The Reg steals Loudon limelight

LOUDON, N.H. (WWLP) - Ron Silk of Norwalk, Connecticut shot past race leader Reggie Ruggiero on the back straightaway of the final circuit to win the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour 100 lapper at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon on Saturday.

His victory follows a strong run in the June Mod Tour show at NHMS where he was part of a 4 car last lap dash for the checkers. Silk’s performance was certainly solid, as he started from the outside poll and lead laps throughout the event.

A certain amount of Silk’s spotlight was surprisingly stolen by a 4th place finish by veteran driver Reggie Ruggiero of Rocky Hill, Connecticut. The Reg is 58 years old yet his amazing performance Saturday could be a defining moment in what Aging in America is all about.

Ruggiero started 21st but would eventually lead a total of 15 laps on 3 different points in the race including laps 97-99. When it was all over despite a head turning performance Reggie was thinking about what could have been done differently. “We should have pitted when the leaders did.

But we didn’t, we stayed out the whole race. At the end they just had a little bit fresher tires. The 6 car (Silk) on the last lap pushed me up in the corner. That’s how you race here. It was a good race.” And what if The Reg could have had that last lap back as a do-over? “I just wish I would have held it down a little bit lower. I gave him (Silk) too much room in the corner. But I didn’t want to wreck, I wanted to finish the race.” Wilbraham native Mike Stefanik was right in the hunt with Ruggiero in the closing laps.

Seeing those 2 running in close quarters brought back memories of all the Saturday nights at Riverside Park when Stefanik and Ruggiero raced hard to the delight of the fans in the stands. Former Riverside Pro Stock winner Tony Membrino is Reggie’s spotter and like his driver was pretty pumped at race end. Ryan Newman finished 8th and Glen Reen of Wilbraham placed 31st. Sprint Cup Drivers like Ryan Newman and Kasey Kahne competing in the Mod Tour draws different viewpoints.

Kahne raced with the Mod Squad in June but not on Saturday. Defending Tour Champ Ted Christopher told 22News, “Just 2 other cars out there you got to beat. I raced against Ryan at New Smyrna (Florida). So we had fun racing together and very clean racing. I look forward to it, he’s a good racer.”

No driver has won more NASCAR Modified Tour Championships than Mike Steafanik. He says, “It’s a plus for our series. The Whelen Modified Tour gets much more exposure when someone like a Kasey Kahne or a Ryan Newman comes over and competes with us. I think it raises everybody’s awareness a little bit and makes us all kind of step our game up a little bit too.” There had been criticism aimed at Tony Stewart when he jumped in a modified at the Magic Mile.

Some seasoned drivers thought Stewart had a bit too much of a take no prisoners attitude. But it doesn’t seem to bother some of the veterans like Stefanik. “Those guys are great racers that’s why they’re at the level that they’re at. They’ve got so much experience coming into our game, because most of them came from a sprint car or a midget or a dirt car or whatever. They adapt really well. They’re professionals. You can learn something from them and they might learn a little bit after they run a race or 2 in our division. New Englanders are hard nosed people. We won’t take anything from them and they won’t take anything from us. They won’t come in here and try to push anybody around because we just push right back. I’m not trying to act like a tough guy. That’s just how it is. This sport is so competitive. We have a lot of great drivers in our division. They’re not just running those cars for one reason or another. A lot of drivers are perfectly capable of going over there and doing quite well. I like it though. I like it just because at my state in my career I love to match my skills up against what’s considered the greatest drivers. I love it. Bring ‘em on! The more the merrier.”

Randy Moss: NASCAR Team Owner

New England Patriots Wide Receiver Randy Moss is one of Tom Brady’s favorite targets. But for race fans Randy Moss wears another cap, that of a NASCAR truck team co-owner.

Randy Moss Motorsports brought a pair of Toyota Tundras to the NASCAR Camping World Truck 200 at the Magic Mile. Mike Skinner started from the pole eventually taking home 8th place.

Rookie Tayler Malsam was 3 laps down in twentieth. Kurt Busch, who was again boo‘d soundly during driver introductions at NHMS, won the race..
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Sunglasses At Night

“I wear my sunglasses at night” sang Corey Hart in a popular song. Ted Christopher once did the same at the former Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam.

On the 10th anniversary of the speedway’s final season Christopher shared with 22News at NHMS his memory of that special night. “I raced Watkins Glen and left my stuff up at Watkins Glen.

It was a little tough for the first like 5 or 10 laps until your eyes adjusted to it. It was good that they had the new Musco lighting and not the old lighting or I would have been in trouble. But I did win.” Christopher hopping on a plane in New York on a Saturday afternoon to fly back to Riverside to race that night is so similar to the stories surrounding the late Roy Orbison and his sunglasses. Orbison reportedly got on a plane without his regular eyeglasses.

Upon arrival and having only sunglasses he performed wearing his shades. Despite occasional questions as to whether Orbison was blind, the sunglasses became part of his act. Not the same for TC, who told 22News he’s never again raced with shades since that memorable evening at The Park.

Pictured above: Mod Tour Race Winner Ron Silk hoists the hardware, Mod Squad goes 3 wide at the Magic Mile, The Reg (#14) bump drafts Erick Rudolph (#59), and Rowdy Busch celebrates.