Spotlight on Xtra/Mart Limited Sportsman Division this Thursday
Thompson, CT — The Xtra/Mart Limited Sportsman division will take center stage this week at the Thompson International Speedway. This exciting division will be the first of the track’s NASCAR Whelen All-American Series divisions to face an extra distance feature event this season.
The 30-lap main for the Limited Sportsman is the longest race of the season for these cars and is seen as the race to win each and every year. Last year’s winner, Chris “Moose” Douton, won the event in a car he borrowed from Jesse Gleason but Douton is not expected to defend his title since during the off-season he made the move up to the Sunoco Modified division at Thompson.
That is not to say, however, that the competition will be any less fierce. This very competitive division has seen only one repeat winner in 2012 and a number of race teams are in a position to claim this big win. The owner of last year’s winning car is this year’s points leader. Jesse Gleason Holds a slim 6 points advantage over two-time winner Scott Sundeen and Art Moran, III who are locked in a points tie going into this week’s 30-lap event. Jason Chicolas and Corey Fanning are only a few points behind in this very tight race. Add former champion, Ed Puleo and other top competitors like Mark Jenison and Tom Shea and you’ve got a recipe for some truly outstanding competition.
The driver who holds the most wins in the Xtra/Mart Limited Sportsman division, Larry Barnett, told Thompson officials that if he could get his famous # 73 ready, he would like to compete in the division’s premier race of the year. Barnett started the season with a move to the open wheel Modifieds.
Joining the Xtra/Mart Limited Sportsman will be Thompson’s Sunoco Modifieds, Thompson Modifieds, the LKQ/Keystone Lite Modifieds, Late Models and Monster Mini Stocks. Qualifying races begin at 6 PM with features getting underway by 7 PM.
Thompson’s web site contains full schedule information along with current points standings for each NASCAR Whelen All-American Series division. www.thompsonspeedway.com.
Sources: Russ Dowd/Thompson International Speedway PR