Thompson, CT – The debut of Thursday Night Thompson Thunder was not without it’s share of lightning. Lightning fast cars took home top honors in the four NASCAR Weekly Racing Series divisions. Twin 25 Pro Stock events saw Dick Houlihan of Berkley, MA and Roger Godin of Spencer, MA taking down the wins. In the Late Model division David Blain of Danielson, CT returned to victory lane after a long absence. Repeat winners were the order of business in the Strictly and Mini Stock divisions as Memorial Day weekend winners Ryan Stone of Branford, CT and Chris Gagnon of Moosup, CT took their second consecutive checkers.
In the first Pro Stock 25-lap event George Bessette of Danbury, CT and Jeff Zuidema of North Brookfield, MA brought the field of 32 cars to the green in a picture perfect start. The two would run side-by-side through turns one and two when Zuidema would establish himself as the leader on the backstretch. The two would head a pack of cars that included Dick Houlihan, Norm Wrenn of Nashua, NH, and Jimmy McCallum of Fall River; who had moved into the fray from his fourteenth starting position.
A lap nine restart would change the whole complexion of the race when a multi-car incident on the front stretch would eliminate a number of cars including the #69 of Fred Soucie, who sustained heavy damage, and Chris Perley. While under caution leader Jeff Zuidema would discover a broken right rear break caliper forcing him to relinquish the lead and retire to the pits. Dick Houlihan would restart in the lead and that is where he would stay. At the checkers it was Houlihan followed by George Bessette, Jim McCallum, Rusty Bryant, and Steve Ribbe rounding out the top five.
Continue reading ‘Houlihan & Godin Dynamite in Thursday Night Thompson Thunder’
