The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship Enters Final Stretch with the Budweiser ‘King of Beers’ 150 at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (NWMT) returns to Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park (TSMP) on Wednesday, August 12th for their tenth championship points event of their 30th season – the Budweiser ‘King of Beers’ 150. The event will see over 30 cars take to the 5/8 mile high-banked oval for a 150-lap feature race.
Ryan Preece took the lead in the NWMT points standings after his third win of the season at Stafford Speedway on Friday, August 7. The battle among the top three remains tight however as they enter the final stretch of the championship, with Woody Pitkat and last year’s champion, Doug Coby, following close behind.
The Budweiser ‘King of Beers’ 150 will also feature TSMP’s four NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Divisions including the Sunoco Modifieds. Although suffering a fractured wrist during the Sunoco Modified 20/20 Sprint on July 29th, Keith Rocco will be returning behind the wheel looking to defend his lead in the Division I National Championship. He currently sits third in the TSMP Champion points standings. The current TSMP points leader, Woody Pitkat, will be looking to claim his first win of the season after four podium finishes have earned him a 26-point lead over last year’s champion, Ryan Preece.
Keith Rocco has also shined in the Late Model division at TSMP, currently sitting second in the standings just 2 points behind points leader, Brian Tagg. He has been starting to pressure from his brother, Jeff Rocco, however after a couple of heated battles in the last couple events. Jeff Rocco earned his first Late Model win at TSMP, after race winner, Marc Curtis was disqualified at tech inspection.
The Xtramart Limited Sportsman will return for their third and final Triple Crown Race, ending the mini summer series for the division. The battle for the Triple Crown has been a close one with Ryan Waterman and Corey Hutchings currently tied at the top. In the TSMP championship race, last year’s champion Scott Sundeen has seen continued success this season keeping him on top of the standings, however with three races remaining, the battle is far from over.
The Mini Stocks will also compete in a 15-lap feature on Wednesday night. Though he hasn’t won a race yet this season, consistent top finishes have kept Dave Trudeau on the top of the standings for the division.
A 25-lap race by the Northeastern Midget Association will be a new addition to the program for the Budweiser ‘King of Beers’ 150 this year. The race will include guest driver and regular NWMT-competitor, Bobby Santos III, in the No. 74 Bertrand Motorsports NEMA midget. Santos is no stranger to midget cars, having raced successfully with Northeastern Midget Association, USAC, PRA Big Car, and ISMA, prior to moving to stock cars, and eventually to Modifieds. “I have raced against Tim Bertrand for years, but have never raced for him,” said Santos regarding his ride in the Bertrand car. “We’re both pretty excited for Thompson next week!”
The gates for the Budweiser ‘King of Beers’ 150 will open at 3 PM on Wednesday, August 12, and feature races will begin at 6:30 PM. For more information about the Budweiser ‘King of Beers’ 150, or about TSMP, please visit our website – www.thompsonspeedway.com, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter or Youtube.