Epping

Track Talk – Star Speedway Classic will be aired on MAV-TV

by Lou Modestino
Track Talk – Star Speedway Classic will be aired on MAV-TV

EPPING, N.H. — Star Speedway announced on Wednesday the addition of the Star Classic to Speed51’s Short Track America lineup on MAVTV for the 2021 season. The prestigious three-day weekend, scheduled for September 17-19, will include 14 different divisions, with some of the most intense short-track action New Hampshire will see all season.

The Classic will once again air live to viewers on Speed51.TV, and the enhanced MAVTV broadcast of the ISMA Supermodifieds will be tape-delayed and air at a later date. The broadcast will include multiple camera angles, a pit reporter, on-board cameras and more. (more…)

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Track Talk – NHRA 2020 Review / Cost to Rent NASCAR Xfinity Series Ride / Bob Lazier Victim of Coronavirus

by Lou Modestino
Track Talk – NHRA 2020 Review / Cost to Rent NASCAR Xfinity Series Ride / Bob Lazier Victim of Coronavirus

Lawsuit, Defections, Camping World Highlight Tumultuous Year for NHRA

COVID-19 kept a top team on the sidelines, played a role in loss of series’ long-time title sponsor.

Note: the NHRA Camping World Series was unable to perform at the New England Dragway in Epping, NH due to the Pandemic. However, the 2021 schedule has that event set for June 11-13, 2021.

Source: AutoWeek

Somehow, Doug Kalitta and his drastically pared-down staff navigated the 2020 season, got lucky with an abrupt series-sponsor change at the start of its title stretch, and crowned champions in history-making fashion.

The Top Fuel landings through the first six of 11 races and never fell below second place as he compiled a 21-9 race-day record and won two of his four final-round appearances. Despite his stellar performance, he finished second for the fifth time. This time he was 133 points off Torrence’s; last year he missed his chance by a mere three points.

Even Torrence said, “I’m a big Doug Kalitta fan. The amount of time that he’s spent out here, to come up short, not just one time, but so many times, it’s a mixed emotion for me. I’m happy for my team and myself, but I was saddened for Doug and that whole Mac Tools team. They fought so hard. They had a great car. “The NHRA did not have a Countdown to the Championship for the first time in 12 years. It was the right decision, certainly, but it also proved the NHRA doesn’t need one.

That system whittled the title-eligible fields in each pro class to the top 10 in the standings following the U.S. Nationals, with a six-race runoff determining the champions. The purpose was to drum up excitement in the form of ticket sales and media coverage. No evidence exists that the Countdown yielded either of those results. Besides, the title chases this year had plenty of drama, down to the final day of the season.

Racers seemed to enjoy a return to how it used to be before 2007, with no Countdown and no points.

The biggest loser was Bruton Smith and his Speedway Motorsports Inc., which contracts for six NHRA events each year (at Charlotte, Las Vegas, Sonoma, and Bristol) but was able to host just one: the Finals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in November.

Kudos to the State of Indiana and Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, which took on four races altogether, three in addition to the U.S. Nationals.

Bob Tasca, III of Cranston, RI is expected to be in top form in his Ford Mustang Funny Car when he returns to his home track the New England Dragway in Epping, NH in early June of 2021.

What does it cost to rent full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series ride?

 

Pay-to-race pricing is generally kept secret. Until today…So now you want to just up and drive NASCAR? You can, for a price. MBM Motorsports has released the cost to rent a full-time NASCAR ride for the 2020 season.

Carl Long Motorsports operates multiple cars across multiple NASCAR divisions. His MBM Motorsports operation is based in Statesville, North Carolina. Timmy Hill ran full-time for the team at the NASCAR Cup Series level in 2020. Chad Finchum also ran three races in a separate part-time NCS efforts for the team’s NASCAR XfSeries lineup, it’s a much larger rotation of drivers because it’s far cheaper to rent Xfinity rides.

Harold Crooms, Chad Finchum, Timmy Hill, Jesse Iwuji, John Jackson, Stephen Leicht, Carl Long, Stan Mullis and Reusall made NXS starts with the team during the 2020 racing season although only three of those drivers made more than 10 starts: Chad Finchum (25), Stephen Leicht (19) and Timmy Hill (15).

The team totaled up 96 NASCAR Xfinity Series entries in 2020. At season’s end they netted two top-5s and for top-10s. On average the team started 29th and finished 26th with 5 laps led.

No driver ran all 33 schedule Xfinity races for the team in 2020. However, for 2021, MBM Motorsports is looking to put a driver in the seat full-time, for a price.

Most of the underfunded teams have a rental program. You either bring money, you bring a sponsor or you watch from the grandstands. However, it’s rare that the actual cost of such a deal is released.

Until today…

Ahead of Christmas, Carl Long Motorsports and MBM Motorsports released the following message on social media. They are looking for a full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series driver, at the cost of $650,000 to the driver.

“We need 1 more full-time driver in Xfinity to complete our line up. You will be going to all Xfinity races. So here is the bargain price of $650,000,” the release opened.

“There are additions like a Cup pit crew, more tires, or engines leased from Gibbs that can be added to the cost.”

“Most teams will not post a cost and try to negotiate, sure I would like to get a 4+ million deal, and if we built 10 new cars each year, we would need big $.”

“Our cars, haulers, engines are all paid for, so there is no need for us to add that to our price. You would be teammates with Timmy, Chad, and Stephen, as well as John Jackson and I may also pop in for a race here and there.”

“I am not going to put someone in because they are a great driver in their local division, I need a person who has money, willing to listen / learn and hopefully do well enough to attract more $ so we can afford to go faster.”

VAIL, Colo. (CBS4/CNN) – Bob Lazier, Vail hotelier and Indianapolis 500 starter, died Saturday due to complications from the coronavirus, his family said. The Minneapolis native was 81.

Bob Lazier, center, with sons Jaques and Buddy at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2014. (credit: Dan R. Boyd/USA TODAY NETWORK via Reuters)

“As in life, he fought the good fight with everything he had,” Lazier’s son Jaques told CNN in a statement. “He will be missed.”

Lazier, 81, was the owner of Vail’s Tivoli Lodge. According to friends, Lazier had been hospitalized in Denver for more than two weeks, much of that time on a ventilator, and suffered a recent relapse.

Lazier’s death is the fifth of an Eagle River Valley resident and the seventh overall for Eagle County. On Saturday, the county reported 502 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

In 1981, Lazier earned Rookie of the Year honors after finishing ninth in the CART standings. That same season, he would make his only Indianapolis 500 start, starting 13th and finishing 19th. He was forced from the race because of engine failure after completing 154 laps.

The next year, Lazier chose not to attempt to qualify for the Indy 500 after his family expressed concerns following driver Gordon Smiley’s fatal crash during the opening day of qualifying, according to Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

‘Go fast and win’

Lazier, who began racing in the early 1970s, is the father of two IndyCar drivers: 1996 Indianapolis 500 winner and 2000 IndyCar champion Buddy, and Indy 500 and IndyCar veteran Jacques, who picked up an IndyCar win in 2001 at Chicagoland Speedway.

Bob Lazier won a class title in the 1972 SCCA National Championship Runoffs in a Formula Vee. He also raced in Formula 5000 and the USAC Mini-Indy Series before moving to Indy cars in 1981.

Lazier would stay involved in racing as a team owner and by driving vintage race cars. In 2013, he and son Buddy formed Lazier Partners Racing, with Buddy making four Indianapolis 500 starts between 2013 and 2017. Buddy Lazier was a graduate of Curry College in Milton, MA in 1986 and just ten years later won the 1996 Indy 500

The family confirmed Lazier’s death in a statement describing him as its “hero and pioneer.”

“We are all so blessed to have been able to call him husband, father, grandfather and friend,” the statement continued. “He will always be loved, and never forgotten. Go fast and win, Dad!”

Note: Lou Modestino is also a graduate of Curry College in Milton, MA earning a BA in Business in May of 1979.

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Track Talk – White Mountain, Granite State, Monster Energy Super Cross All Announces 2021 Schedules

by Lou Modestino
Track Talk – White Mountain, Granite State, Monster Energy Super Cross All Announces 2021 Schedules

N. Woodstock, NH – White Mountain Motorsports Park officials have unveiled the eagerly-anticipated 2021 racing schedule for the ¼-mile speedway. A total of 22 events are planned with numerous big shows for both local outside series.

Among other things, the 2021 schedule features three visits each for the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Late Models and Pro All Stars Series (PASS) Super Late Models; two appearances each for the PASS Modifeds, North East Mini Stock Tour (NEMST), and GoMotorsportsShop.com NELCAR Legends Tour; and the Monster Truck Throwdown following the weekly racing season. Add in special events for all the local classes, and the year is set to be a memorable one.

Racers can get their first taste of action at an open practice on Saturday, April 24. The session is open to all five of White Mountain’s local divisions to let them shake off the winter rust.

Weekly racing goes green on Saturday, May 8. The 29th season opener includes the first round of the Jon Parks Tractor Triple Crown Series for the Wells River Chevrolet Flying Tigers along with a full card for the Foley Oil & Propane Late Models, Woodsville Guaranty Savings Bank Strictly Stock Mini’s, 7-Eleven Dwarf Cars, and Dads 4 By Tool & Supply Kids Trucks.

Most Saturday night shows will have a 6:00pm post time. The Late Models, Flying Tigers, and Strictly Stock Mini’s are part of each Saturday night program unless otherwise noted. The Dwarf Cars have a 10-event schedule in 2021 with the Kids Trucks slated to race 13 times. More details can be found at www.whitemountainmotorsports.com/schedule.html.

After a regular event on May 15, a doubleheader weekend is planned for May 22 and 23. Saturday’s portion features the annual Strictly Stock Mini Special and NELCAR Tour. Sunday, May 23 is the first visit in 2021 for the PASS Super Late Models. The PASS Modifieds are also on the Sunday card. Discussions are ongoing for other divisions.

White Mountain wraps up the month of May on the 29th with the annual Late Model Spring Board 100. The action gets even hotter in June. Highlights include the ACT Late Model Tour Spring Green on June 12, an NEMST event on June 19, and a second NELCAR visit on June 26.

July opens with a bang at the Independence Day Spectacular on Saturday, July 3. The Late Models and Flying Tigers will run twin 75-lap features with the Tiger event being the second round of the Triple Crown Series. The night ends with a fireworks display. The next week is the Midseason Championships with added distance and double points for all divisions.

The PASS Super Late Models make their second trip to White Mountain on Saturday, July 17 at a special 7:00pm post time so fans can make the trip over from New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Following a regular show on the 24th, the ACT Late Model Tour chases a $10,000 top prize in the third annual Midsummer Classic 250 on July 31 with a 5:30pm start time.

August begins with the 7-Eleven Dwarf Car Special on Saturday, August 7. White Mountain then crowns its first champion of 2021 on August 14 with the Jon Parks Tractor Triple Crown Finale. That event also includes a visit from the Maine-based Wicked Good Vintage Racing Association.

On Saturday, August 21, the New Hampshire Governor’s Cup for the Late Models returns after a one-year hiatus. White Mountain will take August 28 off for Oxford 250 weekend, then return on September 4 with another Late Model 100-lapper for Labor Day Weekend. The North East Mini Stock Tour comes back on September 11 for a $1,000-to-win event.

The “King of the Mountain” will be crowned Saturday, September 18, with the Late Models joining the PASS Super Late Models, PASS Modifieds, and Kids Trucks on the card. Then on September 25, the ACT Late Model Tour is in town for the return of the Fall Foliage 200 with a $5,000 top prize. The Flying Tiger, Strictly Stock Mini, and Dwarf Car championships will be decided on this date with a 1:00pm post time.

With stock car racing in the rear-view mirror, the Monster Truck Throwdown makes its long-awaited first appearance at White Mountain on Saturday, October 9. The series was originally scheduled to appear in 2020, but the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The complete 2021 schedule of events can be found at https://www.whitemountainmotorsports.com/schedule.html. The schedule remains subject to change pending the local and country-wide COVID-19 situation. Events could be added, removed, or modified based on this and on other events around the region.

For more information, contact the White Mountain Motorsports Park offices at (802) 244-6963, media@acttour.com, or visit www.whitemountainmotorsports.com. You can also follow us on Facebook at @WhiteMtnMotorsports.

2021 White Mountain Motorsports Park Schedule of Events

  #           DAY       DATE     TIME      EVENT

—             Sat           Apr 24    1:00pm  Open Practice – All Local Divisions

1              Sat           May 8     6:00pm  29th Season Opener – Jon Parks Tractor Triple Crown #1

2              Sat           May 15   6:00pm  Regular Event

3              Sat           May 22   6:00pm  Strictly Stock Mini Special + NELCAR

4              Sun         May 23   1:30pm  PASS 150

5              Sat           May 29   6:00pm  LM Spring Board 100

6              Sat           Jun 5       6:00pm  Regular Event

7              Sat           Jun 12    6:00pm  Spring Green 121 – ACT Late Model Tour

8              Sat           Jun 19    6:00pm  North East Mini Stock Tour

9              Sat           June 26  6:00pm  Regular Event + NELCAR

10           Sat           Jul 3        6:00pm  LM/FT Twin 75s – Jon Parks Tractor Triple Crown #2 + Holiday Fireworks

11           Sat           Jul 10      6:00pm  Midseason Championships – Double Points

12           Sat           Jul 17      7:00pm  PASS 150

13           Sat           Jul 24      6:00pm  Regular Event

14           Sat           Jul 31      5:30pm  Midsummer Classic 250 – ACT Late Model Tour, $10,000-to-win

15           Sat           Aug 7      6:00pm  7-Eleven Dwarf Car Special

16           Sat           Aug 14   6:00pm  Jon Parks Tractor Triple Crown #3 + Wicked Good Vintage Racers

17           Sat           Aug 21   6:00pm  LM New Hampshire Governor’s Cup 100

—             Sat           Aug 28                   Track Closed for Oxford 250 Weekend

19           Sat           Sep 4      6:00pm  LM Leaf Peepers 100

20           Sat           Sep 11    6:00pm  North East Mini Stock Tour $1,000-to-win

21           Sat           Sep 18    6:00pm  PASS 150 + Late Model Championship Night

22           Sat           Sep 25    6:00pm  Fall Foliage 200 – ACT Late Model Tour, $5,000-to-win

                                                                Flying Tiger, Strictly Mini, and Dwarf Car Champions Crowned

23           Sat           Oct 9      1:00pm  Monster Truck Throwdown

WALPOLE, N.H. — Granite State Pro Stock Series officials announced on Thursday a 15-race schedule for the 2021 race season. The slate will bring drivers to three different New England states — while visiting eight different tracks in one of the most complete schedules the series has ever offered for teams and fans.

The calendar is headlined by the annual Newport Chevrolet 150 at Claremont Motorsports Park, this time on Saturday, July 31 — a $10,000 to win show that is sure to draw the top Super Late Model talent in the region. The series will also make a debut at one of New England’s most historic tracks and return to multiple staple facilities, with a mix of flat and banked tracks planned.

“We’re thrilled with the way our schedule came together for the 2021 season,” Mike Parks, president of the Granite State Pro Stock Series, said. “We always strive to get 14-16 races and we were able to accomplish it again. We think our competitors and fans will enjoy it.”

The season starts with the big debut in Connecticut. Granite State teams will compete at Stafford Motor Speedway for the first time as part of the annual NAPA Spring Sizzler weekend on Saturday, April 24 — a one-day show. Pro Stocks are no stranger to the Arute-owned facility — having run as a weekly division for decades — but now, the touring stars will invade to compete with some of the local talent that are sure to find themselves a ride.

“To say we are thrilled to finally bring the Granite State Pro Stock Series to Stafford would be an understatement,” Parks said. “This will be the icing on the cake to kick-off the Greatest Race in the History of the Spring, the annual NAPA Spring Sizzler. It’s going to be an amazing event for our series and the track both.”

Following Stafford, just one week later, Monadnock Speedway will host their first of two series events on Sunday afternoon, May 2 as part of their season-opening Spring Dash weekend. Post-time for this event is 2 p.m., with the NHSTRA Modifieds, NELCAR Legends and more also on the card. A second stop at “Mad Dog” is slated for Saturday, September 4 as part of Labor Day weekend at the Winchester, New Hampshire, oval.

The series heads to Bobby Webber’s Star Speedway for the first of two stops on Saturday night, May 8, before a return to the Star Classic weekend on Friday, September 17 comes in the thick of the championship battle. Last year, Derek Griffith and Joey Pole put together one of the best races in series history as part of the Classic at Star, which has become a staple track for the series.

Claremont Motorsports Park hosts their first of three dates on Memorial Day weekend as a Sunday evening special, May 30. Following the $10,000 to win Newport Chevrolet 150 in July, an event won by Derek Griffith last year, the champion will be crowned at Claremont for the first time on October 16 as part of the track’s Fall Challenge weekend.

Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Maine will hold two Granite State events for the first time in track history — with stops set for June 12 and August 14. Last year, the series hosted more than 30 cars as a mix of regulars and track favorites competed for glory in the inaugural stop at Beech Ridge — a race won by Wyatt Alexander.

“We had so much success with our first appearance at Beech Ridge last year, the car count was fantastic and Andy and the staff there welcomed us and our teams for a great event,” Parks said. “Going there twice should give us much of the same we saw in 2020.”

Additional summer events include the annual stop at Riverside Speedway in Groveton, New Hampshire, on June 19 and the Sunday afternoon spectacular at Hudson Speedway on Sunday, July 11. Granite State teams will also stop at Lee USA Speedway twice — both at some of the track’s most historic race weekends. The first comes on Friday, July 2, celebrating Independence Day — and the second will be on Sunday, October 3 as part of the season-ending Octoberfest.

There is one event that remains outstanding on the series schedule — dated for Saturday, July 24 — which is on track to be announced soon. Series officials are working on the final details surrounding that event and will announce once available.

The Granite State Pro Stock Series will have further updates surrounding the 2021 season when available. For more information, visit gspss.net and follow the series on social media.

2021 GRANITE STATE PRO STOCK SERIES SCHEDULE:

  • April 24 — Stafford Motor Speedway — Stafford, Conn. — 75 laps

  • May 2 — Monadnock Speedway — Winchester, N.H. — 100 laps

  • May 8 — Star Speedway — Epping, N.H. — 100 laps

  • May 30 — Claremont Speedway — Claremont, N.H. — 100 laps

  • June 12 — Beech Ridge Motor Speedway — Scarborough, Maine — 150 laps

  • June 19 — Riverside Speedway — Groveton, N.H. — 150 laps

  • July 2 — Lee USA Speedway — Lee, N.H. — 100 laps

  • July 11 — Hudson International Speedway — Hudson, N.H. — 100 laps

  • July 24 — TBA

  • July 31 — $10k to Win — Claremont Motorsports Park — Claremont, N.H. — 100 laps

  • August 14 — Beech Ridge Motor Speedway — Scarborough, Maine — 150 laps

  • September 4 — Monadnock Speedway — Winchester, N.H — 100 laps

  • September 17 — Star Speedway — Epping, N.H. — 100 laps

  • October 3 — Lee USA Speedway — Lee, N.H. — 100 laps

  • October 16 — Claremont Motorsports Park — Claremont, N.H. — 100 laps

Source: SOUZA MEDIA/KYLE SOUZA

The Monster Energy SuperX  alternates every other year between Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA and the Meadowlands in NJ in mid-April.  That series did not make a stop at either venue in 2020 due to the Pandemic.  It also appears that series will not stop at either venue in 2021.  MX riders in the northeast will now have to wait until 2022 to see which venue that series will be in action.
Below are the remaining events for that series in 2021

ROUND 7Saturday, Feb 13 | Orlando, FL [E] Camping World Stadium

ROUND 8Saturday, Feb 20 | Orlando, FL [E] Camping World Stadium

ROUND 9Saturday, Mar 6 | Daytona Beach, FL [E] Daytona International Speedway

ROUND 10Saturday, Mar 13 | Arlington, TX [E] AT&T Stadium 

ROUND 11Tuesday, Mar 16 | Arlington, TX [E] AT&T Stadium

ROUND 12Saturday, Mar 20 | Arlington, TX [E] AT&T Stadium

ROUND 13Saturday, Apr 10 | Atlanta, GA [E] Atlanta Motor Speedway

ROUND 14Tuesday, Apr 13 | Atlanta, GA [E] Atlanta Motor Speedway

ROUND 15Saturday, Apr 17 | Atlanta, GA [W] Atlanta Motor Speedway

ROUND 16Saturday, Apr 24 | Salt Lake City, UT [W] Rice-Eccles Stadium

ROUND 17Saturday, May 1 | Salt Lake City, UT [E/W] Rice-Eccles Stadium

 

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Track Talk: Moffitt to Compete Full-time for Niece Motorsports, NHRA Status

by Lou Modestino
Track Talk: Moffitt to Compete Full-time for Niece Motorsports, NHRA Status

Brett Moffitt will make the move to Niece Motorsports in 2021, competing full time for NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship points in the No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado. Moffitt previously announced that he will compete full time in the XFINITY Series in 2021 for Our Motorsports, giving him double duties for 2021.
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