DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct 12, 2005) - The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will try again to complete the penultimate race of 2005 this weekend at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway. The 125-lap World Series of Auto Racing presented by Whelen Engineering & XTRA/MART on Sunday, Oct.16 moves from the role of closer, to the final setup race for the championship. The
New England Dodge Dealers 100, originally scheduled for Oct. 8 and postponed because of
inclement weather, will now be the final race of 2005 on Oct. 29.
Current NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour point leader Ted Christopher, of Plainville, Conn., is
attempting to secure his first Whelen Modified Tour title. “I’m glad we’ll be racing,” said Christopher.
 “I don’t enjoy sitting around. ”Christopher hopes the success at Thompson in the previous three races this season will continue in his run for this first championship. “We won two of the three this year at Thompson and I think we could have won all three,” said Christopher. “If it weren’t for a flat tire in
August we might have gone three for three. ”Christopher leads defending Tour champion
Tony Hirschman by 36 points. As close as the championship battle is, Christopher is trying to
ignore any pressure. “We’re the only team that can control its own destiny,” said Christopher. “If
we win the final two races then we are guaranteed the championship. That will be our goal.
”Christopher has a tremendous amount of confidence in his crew. “They give me a great car".
said Christopher. “We have great pit stops; I have a lot of horsepower which is a key at Thompson.
I’m glad the final two races will be there".
Bud Pole Qualifying for the World Series is scheduled for 2:45 p.m. on Saturday Oct.15.
The 125 lap race is scheduled to get the green at 3:30 on Oct. 16.

• Posted awards for the 125-lap World Series of Auto Racing presented by Whelen Engineering and XTRA/MART are $82,438. Bud Pole qualifying is scheduled for 2:45 pm on Oct. 15 to determine positions 1-27. Five provisional starting positions (two owner & two driver based on 2005 Whelen Modified Tour point standings and one past champion provisional) are available for a maximum starting field of 32 cars.

• The World Series will start at approximately 3:30 pm.

• Mike Stefanik is the defending champion of the World Series.

• Active drivers with World Series victories include: Reggie Ruggiero (87, 82), Rick Fuller (88,99), Tony Hirschman (89,03) Mike Stefanik (95,98,04), Mike Ewanitsko (97), Tommy Cravenho (00), Ted Christopher (01) and John Blewett, III (02).

• This will be the fourth of five events at Thompson in 2005. Ted Christopher won the Icebreaker in April, Tony Hirschman was the winner of a 150 lap event in August and Ted Christopher won the Thompson 300 in September.

• Thompson International Speedway has hosted more NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races than any other speedway. There have been 89 series events at Thompson since 1985 including the first series race on March 31, 1985.

• The series qualifying record is 18.505 seconds (121.215 mph) set by Bob Polverari on April 21, 2001.