late Models and SK Light Modifieds isn’t facing a trial by fire in New Smyrna, more like trial by raging inferno. 

“You look at the roster for this year, it’s no joke there,” the 39-year old Charette said. “The best guys in the country are going to be there. Which is kind of bad for us, but in the same token, if you want to beat the best you’ve got to run with the best. In that aspect I think that’s a good thing for us. We’ll definitely know what we’re lacking by the end of the deal. Hopefully we can stay out of trouble and run some laps. I don’t really have any expectations other than hopefully being able to qualify and make it into the show.” 

Charette and his crew purchased a Tour Type Modified following the conclusion of the 2020 season with no real set plans on what to do with it. He traded one of his Late Model cars for a motor and drive train for the Modified. 

“I got it all put together,” Charette said. “And we were talking probably about a month ago, we were really just farting around with the idea, you know, ‘Hey, let’s go to New Smyrna with this thing.’ I was like, ‘Do you really want to?’ And they were like ‘Yeah, let’s go.’ I was just like ‘If you really want to then let’s do it.’ It kind of was just jokingly said at the start, and then here we are.” 

Charette said his “experience” in the seat of a Tour Type Modified is basically getting behind the wheel of Todd Szegedy’s car with a push truck pushing him onto the track for a pit party years ago. 

“This deal is even tougher for somebody like me because I don’t have a plethora of spare parts that I’ve collected for years,” Charette said. “I’m kind of throwing everything together last minute. … We literally just put the car together and we haven’t even turned a lap with it.” 

The Tour Type Modified division kicks off its slate of events with a 50-lap feature Monday at New Smyrna. The division runs a 35-lap feature Tuesday followed up Wednesday by the John Blewett III Memorial 76 lap event. Another 35-lap feature on Thursday Feb. 11 sets up for the final event on Friday Feb. 12, the 100-lap Richie Evans Memorial event. 

“I never thought I would have the opportunity to live out one of my childhood dreams to drive a Tour Type Modified,” Charette posted on Facebook. “I have worked on a few great cars but never had the opportunity to race one.” 




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Comments

  1. That’s an awesome name for a racer. Buddy Charette. How cool is that.

  2. I knew Buddy as kids racing karts. I’m happy for him and would love to see him do well…always was a good guy, I wish him luck!

  3. I just saw him at Baker’s Dozen getting a donut and coffee

  4. He is a coffee and donut guy?!?! Even better. Go buddy!!! I could market this guy.

    Best of luck in FLA.

  5. Hey Capitan Obvious, who isn’t a coffee and donut person? The lines at DD *EVERY* morning look like gas lines during the OPEC oil embargo.

    JD, were you just defrosted from a 100,000 year deep freeze?

  6. Start Scratch… get some laps in … Have Fun…. Keep an eye out for the Leaders when getting lapped ..keep four wheels on it…. stay out of trouble…. Finish every race….. Success…… make some new friends…. enjoy everything…have realistic goals…… That will be Success …… Good Luck Buddy…..

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