Jacob Allen, Shark Racing Score Special World of Outlaws Win at Home
May 12, 2022
For the second-straight week, Star Speedway will be featured on Racing America, only this time it will be the winged-warriors of the 350 Supermodifieds who will be front and center at the Epping, New Hampshire short track. It will be the second race of 2022 for the division after opening on April 30, when Jeffrey Battle took home the year’s first trophy.
This Saturday evening is a special one for the class, going 47 laps as they honor the man who distinguished himself as not only the keeper of the keys of Star Speedway, but as a driving force of Supermodified racing in all of New England, Bob Webber Sr.
Going back to 2021, Jeffrey Battle has been the main man at the Webber family’s quarter-mile oval, with the Massachusetts young gun celebrating the title. One of his main challengers has incidentally been a Maine driver; Bobby Timmons was runner-up in the 2021 title fight, and proceeded to start off 2022 right where he left off.
Admitting to starting off behind the eight-ball, Timmons is as driven as ever to drive his No. 13 Supermod past Battle’s No. 14 as the weather heats up
“Definitely can’t complain about it. We’re not at 100%, I still got last year’s engine in the car and can’t get the parts with everything that’s happening to get a fresh engine in. We really weren’t ready I guess, we put in the effort, and I knew the car was going to be competitive. But, we didn’t have high expectations; so to finish second to Jeffrey was like a win, he’s been borderline unbeatable at Star,” Timmons told Racing America.
Battle’s victory does give Timmons and the rest of the field a chance to even the score, as Battle will be on a handicap for starting positions from here on out, because of his win. Of course, Timmons will be in the same fix should he win the day Saturday. Naturally though, it’s a trade off he will always make.
“Last year when we won on opening day we were in the handicap, and now he’s in the same situation. So, maybe we’ll get out in front before he has a chance to get there. He’s raised the bar up there, made the rest of us work even harder on our racecars. A few guys have thrown in the towel, but it’s pushed us to be even better.”
In the present day, Supermodified racers are down on numbers all across North America. Star’s 350 roster is a reflection of this. But, Timmons is certain that the amount talent within the roster makes the division a sight to behold anytime they take to the track.
“The best 350 Supers race at Star. I’m fairly confident that Jeffrey, Brad Babb, Ben Tinker, and myself; we finished one, two, three, four at Star. I’d take anyone of us four against anyone from Oswego, SMAC, or anybody. We go out to Oswego, I’ve never ran well out there, but Jeffrey, the Witkums, and the Lockes; all New England 350 Super guys that go out there, they have the Oswego guys' numbers. It proves that Star breeds the best 350 Super teams.”
A third-generation racer, Timmons knows the story of Star and Bob Webber. Despite not having the relationship that many other drivers had with Webber Sr, Timmons is no less motivated to be the won to win and dedicate a win on Saturday to the late promoter.
“I knew who he was and I’m sure he knew who I was, but regrettably I never actually met Bob Sr, never got to talk with him, and I wish I had in hindsight. I know the history though, my dad grew up racing at Star in the Supermodifieds in the 80’s and my grandfather raced there too. I know how much Bob Sr. loved the Supers, and as Bobby (Webber Jr.) has stated multiple times, Bob Sr. bought Star to save Supermodified racing in New England. It’s great to race in his honor.”
Beyond this weekend, Timmons is getting ready to hit the road when the schedule allows.
“We’re committed to the Star 350 races, we ran second in the championship last year, and I’d like to improve on that. We’ll run as many of the SMAC races as we can, next one is at Hudson which we won last year and Ben Bosowski has been a sponsor of mine and a huge help to me over the years.”
Timmons also isn’t limiting his plans to Small-Block Supermod races, as he aims to break out the Big-Block Supermod for races in the summer and fall.
“We were planning to run the Big-Block at Oxford with NESS last week before it got postponed. After that we kind of stopped working on it, so we’re behind on that. But we’ll have it out, probably in June. We’ll try to make it for some NESS races, really looking forward to the World Series at Thompson; everyone with a Big-Block Super looks forward to Thompson. We’ll also hit up Claremont and Star with the ISMA tour.”
