Thompson Regulars Barnett, Romano & Adams Score World Series Victories; Gentes, Maki & Churchill Best of the Outlaws Saturday Night; Excitement Continues Sunday
Thompson, CT — The World Series of Speedway Racing continued on Saturday at Thompson International Speedway with a full day of both qualifying and feature racing actions. The qualifying order was set for the Whelen Modified Tour through time trials on Saturday. A solid qualifying run finds Tony Ferrante of New Hyde Park, NY, on the pole for Sunday’s premier event. After the redraw Bobby Santos III will join the sentimental favorite on the front row. Before a host of features were run on Saturday night, qualifying heat races were held for the International Supermodified Association (ISMA), the Northeastern Midget Association as well as the Thompson Sunoco Modifieds, Pro Stocks and Late Models.
The Thompson regular weekly divisions finished off the 2007 season in grand-style with Larry Barnett (Ltd. Sportsman), Mike Romano (Mini Stocks), and Leo Adams (TIS Modifieds) scoring victories. Rick Gentes of Woonsocket, RI, continued his stronghold on the Outlaw Late Model laurels during the World Series. In other Outlaw action, Tim Sullivan of S. Windsor won a barnburner in the Strictlys and visiting Randy Churchill, Jr. of Niantic bested the Outlaw Mini Stocks. The Touring Series competitors established a pattern on Saturday night as both Seth Duvall of Ashford in the All-Star Truck Series and Norm Wrenn of Nashua, NH, in the Pro-Four Modifieds rode feature wins to 2007 championships.
The racing resumes on Sunday at Noon when the big guns of the Whelen Modified Tour, the International Supermodified Association, and the Northeastern Midget Association are joined by the Thompson Sunoco Modifieds, Pro Stocks and Late Models. Fans are encouraged to come early to find their seats. The Grandstands open at 9 AM. Pit gates open at 8 AM. A complete schedule for this Who’s Who of short track racing can be found online at www.thompsonspeedway.com. The Speedway hotline is available at (860) 923-2280.
It came as no surprise that Rick Gentes of Woonsocket, MA, drove to victory in the Outlaw Late Model feature event at the World Series. Gentes took the lead on the opening lap and immediately opened up a sizeable margin over Wayne Coury, Jr. and Gerry DeGasparre, Jr. Behind Gentes, Coury and DeGasparre duked it out for several laps before the Seekonk champ took over second. Once free of Coury, DeGasparre began to track down Gentes. With less than 10 to go, DeGasparre had caught the back bumper of the leader. Feeling the pressure, Gentes began to pour it on to stretch his lead once again. Coury ran alone in third while Jeff Zuidema and Marc Curtis, Jr. waged war for fourth. The duo swapped positions back and forth as they headed to the checkers. In the end, Gentes shared victory lane with his close friend and runner-up DeGasparre. Coury came home third while Curtis, Jr. bested Zuidema to complete the top five.
A season that has been plagued by bad luck ended in sweet victory for Leo “Bim” Adams of Putnam who bested his fellow TIS Modified competitors on Saturday. Adams took control early and never looked back en route to the popular victory. It was anything but clear sailing as he had to hold off the challenges of Roger Larson, Jr. The two were locked in a heated battle for the top spot as Roger Ducharme pursued. Brian Sullivan, making his first start in brother Tim’s racer, was making steady progress toward the front.
Contact between Sullivan and Ducharme sent the Foster, RI, driver spinning to bring out the caution. Adams was up to the challenge on the restart to retain the lead over Larson, Jr. With Sullivan quickly closing the gap, the three went nose to tail under the checkers giving Adams the win over Larson, Jr. and Sullivan. Shane Michalski and Richie Ferreira rounded out the top five.
Larry Barnett of Ledyard capped off the 2007 season with his fifth Limited Sportman feature win in a green-to-checker run for Thompson’s weekly division. Larry Barnett almost immediately ran out to a sizeable lead ahead of Ed Puleo. Chris “Moose” Douton ran alone in third while the action was hot and heavy for the fourth position between new divisional champion Keith DeSanctis and the father/son duo of Scott and Jay Sundeen. In the closing laps, Puleo had considerably cut into Barnett’s lead. DeSanctis and the elder Sundeen went wheel-to-wheel, lap-after-lap with young Jay taking note. Barnett proved to be the class of the field taking down the victory. Puleo settled for second over Douton. S. Sundeen edged out the competition to fourth over DeSanctis.
A field of Outlaw Strictlys that went 33-strong took the green flag on Saturday night with drivers hailing from throughout New England but it was a Thompson regular taking the checkers. Tim Sullivan, a weekly TIS Modified competitor, donned fenders for the World Series event. World Series Saturday saved the best for last as the Outlaw Strictly competitors put on a tremendous show to end the night. A handful of cautions provided the fans with an exciting battle for the lead between Sullivan and Sean Foster. Lap-after-lap, the duo went side-by-side for the lead even swapping the position several times. After halfway, contact allowed Sullivan to take sole possession of the lead. Foster never gave up relentlessly pursuing Sullivan. In the end, the win was for Sullivan. With no hard feelings, Foster joined Sullivan in victory lane in celebration. Robert Hyer, Patrick Townsend, and Jason Maki.
The newly crowned Mini Stock champion Mike Romano of Pascoag, RI, led every lap of the 20-lap main event en route to the first feature event victory of the 34th Annual World Series of Speedway Racing. During the early stages of the event, Romano showed the way; holding back the relentless pursuit of Steve Michalski. Just after halfway, the competition started to drop one by one. Rick Blanchard had moved into the third position and was hunting down the leaders when his bid ended in the outside wall exiting turn two.
Under a caution period a few laps later, a spin my Scott Michalski proved to be the undoing for his brother Steve, who was eliminated from the runner-up spot in a strange set of circumstances. In a caution plagued second half, Ron Rixham was getting racy but could not muster up a real challenge on the leader. Rixham settled for second ahead of Andy Publicover, Chris Williams, and Mike Gorgievski.
In the companion Outlaw Mini Stock, Joe Godbout III and Randy Churchill, Jr. picked up where they left off at the Waterford Speedbowl this season; scrapping for the lead. Godbout led the way through lap 8 before relinquishing the lead. Churchill had gotten a great run on a restart to grab the lead away from Godbout. The early leader was reeling in Churchill in an effort to regain the top spot when the engine of John Kelly expired. Several of the top-runners, including Godbout, sustained damage as they slid through turn three. After clean up, Churchill checked out on the field while Ace Johnson, Nate Appell, Chuck Rogers and Rod Rixham battled for the second spot. After the 20-lap distance Churchill claimed victory by a half straightaway over Johnson, Rogers, Rixham, and Jack Aquillina inside the top five.
Norm Wrenn of Nashua, NH, scored the prestigious victory in the 11th Annual Harry Kourafas Memorial event for the Pro-Four Modifieds. It only took a handful of laps before teammates Wrenn and Jeff Zuidema, also Thompson regulars, went to the head of the pack. With Wrenn holding the point, the duo stretched their lead by nearly a straightaway over a great battle for third between Andy Majors and Corey Cleary.
With only two laps remaining, Majors looped his ride to relinquish the third spot to bring out the caution. The green-white-checker restart pitted Wrenn against Zuidema in a shootout to the finish and to the division’s championship. Wrenn got a great jump on the restart to resume his place at the head of the pack. All Zuidema could do was chase Wrenn to the feature victory. Kevin Iannarelli had a great two-lap dash to come home third. Cleary and Brian Vincent rounded out the top-five.
Seth Duvall of Ashford, CT outlasted the competition in a test of survival for the All-Star Truck Series to win not only the feature but also the 2007 championship. Duval took the lead early holding off the advances of Bernie Singer through a rash of yellow fever. Andy Lindeman watched his championship hopes dwindle when his truck came to a halt on the backstretch. Under the caution, Singer relinquished the second spot after a racing incident with Duvall turned ugly. Singer was sent pitside. After making repairs and rejoining the field, the hopes of Lindeman were dashed completely when he was involved in a scary wreck that also included Doug Dunleavy, Derek Chess, and Willy Auchmoody.
A severely diminished pack completed the shortened event in a single-file freight train to the finish. Duvall went on to take the win by a sizeable margin over Bill Leonard and Scott Gregory.
Outlaw Late Model Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Rick Gentes, Woonsocket, RI; 2. Gerry DeGasparre, Jr, Pawtucket, RI; 3. Wayne Coury, Jr., Milford, CT; 4. Marc Curtis, Jr., Worcester, MA; 5. Jeff Zuidema, N. Brookfield, MA; 6. George Rego, N. Dartmouth, MA; 7. Josh King, Vernon, CT; 8. Corey Hutchings, Salem, CT; 9. Steve Landry, Tynsboro, MA; 10. Steve McQuillan, Bolton, CT.
Limited Sportsman Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Larry Barnett, Ledyard, CT; 2. Ed Puleo, Branford, CT; 3. Chris Douton, Waterford, CT; 4. Scott Sundeen, Douglas, MA; 5. Keith DeSanctis, Monson, MA; 6. Jay Sundeen, Douglas, MA; 7. Dennis Blaise, Salem, CT; 8. Randy Jurcik, Chaplin, CT; 9. Paul Palen, Pelham, NH; 10. Al Stone III, New Haven, CT.
Outlaw Strictly Stock Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Tim Sullivan, S. Windsor, CT; 2. Sean Foster, Ellington, CT; 3. Robert Hyer, South Amboy, NJ; 4. Patrick Townsend, Springfield, MA; 5. Jason Maki, Fitchburg, MA; 6. Steve Axon, Attleboro, MA; 7. Ryan Lineham, Coventry, RI; 8. Bill Davis, Monson, MA; 9. Carl Thomas, Manlapan, NJ; 10. David Capriati, Ludlow, MA.
Mini Stock Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Mike Romano, Pascoag, RI; 2. Ron Rixham, Jefferson, MA; 3.Andy Publicover, Sudbury, MA; 4. Chris Williams, Niantic, CT; 5. Mike Gorgievski, Auburn, MA; 6. Jason Paquette, Colubia, CT; 7. Joe Campbell, Plainfield, CT; 8. John Kelly, Groton, CT; 9. Brad Caddick, New London, CT; 10. Mike Anzalone, Griswold, CT.
TIS Modified Feature Finish (Top Ten): Leo Adams, Putnam, CT; 2. Roger Larson, Jr., Milford, MA; 3. Brian Sullivan, S. Windsor, CT; 4. Shane Michalski, Woodstock, CT; 5. Richie Ferreira, Raynham, MA; 6. Leo Oliveira, Raynham, MA; 7. Glenn Boss, Danielson, CT; 8. Cam McDermott, Scituate, RI; 9. John Studley, Framingham, MA; 10. Mike Viens, Seekonk, MA.
Outlaw Mini Stocks Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Randy Churchill, Jr., Niantic, CT; 2. Ace Johnson, Barre, MA; 3. Chuck Rogers, Quaker Hill, CT; 4. Ron Rixham, Jefferson, MA; 5. Jack Aquillina, Oakdale, CT; 6. Nate Appell, Westbrook, CT; 7. Anthony Kumiega, Palmer, MA; 8. Beth Adams, Winchendon, MA; 9. Len Beebe, Griswold, CT; 10. Billy Pomposelli, Chepachet, RI.
Pro-Four Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Norm Wrenn, Nashua, NH; 2. Jeff Zuidema, N. Brookfield, MA; 3. Kevin Iannarelli, Maynard, MA; 4. Corey Cleary, Plymouth, MA; 5. Brian Vincent, W. Warwick, RI; 6. Phil Lausier, Hudson, NY; 7. Dan Meservey, W. Chatham, MA; 8. Andy Major, Brookfield, MA; 9. Dick Dubois, Charlton, MA; 10. Joe Lemay, Shrewsbury, MA
Sources: Dale Wolbrink/Thompson Int’l Speedway PR