The history of NASCAR racing in Connecticut

LAKEVILLE, Conn. — Saturday will mark the first NASCAR national series race since 1970 in Connecticut, a state with a rich history of racing and drivers.

Here is a look at the history of NASCAR racing and drivers in Connecticut:

The enduring legacy of Stafford and Thompson

Stafford Motor Speedway and Thompson Speedway have survived on local racing support and grassroots NASCAR racing. From 1985 to 2021, the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour visited both tracks every year. While Stafford lost the tour after 2021, they hosted the Superstar Racing Experience from 2021 to 2023.

Local star Doug Coby basked in the national limelight after winning the SRX race in 2021. In 2022, Ryan Newman took his turn in victory lane and repeated in 2023 – a week after Denny Hamlin won there.

Thompson had its time in the national limelight too. The NASCAR Cup Series visited in 1951, with Neil Cole taking home the win. Then, David Pearson and Bobby Isaac went to victory lane there in 1969 and 1970.

After a brief pause in the 1980s, national series winners took their turn at Thompson again. In 1990 and 1991, Ricky Craven won in (what’s now) the ARCA Menards Series East. Then, in 2001, Martin Truex Jr. won there and at Stafford.

Other national series winners at Thompson include Trevor Bayne, Ryan Truex, Harrison Burton and Tyler Ankrum – who won the final East races there in 2008, 2009, 2017 and 2018 respectively. At Stafford, Noah Gragson won in 2016.

At either track, no one could top seven-time Modified champion Mike Stefanik. 35 of Stefanik’s 74 career Modified wins came at Stafford and Thompson – with 20 wins at Stafford and 15 at Thompson.

Connecticut’s own Modified champion, Ted Christopher, made a similar mark. Christopher earned 25 of his 42 Modified wins at the two tracks – 13 at Thompson and 12 at Stafford.

While both drivers are no longer with us, they will be watching from above and riding in spirit with everyone up to speed on the history of the motorsport in the state.

The unique, Sunday-less history of Lime Rock Park

In the 68-year history of Lime Rock Park, the track has hosted East races and the NASCAR-owned IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship, with IMSA racing there as recently as 2023.

But this weekend is the first-ever NASCAR national series weekend at the track.

Still, the special occasion won’t break one longstanding rule – not racing on Sundays. Zoning regulations by nearby Salisbury, Connecticut, barred racing on Sundays in 1959. Through the years, the track chipped away at much-stricter restrictions but Sunday racing still hasn’t prevailed.

NASCAR notables from Connecticut

• NASCAR on FOX lap-by-lap announcer Mike Joy
• Three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano
• Two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Randy LaJoie
• Current NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Preece
• Revered actor and racecar driver Paul Newman
• NASCAR Cup Series winner Jerry Nadeau

Five of the top-10 drivers on the all-time Modified wins list also hail from Connecticut:

• Reggie Ruggiero: 44 wins (third)
• Ted Christopher: 42 (fourth)
• Doug Coby: 35 (fifth)
• Ron Silk: 27 (ninth)
• Ryan Preece: 26 (10th)

“https://www.racing-reference.info/driver-list/?st=CT”