HOSSFELD: Hot Whelen.

(Photo from BostonHerald.com)

THOMPSON, Conn. - The Big Three of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, Ted Christopher, Tony Hirschman and Mike Stefanik, get the 2006 series revved up today with the 21st running of the Icebreaker 150 at Thompson International Speedway.

Hirschman, a five-time and defending Modified champion and Stefanik, a six-time champion, rank as two of the Top 10 Modified drivers of all-time. Christopher, meanwhile, narrowly missed out on his first title in 2005 and is considered the most fearsome driver in the Modified ranks today.

Despite staring up at all that iron, Chuck Hossfeld remains undaunted. He finished third in the series standings last year, posting nine top-5 and 14 top-10 finishes in the 18 races. The Ransomville, N.Y., driver is confident he'll break through this year.  "I'm hungry to win that championship," Hossfeld said at last week's tour kickoff press luncheon.

Hossfeld, 29, realizes finishing in the top 5 consistently, is what makes a champion. Hirschman is a prime example. In 2005, while Christopher compiled the most wins, Hirschman [won] the tour title by just eight points with his consistent placement.  "Finishing in the top 5 is just like winning, because the competition is so tough," Hossfeld said. "When you look at the field, there is legitimately 15 cars that can pull out a win and another five that, if they day goes right, they could win."

In 2006, Hossfeld marks his first year behind the wheel of the No.79 car for Hill Racing. Mike Christopher, Ted's brother, raced for Roger and Sandra Hill last year, but was released at the end of the season.  After having a taste of the big time in 2001 as a Roush Racing development driver in the NASCAR Truck series, Hossfeld's itching to crack the upper ties of NASCAR, but he's signed on with the Hills and understands your word is everything in stock car racing.  "I'm absolutely, totally committed to Hill Racing, right now," Hossfeld said. "I understand the magnitude of the opportunity I've been given."

Hossfeld said nothing would be sweeter than starting off the season by winning the prestigious Icebreaker 150, a race he won in 2003.  "We'll be one of the stronger cars there," he said. "I usually don't talk too loud, but we have as good a shot as anybody that's going there."

Winning the Icebreaker just isn't for bragging rights. Getting a season-opening victory sets the tone for a championship run.  "When you race for points, it's important to get that early momentum going," Hossfeld said.

But doing well at Thompson, one of the most notorious bull-rings on the tour, is never easy. A driver needs to qualify up front. The farther up front the better, Hossfeld stressed.  "Thompson is very fast and it's a tough track," he said. "You're definitely driving every lap as hard as you can when you race at Thompson."

Staying out of trouble at Thompson is important. At any moment, a hardened Modified veteran like Ted Christopher will put another driver in the fence to gain position.  "Ted Christopher causes a lot of the mess out there," Hossfeld said. "It doesn't bother me racing against tough competition. I'd rather race a fleet of (talented) drivers any day."

Hirschman feels shorted

Hirschman understands in order to win a third consecutive championship, he needs more than a fast car.  "This deal is never easy," Hirschman said. "Luck plays a big part in the equation of whether you're going to be successful or not."

The shortened 2006 Whelen Modified schedule, reduced by 19 races to 14, doesn't sit well with Hirschman. For years, he raced weekly at short tracks in his native Pennsylvania and is afraid the Modified tour is becoming nothing more than a Connecticut-based series. Ten of the 14 races this season will be held at short tracks in the Nutmeg State.  "I'm really disappointed," Hirschman said. "A real touring series moves around from state to state. There's just not too much excitement racing at the same three tracks (Stafford, Thompson and Waterford) over and over again." …

Two-time defending race winner Ted Christopher is looking to etch his name further into the Modified record book by winning an unprecedented third straight Icebreaker 150.  "I was surprised to hear no one has won three in a row," Christoper said. "I would like to put my name in the record book as the first to do it."  Auburn's Jeff Fuller was the last driver with back-to-back Icebreaker wins, prevailing in 1992 and 1993.

Like Hirschman, Christopher is not pleased the schedule has been shortened.  "The loss of five races is a loss of $30,000." Christopher said. "This schedule is horrible. It looks like this tour is going to go the same way as Busch East."  The Busch East series schedule was cut from 14 to 11 races, marking the second year in a row the schedule has been reduced.