Hate to do it, but just some basics; Please acknowledge that all posts made to these forums express the views and opinions of the author and not the administrators, moderators or webmaster (except for posts by these people) and hence will not be held liable.
Please talk smack, we encourage healthy debate! BUT, You also must agree not to post any abusive, obscene, vulgar, slanderous, hateful, threatening, sexually-oriented or any other material that may violate any applicable laws. You know the difference...
We hate spam as much as you do, but we also encourage advertisng by drivers, and teams, as well as other racing news and information websites. Feel free to place a link and/or banner in your signature or send your artwork/links to us for placement at adv@makinglaps.com.
Post anonymously or register, but only members will win random prizes periodically. We are pleased to have a great library of animated avatars, members may send a brief request of what they would like their avatar to be by emailing the bratmaster38@aol.com.
Now with all that out of the way.....Let's make some laps!
“True Value Modified Tour Prepares for Season Opener”
Twenty two modified race cars towed into Monadnock Speedway, Winchester, N.H., Saturday afternoon Apr 8, to prepare for next weekends season opener at the high banked ¼ mile oval, the first of 21 events on the docket for 2006 and the third year the True Value Modified Racing Series opens it’s campaign at the popular N.H. facility. New and old teams alike shared the stage with practice sessions throughout the afternoon as temperatures struggled to get out of the 30’s under cloudy skies. Wind chills created a temperature reading of 32 degrees in nearby Keene at 4:00 PM.
Drivers spoke all afternoon about the lack of “bite” due to the extremely cold temperatures and lack of racing rubber but did welcome the opportunity to practice and prepare for next Saturdays first race. Some were pleased with how things played out while some were not because of mechanical problems. Noticeably disappointed was local favorite Rob Goodenough, Swanzey, NH, as his Hamshaw Lumber # 01 suffered engine problems and he was forced to look at alternative plans for next weekend. “We’ll be here said Goodenough, we’ll have something for power, we just have to get it back to the shop and he what’s going on.” Earlier in the afternoon Goodenough disclosed he plans to run the full schedule this season.
Defending Champion Kirk Alexander, W.Swanzey, NH, and crew spent the afternoon repairing the front end of his racer after a bout with the concrete wall in front of the pit grandstand. Both he and Dwight Jarvis, Ascutney,Vt.,
got into oil from Les Mardanes # 11 car with Jarvis taking a wild ride and Alexander going into the wall that was surrounded by old racing tires that absorbed the hit. “Broken spindle, lower strut arm and tie rod” said Alexander but we’ll be ready. The #43 was back on the track for the next practice session and was Jarvis with no damage to the # 28.
Bethel Ct’s Jimmy Dolan brought two cars for the practice session. One for the Monadnock shows and the other for all other stops on the tour.
Marc-Andre Cliché, in a former Lyle Patterson owned, Kirby Monteith driven modified, made the six hour jaunt from their home base in Quebec City, Quebec. Cliché looked right at home in his first ever run at Monadnock.
Westbrook, Me racer Tony Ricci, a winner two years ago at the Lee Oktoberfest weekend was on hand and looked good for his first Monadnock modified voyage.. Ricci says he wants to hit as many shows this year as possible. He’ll have to pick and choose those dates as he keeps a busy schedule taking care of the racers of PASS driver Scott Mulkern and also is a crew chief for L.W. Miller on the Hooters Cup series which requires considerable travel.
For Dwight Jarvis, it is business as usual for the Vermont fan favorite. When the driver of the Crown Point Builders, Black Mountain Painting, Osgood Welding modified takes the green flag from starter John Spence Jr. next weekend, it will be Dwight’s 33rd season behind the wheel of a racecar.
Tom Abele Jr., second year driver of car # 32 out of Connecticut has an interesting sponsor for the 06 season. The team is doing cross promotion with another sport. The Connecticut Defenders, a Double AA minor league baseball team in Norwich, a farm club for the San Francisco Giants, adorns the rear quarter panels on the Abele car. Abele and his racer will be doing an appearance June 2 when the Defenders play host to the Portland Sea Dogs, the Boston Red Sox Eastern League affiliate. Incidentally, the Abele team has tickets available for upcoming games. Ticket sales help their sponsorship cause.
Second generation driver Richard Savary, Canton, Ma. a twenty year veteran, hopes to compete in at least 10 events on the tour this year. “This being our first year with the tour we wanted to try it out and compete in at least half of the schedule” said Savary, winner of three Sunoco modified races at Thompson last season. Savary, a construction worker by trade, is a former regular on the Pro Four modified circuit.
If you ever want to know who is quick in practice, ask the guys on the flagstand. Starter John Spence Jr, and tour official Jeff Lavigne worked the stand Saturday and according to Spence, “from the flagstand you can not only see who is quick off the corner, you can tell by the sound of the car (engine) as it passes only a few feet under your feet”. So who looked and sounded quick Saturday? Spence says, “Dave Berube and Les Hinckley sounded and looked fast off four to me.”
Hinckley, the defending opening night winner, debuted a brand new Chuck Montville GTO modified. Hinckley will focus on the tour in 2006 as he has sold his pro stock during the off season.
Sean Bodreau, Claremont, N.H., the 2004 Most Popular Driver award recipient, debuted his sharp looking racer but fought handling problems all afternoon. Bodreau is returning to the tour coming off an injury shortened season.
Also jumping on the opportunity to practice Saturday were 2005 Rookie of the Year Luke Royea, New.Hampton,N.H., with a new looking paint scheme, Danbury, Ct’s Ed Dachenhausen, the former Chemung.N.Y. champion. Jimmy Kuhn, W.Bridgewater, Ma, who had a strong 2005 showing on the TVMRS, 2nd year driver Mike Douglas Jr, Pembroke, N.H.,
in a renumbered car changing to # 23,the number his father carried on his race cars throughout his career. Douglas Sr. is a former ISMA super modified owner/driver whose career dates back to the 70’s. John Tebbett’s, a long time ISMA and NEMA official is giving the Douglas team a hand in the pit area. Jack Bateman, Canaan,N.H., rookie Bobby Grigas, Marshfield, Ma., Les Mardanes, Claremont,N.H., and Dale Evonsion, E.Harland,Ct., and 2005 Most Popular Driver award winner Andy Seuss all on hand to ready for Saturday April 15 at 6:00 PM.
Red Sox Nation is not the only group of fans wondering if “Rocket Roger” will retire or continue his career. The same can be said by Modified Nation, will their “Rocket Roger” retire or continue? Roger Clemens has left the baseball world to wonder this week but Roger Raymond disclosed Saturday night, “I’m done,”.The long time veteran, who started his career 50 years ago, said it was time. He had been pondering the decision since the end of last season. “I was very fortunate that my family liked racing.” He added, “Chris made it all happen” referring to his son’s involvement. The 65 year old Raymond who won Most Popular Driver awards five times at Claremont, (Twin State) seven times at Monadnock, is a two time track champion at Claremont and Monadnock ,and a five time Sportsmanship award winner at Monadnock. Raymond says the bright orange # 62 is for sale, “who knows you might see me at Monadnock before the season is over if I don’t sell it but as hard as it is, I’m done.” Those five sportsmanship awards speak for themselves, Roger Raymond was a solid, very good racer, and a good guy to have around. The sport loses another good one. True Value tour officials and competitors wish Roger the best..
