About
Photo by Casey Baselj
What is the BRP Modified Tour Inc.?
The Modified Tour Inc. racing series is a non-profit organization established to give the V-8 Modifieds in the Western Pennsylvania area a chance to compete with one another for a higher purse structure and for a point fund for the races that are run. Started in 1998 by Tim Engles, Lon and Pam Baker and Randy Myers the Modified Tour has had great success at bringing the local cars together at the area racetracks.
The Modified Tour’s History
The first season, 1998, there were a total of 62 different cars that competed at five different local speedways. Out of the five races there were five different drivers in victory lane. Brian Swartzlander, was the 1998 champion by just two points over Jeff Hoffman with a point fund that totaled over $10, 000 and was distributed between 20 different drivers.
In 1999, the Modified Tour had a total of 72 different drivers compete at six Western Pennsylvania speedways. For the second straight year in a row, there was a different driver in victory lane for all six races. Once again, Brian Swartzlander won the track championship by just two points over Jeff Hoffman. In 1999, the point fund increased to $12, 150 and was distributed between 20 different race teams.
The 2000 season was a challenging one for the BRP Modified Tour as the rain chased us wherever we went to race. We were able to complete seven out of the eight scheduled races. We also ventured out of the local area this season and visited some tracks that were new to modified racing. Competing at the tour races in 2000 were 60 different drivers and there were two track champions. Jeff Hoffman and Rodney Beltz tied for the first place honors, so both drivers were crowned champion. The point fund for 2000 increased to $21,600 distributed between 20 different race teams.
The 2001 season also had its fair share of rain out events. We attended all seven events, however, the race on May 11th at Sharon Speedway was rained out after the heat races and was not rescheduled. It took three different weeks to complete our May 25th show at Tri City Speedway, but we were eventually able to get it completed. Dave Murdick became the 2001 Modified Tour champion and also represented the Modified Tour series with honors at the Eckerd 200 race at Syracuse, NY in October with a ninth place finish. We had six different feature winners during the 2001 season, so several different drivers got to hold the checkered flags during the series.
The 2002 season found Ron Smoker the man to beat as he captured four feature wins along the way. Two of the biggest races, the Tony Stewart night at Sharon Speedway where Smoker beat track owner Dave Blaney and the final race of the season at Little Valley Speedway where Smoker beat Kevin Bolland by inches still have the Modified Tour fans talking. Kevin Bolland knocked Smoker off the win list on two occasions with the first coming at Sharon Speedway during the Sharon Nationals. Two weeks later Bolland also won the Mod Madness event at Tri City Speedway. The only other feature winner was Alan Dellinger who picked up the feature win at Mercer Raceway. A total of 98 different drivers competed with the BRP Modified Tour series during the 2002 season, the most drivers to date for the entire series.
The 2003 season found 10 races on the schedule with two new tracks added in the mix. 2003 found 102 different drivers compete with the Modified Tour series at 9 different races, one race washed out by mother nature. Ron Smoker and Kevin Bolland came out the big winners of the Tour with each one winning 4 races. Jimmy Weller, III picked up his first career feature win at Wayne County Speedway in September putting him in the books as the only other winner besides Smoker and Bolland. Ron Smoker was crowned the 2003 Tour Champion.
2004 saw 10 races on the schedule, but mother nature forced the cancellation of two of those shows. This was the first time that the Modified Tour traveled outside the United States and we were pleased to have a field of 44 cars at Merrittville Speedway, Thorold, Canada, with 29 of those cars Modified Tour regulars. Ron Smoker was crowned the 2004 Tour Champion for the third year in a row, and also announced his retirement from racing due to family obligations. There were seven different feature winners with a total of 91 different drivers who competed with the series. The Modified Tour increased the point fund to $22,600 for 24 different drivers.