Santos Record-Setting WMT Qualifying Effort at Thompson; Ceravolo Makes Triumphant Return; Cipriano Score Saturday Icebreaker Win
Thompson, CT — The 2011 season officially got underway at Thompson International Speedway with day number one of the traditional Icebreaker. In qualifying for the Whelen Modified Tour, Bobby Santos III of Franklin, MA, posted a record-setting lap of 18.237 ET to win the Coors Light Pole with a new track record. In feature racing action, Todd Ceravolo of Gales Ferry, CT, returned to regular weekly racing at Thompson Speedway to score the victory in the Sunoco Modifieds. In Sunoco Lite action, Joey Cipriano of Waterbury, CT, scored a commanding win.
After a one-season hiatus from the Thompson Speedway, Todd Ceravolo came “home” to Thompson in fine fashion winning the first of two Sunoco Modified feature events scheduled for Icebreaker Weekend. At the drop of the green flag, it was a side-by-side battle for the top spot between Woody Pitkat and Keith Rocco. Rocco bobbled entering turn two opening allowing Pitkat to establish himself as the leader. Rocco fell back to the fourth spot. Christopher ran in second followed by Ceravolo.
Pitkat enjoyed a car length advantage over Christopher. Rocco was getting racy with Ceravolo as Ryan Preece, aboard his new ride the #31, joined the mix. John Catania was having a strong run in sixth.
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The front duo of Pitkat and Christopher edged away as Ceravolo and Rocco continued to battle. Preece fell back by several car lengths. Christopher began looking low on Pitkat in the turns at tap 10. There was a bit of contact between Rocco and Ceravolo as the two continued to mix it up for third.
Things settled back down just after the halfway marker with Christopher settling in behind Pitkat and Rocco lined up behind Ceravolo. Preece ran a distance back in fifth. Catania ran alone.
Christopher brushed the outside wall exiting turn four on lap 19. The contact did not faze the defending division champion. Christopher did lose some ground to the leader Pitkat. Rocco had fallen back several car lengths from Ceravolo.
The entire completion of the event changed on lap 23 when the lead duo approached the slower cars of Andy Gaspar and Henry Stampfl. Gaspar and Stampfl were running side-by-side in their own battle for position. Christopher caught Pitkat as he was forced to slow. Pitkat dove low to get around the duo while Christopher went high. Contact in the scuffle ending with both Pitkat and Christopher in the outside wall. The slower car of Andy Gaspar also sustained damage. Christopher was able to rejoin the field.
Ceravolo was pitted against Rocco for the green-white-checker restart. Ceravolo got a great start edging ahead of Rocco. Preece got along side Rocco long enough to give Ceravolo the advantage. Ceravolo took down the victory followed by Rocco, Preece, a recovered Christopher, and Catania inside the top five.
Pole sitter Zach Asklar led the field to green. Joey Cipriano stayed within striking distance. Lap-after-lap Cipriano inched ever closer. With Cipriano in his mirror, Asklar bobbled exiting turn four making hard contact with the outside wall on the front stretch. Earl Pelletier had nowhere to go also making contact with outside wall. Cipriano inherited the lead on the lap three restart. After a brief battle with David Webb, Cipriano settled in as the leader. Cipriano distanced himself for a great battle for second between Webb, Tommy Barrett and John Hanafin.
Barrett passed Webb for second following by Hanafin in fourth. After a string of green flag laps, the cars got strung out with Cipriano enjoying a sizeable advantage. Barrett could not seem to cut into Cipriano’s lead. Webb continued to maintain a comfortable advantage over Hanafin.
In the stretch run to the checkers, Webb had reeled in Barrett making for a great battle for the second spot with only a couple of laps remaining. Webb got the edge on the white flag lap. The two went wheel-to-wheel for the distance of the last lap. Cipriano had cruised to the victory while Barrett and Webb crossed the stripe nearly even. Webb was awarded the runner-up position. Barrett settled for third. Hanafin and Steve Greer rounded out the top five.
Saturday afternoon heat races were held for all six of the Thompson NASCAR Whelen All-American Series divisions plus the visiting Sunoco Lites.
Racing resumes on Sunday, April 10 at Noon with a full-slate of racing. The Sunoco Modifieds will run their second feature of their twin bill. Feature events will also be held for the Super Late Models, Late Models, TIS Modifieds, Limited Sportsman, and Mini Stocks. The season opener will culminate with the running of the Icebreaker 150 for the Whelen Modified Tour. For complete event details contact the Speedway office at 860.923.2280 or online at thompsonspeedway.com.
Sunoco Modified (25-lap) Feature: 1. Todd Ceravolo, Gales Ferry, CT; 2. Keith Rocco, Wallingford, CT; 3. Ryan Preece, Berlin, CT; 4. Ted Christopher, Plainville, CT; 5. John Catania, Agawam, MA; 6. Henry Stampfl, Norwood, MA; 7. Carl Oberg, Sutton, MA; 8. Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs, CT; 9. Andy Gaspar, Andover, CT; 10. Danny Cates, Chaplin, CT; 11. Ricy Shawn, Bradford, CT; 12. Andrew Charron, Thompson, CT.
Sunoco Lite (20 Lap) Feature Finish: 1. Joey Cipriano, Waterbury, CT; 2. David Webb, New Milford, CT; 3. Tommy Barrett, Millis, MA; 4. John Hanafin, Quincy, MA; 5. Steve Greer, Harwinton, CT; 6. Zachary Asklar, Wallingford, CT; 7. Earl Pelletier, Wolcott, CT.
Sources: Dale Wolbrink/Thompson International Speedway PR