MARTINSVILLE , Va. (Sept. 3, 2005) – Ted Christopher won the Made in America Whelen 300 at Martinsville Speedway, the first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event held at the track since 2002 – and the first night race held at the historic .526-mile track. Mike Stefanik finished second, followed by John Blewett III, Eric Beers and Doug Coby in fifth place.
Brian Loftin, of Lexington, N.C., was the top-finishing driver from the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour. Loftin finished 12th overall but will be credited with first-place points towards the Whelen Southern Modified Tour championship.
Despite the magnitude of the win, Christopher remained focused on the season championship picture for the northeastern-based Whelen Modified Tour.
“This means a lot,” said Christopher, who collected $9,750 for the win along with Martinsville Speedway's traditional Ridgeway Grandfather Clock winner's trophy. “We've had a pretty rough run in the middle of the summer, with tire problems and other things and we had lost a bunch of points. Tonight we gained maximum points. If we can keep doing that and finishing well … at the races we're coming up to, our car is really, really great. The races that are coming up are ones that I'm really looking forward to.”
Christopher, of Plainville , Conn. , started on the pole after qualifying seventh and scoring the front-row starting position via the Tour's re-draw of the top eight qualifiers. Christopher battled New York 's Chuck Hossfeld during the opening laps while Beers and Eddie Flemke chased the leaders.
Christopher continued to set the pace over the 43-car field until lap 125, when the race was halted for a mandatory halfway break. After the break, Christopher returned to the lead followed by Hossfeld and Rick Fuller, who had advanced from the 11 th starting position to third during the first half of the race.
Pit strategy became a factor during a caution period from laps 138-145. The race leaders headed down pit road for a fresh set of tires – which teams were not permitted to change during the halfway break. Hossfeld, however, made a bold decision to remain on the track and inherited the lead. By lap 157, Hossfeld's strategy to forgo fresh tires was coming up short, as Stefanik and Jay Hedgecock – who had pitted for fresh tires before the mandatory halfway break – passed Hossfeld and took over the first and second positions.
Following another restart, Christopher was soon back in the hunt. The former NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series national champion had returned to the top five by lap 175, just as Hedgecock drifted back and Hossfeld ran in the second position behind Stefanik. Hossfeld spun on lap 203, placing Blewett in the top three behind Stefanik and Christopher. Christopher then charged past Stefanik on a restart with 25 laps remaining and seized the lead for the final time.
The 250-lap event, which was preceded by a 50-lap “last chance” qualifying race won by Connecticut 's Reggie Ruggiero, was the 30 th Whelen Modified Tour race held at Martinsville since 1985. The race lived up to its billing as a “can't miss” event for Modified fans – it was attended by the largest stand-alone (non-NASCAR NEXTEL Cup) crowd in the track's history. The race is tentatively scheduled to be televised by SPEED Channel in December.
RESULTS
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour / NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour
Made In America Whelen 300
Martinsville Speedway September 3, 2005
Pos |
Start |
Driver & Home Town |
Lap |
Reason Out |
Money Won |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
(1) |
Ted Christopher, Plainville Conn . |
250 |
$9,750 |
|
2 |
(21) |
Mike Stefanik, Coventry R.I. |
250 |
$4,200 |
|
3 |
(6) |
John Blewett, III, Howell N.J. |
250 |
$3,900 |
|
4 |
(4) |
Eric Beers, Northampton Pa. |
250 |
$3,400 |
|
5 |
(3) |
Doug Coby, Milford Conn. |
250 |
$3,100 |
|
6 |
(15) |
Jamie Tomaino, Howell N.J. |
250 |
$2,600 |
|
7 |
(7) |
Tony Hirschman, Northampton Pa. |
250 |
$3,250 |
|
8 |
(10) |
Mike Christopher, Plainville Conn. |
250 |
$2,600 |
|
9 |
(18) |
Steve Whitt, Forked River N.J. |
250 |
$2,450 |
|
10 |
(13) |
Todd Szegedy, Ridgefield Conn. |
250 |
$1,700 |
|
11 |
(14) |
Jerry Marquis, Broad Brook Conn. |
250 |
$2,450 |
|
12 |
(12) |
Brian Loftin, Lexington N.C. |
250 |
$2,300 |
|
13 |
(31) |
Jay Foley, Stuart Va. |
250 |
$1,575 |
|
14 |
(17) |
Junior Miller, Pine Hall N.C. |
250 |
$1,550 |
|
15 |
(11) |
Rick Fuller, Auburn Mass. |
250 |
$2,025 |
|
16 |
(30) |
Anthony Sesley, Matawan N.J. |
250 |
$1,500 |
|
17 |
(28) |
Tim Brown, Cana Va. |
250 |
$1,475 |
|
18 |
(2) |
Chuck Hossfeld, Buffalo N.Y. |
249 |
$3,700 |
|
19 |
(19) |
Jay Hedgecock, High Point N.C. |
249 |
$1,825 |
|
20 |
(42) |
Randy Butner, Pfafftown N.C. |
248 |
$1,900 |
|
21 |
(38) |
Richard Coy, Ringwood N.J. |
245 |
$1,375 |
|
22 |
(24) |
Renee Dupuis, Glastonbury Conn. |
245 |
$2,050 |
|
23 |
(36) |
Alex Hoag, Hornell N.Y. |
244 |
$1,325 |
|
24 |
(9) |
Zach Sylvester, Lebanaon Conn. |
243 |
$2,100 |
|
25 |
(40) |
Gene Pack, N. Myrtle Beach S.C. |
233 |
$1,275 |
|
26 |
(41) |
Daren Scherer, Binghamton N.Y. |
228 |
Black Flag |
$1,225 |
27 |
(23) |
Gregg Shivers, Rocky Point N.Y. |
221 |
Overheating |
$1,200 |
28 |
(20) |
Dave Etheridge, Portland Conn. |
221 |
$1,900 |
|
29 |
(8) |
Donny Lia, Jericho N.Y. |
220 |
$2,000 |
|
30 |
(25) |
Kevin Konopka, Meriden Conn. |
211 |
Overheating |
$1,900 |
31 |
(34) |
Bobby Hutchens, Lexington N.C. |
211 |
Handling |
$1,200 |
32 |
(5) |
Eddie Flemke, Southington Conn. |
197 |
$1,900 |
|
33 |
(35) |
Frank Fleming, Mt Airy N.C. |
190 |
$1,200 |
|
34 |
(26) |
Burt Myers, Walnut Grove N.C. |
183 |
$1,500 |
|
35 |
(22) |
Tyler Haydt, Kunkletown Pa. |
158 |
Rear End |
$1,500 |
36 |
(29) |
Reggie Ruggiero, Rocky Hill Conn. |
157 |
Accident |
$1,200 |
37 |
(16) |
Kevin Goodale, Riverhead N.Y. |
157 |
Accident |
$1,900 |
38 |
(37) |
Danny Knoll, Buffalo N.Y. |
129 |
Engine |
$1,200 |
39 |
(33) |
Brian Pack, Walkertown N.C. |
120 |
Engine |
$1,200 |
40 |
(43) |
Wade Cole, Riverton Conn. |
97 |
Oil Line |
$1,600 |
41 |
(27) |
Michael Clifton, Walkertown N.C. |
39 |
Accident |
$1,200 |
42 |
(39) |
Jamie Tomaino, Jr., Howell N.J. |
32 |
Overheating |
$1,200 |
43 |
(32) |
Brian Crammer, Howell N.J. |
32 |
Accident |
$1,200 |
Failed to Qualify: (3) Jimmy Storace (#47), Jake Marosz (#9), Kevin Powell (#04
Time of Race: 2 hrs., 21 mins, 28 secs
Average Speed: 55.773 mph
BUD POLE AWARD: Chuck Hossfeld, 50 Creative Racing Products Ford
FEATHERLITE MOST IMPROVED DRIVER: John Blewett, III, 66 Blewett Motorsports/John Blewett, Inc. Chevrolet
POWERADE POWER MOVE OF THE RACE AWARD: Randy Butner, 5 Ram Fabrication/Angel Clean Chevrolet
TOMMY BALDWIN MEMORIAL AWARD: Ted Christopher, 13 AWD,DWD,TSI,JAT Chevrolet
Caution Flags: Laps 2-7; 16-19; 20-24; 55-59; 60-64; 68-74; 96-102; 126-131; 138-146; 147-152; 158-161; 170-175; 203-208; 222-226. 14 for 81 laps.
Lap Leaders: Ted Christopher 1-18, Chuck Hossfeld 19, Ted Christopher 20-141, Chuck Hossfeld 142-145, Mike Stefanik 146, Chuck Hossfeld 147-156, Mike Stefanik 157-167, Jay Hedgecock 168, Mike Stefanik 169-226, Ted Christopher 227-250.
Total Laps Led: Ted Christopher 164, Mike Stefanik 70, Chuck Hossfeld 15, Jay Hedgecock 1. 9 changes involving 4 drivers.