Familiar Faces & Father-Son Duos Make Up Mini Stock Roster

By admin February 27, 2014 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series, Thompson

Thompson, CT — Ripe with young talent and seasoned with experience, the Mini Stock Division at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park (TSMP) has long been known for thrilling three-wide competition. In 2012 and 2013 the championship battle came down to the wire. Based upon early entries, it appears that 2014’s may also.

Twenty-one year old Nick Anderson has registered his No. 55 Chevrolet Cavalier. The Oxford, MA driver remembers when he first started racing at TSMP and was unable to drive a standard, but had to learn quickly. Anderson reflects: “The speed and the size is intimidating sometimes. For a…beginner’s class, that’s pretty fast.” Now, though, he has matured and is a competitive driver who has registered race wins at the historic 5/8-mile oval. He is anxious to add a few more trophies to his mantle in 2014.

It’s like father like son for two families in the Mini Stock Division. Mike D. Viens has been a long-time competitor at TSMP. He will continue to pilot his Portraits by Nan-sponsored racecar during the upcoming season, but is looking to add an additional car to the stable for his son, Christopher. The team is searching for sponsorship to field a car so that the youngest Viens can get his career as a driver started in TSMP’s Mini Stock Division. Christopher has played the role of crew chief for the past few seasons, but the father-son duo believe the timing is right for Christopher to try his hand at driving. “He’s been making all the setup calls, has helped fabricate and build the car, so he’s going to get his chance,” stated the elder Viens. Christopher could not imagine starting his career anywhere besides TSMP. “It’s where I was first introduced to racing,” the Putnam, CT resident remembers. “I’ve been going there since I was 4. Thompson is just a great place to be.”

Veteran driver, Dave Trudeau, is also looking to bring his son into the fold. Trudeau is used to racing with family, as he competed with his nephew, Travis Jurcik, who has moved up TSMP’s ladder into the Limited Sportsman and Late Model Divisions. This July, however, Trudeau hopes to bring his own son, David, Jr., into competition. This will not change the focus for the Mansfield, CT driver, though. Eluding him since 1998, Trudeau wants a championship trophy in his case. “We’ve been close,” Trudeau recalls. “We’ve been second, we’ve been third, just haven’t been in the top spot. I’m just going to stay focused and go for the gold,” he concluded. Dave, Sr. will once again be driving the B & D Auto/Trudeau Racing Chassis No. 97.

Deep River, CT’s Danny Field is hoping to make his return to TSMP in 2014. The driver of the No. 18 Mieneke/Deep River Pizza Ford Mustang was sidelined by health issues in 2013, as he was diagnosed with secondary liver cancer. The 2008 and 2011 TSMP Mini Stock Champion is hoping for a clean bill of health in March to continue his racing career. “My doctor knows I want to get back into racing, and he hasn’t said I can’t,” said Field. “It will just depend on this upcoming appointment.” Field will look to repeat his 2011 season, when he won 11 races and finished runner-up three times en route to finishing first NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Finalist program. A perfect season in Field’s eyes would be to make the trip back to North Carolina to celebrate another National Championship in 2014.

Joining these drivers is a group of seasoned veterans who know their way around the high-banked oval. Defending Mini Stock Champion, Eric Bourgeois, has registered in hopes of defending his title. The Baxter Brothers – Chad and Joe – will return to competition in 2014 with the support of Baxter Auto Repair, East Coast Fire & Rescue, and Aegean Pizza. Seekonk, MA resident Mike Viens, Mini Stock standout Scott Michalski, and Alicia Thatcher have also registered, adding to an already competitive field Mini Stocks drivers.

The Mini Stocks will join eight other divisions to open their season as part of Icebreaker 2014. Scheduled for Aril 5-6, the Mini Stock Division will have two races on Icebreaker weekend, a segment race on Saturday evening and another feature race on Sunday afternoon. For more information about the Icebreaker or the 2014 season, visit us online at www.thompsonspeedway.com or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

Sources: Theresa Condict/Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park