[Don]

From a Feb 19th Lime Rock News Release:

" On Tuesday, May 11, starting at 1:00 p.m., the Hoosier Tire Company is bringing its engineering team to Lime Rock for a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour tire test, in preparation for the Modified’s first road-course race in 10 years (July 2-3 NASCAR Doubleheader). Lime Rock fans are welcome to come – it’s free – but you will have to sign the track waiver at the entrance "

" NASCAR modifieds – open-wheelers with partial bodies ostensibly that of street cars – are built on tubular chassis made by specialist fabricators. A Whelen Modified is 11 inches shorter in height and almost 2 feet wider than a Sprint Cup car. They are powered by small-block V-8 engines (usually of 355 to 368 c.i.d.), although larger or smaller engines can be used. Modifieds weigh at least 2,610 pounds (with additional weight for engines 358 cubic inches and larger) and have a wheelbase of 107 inches. The engines, which make on the order of 650 h.p., are largely similar to those used in the Sprint Cup Series, but the Whelen Mods use a smaller 390 cfm carb.

As you might have guessed, NASCAR’s Modifieds only rarely race on road-course tracks such as Lime Rock. In fact, when they come here July 2-3, it will mark the first time the Tour has competed on a road course since 2000! There have been only six previous road course races in Tour history, all at Watkins Glen International. "