October 14, 2014

  All eyes were on the Lee USA Speedway last weekend as the New Hampshire track hosted Oktoberfest 2014. Headlining the program was the Valenti Modified Racing Series which drew 27 cars for a 100 lap feature.

  Richard Savory was declared the winner after apparent winner Tommy Barrett was disqualified after ignoring the black flag for over aggressive driving. Race officials were told to stop scoring Barrett on lap 85. Race director John Spence Jr. said Barrett was warned "at least three or four times" for using the bumper before he was finally penalized. The decision did not go over big with the fans as Savory was booed in victory lane. Justin Bonsignore who started dead last as a provisional made a hard and clean charge to the front and came home second. Woody Pitkat recovered from a spin caused by a flat left rear and finished third. A great run was turned in by Dennis Perry who finished fourth. Perry started on the outside pole and took the lead from pole sitter Mike Willis on lap 20. Savory took the lead from Perry following a restart on lap 80. Willis rounded out the top five with Keith Rocco, sixth.

  Following the event Spence explained the reason for his ruling. "The decision was made because he was warned. We addressed it in the driver's meeting that we weren't going to tolerate any use of the bumper, or driving through anyone. The 9 (Barrett) used the bumper at least three or four times. He almost spun the no. 51 on the backstretch I guess trying to get a caution." Barrett proclaimed his innocence" "I didn't dump anybody. I don't really know," said Barrett when asked if he knows why he was penalized. "We won't be back."

  Todd Ceravolo scored a convincing win in the SK Lite feature.

  The Thompson Speedway wraps up the northeast season this coming weekend with the annual World Series. Headlining the weekend are the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Series stars and cars plus the ISMA Supers and the Valenti Modified Series.

  Internet racing news web site RaceDay Ct broke the news last week that there is a movement on to form a new Northeast based touring Modified series that would bring together NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and Valenti Modified Racing Series. Organizers are looking to start the series in 2015.

  There are some competitors who feel that the VMRS lacks consistency in enforcing their rules and race procedures. There are Whelen Modified Tour Series competitors who feel that NASCAR is running the Whelen Modified Tour series into the ground.

  In Modified racing in the Southland, Andy Seuss finished off his first NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour championship last Thursday night, as Burt Myers continued his mastery of the quarter-mile at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Myers pulled away from George Brunnhoelzl III on a green-white-checkered end to the Southern Slam 150. It was the third Charlotte win for the Walnut Cove, North Carolina, driver. Seuss finished fifth to put the final touches on his title run.

  JR Bertuccio got past Brunnhoelzl on the final lap to take second. Brunnhoelzl, who won the tour championship in four of the last five years, finished third in the race. Kyle Ebersole was fourth.

  Earlier in the day, NASCAR Next driver Ryan Preece won the Coors Light Pole Award. He led until Lap 64 when he had to pull off the track with brake issues. That handed the lead to Brunnhoelzl, who was on point until being overtaken by Myers on Lap 83 and the two swapped the lead over the next several laps. Myers took the top spot for good on Lap 86 and led a race-high 70 laps. A late caution gave Brunnhoelzl one more shot, but Myers was able to hold on for his 15th career win.

  On the speedway stock market scene last week just about everything fell victim to the latest correction. All three speedway stocks were down for the week. Taking the biggest dip was the International Speedway Corporation which dropped 3.36 to 28.71. Speedway Motorsports dropped 0.34 to 16.91 and Dover Entertainment dropped 0.01 to 2.30. NASCAR cup sponsor Sprint dropped 0.45 to 5.80 while NASCAR tire supplier Goodyear dropped 1.17 to 20.17 and NASCAR fuel supplier Sunoco (Energy Transfer) dropped 5.47 to 60.30. The auto makers were also part of the correction. Ford dropped 0.80 to 13.79 while General Motors dropped 3.47 to 20.29 and Toyota dropped 2.19 to 113.97. The home improvement sector weathered the storm. Lowes went up 0.11 to 53.70 while Home Depot dropped 0.29 to 92.55. The big team sponsors stock showed a mixed bag. Coca-Cola went up 2.53 to 78.59 and Aarons Rentals went up 0.11 to 24.20 while Dupont dropped 4.10 to 66.54, Target Department Stores dropped 2.48 to 60.59 and FedEx dropped 7.99 to 154.75.

  On the tube this week:

  Wednesday, October 15
5:00 AM, NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
7:00 AM, NASCAR America, NBC Sports Network
7:30 AM, NASCAR America, NBCSN
8:00 AM, NASCAR America, NBCSN
8:30 AM, NASCAR America, NBCSN
10:30 AM, The 10 - Talladega Moments,FS1
5:00 PM, NASCAR America, NBCSN
5:00 PM, NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

  Thursday, October 16
7:00 AM, NASCAR America, NBCSN
7:30 AM, NASCAR America, NBCSN
8:00 AM, NASCAR America, NBCSN
8:30 AM, NASCAR America, NBCSN
5:00 PM, NASCAR America, NBCSN
5:00 PM, NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

  Friday, October 17
7:00 AM, NASCAR America, NBCSN
7:30 AM, NASCAR America, NBCSN
8:00 AM, NASCAR America, NBCSN
8:30 AM, NASCAR America, NBCSN
1:00 PM, The 10 - Talladega Moments,FS1
2:30 PM, NSCS Talladega practice, FS1
3:30 PM, NASCAR Live, FS1
4:30 PM, NSCS Talladega final practice, FS1
5:30 PM, NCWTS Talladega qualifying, FS1
7:00 PM, NASCAR Race Hub Special, FS1
8:00 PM, How It's Made - NASCAR Cars, SCI
8:30 PM, The 10 - Talladega Moments,FOX Sports 2
10:00 PM, NSCS Talladega final practice re-air, FS2

  Saturday, October 18
4:30 AM, The 10 - Talladega Moments,FS1
5:00 AM, NSCS Talladega final practice re-air, FS1
11:00 AM, NSCS Talladega final practice re-air, FS1
12:30 PM, NCWTS SetUp, FOX
1:00 PM, NCWTS race, FOX
4:30 PM, NSCS Talladega Qualifying, ESPNEWS

  Sunday, October 19
12:00 PM, NASCAR RaceDay, FS1
1:00 PM, NASCAR Countdown, ESPN
2:00 PM, NSCS Talladega race, ESPN

   That’s about it for this week from 11 Gardner Drive, Westerly, and R.I.02891. Ring my chimes at 401-596-5467. E-mail: smithpe_97_97@yahoo.com.

Phil Smith has been a columnist for Speedway Scene and various
other publications for over 3 decades.

Source: Phil Smith / Champ Trail
Posted: October 14, 2014