Ted Christopher Reaches Century Mark At Stafford

[PressRoom-GFN]

STAFFORD, Conn. – Ted Christopher persistently downplays momentous occasions, either with a shrug of the shoulder or a witty self-depreciating remark.

There was no avoiding the emotion, though, surrounding last weekend's events.

In a sequence that would make a numerologist’s day, Christopher drove the No. 13 on Friday, June 13, for the victory in the Coors Light SK Modified 100 at Stafford Motor Speedway, marking his 100th career victory at the historic Connecticut half-mile. Christopher, with tears in his eyes in victory lane, remembered the track’s patriarch, the late Jack Arute Sr.

“This place has always been real special to me,” Christopher said. “Jack Sr. was always a big part of my racing here, he would criticize me and he would thank me when I did well here. He was a big part of it, and the fans, love me or hate me, they still come out to see me and I really appreciate it.”

Christopher was joined in victory lane by members of the Arute family, including Jack Arute Jr., a pit reporter for ESPN in the IndyCar Series, and Mark and Lisa Arute, who announced the track would name Section A of the main grandstand after Christopher. The honor places him with other Modified greats that adorn each section of Stafford’s main grandstand. Christopher also was presented a commemorative plaque, recognizing his 100 career wins.

“Mark [Arute] talked to me a while ago and told me we have to do something special,” Christopher said. “I definitely have tears in my eyes for this. This place has been a great, great part of my racing career, thank you, thank Mark, Lisa, everybody at Stafford Speedway, and especially Jack Sr.”

The Plainville, Conn., competitor is already the track’s winningest driver. He also won the 2001 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national championship, while racing at nearby Thompson [Conn.] International Speedway.

“I’ve had people saying to me that they couldn’t make it this week, could I win next week, and I’m like ‘Let me put that on my calendar when I’m gonna win'," Christopher said with his trademark humor. "These things are hard enough to come by, especially when you have the likes of Chris Jones and Woody Pitkat behind you. Those guys gave me a good run, the car was a little loose, which is really strange for us. But we had one thing last week and then we got rained out and we weren’t quite sure what we were going to have, but this is a really, really great race car.”

To obtain win No. 100, Christopher started seventh and had to hold off a furious challenge from runner-up Pitkat. Pitkat was the 2007 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national runner-up. Keith Rocco, who finished fourth, is ranked No. 3 in the latest national standings.

“I was sitting down there doing autographs earlier and I was looking up at the grandstand and there’s the (Fred) DeSarro and Bugsy (Stevens) with their name on the grandstands,” Christopher said. “I thought that was pretty cool to have a grandstand named after you. And then I get one named after me. I really appreciate that and this place has been a real special place for me and my racing career.

“I was talking with Jimmy Milo, who was here for my first win; it took me three years for me to win my first race here. I bought my first car from Randy LaJoie, had that thing for three years and flipped it over, had it upside down, wrecked it and kept fixing it, and I built my own motors for 15 years. Doing it that way was definitely more rewarding because I did it on my own. It was tough in the beginning years, but I got myself into good rides down the road, but it makes you stronger coming up that way.”

Michael Bennett and Dillon Moltz won the track’s twin Late Model features, while Alan Provost [SK Light], Sean Foster [Limited Late Model] and Bill Dunn [DARE Stock] were the other feature winners last Friday.

Christopher is at least the second NASCAR Whelen All-American Series driver to reach the milestone of 100 wins at one track this year. Kevin Nuttleman recorded his 100th win at LaCrosse [Wis.] Fairgrounds Speedway earlier this season.

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