Christopher Scores Fifth Sunoco Modified Win at Thompson; Fuller Scores Popular Super Late Model Victory; O’Sullivan, Gleason, Sullivan, & Churchill Also Tops
Thompson, CT — A full-slate of NASCAR All-American Series racing was on tap at Thompson International Speedway on Thursday night. Six different drivers graced victory lane during Thursday Night Thompson Thunder. Ted Christopher of Plainville, CT, made it look easy as he earned his fifth Sunoco Modified feature win of the season. Rick Fuller of Auburn, MA, scored a much-anticipated victory in the Super Late Model division. Tommy O’Sullivan of Springfield, MA, made it two-in-a-row in Late Model action.
Jesse Gleason of Lisbon, CT, scored his first win of the season in the Limited Sportsman division. Brian Sullivan of S. Windsor, CT, scored his sixth TIS Modified feature event win of the season. In the Mini Stocks, Randy Churchill of Niantic, CT, scored consecutive victories.
In a race laden with national implications, Ted Christopher of Plainville, CT, stole the show; cruising to the victory in the Sunoco Modified main event. The veteran sailed around Ronnie Silk on lap 10 in the caution-free main event. Silk bolted out to the early lead over Christopher and pole sitter Andy Gaspar.
While Kerry Malone was all over Gaspar, Rowan Pennink, Keith Rocco and Woody Pitkat jockeyed for position. Nearly a half straightaway ahead of an intense battle for third, Christopher was all over the back bumper of Silk. After laps of cat-and-mouse, Malone finally freed himself of Gaspar, who continued to fall out of the top-five.
Christopher was able to grab the lead away from Silk on lap 10 with a move in turn one. Rocco was able to gain a position from Pennink; bringing Pitkat along for the ride. Rocco immediately ran down Malone to take over third. Pitkat followed through sending Malone back to fifth.
Christopher continued to lead Silk by over 10 car-lengths. Rocco was doing little to cut into the advantage Silk enjoyed in second. With only five laps remaining, Rocco had his hands full with Pitkat, who he is also locked in a battle with for the lead in the Sunoco Modified point standings.
Pennink passed Malone to enter the top five in the closing laps. With the action behind him, Christopher handily cruised to the victory over Silk. Rocco settled for the third spot over Pitkat and Pennink. Rocco will head into the final two point races with a scant two point advantage over Pitkat.
Local favorite Rick Fuller of Auburn, MA, returned to his racing roots earlier this season making the Thompson Super Late Models his home for the 2009 season. After being close on several occasions, Fuller made his triumphant return to victory lane; his first as a driver since 2001.
Jim Banfield was having the run of his season leading the opening laps of the Super Late Model main event. He was able to gain an advantage over a heated battle for the second position between Dennis Maxfield and Rick Fuller. After several laps, Fuller was able to free himself from Maxfield. By the halfway marker, Fuller had all but caught Banfield. Larry Gelinas and Derek Ramstrom ran fender-to-fender for the fourth spot. Norm Wrenn lurked outside of the top five with Mike O’Sullivan.
Banfield maintained a two car-length advantage over Fuller. Ramstrom had gotten past Gelinas and O’Sullivan grabbed a spot away from Wrenn. With less than 10 laps to go, Fuller began to apply pressure.
On lap 22, Fuller got up alongside Banfield. As they started lap 23, Fuller was the new leader. The field got strung out with Fuller in command over Banfield, Maxfield, Ramstrom and O’Sullivan. Over the final five laps, all Banfield could do was watch as Fuller motored away. On the last lap, Ramstrom caught Maxfield and applied heavy pressure.
Fuller handily headed to victory lane. Banfield had a season-high runner-up finish. Maxfield held off Ramstrom for third. Mike O’Sullivan completed the top five.
Tommy O’Sullivan of Springfield, MA, proved to be the man to beat in the Late Model division for the second week in a row. O’Sullivan took the lead from Mark Oliveira early in the race event. John Materas, who had started mid-pack, looked like he was making headway toward the front. The point leader watched as promise turned to despair when mechanical failure sent the #73 pit side. The man on the move was Corey Hutchings, who had taken over the third position with the laps winding down.
An incident involving Damon Tinio brought out the caution setting up a green-white-checker restart. On the restart, Hutchings went spinning but was able to continue. The caution flew when Phil Rondeau came to rest on the front stretch. Hutchings was the beneficiary of the caution by getting his position on the last completed green flag lap.
O’Sullivan was able to gain some breathing room over Oliveira. Hutchings could not make any advances toward Oliveira. At the stripe, O’Sullivan was the winner followed by Oliveira and Hutchings. Jeff Hartwell and Tom Fox each brought home top-five finishes.
Jesse Gleason of Lisbon, CT, was an opportunist on Thursday night to top a 22-car field of Limited Sportsman; scoring his first victory of the 2009 season. The opening lap of the main event was marred by a melee involving a host of cars. Tommy Shea, running third, got out of shape in front of the pack collecting a host of cars including point leader Larry Barnett, Shawn Monahan, Paul Palen, and others. After a trip to the pits, Barnett was able to rejoin the field.
With racing finally underway it was Kevin Bowe leading the way. The second spot was being hotly contested between Jay Sundeen and Joe Coates. Barnett was quickly making his way toward the front; moving into the fifth position before the completion of lap six.
A caution at lap seven bunched up the field. Barnett jumped from the fifth spot to third on the restart. On lap eight, Barnett got along side Sundeen entering turn one. He gained the position and set his sites on Bowe. Joe Campbell had broken into the top five.
Barnett dove low on lap 10 pressuring Bowe for the lead. He made the pass look easy as he drove into the lead. Coates spun from inside of the top five on lap 11 to bring out the caution. Under the caution, Campbell watched his great run end; heading down pit road.
On the restart, Barnett faltered going from the lead to the tail-end of the field in a single lap. Bowe had inherited the lead but his day ended with mechanical woes as well; handing the lead over to Jesse Gleason. Chris “Moose” Douton found himself in the second position. In the closing laps, Douton had caught the bumper of the leader Gleason. Gleason was up for the challenge to score his first win of the season. Douton settled for second over Sundeen, Gerald Sevigny, and Coates.
Brian Sullivan of S. Windsor, CT, continued to set the bar in the TIS Modified division with another win on Thursday night. The TIS Modified main event, too, was marred by an opening lap incident. Outside pole-sitter Jay Sundeen lost the handle on his TIS Modified sending the field scattering in turn two. After a complete restart, point leader Sullivan rocketed into the lead. R.J. Marcotte was all over the back bumper of Sullivan. Boss ran alone in the third position.
Both Brian Tagg and Cam McDermott were mired in traffic back in the pack. At the halfway marker, John Studley made contact with the outside wall. This freed up the lane for Tagg to start making his way toward the front. Tagg took over the fourth spot from Bart Ramos and looked to hunt down Boss. In the waning laps Sullivan was able to open up a slight advantage over Marcotte. Boss was secure in the third place as Tagg could do little to cut down the margin.
In the end, Sullivan was able to extend his point lead with his sixth victory of the season. Marcotte came home the runner-up over Boss. Tagg and Ramos rounded out the top five.
Randy Churchill of Niantic, CT, scored his second straight Mini Stock feature victory over point leader Scott Michalski in a photo-finish. The duo went door-to-door over the final laps with Churchill taking the top spot by mere inches over Sc. Michalski.
With early leader Jeff Moffat at the head of the pack in the early going things were busy inside the top five. Churchill had already worked his way into the second spot before the completion of lap five. Brad Caddick spun from the fourth position to bring out the event’s first caution. Steve Michalski was penalized for his involvement in the incident. On the restart Moffat was able to maintain his advantage. But less than a lap later, Churchill catapulted into the lead bringing Sc. Michalski along for the ride. Tim Taylor had caught Moffat before the second caution flew for a single car incident involving Nick Anderson.
On the ensuing restart, Sc. Michalski was able to get the advantage; however, when they crossed the stripe to complete the lap Churchill edged ahead by inches. Over the final laps, the two ran door-to-door while Moffat had his hands full holding off Taylor. The duo headed out of turn four coming to the checkers in a dead-heat. Churchill motored toward the checkers; edging out Sc. Michalski for the win. Moffat held on for the third spot. Taylor and Scott Jassaume completed the top five.
Sunoco Modified Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Ted Christopher, Plainville, CT; 2. Ronnie Silk, Norwalk, CT; 3. Keith Rocco, Wallingford, CT; 4. Woody Pitkat, Stafford, CT; 5. Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon, PA; 6. Kerry Malone, Needham, MA; 7. Danny Cates, Chaplin, CT; 8. Tim Sullivan, S. Windsor, CT; 9. Ryan Preece, Kensington, CT; 10. Andy Gaspar, Andover, MA.
Super Late Model Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Rick Fuller, Auburn, MA; 2. Jim Banfield, S. Glastonbury, CT; 3. Dennis Maxfield, Fitchburg, MA; 4. Derek Ramstrom, Worcester, MA; 5. Mike O’Sullivan, Springfield, MA; 6. Larry Gelinas, Buxton, ME; 7. Norm Wrenn, Nashua, NH; 8. George Bessette, Danbury, CT; 9. Mike Stefanik, Coventry, RI; 10. Daryl Stampfl, Norwood, MA.
Late Model Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Tommy O’Sullivan, Springfield, MA; 2. Mark Oliveira, Blackstone, MA; 3. Corey Hutchings, Salem, CT; 4. Jeff Hartwell, E. Putnam, CT; 5. Tom Fox, Plainfield, CT; 6. Jeremy Sadowski, Voluntown, CT; 7. Randy Waterman, Killingly, CT; 8. Dennis Stampfl, Norwood, MA; 9. Phil Rondeau, Baltic, CT; 10. Damon Tinio, Mendon, MA.
Limited Sportsman Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Jesse Gleason, Lisbon, CT; 2. Chris Douton, Waterford, CT; 3. Jay Sundeen, Douglas, MA; 4. Gerald Sevigny, Brooklyn, CT; 5. Joe Coates, Eastford, CT; 6. John Carpenter, Danielson, CT; 7. Mike Palin, Dudley, MA; 8. J.P. Lwoinski, Jr., Milford, MA; 9. Dana Young, Willimantic, CT; 10. Joe Plonski, Worcester, MA.
TIS Modified Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Brian Sullivan, S. Windsor, CT; 2. R.J. Marcotte, Millville, MA; 3. Glen Boss, Danielson, CT; 4. Brian Tagg, Oxford, CT; 5. Bart Ramos, Putnam, CT; 6. Cam McDermott, Scituate, MA; 7. John Michael Shenette, Thompson, CT; 8. Jeff Barrows, Worcester, MA; 9. John Studley, Framingham, MA; 10. Jay Sundeen, Douglas, MA.
Mini Stock Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Randy Churchill, Niantic, CT; 2. Scott Michalski, S. Killingly, CT; 3. Jeff Moffat, Warwick, RI; 4. Tim Taylor, Wauregan, CT; 5. Scott Jassaume, Danielson, CT; 6.Mike Gorgievski, Auburn, MA; 7. Brad Caddick, New London, CT; 8. Steve Michalski, Brooklyn, CT; 9. Chuck Rogers, Quaker Hill, CT; 10. Mike Viens, Seekonk, MA.
Sources: Dale Wolbrink/Thompson International Speedway PR