Thompson to Try Again This Thursday
Thompson, CT — Thompson International Speedway will try again this week to complete its season of Thursday Night Thompson Thunder race events. Mother Nature has caused the postponement of the final weekly event twice. Speedway management hopes that the third time will be the charm.
September 15th was the final Thursday night race listed on the track’s 2011 racing schedule. However, due to some very close points races in four of the track’s NASCAR Whelen All-American Series divisions, management felt it was important for the champions to be determined on the race track and not by Mother Nature.
Going into this week’s final points race, Keith Rocco holds a 26 points advantage over Ryan Preece in the track’s Sunoco Modified division. Their 30-lap feature even this Thursday will determine the 2011 division champ. These are the only two drivers that are mathematically within striking distance of the crown. A win pays 50 points. Points then decrease by two for every finishing position behind the winner.
The Super Later Model division has four drivers who could emerge with the division title. Like in the Sunoco Modified division, 26 points separate leader Larry Gelinas, Mike O’Sullivan, Derek Ramstrom and Jim Banfield. A 30-lap feature event for the super Late Models will determine the champion in this extremely competitive division.
A two-way race for the championship exists in the Thompson Modified division. “Cam” McDermott holds a slim 6 points advantage over Glenn Boss. Both McDermott and Boss have had very good seasons. This Thursday’s race will settle the season-long battle between these two competitors with one emerging as the division’s 2011 standard bearer.
Thompson’s Late Model division holds a steep uphill battle for the driver of the # 70, Rick Gentes. Tommy O’Sullivan holds an even 50 points advantage over Gentes and all O’Sullivan needs to do is start the race in order to claim the crown.
Chris “Moose” Douton has already won the XTRA/MART Limited Sportsman title for the year and Danny Field has claimed the top spot in the Monster Mini Stock division. The competition in these two highly competitive divisions will be for final positioning in the points standings for the remainder of the fields.
Grandstand will open at 4 PM and racing will start at 5:45 PM. This will be the final race event before Thompson hosts the 38th annual Sunoco World Series of Speedway Racing presented by Town Fair Tire and your local XTRA/MART. This three-day, 15-division racing spectacular will be held the weekend of October 14th -16th. Advance tickets for the World Series are available by calling the Thompson track office at 860-923-2280. Complete details are on the Thompson web page. www.thompsonspeedway.com.
Sources: Thompson International Speedway PR