Are you searching for a change of pace this summer? Are you sick of paying too much for tickets to the ballgame? Do you prefer tailgating to blowing a bunch of money on food at the stadium? If you answered yes to any of these questions, pack up your grilling tools and take in a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race.

When most people think of auto racing, they think of the Sprint Cup Series, the Nationwide Series or the Camping World Truck Series. There is another racing series out there where the racing is more exciting than any of these. The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour started 1985 and races at some of the  famous short tracks in the northeast. This year, the Whelen Modified Tour has a 14 race schedule that includes tracks as obscure as the Riverhead Raceway in Long Island and as famous as the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. This year, the Modified Tour will also be going to the high banks of the Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee for the first time ever.

The modifieds, themselves, bear little resemblance to their Sprit Cup cousins. They are open-wheeled (meaning they don't have full fenders), lightweight cars that weigh less than 2,600 pounds and ride on 15 inch wide slick tires. The modifieds are much lower to the ground and slicker than the the race cars you're used to. While they carry names like Corvette, the only part that actually has to be stock is the roof. They have a 107 inch wheelbase and get their power from small block V-8 engines that are capable of creating up to 600 horsepower.

Several of the biggest names in NASCAR over the past 20 years, including Geoff Bodine, Brett Bodine, Jimmy Spencer and Steve Park started their racing careers in the modifieds. In addition, several of today's top drivers including Tony Stewart, Carl Edwards and Ryan Newman have driven Whelen modifieds either on Sprint Cup off days or when the Sprint Cup and Whelen Modified Tour come together for race weekends at Loudon.

Most of the Whelen Modified Tour races are one day events. However, there are several chances to spend a weekend watching the mighty modifieds. The season begins each April with the Icebreaker at Thompson, CT and finishes with the World Series of Short Track Racing also at Thompson. Free camping is available at both of these events so pack your picnic coolers and barbecue tools and have a great weekend with the NASCAR Whelen Modifed Tour!

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