by Jay | Mar 27, 2010 | New England, Thompson
MADHOUSE TV STAR TO COMPETE IN THOMPSON’S ICEBREAKER
THOMPSON, CT. Burt Myers, one of the featured racers on the History Channel’s hit TV show Madhouse, will compete in the Icebreaker at Thompson International Speedway. The Walnut Cove, North Carolina resident will be making his first trip into New England’s Modified country as a competitor the weekend of April 10th and 11th.
“I’ve always heard about what a great place Thompson is but have never been able to fit it into my schedule. This year, the Icebreaker comes on an open date for us, so I’m really looking forward to racing there. As long as we don’t have a disaster in the race at South Boston, VA on April 3rd, we’ll be at Thompson,” said Myers.
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by Jay | Mar 15, 2010 | New England, Thompson
ICEBREAKER- FIRST STEP TOWARDS 2010 THOMPSON CHAMPIONSHIPS.
THOMPSON,CT. The season-opening Icebreaker, April 10th and 11th, at the Thompson International Speedway kicks off the racing season and the drive for a coveted division championship at the historic speedway. In all, six NASCAR Whelen All-American Series division titles are up for grabs for Thompson’s weekly racers. The historic speedway is also the location where many other championships like the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, NEMA Midgets, ISMA Super Modifieds and others are traditionally decided at the end of the racing season.
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by Jay | Mar 8, 2010 | New England, Thompson
THOMPSON PREPARES FOR OPENING OF 70TH YEAR
THOMPSON, CT. Thompson International Speedway will mark the opening of its 70th anniversary year with the running of the traditional Icebreaker on the weekend of April 10th and 11th. The famed, high-banked oval will usher in the 2010 racing season with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and Thompson’s own “Super 6” NASCAR Whelen All-American series divisions.
Just prior to the actual running of the Icebreaker, the speedway will be open for two full days of open practice. The first of these days is scheduled for Saturday, March 27th with the second the following Saturday, April 3rd.
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by Jay | Dec 8, 2009 | Thompson
THOMPSON, CT. The office at the Thompson International Speedway will once again adopt its winter schedule beginning Monday, December 6, 2009. The office will be open five days a week between the hours of 9 AM and 12 Noon.
Speedway officials want race teams to know that the new competition rules for the 2010 season are available. Competitors will find them on the track’s web site or may call or email the office to have a copy mailed. The Internet address for the Thompson web site is: www.thompsonspeedway.com
Car number and driver registration forms are coming into the Thompson Speedway office on a daily basis. Those who raced at Thompson in 2009 and gained NASCAR Whelen All-American Series points with a particular car number have until January 15th to renew that car number. Car number/driver information forms are also available on the track’s web page or directly from the track office. If a number is not renewed by January 15, 2010, that number will then be awarded on a first come, first served basis.
Tickets for the 2009 Banquets of Champions are going quickly. Two nights of celebrations will be held in January to honor the best of the best in the “Super 6” NASCAR Whelen All-American Series divisions. On Friday, January 22nd , the Super Late Models, Limited Sportsman and Mini Stock divisions will be in the spotlight. The very next night, January 23rd is the night when the Sunoco Modified, Late Models and Thompson Modified divisions will shine. Tickets for tables of eight or ten are available only through the speedway office and ticket orders may be placed during the winter business hours listed above. Race teams that finished in the top ten in points for the 2009 season have first option to purchase tickets. Once their needs are met, if there are any additional tickets, they will be made available on a first come, first served basis.
The much-anticipated 2010 racing schedule for Thompson International will be released very shortly. Only a few items remain to be finalized on the new season’s line up. Once those items are signed, sealed and delivered, the racing schedule will be announced.
Fans should once again rely on the Thompson Speedway web site for the first look at the racing dates, schedules and other information for next year. Any unanswered questions may be directed Thompson’s Office Manager, Mary Ann Rossi at (860)-923-2280.
by Jay | Nov 4, 2009 | Thompson
THOMPSON, CT. One of the largest and most diversified events of its kind will be held this Saturday and Sunday at the Thompson International Speedway. Don Hoenig’s Original Automotive Swap Meet and Flea Market, in its 38th year, will open to buyers at 7 A. M. on both Saturday and Sunday mornings and will be held rain or shine.
The Thompson “Flea Market” is, in a word, huge. Well over 1500 sellers fill the grounds of the large speedway complex and that’s enough to attract tens of thousands of automotive enthusiasts, buyers who come prepared, and those looking for great buys or very specific parts. There is also the element of the curious who spend hours enjoying the tremendous quantity and quality of items for sale. The vast majority of those that fall into the curious category end up walking away with a treasured something that they spotted along the way.
The display area exceeds 100 acres and haulers are available to assist buyers with their purchases. Visitors can expect to see everything from well equipped display trailers offering new automotive items of every possible description to an old pick up truck filled with items that have been taking up space in a person’s garage. The variety of items is amazing; from brand new to classic antiques, race cars, parts and accessories, lawn and garden equipment and everything in between is what brings the buying crowd. Part of the fun, excitement and charm of the Flea Market is the “wheeling and dealing” that goes on. It is a proud New England tradition that is alive and well each year at this one-of-a-kind event.
Those wishing to sell items may purchase a space (15’ X30’) for the weekend and then showcase their items before thousands of potential buyers. Gates open at 5 A.M. for sellers on both Saturday and Sunday and at 7 A.M. for buyers and browsers on both days. Admission for this incredible event is only $10.00 and affords the buyer nine hours of fun before the sun sets and the gates close at 5 P.M.
The Speedway is located only minutes from exit 99 of Interstate 395 in northeast Connecticut. Directions from the Interstate exit are well marked to lead people to the East Thompson Road location. Another way to know exactly how to get to the Flea Market is to simply follow the line of traffic that is heading to this annual event.
by Jay | Oct 28, 2009 | New England, Thompson
Thompson, CT – October 25, 2009 – In their final race of the 2009 season, the Pro Four Modifieds of New England (PFMNE) put on a spectacular show at the Thompson Int’l Speedway Sunday evening. Qualifying for the weekend long event was completed on Friday with Norm Wrenn and Dan Meservey, Jr. picking up heat race wins. Due to extensive rain on Saturday, the Harry Kourafas, Jr. Memorial race was postponed to Sunday. Rob Richardi, Jr. held off the advances of Norm Wrenn to pick up his first win of the season, snapping Wrenn’s World Series win streak.
Richardi, Jr. and Dan Meservey led the 21-car field to post. The #00 of Dave Richardi stole the second and third positions away from Meservey Jr. and Sr. in hot pursuit of his brother. By the time the cars were coming off of turn two, Wrenn had already passed the #16 of Stan Mertz, the #86 of Mark Charette, and #4 of Cory Cleary to claim tenth. Within the next two laps, the #83 of Franky Perry began to catch the #10 of Brian Vincent, and by lap four, he had completed the pass for a top five position. Vincent would also be passed by Wrenn on lap five, but the pass was nullified when the first caution flag of the event was displayed for the #60 of Andy Majors and the #11a of Dan Meservey, who both made contact with the wall in turn three. Both drivers were unable to continue.
On the restart, the top five included the two Richardi brothers followed by Meservey, Jr., Vincent and the #07 of Phil Lausier, who inherited a position in the top five after Sagar retired from the race during the caution period. At the drop of the green, Meservey, Jr. fell off the pace, while Wrenn began his charge to the front. By lap seven he passed Vincent and Perry, and was stalking the Richardis for the first two positions. They would continue to run this way until Lausier went spinning in turn two, necessitating a lap-fourteen caution.
On the restart, the Richardis continued to show the way with Wrenn right on their heels in the third position. Perry and Vincent rounded out the top five. On lap seventeen, Wrenn was able to complete the pass of Dave Richardi with Vincent in tow. While Richardi was battling for the fourth position with Tyler Anderson, who had come all the way from the back, contact was made and the result was a lap nineteen caution flag. Richardi would be able to continue, but Anderson had terminal damage to his #25 mount.
On the restart, Richardi caught Wrenn sleeping and jumped out to a four car length advantage. Eventually, Wrenn would get back to Richardis back bumper, and would hound the race leader all the way to checkers. All of his efforts, however, were not enough as Richardi ended up leading every lap of the 25-lap main. Wrenn finished second, with Perry, Vincent, and George Sherman rounding out the top five. Positions six through ten went to Dave Richardi, Robin Berghman, Lausier, Dick Dubois, and Tim D’Amico. Mark Giordano, Cory Cleary, Jim Darlington, Mark Charette, and Anderson took positions eleven through fifteen. And rounding out the field was Meservey, Jr., Joe Lemay, 2009 Limited Pro Four Modifieds of New England Champion Stan Mertz, Meservey, Sr., Sagar, and Majors.
The first three Limiteds across the line were Mark Giordano, Mark Charette, and Joe Lemay.
Thompson was the final scheduled event of the 2009 season. Next up on the docket is the Four-Cylinder Flea Market at Dennis’ Auto in Spencer, MA. For all of the details on this event and all other off-season events, please stay tuned to www.pro4mods.com.
