Granite State Derby: NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour drivers as race horses

It’s farewell for Stan Mertz Racing following this season, as team owner Stan Mertz will be closing his team and entering the retirement. The first thing that comes to mind is the Semisonic tune. Closing time, one last call to win them all, so finish your oats or alfalfa.

Nocella was last year’s surprise story of the Whelen Modified Tour, notching his first career win. Therefore, “Dark Horse” works on many levels. On one level, he’s that competitor that stuns everyone by overperforming. One another level, maybe it’s actually just a dark horse.

Jon McKennedy possesses that blue-collar energy that we love and appreciate. He’s there to throttle down and make his way to the front. He’s not flashy. He’s not talkative. Neither are horses, save for Mr. Ed.

This year, Jake Johnson takes the reins of this legendary ride to silence the doubters who say she ain’t what she used to be.

It sort of sounds like if Sean Connery tried to say “Race horse.” That’s literally it.

It’s merely a play on words. A filly is a female horse, and Melissa is the series stalwart, with more career starts in the Whelen Modified Tour than any other female driver in series history. These write themselves sometimes.

Let’s not complicate things – Doug is a six-time series champion so let’s just keep it short and sweet. If he wins the championship again this year well, we’ll revisit is again next year.

When you hear “Austin” and “Beers” you think of one person, and that’s Stone Cold Steve Austin. Given trademark concerns, he cannot be given the same name, so we shorten it to “Steve.” Steve the horse. I know. It’s kind of like naming your dog “Keith” but just work with us here.