Norm Wrenn and Larry Barnett Scored Wins Before Mother Nature Won the Remainder of the Evening
Thompson, CT — Norm Wrenn brought home the checkers in the Super Late Model race on Thursday Night at Thompson International Speedway. Larry Barnett won the Limited Sportsman feature just days after undergoing arthroscopic surgery. Ten laps into the 50-Lap Late Model race, Mother Nature took over, the rain started and the race program was brought to a halt. The race will be rescheduled and will begin at lap 10 in the order they were in when the rains came. The Sunoco Modifieds, TIS Modifieds and Mini Stock races will also be rescheduled. Check back onwww.thompsonspeedway.com for the make-up dates.
The night started out with a special event. Derek Ramstrom driver of the #35 Super Late Model has been racing here at Thompson since before he was licensed to drive on the street. He is a junior at West Boylston High School in West Boylston, MA. Many of his friends have never seen him race; tonight they got the chance. To make it extra special there was a drawing held at the school and the winner was Jared Peterson. By winning the drawing, he got lucky enough to get a ride-along in a modified provided by the Ken Bouchard Driving School with Derek driving. When track announcer Russ Dowd asked what Jared thought he said,” it was a pretty amazing ride.” He said he wasn’t nervous but anxious while waiting to get out on the track- “it was awesome I can’t even describe it.”
The Super Late Models had a hard time getting started as there was a multi-car wreck going into turn 2 on the first lap. Involved were George Bessette, Jay Macedonio, and Derek Ramstrom just to name a few. Marc Curtis took the worst of it as his car was towed off the track. Larry Gelinas was the new driver of the Rolly Lindblad #48; he was also collected in the crash but continued on.
Jim Banfield led the field down to the green on the restart with Steve Desmarais outside him. Desmarais took the lead to complete lap 1. George Bessette came along for the ride into third with Norm Wrenn and Jeff Zuidema rounding out the top five.
Mike O’Sullivan was putting pressure on Zuidema in fifth looking low lap after lap. Ramstrom was also on a mission picking off cars on his charge back towards the front. The leader, Desmarais, was being shown the black flag for leaking fluids giving the lead to Banfield. The yellow flew on lap 15 as Mike Rivard hit the wall on the front stretch.
Banfield and Bessette brought the field back to the green with Bessette taking the lead. Norm Wrenn and Jeff Zuidema were battling for third. O’Sullivan and Dave Silvia were also looking to make some moves. O’Sullivan got past Zuidema on lap 18. Ramstrom got by 2 cars on lap 19 to bring him into the top 5.
The yellow flew again for an incident with Les Rose and Jeff Hartwell. Zuidema brought his car onto pit road for some attention by his crew during this yellow. Gelinas pulled his car behind the wall in his debut in the 48 car.
On the restart George Bessette had to battle with Wrenn for the lead. Wrenn got into Bessette sending him around. Ramstrom was once again involved as well as Jay Macedonio. Wrenn again brought the field to the green. Banfield was holding strong in second. Rick Fuller was in third. The yellow flew again on lap 21 for a spin by Mike O’Sullivan.
Wrenn again took the lead on the restart. Silvia was now moving up taking fourth and looking under Fuller. Les Rose was trying to muscle his way past Silvia. He settled back in line and now had pressure from behind from Bessette. Ramstrom now was battling past Bessette and set his sights on Rose. He took the spot on lap 26.
Coming down to get the white flag Fuller and Silvia were battling hard for the lead. Fuller spun giving the spot to Silvia. Norm Wrenn took down his third win of the season. Banfield held on to finish second followed by Silvia, Ramstrom and Rose.
Tommy O’Sullivan led the Late Model division to the green flag to start their 50 lap feature. Right away they went 3 wide fighting for fourth. Luckily everyone settled into position without any incidents. Jay Stuart got into John Materas and gave Materas some cosmetic alterations to his car.
O’Sullivan pulled out to a hefty lead with Stuart, Tom Fox, Mark Oliveira and Jeff Zuidema rounding out the top 5. Stuart moved into second. The yellow flew for a spin by Frank Mirabito. Rick Gentes had pulled into the pits just before the yellow flew.
The red flag came out during this yellow as it started to drizzle. Unfortunately, the drizzle became rain and the race was called.
Fred Bates brought the Limited Sportsman division down to take the first green flag of the night. Larry Barnett had arthroscopic surgery on Monday but he was in the car tonight and running in the top five and on the move. Jay Sundeen took the lead on lap 5. Barnett moved into second and looked for the lead. He took over the lead coming out of turn 4 on lap 6.
The caution flew on lap 7 for a three car wreck in turn two. Joe Campbell, Tom Shea and Paul Palen were all involved. Palen was the only one able to continue on.
Barnett led the charge to the restart. Jay Sundeen and Scott Sundeen kept it all in the family for second and third. Joe Arena and “Moose” Douton rounded out the top 5 at half-way. And that is the way they took the checkers. Barnett earned himself an extra $100 from Town Fair Tire for his victory.
Super Late Model 30-Lap Feature Finish (Top Ten):1. Norm Wrenn, Nashua, NH; 2. Jim Banfield, S. Glastonbury, CT; 3. Dave Silvia, Warwick, RI; 4. Derek Ramstrom, Worcester, MA; 5. Les Rose, Jr., Southbridge, MA; 6. George Bessette, Danbury, CT;7. Jay Macedonio, Somerset, MA; 8. Jeff Zuidema, North Brookfield, MA; 9. Mike O’Sullivan, Springfield, MA, 10. Kraig Coffin,Uxbridge, MA
Limited Sportsman 20-Lap Feature Finish (Top Ten):1. Larry Barnett, Moosup, CT; 2. Jay Sundeen, Douglas, MA; 3. Scott Sundeen, Douglas, MA; 4. Joe Arena, Bristol, CT; 5. Moose Douton,Waterford, CT; 6. Paul Coutu, Jr., Thompson, CT; 7. Fred Bates, N. Grosvenordale, CT; 8. Joe Coates, Eastford, CT; 9. Jason Chicolas, Sutton, MA; 10. Kevin Bowe, Pawtucket, RI
Sources: Thompson International Speedway PR