Welcome to the home of the 2007 & 2009 Como Oil & Propane Modifed Series Champion Kelly Estey!
The Year of Estey: Luck and talent push Modified veteran to 2009 Como Modified Series Championship

DULUTH, MN (October 9) - The Como Modified Series presented by Lake Country Chevy Dealers closed the annals on the 2009 season this past weekend not on the track, but in the pits– a party at that, for the 2009 Champion Kelly Estey of Kelly Lake, MN. Rainy and unseasonable weather forced the last race of the season to be canceled, therefore crowning Estey the new champion and the only driver in series history to grab the title more then once (Estey also picked up the 2007 championship).

Estey drove his Como Oil and Propane sponsored #37 to two victories in the 2009 season, including trips to Hibbing and recently at Superior that helped push him ahead of early season point leader #44 Darrell Nelson of Hermantown, MN.

In a series like Como, one must not only be dominating but also have a bit of luck on their side as Estey did at the Silver 1000 in Proctor, MN, on September 3rd. Estey, who had an engine expire in hotlaps, was able to borrow the 999 mount of John Carpenter, slap on a duct-taped 37, and narrowly transfer to the feature event with the borrowed machine. Estey championship hopes hinged on that transfer as he used a provisional start at the previous event in Ashland, WI. The combination of sportsmanship from Carpenter and top finishes from Estey proved to be the determining factor in winning the 2009 Championship that sports a “who’s who” of talent in the Upper Midwest.

The 2009 Como Season included five different winners in seven races with Estey taking event wins at Hibbing, MN and Superior, WI. Knapp, WI, pilot Craig Thatcher taking wins at Ashland, WI, and Hibbing, MN. Darrell Nelson capturing the season opening win at Proctor, MN. Aurora, MN, driver Duane Dale winning the second round at Proctor while Duluth, MN, native Greg Chesley shocked the crowd at Superior, WI, on July 29th with a breakthrough first-ever Como Modified Series win.

The $42,000 total year-end purse was boosted by presenting sponsorship from the Lake Country Chevy Dealers, a group of Northern Minnesota and Wisconsin-based Chevrolet dealers that helped secure the Como Modified Series year-end winnings as the highest paying modified racing series in the United States. Estey, by virtue of being crowned the 2009 champion, claimed $10,000 in addition to a brand new J-Car Chassis, cash from XR Apparel for Dash finishes and wins, $250 from GRP Motorsports for the High 5 bonus, and a generous amount of product certificates from the contingency sponsors of the Como Mod Series.

Como Modified Series Point Standings and Winnings (After 8 of 8 Events):

1.37 Kelly Estey (Kelly Lake, MN ) – 351 Points – $10,000
2.91 Craig Thatcher (Knapp, WI) – 341 Points – $7,000
3.44 Darrell Nelson (Hermantown, MN) – 339 Points – $5,000
4.63 Rick Kobs (Deer Park, WI) – 303 Points – $4,000
5.55 Jeff Wood (Chisholm, MN) – 302 Points – $3,000
6.12M Jason Miller (Osceola, WI) – 295 Points – $2,000
7.98 Al Uotinen (Superior, WI) – 288 Points – $1,600
8.24D Duane Dale (Aurora, MN) – 284 Points – $1,350
9.11 Jody Bellefeuille (Duluth, MN) – 283 Points – $1,300
10. 45 Bob Broking (Grand Rapids, MN) – 257 Points – $1,225
11. 97 Greg Chesley (Duluth, MN) – 257 Points – $1,225
12. V2 Joey Jensen (Forest Lake, MN) – 252 Points – $1,150
13. 57 Mike Anderson (Colfax, MN) – 250 Points – $1,100
14. Dave Cain (Corcoran, MN) – 246 Points – $1,050
15. Jeff Hart (Hibbing, MN) – 230 Points – $1,000