| When most people think of NASCAR, they think of | | | | that are capable of creating up to 600 horsepower. |
| the Sprint Cup Series, the Nationwide Series or the | | | | Several of the biggest names in NASCAR over the |
| Craftsman Truck Series. There is another series out | | | | past 20 years, including Geoff Bodine, Brett Bodine, |
| there that many people think is more exciting than | | | | Jimmy Spencer and Steve Park started their |
| any of these. The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour | | | | professional racing careers in the modified division. In |
| was established in 1985 and races at some of the | | | | addition, many of today's top drivers including Tony |
| most famous short tracks in the northeast. In 2009, | | | | Stewart, Carl Edwards and Ryan Newman have |
| The Whelen Modified Tour has a 14 race schedule | | | | driven modifieds either on Sprint Cup off days or |
| that includes tracks as short as the ¼ mile | | | | when the Sprint Cup and Whelen Modified Tour come |
| Riverhead Raceway in Long Island and as long as the | | | | together for race weekends at Loudon. |
| New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, New | | | | Most of the Whelen Modified Tour races are staged |
| Hampshire. This year, the Tour will be going to The | | | | in a single day. However, there are several |
| Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee for the first | | | | opportunities to spend a weekend enjoying the |
| time. | | | | mighty modifieds. The season begins each year in |
| The cars, themselves, bear little resemblance to their | | | | April at the Thompson Speedway in Thompson, CT |
| Sprit Cup cousins. They are open-wheeled cars | | | | with a weekend of racing called the Icebreaker and |
| (meaning they don't have full fenders) that weigh | | | | culminates with the World Series of Short Track |
| about 2,600 pounds and use 15 inch wide slick tires. | | | | Racing also at Thompson. Free camping is available at |
| The NASCAR Whelen Modified cars are much lower | | | | Thompson Speedway so pack your tailgating gear |
| to the ground and slicker than the Sprint Cup Cars. | | | | and have a great weekend! |
| While they carry names like Chevy Corvette and | | | | If you'd like more information on the NASCAR |
| Ford Mustang, the only part that actually has to be | | | | Whelen Modified Tour, and a schedule of the races, |
| stock is the roof. They have a 107 inch wheelbase | | | | simply Google NASCAR Modifieds. There are many |
| and get their power from small block V-8 engines | | | | quality sites out there you will find very interesting. |