Silk Gets Late Break for Win in Thompson 150 Barnburner
Thompson, CT — Norwalk, CT’s Ron Silk had both the fast car and good fortune he needed to triumph over a stout NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour field in a wild and wooly Thompson 150 at Connecticut’s Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park on Thursday, September 3.
Silk was handed the lead under caution on lap 149 when NASCAR Cup Series invader Ryan Preece ran out of fuel. The veteran Silk then held off point leader Justin Bonsignore on a green-white-checkered overtime finish to capture his 14th career Whelen Modified Tour victory and put an end to Bonsignore’s grip on the historic speedway.
Polesitter and six-time champion Doug Coby of Norwalk, CT set the early pace, leading a three-car breakaway with Holtsville, NY’s Bonsignore and Miller Place, NY’s Craig Lutz. Coby easily held the top spot through the first caution on lap 29 when Anthony Nocella spun while trying to pass Patrick Emerling for fourth. However, the handle on Coby’s car began to go away. Coming off turn two on the 67th go-around, both Bonsignore and Lutz dove beneath Coby and drop-kicked him back to third.
When the caution came out again four laps later for Chris Pasteryak’s spin, all the lead-lap cars chose to head down pit road for fresh tires and adjustments. Silk, who started eight, was sitting in sixth following the pit stop cycle, but when the green flag flew again, the veteran roared up to third on the outside as Coby continued to drift backwards.
Silk then moved into the second spot on lap 88 and stayed there through two more yellows for spins from Nocella and Calvin Carroll. On the latter caution at lap 108, Coby chose to make an unscheduled pit stop after having fallen all the way to eighth. Silk made two attempts to divebomb Bonsignore for the lead after the restart, but Bonsignore was ready and took the lead right back each time.
On the 125th circuit, though, Silk was able to make the move stick, getting past Bonsignore entering turn three. Lutz did the same to Bonsignore a few laps later, and Berlin, CT’s Preece was right behind him as he started to come on strong.
Following Nocella’s third spin of the night on lap 133, Bonsignore surged back into second on the restart. The field then ran out of real estate exiting turn four, which led to a red flag after Eric Goodale, Timmy Solomito, and Sam Rameau piled into the frontstretch wall. Racing resumed with eight laps to go, and after Preece negotiated his way to the runner-up spot, he swung to the outside of Silk entering turn one, taking the lead on lap 147 to thunderous applause.
But the biggest twist was yet to come. The seventh caution flew a lap after the lead change when Kyle Bonsignore pounded the turn-four wall. As the field circled under caution, Preece’s fuel tank suddenly ran dry despite having packed it full before the start. Preece helplessly coasted to a stop in the pits as Silk found himself back in the lead. Lutz lined up alongside Silk for the final two-lap sprint and tried to make a last-ditch charge, but slid up the track in turn one, allowing Silk to get away for the win.
Despite his 7-of-8 Thompson Speedway winning streak getting snapped, Justin Bonsignore maintained his point lead with a runner-up finish. Chelmsford, MA’s Jon McKennedy took third starting at the rear for an unapproved adjustment. Pasteryak recovered from his mid-race spin to finish fourth while Coby sliced through the field late to come home fifth. Dave Sapienza, Ronnie Williams, Nocella, Matt Swanson, and rookie Tyler Rypkrema rounded out the top-10.
Berlin, CT’s Keith Rocco added yet another win to his Thompson Speedway resume by taking the checkered flag in the 25-lap Sunoco Modified feature. Rocco put on a breathtaking battle with
Somers, CT’s Todd Owen over the first 12 laps, which began with them going three-wide around Oxford, MA’s Troy Talman at the initial green flag.
The duo then swapped the top spot four more times through a series of slide jobs and crossovers. Rocco finally got the lead for good in turn three just before the halfway point, and Owen began to slow several laps later with a deflating tire, letting Rocco cruise to the victory. Talman passed Owen in the closing circuits to take second.
Bellingham, MA’s Woody Pitkat fended off a series of challenges to pocket $1,200 for winning the 25-lap Late Model feature. Pitkat earned the pole in qualifying and had a rear view mirror full of North Dartmouth, MA’s Derek Gluchacki for the first half of the event.
A trio of cautions then flew over an eight-lap span, the last of which came on lap 21 when Walter Sutcliffe and Michael Mitchell smacked the turn-two wall. When the field re-racked for a four-lap shootout, Pitkat chose the inside line with Gluchacki at his right-side door.
It was Gluckacki who got the initial break on the restart, leading the 22nd circuit by a nose. After Pitkat drove it deep into turn one, Johnson responding by swapping lanes off turn two. Rehoboth, MA’s Jake Johnson then tried to dive three-wide in turn four, but broke sideways coming off the corner, allowing Warwick, RI’s Mark Jenison to slip by him. Pitkat was able to clear Glucacki entering turn one that time and motored away to the win.
Gluckacki edged Jenison off the final corner for second. Johnson, Ryan Lineham, Matthew Lowinski-Loh, Brian Tagg, Rick Gentes, Travis Jurcik, and Jason Larivee Jr. completed the top-10.
Danielson, CT’s Ryan Waterman made his move late to snag the victory in the 20-lap Twisted Tea Limited Sportsmen feature. Multi-time champion Shawn Monahan of Waterford, CT powered to the lead at the start over polesitter Lawrence Barrett. Monahan then led a three-car breakaway with Waterman and Barrett in tow.
However, the handling started to go away on Monahan’s #55 at the halfway mark. Waterman was there to take advantage, diving beneath Monahan entering turn three on the 14th circuit and muscling his way to the front. Although Monahan was able to hang with him at first, it was Waterman who held the upper hand as he took the victory by three car lengths. Barrett, Diego Monahan, and Nikolas Hovey completed the top-five.
Belchertown, MA’s Josh Carey went wire-to-wire to triumph in the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature. Carey started on the point, which put him in the best possible position to avoid Steve Kenneway’s fiery turn-two crash on the opening circuit. Kenneway was not injured in the incident.
When the green flag came back out, Carey had to contend with Woodstock, CT’s Paul Charette for the top spot. Charette kept the pressure on for much of the event, but Carey pulled away in the final laps for the win. Oxford, MA’s Nathan Pytko completed the podium.
Sterling, CT’s Jared Roy took the victory in the Twisted Tea Mini Stock feature. Roy grabbed the lead from polesitter Steve Michalski at the drop of the green flag in the 15-lap feature with Mansfield, CT’s Dave Trudeau not far behind.
The event’s lone caution on lap 12 for David Trudeau Jr.’s spin gave both his dad and Tommy Silva one final shot at the lead. Roy drove away from both though to claim the win. Dave Trudeau finished second while Silva came in third after missing qualifying.
The Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park oval will play host to the 48th Sunoco World Series of Speedway Racing from Friday, October 9 to Sunday, October 11. A total of 17 divisions are tentatively scheduled for the annual racing festival, including the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, Pro All Stars Series Super Late Models, 350 Small Block Supermodifieds, and Northeast Midget Association. The full schedule and pricing will be announced in the coming weeks.
For more information, contact the ACT offices at (802) 244-6963, [email protected], or visit www.acttour.com/thompson-speedway or www.thompsonspeedway.com. You can also get updates on Facebook and Twitter at @ACTTour. For general Thompson Speedway inquires, call (860) 923-2280 or email [email protected].
THOMPSON SPEEDWAY MOTORSPORTS PARK – Thompson, CT
THOMPSON 150
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2020
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
NASCAR WHELEN MODIFIED TOUR
Pos., Start Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown, Laps,
1. ( 8 ) Ron Silk ( 85 ) Norwalk, CT, 154 Laps
2. ( 2 ) Justin Bonsignore ( 51 ) Holtsville, NY, 154 Laps
3. ( 13 ) Jon McKennedy ( 7 ), Chlemsford, MA, 154 Laps
4. ( 14 ) Chris Pasteryak ( 75 ), Lisbon, CT, 154 Laps
5. ( 1 ) Doug Coby ( 10 ), Milford, CT, 154 Laps
6. ( 17 ) Dave Sapienza ( 36 ) Riverhead, NY, 154 Laps
7. ( 9 ) Ronnie Williams ( 50 ) Ellington, CT, 154 Laps
8. ( 6 ) Anthony Nocella ( 82 ) Woburn, MA, 154 Laps
9. ( 16 ) Matt Swanson ( 3 ) Acton, MA, 154 Laps
10. ( 18 ) Tyler Rypkema ( 32 ) Oswego, NY, 154 Laps
11. ( 24 ) Calvin Carroll ( 25 ) Andover, NJ, 154 Laps
12. ( 3 ) Craig Lutz ( 46 ) Miller Place, NY, 154 Laps
13. ( 22 ) J.B. Fortin ( 34 ) Holtsville, NY, 154 Laps
14. ( 5 ) Eric Goodale ( 58 ) Riverhead, NY, 154 Laps
15. ( 21 ) Rob Summers ( 64 ) Manchester, CT, 154 Laps
16. ( 29 ) Walter Sutcliffe Jr. ( 78 ) East Haven, CT, 153 Laps
17. ( 19 ) Chuck Hossfeld ( 2 ) Ransomville, NY, 152 Laps
18. ( 20 ) John Beatty Jr. ( 5 ) Merrick, NY, 151 Laps
19. ( 7 ) Ryan Preece ( 6 ) Berlin, CT, 149 Laps
20. ( 12 ) Kyle Bonsignore ( 22 ) Bay Shore, NY, 146 Laps
21. ( 11 ) Woody Pitkat ( 1 ) Bellingham, MA, 146 Laps
22. ( 10 ) Timmy Solomito ( 66 ) Islip, NY, 139 Laps
23. ( 06 ) Sam Rameau ( 06 ) Wesminster, MA, 139 Laps
24. ( 28 ) Andy Jankowiak ( 59 ) Tonawanda, NY, 116 Laps
25. ( 27 ) Melissa Fifield ( 01 ) Wakefield, NH, 74 Laps
26. ( 4 ) Patrick Emerling ( 07 ) Orchard Park, NY, 67 Laps
27. ( 26 ) Gary Byington ( 30 ) Unionville, CT, 18 Laps
28. ( 25 ) Manny Dias ( 74 ) South Attleboro, MA, 12 Laps
SUNOCO MODIFIEDS
Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown
1. Keith Rocco ( 57 ) Berlin, CT
2. Troy Talman ( 3 ) Oxford, MA
3. Todd Owen ( 19 ) Somers, CT
4. Tzvi Reich ( 18 ) New York City, NY
LATE MODELS
Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown
1. Woody Pitkat ( 91CT ) Bellingham, MA
2. Derek Gluchacki ( 03 ) N. Dartmouth, MA
3. Mark D. Jenison ( 22RI ) Warwick, RI
4. Jake Johnson ( 15MA ) Rehoboth, MA
5. Ryan Lineham ( 10 ) Hope Valley, RI
6. Matthew Lowinski-Loh ( 17 ) Milford, MA
7. Brian Tagg ( 9MA ) Oxford, MA
8. Rick Gentes ( 70 ) Harrisville, RI
9. Travis Jurcik ( 51 ) Chaplin, CT
10. Jason Larivee Jr. ( 70RI ) West Greenwich, RI
11. Michael Mitchell ( 40RI ) Cumberland, RI
12. Kevin Bowe ( 28 ) Smithfield, RI
13. Michael Benevides ( 50RI ) Westerly, RI
14. Walter Sutcliffe ( 78 ) East Haven, CT
15. Jason Williams ( 32 ) Lisbon, CT
DNS Nicholas Johnson ( 6 ) Rehoboth, MA
TWISTED TEA LIMITED SPORTSMEN
Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown
1. Ryan Waterman ( 24 ) Danielson, CT
2. Shawn Monahan ( 55 ) Waterford, CT
3. Lawrence Barnett ( 73 ) Moosup, CT
4. Diego Monahan ( 55X ) Quaker Hill, CT
5. Nikolas Hovey ( 16 ) Chaplin, CT
6. Charles “Hank” Scott ( 10 ) Medway, MA
7. Kristopher Kay ( 8 ) Dudley, MA
8. John Carpenter ( 46 ) North Grosvenordale, CT
9. Aaron Piemans ( 67 ) Uncasville, CT
10. Tom Shea ( 45 ) Somers, CT
SK LIGHT MODIFIEDS
Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown
1. Josh Carey ( 69 ) Belchertown, MA
2. Paul Charette ( 28 ) Woodstock, CT
3. Nathan Pytko ( 24 ) Oxford, MA
4. Michael McCarthy ( 2 ) Oxford, MA
5. Steve Kenneway ( 26 ) Lowell, MA
TWISTED TEA MINI STOCKS
Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown
1. Jared Roy ( 81CT ) Sterling, CT
2. Dave Trudeau ( 0 ) Mansfield, CT
3. Tommy Silva ( 31 ) Gales Ferry, CT
4. Steve Michalski ( 44 ) Brooklyn, CT
5. Douglas Curry ( 97 ) Norwich, CT
6. David Trudeau Jr. ( 79 ) Mansfield, CT
