Back-to-Back Victories for Rocco in Mods at Thompson

Wrenn & Gentes Score Season Firsts; Barnett, Boss & Romano Winners

Thompson, CT — Keith Rocco of Wallingford, CT, scored his second straight Sunoco Modified feature win during Thursday Night Thunder at Thompson International Speedway. Norm Wrenn of Nashua, NH, in the Pro Stocks and Rick Gentes of Woonsocket, RI, in the Late Models each earned their first wins of the 2008 season. Larry Barnett of Ledyard, CT, took top honors in the Limited Sportsman division while Glenn Boss of Danielson, CT, celebrated his birthday with a TIS Modified feature win. Mike Romano of Glendale, RI, padded his point lead with a Mini Stock triumph.

Keith Rocco proved to be the class of the Sunoco Modified field once again. Taking the lead early in the 30-lap main event, the Wallingford, CT, driver never looked back en route to his third win of the season and second in a row.

The action was wild right from the drop of the green flag. Contact between front row starters Dave Nordman and Tim Sullivan, opened the door for Bobby Grigas, who made it three wide as they headed down for the initial start. The caution flew immediately; however, when contact deeper in the field sent cars scattering.

On the ensuing restart, slipping and sliding at the head of the field allowed Jimmy Blewett to cleanly take the lead with Bobby Grigas moving into second and Todd Ceravolo in third. A spin by Rick D’Abate brought out the caution once again. Blewett was up to the challenge and continued to lead a battle for second between Rocco and Grigas. A pass by Rocco was negated by a spin by Josh Sylvester.

Kerry Malone was the man on the move on the restart moving from the fifth position to third. Up front, Blewett was having all he could do to keep Rocco in check. Grigas was able to take back the third spot from Malone. Ceravolo, Woody Pitkat, and Tommy Cravenho made up the lead pack.

Grigas caught the duo of Blewett and Rocco, making it a three-car battle for the top spot. At halfway, Rocco used a slide move to take over the lead from Blewett. Once out front, Rocco checked out. Blewett dropped off the pace a lap later. Grigas inherited the second spot with Ceravolo running in third. Malone and Pitkat made up the top five.

Early leader Blewett spun exiting turn two to bring out the caution. Back under green, it was all Rocco. Grigas took chase a distant second and Ceravolo in third. Malone, Cravenho, and Pitkat were looking racy for fourth.

Rocco cruised unchallenged to the checkers. Grigas had a season-high finish of second followed by Ceravolo. Malone and Cravenho completed the top five.

Norm Wrenn beat his own car to the checkers to score his first Pro Stock feature win of the season. Teammates Dave Berghman and Wrenn took turns leading the opening laps as the Pro Stocks struggled to get things going in their feature on Thursday night. Wrenn held the point under green as Mike O’Sullivan began his assault on Berghman for second.

Sullivan had gotten alongside Berghman before the caution flew when Zuidema’s #19 made contact with the outside wall. Derek Ramstrom struggled from the start of the event, heading down pit road during consecutive caution periods.

On the restart, Wrenn continued to show the way with O’Sullivan now occupying the second spot. Berghman took chase in third followed by Jay Macedonio and Fred Astle. O’Sullivan made a quick bid at Wrenn’s lead but could not muster up a pass. Berghman was able to take the outside groove around O’Sullivan, relegating him to third once again.

The top five ran nose-to-tail in a high speed freight train as the green flag laps began to mount. Berghman had caught the back bumper of Wrenn over the closing laps with O’Sullivan tucked behind him as well. They ran to the checkers in that order with Wrenn earning his first win of 2008. Berghman, O’Sullivan, Macedonio, and Astle completed the top five.

Rick Gentes of Woonsocket, RI, turned in a dominating performance to earn his first Late Model victory of the season to end an uncharacteristic dry spell. Jeff Hartwell was the early leader holding off the advances of Gentes over the first handful of laps. Gentes could not be quelled for long. He proved to be too much for Hartwell taking over the top spot on lap five. The caution came out a lap later for an incident involving Randy Waterman.

On the restart, Gentes immediately began to distance himself from a good battle that was brewing for second. Hartwell held the position but had to contend with Marc Jenison as Conrad Cote lurched. Jenison was able to take over second a lap into the green flag run. A hard-charging Cote made a move coming out of turn four to take over the second position from Jenison.

With less than 10 laps to go and Gentes out front, the battle for second began to heat up once again. Jenison peeked to the inside of Cote lap-after-lap but settled back into line. Both Marc Palmisano and Jeff Zuidema where able to get by a faltering Pete Yetman.

Palmisano caught Hartwell before the action cooled for a spin by Rich Holton. The yellow also erased the big lead that Gentes had built up.

Gentes was up for the challenge and headed to the checkers unchallenged. Cote held on for second followed by Jenison. Zuidema made tracks in the final green flag run, moving into the fourth position. Hartwell settled for a fifth-place finish.  

Larry Barnett of Ledyard, CT, visited victory lane for the third time this season in Limited Sportsman action on Thursday night. Tommy Shea led in the early going before giving up the top spot to Jesse Gleason after the leader got out of shape exiting turn four. An incident involving a number of cars brought out the event’s second caution. Things got busy up front on the restart with Gleason out front; Joe Arena had his hands full with a charging Ed Puleo. Barnett dove to the inside making it three-wide for the third spot. The move proved to be ineffective as Barnett got out of shape losing valuable ground. When things settled down it was Gleason leading Arena, Ernie Larose, Puleo, and Barnett.

After halfway, the cars were strung out inside the top five. The field was bunched up again when the caution flew for a single car incident involving Ernie La Rose, who appeared to lose a tire making hard contact with the outside wall. On the restart, the lead pack of Gleason, Arena, and Barnett went three-wide for the lead. Arena came out as the leader; however, he led only a half a lap before relinquishing the top spot to a rejuvenated Barnett.

Once out front, Barnett immediately began to stretch his lead over Arena. He continued to build a lead as the race went green to the end. Arena settled for second. Early leader, Gleason came home third followed by Puleo and Scott Sundeen.

Glenn Boss of Danielson, CT, celebrated his birthday with a feature victory in the TIS Modifieds. John Studley held the point through lap five holding off the charges of Kurt Vigeant. Vigeant tried in vain to get by Studley on the inside. Leo Oliviera and Glenn Boss were both able to get by Vigeant, who had begun to backslide.

Studley saw his hopes at a win dwindle when contact with Oliveira sent the leader spinning. Oliveira was also collected in the spin handing the lead over to Boss when the caution flag flew. Boss maintained his lead on the restart but had his hands full with Vigeant. A distance behind the leaders, there was a battle for the second position between Shane Michalski and Brian Sullivan.

The battle for second cooled when Sullivan got a out of shape exiting turn four brushing the wall with five laps remaining. Over the closing laps, Boss enjoyed a comfortable lead over Vigeant and Michalski was getting away from Sullivan. Cam McDermott made easy work of Jesse Berthiaume to complete the top-five at the checkers.

Mike Romano of Glendale, MA, took a thrilling win in the Mini Stocks to extend his lead in the point standings. Glynn Roy took over the top spot in the early going and headed a charging pack of cars. Roy held on through lap 11 before giving way to the charge of Steve Michalski.

Michalski’s time at the front was short-lived as Tim Taylor, who started on the last row, took the lead over on lap 12. Romano, who had mechanical troubles in his qualifying heat, also came from deep in the field. Romano cruised into the second spot. As they took the white flag, Romano caught Taylor. The duo went side-by-side for the distance of the final lap. Exiting turn four they were dead-even. The two drag raced to the finish line with Romano taking the win by inches at the checkers. Taylor’s impressive run netted him a second-place finish. Michalski came home third followed by Dan Field, and Roy.

Sunoco Modified Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Keith Rocco, Wallingford, CT; 2. Bobby Grigas, III, Marshfield, MA; 3. Todd Ceravolo, Gales Ferry, CT; 4. Kerry Malone, Needham, MA; 5. Tommy Cravenho, Raynham, MA; 6. Woody Pitkat, Stafford, CT; 7. Danny Cates, Chaplin, CT; 8. Jimmy Blewett, Howell, NJ; 9. Tim Sullivan, S. Windsor, CT; 10. Andrew Dzenkowski, E. Marion, NY.

Pro Stock Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Norm Wrenn, Nashua, NH; 2. Dave Berghman, Seekonk, MA; 3. Mike O’Sullivan, Springfield, MA; 4. Jay Macedonio, Somerset, MA; 5. Fed Astle, Jr., Westport, MA; 6. George Bessette, Danbury, CT; 7. Jim Banfield, S. Glastonbury, CT; 8. Dave Silvia, Warwick, RI: 9. Steve Desmarais, Westport, MA; 10. Nick Ribbe, Kingston, MA.

Late Model Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Rick Gentes, Woonsocket, RI; 2. Conrad Cote, Lisbon, CT; 3. Marc Jenison, Danielson, CT; 4. Jeff Zuidema, N. Brookfield, MA; 5. Jeff Hartwell, Putnam, CT; 6. Marc Palmisano, Hadley, MA; 7. Pete Yetman, Peru, MA; 8. Dennis Perry, Pawcatuck, CT; 9. Andy Gaspar, Andover, CT; 10. John Materas, Voluntown, CT.

Limited Sportsman Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Larry Barnett, Ledyard, CT; 2. Joe Arena, Bristol, CT; 3. Jesse Gleason, Lisbon, CT; 4. Ed Puleo, Brandford, CT; 5. Scott Sundeen, Douglas, MA; 6. Joe Campbell, Moosup, CT; 7. Jay Sundeen, Douglas, MA; 8. Paul Palen, Pelham, NH; 9. Randy Jurcik, Chaplin, CT; 10. Joe Coates, Eastford, CT.

TIS Modified Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Glenn Boss, Danielson, CT; 2. Kurt Vigeant, Oxford, MA; 3. Shane Michalski, Woodstock, CT; 4. Brian Sullivan, S. Windsor, CT; 5. Cam McDermott, Scituate, MA; 6. Jesse Berthiaume, Mendon, MA; 7. Richie Ferreira, Raynham, MA; 8. Brian Tagg, Oxford, MA; 9. RJ Marcotte, Millville, MA; 10. John Studley, Framingham, MA.

Mini Stock Feature Finish (Top Ten):  1. Mike Romano, Glendale, RI; 2. Tim Taylor, Wauregan, CT; 3. Steve Michalski, Brooklyn, CT; 4. Danny Field, Deep River, CT; 5. Glynn Roy, Sterling, CT; 6. Scott Jassaume, Danielson, CT; 7. Scott Michalski, S. Killingly, CT; 8. Mike Viens, Seekonk, MA; 9. Bert Ouellette, Dayville, CT; 10. Chuck Rodgers, Quaker Hill, CT.

Sources:Dale Wolbrink/Thompson International Speedway PR.