MODIFIED MINUTE
Modified Minute - 100% devoted to the Modified Racing World
MODIFIED MINUTE
PREMIERE EPISODE
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In this premiere episode, we check in on Ronnie Williams, who was crowned this year’s New Smyrna World Series Modified Champion.
Dale Hedquist weighs in and we learn the back story to Patrick Emerling’s "roughing up" of Ronnie Williams in New Smyrna.
And, Keith Rocco visits and explains why he gets more pleasure from seeing his customers win than when he wins in the SK Modifieds.
All that and our "Hot Dog of the Week", "Either - Or", as well as a recap of this season's early modified action.
They're called the Mod Squad. Brown Pounders. The men that live by the grace of God and 600 horsepower.
SPEAKER_12Here they come to the strike. Down to the finish. Check your flag in the air. Bob Senor up the hill. Here comes Salamino to the inside.
SPEAKER_03Here comes John Beatty Jr. And off the corner to the line they come. This is the Modified Minute. Go inside the world of modified racing with Jack Aroot. Modified Minute is brought to you by Waddell Communications, the official track side radio supplier for the Mod Squad. By Mid-State Site Development, safety, knowledge, and innovation. By Wheelers Auto Services, the finest in top-level service of premier automobile makes and models. By Hummel Brothers Quality Meets. 100% quality since 1938. By Hoosier Tire East. Tires designed for champions. By Riverhead Building Supply. Build Smarter. Build better. And by Ferguson Contractors. Building excellence since 1925.
SPEAKER_05Welcome to Racing's newest podcast series that I'm calling the Modified Minute. I started this podcast because I believe that the modified racing community is underserved when it comes to coverage of what arguably may be one of the most exciting segments of all of motorsports. Throughout this series, I hope that you'll enjoy getting to better know some of the key figures that populate the modified racing world. I also want to thank my sponsors. They are true modified supporters, and I hope that you will support them. So let's get this journey started, shall we? We start with the recapping of the racing action from the new Smyrna Speedway, where the track celebrated their 60th year of modified racing at the 58th Mile High Banks back in February.
SPEAKER_03It is time to get you up to speed here on the Modified Minute. Up to Speed is brought to you by Mid-State Site Development. Safety, knowledge, and innovation. Here's a recap of modified action from new Smyrna Speedway's 60th annual World Series of Racing. Things kicked off with the inaugural 2026 event for the Wheel and Modified Tour. The new Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau 200.
SPEAKER_08Bonsignor brings them down slow. Good launch from the field, they're off. Green is out, we're underway.
SPEAKER_11Justin Bonsignor brings the field to turn number one. Inside lane gets the jump, McKennedy. In seconds, don't nose to nose, preferred bald win. As the advantage going up to turn number three, fly to get a bit deeper. The outside turn three. Under the screen start with your beard. Back to the inside, not letting three sketch queen racetrack by the time they get to the back straight away. See him up the back straight away. Just a couple weeks between the top two. And a bit of a gap. Back to Austin Pierce. Running unchallenged in the first box.
SPEAKER_08Trouble off turn two. At the 99. Drove right in that car stop for the back trip.
SPEAKER_11So late green light, but big road is opening. Here they come, Jim Tradeau.
SPEAKER_00Ryan Freed's the first to his pissed off five in for turn four. From second position, they're going right side tires. Same call for Jimmy Blood. Blood's going right side tires on the back. They may not have the ability because they wanted to make that adjustment in the left rear corner of Mike Bologna. That won't happen. So can do it the right side tires only. For the car's right second.
SPEAKER_09Guys that are at the lead part of pit road. Justin Bonsenor. Two rear tires for him. That car is really good according to Ryan Stone. Same thing for the 64 of Austin Beers.
SPEAKER_11Bring this back up, but you're not able to get away under this restart. Come up, bitching them right down to the bottom and holding that high side momentum in the free car. Top side, box door to the bottom, coming around off of turn number four. White flag wanted to go! All coming out of straight further back, but the leader took the white as they go to turn number two. Caution comes out, and Justin Bonsignor finds himself at the front of the field at the time of caution.
SPEAKER_08It's so good. Staying disciplined, hooking the bottom, not using the three-car up and not becoming vulnerable. He's gonna drive under the caution and the checkered here. Take the win the night new Smyrna.
SPEAKER_11Checkered flag is out, and Justin Bonsignor wins the new Smyrna Beach area. Visitors Bureau 200 is an opener for the NASCAR wheel and modified.
SPEAKER_03Then it was the Tour Type Modified Turn with five events over the next week. And it was a 14-year-old named Polly Hartwick who stole the first show.
SPEAKER_02And Priest to the Green Turn 4, we are underway! The Tour Type Modified World Series Booster Model. And it's Ryan Priest in the 52.
SPEAKER_12Look at that, Polly Hartwick III. Take over that position from Ryan Priest. How about that? Four laps into his world experienced career in a tour type modified. Polly Hartwick is your leader! Hartwig stretching the advantage even more. He's playing into turns three and four. Polly Hartwig about to make some history of his own.
SPEAKER_03Hartwick went to hear a new spurna. In the next race, a NASCAR cup star came back to its roots to score the win.
SPEAKER_02Off of turn four, Tyler Ripkuma. On the inside, on the outside, Ryan Priest underway. For 60 laps of action as they head to turn one, battle for the lead up front. Who gets the ball off of two? It's Ripkuma on the inside. Ryan Priest off the fourth quarter to the line claims his first win of the week at the World Series is 14th. And World Series history, Priest takes the tour type modified.
SPEAKER_03Next up was the John Bluett Memorial 76.
SPEAKER_12Williams looked like he was gonna go to the outside lane, but instead he takes the lead on the bottom lane where that 50 car has been so efficient.
SPEAKER_02Here is Williams of the outside lane. Emmerling, the top qualifier trying to challenge as they race to turn one.
SPEAKER_12Good riskar for Ronnie Williams there. He's gonna jump out in front of that two-eyed battle for second, but here comes Emmerling. That bottom lane looking good for that one car.
SPEAKER_02Or the lead, Williams is there, beating the inside on the front stretch with 19 laps to go. The John Bullet III Memorial event, and Emmerling fast time earlier, on his way to turn three for the final time.
SPEAKER_12Emmerling, no pressure off the back bumper. He is gonna come through turns three and four. Ralph Miller with the checkered flag in hand, Patrick Emmerling, gonna take the win in the Bluett Memorial 76.
SPEAKER_03The next night, Emmerling stood at the brink of becoming the first double winner of the year. But it would take some bare knuckles racing to do so.
SPEAKER_12And it's a great opening start for the 73 of Molly Hartwick. Hartwood with a great jump. He's gonna leap out in front of Patrick Emmerling in the one. Emmerling has got Ronnie Williams. I'll take Ronnie Williams. It's gotta be tiresome back down. But at number one right now, Williams with the run to the inside. He can't he pull outside Emmerling. For the first time this week, he's got a shot to do it. If he can clear Emmerling, maybe he can get up there and run for the loss. Ronnie Williams taking second is gonna bring Catalano along with him.
SPEAKER_09This week he started out in the dirty cradle number 20. Now he's under fire by Ronnie Williams! Ronnie Williams on the outside going for the lead and takes it from Holly Hartwig. Here comes Catalano as well. We got ourselves a battle at the lead gear guy, but Ronnie Williams chasing that coveted World Series victory. And for everybody that races modified in the Northeast, the whole focus, the spotlight, with Burley on the Burner Speedway every February. And it is an honor for every driver to win down here that's with Ronnie Williams.
SPEAKER_12There's Patrick Everett. Looks like he's in a position to shoot down top 10 street, but don't know that he's got what it's gonna take to get up there to battle for the leader. Big cap on the racetrack. Still an excellent night, and I'll tell you what, you may have a shot at it. Wash him flag out for the first time.
SPEAKER_02The green is out on the restart. Hartwick drops off the base on the restart for the lead. Emmerling had the advantage for a moment. Williams drives it in deeper and reassumes the race leading to.
SPEAKER_12While a chaotic restart there, big time problems for Pauly Hartwig the third, and then some contact between the leaders, Williams will re-establish himself as the leader, three to go this time around. Used up Emmerling a little bit on that restart, though. Let's see if Emmerling has any hurt feelings as a caution flag gonna come out. One more time, Pauly Hartwig the third could not make it back to Bitro.
SPEAKER_02Emmerling takes the lead on the restart. What will Williams do? Will he fire back in one and two? He's right there on the rear.
SPEAKER_12Oh boy, all that work that Williams did to get around Patrick Emerling is out the window after this restart. He's gonna have to fall in line for the lead.
SPEAKER_02Trying to not be denied tonight of his first World Series victory. Williams up to the door. White flag waving one to go for Everling and Williams.
SPEAKER_12Gonna be whichever driver has the cleanest final lap. They're gonna go up the racetrack. Williams get checked. Patrick Everling up the racetrack. He'll take the lead. What does Emerling have to give back? Three and four, they can contact Williams up the racetrack. Everling to the lead! Here comes Patrick Everling to the checkered flag. Give it to Patrick Everling.
SPEAKER_03The week ended with the running of the prestigious Richie Evans Memorial 100. And for one driver, it was redemption time.
SPEAKER_02Hundred laps of action for the Tour Type Modifies, their final race of the World Series in 2026. Goodale on the inside, battle on the outside, championship is a tight one. Green flag is out at New Smyrna Speedway for the Richie Evans Memorial 100. He's made many World Series starts over the last several seasons. He's made six starts of the Richie Evans Memorial. His best finish was eight. That was before tonight. Ronnie Williams wins the Richie Evans 100.
SPEAKER_05In each episode, we're also going to let you eavesdrop in on conversations between drivers, spotters, and crew chiefs. I like to call it radio replay.
SPEAKER_03Radio replay is brought to you by Waddell Communications, your Northeast track side dealer for radios and repairs. This week's replay comes from Ryan Priest and his spotter Mike Herman Jr.
SPEAKER_05Each week, I'll spotlight someone's outstanding performance. I'm calling it the Hot Dog of the Week.
SPEAKER_03It's now time to reveal this week's Modified Minute Hot Dog of the Week. Someone who stood above the rest. Brought to you by Hummel Brothers. Quality meets the top dog in modified racing. 100% quality since 1933. This week's Hummel Brothers Hot Dog of the Week is 14-year-old Pauly Hartwig III, who took down the modified tour type opener at New Smyrna Speedway's World Series of Asphacing.
SPEAKER_02Turn four, we are underway. The tour type modified to the World Series of New Smyrna. And it's Ryan Priest.
SPEAKER_12Look at that. How about that? Four laps into his World Series career in the tour type modified. Paulie Hartwig is your leader. Paulie Hartwig about to make some history of his own.
SPEAKER_03Congratulations, Paulie. You are the top dog.
SPEAKER_05I'm sure a lot of you have your favorite driver. And I want you all to get to know the men and the women behind that driver. I'm talking about car owners, crew members, and crew chiefs. Time for our very first installment of Crew Call right here on the Modified Minute.
SPEAKER_03Time to drop in at the race shop and get the inside dope from the guys who twist the wrenches. It's Crew Call, brought to you by Ferguson Contractors. Building excellence since 1925.
SPEAKER_05Well, our crew call this week goes out to a guy that twists the wrenches on the USNE number one for Patrick Emmerling. Dale Hedquist joins us now. Dale, first of all, thanks for joining us. But explain to me how in God's name a guy that calls Rhode Island home is calling the shots for a driver that calls Orchard Park New York home.
SPEAKER_10So thanks for having me, first of all. Pretty funny story, I guess.
SPEAKER_05The only modified tour type team to win two of the events that were posted. But one of them was a little controversial. Your kid is a guy that's been around this board for a very long time. Are eight wheels better than four?
SPEAKER_10So anybody that knows Africa and myself, we don't like the readers that way. And one of the things last year on the tour with a few tour reasons we had we got to kind of bully a little bit. We're gonna dig our heels in the mud a little bit when some of these guys When they run you hard is one thing, or when they run you hard on Racetrack is another thing. And they never touched an earthquake. So I mean as a give and take. Um sometimes you're the boat, sometimes you're the windfield, and we've been on both ends of the event. We'll just leave it at that.
SPEAKER_05It works for me. Let's talk a little bit about what lies ahead. This uh weekend is going to be Martinsville event number two. What's your takeaway from New Smyrna that you can put into play for the race this weekend at Martinsville, which is a flat paper, which is nothing like News really?
SPEAKER_10So I'm excited and I'm a little nervous to get back to Martin's. We had a really good dominant earlier, and we are gonna do a really good job. Yeah, that's that's very hard for that. Literally we're gonna attack it like we didn't go over. We're gonna go there. Jonathan and I think Jonathan was leaving uh 11 to go. And uh we really had a shot at leaving Jonathan there in the traffic with like eight ago and uh so I don't really know how to tell time here, I don't think. We're gonna work on it now. One of these days I I have a strong feeling we'll have a grandfather running.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, let me ask you a question. Well since NASCAR first started. But it has evolved into something that is probably, I think in my opinion, in many ways more complex, and the window of what I call originality has become so small and so narrow that it used to be maybe a battle of injuries and now it's a battle of thousands.
SPEAKER_10Because you're you're right. You've got an any given tour race, and this year is going to be even more. You really have 15 cars, I think, that that can win. I think it's the hardest division in the country to win in for sure.
SPEAKER_05You know, one of the things that uh out of the Emerald stable, with your certainly your influence, was the appearance at the Thompson Speedway last year of uh the old new style jewelry, big red machine with Jeff Bodine in attendance, and you come off and you win the race. Did that idea originate with you? Because you trace your history all the way back to Armstrong and and that whole group with Bodine in the one.
SPEAKER_10So I really one of the things that I've always been fortunate in racing. Um I've always been around a lot of people that were really you know revered in the sport, we'll say, right? So the history part of it for me growing up in it, I think is really important for a lot of people that don't understand it or have never seen it. Yeah. Um the year before, so let's go back to 23. Um, I really wanted to do, I'm sorry, 24, I really wanted to do a tribute to the one car. And we started to put it together um with the Armstrong family, and um and we just couldn't make it work. We kind of ran out of time there. So in the offseason, I said, hey, I really would like to do you know a tribute, and I got some people involved that would help us, you know, financially put it together because it was a whole body, you know, a whole rap. There was a lot of pieces involved to make that appear right, right? So um yeah, I was fortunate enough to get the help. And uh yeah, that you know, we couldn't have played that Thursday night out if if you asked me to write it up, you know, we had a copywrighter problem there and had to start dead last. And uh when it was time to go, we went and uh pushed the button, indeed.
SPEAKER_05And for someone like me that's been around the sport and can trace its roots all the way back. I don't want to admit that I'm that old, but uh, you know, uh the whole Hop Errington era along with Dick Armstrong, along with Jeffrey and even Ray Hendrick, it really warmed my heart to see it. What disturbed me is unfortunately, probably there were a lot of people sitting in the stands that didn't quite make the connection. So I'm glad you brought it out so that they would ask the questions.
SPEAKER_10So, yeah, so that was one of the things like standing in the infield, you know, kind of walking out to Victory Lane. You know, you're in the heat of battle, and and there's a lot of things that are going on, you know. Yeah, we just want a tour race, which is huge. Yep. Um, but we also won it with a tribute and with Jeff there, and we had the Pinto there, and you know, guy Carl Loberg, who owns the original car, we we trailered it up, and you know, so we put a lot of time, a lot of people put a lot of time and effort into that car. And the the place was packed, you know, and it was great. And I think the the people that we got feedback from or I got feedback from were all interested in like, okay, so explain to me the the relevance of the one car, you know, and you say, well, the guy won 55 races in one year. We can't even run 55 races in the year. Yeah, that's right. Yeah, you know, like how do you win 55, right? And you know, that was just and I I would love to do more tributes, and I and I think you know, we've we started some conversations and and maybe we'll do that, you know, continue to that going down the road. Um you know, this USNE um deal now is new, right? It's in its infant stages. Um so you know, hopefully, and I and I know David Miller is a huge uh Ronnie Bouchard fan. Maybe I shouldn't say that, but um, he did share that with me.
SPEAKER_05We're gonna see the purple 17. Uh well, I'm ready.
SPEAKER_10So I don't know about the purple 17, but maybe a black number seven.
SPEAKER_05Oh, that that too. Yeah, let's go there.
SPEAKER_10Black number seven.
SPEAKER_05See, I I relate the black number seven to Georgie Summers.
SPEAKER_10Yeah, yep. So funny story, you know, on a side note, um, I used to work a little bit. The guy who did late model motors that really kind of got me in the crew chief position of winning races was in the Ken Curley shop where all those cars were built.
SPEAKER_05Oh wow, yeah.
SPEAKER_10You know, that's just ten minutes down the road from here in Medway Mass, uh Mendon Mass.
SPEAKER_05Before I let you go, um, every driver has its style, and you've had a lot of guys sit in your seats. Can you explain to me the style that is presented by a member of the Bills Mafia? I never let him forget it that he's racing in the New England Patriots territory. But when when when you look at Patrick's style, how would you how would you characterize it? How would you explain it?
SPEAKER_10Finesse. Just class and finesse. He never one of the things that I really admire about him is he doesn't put himself in a bad situation he can't get out of. He doesn't get in over his head. If we have a fifth place car and we finish second with it, that's a great day. If we have a fifth place car and we finish fifth with it, that's still a great day. Um he doesn't make uh he doesn't take a fifth place car and put it into a position where it's gonna win on wrecking somebody else or wrecking our own equipment. Um you know, that's one of the things is just the finesse in the raw talent and he can process it and explain it back to me. The feedback is is really great.
SPEAKER_05It's so valuable for a guy like you that twists the wrenches. Listen, I'm really pleased that you uh consented to join us in the premiere of the modified minute, and hopefully this time next week, you will have a grandfather clock there in your shop chiming that it's time to celebrate. Dale, best of luck down in Martinsville this weekend.
SPEAKER_10Thank you. I got one thing to show you before we go, Josh. So we hang I've been hanging body panels on the walls for years. So if we zoom over, oh my gosh. There's the tribute body hanging on the wall that everybody signed. There you go.
SPEAKER_05Well, it was special to me, and I know it was special to my guys, guys of your ilk. I didn't say age, your ilk. You know the beauty of modified racing is the rules diversity. There's tour modified, tour type modified, open modified, sk modifieds, sk lights, smart modified, as well as the 602s. One of the more popular types of modified racing are the SKs, conceived by my late father and now a staple in many Northeastern short tracks. Each week I'll take you inside that world as well as visits to the SK Lights and the 602s. It's called SK Soundings.
SPEAKER_03Time for SK Soundings. Brought to you by Wheelers Auto Services. The finest in top-level service of Premier Automobile, makes and modeled, specializing in European, Japanese, and domestic vehicles.
SPEAKER_05The premier level of NASCAR, it's not unusual to see one car owner field multiple entries. But that's not the case in short track racing until my next guest showed up with the grand idea of building and providing customer cars that he then would race against. We're talking about Keith Rocco of Keith Rocco Racing. All right, Rocco, you go out there, you charge good money for these guys, you give them a customer car, and then you whip their ass.
SPEAKER_01Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. I I don't whip their ass. They whip my ass lately. You know which is something I don't mind seeing. You know, it's good for business and it it it it builds the program that I'm trying to succeed in, making a living at, just like everybody else in this world, you know, they're trying to make a living. It's pretty cool to do what I'm doing and see people succeed, like uh, you know, the Flynn's and the Pulios and everybody coming up that's that's joined on this program. Um, you know, Michael Jarvis, uh Megan Fuller. There's uh a huge list of people that that are winning and came from stuff, came from equipment or came from nothing. And uh, you know, we're really showcasing what their ability of driving a race car is.
SPEAKER_05How important is it for you to choose the right customers? Or if a guy comes with a golden briefcase, are you hey, come on board, come on in, let me show you my stuff.
SPEAKER_01I mean, so you gotta take the good with the bad, right? I mean, obviously there's there's there's customers that that have raw talent, and there's other customers that you know you're gonna have to mold into to what you want, you know, not.
SPEAKER_05Well, and you know there's other customers that you wish you hadn't cash to check.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, well, we prefer cash, but between me and you you're not gonna tell anybody, right? Um, but yeah, you know, at the end of the day, there's people like um Flynn and Julio that that you know, once we gave them great equipment, they showcase what they can. But you know, uh Megan Fuller came from a street stock, and you know, me and her father worked really hard to to to make her a modified driver, and she's come so far and so long. I mean, obviously she won a championship, she won races, and she's out there, you know, fighting with the wolves, you know. It's uh it's pretty cool to see, and you know, that's what brings you joy in this is taking somebody like you know Megan Fuller, that's obviously the underdog because she's a female and making her win. You know, that's that's what we want to do. That's our goal here.
SPEAKER_05How many cars at one time have you ever fielded uh at one racetrack at a given weekend?
SPEAKER_01Well, we we got that one spot we park at because Mark yelled at us for uh for clogging up the one area.
SPEAKER_05You mean Mr. Personality? Come on. He yelled at you.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's not the first time. But uh, you know, I I always judge it because I take the first spot there over by the uh by the new pit area there where it's was freshly paved back when I started going. But uh, you know, I always judge it by how far down the line I look and see where you know where the last car that I'm working on is. And you know, there's been times where there's you know, I bring I think I brought nine cars one weekend, and then you add in uh the flint's and pulios and you know some others, and it's like halfway down that line. It's like Jesus, what are we doing here? But uh those are the good weekends. Those are the good weekends you go home smiling.
SPEAKER_05When you look at the the body of work in an SK, SK racing, and you've pretty much limited yourself to SKs. You will see you now and again in a tour type modified, or you know, maybe making an occasional start at the Wheeling Modified Tour, the Monaco uh modified uh series, but you are Mr. SK. You're making a living off the SKs against guys that you want to try and be. What is it about the SK modified that has lit you up the way it has?
SPEAKER_01I don't know. It's just how I grew up. You know, I grew up watching my father when I was, you know, five years old at Stafford. Um, you know, from him to work with Ted Christopher. I mean, it's it's all I know. You know, SKs are all I know. I've grown up around it. I've been around it. You know, it's Christ, I mean, 35 years that I've been going to Stafford and watching SKs or being a part of them. So at the end of the day, I don't know if it's good or bad, but it's all it's all I know.
SPEAKER_05You know, one of the big stories that's been percolating over uh the winter, besides all the goddamn snow that we've gotten, was is and when is New London Waterford Speedbowl going to announce their schedule? You've been a semi-regular down there. Can you fill us in on what the heck's going on? Because as as you and I sit down and talk and we go to air, uh things are still in awfully, awfully muddied waters down there. What's going on?
SPEAKER_01Now you bring us up, you would be perfect. Why don't you go knock on the door and ask them to let you run that joint?
SPEAKER_05You imagine I did a number of years ago.
SPEAKER_01You could come up with over there?
SPEAKER_05I I did a number of years ago, and we had a handshake and then he reneged.
SPEAKER_01Really? That would be ideal.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, I mean, can you imagine if I was running that place?
SPEAKER_01It'd be like last time you ran that go-kart race over at Stafford, that champions for charity, they put you in charge of uh of being the race director. How'd that work out? Mark didn't talk to neither of us for for a year.
SPEAKER_05You didn't talk to either of us, and the and the and the the the guy that was in charge of uh car quest at the time was so pissed off that we went to Napa. So, I mean, you go figure it out. You talk about Ted Christopher, Keith. I mean, that's we know about your dad and hanging out that way, but tell me how you hooked up with Mr. Modified.
SPEAKER_01Uh you know, we were at that point, we were sneaking in the pits and trying to trying to be around it as much as we could, my brother and I. And, you know, finally my father got to the point and he says, if you guys want to work on a race car and go to the racetrack, he says you might as well go there with one of the best. So he uh he went over there and you know Ted was one of his biggest enemies racing, and you know, uh he talked to him, and next thing you know, we were we were down there on you know a Thursday or a Friday or Saturday, depending on where he was racing, and we were going on the racetrack with him. Uh you know, working with him and Michael Sullivan, you know. Um Michael Sullivan was like a big brother to us and taught us a lot of a lot of cool shit and taught us a lot of ways to have fun at the racetrack. You know, uh we had a blast for so many years and it just uh it taught me a lot. It taught me a lot from you know the way to mind fuck somebody in the pits to the to the way of uh having some race finesse on the racetrack.
SPEAKER_05What's the biggest lesson you learned from TC?
SPEAKER_01Probably the biggest thing I learned from him is like I just said, one, you mind fuck the guy in the pit area before you get on the racetrack. And two, uh, you know, I always learn that, you know, if the guy's on if he's on your bumper and he's hitting you in the middle of the corner, you know where he is, you know. Um you kind of control stuff from there. And uh, you know, it's just uh growing up watching it and and learning from the best. That's what what what helped get me to where I am today.
SPEAKER_05Now it's legendary.
SPEAKER_01You know what the funny part was today to this day, if he was still here, he'd still fucking argue with me that he was the first one to start the rental business with Dan Avery. But you know what? I I don't know, that's questionable.
SPEAKER_05We'd have to go back and look at the calendar and the dates, but uh explain to him that it's all about volume now and and and quantity, okay?
SPEAKER_01Now how much money did he go home with that night?
SPEAKER_05That's right. You're a guy that when legends cars first showed up, you wanted to boycott them. You you were they they're not real race cars. I can't stand these things. They're toys. And now all of a sudden, Keith Rocco racing.
SPEAKER_01Wait, wait, back to bus up. I remember as I was probably, I don't know, ten years old. I would the the legend cars at Stafford used to park in the pit area or in the in the parking lot, right?
SPEAKER_06Right.
SPEAKER_01Didn't they fence them off for the big shows?
SPEAKER_06Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, we were we were hanging out there with the Palmers and Jags, and uh I remember that's when you were thought you had a driving career under your belt.
SPEAKER_05Well that that was short-lived, wasn't it?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, it was.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Hopefully the podcast works out better than your driving career.
SPEAKER_05At this point, anything will be. Let me let me ask you though.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_05Okay, you you you were not a big fan of Legends cars. Now you've got a Legends car. You've got your son racing a Legends car. Yeah, betrayed us, Rocco.
SPEAKER_01I thought they were cool when I was a kid, but then I drove and I'm like, these things are fucking shitboxes. Like, the only thing I ever drove that I felt unsafe, and I drove a Nima Midget and I felt safer in that than I did in that Legend car. But uh, you know, now my kid's in it and he's uh he's 12 years old. I mean, what are we gonna do at 12? We're gonna keep racing go-karts? Might as well put them in something that's overpowered, underweight, and uh, you know, difficult to drive and let them learn.
SPEAKER_05Are you gonna be a soccer dad? Are you gonna be uh you know having to do it?
SPEAKER_01Do I look like a fucking soccer dad? No, you don't look like why are you even asking dumb questions like that?
SPEAKER_05Well, because I I have to. Sometimes I have to. But but uh are we are we in store for a third generation of Rocco's in racing?
SPEAKER_01Uh we'll see. I mean, he's uh he's very into it. He he loves it, you know. Uh he likes working on it. He he's he's dedicated, he puts the time in. And um, you know, he's he takes he take takes uh criticism very well for me. You know, I'm I'm his hardest critic, and you know, uh that's how you learn. I mean, I'm not gonna I'm not the one that's he gets out of the car, I'm not gonna yell at him, but I do explain to him what happened, why it happened, and what can we do to prevent it. And uh, you know, that's how you that's how you learn, that's how you're gonna be better. You know, I remember when I started racing street stocks, um, my father was the same way. He he didn't really know about you know them things, and you know, I did what I did, and he never he never yelled at me, he never criticized me, but he would always give me the best advice possible to to take and run with. And uh, you know, uh that that reflected on my career and and you know how I raced and how I bring my kid up and how I do with him now.
SPEAKER_05Well, we're looking forward to it in another Rocco, and I'm sure now that we know how you and your brother snuck into the pits underage, we can make sure that it doesn't happen with your kid. Climbing over to celebrate in Victory Lane.
SPEAKER_01Well, we're working on, listen, listen, we're working on the next best thing to do.
SPEAKER_05It's a pleasure we look forward to seeing it this way. Let's face it, it's the drivers that get all the accolades and all the applause. After all, they are the tip of the spear, and modified minute is no different. So each week we will visit with the driver, putting him in the modified minute spotlight.
SPEAKER_03It's Racer Spotlight time on the Modified Minute. Racer Spotlight is brought to you by Riverhead Building Supply. Build smarter, build better. Here's Jack.
SPEAKER_05Well, Albert Einstein once said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and over again and expecting a different outcome. Somebody forgot to send that memo to my racer of the week as he keeps going down to Daytona for speed weeks and it finally paid off for Ronnie Williams. He wins the Richie Evans 100.
SPEAKER_12Final time around for this driver who was so close to victory last night for tonight.
SPEAKER_02He's made many world stories starts over the last several seasons. He's made six starts in the Richie Evans Memorial. His best finish was eight. That was before tonight. Ronnie Williams wins the Richie Evans 100.
SPEAKER_05The winless streak. Ronnie, congratulations on the big victory. And uh look, you you came close so many times, but no cigar. Can you describe the feeling once you knocked that wall down?
SPEAKER_07Yeah, it's a big one. I mean, to finally get that win down at New Smyrna, like you said, I wasn't sure where you were gonna go with the safety pause there. Um but yeah, I guess we're all a little bit insane inside the racing world, right? So to finally get that win, to make all those trips worth it, because I mean there was times where it was like, why are we coming down here? Why are we putting in the time, doing the long haul down to New Smyrna to race? Of course, it's nice to get out of this nice cold weather up in north, but yeah, it was finally nice to have. I mean, Adam set up an unbelievable car all week. We were pretty good on Monday, but it just kept getting better and better as the week went on. So hats off to those guys. I'm just the lucky one that gets able to or is able to drive it. Um, but yeah, that car was unbelievable. So to get that win, to get it the win in that race, that prestigious of a race, and get that championship was an awesome feeling.
SPEAKER_05You know, your championships are something that well, you've got a few of them. You've won a couple of SK titles at the Stafford Speedway. So, where does this championship and this win rank in the victories that you have and the trophies you have on the shelf?
SPEAKER_07It's it's high up there. Um, like I said, I think it makes it more special just because it took so long. I first started going there with the Bertuccio guys in 2018, and then just since 2021, I believe, is when we started going down with the 50 guys who have been racing for for a long time now. Um, so to finally get that, yeah, that's high up on the list. I mean, there are some cool ones at Stafford that I have, there's some cool memories, but especially to do it how we did it with the kind of not controversy per se, but the the way we lost the race on Thursday and to come back and really dominate the race on Friday was a cool thing.
SPEAKER_05Did you think about that in the waning laps of that Richie Evans 100?
SPEAKER_07I was just hoping there wasn't gonna be a caution, so there would be some type of repeat. Um, but like you said, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Um, I would have guaranteed that if that were the case, if the caution came out, I wouldn't have done the same thing that I did on Thursday night.
SPEAKER_06So that's good.
SPEAKER_07We don't need to worry about that. We don't need to worry about that. Um but yeah, to get to get that win, it I mean, even in the last fifteen laps, I was just like, please not please don't have there be a caution so something ruins. We had such a big lead, and I know we definitely had the car. I think we had a better car than Thursday night, but again, it's racing and anything can happen.
SPEAKER_05Let's talk a little bit about your career. How long have you been in engaged in this madness?
SPEAKER_07Since 2012 is when I started at the SK SK Lights at Stafford. So it's been a little bit, and we moved up to the SKs in 2014. And I always say it's crazy to see the guys that I was racing against in 2014 when you go back and look at the guys racing in the SKs like Teddy, uh Keith Rocco, Woody, Doug Kobe, Ryan Priest, Roman Pennick, Garek Byrne. You had a strong feel every single Friday night. I think that's just kind of propelled me to the driver I am today. And again, it's not I'm racing against a lot of good guys now, but me racing the best um very early on in my career at Stafford and the SKs, I think it's just propelled me to what I've been able to do.
SPEAKER_05It didn't come easy to you, my friend, and it took a while, but then it was like something clicked. Was it having all of those top-notch drivers take you to school? Or it what was it about Ronnie Williams that not that you became an overnight sensation, but all of a sudden it all started to fall into place.
SPEAKER_07Yeah, I think we like we won our first race in my rookie year in 2014. We won six races in the SKs the next year, which is unbelievable. I think every time I look back at that, again, looking at the competition, but 2016 humbled me. 2017 humbled me.
SPEAKER_05So um started thinking about that insanity thing again.
SPEAKER_07Exactly, exactly. Um, so I really think it was hooking up with the 50 guys, the Scavora Racing family, uh, with their knowledge, with working on the Flamingo Motorsports 16. A lot of those guys who worked on Ryan Priest's car on the tour is are now part of that 50 team. So when we made that move over there, when Adam wrote me on Facebook and asked me to give him a call, and we started that journey since 2018. Yeah, we won four races our first year and got the championship, won the SK5K, won the championship in 2019, won the SK5K, and we just kept expanding and expanding, which opened up more rides, whether it was with Gary Cassell in the 25 or even doing little things with Jamie Tamano, which we never get or were able to get that win. But things just started opening up on that side. Um, I still don't feel like I am like that top guy, or I like I have 50 modified wins, which is absolutely crazy because I never thought I'd get one when I was sitting in the grandstands at Stafford um watching all these guys, but to have 50 wins now on in the modified is truly unbelievable, but I can't do it without the guys who have gotten me there, which again is that 50 team, is Gary Casella and those guys, and also that family team that we had early on.
SPEAKER_05I can't believe that Adam Facebooked you, and that's how you got the ride. Yeah, tell me about that.
SPEAKER_07He sent me a little Facebook message before um before Thanksgiving.
SPEAKER_05So it was a private message, right? He didn't just like post it on Facebook, did he?
SPEAKER_07No, yeah, yeah. It was a little private message, give him a call. Um, we didn't have each other's phone numbers. I really don't talk to too many people in the racing world. So he sent me a little uh Facebook message and just asking him to give him a call because the seat was opening up because Chase was leaving to go to Rob Fuller, I believe. And um that opportunity was a good time to get away from family stuff just because my father was starting a new business and I wasn't sure how involved we were gonna be able to be. So to have guys who like that they love and they have the passion for working on the race car, which I'm not a big fan of. Um, having these guys wait a minute.
SPEAKER_05You you mean you're not a big fan of getting on the creeper and working on the race car? Okay, I just wanted to make sure we clarified that.
SPEAKER_07Yes, yes. I am not uh I do not I have two two things in my drawer in the pit box. It's a T-handled hexa key 530 seconds, which is a thing I use for my helmet shields, and I have a half-inch wrench, which is just an inside joke that we have.
SPEAKER_05So um, yeah, are you gonna share it with us? I mean, is it a left-handed half-inch wrench?
SPEAKER_07Or I honestly don't know. I didn't even know if there wasn't a left right-handed wrench.
SPEAKER_05There really isn't. Come on, Rob.
SPEAKER_07Okay. But no, it's uh it's just one of those things that these guys they have the passion to work on the car and they have their specific jobs on the team. My job is to go out there and win them races. So I want to make sure that it does suck when we don't have years where we are going out and we aren't performing as well as we think we should, because we do think we should be competing for wins every single time we go to the racetrack. So when we're not doing that, I feel like I'm failing as a driver just because I feel like these guys are putting so much effort into me racing. This is like my passion. So that's a big thing for me. And of course, everything's easier when we're winning. So um, yeah, we're starting off the 2026 season pretty well.
SPEAKER_05You got on the right foot. There's no question about that. 50 wins. I'll be honest with you, I didn't realize that you would amass that many. And yet, in many ways, Ronnie Williams lives in the shadows. And what I mean by that is I think if I went to the stands at Martinsville last week, I mean this weekend, or if I went to New Smyrna and asked the average fan how many races that you had won in your career, I don't think any of them would say 50 unless they worked on the 50 team.
SPEAKER_07Yeah, I don't even know if some of them know. Um but yeah, I mean, again, four in the SK lights, which isn't too crazy. I think we have 22 in SKs from over the years, and I mean the other open wins that we have at Stafford, but yeah, the other ones.
SPEAKER_05You're a big dog. I yeah, I don't know about we we gotta give you more, more, more.
SPEAKER_07I'm trying to get there. Um, yeah, I mean, the best week I've ever had in racing, we won with the 25 up in Loudoun for an MRS show. That Wednesday we went to the tribe track race and we went at Seacon. And that Friday we won in the 50 car in the SK5K, and that was all in 2019. It was a hell of a week. I felt like Matt Hirschman for a week. It was on both. Um it was something that I knew was probably never gonna happen again. But yeah, just counting up all those wins is it was a special thing to get to 50 this year.
SPEAKER_05Ronnie, we we've got a plethora, that's my word for the day. It was on my calendar this morning, of tour type events, whether, as you alluded to, uh MRS, the Monaco modified Tri-Track series, the Stafford tour type modified, the Wheel and Modified Tour. Are there too many tour type races, or is it just enough?
SPEAKER_07Um I think there's it it I don't think there's too many. I think they're almost all bunched together at times. Like even when I'm doing the schedules, I feel like there is like months out of time where like there aren't a couple races. Um so I feel like everything's almost just on top of each other. I don't think anything's crazy. I know Stafford cut back some of the open shows this year. Um Thompson cut back some of the open shows this year, which is allowing us to go to more tour type races, like the Wheel of Modified tour. So um, no, I don't I don't I don't think there's too many. We're gonna support any open race that there is, whether it's Stafford or Thompson or Waterford. Um, and we're just gonna continue to pee on the Monaco and a little here and there on the tour now.
SPEAKER_05Well, as long as you bring your T-Wrench, that's all you need. You got your helmet and your fire suit. Let the let the rest of the guys deal with it. Hey, listen, one of the things that we're going to do, and you're gonna be the guinea pig for it, is each of our racer spotlights, we're gonna do a little segment called Either Or.
SPEAKER_03It's either or, where our guests must choose one or the other. Presented by Hooger Tire E, where we pass it, pride, and success with our tires designed for champions.
SPEAKER_05The way this is going to work is we're going to give you two choices, and you have to choose either or.
SPEAKER_07Okay.
SPEAKER_05Alright, let's start. Either or, for Ronnie Williams, we'll start with either muscle shirt or t-shirt.
SPEAKER_07T-shirt.
SPEAKER_05Oh, you're such a wuss.
SPEAKER_07Muscle shirt.
SPEAKER_05Either or. Ronnie, is it either wins or championships.
SPEAKER_07Wins.
SPEAKER_05Okay, that I that I can understand. Uh here we get here we get may get a little touchy based upon what happened between you and uh the number one. Uh is it either beating Ronnie Silk or beating, and I say on the racetrack, Patrick Emmerling.
SPEAKER_07That's a tough one.
SPEAKER_05Um Chinese or Italian.
SPEAKER_07Italian. I don't think I've ever had Chinese food.
SPEAKER_05What is wrong with you, boy?
SPEAKER_07Yeah, no, yeah. Kung Pao chicken. Alright, yeah.
SPEAKER_05You might have to try that. Alright, and the and the final either or Carney B or Bad Bunny.
SPEAKER_07I don't know who any of those are. Uh Carly B.
SPEAKER_05You need to get a life, guy. You need to get a life. Oh goodness.
SPEAKER_07Is Bad Bunny the one who performed in the right. Yeah, I'll go with the Carly B then. I don't know. There you go.
SPEAKER_05Hey, Ronnie, I hope this is painless. Uh thoroughly enjoyed. Can't wait for you to uh hit the road here in the Northeast if we ever get rid of this snow. And uh thanks so much for being our racer of the week.
SPEAKER_07Awesome. Thank you, Jeff. I appreciate it.
SPEAKER_05So what do you think? Let me know your thoughts. Just email me at modified minute all one word at gmail.com. My special thanks goes out to Ronnie Williams, Keith Rocco, and Dale Hedgequist for being part of the very first show. And I thank you for tuning in. I hope that you'll follow us on Facebook and YouTube. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, won't you? And remember to come back every Thursday at 7 p.m. Eastern for the next episode of the Modified Minute.
SPEAKER_03This has been the Modified Minute. Modified Minute has been brought to you by Quadel Communications, the official track side radio supplier for the Mod Squad. By mid-state type development.