Sullivan, Churchill, St. Germain & Andersen Scored Feature Victories to Open Thompson’s 2009 World Series
Thompson, CT — Friday of the Thompson International Speedway XtraMart World Series of Speedway Racing is traditionally reserved for qualifying for a host of regular Thompson divisions and the always varied and exciting Outlaw divisions. In an effort to be proactive with a less than stellar forecast, Speedway Management decided to run feature events for the ARTS Truck Series, the SK Lights, TIS Modifieds, and Mini Stocks.
After post race technical inspection, John St. Germain of West Sand Lake, NY, was scored as the winner of the ARTS Trucks. Brit Andersen of Branford, CT, scored the victory in the SK Lights Modifieds. TIS Modified champion Brian Sullivan of S. Windsor, CT, put an exclamation point on his 2009 season with a victory at the World Series. Randy Churchill of Niantic, CT, continued his prowess in the Mini Stocks with a win.
When the checkered flag flew it looked as if rookie Brandon Warren of Chicopee, MA, had scored his second consecutive ARTS victory. After refusing technical inspection, John St. Germain of West Sand Lake, NY, was credited with the victory to kick-off the 2009 World Series feature race action. Germain jumped out to take the early lead in the 20 lap main event. While Andy Lindeman was making his way to the runner-up position, St. Germain was distancing himself from the rest of the field. Chris Correll ran in the third position being closely pursued by Howard Payne.
Just shy of halfway marker, the battle for second began to heat up between Lindeman, Correll, and Payne. As the three ran nose to tail, St. Germain was able to maintain his near straightaway lead.
Correll encountered problems in turn two just after taking the crossed flags. Correll was able to keep his truck moving. Further back in the pack, Tony Naglieri had problems to ultimately bring out the caution. Going back to the last completed green flag lap, Correll was able to get his spot back.
On the ensuing restart, front row restarters St. Germain and Lindeman made substantial contact right under the flag stand. Fourth running Payne was also collected in the incident. Correll went from spinning on lap 10 to being the new leader on the second attempt at the same lap restart.
Warren grabbed the top spot away from Correll exiting turn two of lap 10. Contact between a host of trucks inside the top five had trouble on the restart allowing St. Germain to streak through the field. By lap 12, St. Germain was already back into the second position and searching for more. Payne had worked his way into the third spot as Correll continued to fall through the pack.
In the closing laps, Payne had caught St. Germain; giving Warren the breathing room he needed to apparently grab the win. Payne jockeyed behind St. Germain but could not muster up a pass. Warren took the checkers but it was St. Germain getting the win. Payne, Lindeman, Correll, and Richie Brooks rounded out the top five.
By virtue of his victory, St. Germain earned Rookie-of-the-Year honors. The third-place finish was enough to give Andy Lindeman the 2009 ARTS Truck Series championship.
After being extended an invitation to run at the World Series, the Stafford Speedway regular division put on a great show with Brit Andersen of Branford, CT, taking down the inaugural victory. Earl Pelletier jumped out to the early lead from his pole starting position. Kyle Spencer took over the second position from Erica Santos before hunting down Pelletier. Andersen was looking to make his move into the top-three; racing wheel-to-wheel with Santos. Up front, Spencer was glued to the back bumper of Pelletier. Santos and Andersen continued to run side-by-side.
Spencer made the cross-over move exiting turn four to take the lead from Pelletier. Andersen was able to take the position away from Santos on the same lap. Andersen continued his march to the front grabbing the second position from Pelletier. On lap eight, Andersen was all over the back bumper of Spencer. Pelletier settled into the third spot while Santos had her hands full with Michael Gervais, Jr.
Andersen was the new leader by lap 13. A spin by Shawn Brule brought out the caution on lap 14. After one failed attempt at the restart, Andersen was able to motor away from Pelletier. Over the last green flag run, the hottest battle of the field was between Eric Santos and Pelletier.
Andersen cruised to the checkers ahead of Spencer. Santos beat Pelletier to the stripe to score a podium finish. Pelletier finished the event in fourth position. Gervais crossed the line fifth but was found to be in violation of the rules. Raymond Grassetti was credited with fifth.
In the TIS Modified division, Brian Sullivan picked up where he left off in the regular season. The newly crown champion turned his pole starting position into a ten-car length advantage. Behind the leader, Brian Tagg ran with Cam McDermott and John Studley in tow.
With Sullivan handily out front, the remainder of the top five ran nose to tail as Shane Michalski joined the fray. Tagg maintain second over McDermott and Studley. The caution flew on lap on lap 15 when Ryan Morgan, making his first TIS start, made hard contact with the outside wall in turn three. On the restart Sullivan was able to retain his lead but he had his hands full with Tagg. Michalski was able to grab the fourth spot from Studley on the restart.
Michalski looked to be making a bid on McDermott but settled back in line. After the initial onslaught, Tagg settled in behind Sullivan as well. Sullivan went on to score his seventh victory of the season. Tagg capped off a great season with a runner-up finish. Michalski and Studley completed the top five.
Randy Churchill of Niantic, CT, ended the regular season with a Mini Stock victory. He started the World Series off by leading the opening laps of the Mini Stock main event. He finished off the run with the victory over a strong 21 car field.
Under green, Chuck Rogers began to run down leader Churchill. Eric Bourgeois was looking racy working over Bert Ouellette for third. Chad Baxter looked to join the action as well; catching Bourgeois.
At halfway, Churchill had, again, managed to gain a little breathing room on Rogers, who fell into the grasp of Ouellette. Publicover had joined the tight pack from second on back. As Churchill entered lap traffic, the action was really heating up inside the top-five.
Bourgeois got along side Ouellette but could not make the pass. He found himself playing defense instead of offense as Baxter looked to take the spot away. Baxter was able to free himself from Bourgeois and set his sites on Ouellette. Publicover was followed in Baxter’s tire tracks.
Contact between Ouellette and Baxter on the final lap sent the Ouellette spinning in turn two. The field raced to the checkers with Churchill scoring his fourth win of the season. Rogers came home second ahead of Publicover On the track, Baxter was scored fourth. His racer failed inspection giving Bourgeois the fourth spot over Jeff Moffat inside the top five.
A complete schedule of practice followed by a great line-up of feature events is scheduled for World Series Saturday. Qualifying is highlighted by time trials for the Whelen Modified Tour and heat races for the ISMA Supermodifieds and NEMA Midgets. Heat races are also scheduled for the Sunoco Modifieds, Super Late Models and Late Models. The feature action is set to include for the Pro-Four Modifieds, Limited Sportsman, Outlaw Late Models, Outlaw Mini Stocks, and Outlaw Strictly Stocks. For a complete line-up for both Saturday and Sunday log on to thompsonspeedway.com.
ART Trucks Feature Finish (Top Five): 1. John St. Germain, West Sand Lake, NY; 2. Howard Payne, Shelton, CT; 3. Andy Lindeman, Poestenkill, NY; 4. Chris Correll, Old Lyme, CT; 5. Richie Brooks, Groton, CT.
SK Light Feature Finish (Top Five): 1. Brit Andersen, Branford, CT; 2. Kyle Spencer, Montgomery, MA; 3. Erica Santos, Franklin, MA; 4. Earl Pelletier, Wolcott, CT; 5. Raymond Grassetti, Monson, MA
TIS Modified Feature Finish: 1. Brian Sullivan, S. Windsor, CT; 2. Brian Tagg, Oxford, MA; 3. Cam McDermott, Scituate, RI; 4. Shane Michalski, Woodstock, MA; 5. John Studley, Framingham, MA; 6. Jay Sundeen, Douglas, MA; 7. John Michael Shenette, Thompson, CT; 8. Ryan Morgan, Mystic, CT; 9. Denis Leger, North Reading, MA.
Mini Stock Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Randy Churchill, Niantic, CT; 2. Chuck Rogers, Quaker Hill, CT; 3. Andy Publicover, Sudbury, MA; 4. Eric Bourgeois, E. Haddam, CT; 5. Jeff Moffat, Warwick, RI: 6. Steve Michalski, Brooklyn, CT; 7. Mike Viens, Seekonk, MA; 8. Mike Gorgievski, Auburn, MA; 9. Roger Ducharme, Foster, RI; 10. Ian Brew, Wood River Junction, RI.
Sources: Dale Wolbrink/Thompson International Speedway PR