Lou Modestino’s Track Talk

Fisher Takes Career First Milton CAT American-Canadian Tour Win on Hometown Highbanks

by Lou Modestino
  • Longtime Renegade Star Robert Gordon Takes 1st Tiger Win, Delays Celebration till Wife Julie Can Join!
Milton CAT American-Canadian Tour top three in Community Bank 150 victory lane (L-R) Raphael Lessard (3rd), first-time winner Kaiden Fisher, Chris Pelkey (2nd). (Alan Ward photo)

Barre, VT – Central Vermont race fans and teams made the trip to Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl Sunday for the rain-delayed Community Bank 150 invasion from the Milton CAT American-Canadian Tour. Thirty-two teams made the return trip with a legendary name standing tall in victory lane.

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Views: 497
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Here’s How New England Drivers Performed At Nashville, Detroit, And Epping, NH

by Lou Modestino
Here’s How New England Drivers Performed At Nashville, Detroit, And Epping, NH

By Lou Modestino

Ryan Blaney won the Cup race at Nashville.  Joey Logano of Middletown, CT  ended his day in fourth and Ryan Preece of Berlin, CT came in 28th position.
Justin Allgaier won the Nashville Xfinity race.  Anthony Alfredo of Ridgefield, CT came in 29th.  Kris Wright came in 31st.  Wright steers a for Cape Cod’s Chris and Mary Our entry.  Both owners reside in Chatham, MA.
At the Indy Car race Detroit, MI was taken by Kirkwood beating second place driver Santino Ferrucci of Woodbury, CT, his best show in that sanction.
Early Exit on Race Day
Heading into Sunday’s Funny Car eliminations at New England Dragway in Epping, NH , Bob Tasca III of Hope, RI was confident in the team’s setup and potential. But any hopes of a deep run at his home track were dashed in Round 1. Facing Phil Burkart, Tasca lost traction just past 60 feet and smoked the tires, coasting to a 7.569 at 94.02 mph and a first-round loss.
“Too much,” Tasca said. “Lost traction around 60 feet.”
Eyes on Bristol
Despite the early exit, the team leaves New England with key positives—most notably, top-tier speed and valuable data from their No. 2 qualifying effort.
“We’ve set speed records. We’ve been 340 mph,” Tasca said Friday. “But we have got to go down the racetrack consistently.”
The Tasca Racing crew will look to bounce back quickly as the NHRA tour rolls on to Bristol Dragway in Bristol, Tennessee, for next weekend’s NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals. With the car showing serious horsepower and the crew focused on consistency, Tasca will arrive in Tennessee ready to contend.
Are the NASCAR fans unhappy about having to pay to see five Cup races in the middle of the season Here’s a more detailed look at the different perspectives:
Negative Reactions:
  • Disappointment and Frustration:  Many fans express feeling “slapped in the face” by the exclusivity of these races, especially if they prefer watching on traditional TV.
  • “Unfair” to Regular Viewers:  Some fans, like the one on Facebook who mentioned Jimmie Johnson fans, feel that NASCAR is prioritizing a new audience and leaving regular viewers behind.
  • Increased Cost and Complexity:  The shift to streaming and pay-per-view adds to the cost of watching NASCAR, potentially making it less accessible for fans on fixed incomes or those who prefer free options.
More Positive or Accepting Views:
  • NASCAR’s Growth Strategy:   Some fans understand that NASCAR needs to adapt to the changing TV landscape and see streaming as a way to reach new audiences and expand the sport’s reach.
  • The Future of Sports Broadcasting:  Others view streaming as the future of live sports and are open to exploring new platforms like Amazon Prime for watching races.
  • Benefits of Streaming:  Some fans see potential benefits to streaming, such as less commercial interruption and a more streamlined viewing experience.
Other Considerations:
  • The Internet Makes It Easier to Find Information:  While the shift to streaming might seem confusing to some, fans can still use the internet to find out where and when races are being broadcast.
  • NASCAR’s Financial Position:  Some fans acknowledge that NASCAR needs to generate revenue and that streaming may be a way to achieve that.
  • Boycotts and Alternative Strategies:  Some fans are actively boycotting the streaming races or finding alternative ways to watch.
Our own view is that NASCAR will lose more fans than ever!
Views: 469
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Riverhead Raceway Clarifies Chase Van Houten Penalty

by Bob Finan
Riverhead Raceway Clarifies Chase Van Houten Penalty
Saturday evening May 24th, Chase Van Houten of Wading River was penalized after his victory in the 20-lap INEX Legend Race Car feature event. On Friday afternoon Riverhead Raceway officials clarified the penalty.
Chase Van Houten was disqualified for Unsportsmanlike Conduct post-race, not verbal abuse of a NASCAR official. No additional penalties will be forthcoming when the INEX Legend Race Cars return to action Saturday June 7th, 2025, for a 20-lap event.
The complete calendar of events can be found at http://www.riverheadracewasy.com emails reach the track at offic@riverheadraceway.com.
Views: 407
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Rocco, Coury, Matthews, Surdell, & Ouellette Score AZ Roofing Kids Night Feature Wins at Stafford Speedway

by Lou Modestino
Rocco, Coury, Matthews, Surdell, & Ouellette Score AZ Roofing Kids Night Feature Wins at Stafford Speedway

(Stafford Springs, CT)—Stafford Speedway hosted AZ Roofing Kids Night on Friday, May 30th, the first of three kids nights scheduled for the 2025 season.  Keith Rocco was a SK Modified® winner for a second consecutive race, while Wayne Coury, Jr. won the Late Model feature, Chris Matthews won the SK Light feature, RJ Surdell won the Limited Late Model feature, and Bert Ouellette was a winner for the second time in 2025 in the Street Stock feature.  There were two kids big wheel races with Memphis Genereux and Evan DaRos the winners.

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Views: 457
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NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Race at Seekonk Speedway Postponed to Sunday Due to Weather

by Lou Modestino
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Race at Seekonk Speedway Postponed to Sunday Due to Weather

J&R Precast 150 Moved to Sunday, June 1, at 3 p.m. ET

SEEKONK, Mass. — Due to forecasted inclement weather, Seekonk Speedway and NASCAR officials announced today that the J&R Precast 150 & NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series divisions will now race on Sunday, June 1 at 3 p.m.

The event will begin with NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour qualifying at 2:30 p.m., followed by qualifying heats for the Seekonk Late Models, Helger’s Sportsman and Sport Trucks.

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Views: 479
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Gloomy Forecast Forces Riverhead Raceway To Move Saturday Program To Sunday Implementing New Rain Date Policy

by Bob Finan
Gloomy Forecast Forces Riverhead Raceway To Move Saturday Program To Sunday Implementing New Rain Date Policy

Entering the final weekend of what is one of the wettest months of May on record, Riverhead Raceway had been able to skirt the wet stuff, until now. Friday morning track management announced with a highly unfavorable forecast projected; they were moving the Saturday evening NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series program to Sunday afternoon June 1st. The Local Sports League Team Night that was schedules for Sunday will also move to Sunday afternoon as well.

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Views: 495
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Thunder Road Ready For 27th Community Bank 150 This Sunday With Thursday’s Right Around The Corner!

by Lou Modestino
The Milton CAT American-Canadian Tour returns to Thunder Road for the rain-delayed Community Bank 150 this Sunday, June 1st! Will it be one of the Maplefields/Irving Late Models that calls the Nation’s Site of Excitement home on Thursday nights or a regional touring star standing in Community Bank victory lane?! (Alan Ward photo)

Barre, VT – After officially kicking off the 2025 season last Sunday, Thunder Road is back in action this Sunday with the rain-delayed 27th Community Bank 150 for the Milton CAT American-Canadian Tour. The Nation’s Site of Excitement is once again poised to welcome race fans teams from across New England and Quebec as the Milton CAT American-Canadian Tour continues their 2025 season.

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Views: 543
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Justin Bonsignore Set For Return to Seekonk Speedway

by Kyle Souza
Justin Bonsignore Set For Return to Seekonk Speedway

The Action Track of the East will host the fourth race of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season this Saturday, May 31. The series returns to Seekonk Speedway for the J&R Precast 150 – under the lights in Massachusetts.

Justin Bonsignore heads back to Seekonk looking to visit Victory Lane at the third-mile for the first time since 2018. That season, Bonsignore won at Seekonk en route to his first series championship. In six career Seekonk Whelen Modified Tour starts, Bonsignore has finished sixth or better in all of them, including three podium runs.

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Views: 444
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