Christopher Wins Sunoco Mod Thriller at Thompson; Ramstrom, Gentes, Barnett, Sullivan & Blanchard Winners
Thompson, CT — The hotly contest Sunoco Modified division at Thompson International Speedway did not disappoint on Thursday night. Ted Christopher of Plainville, CT, used veteran moves to score his fourth win of the season. Derek Ramstrom of Worcester, MA, won a wild one in the Super Late Models while Rick Gentes of Woonsocket, RI, scored the victory in the Late Models. Larry Barnett of Moosup, CT, padded his point lead with his fifth Limited Sportman victory of the season. Another point leader, Brian Sullivan of S. Windsor, was victorious in the TIS Modifieds. Rick Blanchard of Pascoag, RI, was declared the Mini Stock winner.
Ted Christopher of Plainville, CT, showed his might in the Sunoco Modified main event taking his division leading fourth win of the season with a last lap pass. Tim Sullivan led the field to green but he would not lead the opening lap. Rowan Pennink took over the top spot and began to motor out to an advantage over Danny Cates. A bobble by Sullivan nearly collected Keith Rocco, who was forced out of the groove. Woody Pitkat had worked his way into the third position. The outside groove was the fast way around as Christopher had moved into the third spot with Rocco in tow.
On lap 9, Christopher was able to dive inside Cates for second. Rocco, once again, followed TC through and into third. Christopher caught Pennink while Rocco caught the bumper of Christopher. The top three ran nose-to-tail.
At halfway, Rocco was able to slide below Christopher when he bobbled exiting turn four on lap 15. The caution flew on lap 16 for an incident on the backstretch involving Andy Gaspar and Wayne Arute. Leader Pennink opted to use the outside groove on the restart but it was Rocco in the low groove gaining the advantage. Christopher was able to get around Pennink as well. The action was slowed for a spin by Harry Rheaume.
Rocco was up to the challenge on the restart but an incident further back in the pack brought out the caution once again. A spin by Bert Marvin collected Tim Sullivan and Todd Ceravolo. Sullivan’s car sustained significant damage.
On the restart, Rocco was up to the challenge once again. After a short battle with Pennink, Christopher remained in the second position. Christopher dove beneath Rocco in turn one. They went wheel to wheel through turn two. Christopher got the edge on the backstretch but Rocco did the slingshot move exiting four. They crossed the stripe even. In turn one, Rocco was the leader once again. Pennink ran in the third spot with heavy pressure from Pitkat. Cates ran alone in the fifth position.
With two to go, Christopher got along side Rocco. The duo streaked under the white flag with Rocco ahead by inches. Rocco maintained a slight advantage on the back stretch. Coming out of four Rocco tried holding Christopher low. Christopher retaliated riding high out of four. Rocco drifted up in the marbles making way for Christopher to take the checkers. Pennink came through for second. Pitkat was able to grab third spot at the checkers. Rocco had to settle for fourth ahead of Cates. At press time, the results of the Sunoco Modified main event were unofficial.
Derek Ramstrom of Worcester, MA, scored the victory in a wild Super Model main event. Jay Macedonio enjoyed a sizeable lead in the early going of the 30-lap main event. Heavy hitters Norm Wrenn, Ramstrom, and Rick Fuller were making tracks to the front. By lap 10, Mike O’Sullivan had reeled in leader Macedonio. Fuller found running room on the low side taking positions from Wrenn and Ramstrom. Alone in third, Fuller quickly caught the lead duo.
Up front, O’Sullivan was able to grab the lead from Macedonio on lap 11. A pair of laps later, Fuller propelled himself into the runner-up spot. Macedonio fell into the clutches of Ramstrom at halfway. A lap later, Macedonio spun on the backstretch to bring out the caution.
The lead duo made grazing contact on the restart. O’Sullivan was able to maintain his lead. Ramstrom rocketed into the third spot followed by Larry Gelinas. O’Sullivan gained the advantage but not any breathing room. Fuller dogged O’Sullivan lap after lap.
A stream of sparks followed Bessette as mechanical failure resulted in hard contact with the outside wall exiting turn two. Macedonio was collected in the incident. Steve DesMarias made severe contact with a still-spinning Macedonio. All drivers walked away.
A different kind of sparks flew after a lap 23 restart. Contact between the lead duo found Fuller in the outside wall in turn one. O’Sullivan was put to the tail of a decimated field for his involvement. He restarted from the sixth position.
Gelinas sat on the point for the restart. He stayed with Ramstrom only briefly before Ramstrom took over the top spot. Ramstrom was able to distance himself from the Gelinas. O’Sullivan moved into the third spot. That is the way they would cross the stripe. Wrenn and Jim Banfield completed the top five.
Rick Gentes of Woonsocket, RI, took down his third Late Model feature win of the season on Thursday night. A day that started dreadfully for Gentes ended with a trip to victory lane. After a practice crash, Gentes was forced to start the night’s event in his back-up car. The “Woonsocket Rocket” never missed a beat.
Mark Oliveira jumped out to the early lead in Late Model Main event. Oliveira was able to stretch his advantage as the battling for second on back was fierce. Dave Trudeau, making his first Late Model start in two years, was locked in a heated battle with Rick Gentes. John Materas, Jeff Hartwell, Tommy O’Sullivan, and Jeff Zuidema also jockeyed for position.
Gentes had worked his way past Trudeau and set his sites on the leader. During an extended green flag run, Gentes chopped into Oliveira’s lead. Materas and O’Sullivan meanwhile caught Trudeau. O’Sullivan made it three-wide in an effort to get by Materas and Trudeau for the third spot; but it was Materas getting the edge to move into the third position. O’Sullivan was able to get by Trudeau into fourth.
Up front, Gentes was glued to the back bumper of Oliveira. The first caution flew on lap 16 for a spin by Jeremy Sadowski. On the restart, Oliveira was able to maintain his lead for less than a lap. Gentes used the low groove to take over the top spot. Materas followed through and into second. Oliveira continued to falter.
Over the final five laps, Gentes was able to extend his lead over Materas. The field got strung out as Gentes sailed under the checkers to take the win. John Materas continued his stellar season with a runner-up finish. O’Sullivan, Jeff Hartwell, and point leader Jeff Zuidema rounded out the top-five.
Joe Arena set the pace for much of the first half of the event. After leading through halfway, Arena had his hands full with a charging Larry Barnett. The two went door-to-door before Barnett was able to gain the advantage. Once out front, Barnett was able to extend his lead. Scott Sundeen had caught Arena. The two waged a great battle. At the checkers, it was all Barnett. Arena nosed ahead of Sundeen at the start/finish line to claim second. Jay Sundeen and Paul Coutu, Jr. completed the top five.
Tim Sullivan of S. Windsor, CT, made it a handful of wins with his TIS Modified feature victory on Thursday night. Rookie Jay Sundeen led the field to green. It took only a pair of laps before Brian Tagg asserted himself into the lead. Point leader Sullivan was on the move early; taking over the second spot by lap five. Sullivan immediately caught the leader. He began to work over Tagg for the top spot.
It took several laps but on lap 10 Sullivan was able to take over the lead. Once out front, Sullivan rode out to a sizeable advantage over Tagg. In the closing laps, Sundeen was able to catch Tagg. The rookie driver ran out of time and had to settle for third behind winner Sullivan and Tagg. Glenn Boss, who turned 50, celebrated with a fourth-place finish. Cam McDermott rounded out the top five.
Rick Blanchard of Pascoag, RI, gave it everything he had in the pursuit of his first Mini Stock victory of the season. After post race technical inspection, it was mission accomplished. Apparent winner Leo Defevers was disqualified for an illegal exhaust.
Leo Defevers of Brooklyn, CT, appeared to have scored in his first career feature. Mike Gorgievski set the pace through an unusually rough early going for the Minis. He relinquished the top spot to Defevers, who took command of the main event. Once out front, Defevers would never be headed. Rick Blanchard made it interesting near the end. He caught Defevers and was making a series bid at the top spot.
With two to go, Blanchard was bearing down. Coming down to the white flag, Blanchard got out of shape losing ground and the race. Defevers streaked to the checkers ahead of Blanchard. Shortly after the event, Blanchard was declared the winner. Tim Taylor, who was involved in an early race incident, recovered to finish in the second position. Point leader Scott Michalski, Brad Caddick, and Chuck Rogers rounded out the top five.
Sunoco Modified 30-Lap Feature Event (Top Ten) UNOFFICIAL Finish: 1. Ted Christopher, Plainville, CT; 2. Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon, PA; 3. Woody Piktat, Stafford, CT; 4. Keith Rocco, Wallingford, CT; 5. Danny Cates, Chaplin, CT; 6. Kerry Malone, Needham, MA; 7. Jimmy Blewett, Howell, NJ; 8. Harry Rheaume, Oakdale, CT; 9. Ricky Shawn, Bradford, CT; 10. Andy Gaspar, Andover, CT.
Super Late Model 30-lap Feature Event (Top Ten) Finish: 1. Derek Ramstrom, Worcester, MA; 2. Larry Gelinas, Buxton, ME; 3. Mike O’Sullivan, Springfield, MA; 4. Norm Wrenn, Nashua, NH; 5. Jim Banfield, S. Glastonbury, CT; 6. Matt Zenisky, W. Springfield, MA; 7. Rick Fuller, Auburn, MA; 8. Les Rose, Jr., Southbridge, MA; 9. George Bessette, Danbury, CT; 10. Jay Macedonio, Somerset, MA.
Late Model 25-Lap Feature Event (Top Ten) Finish: 1. Rick Gentes, Woonsocket, RI; 2. John Materas,Voluntown, CT; 3. Tommy O’Sullivan, Springfield, MA; 4. Jeff Hartwell, E. Putnam, CT; 5. Jeff Zuidema, N. Brookfield, MA; 6. Mark Oliveira, Blackstone, MA; 7. Wayne Coury, Sr., Milford, CT; 8. Dave Trudeau, Mansfield, MA; 9. Damon Tinio, Mendon, MA; 10. Randy Waterman, Killingly, CT.
Limited Sportsman Feature Event (Top Ten) Finish: 1. Larry Barnett, Moosup, CT; 2. Joe Arena, Bristol, CT; 3. Scott Sundeen, Douglas, MA; 4. Jay Sundeen, Douglas, MA; 5. Paul Coutu, Jr., Thompson, CT; 6. Shawn Monahan, Waterford, CT; 7. Joe Campbell, Moosup, CT; 8. Kevin Bowe, Pawtucket, RI; 9. Paul Palen, Pelham, NH; 10. Gerald Sevigny, Brooklyn, CT.
TIS Modified 20-Lap Feature Event (Top Ten) Finish: 1. Brian Sullivan, S. Windsor, CT; 2. Brian Tagg, Oxford, MA; 3. Jay Sundeen, Douglas, MA; 4. Glenn Boss, Danielson, CT; 5. Cam McDermott, Scituate, RI; 6.John Studley, Framingham, MA; 7. Bart Ramos, Putnam, CT; 8. Richie Ferreira, Raynham, MA; 9. John Michael Shenette, Thompson, CT; 10. Gerry DeGasparre, Jr.
Mini Stock 20-Lap Feature Event (Top Ten) Finish: 1. Rick Blanchard, Pascoag, RI; 2. Tim Taylor, Wauregan, CT; 3. Scott Michalski, S. Killingly, CT; 4. Brad Caddick, New London, CT; 5. Chuck Rogers, Quaker Hill, CT; 6. Jeff Moffat, Warwick, RI; 7. Mike Gorgievski, Auburn, MA; 8. Steve Michalski, Brooklyn, CT; 9. Scott Jassaume, Danielson, CT; 10. Nate Taylor, Wauregan, CT.
Sources: Dale Wolbrink/Thompson International Speedway PR