Ted Christopher
Encyclopedia
Ted Christopher(age 51), from Plainville, CT is an American racing driver who has raced and won in many different types of race cars, including Modifieds
, SK Modifieds, Camping World East Series, Late Models, Pro Stocks, Midgets, and Supermodifieds. He has also raced in NASCAR
's Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series, and Craftsman Truck Series
. He is best known for competing on the Whelen Modified Tour
. He is also well known for his success on the 1.058 mile New Hampshire Motor Speedway where Christopher has won 5 Camping World East Series events and 5 Whelen Modified Tour events.
Christopher won the 2001 NASCAR Weekly Series national championship in 2001 by winning 15 of the 18 races that he entered at Thompson International Speedway in Connecticut.
In 2008, Christopher won the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour
championship for the first time. Christopher, who is known as one of the most accomplished drivers in the Northeast, had never won the Whelen Modified Tour championship. He did so in fashion, winning both the championship and the final race of the season, at Thompson International Speedway. It came in his 12th full-time year of competing on the tour. It was Christopher's 31st career win on the tour. Christopher came into the race leading the championship standings over Matt Hirschman by 31 points. Late in the race, Hirschman suffered an electrical problem, which put him a handful of laps off the pace. Christopher drove on to win the event, with Hirschman finishing 21 laps down, in 25th position.
Ironically, in 2005, Christopher went to the season finale at Thompson holding a 36-point lead over Matt Hirschman's father, five-time tour champion Tony Hirschman, only to lose the championship due to a lap 11 crash.
Christopher was known for his aggressive driving style, which has changed in the past year and has brought more success to his racing career.
Modified racing
Modified stock car racing, also known as Modified racing or simply Modified, is one of the oldest types of racing in the United States, dating back to the days of the post-World War II coupes. The name for modified racing cars come from the fact that they are not stock but, rather, modified...
, SK Modifieds, Camping World East Series, Late Models, Pro Stocks, Midgets, and Supermodifieds. He has also raced in NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
's Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series, and Craftsman Truck Series
Craftsman Truck Series
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing...
. He is best known for competing on the Whelen Modified Tour
Whelen Modified Tour
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour is a stock car racing series owned and operated by NASCAR in the Modified division. The Modified division is NASCAR's oldest division, and its one of two open-wheeled divisions...
. He is also well known for his success on the 1.058 mile New Hampshire Motor Speedway where Christopher has won 5 Camping World East Series events and 5 Whelen Modified Tour events.
Christopher won the 2001 NASCAR Weekly Series national championship in 2001 by winning 15 of the 18 races that he entered at Thompson International Speedway in Connecticut.
In 2008, Christopher won the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour
Whelen Modified Tour
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour is a stock car racing series owned and operated by NASCAR in the Modified division. The Modified division is NASCAR's oldest division, and its one of two open-wheeled divisions...
championship for the first time. Christopher, who is known as one of the most accomplished drivers in the Northeast, had never won the Whelen Modified Tour championship. He did so in fashion, winning both the championship and the final race of the season, at Thompson International Speedway. It came in his 12th full-time year of competing on the tour. It was Christopher's 31st career win on the tour. Christopher came into the race leading the championship standings over Matt Hirschman by 31 points. Late in the race, Hirschman suffered an electrical problem, which put him a handful of laps off the pace. Christopher drove on to win the event, with Hirschman finishing 21 laps down, in 25th position.
Ironically, in 2005, Christopher went to the season finale at Thompson holding a 36-point lead over Matt Hirschman's father, five-time tour champion Tony Hirschman, only to lose the championship due to a lap 11 crash.
Christopher was known for his aggressive driving style, which has changed in the past year and has brought more success to his racing career.
Honors
- As part of the 25th anniversary of the NASCAR Weekly Series in 2006, Christopher was named one of the series' All Time Top 25 drivers.
- In 2008 Stafford Motor Speedway named a section of their grandstand for him in honor of his 100th victory at Stafford. Chirstopher, who currently has 109 victories at the prestigious and storied Connecticut oval, is Stafford's all-time winningest driver.
- Christopher was the first driver to win SK modified track championships at all three Connecticut NASCAR Whelen All-American Series asphalt, oval short-tracks (Stafford Motor Speedway, Thompson International Speedway, and the Waterford Speedbowl) during his career. The feat was later accomplished by Keith Rocco in 2010, the year he won his first SK Modified Championship at Waterford after multiple titles at the other two.