Bayne Best in CWES at Thompson on Saturday
Victorious Homecoming for PASS Ace Martin Saturday
Yetman, Arena & Fields Weekly Winners During Full-Fendered Frenzy
Thompson, CT — In the annual Saturday night of all fendered racing at Thompson International Speedway a veteran and a newcomer shared the spoils of victory lane. Young gun Trevor Bayne of Knoxville, TN, had never seen Thompson Speedway before Saturday night when he left he was a winner at the country’s oldest paved race track. Conversely, veteran Rick Martin of Westport, MA, a long-time campaigner at the Speedway took top honors in the visit by the Pro All Star Series.
In regular weekly competition it was Pete Yetman of Peru, MA, scoring a commanding victory in the Late Models; Joe Arena of Bristol, CT, earning a career first in the Limited Sportsman division; and Danny Fields of Deep River, CT taking his second Mini Stock feature win of the season.
Trevor Bayne turned fast time during Camping World East Series (CWES) time trials to earn the Coors Light Pole Award. But it was Marc Davis taking the early lead with local favorite Matt Kobyluck taking chase. Bad luck struck Kobyluck early in the event erasing any hope at victory. Sentimental favorite Steve Park led for many laps before contact sent him spinning from the lead on a lap 39 restart. Over the closing laps it was a dual between Dale Earnhardt, Inc. teammates Bayne and Jesus Hernandez. In the end, Bayne edge Hernandez for his first career CWES victory. Bayne and Hernandez were joined on the podium by Brad Leighton. Complete coverage of the Camping World East feature event can be found on wwww.nascar.com.
Former Pro Stock champion Rick Martin of Westport, MA, made a triumphant return to his old stomping grounds winning the Pro All Star Series 75-lap main event. Martin took the lead for the final time at lap 51 from Trevor Sanborn. Over the final stages of the event, veteran Martin had to fend off the charges of Thompson’s rising star Derek Ramstrom.
A number of cautions late slowed Ramstrom’s assault on Martin’s lead. A pair of cautions set up two attempts at a green-white-checker finish. Martin, in an attempt to protect his lead, made contact with Ramstrom opening the door for Sanborn and Ben Rowe. Johnny Clark made a run at the end to nose Sanborn out of a podium finish.
In the end, Martin took the victory over Rowe and Clark. Sanborn had to settle for fourth while Ramstrom was relegated to a fifth place finish. At press time an official finish was not available. Comprehensive coverage of the Pro All Star Series main event can be found online at www.proallstars.com.
Pete Yetman of Peru, MA led green-to-checker in the caution-free main event for the Late Models to score his first win. Yetman gained a sizeable advantage over the field in the early going; building up nearly a half straightaway lead in the opening laps. Rick Gentes was making headway toward the front of the pack taking positions from Jeff Hartwell, Mark Jenison, and finally polesitter Randy Waterman to move into the second position by lap nine. Jeff Zuidema ran just outside the top five when the crossed flags where shown for halfway.
Yetman was able to maintain his advantage over Gentes while Waterman ran in third. Zuidema began to pressure Jenison for fourth. Passing Jenison, Zuidema chased Waterman for a handful of laps before taking third from Waterman. By the time Zuidema got around Waterman, Gentes had a comfortable margin in the second spot.
The lead pack dodged a bullet when green flag racing was able to continue after an incident involving Palmisano and Tommy O’Sullivan on the final lap. Palmisano got out of shape making contact with O’Sullivan, who spun to the infield. Yetman raced back to the checkers as the winner. Gentes, Zuidema, Waterman, and Jenison completed the top-five.
Joe Arena of Bristol, CT, took top honors in the caution-free Limited Sportsman feature event; becoming the division’s sixth different winner in six events. In a clean and green run Randy Jurcik drove to the front of the feature event taking positions from early leader Jason Chicolas.
At the halfway marker, Arena had reeled in Jurcik and looked racy for the lead. By lap 12, Arena has asserted himself as the race leader. Jurcik had to defend the runner-up position over last week’s winner Ernie Larose. The battle was short-lived with Larose moving into second. Jurcik continued to lose ground relinquishing positions to Chris “Moose” Douton. Meanwhile, the Sundeens, Scott and Jay went nose to tail in search of the top five.
Larose had cut into Arena’s lead substantially but had run out of time. Arena headed to victory lane for this first win of the 2008 season. Larose continued his run of good fortune with a runner-up finish. Douton, Jurcik, and Scott Sundeen rounded out the top five.
Danny Fields of Deep River, CT, made the winning move on lap six to score the victory in the Mini Stock main event. Early leader Eric Bourgeois had to defend his reign almost immediately when the caution flew on lap two for an incident involving Mike Gorgievski and Jodi Johnson.
Fields got a great run on the restart to move into the second spot. Fields immediately began to pressure Bourgeois for the lead. Chuck Rogers made it a three-car battle for the top spot. Deeper in the pack, point leader Mike Romano got out of shape losing several positions.
By lap six, Fields was the new leader. Things settled down at the front with Fields leading Bourgeois, and Rogers, who had slipped back slightly, making up the top three.
The second caution flew on lap nine after a single-car incident involving Bert Ouellette. Bourgegois watched his bid at a good finish come to an end when mechanical failure on the restart found him on pit road and Rogers in second. Rogers immediately had company in Scott Michalski.
Fields was able to run unchallenged to the checkers followed by Sc. Michalski. Steve Michalski had made strides in the closing laps to finish fourth over Roger Ducharme. Ducharme was disqualified in post race technical inspection handing the fifth-place finish to
Late Model Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Pete Yetman, Peru, MA; 2. Rick Gentes, Woonsocket, RI; 3. Jeff Zuidema, N. Brookfield, MA; 4. Randy Waterman, Killingly, CT; 5. Mark Jenison, Danielson, CT; 6. Jeff Hartwell, Putnam, CT; 7. Jay Stuart, Preston, CT; 8. Mark Oliveira, Blackstone, MA; 9. Conrad Cote, Lisbon, CT; 10. Marc Palmisano, Hadley, MA.
Limited Sportsman Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Joe Arena, Bristol, CT; 2. Ernie Larose, Plainfield, CT; 3. Chris “Moose” Douton, Waterford, CT; 4. Randy Jurcik, Chaplin, CT; 5. Scott Sundeen, Douglas, MA; 6. Ed Puleo, Branford, CT: 7. Jay Sundeen, Douglas, MA; 8. Jesse Gleason, Lisbon, CT; 9. Eric Grant, New Milford, CT; 10. Gerald Sevigny, Brooklyn, CT.
Mini Stock Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Danny Fields, Deep River, CT; 2. Scott Michalski, S. Killingly, CT; 3. Chuck Rogers, Quaker Hill, CT; 4. Steve Michalski, Brooklyn, CT; 5. Billy Pomposelli, Chepachet, RI; 6. Leo Defevers, Brooklyn, CT; 7. Glynn Roy, Sterling, CT; 8. Fred Michalski, Dayville, CT; 9. Mike Viens, Seekonk, MA; 10. Mike Romano, Glendale, RI.
Sources: Dale Wolbrink/Thompson International Speedway PR