Tombarello Continues Run at Lee
Three Titles In Four Years At New Hampshire Short Track
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — With his latest NASCAR Whelen All-American Series track championship performance, Thomas Tombarello Jr. has placed himself among the elite at Lee USA Speedway.
The Haverhill, Massachusetts, native became the fourth driver to earn three NASCAR track titles at Lee. None have won four.
It’s been quite a run for Tombarello at the .375-mile banked asphalt oval in Lee, New Hampshire. His first NASCAR Division I track championship came in 2012 and he repeated a year later. After Jake Stergois won it in 2014, Tombarello ascended to the perch once again this past fall.
A self-employed electrician by day, Tombarello drove his No. 98 Chevrolet to five wins, 12 top fives and 13 top 10s in 14 starts in the EKeys4cars Supermodified division, where he outdistanced runner-up Leslie Keyser 850-755.
“Everybody there is very good and respectful,” Tombarello said. “We really stepped up our game. Having the same team and everybody there every week, we really had our system down pat.”
Tombarello’s brother-in-law, Justin Belfiore, led the effort as the team’s crew chief while George Hanigan, Matt Byrne, Kyle Everett and Joe Janerio all made key contributions.
“The team, and especially my crew chief, really made it happen. All I had to worry about was driving this year,” Tombarello said.
That aspect of the team’s effort was crucial for Tombarello. In addition to being a self-proprietor, Tombarello and his wife also welcomed their first child, Thomas III, in April just before the season started.
With a new fan in the grandstand, Tombarello got a good jump on the competition in 2015 and had all five of his wins in the books by the end of July. With continued top performances down the stretch, he had the title clinched prior to the finale.
As things turned out, it was fortunate that he already had the points championship wrapped up. The front axle broke on his supermodified in the second lap of his heat race in the season finale and destroyed the car, which left him as a spectator.
Tombarello, who also won Lee’s supermodified title in 2010 before the division was elevated to NASCAR Division I, has enjoyed heading north across the Massachusetts-New Hampshire state line to compete weekly at the track through the years.
“I like the speed and I like the atmosphere of the place. It’s very clean and nice” Tombarello said. “The track doesn’t have a lot of grip, but I’ve adapted well and have a good feel for it.”
Tombarello’s 2015 championship effort was fueled by the support of sponsors Law Offices of Eric Brown, Old Stage Campground, Messenger Chiropractic and Little Caesars Pizza of New England.
As for the coming 2016 season, Tombarello’s racing plans have yet to be determined and his new car is still being built after the season finale accident destroyed his old one.
Established in 1982, the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series is NASCAR’s national championship program for weekly short track auto racing. In all, 57 paved and dirt tracks throughout the United States and Canada participated in 2015.
Connecticut-based Whelen Engineering is the series’ title sponsor. Whelen Engineering is a leading manufacturer of automotive, aviation, industrial and emergency vehicle lighting. NASCAR tracks and pace cars are among the many showcases for Whelen products.
Lee will open up its 16-race 2016 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series season on May 27. For more information, please click HERE.
Tombarello’s No. 98 small block supermodified in action at the Granite State oval. Lee USA Speedway
Sources: Jason Cunningham, NASCAR PR
2015 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Track Champions
October 26, 2015 – 1:41pm
TRACK LOCATION FEATURE DIVISION Champion Hometown
Adams County Speedway Corning, Iowa Coors Light Late Model Paul Glendenning Mount Ayr, Iowa
Airborne Park Speedway Plattsburgh, N.Y. J&S Steel Sportsman Modified Nick Heywood Plattsburgh, N.Y.
Anderson Motor Speedway Anderson, S.C. Late Model Stock Car Trey Gibson Piedmont, S.C.
Autodrome St. Eustache St-Eustache, Que. Ippersiel Sportsman André Sylvain Terrebonne, Quebec
Beech Ridge Motor Speedway Scarborough, Maine Pro Reid Lanpher Manchester, Maine
Bowman Gray Stadium Winston-Salem, N.C. Brad’s Golf Cars Modified Tim Brown Tobaccoville, N.C.
Caraway Speedway Sophia, N.C. Late Model Nathan Buttke Randleman, N.C.
Cedar Lake Speedway New Richmond, Wis. Late Model Pat Doar New Richmond, Wis.
Chemung Speedrome Chemung, N.Y. Sunoco Modified Jimmy Zacharias Candor, N.Y.
Colorado National Speedway Dacono, Colo. Gillett Vet Clinic Super Late Model Bruce Yackey Greeley, Colo.
Columbus Motor Speedway Columbus, Ohio O’Reilly Auto Parts Late Model Kyle Jones Germantown, Ohio
Devil’s Bowl Speedway West Haven, Vt. Bond Auto Parts Modified Vince Quenneville Brandon, Vt.
East Carolina Motor Speedway Robersonville, N.C. Late Model Stock Car Jeff Shiflett Moyock, N.C.
Edmonton International Raceway Wetaskiwin, Alta. Late Model Super Stock Erica Thiering Sherwood Park, Alta.
Elko Speedway Elko, Minn. MN Corn Growers Super Late Model Jacob Goede Carver, Minn.
Evergreen Speedway Monroe, Wash. Speedway Chevrolet Super Late Model Mike Holden Snohomish, Wash.
Flint Creek Speedway West Siloam Springs, Okla. A Modified Steve Holzkamper Gentry, Ark.
Grandview Speedway Bechtelsville, Pa. 358 Modified Craig Von Dohren Oley, Pa.
Greenville Pickens Speedway Greenville, S.C. Late Model Stock Car David Roberts Simpsonville, S.C.
Hickory Motor Speedway Hickory, N.C. Bojangles Late Model Matt Piercy Conover, N.C.
Holland Motorsports Complex Holland, N.Y. Pro Modified Tommy Catalano Ontario, N.Y.
Houston Motorsports Park Houston, Texas Fiesta Modified Jake Kruger Bastrop, Texas
I-25 Speedway Pueblo, Colo. Super Late Model Dan Alamaa Colorado Springs, Colo.
I-80 Speedway Omaha, Neb. Super Late Model Matt Buller Henderson, Neb.
Irwindale Speedway Irwindale, Calif. Lucas Oil Late Model Trevor Huddleston Agoura, Calif.
Junction Motor Speedway McCool Junction, Neb. Late Model Andrew Kosiski Omaha, Neb.
Kalamazoo Speedway Kalamazoo, Mich. Outlaw Super Late Model Mike Brooks Kalamazoo, Mich.
Kern County Raceway Park Bakersfield, Calif. Citgo Late Model Eric Richardson Bakersfield, Calif.
Kingsport Speedway Kingsport, Tenn. Late Model Stock Car Ronnie McCarty Kingsport, Tenn.
LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway Salem, Wis. Kwik Trip Late Model Steve Carlson West Salem, Wis.
Lake County Speedway Plainsville, Ohio Lincoln Electric Pro Street Stock Scott Skufca Mentor, Ohio
Langley Speedway Hampton, Va. ComServe Verizon Wireless Late Model Stock Car Greg Edwards Poquoson, Va.
Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas, Nev. Super Late Model Scott Gafforini Henderson, Nev.
Lebanon I-44 Speedway Lebanon, Mo. O’Reilly Auto Parts Pro Late Model JC Newell Stoutland, Mo.
Lee USA Speedway Lee, N.H. Super Modified Thomas Tombarello Jr. Haverhill, N.H.
Limaland Motorsports Park Lima, Ohio Reineke Modified Jeff Koslakiewicz Lima, Ohio
Lonesome Pine Raceway Coeburn, Va. Wallace KIA Late Model Stock Car Wayne Hale Bluff City, Tenn.
Madison International Speedway Oregon, Wisc. Late Model Zack Riddle Stoughton, Wis.
Magic Valley Speedway Twin Falls, Idaho Mountain Dew Late Model Jerry McKean Jerome, Idaho
Monadnock Speedway Winchester, N.H. Sportsman Modified Bill Kimball Jr. Bennington, N.H.
Motor Mile Speedway Radford, Va. Late Model Stock Car Lee Pulliam Alton, Va.
Motordrome Speedway Smithton, Pa. Late Model Garry Wiltrout Somerset, Pa.
Myrtle Beach Speedway Myrtle Beach, S.C. Late Model Sam Yarbrough Myrtle Beach, S.C.
New London- Waterford Speedbowl Waterford, Conn. SK Modified Keith Rocco Berlin, Conn.
New Smyrna Speedway New Smyrna Beach, Fla. Super Late Model Anthony Sergi Orlando, Fla.
Riverhead Raceway Riverhead, N.Y. Modified Tom Rogers Jr. Patchogue, N.Y.
Rockford Speedway Rockford, Ill. Stanley Steemer Late Model Jacob Gille Machesney Park, Ill.
Salina Highbanks Speedway Salinas, Okla. Salina Highbanks Modified Thomas Tillison Jr. Wellston, Okla.
Seekonk Speedway Seekonk, Mass. Pro Stock Angelo Belsito Auburn, Mass.
South Boston Speedway South Boston, Va. Late Model Matt Bowling Ridgeway, Va.
Southern National Motorsports Park Lucama, N.C. Late Model Stock Jon Findley Bristow, Va.
Spencer Speedway Williamson, N.Y. Sunoco Modified Mike Leaty Williamson, N.Y.
Stafford Motor Speedway Stafford, Conn. SK Modified Rowan Pennink Huntingdon Valley, Pa.
Sunset Speedway Innisfil, Ont. Late Model Taylor Holdaway Orillia, Ont.
Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park Thompson, Conn. Sunoco Modified Woody Pitkat Stafford, Conn.
Tucson Speedway Tucson, Ariz. Super Late Model Chuck Wares Tucson, Ariz.
Utica-Rome Speedway Vernon, N.Y. Stampede Steakhouse Modified Matt Sheppard Waterloo, N.Y.