NEW ENGLAND MOTORSPORTS NORTH For April 9th 2016
By Lou Modestino
Oxford Plains Speedway owner and Pro All Stars Series (PASS) President Tom Mayberry announced today that Massachusetts-based HP Hood Company will be the title sponsor for the 43rd Annual Oxford 250. The 43rd Annual HP Hood Oxford 250 will take place on August 26-28 at Oxford Plains Speedway and will pit the best short track racers in North America against one another, with over $25,000 going to the winner.
“This is a great day for the Oxford 250 and for all the race fans of Maine,” said Oxford Plains Speedway’s Tom Mayberry. “HP Hood is a company all of us in Maine are proud of and they have stepped up in a big way with their support of this year’s 250. It’s a natural partnership that will see the 43rd Annual HP Hood Oxford 250 continue to grow as one of the premier events in all of short track racing.”.
For more than 160 years, the name Hood® has been synonymous with fresh, quality dairy products that taste great. Founded in 1846 in Charlestown, Massachusetts by Harvey Perley Hood, the company has since extended its New England roots, and today Hood is a national company distributing dairy products throughout the United States. In fact, HP Hood LLC is now one of the country’s largest branded dairy operators with 13 manufacturing plants throughout the United States. The company also maintains its own research and development operation, which supports the superior product quality and innovation that Hood customers have come to expect.
“Everybody in New England is familiar with HP Hood and the Oxford 250, so it seemed like a perfect fit to team up and make a great new partnership,” said Chris Ross Vice-President of Marketing, HP Hood Company. “We have a manufacturing facility in Portland, ME, that’s part of our core business, and we have a lot of employees and fans that will be joining us for this year’s HP Hood Oxford 250.”
Drivers from across North America are already entering the 43rd Annual HP Hood Oxford 250 and this year’s event looks to be one of the biggest in recent memory, with 29 stars already filing entries. The 43rdAnnual HP Hood Oxford 250 will take place on Sunday, August 28, with $25,000 going to the winner, plus $25,000 in additional lap leader money. The current entry list is led by former HP Hood Oxford 250 winners, Travis Benjamin, Mike and Ben Rowe, Joey Polewarczyk, Glen Luce, 6-time PASS North champion, Johnny Clark, and 2015 PASS South champion, Tate Fogleman, and former PASS National Champions, Joey Doiron and Tate Fogleman.
This week’s early spring snow makes the name of Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park’s (TSMP) season-opening event more appropriate than ever this year. The 42nd Annual Icebreaker on April 9th-10th will bring the racing season into full swing as twelve divisions of racing take to the track over two action-packed days, headlined by the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (NWMT).
Defending NWMT champion, Doug Coby and the No. 2 Mike Smeriglio III Racing Team, have proven a powerful combination over the last couple of years, securing the championship in both 2014 and 2015 and sweeping all four events at TSMP last season. That’s not to say there hasn’t been some fierce competition for them from drivers like Woody Pitkat and Ryan Preece, as the championship last season came down to a tight battle at the last race of the season, Thompson’s Sunoco World Series. With Ryan Preece running a full season in the NASCAR XFINITY series this season, he will be forced to run a limited schedule in the #6 NWMT car. This will provide the opportunity for other strong drivers in the field, like Justin Bonsignore, Timmy Solomito, Donny Lia and Ron Silk, to contend for the title.
The North East Street Stock Tour (NESST) will be opening their second season on Saturday afternoon of the Icebreaker with a 20 lap feature. The NESST race, presented by RAD Auto Machine, kicks off a ten-event championship season which also ends at Thompson’s 5/8-mile oval in October. The defending champion, Joe Arena, will face stiff competition from other championship-winning drivers, including Chris “Moose” Douton and Steve Kenneway.
Also, opening their season on Saturday will be the New England Pro 4 Modifieds and the NEMA Lites, both with 20 lap features. With a twenty plus car field anticipated for the NEMA Lites, there is sure to be some exciting battles in this race. The winningest driver at Thompson, with twelve victories, is Randy Cabral returning in his family-owned #35 Lites car. Also present will be the winner of both NEMA Lites races at Thompson last year, Scott Bigelow, and last year’s NEMA Lites Champion, Anthony “The Tornado” Payne.
Saturday afternoon’s races will also include the Lite Modified and Truck divisions.
The Vintage Outlaws, a vintage modified racing series, will race both Saturday and Sunday, offering a look back at some of the cars that used to run at Thompson throughout the 76-year history of the track.
On the schedule for Sunday, for the first time since 2012 is the Pro All Star Series (PASS). They will be running their first PASS North Super Late Model race of the season on Sunday afternoon, which will also serve as race three of the PASS National Championship Series. Following the Easter Bunny 150 at Hickory Speedway on March 26, former Thompson Speedway track champion Derek Ramstrom will enter the Icebreaker weekend leading the National points standings by two points over Ben Rowe and Mike Hopkins.
Also on the schedule for Sunday afternoon are Thompson’s four NASCAR Whelen All-American Series (NWAAS) divisions, the Sunoco Modifieds, Late Models, Xtra Mart Limited Sportsman and Mini Stocks. The Sunoco Modified field is shaping up to be more competitive than ever, with the defending champion Woody Pitkat going up against 4-time Thompson champion, Keith Rocco. He will also be running against reigning Stafford Speedway SK modified champion, Rowan Pennink who will be returning to Thompson for the first time since 2010.
The Late Model division last season saw rookie, Brian Tagg, take his first championship in another tight points battle. He was not the only one to see success last season. Jeff Rocco, who won 4 times in 2015, will also be a favorite for the 2016 crown. Six-time champion, Rick Gentes, will also be looking to get back on top with a switch to a new engine package this season.
The Xtra Mart Limited Sportsman are always a strong division at Thompson and with over 30 drivers on the roster, should provide some good two and three-wide action at the Icebreaker. Returning veterans Scott Sundeen and Larry Barnett will both be ones to watch this season. Scott Sundeen won the title the past two seasons bringing him up to four championships total, and tying him with Larry Barnett’s title wins. Corey Hutchings has also been dominant in the division winning half of the last two years’ races, but has a history of bad luck at the Icebreaker. He will be looking to turn that around this weekend with a strong finish in the first event of the season. This will be the first of three races in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Triple Crown Championship for the Xtra Mart Limited Sportsman.
The Mini Stocks will also be competing in their first O’Reilly Auto Parts Triple Crown Championship race at the Icebreaker. First-time champion Dave Trudeau will be looking to defend his hard-earned title. There will be some fresh faces in the division this season, which will mix with seasoned veterans to make for an interesting field. Doug Curry, who showed strong potential in his two races at TSMP last season, will be coming to Thompson full time in 2016 aiming for the championship. Eric Bourgeois, last year’s inaugural Triple Crown champion, will also be back in his #87 car.
Sunday’s events will conclude with the feature event, the 150 lap NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race at around 3:30 PM.
The Icebreaker kicks off the season this weekend, April 9-10. A practice day is scheduled for Friday, April 8. For more information on Thompson Speedway news and events,
This week’s early spring snow makes the name of Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park’s (TSMP) season-opening event more appropriate than ever this year. The 42nd Annual Icebreaker on April 9th-10th will bring the racing season into full swing as twelve divisions of racing take to the track over two action-packed days, headlined by the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (NWMT).
Defending NWMT champion, Doug Coby and the No. 2 Mike Smeriglio III Racing Team, have proven a powerful combination over the last couple of years, securing the championship in both 2014 and 2015 and sweeping all four events at TSMP last season. That’s not to say there hasn’t been some fierce competition for them from drivers like Woody Pitkat and Ryan Preece, as the championship last season came down to a tight battle at the last race of the season, Thompson’s Sunoco World Series. With Ryan Preece running a full season in the NASCAR XFINITY series this season, he will be forced to run a limited schedule in the #6 NWMT car. This will provide the opportunity for other strong drivers in the field, like Justin Bonsignore, Timmy Solomito, Donny Lia and Ron Silk, to contend for the title.
The North East Street Stock Tour (NESST) will be opening their second season on Saturday afternoon of the Icebreaker with a 20 lap feature. The NESST race, presented by RAD Auto Machine, kicks off a ten-event championship season which also ends at Thompson’s 5/8-mile oval in October. The defending champion, Joe Arena, will face stiff competition from other championship-winning drivers, including Chris “Moose” Douton and Steve Kenneway.
Also, opening their season on Saturday will be the New England Pro 4 Modifieds and the NEMA Lites, both with 20 lap features. With a twenty plus car field anticipated for the NEMA Lites, there is sure to be some exciting battles in this race. The winningest driver at Thompson, with twelve victories, is Randy Cabral returning in his family-owned #35 Lites car. Also present will be the winner of both NEMA Lites races at Thompson last year, Scott Bigelow, and last year’s NEMA Lites Champion, Anthony “The Tornado” Payne.
Saturday afternoon’s races will also include the Lite Modified and Truck divisions.
The Vintage Outlaws, a vintage modified racing series, will race both Saturday and Sunday, offering a look back at some of the cars that used to run at Thompson throughout the 76-year history of the track.
On the schedule for Sunday, for the first time since 2012 is the Pro All Star Series (PASS). They will be running their first PASS North Super Late Model race of the season on Sunday afternoon, which will also serve as race three of the PASS National Championship Series. Following the Easter Bunny 150 at Hickory Speedway on March 26, former Thompson Speedway track champion Derek Ramstrom will enter the Icebreaker weekend leading the National points standings by two points over Ben Rowe and Mike Hopkins.
Also on the schedule for Sunday afternoon are Thompson’s four NASCAR Whelen All-American Series (NWAAS) divisions, the Sunoco Modifieds, Late Models, Xtra Mart Limited Sportsman and Mini Stocks. The Sunoco Modified field is shaping up to be more competitive than ever, with the defending champion Woody Pitkat going up against 4-time Thompson champion, Keith Rocco. He will also be running against reigning Stafford Speedway SK modified champion, Rowan Pennink who will be returning to Thompson for the first time since 2010.
The Late Model division last season saw rookie, Brian Tagg, take his first championship in another tight points battle. He was not the only one to see success last season. Jeff Rocco, who won 4 times in 2015, will also be a favorite for the 2016 crown. Six-time champion, Rick Gentes, will also be looking to get back on top with a switch to a new engine package this season.
The Xtra Mart Limited Sportsman are always a strong division at Thompson and with over 30 drivers on the roster, should provide some good two and three-wide action at the Icebreaker. Returning veterans Scott Sundeen and Larry Barnett will both be ones to watch this season. Scott Sundeen won the title the past two seasons bringing him up to four championships total, and tying him with Larry Barnett’s title wins. Corey Hutchings has also been dominant in the division winning half of the last two years’ races, but has a history of bad luck at the Icebreaker. He will be looking to turn that around this weekend with a strong finish in the first event of the season. This will be the first of three races in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Triple Crown Championship for the Xtra Mart Limited Sportsman.
The Mini Stocks will also be competing in their first O’Reilly Auto Parts Triple Crown Championship race at the Icebreaker. First-time champion Dave Trudeau will be looking to defend his hard-earned title. There will be some fresh faces in the division this season, which will mix with seasoned veterans to make for an interesting field. Doug Curry, who showed strong potential in his two races at TSMP last season, will be coming to Thompson full time in 2016 aiming for the championship. Eric Bourgeois, last year’s inaugural Triple Crown champion, will also be back in his #87 car.
Sunday’s events will conclude with the feature event, the 150 lap NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race at around 3:30 PM.
The Icebreaker kicks off the season this weekend, April 9-10. A practice day is scheduled for Friday, April 8. For more information on Thompson Speedway news and events,
Winter might be trying to make a late surge in Vermont, but rest assured that the stock car racing season is on its way. Race fans can head indoors on April 9-10 for a sneak preview of the 2016 season at Devil’s Bowl Speedway at the Diamond Run Mall in Rutland, Vt., as the track again participates in the annual Rutland Regional Racecar Show to benefit the March of Dimes and March for Babies charities.
The Rutland Regional Racecar Show is the first opportunity of the year for race fans of all ages to get a free, up-close-and-personal look at the fresh NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing machinery ready to battle on Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s half-mile asphalt oval on Saturday nights and the 3/10-mile dirt track on Sunday nights. Cars and drivers from Devil’s Bowl and other tracks in the region will be on hand on Saturday, April 9 from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and on Sunday, April 10 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., at the Diamond Run Mall.
Confirmed cars expected to be at the show include open-wheel Sportsman Modifieds driven by asphalt champion “VQ2” Vince Quenneville Jr.; Fair Haven, Vt., natives Bob Kilburn and Billy Lussier; Plattsburgh, N.Y., invader Jason Durgan; and two-track Devil’s Bowl racer Jackie Brown Jr. of Hurley, N.Y.
Others expected are Late Model champion “Rocket” Josh Masterson and Most Improved Driver Seth Bridge, Renegade drivers Scott FitzGerald, Jim McKiernan, and Tony Salerno, Mini Stock driver Andrew FitzGerald, and new Bandit Youth Division racer Roo Forrest.
“We’re really excited for the 50th racing season to begin at Devil’s Bowl, and it’s always fun to see our race fans come out to the Diamond Run Mall for this event,” Devil’s Bowl Speedway Media Director Justin St. Louis said. “There’s a lot of excitement about our new schedule of Saturday night asphalt racing and Sunday night dirt racing, and we can’t wait to wave the green flag.”
Admission to the show is free, though visitors are encouraged to make a donation to the March for Babies charity; a donation center will be located in the mall during the show. The Diamond Run Mall is conveniently located at the intersection of U.S. Routes 4 and 7 in Rutland, Vermont.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s 50th season of racing will include NASCAR Whelen All-American Series-sanctioned action for both the half-mile asphalt and the 3/10-mile dirt tracks, totaling 27 scheduled events. The asphalt track will race on Saturday nights, and the dirt track will race on Sunday nights; opening weekend is May 21-22.
After an extremely successful start to the southern season, the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) Super Late Model North season will kickoff this weekend with “The Icebreaker” at Thompson Speedway in Connecticut. “The Icebreaker” is doubly important as it will mark the halfway point of the PASS National Championship Series, which will once again crown Super Late Model racing’s only true national champion.
Massachusetts’ driver Derek Ramstrom has a steely-eyed focus on winning the 2016 PASS National championship. Ramstrom and Maine’s Jeremy Davis are the only drivers to finish in the top five in both of the PASS National races so far this season at Greenville-Pickens Speedway and Hickory Motor Speedway. This weekend Ramstrom comes to Thompson Speedway with the PASS National points lead and with momentum on his side.
“It feels great to be leading the PASS National Championship standings heading to Thompson,” says Ramstrom, driver of the Ramstrom’s Service Center/Matthews Truck Service #35. “Our team hasn’t contended for a championship in a while and it’s a great morale booster to have two top five runs to start the season.”
Although not in his native state, Thompson Speedway is a “home” track of sorts for Ramstrom. He won the Pro Stock championship at Thompson in 2010 and went to victory lane with PASS North there two years later. For many, Ramstrom comes into this weekend’s “Icebreaker” as a favorite to take the checkered flag and extend his PASS National Championship points lead heading into the 43rd Annual HP Hood Oxford 250 in August.
“Thompson is a high-banked, fast track and by far one of the best speedways I have ever raced at,” says Ramstrom. “We should have a great car this weekend and be able to contend for the win.”
Ramstrom will be faced with a tough field for Sunday’s 75 lapper, including former PASS National Champions, Ben Rowe and Joey Doiron, as well as former PASS North Super Late Model champions, Travis Benjamin, Johnny Clark, Mike Rowe, and DJ Shaw. Defending PASS South champion Tate Fogleman is entered, along with defending Oxford 250 winner, Glen Luce, and last year’s North-South Shootout winner, David Garbo, Jr. PASS National championship contenders, Jeremy Davis, Matt Matheson and John-Michael Shenette are entered as well, along with PASS North championship contenders Bryan Kruczek, Reid Lanpher, and Trevor Sanborn. Additional entries include George Bessette, Corey Casagrande, Larry Gelinas, Derek Griffith, Garrett Hall, Donald Theetge, and Jake Vanada.
The PASS Super Late Models and NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour get on track for the first time on Saturday, April 9, with practice beginning at 11:20 AM followed by qualifying/heat races, and main events for the support divisions. On Sunday, April 10, grandstand gates will open at 10 AM, followed by an autograph session, and main events starting at 12:35 PM.
PASS North Super Late Model entry forms for the events at Thompson Speedway, Oxford Plains Speedway, Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, and the 43rd Annual HP Hood Oxford 250 can be found at ProAllStarsSeries.com.