Mike O’Sullivan Wins 50-Lap Super Late Model Race; Lowinski-Loh’s Win Streak Ended
Thompson, CT — Jason Chicolas added his name to this season’s win column in the Limited Sportsman division during Thompson Thursday Night Thunder. Other winners in NASCAR Whelen All American Series action included Keith Rocco in the Sunoco Modified division, Tommy O’Sullivan in the Late Models, and Mike O’Sullivan in a special 50-lap Super Late Model race. Jay Sundeen won an exciting contest with John Lowinski-Loh, Jr. that resulted in both drivers coming across the finish line sideways in the Thompson Modified feature. Cam McDermott and Dave Trudeau were winners in their divisions.
Keith Rocco earned his second victory of the season after taking the lead from Kerry Malone on a restart at lap five. Malone took the early lead with Rocco and Dennis Perry on his bumper. Malone had just pulled away when the first caution of the night flew for Perry, who lost the right front on his machine. Malone and Rocco brought the field back to green on the restart with Rocco taking the lead out of turn one. Malone, Ryan Preece, and Ted Christopher rounded out the top-four as they all pulled away from the rest of the field. On lap eight, Preece dove to the bottom groove heading into turn one and drove by Malone, who was left to fend with the challenges of Christopher. Preece set his sights on Rocco, who had pulled ahead to a comfortable five-car length lead as Christopher drove by Malone for the third spot. Rocco greeted lapped traffic at the halfway mark with Preece closing up some of Rocco’s lead, but it was still all Rocco up front. The race went caution-free as Rocco drove to the checkers unchallenged.
Tommy O’Sullivan continued his dominance of the Late Model division by earning his seventh season victory and his fourth straight in as many weeks. John Falconi was challenged at the start by Randy Tucker as they started a side-by-side battle that lasted the entire first lap. Falconi came out on top heading into turn one with Tommy O’Sullivan taking up real estate on the outside groove to challenge Tucker for the second spot. The two fought door-to-door with O’Sullivan taking the position by a nose at the line. Mike Scorzelli got into the mix when he passed Tucker for the third spot on lap five in turn two. Tucker spun in turn four bringing out the first caution of the night. On the restart, Falconi jumped ahead of O’Sullivan, but O’Sullivan fought back on the outside line and reclaimed the lead by a nose. O’Sullivan continued to get pressure from Falconi on the inside, but the intimidation wasn’t slowing him down. On lap nine, the two started banging doors, but they continued to race for the lead with Falconi taking over the top spot at the completion of lap 12. Once out front, Falconi was able to get some breathing room and settled comfortably in the lead. As Falconi approached a lapped car on lap 16 in turn four, O’Sullivan closed in and dove to the inside to make a challenge. Falconi held his ground, but O’Sullivan got the momentum to get up alongside the No. 10 machine and reclaim the lead as they completed 18 laps. Meanwhile, Damon Tinio passed Mike Scorzelli for the third position and was reeling in the top two cars. O’Sullivan held off Falconi at the finish with Tinio rounding out the top three.
[Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto
Mike O’Sullivan led flag to flag in the 50-lap Super Late Model feature and dominated the caution-free event to earn his first victory of the season. O’Sullivan used the outside groove to get by Derek Ramstrom at the start of the feature event, and immediately put three car lengths over the No. 35. Jim Banfield, Larry Gelinas, and Colbey Fournier rounded out the top-five. Ramstrom closed in on O’Sullivan by lap 12. Ramstrom sat patiently behind O’Sullivan as the race reached the halfway mark, but behind them, Gelinas was making his move on Banfield. Gelinas took his No. 48 machine deep into turn three to take over third as the two came to the start/finish line with 26 laps complete. O’Sullivan continued to command the race up front with Ramstrom in tow. The duo approached lapped traffic at lap 39 allowing Gelinas to close some of the distance between himself and the second position, but no one was able to stop O’Sullivan’s dominance.
Cam McDermott earned his sixth victory of the season in the Lite Modified feature event after leading wire-to-wire in the 15-lap feature. McDermott sprung to the lead ahead of Nikki Ouellette at the start of the race with Troy Talman moving into second place. McDermott had pulled out to an authoritative lead as Talman chased him down throughout the race. Time ran out, however, and McDermott easily soared to the checkers with ease.
Jason Chicolas earned his first win of the season in the Limited Sportsman feature after an intense battle with Steve Kenneway that lasted several laps. Bill McNeil drove straight to the front at the drop of the green with Corey Fanning holding off Kevin Bowe and Lloyd Anderson, Jr. for second. Kenneway got by Anderson for third with Chicolas following his line into fourth on the second circuit. Kenneway started to pressure Fanning for the second position, and dove to the low groove on lap seven to take over the spot, but soon had to contend with Chicolas in a side-by-side battle at lap nine. Kenneway held off Chicolas as McNeil drove his own race, unchallenged, out front. On lap 11, Chicolas and Kenneway were side-by-side again in an exciting battle that resulted in Chicolas driving into the lead as McNeil dropped midway into the pack. Chicolas pulled ahead to a commanding lead as the battle for second heated up with Jesse Gleason and Art Moran following Chicolas to the checkers.
Jay Sundeen ended a six-race winning streak by John Lowinski-Loh, Jr. in the Thompson Modified 20-lap feature. Sundeen took the checkers sideways after late-race contact with Lowinski-Loh coming out of turn four. Brian Tagg drove to the front at the drop of the green, but Sundeen was fast approaching as he passed Ryan Morgan for the second position before they got out of turns one and two. On lap two, Sundeen dove to the bottom after passing the start/finish line and drove by Tagg heading into turn one. On lap four, Morgan and Tagg made contact on the backstretch and brought out the caution. Sundeen drove back out to the lead on the restart with Danny Gamache, Jr. trailing close behind in second and Danny Gamache, Jr. in third. Lowinski-Loh started his progression to the front on lap six when he went to the bottom of Gamache heading into turn one and took over the position. Sundeen, meanwhile, pulled ahead by five car lengths over the rest of the field. On lap nine, Lowinski-Loh reeled in Sundeen and was within a car length of Sundeen. At lap 13, Lowinski-Loh was on Sundeen’s bumper and looking for a way into the lead. Lap-after-lap, however, Sundeen held him off despite the pressure, and on the final lap, Lowinski-Loh made a last lap attempt. The two drivers made contact, and Sundeen came across the line to receive the checkers before the two spun into the infield grass.
Dave Trudeau scored his third consecutive win by edging out his nephew, Travis Jurcik, in the Monster Mini Stock feature. Brad Caddick challenged Jurcik on the start, but Jurcik quickly closed the door and went to the front. Steve Violette and Trudeau took over second and third and the trio ran nose-to-tail. On lap three, Trudeau took the outside groove to challenge Violette for second and took the position coming out of turn four. Trudeau wasn’t finished, however, and began to look for a way around Jurcik as Eric Bourgeois dove low in a bid for third. On lap seven, Trudeau used the bottom groove to make a move on Jurcik. The two ran door-to-door through the corners with Jurcik only holding on by a nose at the completion of lap seven. On the following circuit (lap 8), Trudeau got the advantage and took over the lead.
SUNOCO MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH: 1. Keith Rocco, Meriden, CT; 2. Ryan Preece, Berlin, CT; 3. Ted Christopher, Plainville, CT; 4. Kerry Malone, Needham, MA; 5. Richie Gallup, Feeding Hills, MA; 6. Adam Norton, Brookfield, MA; 7. Mathew Rzewnicki, Ludlow, MA; 8. Eric LeClair, Easthampton, MA; 9. James Smith, Woodstock, CT; 10. Troy Talman, Oxford, MA.
SUPER LATE MODEL FINISH: 1. Mike O’Sullivan, Springfield, MA; 2. Derek Ramstrom, Worcester, MA; 3. Larry Gelinas, Buxton, ME; 4. Jim Banfield, S. Glastonbury, CT; 5. Dick Houlihan, Bridgewater, MA; 6. George Bessette, Danbury, CT; 7. Jake Vanada, Berkley, MA; 8. Daryl Stampfl, Norwood, MA; 9. Glenn Tyler, Hampton Bays, NY; 10. Greg Nanigian, Braintree, MA.
LATE MODEL FEATURE FINISH: 1. Tommy O’Sullivan, Wilbraham, MA; 2. John Falconi, Oakham, MA; 3. Damon Tinio, Mendon, MA; 4. Mike Scorzelli, Malta, NY; 5. Randy Tucker, Millis, MA; 6. Ryan Waterman, Danielson, CT; 7. Jared Materas, Palmer, MA; 8. Robert O’Connell, Jr., Wrentham, MA.
LITE MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH: 1. Cam McDermott, Scituate, RI; 2. Troy Talman, Oxford, MA; 3. Nikki Ouellette, East Granby, CT; 4. Eric LeClair, Easthampton, MA.
LIMITED SPORTSMAN FEATURE FINISH: 1. Jason Chicolas, Sutton, MA; 2. Jesse Gleason, Lisbon, CT; 3. Art Moran III, Preston, CT; 4. Kevin Mason, W. Warwick, RI; 5. Scott Sundeen, Douglas, MA; 6. Steve Kenneway, Lowell, MA; 7. Corey Fanning, Mapleville, RI; 8. Bill McNeil, Putnam, CT; 9. Kevin Bowe, Pawtucket, RI; 10. Lloyd Anderson, Jr., Wauregan, CT.
THOMPSON MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH: 1. Jay Sundeen, Douglas, MA; 2. John Lowinski-Loh, Jr., Milford, MA; 3. Danny Gamache, Jr., Woonsocket, RI; 4. Ryan Morgan, Mystic, CT; 5. Chad LaBastie, Uxbridge, MA; 6. Brian Tagg, Oxford, MA.
MONSTER MINI FEATURE FINISH: 1. Dave Trudeau, Mansfield, CT; 2. Travis Jurcik, Chaplin, CT; 3. Eric Bourgeois, East Haddam, CT; 4. Steve Violette, Canterbury, CT; 5. Roger Ducharme, Foster, RI; 6. Louis Bellisle III, Versailles, CT; 7. Chad Baxter, Pascoag, RI; 8. Steve Michalski, Brooklyn, CT; 9. Mike Viens, Seekonk, MA; 10. Jim Helger, Rutland, MA.
Sources: Penny Aicardi/Thompson International Speedway PR