Lia Scores Two-Straight in WMT Action with Win at Thompson; Red-Hot Pennink Scores Career First Sunoco Mod; Ramstrom, O’Sullivan, Barnett, Tagg & Churchill Weekly Winners
Thompson, CT – The Whelen Modified Tour headed to Thompson International Speedway for the make-up of the event regularly scheduled for August 13, 2009. Donny Lia of Jericho, NY, in Bob Garbarino’s Mystic Missile was the show on Thursday night. Rowan Pennink of Huntingdon, PA, who has been enjoying strong seasons in both the Whelen Modified Tour and the True Value Modified Series, has now tasted victory in the Sunoco Modified Series with his victory at Thompson on Thursday.
Victories helped Derek Ramstrom of Worcester, MA, and Larry Barnett of Moosup, CT, stretch their point leads in the Super Late Model and Limited Sportsman divisions respectively. After post race tech, Tommy O’Sullivan of Springfield, MA; was awarded his third Late Model victory of the season. Brian Tagg of Oxford, MA, streaked in TIS Modified competition with his second straight victory. Randy Churchill of Niantic, CT, took down his first Mini Stock feature event win at Thompson.
Donny Lia, the 2007 Series champion, earned the Coors Light Pole Award with a lap at 119.847 MPH for 18.774 seconds. He went on to lead a number of laps and he likely passed the most cars. After the redraw, Lia started ninth. He made his first appearance at the head of the pack early in the race dualing with the likes of fellow former champions Christopher and Todd Szegedy. During a heated battle with Christopher for the lead on lap 106, contact sent Lia spinning.
The Jericho, NY, driver did a masterful job of keeping his car off the wall. He restarted at the tail of the field. He had meticulously worked his way through traffic. By lap 120, he was inside of the top five. The benefit of a well-placed caution lined Lia up with the likes of Szegedy, Christopher and Rowan Pennink. At lap 140, Donny Lia was the new leader. At lap 150, he was the winner. Christopher settled for the second spot over Szegedy. Rowan Pennink and Keith Rocco rounded out the top five.
Pennink of Huntingdon, PA, had a stellar night; wiring the field earlier in the night to score his first-ever Thompson Speedway victory and career first Sunoco Modified feature event win. Pennink led the opening lap but immediately had his hands full with Kerry Malone and Ted Christopher. Pennink was able to maintain the lead as Malone settled back in line ahead of Christopher. The fiercest battle amid the pack was for the fourth position between Tim Sullivan, Keith Rocco and Woody Pitkat. Sullivan had the spot with Rocco and Pitkat within striking distance. The action cooled when the first caution flew for a spin by Harry Rheaume.
On the restart, Malone was able to get the edge but his advancement was for naught as the caution flew before the leaders could get out of turn two. The dreadful season for Sullivan continued as he made hard contact with the outside wall in turn one to bring out the second caution. Malone got slightly out of shape on the ensuing restart making contact with Ted Christopher. Christopher slid through the infield making contact with the inside wall on the front stretch. The damage forced Christopher to retire from the event.
Rocco looked like he was shot out of a cannon on the restart moving to the second spot. Pitkat was able to get by Malone as well. A quick restart allowed Pitkat to gain another spot into the second position. Ronnie Silk, the new driver of the TS Haulers #12, made his first appearance inside the top five. After a stop on pit road, Danny Cates had come back to ride in the sixth spot.
A bobble by leader Pennink exiting turn four one lap shy of halfway gave Pitkat a shot at the lead. Pennink recovered to maintain the position. A half-lap later, Pitkat tried the low side in turn three. The lane swap gave Rocco the edge to put him back in the runner-up position.
Pennink continued to show the way with Rocco bearing down. Pitkat had settled back into the third position before the fifth caution of the event flew for a spin by Carl Oberg. Cates was back on pit road during the caution at lap 17.
It was much of the same on the restart as Pennink had to fight off the advances of Rocco. Pitkat laid in wait in third followed by Malone and Silk. Rocco pushed Pennink on the straight-aways lap-after-lap. Rocco got alongside Pennink exiting turn four on lap 21. He had to settle back in line as Pitkat began to apply pressure to Rocco.
On a restart on lap 24, Rocco tried the crossover move looking for the lead. He got the car a bit out of shape as he dove too low and into the dirt giving Pitkat daylight. Pitkat was able to take the second spot away. Rocco pulled in behind Pitkat. The two continued to dog Pennink.
On the final two laps the cat and mouse for the second position between Pitkat and Rocco allowed Pennink to celebrate his birthday with a victory as he flashed under the checkers. Pitkat finished a strong second followed by Rocco. Malone and Silk completed the top-five.
Derek Ramstrom of Worcester, CT, turned in a dominating performance to score his fourth Super Late Model victory of the season. The first half of the 30-lap event was laden with cautions decimating the field. All but the top few cars had been involved in incidents in some way or another. A couple of grinding crashes eliminated the cars of Norm Wrenn, Henry Stampfl and Daryl Stampfl. Top guns Mike Stefanik and Rick Fuller also sustained damage.
Things settled down after halfway with Ramstrom solidly in control. Ramstrom had a 10-car length advantage with the crossed flags in the air. The leader gained additional distance as Larry Gelinas had to fight off Mike O’Sullivan. As the two did battle Bessette was able to join the fray.
O’Sullivan was able to make the pass for the runner-up spot on lap 22. O’Sullivan had eight laps to catch Ramstrom, who had nearly a half-straightaway advantage. Meanwhile, Bessette had caught Gelinas.
Gelinas spun with only two laps to go relinquishing the third position. The veteran was able to keep his momentum allowing the leaders to go green to the checkers. Ramstrom handily took down the win followed by O’Sullivan. Bessette recovered from his early race incident to score a podium finish in third. Mike Stefanik and Dennis Maxfield rounded out the top-five.
In Late Model action, Tommy O’Sullivan of Springfield, MA, drove under the checkered flag in the second position; however, following post race technical inspection, O’Sullivan was awarded with the victory. It appeared as if Rick Gentes had scored his fourth Late Model victory of the season but a rules infraction found the Woonsocket, RI, driver penalized to the tail-end of the lead lap.
Right from the drop of the green flag the Late Model main event was intense. They were three-wide for the lead as they streaked under the initial green flag. Randy Waterman held the top spot but Mark Oliveira and Tommy O’Sullivan bore down.
O’Sullivan was able to use a lapped car to his advantage to finish off the pass for the lead coming out of turn two on lap eight. Gentes was on the move taking over the second spot. Oliveira continued to fade losing the third position to John Materas.
From second, Gentes set his sites on O’Sullivan. By halfway, Gentes had caught the back bumper of O’Sullivan. Gentes began looking for running room to the inside of O’Sullivan. Materas ran all alone in the third spot. Oliveira faltered exiting turn four to give up the fifth spot to Jeff Hartwell.
Gentes got along side O’Sullivan on lap 16. At the stripe, Gentes was the new leader by a few feet. Materas had caught the battle for the top spot. In the waning laps, Gentes was able to stretch his lead over O’Sullivan, who had stretched his advantage of Materas once again. At the checkers, it was Gentes but scoring the win was O’Sullivan. Materas was scored as the runner-up. Hartwell, Oliveira, and Wayne Coury, Sr. completed the top-five. For the first time in likely a decade, local favorite Jeff Zuidema was missing from the field after issues from last week.
Larry Barnett of Moosup, CT, used his years of experience to gain his sixth feature win of the season in Limited Sportsman competition over one of the division’s brightest young stars. Once again, the Limited Sportsman division treated the fans with a tremendous battle for the top spot. Jay Sundeen and Barnett went side-by-side lap after lap. A caution at halfway cooled the battled but only temporarily. On the restart, the lead duo picked up where they left off. On lap 12, Barnett was able to grab the lead away. Sundeen was not giving up as he remained glued to the back bumper of Barnett. Joe Arena ran alone in the third position.
Over the final few laps, Barnett was able to free himself from Sundeen to gain a 10-car advantage. There was a scary moment for Sundeen on the final lap of the event. The lapped car of Paul Palen bobbled nearly making contact with the young driver. Sundeen never missed a beat; however, and chased winner Barnett to the checkers. Paul Coutu, Jr. and last week’s winner Shawn Monahan rounded out the top five.
Brian Tagg of Oxford, MA, turned in a strong performance to score his fourth victory of the season. Glenn Boss led the opening laps; withstanding a pair of early restarts. A restart on lap six proved to be the undoing for Boss as Tagg was able to take over the lead exiting turn three.
After halfway, the top five ran nose to tail as Tagg extended his lead. With the laps winding down, early leader Boss began to fade. Cam McDermott was able to move into the second position on lap 12. A lap later, Boss fell to the challenge of Brian Sullivan. In the closing stages, Tagg continued to distance himself from the field. In the end, the second-generation driver ran to his second straight victory. McDermott cut slightly into Sullivan’s point lead to finish second. Sullivan settled for third over Boss and R.J. Marcotte.
He had been a winner in Outlaw Mini Stock competition but on Thursday night Randy Churchill of Niantic, CT, notched his first Thompson Mini Stock feature win. Churchill had to wrestle the lead away from early leader Chad Baxter more than once to gain the victory.
Slight contact between Baxter and Churchill on lap four gave Churchill the lead. A caution flew negating the pass for the lead. Once back to green, the battle for the lead resumed. After 15-laps Churchill would prevail as the Mini Stock winner. Steve Michalski passed Baxter to finish second. Point leader Scott Michalski finished fourth ahead of Tim Taylor, who was aboard a new car after last week’s wreck.
Whelen Modified Tour Feature Finish (Unofficial Top Ten): 1. Donny Lia, Jericho, NY; 2. Ted Christopher, Plainville, CT; 3. Todd Szegedy, Ridgefield, CT; 4. Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon, PA; 5. Keith Rocco, Wallingford, CT; 6. Eric Beers, Northampton, PA; 7. Eric Berndt, Cromwell, CT; 8. Bob Grigas, III, Marshfield, MA; 9. Glenn Reen, Wilbraham, MA; 10. Erick Rudolph, Ransomville, NY.
Sunoco Modified Feature Finish (Top Ten): Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon, PA; 2. Woody Pitkat, Stafford, CT; 3. Keith Rocco, Wallingford, CT; 4. Kerry Malone, Needham, MA; 5. Ronnie Silk, Norwalk, CT; 6. Danny Cates, Chaplin, CT; 7. Harry Rheaume, Oakdale, CT; 8. Ricky Shawn, Bradford, CT; 9. David LaCroix, Fitchburg, MA; 10. Wayne Arute, Berlin, CT.
Super Late Model Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Derek Ramstrom, Worcester, MA; 2. Mike O’Sullivan, Springfield, MA; 3. George Bessette, Danbury, CT; 4. Mike Stefanik, Coventry, RI; 5. Dennis Maxfield, Fitchburg, MA; 6. Les Rose, Jr., Southbridge, MA; 7. Jim Banfield, S. Glastonbury, CT; 8. Larry Gelinas, Buxton, ME; 9. Rick Fuller, Auburn, MA; 10. Henry Stampfl, Norwood, MA.
Late Model Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Tommy O’Sullivan, Springfield, MA; 2. John Materas, Voluntown, CT; 3. Jeff Hartwell, E. Putnam, CT; 4. Mark Oliveira, Blackstone, MA; 5. Wayne Coury, Sr., Milford, CT; 6. Randy Waterman, Killingly, CT; 7. Jeremy Sadowski, Voluntown, CT; 8. Damon Tinio, Mendon, MA; 9. Mike Scorzelli, Malta, NY; 10. Rick Gentes, Woonsocket, RI.
Limited Sportsman Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Larry Barnett, Moosup, CT; 2. Jay Sundeen, Douglas, MA; 3. Joe Arena, Bristol, CT; 4. Paul Coutu, Jr. Thompson, CT; 5. Shawn Monahan, Waterford, CT; 6. Joe Campbell, Moosup, CT; 7. Jesse Gleason, Lisbon, CT; 8. Gerald Sevigny, Brooklyn, CT; 9. John Carpenter, Danielson, CT; 10. Tom Shea, New London, CT.
TIS Modified Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Brian Tagg, Oxford, MA; 2. Cam McDermott, Scituate, RI; 3. Brian Sullivan, S. Windsor, CT; 4. Glenn Boss, Danielson, CT; 5. R.J. Marcotte, Millville, CT; 6. John Studley, Framingham, MA; 7. John Michael Shenette, Thompson, CT; 8. Jay Sundeen, Douglas, CT; 9. Bart Ramos, Putnam, CT; 10. Jeff Barrows, Worcester, MA.
Mini Stock Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Randy Churchill, Niantic, CT; 2. Steve Michalski, Brooklyn, CT; 3. Chad Baxter, Pascoag, RI; 4. Scott Michalski, S. Killingly, CT; 5. Tim Taylor, Wauregan, CT; 6. Brad Caddick, New London, CT; 7. Shane Michalski, Woodstock, CT; 8. Trevor Michalski, S. Killingly, CT; 9. Mike Viens, Seekonk, MA; 10. Chuck Rogers, Quaker Hill, CT.
Sources: Dale Wolbrink/Thompson International Speedway PR