09/15/06

Blewett Wins New Hampshire 100

    In a race that embodied the thrilling action the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour is known for at New Hampshire International Speedway, John Blewett III, of Howell, N.J., won the New Hampshire 100, for his second consecutive victory at the 1.058-mile track in Loudon, N.H. The event featured 17 lead changes among seven different drivers and was only slowed by two brief caution periods.
    Jerry Marquis finished second, followed by rookie James Civali, points leader Mike Stefanik and Todd Szegedy in fifth place. It was Blewett’s fourth win at New Hampshire and 10th victory of his Whelen Modified Tour career.
    Forty-one Modifieds took the green flag for Friday’s 100-lap race, with Stefanik and Eddie Flemke on the front row. Stefanik led the first lap before a wild four-way battle broke out between Szegedy, Ted Christopher, Flemke and Donny Lia.
    After exchanging the lead with Szegedy in the early laps, Christopher returned to the front on lap 36 and began to weave his way through lapped traffic, just before the race’s first caution period began on lap 48. The yellow flag was displayed for the first time when Doug Coby’s car picked up a mechanical problem and came to a stop on the frontstretch. As the race leaders pitted, Tony Hirschman emerged as the leader when the race was restarted.
    Flemke charged past Hirschman to take the lead on lap 60, only to surrender the lead back to Hirschman on the next lap. In classic Whelen Modified Tour fashion at New Hampshire, where lead changes are frequent and can occur several times on a single lap, Flemke once again gained the lead two laps later – before the race’s second caution period ensued for a multi-car accident in turn four, which collected the cars of Szegedy, Hossfeld and Reggie Ruggiero.
    The race was re-started with 34 laps remaining and Flemke battled Stefanik for the lead, with Lia and Christopher also returning to the front of the field.
    Stefanik edged ahead of Flemke by a nose on lap 72 to re-gain the lead, but his time at the front was also short-lived as Christopher passed by him with 26 laps remaining.
    With 20 laps to go, Christopher was lined up bumper-to-bumper with Jerry Marquis, while Civali and Lia ran behind in the third and fourth positions. Civali jumped into second on lap 85 and put himself in position to grab the lead. Civali charged past Christopher as the cars entered turn one on the 86th circuit, but could not hold on to the top spot as Christopher was back in front on the 87th lap. Civali tried the same move, in the same location with nine laps remaining, but slid too far up the track and gave up the second position to Blewett, who took the lead for himself – and for good – with just eight laps to go.
    In the race for the 2006 Whelen Modified Tour championship, Stefanik gained a few points on his lead over Christopher and now leads the standings by 104 points (1,992-1,888) with three events remaining. The Whelen Modified Tour returns to action Sept. 24 at Waterford (Conn.) Speedbowl.

Unofficial Race Results

New Hampshire 100
NASCAR WHELEN MODIFIED TOUR
New Hampshire International Speedway September 15, 2006
Final leaders of Friday's $160,193.00 NASCAR WHELEN MODIFIED TOUR stock car race with driver's starting position in parentheses, hometown, make and model of car, laps completed, winner's average speed, reason out (if any) and prize money.

 1. (21) John Blewett, III, Howell N.J., Chevrolet, 100, 107.320 mph, $13,000
 2.  (6) Jerry Marquis, Broad Brook Conn., Dodge, 100, $10,800
 3.  (4) James Civali, Meriden Conn., Chevrolet, 100, $8,700
 4.  (1) Mike Stefanik, Coventry R.I., Chevrolet, 100, $6,500
 5.  (3) Todd Szegedy, Ridgefield Conn., Ford, 100, $4,900
 6.  (7) Ted Christopher, Plainville Conn., Chevrolet, 100, $4,400
 7.  (2) Eddie Flemke, Southington Conn., Chevrolet, 100, $3,900
 8. (12) Zach Sylvester, Lebanon Conn., Chevrolet, 100, $3,700
 9. (10) Eric Beers, Northampton Pa., Chevrolet, 100, $3,600
10.  (5) Tony Hirschman, Northampton Pa., Chevrolet, 100, $4,400
11. (15) Jimmy Blewett, Howell N.J., Chevrolet, 100, $3,300
12. (23) Ronnie Silk, Norwalk Conn., Chevrolet, 100, $2,500
13. (13) Matt Hirschman, Northampton Pa., Dodge, 100, $3,100
14.  (9) Chuck Hossfeld, Buffalo N.Y., Pontiac, 100, $3,100
15. (18) Ken Barry, Griswold Conn., Chevrolet, 100, $2,900
16. (11) Dick Houlihan, Bridgewater Mass., Chevrolet, 100, $2,800
17. (35) Dave Etheridge, Portland Conn., Chevrolet, 100, $2,000
18. (20) Anthony Sesely, Matawan N.J., Chevrolet, 100, $2,675
19. (41) Tommy Cravenho, Jr, Raynham Mass., Chevrolet, 100, $2,450
20. (22) Steve Whitt, Farmingdale N.J., Dodge, 100, $1,925
21. (24) Danny Sammons, Trenton N.J., Chevrolet, 100, $1,90
22. (25) Jimmy Storace, Kingston N.H., Chevrolet, 99, $1,875
23. (32) Chris Pasteryak, Lisbon Conn., Chevrolet, 99, $1,850
24. (31) Glen Tyler, Hampton Bays N.Y., Chevrolet, 98, $1,825
25. (33) Ken Bouchard, Fitchburg Mass., Chevrolet, 98, $1,800
26. (17) Jamie Tomaino, Howell N.J., Ford, 98, $2,475
27. (38) Nevin George, Kunkletown Pa., Chevrolet, 98, $1,700
28. (26) Wade Cole, Riverton Conn., Chevrolet, 98, $1,678
29. (40) Brian Loftin, Lexington N.C., Chevrolet, 97, $1,650
30.  (8) Donny Lia, Jericho N.Y., Chevrolet, 96, Overheating, $800
31. (34) Rick Fuller, Auburn Mass., Chevrolet, 96, $1,645
32. (28) Rob Summers, Manchester Conn., Pontiac, 96, $1,600
33. (14) Doug Coby, Milford Conn., Pontiac, 90, $2,300
34. (30) Jon McKennedy, Chelmsford Mass., Chevrolet, 89, Suspension, $1,600
35. (27) Jake Marosz, Middletown Conn., Chevrolet, 78, $1,600
36. (29) Kevin Goodale, Riverhead N.Y., Chevrolet, 67, Accident, $1,600
37. (19) Ron Yuhas, Groton Conn., Chevrolet, 63, Accident, $2,300
38. (16) Reggie Ruggiero, Rocky Hill Conn., Chevrolet, 62, Accident, $2,300
39. (39) Andy Seuss, Hampstead N.H., Chevrolet, 25, Engine, $1,600
40. (37) Todd Bodine, Chemung N.Y., Ford, 24, Power Steering, $1,600
41. (36) Alex Hoag, Bath N.Y., Chevrolet, 1, Engine, $1,600

Time of Race: 59 mins, 9 secs
Average Speed: 107.320 mph
Margin of Victory: 0.122 Seconds
FEATHERLITE MOST IMPROVED DRIVER AWARD: Tony Hirschman, 48 Kamco Supply Chevrolet
POWERADE POWER MOVE OF THE RACE AWARD: Tommy Cravenho, Jr, 60 Sunoco Chevrolet
Caution Flags: Laps 49-53; 62-67. 2 cautions for 11 laps.
Lap Leaders: Mike Stefanik 1, Todd Szegedy 2-10, Ted Christopher 11-14, Todd Szegedy 15-36, Ted Christopher 37-47, Todd Szegedy 48-49, Eddie Flemke 50-53, Tony Hirschman 54-59, Eddie Flemke 60, Tony Hirschman 61-62, Eddie Flemke 63-67, Mike Stefanik 68, Eddie Flemke 69-71, Mike Stefanik 72-75, Ted Christopher 76-85, James Civali * 86, Ted Christopher 87-92, John Blewett, III 93-100.
Total Laps Led: Todd Szegedy 33, Ted Christopher 31, Eddie Flemke 13, Tony Hirschman 8, John Blewett, III 8, Mike Stefanik 6, James Civali * 1. 17 lead changes involving 7 drivers.

Next Race: Sept. 24, Waterford Speedbowl