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.
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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.
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by Jay | Apr 13, 2010 | ACT, New England, New Hampshire, NHMS
ACT II INVITATIONAL AT NHMS JUMPS TO 43 STARTERS IN 2010
Waterbury, VT – Officials of the American Canadian Tour (ACT) and the New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) announced today that the starting field for the second edition of the ACT Invitational will be increased from 36 teams last year to 43 teams in 2010. The event is part of a mega triple-header to be held on Saturday, September 18, 2010 at the region’s most notable speedway. The Invitational will join NASCAR’s Whelen Modified Tour and the Camping World Truck Series to provide the fans with the most exciting triple-header of the year.
“The great success we had with the inaugural ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway last year has given us the confidence to invite several more teams to make up the starting field for this year’s race”, said Tom Curley, President of the American Canadian Tour. “We will soon be announcing another great promotion for all the fans that attend weekly affiliate ACT tracks, and all ACT touring events during the upcoming season,” concluded Curley.
The race has been extended to 60 miles for the 2010 version. There will be a mandatory caution flag between lap 28 and 38, if there is no racing caution that occurs during that time frame. Teams will be allowed to pit for adjustments and tires if they choose to pit, but it will not be mandatory. “This format really sounds like a lot of fun. I think it will certainly add some strategy to the race and make for some tough decisions about whether to pit or not,” said Brent Dragon, one of the top contenders for the ACT title in 2010.
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by Jay | Apr 13, 2010 | ACT, Lee USA, New England, New Hampshire
Waterbury, VT – Opening season excitement returns to Lee USA Speedway on Sunday, April 18, 2010. The traditional opening event of the race season for the American Canadian Tour (ACT) at Lee USA presents a special challenge for the ACT teams. The New Hampshire Governor’s Cup 150 used to have a decided edge to the touring teams, but not anymore.
“The Lee Late Model teams have come a long way over the past several years in gaining experience in long distance races. When you combine that with the ‘home track’ advantage, there are always some Lee teams that challenge for good finishes in the opening event,” said Tom Curley, President of the American Canadian Tour, which opens its 25th season of sanctioning races throughout the Northeast and Canada on April 18th at Lee, NH.
2009 Champion Wayne Helliwell, Jr. from Dracut, MA will be driving the Bruce Bernhardt Ford and will lead the Lee contingent at the opening event. Other Lee regulars expected to make a run for the NH Governor’s Cup are former champion JR Baril, Bryan Kruczek, and former winner on the ACT at Canaan Fair Speedway in 2005, AJ Begin from Merrimac, MA.
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by Jay | Apr 8, 2010 | ACT, Maine, New England
ACT Tour Sees Invasion of Teenage Rookies
The 2010 American Canadian Tour (ACT) Rookie of the Year (ROTY) battle is shaping up to be one of the best in recent history. ACT will see six drivers competing for the 2010 ROTY honors, including four teenagers with a combined three career ACT starts.
The eldest of the teenage group is 18 year old Dave Farrington, Jr. of Jay, ME. Farrington, a Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Maine-Orono, finished 8th in the Pro Stock standings at Wiscasset (ME) Speedway, but has never made an ACT Tour start.
Brad Babb of Windham, ME has the best career ACT Tour finish of the ROTY contenders after finishing 6th in the 2009 season finale at Oxford Plains Speedway (Oxford, ME). It is the only ACT start for the 17 year old to date. Babb earned the 2009 Beech Ridge Motor Speedway (BRMS) Rookie of the Year title and finished sixth in the final Pro Series point standings. He also has the advantage of looking to his father, Bobby, who is a muli-time BRMS track champion.
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by Jay | Apr 5, 2010 | Maine, PASS
Easter Miracle For Ben Rowe at Hickory
HICKORY, N.C. — In his own words, it was a miraculous performance from Ben Rowe at Hickory Motor Speedway over the weekend.
“It was a long, long night,” Rowe said after finishing eighth in the PASS Easter Bunny 150 on Saturday. “To come home where we did, it was a miracle. It really was.”
Rowe battled lost brakes, a flat tire and damaged to the race car all night to charge from 28th starting position in the 32-car field and end up in the top-10 by the time the checkered flag fell in his No. 48 Community Pharmacies Chevrolet.
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