Nocella Team Championship – 50 Lap Shootout Highlights VMRS Thompson Finale
Canaan, N.H. – Connecticut’s Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park provides the stage, and the Valenti Modified Racing Series the final curtain, as the 2017 season comes to a close at this weekend’s 55th Annual Sunoco World Series of Speedway Racing, Oct 13,14 & 15. The VMRS wraps up it’s 14th year of operation with a strong field of race teams entered and Woburn, Massachusetts based modified team Nocella Racing, and driver Anthony Nocella, officially becoming the series eighth different champion.
The final race will settle close finishes where series veterans and newcomers have been battling all season. Long-time racer Donnie Lashua, of Canaan, NH, mired in second place in the standings is now only 11-points ahead of Mike Willis Jr, of Grantham, NH, who very quietly put some strong finishes together to sneak into third and finding himself in a battle for second in the finale.
Rookie of the Year candidate, Jeffrey Gallup, of Feeding Hills, MA, is only three points behind Willis and 14-points behind Lashua. 15-year old Sammy Rameau, of Westminster, MA, Colby Fournier, of Berkley, MA, and Matt Mead, of Richmond, NH, are also close in the standings.
The list of entries on Wednesday featured 31-cars that indicated they plan to compete at Thompson. A blend of veterans and today’s young star’s make up the raceday roster.
Former series champions, Rowan Pennink, of Huntingdon Valley, PA, and Woody Pitkat, of Sturbridge, MA, will compete. Recent Fall Final winner at Stafford Motor Speedway, Eric Goodale, of Riverhead, NY will drive for owner Todd Ceravolo, Richard Savary, of Canton, MA, Keith Rocco, of Berlin, MA, and 19-time VMRS winner, Les Hinckley, of Windsor Locks, CT, will wheel a car for owner Ted Anderson.
Chase Dowling, of Roxbury, CT, will drive the famed Brady 00 car, Matt Galko, of Meriden, CT, and Blake Barney, of Jackson, NJ, will also compete.
Qualifying on Friday begins at 5:00 PM. An autograph session with VMRS competitors is scheduled at 4:00 PM on Saturday, with feature races beginning at 5:00 PM Saturday.
The VMRS is scheduled third in the running order (feature) .
Sources: John Spence, Sr./VMRS PR