Ted Christopher

Theodore Christopher (June 5, 1958 – September 16, 2017) was an American professional racing driver and business owner who raced and won in many different types of race cars, including Modifieds, SK Modifieds, ISMA, Camping World East Series, Late Models, Pro Stocks, and Midgets. He also raced in NASCAR's Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and Camping World Truck Series. He is best known for competing in NASCAR's Whelen Modified Tour, where he has over forty victories and a championship in 2008. He was also well known for his success on the New Hampshire Motor Speedway where Christopher has won five Camping World East Series events and five Whelen Modified Tour events.

Christopher was an aggressive driver, known for his infamous "Three Tap Rule" when passing cars in front of him, though his driving style changed in his later career and brought more success to his racing career.

Racing career 2001 NASCAR Weekly Series national champion, winning fifteen of the eighteen races that he entered, clinching it at Thompson International Speedway in Connecticut.

2008 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion. Christopher, who is known as one of the most accomplished drivers in the Northeast, won both the championship and the final race of the season at Thompson International Speedway. 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. It was his 31st career win in his twelfth full-time year of competition.

Ironically, three years prior in 2005, Christopher went to the season finale at Thompson holding a 36-point lead over Hirschman's father, five-time tour champion Tony Hirschman, only to lose the championship due to a crash on lap 11.

In addition to his racing in the Modifieds and Busch North/K&N East, Christopher also attempted numerous Winston/Nextel Cup, Busch Series, and Craftsman Truck Series races in the 2000s. He attempted and qualified for his first Cup race at Watkins Glen in 1999. His last Cup race came in the 2006 Sylvania 300 and last attempt in the 2009 Lenox Industrial Tools 301 for Kirk Shelmerdine.

In the NASCAR Busch Series, Christopher competed part-time in 1998 with Marsh Racing, competing in three races for the team. Driving the No. 13 Whelen Engineering Chevrolet, Christopher posted the best finish of tenth at Nazareth. In 1999, the team attempted twelve races, again with Christopher driving the car. The team would make five races and posted the best finish of eighth at Nazareth.

Christopher also competed for the then new team of Michael Waltrip Racing, competing in three races with the team at Loudon, Watkins Glen, and the inaugural race at Memphis. The last race he competed in was at Nazareth in 2001 with Richard Childress Racing in the All-Star car No. 21 Rockwell Automation Chevy. He finished nineteenth two laps down from the winner Greg Biffle.

The "Three Tap Rule" The three NASCAR-sanctioned tracks in Connecticut use a handicap lineup system that starts the fastest cars deep in the field. A thirty green flag lap feature gives drivers little time to be courteous if they want to win. Throughout his career, Christopher employed an aggressive driving style he referred to as the "Three Tap Rule." A combination of intimidation techniques most famously used by Dale Earnhardt in the NASCAR Cup Series as well as the "chrome horn" and "bump-and-run" techniques commonly employed in short track racing, Christopher uses a trio of taps to coerce a slower competitor into moving over or ultimately moving them himself. The initial tap informs his competitor that he is there, while the second bump is a warning to commit to a lane to let him by. If needed, the third and final tap is the classic bump and run, with Christopher moving the car in front out of his racing groove to move on by.

Death Christopher was killed in a plane crash in North Branford near the Guilford, Connecticut, town line on September 16, 2017, while en route from Robertson Field in Plainville, Connecticut, to Francis S. Gabreski Airport in Westhampton Beach, New York, to compete in a Whelen Modified Tour race that evening at the Riverhead Raceway, in Calverton, New York, on Long Island. Christopher and Charles "Pat" Dundas, the pilot and family friend from Hauppauge, New York, who also died, were the only occupants of the Mooney M20C that went down in a wooded area. An NTSB report released in 2019 attributed the crash to fuel starvation due to pieces of towel cloth obstructing a fuel line. The aircraft impacted pine trees away from an open field where investigators believed the aircraft may have been attempting an emergency landing.

Personal life He was born to William Christopher and Lucy Graziano. He had a wife, Quinn Wazorko Christopher, and had no children with her. Christopher also had a twin brother, Mike, who also raced Modifieds, and Mike's son Mike Jr., has also begun racing Modifieds. Christopher was a 1976 graduate of Plainville High School and was a captain of the school's wrestling team. In 2013, he was inducted into the Plainville Sports Hall of Fame. He also owned and operated M&T Enterprises, which rebuilds transmissions for heavy trucks.

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. Christopher, who had 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. His twin brother Mike Christopher won before he did at Stafford. Also, the two started out racing go karts around Connecticut and the U.S. They were famous at The Pomfret Speedway in Pomfret, CT. The two also road raced with enduro karts at Daytona International Speedway, Pocono Raceway, Watkins Glen and many others.

Motorsports career results

NASCAR (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led. ** – All laps led.)

Sprint Cup Series NASCAR Sprint Cup Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Pts Ref 1999 Ted Christopher Racing 13 Chevy DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR TEX BRI MAR TAL CAL RCH CLT DOV MCH POC SON DAY NHA POC IND GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH NHA DOV MAR CLT TAL CAR PHO HOM ATL 64th 70 2004 Kirk Shelmerdine Racing 72 Ford DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR BRI TEX MAR TAL CAL RCH CLT DOV POC MCH SON DAY CHI NHA POC IND GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH 79th 89 Hover Motorsports 80 Ford NHA43 DOV TAL KAN CLT MAR ATL PHO DAR HOM 2005 Kirk Shelmerdine Racing 27 Ford DAY CAL LVS ATL BRI MAR TEX PHO TAL DAR RCH CLT DOV POC MCH SON DAY CHI NHA POC IND GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH 76th 74 Mach 1 Motorsports 34 Chevy NHA DOV TAL KAN CLT MAR ATL TEX PHO HOM 2006 Front Row Motorsports 61 Chevy DAY CAL LVS ATL BRI MAR TEX PHO TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV POC MCH SON DAY CHI NHA POC IND GLN MCH BRI CAL 73rd 40 Kirk Shelmerdine Racing 27 Chevy RCH NHA DOV KAN TAL CLT MAR ATL TEX PHO HOM 2009 Kirk Shelmerdine Racing 27 Toyota DAY CAL LVS ATL BRI MAR TEX PHO TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV POC MCH SON NHA DAY CHI IND POC GLN MCH BRI ATL RCH NHA DOV KAN CAL CLT MAR TAL TEX PHO HOM 75th –

Busch Series NASCAR Busch Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 Pts Ref 1996 James Lestorti 13 Chevy DAY CAR RCH ATL NSV DAR BRI HCY NZH CLT DOV SBO MYB GLN MLW NHA TAL IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT CAR 94th 67 31 HOM 1997 13 DAY CAR RCH ATL LVS DAR HCY TEX BRI NSV TAL NHA NZH CLT DOV SBO GLN MLW MYB GTY IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT CAL CAR HOM 61st 392 1998 Marsh Racing DAY CAR LVS NSV DAR BRI TEX HCY TAL NHA43 NZH CLT DOV RCH PPR GLN MLW MYB CAL SBO IRP RCH DOV CLT GTY CAR ATL HOM 104th 86 Lockamy Racing 28 Chevy MCH BRI DAR 1999 Marsh Racing 13 Chevy DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR TEX NSV BRI TAL CAL NHA RCH NZH CLT DOV SBO GLN MLW MYB PPR GTY IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT CAR MEM PHO 66th 461 Lockamy Racing 28 Chevy HOM 2000 Michael Waltrip Racing 7 Chevy DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR BRI TEX NSV TAL CAL RCH NHA CLT DOV SBO MYB GLN MLW NZH PPR GTY IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT CAR 81st 228 99 MEM PHO HOM 2001 Richard Childress Racing 21 Chevy DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR BRI TEX NSH TAL CAL RCH NHA NZH CLT DOV KEN MLW GLN CHI GTY PPR IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM PHO CAR HOM 102nd 106

Craftsman Truck Series NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Pts Ref 1997 Roehrig Motorsports 18 Dodge WDW TUS HOM PHO POR EVG I70 NHA TEX BRI NZH MLW LVL CNS HPT IRP FLM NSV GLN RCH MAR SON MMR CAL PHO LVS 94th 146 1999 CJ Racing 17 Ford HOM PHO EVG MMR MAR MEM PPR I70 BRI TEX PIR GLN MLW NSV NZH MCH NHA IRP GTY HPT RCH LVS LVL TEX CAL 88th 109

Camping World East Series NASCAR Camping World East Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Pts Ref 1990 Marsh Racing 13 Buick DAY RCH CAR MAR OXF NZH OXF DOV JEN EPP MND OXF NHA HOL OXF IRP OXF TMP RPS NHA TMP DOV EPP NHA 36th 357 1991 Chevy DAY RCH CAR NHA OXF NZH MND OXF TMP HOL JEN EPP STA OXF NHA FLE OXF TMP NHA RPS TMP DOV EPP NHA 51st 217 1992 Olds DAY CAR RCH NHA NZH MND OXF DOV LEE JEN OXF NHA OXF HOL EPP NHA RPS OXF NHA EPP 69th 91 1993 LEE NHA MND NZH HOL GLN JEN STA GLN 37th 479 1 NHA WIS NHA NHA RPS TMP WMM LEE EPP LRP 1994 13 NHA NHA MND NZH SPE HOL GLN JEN EPP GLN NHA WIS STA TMP MND WMM RPS LEE NHA LRP 47th 310 1995 James Lestorti DAY NHA LEE JEN NHA NZH HOL BEE TMP GLN NHA TIO MND GLN EPP RPS LEE STA 28th 1041 Chevy BEE NHA TMP LRP 1996 DAY LEE JEN NZH HOL NHA TIO BEE TMP NZH NHA STA GLN EPP RPS LEE NHA NHA BEE TMP LRP 28th 1171 1997 DAY LEE JEN NHA NZH HOL NHA STA BEE TMP NZH TIO NHA STA THU GLN EPP RPS BEE TMP NHA LRP 26th 1338 1998 Marsh Racing LEE RPS NHA NZH HOL GLN STA25* NHA DOV STA NHA GLN EPP JEN NHA THU TMP BEE LRP 31st 1027 1999 James Lestorti LEE RPS NHA TMP NZH HOL BEE JEN GLN STA NHA NZH STA NHA GLN EPP THU BEE NHA LRP 37th 695 2000 LEE NHA SEE HOL BEE JEN GLN STA NHA NZH STA WFD GLN EPP NHA43 LRP 34th 737 Delcrest Sign Co. 68 Chevy TMP THU BEE 2001 James Lestorti 13 Chevy LEE NHA SEE HOL BEE EPP STA WFD BEE STA SEE GLN NZH THU BEE DOV STA LRP 32nd 865 Pontiac TMP NHA 2002 Chevy LEE NHA NZH SEE BEE STA HOL WFD TMP NHA STA GLN ADI THU BEE 38th 408 Pontiac NHA DOV Jennifer Wilkinson 28 Chevy STA LRP 2003 Marsh Racing 13 Chevy LEE STA ERI BEE STA HOL TMP NHA WFD SEE GLN ADI BEE THU NHA STA LRP 34th 447 2005 NDS Motorsports 35 Chevy STA HOL ERI STA DUB OXF TMP 22nd 865 Ford NHA WFD ADI NHA DOV LRP 2006 GRE STA HOL TMP ERI NHA ADI WFD NHA DOV LRP 58th 94 2008 Marsh Racing 31 Chevy GRE IOW SBO GLN NHA TMP NSH ADI LRP MFD NHA DOV STA 67th 108

Autozone West Series NASCAR Autozone West Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pts Ref 2005 NDS Motorsports 35 Ford PHO MMR PHO S99 IRW EVG S99 PPR CAL DCS CTS MMR 60th 94 2006 PHO PHO S99 IRW SON DCS IRW EVG S99 CAL CTS AMP 67th 105

Whelen Modified Tour NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour results Year Car owner No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Pts Ref 1987 Info not available ROU MAR TMP STA CNB STA MND WFD JEN SPE RIV TMP RPS EPP RIV STA TMP RIV SEE NA 0 7 STA POC TIO TMP OXF TMP ROU MAR STA 1988 71 ROU MAR TMP MAR JEN IRP MND OSW OSW RIV JEN RPS TMP RIV OSW TMP OXF OSW TMP POC TIO TMP ROU MAR NA 0 1989 Enfield Motorsports 37 Chevy MAR TMP MAR JEN STA IRP OSW WFD MND RIV OSW JEN STA RPS RIV OSW TMP TMP RPS OSW TMP POC STA TIO MAR 38th 434 Pontiac TMP 1990 MAR RCH TMP STA MAR TMP STA MND HOL STA RIV JEN EPP RPS RIV TMP RPS NHA TMP POC STA TMP MAR NA 0 1993 30 Chevy RCH STA TMP NHA NZH STA RIV TMP RPS HOL LEE RIV STA TMP TMP STA TMP NA 0 1994 NHA STA TMP NZH STA LEE TMP RIV TIO NHA RPS HOL TMP RIV NHA STA SPE TMP NHA STA TMP 15th 2383 1995 TMP NHA STA NZH 27th 1399 Mystique Motorsports 82 Chevy STA LEE TMP RIV BEE NHA JEN RPS HOL RIV NHA STA 13 TMP NHA STA TMP TMP 1996 TMP STA NZH STA TMP RIV NHA GLN STA NHA NHA STA FLE TMP 27th 1270 Bear Motorsports 14 Chevy NHA JEN RIV LEE RPS HOL 1997 Mystique Motorsports 13 Chevy TMP NZH NHA GLN NHA TMP RIV NHA GLN NHA 21st 2092 Chevy MAR STA STA RIV RPS HOL STA Bear Motorsports 1 Chevy FLE JEN FLE TMP 14 STA Joe Brady 00 Chevy RCH 1998 Bear Motorsports 14 Chevy RPS TMP MAR STA NZH STA 30th 1032 Mystique Motorsports 13 Chevy GLN JEN RIV NHA NHA LEE HOL TMP NHA RIV STA NHA TMP STA 00 TMP FLE 1999 Chevy TMP RPS STA STA TMP STA 15th 2285 Mystique Motorsports 00 Chevy RCH RIV JEN NHA NZH HOL NHA RIV RPS TMP MAR 13 GLN NHA STA TMP 2000 Wynn's Mystic Motorsports 13 Chevy STA RCH STA RIV SEE NHA NZH TMP 5th 2326 00 RIV GLN1** 25 Dodge TMP STA17* WFD NHA STA MAR TMP 2001 SBO TMP STA WFD NZH STA23* RIV SEE RCH NHA HOL RIV CHE TMP STA TMP STA MAR TMP 6th 2606 Wynn's Mystic Motorsports 00 Chevy WFD 2002 Mystique Motorsports 13 TMP STA WFD NZH RIV SEE RCH STA1** BEE NHA RIV TMP STA WFD TMP NHA STA MAR TMP 2nd 2628 2003 TMP STA WFD NZH STA LER WAL BEE NHA ADI RIV TMP STA WFD TMP NHA STA TMP 4th 2520 2004 TMP STA WFD NZH STA9* RIV LER WAL BEE NHA SEE RIV STA TMP WFD TMP NHA STA TMP 4th 2512 2005 TMP STA RIV WFD STA JEN NHA BEE SEE RIV STA TMP WFD MAR TMP NHA STA TMP 2nd 2731 2006 TMP STA 3rd 2247 Rudy Andrews, Jr. 86 Chevy JEN Eddie Whelan 36 Chevy TMP STA NHA HOL RIV STA TMP MAR TMP NHA WFD TMP19* STA 2007 TMP STA19* WAL STA28* TMP NHA TSA RIV STA TMP MAN MAR NHA TMP STA TMP 5th 2187 2008 TMP STA STA TMP NHA SPE RIV STA TMP MAN1** TMP14* NHA MAR CHE STA TMP 1st 2441 2009 TMP STA STA NHA SPE RIV STA BRI TMP NHA MAR STA TMP 3rd 1931 2010 TMP STA STA MAR NHA LIM MND RIV STA TMP NHA STA TMP 3rd 2102 13 BRI18* 2011 36 TMP STA STA MND TMP NHA RIV STA NHA BRI DEL TMP LRP NHA STA TMP 9th 2053 2012 TMP STA MND STA WFD NHA 9th 452 Joe Brady 00 Chevy STA Jan Boehler 3 Chevy TMP BRI TMP RIV NHA STA James Ksepka 82 Ford TMP 2013 Jan Boehler 3 Chevy TMP STA STA WFD RIV NHA MND STA TMP BRI RIV NHA STA TMP 10th 445 2014 Robert Katon Jr. 13 Chevy TMP STA STA WFD RIV NHA MND STA TMP BRI NHA STA TMP 5th 480 2015 TMP STA WFD STA TMP RIV NHA MND STA 13th 414 Christopher Our 22 Chevy TMP BRI RIV NHA STA TMP 2016 Brian Brady 00 Chevy TMP STA WFD STA TMP RIV NHA MND STA TMP BRI RIV OSW SEE NHA STA TMP 34th 61 2017 MYR TMP STA LGY 19th 303 Danny Watts Racing 82 Chevy TMP RIV NHA STA TMP BRI SEE OSW RIV1 NHA STA TMP

1 Christopher was killed in a plane crash near the North Branford and Guilford, Connecticut, town line, while en route to Riverhead Raceway.

Whelen Southern Modified Tour NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour results Year Car owner No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pts Ref 2005 Roger Hill 79 Pontiac CRW CRW CRW CRW BGS MAR ACE ACE CRW CRW SNM ACE 17th 602 2006 Joe Brady 80 Chevy CRW GRE CRW DUB CRW BGS MAR CRW ACE CRW HCY DUB SNM 25th 490 2007 00 CRW FAI GRE CRW CRW BGS MAR ACE CRW SNM CRW CRW 42nd 109 2008 CRW ACE CRW BGS CRW LAN CRW SNM MAR CRW CRW 32nd 170 2009 CON1** SBO CRW LAN CRW BGS BRI CRW MBS CRW CRW MAR ACE CRW 19th 506 2011 Joe Brady 00 Chevy CRW HCY SBO CRW CRW BGS BRI CRW LGY THO TRI CRW CLT CRW 24th 481 2012 Roger Hill 79 Pontiac CRW CRW SBO CRW CRW BGS BRI LGY THO CRW CLT 39th 37 2013 Scott Anderson 00 Chevy CRW SNM SBO CRW CRW BGS BRI LGY CRW CRW SNM CLT 23rd 78 2016 Brian Brady 00 Chevy CRW CON SBO CRW CRW BGS BRI ECA SBO CRW CLT 22nd 43

Rolex Sports Car Series (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, Results are overall/class) Rolex Sports Car Series results Year Team Make Engine Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Rank Points Ref 2006 Brumos Racing Fabcar Porsche DP DAY(54/18) MEX HOM LBH VIR LAG PHX LRP WAT(40/23) MOH DAY BAR WAT SON MIL 126th 13 2008 Southard Motorsports Riley Lexus DP DAY(42/17) HOM MEX VIR LAG LRP WAT MOH DAY BAR CAN WAT SON MIL UTA 83rd 14

24 Hours of Daytona 24 Hours of Daytona results Year Class No Team Car Co-drivers Laps Position Class Pos. 2006 DP 59 Brumos Racing Porsche DP João Barbosa J. C. France Hurley Haywood 559 54 18 2008 DP 3 Southard Motorsports Lexus Riley DP Shane Lewis Bill Lester Alex Barron 527 42 17