So I visit my Dad on Friday and we get to talking about racing, Loudon this weekend and such – he says...
"So what channel is the Modified race on?" (he’s a big Speed Channel viewer)...
I say...
"No channel."
"It’s not on TV?" says my Pa.
"Nope."
"Not on Speed, NESN...ESPN?"
No, no and no...

So Dad says - "Oh, well I thought with Edwards and Stewart racing..."
"Yea, I know", I say dejectedly...
"But they have the cameras there, Speed Channel, TNT..."
"I know Dad - maybe they will tape it and show it some rainy day or something... but it’s not planned for television"...
"Oh, well, that’s too bad" he says....
Indeed - what a shame...

A play by play or a race recap will never do this race justice.

I can’t recall a race that had this fan so awestruck by the racing I was witnessing - I made noises, I grinned - I said words I can’t repeat here because I was so excited and blown away by the changing positions, lap after lap. Lead changes – pffttt!!! more than the 28 officially recorded, that’s for certain – I didn’t know where to focus my attention. As I watched the race from atop NHIS - I was trying to multitask; typing, handwriting notes, taking pictures - but I couldn’t be bothered with any of that.

I just couldn’t take my eyes off of the action...

I viewed some of the race through a decent little set of binoculars – but then I felt like I was missing out on the peripheral action – and there was plenty of it to be had.

There were at least - 40 some odd thousand race fans there and they witnessed one hell of an exciting Modified race. It’s an awful shame that more folks in TV land couldn’t watch this thrilling display of Modified racing at it’s best – NHIS style. Okay, so I wasn’t happy with the way the race ended, but I won’t let that take away from the many thrills that this race provided and ultimately, it’s appeal and potential for television.

Yes, there were cautions – some frustrating long caution periods, but I think the racing during the green flag laps more than made up for it. Although, look at the race results – a humbling 7 cautions for 47 laps – ouch!! Perhaps NASCAR should have counted only the first 15 caution laps – like they did at Jennerstown and Thompson for their 100 lap shows, this to the delight of Modified race fans worldwide.

Now I could go on into a few gripes I have about the finish, the rushed affair it became or the fact that our teams were there to qualify on Thursday for a Saturday race – but, these topics are very much a catch 22. I’m going to hold back and be thankful that our Whelen Modified Tour showed race fans at NHIS what exciting racing is all about. They witnessed what passing really looks like, that lead changes don’t have to happen once every 20 minutes or only when there is a restart - or average 10 changes every 100 laps – like they did in Sunday’s Cup snoozer.

The mild conspiracy theorist that I am thinks - perhaps this is why there was no TV for Saturdays Modified race. Do you think the "powers that be" don’t want the masses to see that their "oldest division" blows the doors and fenders off of the Big 3 when it comes to racing action and excitement?

Well, this race had all the fixins for a TV deal – it was all there for the taking – yet no one delivered. To play off of last years catchy marketing phrase – "How bad do I have it?" – Next time I go, I should get me a camcorder and film the damn thing myself...

I wonder; where is the creativity and the foresight to market this tour? Let’s forget about Edwards and Stewart for a moment, if that’s possible – (don’t worry, I’ll get on Stewart later)...

We have our own stars and impressive talent that put on great side by side, bumper to bumper racing action. What - nobody wants to see that? says what research poll, in what region of the country? We have some young guns (not Gillette ones) but quality rookies like Civali, Yuhas, Silk and Sesley. We have seasoned veterans like Stefanik, Ruggiero and Hirschman. We have headline grabber Ted Chistopher and fan favorite, Rick Fuller. We have ready for big league, camera friendly drivers like Szegedy and Hossfeld. Mr. TV producer even could have showcased another visitor, who was overshadowed by the Cup boys – young Bobby Santos III – he’s making headlines all over the country. So many angles and plenty of stories here in the Whelen Modified Tour.

This race belonged on SPEED or at least a regional network like NESN – that’s New England Sports Network for those not from the Northeast. Would somebody care to work extra hard in the next month and a half to ensure the next Modified Tour race in New Hampshire gets the TV coverage it deserves, so I don’t have to film it... Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Okay – I’ll ease up a little.

Congratulations to John Blewett III who nailed down his second Tour race in a row. Not only did he win in New Hampshire, but he gets in a plane and wins the Garden State Classic at Wall Stadium? Now that’s pretty amazing. John and the family owned team have a good thing going – very impressive indeed.

Tour rookie James Civali had a great run. After sliding and avoiding the nasty Jimmy Blewett wreck off of turn two, he pitted around lap 18 and again at lap 68 – James managed to steadily work his way up front and challenge for the win. It seemed that the Don King driver had pulled off a major upset win after the yellow checkers waved, in the most anti climatic finish I’ve ever witnessed.

Civali, who last year was the poster boy for immaturity and reckless abandon, apparently took the reversal of his good fortune exceptionally well – and good for him. Now that’s the way to handle yourself kid. First race at NHIS, finishing second – that’s huge.

How bout veteran Reggie Ruggiero? Aside from Tony Stewards charge and miraculous backstretch save – Reggie put on the best show of the race. Always charging, looking for the lead and staying out the entire distance – the Reg – threw his car low and used his bumper like no other when he needed. Reggie didn’t fade, didn’t use up his tires and he showed why he is one of the best Modified drivers to ever get around NHIS.

How bout Ron Yuhas – Ron was mixing it up in the lead pack big time before he got shuffled back many positions – his 15th place finish was not indicative of the race he had - what a great run by Ron and the #6 team...

Now - Tony Stewart - I’ve always been a fan of Tony’s driving ability, even though I have dismissed him many times due to his mouth and his temper – but on Saturday at Loudon, Tony proved to me that he is one amazing racer. I’m sure millions folks already knew this, but his charge from the back, his slicing and dicing, his superhuman recovery on the backstretch are things I won’t soon forget.

As Tony was shuffled around (bumped) off of turn 2 on the lap 96 restart, he would up sailing down the backstretch grass – his car became noticeably airborne - it landed and somehow Tony managed to keep it straight, get back on the track in turn 3 (at speed) and only loose a handful of positions. Skilled, lucky and reckless are words that apply here. I couldn’t believe what I saw. His charge from the back after coming to halt in turn 3 prior to a restart was thrilling. Apparently a little too thrilling for some of our tour competitors as Tony employed the use of the chrome horn in a very generous fashion for a visiting driver, at a track where proper bump drafting skills in a modified are an acquired skill.

Stewart is no doubt one hell of a race car driver and I fully understand he’s there to win but, why make it a point rub others the wrong way. Sure, Tony had praise for the tour leading up to the event stating "It’s a great group of drivers," ... but he was quick, too quick to take shots at champion caliber drivers post race. Tony’s brilliant save through the backstretch grass was amazing. However, what I find more amazing is how someone like a 2 time Nextel Cup Champion finds it necessary to fire cheap shots at someone like Jerry Marquis and Tony Hirschman, after a hard fought race and wild last few laps. Reggie Ruggiero said it best – "nobody can be mad at nobody, it was a heck of a race."

While Tony Stewart might think the Modified Tour as a lower division, that doesn’t mean you have to lower your maturity level to race in it. Tony had a blast racing the Curt Chase modified and he should have left it at that – but no - said Stewart to Marquis - "You drive like that, that's why you're still here and I'm where I am."

Rather childlike no?

Perhaps this is "Tony being Tony?" In this instance, I’m actually glad TV cameras weren’t there to capture his post race, adolescent, exchange of words. I know our tour drivers are not immune to such behavior, but Tony Stewart is a Big League, Nextel Cup mega star - this only proves that we shouldn’t always look to the "BIG’s" when searching for role model or advise on how to handle ones self.

Hey - this was an extremely exciting race to watch – and with racing like that, nobody should be complaining.

If anyone has a right to complain or be ticked - how about Jimmy Blewett? How bout Donny Lia (motor), Doug Coby, Rob Summers, Rick Fuller and Ron Yuhas – all had great runs going and would have been contending, but were involved in wrecks - or in Ron’s case – got shuffled back about 10 spots late in the race...

How bout the fans who felt cheated as they didn’t get the finish this race deserved? You know, the race fans who watched the entire race in the blazing heat, witnessing lap after lap of lead changes, amazing passing and bump drafting – only to have this thing end in such a bizarre fashion most were left scratching their heads saying, what just happened? I heard more than a few boo’s coming from the masses – and rightfully so. Whatever the rulebook says - this race deserved to finish - green, white, checkers.

Cup and Busch fans: Hopefully you enjoyed the Modified racing on Saturday, I know I did. I mean, I know the Whelen Modified Tour cars don’t look like your Ford Fusion or your Dodge Chargers, with room for sponsors and countless stickers, even ones that look like headlights, (so you can associate it with your street car).

I know we don’t have big time personalities and superstars like Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards. Shoot, we don’t even have a dog gone race on TV because it seems the Modifieds are not part of NASCAR’s Big 3 focus or regional marketing demographic.

Well, in a way - that’s okay with me...

In my humble opinion - the Whelen Modified Tour and its drivers are in a class all by themselves.