Canaan Open Show Becomes The Latest Big Win for Bobby Grigas III

24-Year-Old Beats Ted Christopher to Win Another Modified Thriller

Race victories are not created equally.  To win against the best and the brightest competitors in any discipline of racing is more of an accomplishment than to finish first ahead of a small number of field-fillers.

Bobby Grigas, III is a rookie in Modified racing, but he has already figured out that if he is going to win, he is going to do it in style.  Last month at Waterford Speedbowl, Grigas beat a record field of entries to win his first True Value Modified Racing Series event.  Friday night, he might have topped that by holding off none other than short track legend Ted Christopher to take the $5,000-to-win Modified Open at Canaan Fair Speedway (NH).

And while Grigas knew how to make a statement on the track, the 24-year-old Massachusetts driver was almost unable to explain what winning the event meant to him.

“I don’t even have words,” said Grigas, trailing off his words in Victory Lane.  “Just to have beat Teddy and someone in his stature of racing.  I just am ecstatic.  I just don’t have words.”

Grigas started the race in the fourth position and it only took him 28 laps to pass Les Hinckley for the lead.  From there, Grigas showed the way for the remainder of the race with TC glued to his rear bumper for just about every lap.  Christopher could close on the young driver, but never got around him for the top spot.

Having a Modified legend large in his mirror might have intimidated Grigas a little bit, but it did not pressure him into making any mistakes.

“I started to get nervous and sweating,” said Grigas.  “It wasn’t easy to have him behind me for over 50 laps doing what he can to beat me.  But I just told myself that I was going to hold him off and that’s what I did.”

While Christopher’s car was provided by the #00 Joe Brady-owned NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour team, there was also some influence from the Mod Tour on Grigas’ winning team as well.  Brad LaFontaine from Jimmy Blewett’s #12 Tour team made the 90-minute trip from New Hampshire International Speedway to Canaan to help Grigas out.

Bobby held of Ted Christopher and held on to win at Canaan on Saturday night.  (Chris Roy photos)

“I had the best set-up of any car out there,” added Grigas.  “Brad was up at Loudon and he made a trip here to give me a helping hand.  It paid off.”

Grigas now returns to action on Tuesday, July 18th at Lee USA Speedway (NH) as the TVMRS makes up a rain-delayed event from May at the 3/8th-mile track.

Bobby Grigas will compete in the True Value Modified Racing Series full-time in 2006. 

For more information on Grigas, please contact Mike Twist at (207) 590-1786 and be sure to look out for the all-new Bobby Grigas, III website coming soon.

Bobby in Victory Lane.