Pitkat Checkers Sunoco Mods & Barnett King of the Limiteds at Thompson
Zuidema, Astle, Marcotte, Blanchard Score Opening Night Victories
Thompson, CT: Thursday Night Thunder commenced under the bright lights at Thompson International Speedway. Woody Pitkat of Stafford, CT, scored the victory in the ultra-competitive Sunoco Modified division. For the second year in a row, Larry Barnett of Ledyard, CT, was crowned the champion of the Limited Sportsman division’s marquee 50-lapper. Veteran Fred Astle, Jr. of Westport, MA, ran to the checkers in the Pro Stocks while Jeff Zuidema of N. Brookfield, MA, made it two in a row in Late Model action.
Rick Blanchard of Pascoag, RI, topped a strong Mini Stock field. It was a dominating victory for R.J. Marcotte of Millville, MA, in the TIS Modifieds.
Woody Pitkat of Stafford, CT, took down top honors in the hotly contested Sunoco Modified main event to open the 2008 regular season. Josh Steeves held the top spot for a single lap before relinquishing the lead to a hard-charging Pitkat. Once out front, Pitkat quickly started to extend his lead.
Tommy Cravenho ran in third with Keith Rocco applying heavy pressure. Rocco looked high and low for room to race around Cravenho. Rocco was finally able to take the spot away with a pass on lap 12. A spin by Geoff Gernhard necessitated the first caution.
The low groove was the preferred line on the restart with Pitkat resuming his lead. Rocco moved into second followed by Kerry Malone. Bert Marvin rocketed into the fourth spot followed by Danny Cates. Cravenho was shuffled back to sixth and Steeves outside of the top ten.
A spin by Ricky Shawn brought out the event’s second caution on lap 16. The restart pitted rivals Pitkat and Rocco on the front row. Pitkat got the advantage. Malone got a run but contact with Rocco slowed his momentum. Entering turn three on lap 18, Rocco moved alongside Pitkat. The two ran side-by-side exiting turn four. Pitkat was able to maintain the lead after contact with Rocco. Marvin joined the fray in third.
A separate incident in turn three brought out the caution. The top four cars of Pitkat, Rocco, Marvin and Malone ran in a tight pack. Rocco made a quick bid at the lead but had to settle back into second behind Pitkat. Bobby Grigas was beginning to make his run toward the head of the pack. Contact between Grigas and Malone allowed Pitkat and Rocco to get away from third running Malone.
Rocco continued to chase Pitkat while Malone ran alone in third. Marvin trailed at a distance in fourth. With only two laps remaining, Anthony Burr and Dave Salzarulo were involved in a wreck in turn one. Pitkat rocketed out to the lead on the single file restart with two to go. Rocco took chase but could not muster up a challenge. Pitkat took a narrow victory over Rocco. Malone finished third over Marvin and Grigas.
In the marquee event for the Limited Sportsman for 2008, Larry Barnett of Ledyard, CT, outlasted the competition to make it two straight extra-distance victories. Kevin Bowe led the opening portion of the race before relinquishing the lead to Ernie Larose. Barnett followed through and into the second position.
The laps rolled off the score board under spirited green flag racing. The fireworks erupted under a caution on lap 22 when Joey Coates and Gerald Sevigny made contact with the outside wall in turn four. The incident escalated when Coates displayed unsportsmanlike conduct.
Under the green flag racing Larose continued to lead Barnett. At halfway, Larose held a narrow margin over Barnett while Ed Puleo had moved into the third spot. Barnett looked to the low side lap-after-after lap but each time had to settle back in line. Scott Sundeen, who started last, had caught third-running Puleo. The top four ran nose to tail with less than 15 laps remaining. Joe Arena ran alone in fifth before a spin by Moose Douton brought out the caution.
Puleo got a good jump on the restart but could not maintain his momentum. Sundeen moved into the third position. He immediately began to pressure Barnett for second. It was beginning to get dicey up front with ten laps remaining.
The race changed dramatically when leader Larose appeared to blow a tire exiting turn two. The car erupted into flames after making hard contact with the outside wall. Larose walked away.
Larry Barnett was the new leader when the racing resumed on lap 43. Once out front under green, Barnett got some breathing room over Sundeen. They raced to the checkers following Barnett. Sundeen settled for second over Joe Arena, Puleo, and Jesse Gleason.
Fred Astle, Jr., of Westport, MA, took the victory in the 30-lap main event for the Pro Stocks. Jeff Connors jumped out to the early lead with young gun Derek Ramstrom applying pressure. A spin by Dave Silvia necessitated a caution with only a handful of laps in the books. This opened the door for the hard-charging Rookie. Once out front, Ramstrom was able to build up a sizeable lead. At halfway, Ramstrom had nearly a straightaway advantage on second running Connors.
Astle was able to move into the second spot while Connors had his hands full with Jay Macedonio. Contact gave Macedonio the spot with Mike O’Sullivan following through and into third.
An incident on lap 20 erased the enormous lead Ramstrom had built. The ensuing restart proved to be disastrous for Ramstrom, who spun on the restart. Astle inherited the lead on lap 20 leaving Macedonio to fend off O’Sullivan and Connors.
After a break in the action for a single car incident, the top-three of Astle, Macedonio, and O’Sullivan distanced themselves from the rest of the pack. In the closing laps, Macedonio made a last ditch effort at the leader. Astle was up to the challenge to take the victory for car owner Rollie Lindblad. Macedonio ran a strong second followed by O’Sullivan and Connors. George Bessette quietly came home fifth.
John Materas took advantage of his pole starting position to take the lead in the Late Model race. He and second running Pete Yetman extended a comfortable lead over a busy top ten. Mark Jenison had taken over the third spot while Rick Gentes, Jeff Zuidema, Conrad Cote, and Marc Palmisano duked it out.
A spin by Wayne Coury brought out the first caution on lap 14. On the restart, Yetman got the advantage but it was Gentes who made it three wide on the backstretch. Yetman, Zuidema and Gentes emerged as the top three.
Zuidema charged along side Yetman and finally took over the lead on lap 17. Gentes immediately went to work on Yetman for second. Palmisano jumped in the mix to give Yetman some breathing room. With five laps remaining, Palmisano was able to take over third.
Zuidema began to distance himself from the pack in the closing laps. Gentes began to fade while Palmisano began to pour it on. At the checkers, it was Zuidema making it two in a row in 2008. Yetman held on for second over Palmisano. Gentes and Materas rounded out the top five.
Rick Blanchard of Pascoag, RI, bested a field of Mini Stocks that went 32 strong during the opening Thursday Night Thompson Thunder event of the season. Fred Michalski set the pace early in the 15 lapper. Blanchard showed his strength early; moving up rapidly from his twelfth starting position. Others on the move included Mike Romano and Danny Fields.
When the first caution flew on lap six, Michalski continued to lead with Rhody Lackey in second. Blanchard lined up in third. Romano and Fields had broken into the top ten. It took only a single lap of action after the restart for Blanchard to take over the top spot.
It was anything but smooth sailing for Blanchard who had to contend with Scott Michalski, who had charged into the second spot. The lapped car of Tim Higgimbotham proved to be the undoing for Sc. Michalski; however, as contact sent them both into the outside wall in turn two.
Misfortune continued to befall the hard-chargers with less than five laps remaining. Fields’ good run came to an end on lap 10 with mechanical failure. A great battle for second between F. Michalski and Romano turned aggressive on lap 11. Romano spun and the early leader F.Michalski was sent to the rear for his involvement.
In the closing laps, it was yet another Michalski that was making the race interesting. With Blanchard out front the battle for second gained intensity with Steve Michalski and Tim Taylor. At the checkers, it was all Blanchard while St. Michalski held off Taylor for second. Despite crossing the line in fourth Lackey declined tech. Eric Bourgeois and Scott Jassaume rounded out the top five.
R.J. Marcotte turned in a commanding performance, in only his second start in the division, to win the TIS Modified feature event. An accident on the opening lap of the main event eliminated contenders Tim Sullivan and Leo Oliviera. Newcomers Jesse Berthiaume and Denis Lagere were also collected in the incident.
On the complete restart it was a great battle between Marcotte and Kurt Vigeant for the lead. Marcotte worked over the defending champion to gain the advantage. The pack got strung out with Marcotte maintaining his lead over Vigeant. The best battle on the track pitted Richie Ferreira against veteran Glenn Boss for third. The cagey veteran tried in vain to gain the position. Marcotte ultimately cruised to the victory over Vigeant. Ferreira held on for third over Boss. Shane Michalski rounded out the top five.
Racing resumes next Thursday with an action-packed night of NASCAR Whelen All-American Series action. For more information log on to www.thompsonspeedway.com or call the Speedway hotline at (860) 923-2280.
Sunoco Modified Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Woody Pitkat, Stafford, CT; 2. Keith Rocco, Wallingford, CT; 3. Kerry Malone, Needham, MA; 4. Bert Marvin, New London, CT; 5. Bobby Grigas, III, Marshfield, MA; 6. Tommy Cravenho, Raynham, MA; 7. Josh Sylvester, Lebanon, CT; 8. Todd Ceravolo, Gales Ferry, CT; 9. Harry Rheaume, Oakdale, CT; 10. Josh Steeves, Webster, MA.
Limited Sportsman Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Larry Barnett, Ledyard, CT; 2. Scott Sundeen, Douglas, MA; 3. Joe Arena, Berlin, CT; 4. Ed Puleo, Branford, CT; 5. Jesse Gleason, Lisbon, CT; 6. Chris “Moose” Douton, Waterford, CT; 7. Kevin Bowe, Pawtucket, RI; 8. Jason Chicolas, Sutton, MA; 9. John Bercham, W. Greenwich, RI; 10. Steve Cole, Brooklyn, CT.
Pro Stock Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Fred Astle, Jr., Westport, MA; 2. Jay Macedonio, Somerset, MA; 3. Mike O’Sullivan, S. Windsor, CT; 4. Jeff Connors, Ellington, CT; 5. George Bessette, Danbury, CT; 6. Norm Wrenn, Nashua, NH; 7. Jeff Zuidema, N. Brookfield, MA; 8. Jim Banfield, S. Glastonbury, CT; 9. Dave Silvia, Warwick, RI; 10. Greg Nanigian, Braintree, MA.
Late Model Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Jeff Zuidema, N. Brookfield, MA; 2. Pete Yetman, Peru, MA; 3. Marc Palmisano, Hadley, MA; 4. Rick Gentes, Woonsocket, RI; 5. John Materas, Voluntown, CT; 6. Tommy O’Sullivan, Springfield, MA; 7. Mark Jenison, Danielson, CT; 8. Jay Stuart, Preston, CT; 9. Conrad Cote, Lisbon, CT; 10. Randy Waterman, Killingly, CT.
TIS Modifieds Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. R.J. Marcotte, Millville, MA; 2. Kurt Vigeant, Oxford, MA; 3. Richie Ferreira, Raynham, MA; 4. Glenn Boss, Danielson, CT; 5. Shane Michalski, Woodstock, CT; 6. John Studley, Framingham, MA; 7. Bart Ramos,Sterling, CT; 8. Brian Tagg, Oxford, MA; 9. Tim Sullivan, S. Windsor, CT; 10. Leo Oliveira, Raynham, MA.
Mini Stocks Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Rick Blanchard, Pascoag, RI; 2. Steve Michalski, Dayville, CT; 3. Tim Taylor, Wauregan, CT; 4. Eric Bourgeois, E. Haddam, CT; 5. Scott Jassaume, Danielson, CT; 6. Chuck Rogers, Quaker Hill, CT; 7. Leo Defevers, Brooklyn, CT; 8. Billy Pomposelli, Chepachet, RI; 9. Glenn Roy, Sterling, CT; 10. Mike Anzalone, Griswold, CT.
Sources: Dale Wolbrink/Thompson International Speedway PR