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EPPING, NH- Next Saturday night, June 16 the Exeter
Decorating SBM 125 will bring a group of talented
drivers from all walks of pavement Modified racing, and
with a winners share that could exceed $9,000 the driver
entries are coming in from all four Modified touring
series and the best Star Speedway regulars as well.
With the most recent entries coming in this week from
Southern Modified Tour drivers Andy Seuss and 2008 WSMT
Champion Brian Loftin, RoC multi-time Champion Matt
Hirschman and VMRS two-time Champion Jon McKennedy, the
field of 24 Modifieds might just be the best of all-time
at the racy quarter-mile track.
The newest entries join USAC and NASCAR Champion Bobby
Santos, who returns to where his career began, but in
his first-ever Modified race at Star. Ryan Preece, Mike
Stefanik, Star Champion Josh Cantara, Dwight Jarvis, Les
Hinckley, and Modified Tour points leader Doug Coby to
name a few, will be vying for close to $40,000 in prize
money. A full list of early entries will be released on
June 11, with a few more big name entries expected.
Appropriately serving as Grand Marshall for this special
Modified Open event is racing retired Modified car owner
Mario Fiore, who was a fixture at open competition
Modified events with his 'Team 44' when they raced from
Maine to Florida. The most recent New England Racing
Hall of Fame inductee admits that races such as these
were among his favorites.
"The open shows were a regular staple for us because
they usually paid pretty good, and we had no problem
going to different race tracks and competing with the
regulars," Fiore stated. "I always liked the social
aspect of meeting different people and the fans after
those races. I enjoyed those open shows.
"That's how we got Reggie (Ruggiero) to drive our race
car. We used to go to the Plainville (Conn.) Stadium
open shows at the end of the year. He kept beating us,
so we hired him to drive our race car. I haven't been to
Star since the early '90's. I have heard a lot of good
things, so I'm looking forward to it."
The unique payoff format, bringing bonus money
throughout the field, is going to be a story within the
125-lap, green flag only race. Leading lap 79 pays $610
to the leader and another $180 to a top ten driver. The
halfway bonus payoff will be more than $1,000 split
between four of the top ten drivers on that 63rd lap.
Lap 40 pays $150, and the fan donation lap 55 is
expected to be worth more than $200 to the race leader.
The festivities officially begin on Saturday June 16 at
4:50 PM, with a concert featuring a mix of Country, Rock
and Blues performed by Ryan Brooks Kelly and Jilly
Martin. The first green flag flies at 5:30 PM for the
weekly Star divisions, with qualifying heat races for
the Exeter Decorating SBM 125 beginning just after 6:00
PM.
Last year the VMRS drivers took home the top two
finishing positions, with Chris Pasteryak running the
fastest lap of the race at 12.684 seconds, but the
competition level for this second annual event is going
to be even higher, with many of the best from the WMT
set to compete. The allowance of a pit stop to change
one tire during the race will likely add to the race
drama.
Tickets for this special event are priced at just $25
for adults, $15 for seniors and students, with kids 10
and under admitted free of charge with a paid adult. For
more information on this one of a kind event, or to
sponsor one of the ten remaining laps, log onto
www.star-speedway.com,
email:
StarPress2012@aol.com
or check out the Star Speedway official facebook page. |
