Midweek Modified Madness at Thompson Speedway kicked off midweek racing at the famed 5/8-mile oval on Wednesday with a ‘locals-only’ special to highlight the track championship warriors that call the Speedway home all summer long.
Beginning with the $5,000 to win special for the Thompson Sunoco Modifieds, it was a rat race at the start with Mikey Flynn and Chase Cook leading the side-by-side action that lasted until lap 18. Powering out of turn two, Zack Sangermano and Derek Ramstrom collided to end both their days early. The restart saw Icebreaker doubleheader winner Keith Rocco and defending champion Todd Owen coming for leader Danny Cates with the two veterans making contact that busted Rocco’s spoiler and sent Owen nearly into the frontstretch grass. The two stayed straight with Rocco and Cates swapping lanes and the lead, only giving Owen the momentum to rise back up to join the $5,000 title fight. What had worked in Owen’s favor started to work against him now as he battled with Rocco for second, allowing Danny Cates to run all the way to victory lane in the 50 lap sprint with Todd Owen keeping second ahead of Keith Rocco. Jon Puleo took home fourth with Mikey Flynn holding out for fifth.
With the dust settled on a successful Icebreaker weekend at Thompson Speedway, officials with the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) and the American Canadian Tour (ACT) have announced the May 13 Thompson Mods Race will pay $5000 to win and $500 to start.
Keith Rocco secured a pair of thrilling victories over Todd Owen at the Icebreaker in races that had many fans calling it the best racing of the weekend.
“After adding the Loyalty program for 2026, we still wanted to add in another big money race,” said co-promoter Tom Mayberry. “We think the Thompson Mods are putting on some excellent racing, and we want to keep growing this division.”
Thompson Mods waged some epic battles throughout the 52nd Icebreaker weekend. The 30-lap event on Saturday was roundly praised as the “race of the weekend” with four drivers swapping spots multiple times throughout the contest. Keith Rocco prevailed over Todd Owen and Jon Puelo. Danny Cates and Chase Cook rounded out the top five.
(Stafford Springs, CT)—Stafford Speedway returned to action with its first Friday night weekly racing program of the 2026 season on Friday, May 8th. Feature winners on the night included Keith Rocco in the SK Modified® feature, Adam Gray in the Late Model feature, Robert Bloxsom, III in the SK Light feature, Gary Patnode in the Limited Late Model feature, and Brandon Warren in the Street Stock feature.
In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature, Troy Talman took the lead at the drop of the green flag with Dylan Kopec, Keith Rocco, Dylan Izzo, and Matt Vassar all lined up behind him. Kopec took the lead from Talman coming out of turn 4 on lap-3 before the caution came out for Chase Cook, who spun and came to a stop in turn 2.
Stafford Speedway created its SK Light division at the end of the 2005 season with the first race taking place on April 29, 2006. That race was part of the NAPA Spring Sizzler® weekend and was won by Chris Matthews. 20 years later, Matthews is still racing in the SK Light division and he is still winning races.
Matthews won the season opening 30-lap SK Light feature in this year’s edition of the NAPA Spring Sizzler®, which was the fourth time in his career that he has won the SK Light portion of the NAPA Spring Sizzler®. Although Matthews is still going strong and shows no signs of slowing down any time soon, he couldn’t picture himself still racing and winning in the SK Light ranks 20 years after he won the very first SK Light feature held at Stafford.
“I really didn’t see myself still racing 20 years later,” said Matthews. “We’re still having fun with racing and as long as it’s fun, it’s still worth doing.”
