4 Track Championships to be Decided at World Series
THOMPSON, CT — With one race remaining on the 2016 racing calendar at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park, four track championships remain undecided. Competing amidst 18 divisions over three days as part of the largest short track event in the Northeast, four will etch their names into the Thompson Speedway record books.
Sunoco Modified
Having a historic season is Keith Rocco who at one point looked as though he would sweep the entire Sunoco Modified schedule. Rocco came out this season firing on all eight cylinders and has a comfortable 23-point lead over his closest foe, NASCAR Xfinity Series regular Ryan Preece.
“The consistency we have had this season has been unreal,” said Rocco. “It all comes down to preparation, good equipment, and the people you have around you. What we have accomplished this year is impressive. I don’t really look at it now, but when we are sitting around the winter wishing we were racing, I’ll look at it then.”
Rocco’s worst finish of the year so far was a fourth place effort. The top-5 positions pay points in the qualifying heats in all divisions with the winner receiving five points, second earns four points and so on through the top-5. In order for Rocco to win the crown, assuming he earns no points whatsoever in qualifying, he needs to finish 10th or better regardless of what Preece does.
What makes Rocco’s run truly remarkable is that he has teamed with former car owner the Pane Brothers for the first time in five seasons. The last time the two groups partnered resulted in a 2011 Thompson championship and a title at the Waterford Speedbowl the same year.
Late Model
The Late Model division has seen a new challenger rise to the top of the division in his second year, driver William Wall. Wall started driving quarter midgets at Thompson’s Little T as a kid before moving to the high banked 5/8 mile oval. After advancing through the ranks he landed in the Late Models earning his first win in the season-opening Icebreaker. Like Rocco, Wall didn’t stop there and continued to rattle off the wins, most of them with late race surges to the front of the pack.
Wall won 3 of the first 4 events this season and picked up his fourth “W” during the Bud ‘King of Beers’ 150. Quietly lurking in the shadows all season has been veteran Rick Gentes. Gentes has only one win this season, but has come on strong at the end of the year to close the championship battle to only 14 points. Wall controls his own destiny with a finish of 5th or better in the main event. Qualifying points could give Wall an even greater advantage, but the clear advantage in the experience category belongs to Gentes. Gentes knows how to win championships, while Wall will try to secure his first in a race where he finished 20th a year ago.
“I am going to do what we have done all year which is to have fun and what happens, happens,” said Wall. “I can’t complain with the year we have had this year.”
Xtra Mart Limited Sportsman
The Xtra Mart Limited Sportsman will see the tightest point battle among all the weekly divisions. Ryan Waterman holds a slight 10-point lead over defending and 4-time track champion Scott Sundeen. The two have finished directly in front of one another just about all season long.
If there is any momentum to be had, it might belong to Sundeen who won the last race contested. Sundeen started the season with a brand new car that took him some time to get used to.
Waterman has been shut out of from victory lane this season, but has gained his point advantage through the qualifying heats. Waterman has 8 more qualifying points than Sundeen. To win the title, Waterman would need to finish no worse than 3rd if he scored no points in the heat races.
Mini Stocks
Early in the season, the Mini Stock title chase looked to be a repeat performance for defending champion Dave Trudeau. After winning the first three events, Trudeau ran into a string of bad luck, however. The downward spiral started when he was battling for the win with Brad Caddick on the final lap during which Wayne Burroughs made a three-wide move on the final lap to earn his Thompson first victory.
From there Trudeau had engine problems, transmission issues and gremlins seemed to plague him every race. Although Trudeau returned to victory lane again at the end of July, Burroughs had already firmly planted his stake in the ground as the one to beat in the division.
Burroughs has a total of three wins this season, including victories in the last two races. It’s been an impressive performance for the driver who hadn’t turned a lap at Thompson in over 10 years prior to this season. He holds a 36-point advantage over Trudeau meaning a 16th or better would seal the deal on the 2016 crown.
“We are going to approach it as we have all year and get to where it is safe, out front,” said Burroughs. “This is our first full season here and to run as competitively as we have it would be a huge accomplishment for this team to win the championship.”
The Sunoco World Series of Speedway Racing, presented by Xtra Mart begins on Friday, October 14 and continues through Sunday, October 16 featuring 18 divisions of cars. A three-day spectator ticket is just $55, seniors, veterans and active military are $53, kids 12 and under are free. For more information visit www.ThompsonSpeedway.com
Sources: Joe Coss/Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park PR