by Jay | Sep 18, 2009 | NASCAR, New England, Thompson
O’Sullivan, Gentes, Monahan, McDermott & Michalski Also Visit Victory Lane
Thompson, CT (September 17, 2009): The season is winding down at Thompson Speedway but the excitement is still ramping up. With tight point races in all divisions, Thursday night’s feature events had major championship implications. Mike O’Sullivan of Springfield, MA, scored his third Super Late Model victory of the season to bring the chase to the championship to single digits. Cam McDermott had a good point night as he scored his second win of the season in TIS Modified competition.
Ted Christopher of Plainville, CT, hustled his way from the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, NH, after qualifying for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event to win his sixth Sunoco Modified feature event of the season at Thompson and his second in a row. Christopher edged out fellow Modified Tour competitors Rowan Pennink, Keith Rocco, and Woody Pitkat to take down the victory.
Rick Gentes of Woonsocket, RI, returned to his winning ways in the Late Models while Sean Monahan of Waterford, CT, scored the victory in the Limited Sportsman division. Steve Michalski of Brooklyn, CT, earned his second Mini Stock victory of the season.
Ted Christopher of Plainville, CT, ended a busy day with a trip to victory lane. Christopher drove by pole sitter Dave LaCroix in the first turn of the first lap. Rocco and Pitkat followed through. The cars of Christopher, Rocco and Pitkat ran a distance ahead of Rowan Pennink in fourth.
Pitkat began to apply heavy pressure to Rocco for the second spot as they completed the fifth lap. Christopher could not gain any breathing room on Rocco. Pennink had begun to run the lead trio down. A bit deeper in the pack, Tim Sullivan and Danny Cates were locked in a heated battle for the sixth spot. Despite their battle they were reeling in fifth-place runner Kerry Malone.
Up front, Rocco had caught the back bumper of Christopher. Pitkat dogged Rocco for second and Pennink had caught the battle for the top spot. At halfway, Cates had gotten by Sullivan for sixth. He immediately began to apply pressure to Malone for fifth. Cates dove low in turn three to grab the fifth position away. The top three remained nose to tail as Pennink faded back.
A slugfest between Andy Gaspar, Ricky Shawn, and Harry Rheaume ended with Gaspar limping down the backstretch. The leaders came up on the slow car rapidly but all were able to take the low groove around safely. Ultimately, Gaspar would end up stopped on the backstretch to bring out the caution. Malone headed to pit road under the caution.
Christopher picked the low groove for the restart on lap 19. The move paid off as Christopher, who edged ahead on the restart. Pitkat appeared to miss a shift faltering a bit on the restart.
Rocco made a bold move in turn one to take the lead from Teddy. Christopher duplicated the effort in turn two to regain the top spot. The battle allowed Pitkat to regain the ground he lost to the leaders on the restart. Cates was now part of the mix as well. On lap 22, Cates got into Pitkat sending him spinning to the infield. His teammate Malone was also collected. Cates was put to the rear for his involvement in the incident.
On the restart, Christopher resumed the lead but it was Pennink rocketing into the second spot ahead of Rocco. A spin by Rheaume brought out the caution to negate the pass for second. They would do it all again on the second restart attempt on lap 22.
It was a dogfight at the head of the pack between Christopher, Rocco and Pennink with the green flag flying once again. Bert Marvin had quietly made his way into the fourth position. Pitkat was back in the top five with five laps remaining; but a caution for a single-car incident involving Wayne Arute put Pitkat back to sixth.
An attempt at a single file restart was thwarted when a spin by Sullivan brought out the caution once again. Again, Christopher got a slight advantage over Rocco for the top spot. Pennink was once again looking racy for the second spot. With two laps to go, Pennink sent his #31 in the low groove in turn four to take over the second spot. Pitkat was able to get by Marvin for fourth.
At the checkers, Christopher took down the victory over Pennink. Rocco had to settle for third over Pitkat and Marvin. With the finish, Rocco gained two points over his nearest competition, Pitkat. Rocco has a four-point advantage over Pitkat going into the final point race next Thursday.
Mike O’Sullivan of Springfield, MA, edged ever-closer to another championship with his Super Late Model victory. Right from the drop of the green flag there was excitement in the Super Late Models. Pole sitter Larry Gelinas immediately had his hands full with Dennis Maxfield. The two went fender-to-fender for a number of laps. As the lead duo battled O’Sullivan and Norm Wrenn lurked behind.
On lap seven, Maxfield was finally able to gain the advantage. Gelinas immediately fell to the challenge of O’Sullivan. A great run by O’Sullivan on lap 11 gave him the advantage and the lead over Maxfield. Derek Ramstrom was making his way to the front taking spots from Rick Fuller and Norm Wrenn. He got by Gelinas on lap 17 to take over the third position.
Up front, O’Sullivan had run out to a six-car length advantage over Maxfield while Ramstrom was quickly closing the gap. Gelinas ran along in the fourth spot followed by a battle for the fifth position between Wrenn, Fuller, and George Bessette.
With five laps to go Ramstrom had caught Maxfield and the leader entered lapped traffic. Maxfield and Ramstrom were able to cut down the lead substantially when O’Sullivan was forced high on the track by a lapped car. The incident was hardly a glitch as O’Sullivan quickly gained his composure and once again stretched his advantage.
O’Sullivan had nearly a half straightaway lead as he streaked under the checkers for his third win of the season. Ramstrom could not muster up a serious challenge on Maxfield for second. Gelinas and Norm Wrenn completed the top five. With this victory on Thursday night in the Super Late Model division, Mike O’Sullivan of Springfield, MA, cut Derek Ramstrom’s point lead to a mere four points heading into the final point race.
Rick Gentes of Woonsocket, RI, scored his fourth win of the season in impressive style. Gentes took the lead after halfway and ran uncontested to the checkers. Corey Hutchings came from the fifth position to set the pace early in the Late Model main event. While Hutchings had quickly run out to a sizable margin in the opening five laps, point leader John Materas was coming on strong; reeling in the leader. Gentes joined the fray before the completion of lap 10 to make it a three-car freight train at the head of the field. The most recent winner, Tommy O’Sullivan, was beginning to run down the leaders.
Gentes began to assert himself with less than 10 laps to go. He got alongside Materas and easily made the pass for second. Once by Materas, Gentes immediately went to work on Hutchings. The two went side-by-side lap after lap before Gentes muscled his way by on lap 19.
Ken Bamford made hard contact with the outside wall to bring out the caution on lap 20. On the single file restart, Hutchings appeared to miss a shift making it clear sailing for Gentes, who ran out to a 10-car length advantage. The hottest battle on the field was for the third position. The battle got too hot as Materas and O’Sullivan made contact. Materas got out of shape but was able to continue with some damage. O’Sullivan headed to pit road for service. He, too, was able to rejoin the tail end of the field.
An uneventful last dash to the checkers saw Gentes run away with the win. Hutching finished a distant second to Dave Trudeau. Damon Tinio had a career night to finish fourth. Wayne Coury, Sr. recovered from a heat race incident to complete the top five.
Cam McDermott of Scituate, RI, cut into the point lead of Brian Sullivan with his second TIS Modified victory of the season. McDermott now trails Sullivan by 14 points heading into the final race of the regular season. A heated battle for the lead between John Studley and McDermott was slowed when Jeff Barrows and Jay Sundeen made hard contact with the outside wall in turn one on the opening lap. McDermott grabbed the lead from Studley on the restart. Another incident followed involving Glenn Boss and Bart Ramos. Brian Sullivan was penalized for his involvement. Brian Tagg headed to pit road with a flat tire.
Before a lap could be completed, the #31 broke in a shower of sparks; coming to rest on the front stretch and bringing out the caution. Things settled down after the restart with McDermott in control. The young driver was able to extend his lead by nearly a half-straightaway advantage over Studley in second. A fully recovered Tagg was running down R.J. Marcotte for third.
A hard lick by Ramos in the turn four wall set up a green-white-checker restart that pitted McDermott against Studley once again. In the single-file restart, McDermott edged out to a single car-length advantage. Things remained unchanged over the final two laps as McDermott headed to victory lane. Studley had a great run to finish second. Marcotte, Tagg, and Sullivan completed the top five.
With a last lap pass, Sean Monahan of Waterford, CT, scored his second win of the season in Limited Sportsman competition. Joe Campbell jumped out from his front row starting spot to lead the opening laps of the event. After a restart on lap three, his car began to show smoke. He gave up the lead to Joe Arena. After losing the second position to Sean Monahan, Campbell headed down pit road.
Arena had run out to a comfortable lead over Monahan as Barnett had already worked his way into the third position. The leader encountered heavy lapped traffic as the field got the halfway marker. Arena had to weave in and out of the slower traffic allowing Monahan to cut the margin. Monahan was only a couple of car lengths away. Barnett was not able to make any headway toward the lead duo.
With rotors aglow, Monahan went in search of Arena. On the white flag lap, Monahan caught Arena. On the final lap, in a last ditch effort, Monahan was able to make the pass. Arena had to settle for second. Barnett padded his point lead finishing third. Chris “Moose” Douton and Paul Palen completed the top-five.
In the Mini Stock main event, Steve Michalski of Brooklyn, CT, earned his second win of the 2009 season. Ian Brew moved from the fourth position to the lead in the opening lap. Less than a lap later, Brad Caddick had taken over the point. Almost immediately, Caddick had company. It was a three car battle for the lead between Caddick, St. Michalski, and a charging Randy Churchill. After a heated battle, Michalski had taken over the lead on lap 12.
Once out front, Michalski was able to extend his lead. Meanwhile his brother Scott Michalski had joined the lead pack. In the closing laps with St. Michalski comfortably out front the battle continued for the second position. Steve Michalski went on to score his second win of the year. Scott came on strong on the final lap to finish second. Churchill continued his late season string of top finishes finishing in the third position. Caddick and Jeff Moffat rounded out the top five.
After the 1,500 plus votes were tallied, the “Most Popular Driver” awards were presented on Thursday night to drivers in each of the six NASCAR Whelen All-American Series division. Taking the honors were Woody Pitkat of Stafford, CT, in the Sunoco Modifieds; Derek Ramstrom of Worcester, MA, in Super Late Models; Rick Gentes of Woonsocket, RI, in Late Models; Joe Arena of Bristol, CT, in the Limited Sportsman division; Jay Sundeen of Douglas, MA, in the TIS Modifieds; and Scott Michalski S. Killingly, CT, in the Mini Stock divisions.
Sunoco Modified Feature (Top-Ten) Finish: 1. Ted Christopher, Plainville, CT; 2. Rowan Pennink, Huntington Station, PA; 3. Keith Rocco, Wallingford, CT; 4. Woody Pitkat, Stafford, CT; 5. Bert Marvin, Waterford, CT; 6. Danny Cates, Chaplin, CT; 7. Ricky Shawn, Bradford, RI; 8. Kerry Malone, Needham, MA; 9. Dave LaCroix, Fitchburg, MA; 10. Harry Rheaume, Oakdale, CT.
Super Late Model (Top Ten) Finish: 1. Mike O’Sullivan, Springfield, MA; 2. Dennis Maxfield, Fitchburg, MA; 3. Derek Ramstrom, Worcester, MA; 4. Larry Gelinas, Buxton, MA; 5. Norm Wrenn, Nashua, NH; 6. Rick Fuller, Auburn, MA; 7. George Bessette, Danbury, CT; 8. Les Rose, Jr., Southbridge, MA; 9. Steve Desmarias, Westport, MA; 10. Jim Banfield, MA.
Late Model (Top Ten) Feature Finish: 1. Rick Gentes, Woonsocket, RI; 2. Corey Hutchings, Salem, CT; 3. Dave Trudeau, Mansfield, CT; 4. Damon Tinio, Medfield, MA; 5. Wayne Coury, Sr., Milford, CT; 6. Jeremy Sadowski, Voluntown, CT; 7. Jeff Hartwell, E. Putnam, CT; 8. Phil Rondeau, Baltic, CT; 9. Tom Fox, Plainfield, CT; 10. Al Mandarino, Lake Grove, NY.
TIS Modifieds (Top Ten) Feature Finish: 1. Cam McDermott, Scituate; 2. John Studley, Framingham, MA; 3. R.J. Marcotte, Millville, MA; 4. Brian Tagg, Oxford, CT; 5. Brian Sullivan, S. Windsor, CT; 6. Jay Sundeen, Douglas, MA; 7. Denis Legere, N. Reading, MA; 8. Bart Ramos, Putnam, CT; 9. John Michael Shenette, Thompson, CT; 10. Glen Boss, Danielson, CT.
Limited Sportsman (Top Ten) Feature Finish: 1. Shawn Monahan, Waterford, CT; 2. Joe Arena Bristol, CT; 3. Larry Barnett, Moosup, CT; 4. Chris Douton, Waterford, CT; 5. Paul Palen, Pelham, CT; 6. Gerald Sevigny, Brooklyn, CT; 7. Jay Sundeen, Douglas, MA; 8. Joe Coates, Eastford, CT; 9. Jesse Gleason, Lisbon, CT; 10. Al Stone III, New Haven, CT.
Mini Stock (Top Ten) Feature Finish: 1. Steve Michalski, Brooklyn, CT; 2. Scott Michalski, S. Killingly, CT; 3. Randy Churchill, Niantic, CT; 4. Brad Caddick, New London, CT; 5. Jeff Moffat, Warwick, RI; 6. Scott Jassaume, Danielson, CT; 7. Ian Brew, Wood River Jct, RI; 8. Chad Baxter, Pascoag, RI; 9. Billy Pomposelli, Chepachet, RI; 10. Chuck Rogers, Quaker Hill, CT.
by Jay | Sep 18, 2009 | ACT, NASCAR, New England, New Hampshire, NHMS
Waterbury, VT – This weekend’s American Canadian Tour (ACT) Invitational at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) will seem like a homecoming of sorts to several of the drivers who race with the ACT. Former NASCAR driver Brian Hoar from Williston, VT is a past NHMS Track Champion. Hoar is currently leading the 2009 ACT Championship point battle and looking for his 6th overall ACT title. Brad Leighton is the most prolific winner in NHMS history, with eight (8) wins to his credit. Part-time ACT racer Eddie MacDonald from Rowley, MA won both Camping World East events held at the Speedway in 2008. MacDonald is in a point race with Ryan Truex for the NASCAR Camping World East title and will be entering both races at New Hampshire this weekend.
When asked how he felt about heading to the Invitational, former King of the Road title holder and recent winner of the Bond Auto Labor Day Classic 200 at Barre, VT’s Thunder Road, Dave Pembroke, of Montpelier, VT said, “I am a little concerned that those guys will try and pay me back!”
Pembroke won the 200-lap event a couple of weeks ago. He not only won the event, but he led all 200 laps and nearly put the entire field of 30 starters down a lap in the process. The race went 181 green flag laps before the one and only caution on lap 182. This was accomplished on what is regarded as one of the toughest quarter mile racetracks in America. “Seriously, I am really excited about going back to New Hampshire. I don’t have any great expectations, I am just happy to get the invitation to compete at that beautiful place. I kind of wish I was in Phil’s car instead of my own. (Pembroke took part in a two-day Goodyear tire test in April in the car of Montpelier, Vt’s Senator Phil Scott. On the second day of testing Scott was called back to the Senate for a critical vote and asked Pembroke to substitute for him). It certainly performed better at Loudon than mine did when we were testing in August, but we have worked since Labor Day to get it ready, so we will hope for the best”, concluded Pembroke.
The home track advantage might be somewhat neutralized when the draw for starting spots is concluded around 12:30 on Saturday, September 19th following the drivers meeting. “We have been working on a handicap system that reflects what is good about short track racing. We won’t have an opportunity to qualify by heats or time trials, due to some time constraints, so we have created a fair system to try and give our teams a good racing experience, and also to give our fans the best show possible”, said Nick Bigelow, the ACT Chief Handicapper. The system that has been created for the first ACT Invitational will have all thirty-six teams draw for positions, but the draw has been broken into three parts, and the final line-up will reflect what officials believe will be both competitive and safe for the race teams.
The inaugural ACT Invitational will be comprised of teams from all 6 New England states and the provinces of Quebec and Ontario. Vermont will send the largest contingent of teams with 12, followed by Maine with 7 entrants, and then Quebec and New Hampshire with 4 each.
The $65,000 ACT Invitational will be part of the biggest one day of racing in New England. The ACT race will follow the popular NASCAR Whelen Modified Series 100 and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 200. Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling NHMS or by visiting their site at www.nhms.com. Post time at NHMS on Saturday, September 19th is 1:00pm. The ACT Invitational is scheduled to post at 5:30pm.
by Jay | Sep 18, 2009 | ACT, New England, Thunder Road
Waterbury, VT – The 50th anniversary of Thunder Road has been a year to remember for both race teams and fans. The best is yet to come as the ‘Nation’s Site of Excitement’ readies for the toughest short track race in America, the 47th annual Chittenden Milk Bowl.
Known as the grand-daddy race of them all for Late Model cars, the unique format of time trials, triple 50-lap qualifying dashes, and then the Milk Bowl format of three segements with inversions, sets the stage for two days of intense drama for race fans and teams.
ACT veteran racer Brent Dragon said, “The last two ACT races have been about as strange as I have ever been a part of. We go to Thunder Road for the Bond Auto Labor Day Classic 200 and run for 182 laps before we catch a yellow. There is only one leader, and that is not to take anything away from David Pembroke because he was super that day, he had a great car and lots of traffic to contend with, but come on, 182 laps of green! We finish with all 30 starters. I can’t ever remember a race like that. We are done 200 laps in under an hour. Then we go to my favorite track, Airborne, and we end up with 5 or 6 different leaders, nearly 20 lead changes, and a 300-lap race with few cautions and the 300-lap race was over in under 2 hours!”.
There will be no pressure on Dragon and over 40 of the other ACT Late Model teams when they arrive for the $70,000 in posted awards at Thunder Road. This year the Milk Bowl is a non-points race. The pressure to be conservative to protect point leads or gain points is off. This will be a “no holds barred” kind of shoot-out for the ACT Late Model teams.
The format of the Chittenden Milk Bowl fits the style of local race teams. Thunder Road runs all 50-lap feature events for its Late Model division throughout the season. Rich Lowery, Dave Whitcomb, Phil Scott, all veterans of the Thunder Road weekly battles will get a decided advantage with the short distance sprints that the three-segment Milk Bowl uses.
“This race is unlike any other in the country”, said newly crowned ‘King of the Road’, Milton, VT’s Jean-Paul Cyr. “This is just an old-fashioned hard-nosed battle to get in, and then the strategy takes over. First, you have to decide when you will need your tires to be good enough to win. Next, you have to put yourself into a position to win with a low score going into the final segment, then you have to know who you have to be beat, nearly lap by lap and position by position during that final segment. Finally, if you over-think all of this, you will forget to just drive the damn car and none of it will matter. It’s a tough race and I love it!”
The 47th Annual Chittenden Milk Bowl will mark the end of the 50th anniversary season celebration of Thunder Road. Throughout the 2009 season special events have become the norm in celebration of the Nation’s Site of Excitement’s 50 years of short track racing. Post time each day for the Chittenden Milk Bowl is 1:00pm. Gates open at 10:00 am and tickets are $25 for both days of racing.
by Jay | Sep 18, 2009 | NASCAR, New England, New Hampshire, NHMS
In the face of bitter disappointment, one might be able to take comfort in the old saying, “For every problem there is an opportunity.”
Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), is certainly disappointed since he now faces the next 10-race stretch of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule without being part of the 12-driver Chase for the Championship. Even tougher to take was that he and the M&M’s team missed the Chase by a mere eight points, despite a flawless night on-track and on pit road that led to a solid fifth-place run in last Saturday night’s 26th race of the season at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway.
But, for his part, Busch has decided that despite facing the problem of not making the Chase, even with four wins to his credit, there are three key opportunities that lie ahead before the checkered flag waves at the season-ending race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. It all starts with Sunday’s Sylvania 300 Sprint Cup event at the 1.058-mile New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon.
With the pressure of the Chase now off, Busch and crew chief Steve Addington will first focus on something former teammate Tony Stewart and current No. 20 team crew chief Greg Zipadelli accomplished after they just missed the Chase in 2006. Stewart and the No. 20 team brought home three wins to go along with five top-five finishes over the final 10 races.
Secondly, Busch and Company will do their part to provide as much information as possible to help teammate Denny Hamlin, crew chief Mike Ford, and the entire No. 11 team in their bid for the championship. That’s what good teammates do.
Finally, the Las Vegas native will hope to not only glean as much information as possible for his compatriots on the No. 11 squad, but also learn more about NASCAR’s current-generation car in order to refocus on their bid for a championship in 2010.
While his chance for a championship has ended for 2009, it doesn’t mean Busch won’t be focused on something he loves to do more than anything else: winning, and keeping the colors primary backer M&M’s in victory lane, where he feels they belong.
So it’s quite clear to everyone on the No. 18 team, this problem has certainly brought along opportunities that lie ahead, starting with this weekend in New Hampshire.
KYLE BUSCH, Driver of the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing:
What is your plan for the final 10 races?
“To go out and win some more races. M&M’s and all the guys on this team deserve that kind of effort no matter what. We just need to work on the consistency. We picked up at some tracks that we needed to, and we faltered at some tracks that we thought we were good at. It just wasn’t our year and it wasn’t meant to be, for some reason. I was put in this predicament for a reason, and one of these days I’ll figure out why. You’ve just got to focus on learning from everything that happens and try to turn it into a positive.”
Do you think your teammate Denny Hamlin could be a threat to win the Chase, and what will you do to help?
“I hope so. Along with us hopefully winning some races, all of the focus is going on the 11, and I’ll do my best to help Denny out and bring Joe Gibbs Racing a championship. Hopefully, I can do my part on the racetrack, as well as on just giving the best advice from my car and helping those guys. So you know, I think Denny has got a lot going forward. He’s going to have a big momentum boost this week, where he goes and runs so well at Loudon, and next week at Dover, he does well, too. They have got it going on if they can keep the parts together but, unfortunately, we didn’t last year. But if they do, they will be fine.”
How frustrating is it to come just eight points from making the Chase?
“It’s very, very frustrating. I’m heartbroken, but we’ll take this and go the rest of the year and try to win some more races and get M&M’s and Interstate Batteries to victory lane. There were a lot of situations this year that I screwed up, that we got put into bad spots, had a couple days that we were bad on pit road, others where we just couldn’t hit the setup right. It’s just a conglomeration of things that put us in this predicament. It’s not just one thing. It’s not those last two weeks. It’s the previous 26 altogether. Unfortunately, some of those weeks were worse than others.”
How comfortable are you now on flat tracks?
“It’s the Cup side that I’ve had some issues with on the flat tracks. The Nationwide side of it, we are fine. In the past, with Hendrick, I was fine on the flat stuff, too. But, for some reason, it’s just with these Gibbs cars, I don’t have the feel for it. I’m not sure why or what it is. We kind of went to New Hampshire in June with my own setup and it seemed to pay off a little bit for us, rather than trying a Denny (Hamlin) setup. Denny always runs well on the flat tracks, but his driving style is so much different than mine. I can’t run the same. Denny ran really well there in the past, so I’m hoping we have a car that is as good as his. We tried something different at Phoenix earlier this year and again in New Hampshire during the summer and that seemed to fit my driving style better. I’m looking forward to New Hampshire because we ran well there in the spring – I think we finished in seventh. I’m looking forward to trying to change last year’s results there for both races and be better this year in both races.”
What’s different about New Hampshire that you enjoy, as opposed to other flat tracks like Phoenix?
“New Hampshire is a fun track for me, as a driver, even though it was a tough year there last year. It’s flat like Phoenix and Milwaukee, but it’s a little bit tricky. In order to do well there, you need a car that works on all the different kinds of asphalt the tracks seem to be putting down. You need a car that has a lot of side bite in the rear and front grip to turn easier. At New Hampshire, it seems like I’ve always been loose into the corner and tight in the center, which is hard to fix sometimes. I think the team that can fix that the best will have the best car.”
