Lee USA Speedway
No. Driver First Last
6 Drew Fornoro 1985 1990
4 Jeff Horn 1987 2009
2 Nokie Fornoro 1986 1989
2 Dave Humphrey 1967 1985
2 Russ Stoehr 1991 1991
One-time Lee USA Speedway winners: Randy Cabral (2009), Joey Coy (1991), Mike Favulli (1988), Walt Gale (1966), Mike Osite (1987), Joey Payne Jr. (2003), Bob Resco Jr. (1994), Bobby Santos III (2008), Ben Seitz (2004), Bobby Seymour (1990).
Continue reading ‘NEMA Winners at Active Tracks’
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.
The open practice sessions are for any and all race cars providing that they meet safety requirements. The track will be open for “round robin” sessions between the hours of 11AM and 6 PM. All competitors are invited and are urged to take advantage of this opportunity to get their race cars dialed in for the big season opening Icebreaker.
Continue reading ‘Thompson Prepares for Opening of 70th Year’
Thompson, CT: Thompson International Speedway celebrated one of its most competitive seasons in recent history on Friday, January 22 and Saturday January 23, 2010, by hosting the 2009 Season Awards Banquet. The traditional two-night affair paid tribute to champions of the Thursday Night Thunder Series and all the competitors of NASCAR Whelen All-American Series ‘Super 6’.
On Saturday night Keith Rocco of Wallingford, CT, was the guest of honor as the 2009 Sunoco Modified champion. Also feted were Late Model champion John Materas of Voluntown, CT; and TIS Modified titlist Brian Sullivan of S. Windsor, CT. Honored the previous night, were 2009 Super Late Model champion Derek Ramstrom of Worcester, MA; 2009 Limited Sportsman division titlist Larry Barnett of Moosup, CT; and Mini Stock champion Steve Michalski of Brooklyn, CT.
Despite a pared down schedule that was disseminated by rain, Thompson Speedway still enjoyed a highly competitive 2009 season. In the end, two of four division championships were decided by 10 points or less. In five of the Speedway’s six divisions, the fight for the championship came down to the final Thursday night of competition.
Brockton, MA – A challenging 15-race schedule will mark the Northeastern Midget Association’s 58th season. NEMA kicks off the 2010 agenda at Waterford Speedbowl’s season-opener on March 27-28.
While familiar venues highlight the schedule – four races at Waterford and three for both Monadnock and Seekonk – it includes a new challenge as well. NEMA will tentatively be returning to Albany-Saratoga Speedway (Sunday, May 9) for the first time since 1977.
Thompson and Lee USA Speedways will also host NEMA in 2010. The NEMA Lites division, heading into its third season, will be part of 10 programs including the season-opener.
“We think we have an excellent schedule considering the economic environment,” said NEMA President Mike Scrivani Jr. “We certainly know how to get around the places we’ll visit and that insures another very competitive season.”
Continue reading ‘NEMA Announces 15-Race Schedule’
Thompson, CT — The Thompson International Speedway has released its 2010 race schedule. Four new and exciting events have been added to traditional fan favorites thus creating one of the most talked about racing schedules in all of New England.
The four new additions to the Thompson schedule will feature Tour-Type Modified race cars competing in sprint-style, 35-lap feature events on June 3rd, July 1st, August 5th and September 2nd.
The 2010 racing schedule opens the New England racing season with the traditional Icebreaker on the weekend of April 10th and 11th. The season will close with the traditional World Series of Speedway Racing slated for the 15th through the 17th of October. The popular Thursday Night Thompson Thunder series will get underway on May 20th and will run through September 16th. The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will once again visit Thompson three times and four brand new Tour-Type Modified, 35-lap shoots outs along with two stops for the Modified Racing Series (formerly the True Value Series) will make for some exciting changes from previous years. The PASS Super Late Models will make a return appearance as well. Also included are the traditional Eve of Destruction Family Fun Night on Memorial Day weekend, the popular Vintage Antique Car Extravaganza and four open practice sessions for competitors. Copies of the 2010 schedule are available on the track’s web page, www.thompsonspeedway.com.
Continue reading ‘Thompson Speedway Releases 2010 Race Schedule’
Thompson, CT — The office at the Thompson International Speedway will once again adopt its winter schedule beginning Monday, December 6, 2004. The office will be open five days a week between the hours of 9 AM and 12 Noon. Anyone seeking information may call Office Manager, Mary Ann Rossi.
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, 2005, that number will then be awarded on a first come, first served basis.
Continue reading ‘Thompson Speedway Office Adopts Winter Schedule’
Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell recently welcomed Keith Rocco, the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Connecticut state champion, to her office for the second consecutive year.
Rocco, 24, of Wallingford, Conn., won his first NASCAR Whelen All-American Series state championship and finished fourth in the nation in 2008. This year, he again won the state title and finished second in the national ranking to champion Philip Morris of Virginia.
Rocco was honored by Gov. Rell last year for his NASCAR state championship, and on his return visit this year, she told him, ‘Well, we meet again.”
“It was pretty cool seeing Gov. Rell again,” Rocco said. “She recognized me right away. She absolutely knows racing.”
Continue reading ‘Gov. Rell Welcomes Rocco’s Return Visit To Conn. Capitol’
Pro All Stars Series (PASS) President Tom Mayberry has announced the series’ tenth anniversary super late model schedule .The fastest full fender short track racers in the east will visit ten speedways in four states and the Canadian province of New Brunswick. The venues range from New England’s fastest short track, the 5/8 mile Thompson International Speedway, to the tight confines of the Riverside Speedway quarter mile.
Caribou Maine’s Spud Speedway is a new stop for the series, with an 8/21 race date scheduled. The season will open on April 18th at Speedway 95 and conclude at White Mountain Motorsports Park on either September 17 or 18. One additional race date is still under negotiation. A finalized schedule will be confirmed by January 1, 2010.
Continue reading ‘2010 PASS North Super Late Model Schedule Released’
Daytona Beach, FL — NASCAR has announced the 2010 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour schedule, which is highlighted by 14 events in five states with two venues added.
Staples on the schedule since the Whelen Modified Tour’s inception, Connecticut ovals Stafford Motor Speedway and Thompson International Speedway will once again play host to seven combined events in 2010. The half mile at Stafford will entertain the Tour four times and Thompson three, including the season-opener on April 11 and the finale on Oct. 17.
Also returning to the schedule will be the traditional events at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on June 26 and Sept. 18 in Loudon, N.H. The Whelen Modified Tour, which has a history of producing exciting finishes at the “Magic Mile,” held its 50th all-time event at The Granite State oval this past fall.
Continue reading ‘2010 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Schedule Announced’
Daytona Beach, FL — NASCAR announced Thursday the implementation of a points system designed to recognize the accomplishments of the drivers in the support divisions at its NASCAR Whelen All-American Series tracks.
The program will begin in 2010 and will focus on the divisions at each track below their respective Feature Division. The top 100 drivers in each of eight groups will be designated as a “NASCAR Finalist” at the conclusion of the season.
The groups will be Divisions 2 through 5, for both asphalt and dirt tracks.
The NASCAR Whelen All-American Series program for the national, U.S. state and Canadian provincial, and Feature Division track champions will continue under its current format.
Continue reading ‘NASCAR Announces Recognition Program For Whelen All-American Series Divisions 2-5′
[Thompson World Series - Sunday] by Adam Fohlin
[2009 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Review] by Paul Fohlin
[Thompson World Series - Friday] by Nicholas Teto
[Thompson World Series - Sunday] by Nicholas Teto
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.
Continue reading ‘Thompson Flea Market this Weekend’
Thompson, CT — What a difference a day makes. After a rain soaked Saturday, the skies were crystal clear making the way for eleven feature events for the culmination of the XtraMart World Series of Speedway Racing on Sunday, October 25, 2009. Drivers from all over the northeast competed with winning drivers coming from five different states in New England.
Ted Christopher of Plainville, CT, book-ended the season with Thompson Speedway victories in the Whelen Modified Tour. The veteran racer opened the season with a victory in the Icebreaker and capped off the 2009 season with a World Series win. Donny Lia secured the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship with his fourth-place finish.
A last lap pass found Chris Perley of Rowley, MA, in International Supermodified Association (ISMA) victory lane. Nokie Fornoro of Stroudsburg, PA, scored the Northeastern Midget Association 30-lap main event to send his retiring car owner out in grand style.
Ronnie Silk of Norwalk, CT, came out on top of a fierce Sunoco Modified battle to score the World Series win. In racing of the Late Model variety it was Mike O’Sullivan of Springfield, MA, scoring the Super Late Models victory; his brother Tommy made it a family affair winning the Late Models. Rick Gentes of Woonsocket, RI, continued his domination of the Outlaw Late Models with a dominating performance.
Other winners included Larry Barnett of Moosup, CT, in the Limited Sportsman; Sean Foster of Middletown, CT, in the Outlaw Strictly Stocks; and Beth Adams of Winchendon, CT, in Outlaw Mini Stocks. Rob Richardi, Jr. of North Easton, MA, was tops in the Pro-Four Modifieds.
Thompson, CT — “I’ll take this one,” Chris Perley shouted as he erupted from his Vic Miller 11 in victory lane at Thompson Speedway Sunday. With ten laps to go in the ISMA portion of the World Series of Racing, Chris Perley, who had won six of the last nine World Series’ events, had not really expected win number seven. He was running fifth late in the race and figured that was where he was going to stay. Ahead of him Mark Sammut, Dave Shullick Jr., Russ Wood and Mike Lichty had been the show. But on lap 43 things began to happen. Leader Sammut broke a hub and crashed out of the race. Dave Shullick Jr. took over the lead on the restart and Perley was able to pass a “loose” Mike Lichty who had used a lot of car battling Sammut, to gain third with five to go. Then with two to go, Perley had moved by Wood when all of a sudden Shullick’s wing broke giving Chris the opportunity to grab the lead and the win.
Said the recently crowned 2009 ISMA champion after a finish that definitely went his way, “ I was kind of settling in on sixth or fifth. I was racing hard, but the car was loose. I couldn’t really get where I wanted to go. As I’ve said before, I’d rather be lucky than good sometimes and this really played into my favor today. But, I didn’t give up on the car because my crew never does. I have awesome motors from R&R and Ed Shea helps out with those motors and everything. I have a great crew. Obviously you can’t beat this crew. You can’t beat this crowd or this track either. It’s my favorite track.”
Second Championship In Three Years For Long Island Driver
Thompson, CT — Donny Lia led the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in victories in 2009, but in the end, it was a fourth-place finish in the season finale Sunday in the World Series of Speedway Racing presented by Xtra Mart that was enough to give the Jericho, N.Y., native his second Tour championship in the last three years.
Defending Tour champion Ted Christopher won the race by 1.187-seconds over Ryan Preece, but Lia’s finish was enough to give him the title by 16 points over Preece. It was the closest championship finish since 1996.
Christopher took the lead for the final time from Lia on Lap 132 and led the rest of the way. However, he was mathematically eliminated from championship contention when the field took the green flag Sunday afternoon. Christopher finished third, 89 points behind Lia.
Continue reading ‘Lia Wins Modified Tour Title, Christopher Takes Thompson Win’
Thompson, CT – Taking control on a lap 16 restart, Nokie Fornoro captured the 25-lap Northeastern Midget Association feature Sunday at Thompson Speedway’s World Series.
The Marvin Rifchin Trophy Race was the final outing for Fornoro’s owner Mike Jarret. The season finale, it was the 110th career Midget victory for Fornoro, 45 of them in NEMA including three this year.
A second straight driving championship all but secured going in, five-time winner Randy Cabral gave Tim Bertrand his second straight owners title with a third place finish. Bertrand finished with a four-point bulge on Jarret.
John St.Germain gets the win on Friday, October 23rd at the Thompson Int’l Speedway XtraMart World Series of Speedway Racing while ARTS being honored to be the lead-off main event for this famous event.
St.Germain also won the 8-lap heat race after starting on the outside pole next to Derrick Chriss. St.Germain jumped into the lead at the drop of the green flag and continued the lead to take the checker flag.
Thompson, CT — 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.
Thompson, CT — After a valiant attempt at running day two of the World Series of Speedway Racing, the persistent and prolonged rain forced Thompson International Speedway to postpone the remaining schedule of events until Sunday, October 25, 2009.
A spectacular day of racing is planned for Sunday that will include the Whelen Modified Tour, ISMA Super Modifieds, NEMA Midgets, Sunoco Modifieds, Super Late Models, Late Models, Limited Sportsman, Pro-Four Modifieds, Outlaw Late Models, Outlaw Strictly Stocks, and Outlaw Mini Stocks. In all there will be 11 features will take to the ultra-fast 5/8th mile facility.
The action gets underway at 12:30PM with a quick practice session for the Whelen Modified Tour followed immediately by the full slate of feature racing. For a complete schedule of events log on to the speedway’s official website, www.thompsonspeedway.com.
Continue reading ‘Rain Stalls Day Two World Series; Action Packed Sunday on Tap’
Championship Contenders Will Start On Front Row
Thompson, CT — Due to persistent rain, there will be no on-track activity on Saturday for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at the World Series of Speedway Racing presented by Xtra Mart at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway.
The Whelen Modified Tour was scheduled to practice and qualify for the season finale on Saturday, but with rain at the speedway, the starting lineup for Sunday’s 150-lap race will now be set by the rulebook. Practice is scheduled for Sunday at 12:30 p.m.
Just 26 points separate current championship points leader Donny Lia from second place Ryan Preece heading into the last event of the season. With qualifying now rained out, the two will start side-by-side in the front row on Sunday.
Continue reading ‘Qualifying Rained Out, Field Set For Sunday’s Whelen Modified Finale’
