LaBastie Scores First Career Thompson Modified Victory; Noll Wins In N.E. Truck Series
Thompson, CT — Duane Noll dominated the 20-lap New England Truck Series race at Thompson International Speedway Thursday night while Chad LaBastie earned his first career Thompson Modified win in NASCAR Whelen All-American Series action. Other winners included Ryan Preece in the Sunoco Modifieds, Cam McDermott in the Lite Modifieds, John Falconi in the Late Model division, Steve Kenneway in the Limited Sportsman division, and Scott Michalski in the Monster Mini Stocks. Paul LaPlante won the Antique Racers feature event.
Duane Noll put his Thompson experience to use as he dominated the 20-lap New England Truck Series race to take the checkers and extend his point lead in the division. Noll took the early lead from Nate Bubello at the start of the New England Truck Series race with Jason Lafayette close behind in third. The trio pulled away from the rest of the field as Corey Coates moved into the fourth spot more than a second behind them. The first caution flew at lap eight when Mike Ledoux and Daniel McGouran made contact on the front stretch. Noll drove right back out front as Lafayette used the bottom groove to get by Bubello for second. Coates moved into third as Bubello fought unsuccessfully to hold on to fourth. Noll dominated out front as Coates looked for a way around Lafayette – first looking high, and then low. Finally, at lap 17, Coates dropped to the bottom and tried to maneuver his No. 75 machine in alongside Lafayette, but Lafayette shut the door. Noll went unchallenged at the checkers while Lafayette held on for second and Coates in third.
Ryan Preece earned his sixth win of the season after driving out to almost a half a lap lead over the rest of the field. Dennis Perry took the top spot at the start with Kerry Malone attached to his bumper and Ryan Preece in third. On lap four, Todd Ceravolo challenged Preece by diving to the bottom. Preece retaliated by going high and drove around Malone for the second spot. Preece’s charge wasn’t finished, however, and on lap five, he drove by Perry for the lead. Perry held on to second while Ceravolo took over third. On lap seven, Ceravolo went by Perry for second, but caution flew just moments later slowing their pace. On the restart, Preece drove right back out front followed by Ceravolo and Malone. Coming up through the field, however, was Bobby Santos running in the sixth place. Preece stretched out his lead over Ceravolo as Santos charged by Malone on lap 16 to take over the third spot. Preece was on fire and, despite lapped traffic, continued to hold a dominating advantage over the rest of the field and went on to the checkers unchallenged.
John Falconi battled a loose racecar in the final laps of the Late Model feature, but held off a hard charging Tommy O’Sullivan to checker the division for the second straight week. Damon Tinio shot out to the lead at the start of the 25-lap feature while a spin in turn four brought the field under caution. Tinio repeated his performance and went back out to the front on the restart with a determined Falconi on his tail. Entering turn one of lap two, Falconi dropped to the bottom and drove by for the lead with Tinio holding off O’Sullivan for the second spot. Tinio kept the nose of his No. 45 machine on Falconi’s bumper as O’Sullivan was able to find a hole and use the bottom groove to get by on lap four for second. O’Sullivan closed in on Falconi as the laps ticked off, and on lap 11 dropped to the bottom to challenge for the lead. Falconi shut the door and O’Sullivan settled back in behind him with Tinio about five car lengths behind in third. On lap 15, O’Sullivan got underneath Falconi, but like before, Falconi held him off and continued to lead. O’Sullivan continued his efforts lap after lap as Larry Gelinas put the pressure on Tinio for third. On lap 22, Gelinas went low and maneuvered his way into the third position. Up front, O’Sullivan continued to try and find away around Falconi, but Falconi was too strong and drove on to the victory.
Chad LaBastie earned his first career win in the Thompson Modified division after holding off John Lowinski-Loh in the final laps of the 20-lap feature. Brian Tagg led the field into turn one at the start of the race, but LaBastie used the outside groove to drive by for the lead coming out of turn two. Danny Gamache, Jr. drove by Tagg for second as Jay Sundeen took over third. Lowinski-Loh was quickly approaching as he emerged from a three-car battle in the fourth spot. Lowinski-Loh challenged Sundeen for third using the outside groove, but Sundeen held him off. On lap seven, Lowinski-Loh tried on the bottom, but Sundeen, again, shut the door. LaBastie continued to pull away as the battle for third continued between Sundeen and Lowinski-Loh, with Lowinski-Loh getting up alongside Sundeen on lap 11. Sundeen inched head entering the third turn, but Lowinski-Loh pulled ahead to take over the spot coming out of turn two of lap 12. The first caution flew at lap 13 when Sundeen got into the wall in turn one. LaBastie had to fight hard at the drop of the green as Gamache game him a run heading into turns one and two. LaBastie came out ahead by a nose when Lowinski-Loh made a charge and passed Gamache for the second spot. LaBastie continued to lead, but with a rear view mirror full of Lowinski-Loh, and on lap 16, Lowinski-Loh dropped to the bottom in turn one and made a challenge. LaBastie held him off, but Lowinski-Loh was not about to make it easy. Lowinski-Loh kept the heat on over the final two laps as LaBastie drove on to the victory.
Cam McDermott won for the third straight week and the eighth time this year in the Lite Modified division after taking the lead from Troy Talman for the final time at lap 12. Eric LeClair took the lead from Nikki Ouellette at the start, but caution quickly slowed their progress when Ouellette spun to the infield grass on the backstretch on lap one. LeClair went back out front on the restart, but quickly had to contend with Talman, who took the lead away on lap two. McDermott followed his line and took over the second position before the duo pulled away from the rest of the field. On lap three, McDermott dropped low and took the lead away from Talman, who quickly retaliated and reclaimed the lead. The two swapped the lead again before Talman settled in out front at lap seven. McDermott went low on lap eight in turns three and four to challenge Talman, but Talman shut the door. McDermott challenged again at lap 10 with Talman holding him off by a nose at the line. The two continued their door-to-door battle with McDermott coming out on top at the completion of lap 12. Once out front, McDermott put some distance over Talman – stretching it out to ten carlengths before Talman’s No. 3 machine came out from underneath him and spun in the middle of turns three and four. McDermott chose the outside lane for the restart at lap 15 and drove right back out front despite some pressure from Corey Barry into turn one. Once out front, McDermott was unstoppable and drove on to the checkered flag.
Steve Kenneway secured his first win of the season in the Limited Sportsman division after taking the lead on a lap 12 restart. Kevin Bowe drove out to the lead at the start, but was spun after contact sent the rear of his machine around. Lloyd Anderson, Jr. inherited the top spot for the restart with Corey Fanning right beside him. Fanning had the advantage going into turn one and drove to the lead as Kenneway got by Anderson for second. Tom Shea and Jason Chicolas raced side-by-side for the fourth spot with Shea winning the battle and immediately mounting a challenge on Anderson for third. Jesse Gleason got in the mix and drove underneath Shea on lap four to take over third by a nose. Sundeen used his line to take over fourth. Fanning continued to lead out front, but Kenneway, Gleason, and Sundeen were closing in quick. At lap 11, Kenneway made his move and dropped to the bottom to challenge out of turn four. The duo was side-by-side across the line, but Fanning held the advantage by a nose as they went through turns one and two. A multi-car crash occurred in turn two involving Art Moran III and Kevin Mason that brought out the caution flag at lap 12. Kenneway got some momentum on Fanning heading into turn one and two on the restart, and drove out to the lead on the backstretch. Fanning then shifted his focus to the challenges of Gleason, who took over second coming out of turn four of lap 14. Gleason was cutting down Kenneway’s lead, but had a fast-approaching Scott Sundeen to shift his focus to. On lap 18, Sundeen made his move and drove underneath Gleason in attempt to take over second. Gleason shut the door on his challenge as Kenneway drove straight to the checkers.
Scott Michalski won the Mini Stock feature event after a last-lap move on Steve Violette put him out front at the checkers. Steve Michalski jumped to the lead at the drop of the green with Travis Jurcik cementing himself in the second position. On lap four, Eric Bourgeois dove to the bottom to challenge Mike Veins for the third position. The duo ran side-by-side before Bourgeois went underneath Jurcik to take over the second position on lap six. On lap seven, Bourgeois continued his march by using the bottom lane to drive by Michalski coming out of turn two for the lead. Dave Trudeau, who had attached himself to Bourgeois’ bumper, came right up through with him to take over second. On lap nine, coming out of turn four, Trudeau made his move on Bourgeois and the two made contact allowing Steve Violette to take over the lead. Trudeau and Bourgeois were able to continue on without bringing out the caution, but at the tail end of the field. Scott Michalski pressured Violette for several laps, and made dove low coming into turn four to challenge. Michalski made contact with Violette and spun to the infield grass while Michalski went on to take the checkers.
Paul LaPlante took the lead from pole sitter Ron St. Germain and went on to win the Antique Racers feature event. St. Germain drove out to the front at the drop of the green flag, but out of nowhere, LaPlante bolted ahead into the top spot using the outside groove out of turn two to officially lead the first lap. Art Chartier used the same line to take over second place as St. Germain got hung up on the inside groove in third. Bill Gummins powered by St. Germain and Chartier to take over the second position and set his sights on LaPlante, who was running three car lengths ahead at the halfway mark. On lap nine, LaPlante began to lap the field as Gummins stayed tight in his rear view mirror. Gummins never got enough momentum to challenge, however, and LaPlante went on to the checkered flag.
NEW ENGLAND TRUCK SERIES FEATURE FINISH: 1. Duane Noll, Monroe, CT; 2. Jason Lafayette, Somers, CT; 3. Corey Coates, Ledyard, CT; 4. Gee Perry, Grandby, CT; 5. Nate Bubello, Holliston, MA; 6. Chris Correll, Montville, CT; 7. Derek Chriss, Averill Park, NY; 8. Roger Turbush, Riverhead, NY; 9. Bert Ouellette, Dayville, CT; 10. Daniel McGouran, Westerly, RI.
SUNOCO MODIFIED FEATURE RESULTS: 1. Ryan Preece, Berlin, CT; 2. Todd Ceravolo, Gales Ferry, CT; 3. Bobby Santos, Franklin, MA; 4. Richie Gallup, Feeding Hills, MA; 5. Dennis Perry, Pawcatuck, CT; 6. Rick Shawn, Bradford, RI; 7. Kerry Malone, Needham, MA; 8. Wayne Arute, Meriden, CT; 9. Ron D’Alessandro, East Hartford, CT; 10. George Wilkinson, Pawcatuck, CT.
LATE MODEL FEATURE FINISH: 1. John Falconi, Oakham, MA; 2. Tommy O’Sullivan, Wilbraham, MA; 3. Larry Gelinas, Buxton, ME; 4. Damon Tinio, Mendon, MA; 5. Randy Tucker, Millis, MA; 6. Jared Materas, Palmer, MA; 7. Ryan Waterman, Danielson, CT; 8. Robert O’Connell, Jr., Wrentham, MA; 9. Mike Scorzelli, Malta, NY; 10. Wayne Coury, Milford, CT (DNS).
LITE MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH: 1. Cam McDermott, Scituate, RI; 2. Corey Barry, Plainfield, CT; 3. Troy Talman, Oxford, MA; 4. Eric LeClair, Easthampton, MA; 5. Nikki Ouellette, East Granby, CT; 6. Shawn Brule, W. Thompson, CT.
THOMPSON MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH: 1. Chad LaBastie, Uxbridge, MA; 2. John Lowinski-Loh, Milford, MA; 3. Danny Gamache, Jr., Woonsocket, RI; 4. Ryan Morgan, Mystic, CT; 5. Brian Tagg, Oxford, MA; 6. Jay Sundeen, Douglas, MA.
LIMITED SPORTSMAN FEATURE FINISH: 1. Steve Kenneway, Lowell, MA; 2. Jesse Gleason, Lisbon, CT; 3. Scott Sundeen, Douglas, MA; 4. Corey Fanning, Mapleville, RI; 5. Tom Shea, New London, CT; 6. Jason Chicolas, Sutton, MA; 7. Mark Jenison, Warwick, RI; 8. Mike Palin, Dudley, MA; 9. Matt Lowinski-Loh, Milford, MA; 10. Bill McNeil, Putnam, CT.
MINI STOCK FEATURE FINISH: 1. Scott Michalski, S. Killingly, CT; 2. Travis Jurcik, Chaplin, CT; 3. Steve Michalski, Brooklyn, CT; 4. Joe Baxter, Pascoag, RI; 5. Chad Baxter, Pascoag, RI; 6. Louis Bellisle III, Lisbon, CT; 7. Mike Viens, Seekonk, MA; 8. Brad Caddick, Wyoming, RI; 9. Alicia Thatcher, Pascoag, RI; 10. Nick Anderson, Oxford, MA.
ANTIQUE RACERS FEATURE FINISH: 1. Paul LaPlante, Cumberland, RI; 2. Bill Cummins, Clinton, MA; 3. Art Chartier, Douglas, MA; 4. Ron St. Germain, Rochdale, MA; 5. Charlie Wilcox, Dayville, CT; 6. Fred Levanie, No. Easton, MA.
Sources: Penny Aicardi/Thompson International Speedway PR