Former NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Bobby Santos III will team up once again with Tinio Motorsports to run part-time with the series and also run selected Open Modified events in the Northeast.
The Tinio Motorsports team is expected to run its first Whelen Modified Tour event of the season with Santos in the second scheduled event for the series at Richmond (Va.) Raceway on April 1.
“We always have done well together through the years and I’m just looking forward to doing some more races this year,” Santos told RaceDayCT. “We plan on starting at Richmond and then doing a handful of other [Whelen Modified Tour] shows and if things go well I think want to do a few Open shows at maybe Stafford [Motor Speedway] and Thompson [Speedway].”
In addition to Richmond, Santos said the team is looking at running other Whelen Modified Tour events at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Thompson Speedway (in August), Oswego (N.Y.) Speedway and Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.
Santos said the team is looking at the possibility of running of the 50th NAPA Spring Sizzler at Stafford Speedway April 23-24.
The Tinio Motorsports team returned to competition on the Whelen Modified Tour in 2021 with Santos behind the wheel, competing in four events last year with the 2010 series champion.
Santos has eighth place finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the team last July followed by a seventh place run at Oswego (N.Y.) Speedway in September. A suspension issue relegated Santos to a 23rd place finish at Richmond (Va) Raceway for the team in September. The team closed out the 2021 season with a 24th place in the NAPA Fall Final 150 at Stafford due to a mechanical issue.
Santos won the in the inaugural Northeast Classic Open Modified event last April at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
“I’m looking forward to hopefully doing a little better than what we did last year,” Santos said.
Santos has 19 career Whelen Modified Tour victories over 153 series starts dating back to 2001. His last win came in the 2020 Musket 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway driving for Dave Sapienza Racing. Santos competed regularly for the Tinio Motorsports from 2012 to 2018.
I was hoping Dave Sapienza would run a second car and put BSIII in it.
Glad to know I’ll have some opportunities to see my favorite driver!
Another DADUMB comment, Sapienza needs to get HIS car and team to perform Not a 2nd car for another guy and I think Santos has done quite well over the yrs driving for the Tinio team!!!!!!!!!
Santos and Finio, a potential winner wherever the show up. Wish them the best of luck
There’s a solid cohort of bigger names and cars in the Sizzler so far but the 26 car initial release hasn’t been updated in a good long while. Sapienza is leaning out. Coby leaning in as well as Santos. Still a lot of big names to decide so fingers crossed this doesn’t go sideways.
The Tinio’s ae doing their job having gone through the car and it should be in top form for 2022. The opening win last year in a low car count field at NHMS followed by some solid runs but certainly nothing Musket level Santos achieved in Sapienza’s cars.
Santos, Santos, Santos……….fingers crossed for the much beloved short track legend. If he’s in the field it’s always better.
With the NWMT opener and 5 modified opens to follow hoping we can do the Pick-ems once again after a successful inaugural season. Hopefully Suitcase Jake will be back from vacation at his Caribbean villa to give us the green for 2022.
Guaranteed Santos will be a popular pick in the pick 6 contest in whatever events he shows up to this year. Bobby Santos is always a threat to win.