Although most eyes will be on the Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend because the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series’ will be racing there, some of us will be more interested in an attempt to break the Bristol track record that will take place following the Nationwide race on Saturday.
Mike Lichty of Cambridge, driving his ground-shaking International Supermodified Association (ISMA) winged supermodified PATCO Transportation No. 84 rocket, will attempt to obliterate the record of 13.860 seconds (138.442 miles an hour) around the half-mile banked oval that’s currently held by Sammy Swindell driving a World of Outlaws winged sprint car.
In addition to Lichty, ex-California sprint car star and sometimes-NASCAR racer Brad Noffsinger, at the wheel of Howie Lane’s No. 97 supermodified out of Essex, Mass., will also take a crack at the record.
In addition to the supers, two sprint cars – including one owned by Tony Stewart and driven by Brian Clauson – and a racing motorcycle will take a shot.
Although news of whether the attempts are successful or not will undoubtedly leak out, the promotion is really a SPEED Channel production that will not air until April 2 following coverage of a NASCAR Camping World Series truck race.
Oh, for the record, Ryan Newman holds the record for the fastest lap set by a NASCAR Sprint Cup car. In 2003, Newman lumbered around the half-mile in 14.908 seconds.
Kinda slow, eh?
I predict a supermodified will be fastest on Saturday and 13 seconds flat sounds just about right.
Go Mike!
Good stuff Norris .. the supers need all the media exposure they can get and Lichty will give it a good shot.
Note that your title should be Bristol, not Bistol
Posted by: Gord Vernon | 03/18/2011 at 08:50 AM