After celebrating his seventh SK Modified victory in 11 events this year at Thompson, Christopher had little nice to say about the driving tactics of Preece in Thursday’s feature and it was hardly pleasantries for Christopher being offered by Preece either.

Between laps 10-15 Christopher and Preece waged a heated battle for third place on the track that offered some contact, some cross-over’s, some wash-ups and a few cut-offs.

Christopher was steaming over Preece’s tactics after arriving in the inspection area at Thompson following the win.

Rocco, of Wallingford, had 14 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified victories through the first three months of the season, but has recorded just two victories in the month of the July, and the lack of trips to victory lane for Rocco is beginning to show in a big way in his lead at the top of the standings.

Many in the national media have made it sound as if New Hampshire Motor Speedway losing one of its dates after this season was all but a done deal.

It was expected that Speedway Motorsports Inc., the company that owns New Hampshire Motor Speedway, would do some date swapping within the family of facilities it controls. It was thought that SMI officials would pull one date from Atlanta Motor Speedway and one from New Hampshire Motor Speedway and uses those changes to put a Sprint Cup Series event at Kentucky Speedway and have a second date for Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

It was the second victory of the season for Pearl, of Salem.

After finishing second on the track, Monahan, of Quaker Hill, was disqualified from the event.

Todd Ceravolo looked to have the car to beat, driving away from the field after taking the lead from Monahan with 15 laps to go, but with six laps remaining Ceravolo slowed off turn four and went to the infield with electrical issues.

No, those live chickens in the cage strapped to the roof of that racecar are just for pre-race show and inspection time. As you might understand, the team is a little cocky about their chances in the big event.

Yes, live chickens rolling through the inspection line is just one of the many unique and interesting sights on display this morning in the paddock area at Stafford Motor Speedway, where the 24 Hours of LeMons is set to kick off their first of two days of competition at the track.

With rain falling in Stafford and a gloomy forecast for continued rain and storms through the evening, Stafford Motor Speedway officials made the decision to call the show late this morning.

The Whelen All-American Series CarQuest SK Modified 150, which had been scheduled for tonight, will now be run as part of the racing card at the track on July 30.

Thursday Rowe got to use the move to take him to victory lane.

Rowe, of Turner, Me., passed Preston Peltier with four laps remaining and went on to win the Pro All Stars Series North 75-lap feature at Thompson International Speedway.

Peltier, of Harrisburg, N.C., started on the pole and led every lap but one before Rowe’s winning pass. He ended up second. Johnny Clark of Hallowell, Me. held off Jay Fogleman of Harrisburg, N.C. to take third.

From the short tracks to Lime Rock Park, the state’s racing facilities will be brimming with all sorts of brands of racing over the next four days, from the most highly technological to absolute junk.

Thursday: Thompson International Speedway

In addition to their regular Thursday night Whelen All-American Series racing card, Thompson welcomes back the northern New England based Pro All Star Series North Super Late Model division.

Despite not recording a victory in an SK Modified feature since July 3 at the Waterford Speedbowl, Rocco, of Wallingford, remains head and shoulders above the competition in the latest NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national short track standings.

Rocco has 16 victories in 33 starts between Stafford Motor Speedway, Thompson International Speedway and the Waterford Speedbowl, good for 788 points, 22 points shy of a perfect season.

Saturday night he also showed he can battle with the best on a New Hampshire bullring.

Christopher held off Erick Rudolph on a green-white-checkered finish to win the 179-lap Monadnock 200 Saturday at Monadnock Speedway in Winchester, N.H. It was the first Whelen Modified Tour event at the quarter-mile trick since 1990.

Rudolph, of Ransomville, N.Y., held on for second and Ron Silk of Norwalk was third.

The victory, the second of 2010 for Christopher, moved him into sole possession of third place on the Whelen Modified Tour’s all-time career win list.