|
EPPING, NH- Back in 1998 a young 13-year-old named Bobby
Santos began his career in full-sized race cars that
today includes a remarkable list of accomplishments. It
was at the Star Speedway, a quarter-mile track in
southern New Hampshire, that he first set a track
record. Where he first won a feature, then in a Small
Block Supermodified. Where he learned to race.
"It was the only place that would let me race at 13
years old," Santos reasoned. "That was pretty much it.
When we quit Quarter Midgets my dad was looking into
moving on. He didn't want to go Mini Sprint racing. We
didn't really want to do dirt racing. We wanted to stick
with the pavement, and that was really the only place
that would let us race. I'm thankful to the Webber
family for that.
"I can't believe it was 13 years ago. It was a lot of
experience and a lot of fun. I don't think I realized
how fast those cars were at the time. You know, the
speeds that I was going and what I was learning there.
But I felt like it was a great place to learn for
everything that I am doing now. I definitely miss racing
there week in and week out like we used to."
On June 16, Santos will return to that special place he
called home on Saturday nights to compete in the Exeter
Decorating SBM 125 Modified Open, driving the Tinio
Motorsports #44 Tour Modified. While Santos has run an
ISMA Supermodified on two occasions since he moved on to
win races and championships racing across the country,
he has never driven a Modified at Star.
"It should be fun," Santos noted. "I enjoy going there.
It should definitely be different, but typical Modified
short track racing. I think just the experience of the
racetrack helps. I haven't been there in a little while
so I'm sure I will have to get used to it again, but I
think that most racetracks usually come right back to
you."
Santos used his experience at Star to help him gain
national recognition. He is the 2010 NASCAR Whelen
Modified Tour Champion, the 2011 USAC Pavement Sprint
Car Series Champion. He became the first driver to win
in all three National USAC Series features in one year.
Most recently, he "Smoked The Field" as the headline
read, less than one week ago in the season opening event
for the USAC Silver Crown cars at Lucas Oil Raceway in
Indianapolis.
"He showed great potential at an early age," Star
Speedway track owner Bob Webber Sr., reflected. "It has
always been a family operation for him. His talent at
the age of 13 was obvious. He was not just good. He was
really good."
On June 16, this homecoming for Santos will also be one
of his biggest racing challenges. He will drive a
Modified at Star for the first time against seasoned
champions from all ends of the Modified world. Champion
drivers Szegedy, McKennedy, Jarvis, Stefanik, Pasteryak,
Preece, Cantara and Hirschman to name a few, will be his
competition.
To understand Santos' ability to meet and beat this
challenge is something that Star Speedway fans know all
too well from having watched him race at Star 13 years
ago. It's something that track owner Bob Webber is
looking forward to witnessing, maybe more than Santos is
looking forward to racing, at what was his Saturday
night home when it all began.
For more information on the Saturday, June 16 Exeter
Decorating SBM 125, and the availability of lap
sponsorship opportunities for this big event, log onto
the track web site at:
www.star-speedway.com.
For immediate updates, check out the Star Speedway
official Facebook page, or call the track at: (603)
679-5306. |
