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The roots of the Christopher family racing legacy run deep in the fabric that is Stafford Motor Speedway history.

The “SK Modified” is a racing vehicle that was envisioned and created by the Arute family at Stafford Motor Speedway and it’s a car that the late Ted Christopher made the cornerstone of his legendary short track racing career.

Ted Christopher had 109 career SK Modified division victories on the half-mile Stafford oval, 62 more than the next closest driver on the all-time winner’s list.

Before his tragic death in a plane crash on Sept. 16, 2017, the 59-year old Christopher was already in the beginning stages of planning his exit from competition at Stafford. And that plan, not surprisingly, involved his nephew Mike Christopher Jr. taking over behind the wheel of his cars.

That vision Ted Christopher had will move forward through the organization and plans of his widow Quinn Christopher and his twin brother Michael Christopher Sr.

In 2018 Mike Christopher Jr. will take over as the driver for the SK Modified operation his uncle Ted Christopher was racing for at Stafford right up until the night before his death.

“I know that this is what Teddy ultimately wanted, was to have little Michael race his car,” Quinn Christopher told RaceDayCT Friday. “Even if he didn’t pass away, this was going to happen within the next couple years. It was very important to keep Teddy’s dream alive. And that is why I want little Michael to race that car and I know it’s what Teddy wanted.”

Michael Christopher Jr. has been competing full-time in the SK Modified division at Stafford since the start of the 2015 season.

“I’m really grateful that my auntie Quinn is allowing me to do this,” Mike Christopher Jr. said. “I know she’s really excited about it too. She says that she wants to go to the races and she wants to be a part of the team. I’m really looking forward to that part. You know, this is the family business and having everyone together and having fun is the main goal. To be at the race track doing that with all of us is going to be pretty fun.”

Longtime crew member and close friend of Ted Christopher, Mike O’Sullivan, will continue as an integral part of the program with Mike Christopher Jr.

Many of the sponsors of Ted Christopher’s program have already reached out to the family in support of Mike Christopher Jr. taking over.

Ted Christopher, who is the all-time winningest driver overall at Stafford Motor Speedway with 131 victories, began racing in his No. 13 SK Modified at Stafford in 1983 and won his first race in the division in 1986. He had a division leading six victories in 2017 in the SK Modified at Stafford, his last coming on Sept. 8. Ted Christopher had nine career SK Modified championships at Stafford with the first coming in 1987 and further titles coming in 1996, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2009, 2012 and 2014.

Michael Christopher Sr. is fifth on the Stafford SK Modified division all-time win list with 28 career victories and had SK Modified championships at Stafford in 1989, 1990 and 1993. His last win at the track came in 2002.

Mike Christopher Jr. will continue to run with No. 82 that he has run since 2015, the number his father ran previously at the track. Stafford Motor Speedway retired Christopher’s No. 13 from competition at the track at the NAPA Fall Final last year. Mike Christopher Jr. said living up to the pressure of being the nephew of one of the greatest short track drivers of the past three decades won’t change anymore now that he is driving his uncle’s car.

“The pressure has always been there,” Mike Christopher Jr. said. “It’s been there since the beginning. I don’t really look at the pressure as holding me back because it’s always been there. I just need to put it to the side and do my thing. I think what we have this year and the experience that I have the past three years racing and the confidence that I have this year is something that I’ve never felt any other year racing in the [SK Modifieds]. I think that going into this year, putting all that pressure aside and just going out there racing with my dad, my mom and my aunt and just going out there for fun, we’re going to accomplish some great things.”

Mike Christopher Jr. said the car he formerly drove at Stafford, with the backing of Al Heinke of Mohawk Northeast of Southington, will remain as part of their plans.

The final victory of Ted Christopher’s career came in an SK Modified in a feature at Thompson Speedway on Sept. 10. It was his 99th career feature victory at Thompson. Mike Christopher Jr. is hoping to keep his uncle’s legacy going at Thompson also.

“I plan on running Al Heinke’s car, the Mohawk Northeast Car, either as a backup for our Stafford car or run some races at Thompson,” Mike Christopher Jr. said. “… Right now Mr. Heinke is updating the chassis at Troyer, so we’ll have a pretty good car for wherever we bring it. I know he supports our change at Stafford to be running the other car. We’re grateful for everything he’s done for us the past three years. It’s been great. … If the chance comes to run Thompson I’ll be really excited to do that. I’ve been watching races there as long as I’ve been watching races at Stafford. That’s exciting to go to a different track and race there.”

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