Ramstrom Takes Points Lead At Thompson
Derek Ramstrom of West Boylston, Mass., finished fourth in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Super Late Model feature at Thompson International Speedway in Thompson, Conn., on Thursday night. With the Top-5 run in the 30-lap main event, Ramstrom assumed the division point lead by two points with three races remaining as he tried to win a second consecutive track championship. Ramstrom battled a tight track under cool conditions and managed to avoid an oil spill on the track that collected a number of cars in an incident early in the race.
WHO: Derek Ramstrom, W. Boylston, Mass.
WHAT: No. 35 Charter Communications/Matthews Truck Service and Towing Chevrolet
WHERE: Thompson International Speedway, Thompson, Conn. (.625-mile oval)
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
WHAT: 30-lap Super Late Model Feature
FINISHED: 4th
STANDINGS: 1st
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DEREK, IT MUST FEEL GOOD TO BE BACK ATOP THE SUPER LATE MODEL STANDINGS AT THOMPSON.
The points race is pretty tight. We took the lead, but Larry (Gelinas) and Mike O’Sullivan are right there behind us. It should be interesting the next couple of races.
HOW DID THE FEATURE PLAY OUT FOR YOU?
Everyone strung right out at the front. When the caution came out because there was oil spilled on the track, a bunch of cars started spinning everywhere. I almost spun out myself. It was pretty scary, actually.
Then after that happened, the rest of the race went green. Everyone just followed each other. The track cooled off and it really tightened up. You could really tell that the track changed.
DID IT SURPRISE YOU THAT THE TRACK TIGHTENED UP THE WAY IT DID?
It did. Five uf us just strung out. We were just staying in line, and everybody just cruised along because nobody could pass. Nobody could do anything.
Everyone missed the setup so much, nobody could pass at all.