by Jay | Apr 21, 2010 | Thompson
THOMPSON READIES FOR NEW AND EXCITING WEEKLY RACING
THOMPSON, CT With a successful season-opening Icebreaker, Thompson officials are very optimistic about the regular weekly racing calendar for this season. Mother Nature pulled out all the stops and provided exceptional weather for the two-day event. As a result, fans flocked to the famed oval for the track’s opening event and witnessed a truly great weekend of racing.
“We have an exciting schedule of events for 2010 with several new additions to previous year’s race schedules. A good start like we had at the Icebreaker makes us very optimistic about our Thursday night weekly events that begin on May 20th,” said track owner, Don Hoenig.
(more…)
by Jay | Apr 13, 2010 | New England, Thompson
Ramstrom Breaks The Ice With Pair Of Wins
THOMPSON, Conn. — Derek Ramstrom got his Super Late Model season off to a fine start at Thompson International Speedway.
The reigning track champion swept a pair of 25-lap features for the division as part of the track’s annual Icebreaker event over the weekend.
“It was great to come right out and win two races like that,” Ramstrom said. “It was a big boost of confidence — just huge for the whole team. I needed that.”
The 18-year-old driver from West Boylston, Mass., became the youngest champion in Thompson history last year after winning four Super Late Model races on the season. In just two days, he’s already halfway to that total this year.
Ramstrom won’t defend his track championship in 2010, instead opting for a full schedule of NASCAR K&N Pro Series East races complemented by partial PASS North Series and Thompson weekly schedules. The lightened workload at Thompson has changed his motivation, he said.
(more…)
by Jay | Apr 13, 2010 | NASCAR, New England, Thompson
Santos Makes Missile Debut Victorious in WMT Opener at Thompson
Christopher Tops in Sunoco Mods; Ramstrom Completes Sweep SLM
Gentes, Sullivan, Monahan & Defevers Icebreaker Winners
Thompson, CT (April 11, 2010): Bobby Santos III of Franklin, MA, took over the reigns of the potent Mystic Missile to score a victory in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour opener at Thompson International Speedway for the running of the Icebreaker 150 on Sunday. Ted Christopher of Plainville, CT, had to use his prowess on restarts to score a victory in the Sunoco Modified feature event on Sunday. Defending champion, Derek Ramstrom of Worcester, MA, swept the twin bill for the Super Late Models while Rick Gentes of Woonsocket, RI, scored Late Model honors.
Shawn Monahan of Waterford, CT, bested a strong field of Limited Sportsman competitors to score the victory. Another champion, TIS Modified ace Brian Sullivan of S. Windsor, CT, made a statement with an opening day victory. Leo Defevers of Brooklyn, CT, opened Day Two of the Icebreaker with a victory in the Mini Stock Division.
Bobby Santos III of Franklin, MA, set fast time in Coors Light qualifying with a new track record on Saturday and redrew the pole position. He set sail at the start of the race; led from the drop of the green flag until heading down pit road for a scheduled stop at lap 58. The young driver was able to work his way back into contention by methodically moving through the field. Santos made the winning move when he took the lead for the final time on lap 120. He held off the chargers of Ryan Preece in the waning laps of the event to score the victory. Preece came home second followed by Mike Stefanik. Ted Christopher, who pitted out of sequence with the leaders, came back to finish fourth ahead of Todd Szegedy.
Ted Christopher of Plainville, CT, held back all challenges to score the victory in Sunday’s installment of Sunoco Modified activity for Icebreaker 2010. After a straight-up start from the finish of Saturday’s 25-lapper, Keith Rocco started from the point for the second race of the weekend for the Sunoco Modifieds. He immediately had company on lap one from Christopher, who took over the top spot before the completion of second circuit. Third running Ronnie Silk had his hands full with Danny Cates and Kerry Malone. The first caution of the event flew on lap three when Andy Gaspar made hard contact with the inside wall. Christopher was able to maintain his lead on the restart.
Rocco dogged Christopher while Silk, Malone, Rowan Pennink and Cates ran nose to tail in the second pack of cars. A little deeper in the back, Tim Sullivan, Woody Pitkat and Bert Marvin waged a battle of their own.
Pitkat lost control of his mount in turn one spinning to the infield. Sullivan was collected in the incident as well. Both were able to continue but not before the caution flag flew again on lap 10. Under the caution, Pitkat was joined on pit road by Rowan Pennink.
(more…)
by Jay | Apr 13, 2010 | NASCAR, New England, Thompson
Champions Rocco & Ramstrom Start Title Defense with Victories
Santos Earns WMT Pole with New Track Record at Thompson Speedway
Thompson, CT (April 10, 2010): The 2010 season officially got underway at Thompson International Speedway with Day One of the traditional Icebreaker. Bobby Santos III of Franklin, MA, made an impressive debut in the famed “Mystic Missile”; qualifying on the pole for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. Keith Rocco of Wallingford, CT and Derek Ramstrom, defending champions of their respective divisions, scored opening day victories.
With the 2010 season quickly approaching car owner Bob Garbarino announced that Bobby Santos III would be the driver for his championship race team. In his first attempt to qualify, Santos not only put the #4 on the pole for his new car owner, he did it with a new track record of 18.418 seconds.
Chris Pasteryak of Lisbon, CT, Ronnie Silk of Norwalk, MA, and Mike Stefanik of Coventry, RI, qualified inside the top five. Burt Myers of Walnut Cove, NC, an icon in southern Modified racing, who has gained notoriety as a TV star on History Channel’s Madhouse, made the trip north of the Mason-Dixon Line to compete in his first NASCAR (Northern) Whelen Modified Tour. He rounded out the top-five in Coors Light qualifying. The top-ten cars will redraw for position to make up tomorrow’s starting line-up.
(more…)
by Jay | Apr 5, 2010 | NASCAR, New England, Thompson
ICEBREAKER THIS WEEKEND AT THOMPSON
THOMPSON, CT The annual racing season opener, The Icebreaker, will be run this weekend at the Thompson International Speedway. The two-day event will feature the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and Thompson’s own “Super 6” NASCAR Whelen All-American series divisions.
Racers will qualify their cars on Saturday with feature events for the Sunoco Modifieds and Super Late Models rounding out the day. Sunday’s racing activities will begin at 12 Noon with the WMT 150-lap main slated for a 3:15 PM start.
Thompson’s Icebreaker event is a New England tradition that signals the start of another great season of wheel-to-wheel racing competition at the famed, 70 year old racing oval. Thompson International Speedway opened in 1940 as the first asphalt race track in the country.
(more…)
by Jay | Mar 30, 2010 | New England, Thompson
MODIFIED TOUR TOPS ICEBREAKER LINE UP
THOMPSON, CT The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour opens its 2010 season at the Thompson International Speedway on Icebreaker weekend. The traditional Icebreaker race program is scheduled for Saturday, April 10th and Sunday, April 11th.
The Modified Tour was formed in 1985 and has run more of its races at Thompson than at any other NASCAR race track. Since its inception, the Modified Tour has made an amazing 109 appearances at the storied Connecticut race track and nearly every championship in that division has been determined at the season-ending World Series of Speedway Racing at Thompson.
(more…)
