STAFFORD – Run down the names on the list of all-time SK Modified division champions at Stafford Speedway and one is bombarded with some of the biggest names in southern New England short track racing over the last four decades.
Ted Christopher, Mike Christopher, Bo Gunning, Bob Potter, Jerry Pearl, Jimmy Broderick, Keith Rocco, Rowan Pennink, Woody Pitkat, Ryan Preece are just some of the names included in the champion’s record book of the SK Modified division at Stafford since the division was introduced at the historic half-mile in 1982.
Friday at Stafford Todd Owen set a mark in the division that none of those drivers before him could ever achieve.
Owen, of Somers, finished 10th in the 40-lap SK Modified feature Friday to clinch his third consecutive SK Modified championship at Stafford. Owen became the first driver in track history to win three consecutive championships in the division.
“It hasn’t really sunk in,” Owen said. “It’s years and years and years of trying to be close to just get one. This streak that we’re on, not only the championships, but the top-10 streak, I don’t know, I’m usually not out of words, but I really can’t even believe it. It’s kind of a shock still. We clawed from the bottom out. We were down. Nine years ago we were down and we started building this. Just to see where it’s at now, it’s something special to be able to enjoy it with everybody else, not just myself. There’s been a lot of people over the years who have helped me get here. It’s just awesome.”
In 16 starts this season Owen has two victories, 10 top-five’s and 16 top-10’s.
“Humbling I guess,” Owen said. “This is something that you never ever in your life think you’re going to have a possibility to have one. This run I’m on, I don’t even understand it. It’s not only myself but this bunch of guys, all my supporters that do it with me. Everybody that believes in me and helps me out and stuck with me when I was at my rock bottom and clawed my way back through.”
Owen came into Friday’s penultimate event of the season for the SK Modified division holding a 68-point lead at the top of the standings over second place Cory DiMatteo. With DiMatteo finishing 9th, Owen finished the night holding an insurmountable 66 point lead going into the final event of the season for the division on Oct. 28. The highest amount of points a driver can accumulate in one event is 50.
With his second consecutive title in 2022, Owen joined six other men as being the only drivers in history to win consecutive SK Modified championships at Stafford Speedway. The feat was also accomplished by Jerry Pearl (1984, 1985), Mike Christopher Sr. (1989, 1990), Ted Christopher (2000, 2001), Rowan Pennink (2015, 2016), Ronnie Williams (2018, 2019) and twice by Bob Potter (1991, 1992 & 1994, 1995).
Owen has six wins since the start of the 2021 season, but he has finished in the top-three in 25 of those 57 events, a staggering 44 percent of the time. He has finished in the top-five in 72 percent (41) of the SK Modified features run at Stafford over the last three seasons. Owen has only finished outside of the top-10 three times since the start of the 2021 season, and two of those were 11th place finishes. Friday’s feature marked his 33rd consecutive top-10 finish in the division dating back to June 10 of the 2022 season. Owen has an average finish of 4.8 over the last 57 SK Modified features at Stafford.
It hasn’t really sunk in. It’s years and years and years of trying to be close to just get one. This streak that we’re on, not only the championships, but the top-10 streak, I don’t know, I’m usually not out of words, but I really can’t even believe it. It’s kind of a shock still. We clawed from the bottom out. We were down. Nine years ago we were down and we started building this. Just to see where it’s at now, it’s something special to be able to enjoy it with everybody else, not just myself. There’s been a lot of people over the years who have helped me get here. It’s just awesome.
Mike Christopher Jr. of Wolcott got his second win of the season in Friday’s 40-lap feature.
Michael Gervais Jr. of Wolcott was second and Keith Rocco of Wallingford third.
Congratulations Todd. Great champion. Proves that perseverance pays off
If someone asked you who has been the most successful active SK driver you’d probably say Rocco and overall you’d be right. Over the last 8 years however the balance of power changed dramatically.
Since 2016 Rocco’s average points finish has been 3.38 to Owens 3.62, no surprise there. Rocco was dominant from 2016 to 2020. Things have reversed more recently with Owen averaging a points finish of 2.50 to Rocco’s 3.83 in the last 6 years.
The two premier drivers the point of the spear but it’s more dramatic then that. It’s the House of Montague vs Capulet, no love affair there. KRR vs Chassis Pro the two most dominant providers of race cars, parts and support a local track has ever seen. For now the edge goes to Chassis Pro but in reality both have changed the dynamic locally. Hugely important to local racing most significantly accelerating the learning curve for so many young drivers with parents and supporters able to pay the price to get in the fast lane.