“NEW” SOUTHERN MODIFIED RACE TOUR INVITED TO “FROSTBITE”
New Mod Series to Offer Affordable Racing to Competitors and Tracks

(King, NC):  The 2nd annual “Frostbite Winter Nationals” is set for Saturday, March 20th at Orange County Speedway in Rougemont, NC and the “new” Southern Modified Race Tour will be a part of a day filled with open wheel modified action.  Headlining the action will be the “Tour Type” modifieds but the “new” SMRT Modified tour will be holding the first event ever for the series.

The series is headed by Gary Young, Sr., Sammy Wallace and other owners and drivers who have competed at Ace Speedway in Altamahaw, NC for several years. Young built one of the first Modifieds to compete at Ace and Wallace is a Danville, VA car owner. The division will utilize most of the rules used at Ace but will offer the option for the 23 degree head engines used in the Modifieds in recent years the chance to compete.

The series will be conducting tests over the next two weeks to determine a restrictor plate size for use on the 23 degree cars that will bring the two types of engines closer together.  The “Frostbite” will be a non-points event for the series and will be the first “test” event for the tour before regular events begin in May.  Several of the Ace competitors have made the commitment needed to insure the success of the series including, Gary Young, Jr., Brian King, Roy Cook and others. Owners with 23 degree cars showing interest in the series include Scott Rigney, Kevin Wilson, David Beck and others. A full field is expected to take the green flag for the inaugural event on March 20th.

The “new” Southern Modified Race Tour is open to any “safe” Modified type car meeting Ace Speedway rules or rules pertaining to the 23 degree head engines used in the “tour type” Modifieds.

Future plans for the series include events at several area tracks to be announced in coming weeks.  A series of new rules to be implemented beginning in 2011 will be designed to keep costs in check for the series with hopes of opening the door to more tracks looking for the excitement of open wheel modified racing.  Race procedures with the fan in mind will be used at all events.  Double file restarts and the use of the “commitment cone” for restarts along with inverted starting line-ups are being considered.  Racing the way it used to be is the “new” catch phrase for the “Cup” series racers. Racing the way it should be will be the key phrase for the “new” SMRT series. 

For more information on the “new” Southern Modified Race Tour, call Gary Young, Sr. at 336-261-4087 or Sammy Wallace at 904-545-5595. An organizational meeting for the series is scheduled for Sunday, February 28th. Contact Young for details.

“MADHOUSE” COMES TO WHITEY’S HOUSE
Fledging Modified Series Debuts at Franklin County Speedway on July 4th

(Callaway, VA):  The popularity of the “Madhouse” TV show this past winter has spurred a new interest in Modified racing in the area. The “Madhouse” featured several drivers competing at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, NC. The close-quarters racing with high-horsepower cars on little 10-inch wide tires creates intensity and drama unequaled in racing. Now that type racing is coming to Whitey Taylor’s Franklin County Speedway in Callaway, VA.

Drivers usually competing at Ace Speedway and on the now idle Southern Modified Race Tour (SMRT) are putting together a series that gives the racers a chance to showcase their talents and machines to area fans.  The cars look like most Modifieds, with no fenders and exposed bumpers and nerf bars but instead of the 15-inch wide steam-roller tires usually seen on the modifieds, they compete on a narrow 10-inch wide Hoosier race tire similar to the ones used on the cars in the TV series. The engine packages used vary from the standard “weekly” series engines used at Ace and other area tracks to the older 23 degree head engines NASCAR no longer allows in the “tour” cars.  “It’s a good mix and when the cars run together, the smaller tire is a great equalizer. We hope the cost savings with the small tires and the many options on the engines will encourage drivers from different areas to jump on the wagon with this series.  It will be a great way to encourage interest in the Modifieds and hopefully help expand their popularity at new tracks as well as build the base at the weekly tracks”, said Sammy Wallace, who along with Gary Young, Sr. are two of the organizers of the new series.

The series will feature “Twin” 25 lap features at most stops with qualifying setting the field for the first 25 lapper and the winner of the first race drawing a number of cars to be inverted in the start for the second 25 lapper.  Caution flag laps do not count in the lap totals and all starts and re-starts will be double-file. The double-file restarts feature a pick-your-lane choice for the drivers brings almost every car into the mix. Drivers must choose a lane for the restarts.  That option gives the drivers a chance to improve their standings for a restart and will absolutely increase the “excitement” factor for the fans. No more follow-the-leader stuff for these guys.

The series will roll into Franklin County Speedway on July 4th for the annual Independence Day celebration at FCS. Pit gates open at Noon and practice and qualifying are slated to begin at 2:00 PM.  There will be an on-track “pit party” prior to the race.  The modifieds will compete along with the tracks other regular divisions.

Event details and updated entry list will be available very soon on the Franklin County web-site, www.franklincospeedway.com.
 

Entry Form

Modifieds and Franklin County Speedway Have Rich History

(Callaway, VA):  Ever since Hank Thomas drove the #53 Modified coupe to victory lane on Wilton Agees new asphalt at Franklin County Speedway over thirty years ago, Modified racing has played a special part in the tracks history. 

All the greats in Modified racing have graced the gates of FCS through the years.  Jerry Cook, Richie Evans, Satch Worley, Paul Radford, Joe Henry Thurman, Jimmy and Billy Hensley have tried to find the Franklin County winners circle. The early years of asphalt at FCS drew cream of the crop to the fastest 3/8 mile track on the east coast.

You can call the track what you want.  Franklin County Speedway, Callaway USA or just plain old Franlkin County.  When you crest the hill entering the track, its like going back in time.  That same ribbon of lightning fast asphalt grabs your attention and when the open wheel Modifieds roll out on to that surface, excitement fills the air like thunder and lightning.  Close your eyes and you can see thst bright orange #61 flashing around the track setting speed records that would stand for 20 years. You can see Worley ripping aroung the track in Speedy Thomas’s Cavalier. You can see Philip Smith, Gary Myers and Junior Miller, Jay Foley and Kenny Minter hammering on one another. You’ll remember Burt Myers, Brian King, Teddy Christopher and James Civali dueling lap after lap. And soon you will be able to see the newest breed of Modified pilots in action at FCS.

On July 4th, Whitey Taylor will open the doors to Franklin County Speedway for the new Ace Tour Modifieds. They will help everyone in Franklin County, VA and the surround neighborhood celebrate the Independence Day weekend with “twin” 25 lappers for the open wheel cars.  Featuring double-file restarts with the famous “cone” helping drivers pick the line they think will be the best, the new tour brings a little “madhouse” to Franklin County.  A field of 15 – 20 modifieds is expected with names like Josh Nichols, Sam Beam, Jr., Roy Cook, Brad Allen, Conny Ray Wallace, Gary Young, Jr. and several more will be on hand to bring the excitement of Modified racing back to Franklin County Speedway.

Gates open at 12:00 Noon on July 4th with practice runs for all divisions set for 2:00 PM. Qualifying is set for 5:00 PM and a big “Pit Party” is scheduled for 5:30. Racing rolls off at 6:10 PM. For more information on this event check out the Franklin County web-site at www.franklincospeedway.com or call the track at 540-238-9955.