Whelen Modified Tour Set to Qualify for Final Race of the Season at Thompson; Gentes and Carey Pick Up Late Model Heat Wins
Thompson, Conn — Nine divisions completed qualifying races Friday night to set the stage for the biggest weekend of racing in New England – Thompson Speedway’s World Series of Stock Car racing.
The New England Truck Series, Mini Stocks, Late Models, Limited Sportsman, Outlaw Street Stocks, Pro 4 Modifieds, Outlaw Mini Stocks, Lite Modifieds and Outlaw Sportsman all ran their heat races in front of a healthy crowd of enthusiastic race fans.
Highlighting the on-track action were victories by Rick Gentes and Tom Carey III in the Late Model division. The Lite Modifieds boasted a season record car count with Glenn Griswold and Scott MacMichael nailing down heat wins.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour gets qualifying underway Saturday afternoon beginning at 2:30. The event kicks off a long and storied history between Thompson Speedway and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. It marks the 123rd WMT race at the track – the most in the 29-year history of the tour.
Several drivers will by vying for the fastest time including Mike Stefanik of Coventry, RI, who will be looking to add to his series-leading record of nine poles at Thompson Speedway. Stefanik won the WMT portion of World Series weekend in 1998 and 2004, and more recently scored the season-opening Icebreaker win earlier this year. That win came off the heels of a solid qualifying effort that put him on the pole for the start of the race. He currently sits 4th in the points.
Ryan Preece will also be looking for a strong start to the weekend with a solid qualifying effort Saturday afternoon. His championship hopes are on the line at Thompson as he leads defending NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Champion Doug Coby by 26 points heading into this final event of the season. He can clinch the title with a finish of 22nd or better. Coby, who has two wins (including the non-points UNOH Showdown) at Thompson Speedway, will be a force to reckon with over the weekend as he attempts to overcome Preece for his second consecutive title.
Qualifying action is also slated for the Sunoco Modifieds, the Granite State Pro Stock Series, the Valenti Modified Racing Series, NEMA Midgets, and the ISMA Super Modifieds directly following the conclusion of NWMT time trials Saturday afternoon.
The Valenti Modified Racing Series takes the green flag for their 75-lap feature event Saturday night. Feature races for the New England Truck Series, Mini Stocks, Late Models, Limited Sportsman, Outlaw Street Stocks, Pro 4 Modifieds, the Outlaw Mini Stocks, Lite Modifieds and Outlaw Sportsman are also on tap.
Grandstands open at 9 a.m. with final practice commencing the day’s activities.
Sources: Penny Aicardi/Thompson International Speedway PR