Shawn Courchesne | Auto Racing

No Open Doors At Lime Rock Park For the Whelen Modified Tour

With a dwindling base of short tracks looking to host major touring events, the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour has seen their event schedule pared down over the past decade to a select few tracks.

The Modified Tour visits 8 tracks this season as part of a 16 race schedule. That schedule includes 5 events at Thompson International Speedway and 4 events at Stafford Motor Speedway.

Getting the tour to new venues is something first year series director Chad Little said recently was one of his goals.

Skip Barber Announces Major Changes At Lime Rock Park

There’s a second road course racing track coming to Connecticut.

It just so happens the second one will be in the same place as the existing one.

Thursday, Lime Rock Park owner Skip Barber formally announced plans for modifications to the current 1.53-mile road course that will create three new optional corners to the track and dramatically change racing at the facility.

News And Notes From Around The Scene

A season of honoring past Modified Champions begins April 6 when the Whelen Modified Tour kicks off its 2008 season with the running of the Icebreaker at Thompson International Speedway.

At each Modified Tour event this season NASCAR plans to recognize every past Modified champion. The Icebreaker will see Frankie Schneider, Donny Lia and the late Richie Evans celebrated.

Schneider was the 1952 NASCAR Modified division winner and is the oldest living former champion.  Evans won 9 Modified titles over a 13-year span including the first Whelen Modified Tour title in 1985. Evans had already clinched the title in 1985 when was killed during a practice session at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. Lia, who is now running on the Craftsman Truck Series, won the Whelen Modified Tour championship last season for Mystic car owner Bob Garbarino.

Our Little Piece Of Interweb Real Estate Is Growing Up So Fast

They said it couldn't be done.

A racing blog, at the Hartford Courant? Nobody is going to look at that.

Ok, so maybe it's just a few select friends hitting refresh over and over and over and over again, just don't tell the management types here our little secret.

Yes, its a big day at our treasured little piece of undervalued web space here, our little blog is growing up.

Stewed Up: Intimidating It Surely Doesn't Seem

Another edition of The Backstretch’s semi-regular concoction, brewed of the meatiest newsworthy items, opinions and meaningless meanderings down some paths that might not have anything to do with racing. Strap in for the ride.

--- Austin Dillon, the 17-year old grandson of Sprint Cup Series car owner Richard Childress, will race this season in the Camping World East Series for Andy Santerre Motorsports in a car designed strikingly similar to one very familiar to race fans from coast to coast.

Joey Logano Itching To Get Back Behind The Wheel In Competition

Joey Logano might be a phenom behind the wheel of a racecar, but he’s not a good racing fan.

May 24 can’t come quick enough for the Joe Gibbs Racing developmental driver from Middletown. That’s the day he turns 18 and becomes eligible to race in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

Logano will make his Nationwide Series debut May 31 at Dover International Speedway. Until then he pretty much, grudgingly, has to play the part of racing fan.

Stewed Up: Don't Make Me Turn This Car Around And Go Home Because I Will

Another edition of The Backstretch’s semi-regular concoction, brewed of the meatiest newsworthy items, opinions and meaningless meanderings down some paths that might not have anything to do with racing. Strap in for the ride.

--- It looks as if Dillon Moltz, who last year became the youngest driver ever to win in the Late Model division at Stafford Motor Speedwa, could be looking to make some noise on a bigger stage this season.

The 16-year old from Waterford has been approved by NASCAR to run in the Camping World East Series for 2008. An announcement on who Moltz could be driving for in the division this season is expected in the near future.

Thawing Out From SpeedwayExpo 2008

Yes, the numbness has finally subsided enough in my fingers that I am able to type again.

I was kindly requested to take part in an “Anger Management” dunk tank event last weekend at SpeedwayExpo in West Springfield, Mass. And being the good sport that I am, I obliged.

Friday evening, with a band of onlookers gathering, I took my seat in the dunk tank.

Unfortunately I was never told that part of the allure of the dunk tank experience is the humiliation of sliding some pour sap into a bucket of ice cold water. Now I’m not going to purport my big toe to have some magical meteorological powers, but suffice it to say, the toes were telling me the water temperature was somewhere in the low 50’s.

Ricky Carmichael To Run For Ken Schrader In The Camping World East Series In 2008

Motocross legend Ricky Carmichael will be running for a championship this season in the Camping World East Series for Ken Schrader Racing with backing from Hendrick Motorsports, his manager Scott Taylor said Thursday.

Carmichael will be sponsored by Monster energy drink.

Carmichael, 28, who retired from full-time motocross racing after 2006 is trying to make his way up the rungs of the stock racing ladder.

Carmichael had been under contract as a driver last year with former Sprint Cup Series team owner Bobby Ginn and raced about 15 Late Model events around Florida last summer.

No Better Place For The Race Fan To Be This Weekend Than SpeedwayExpo At The Big E

For local race fans of most 4-wheeled disciplines the place to be this weekend will be the Big E in West Springfield, Mass.

The Eastern States Exposition grounds is the site from Friday through Sunday of the biggest racing show in New England, SpeedwayExpo, in the Mallory Complex on the Big E grounds.

There’s something for everyone at this year’s event.

The Mallory Complex will be brimming with displays from race tracks, to racing divisions and exhibitors selling racing items that run the spectrum from collectibles to the newest in top line racing gear.