Rocco Tops in Caution Free Sunoco Mod Main Event at Thompson
Full-Fendered Victories for Connors & Palmisano; Coates, Vigeant, Michalski Also Score Wins
Thompson, CT — The festivities at Thompson International Speedway began with a moving tribute by long-time announcer Russ Dowd to the victims of the September 11th attacks. There was a moment of silence before the engines roared for Thompson Thursday Night Thompson Thunder. Keith Rocco of Wallingford, CT roared into victory lane for his fourth win of the 2008 season.
Jeff Connors of Ellington, CT, also turned in a dominating performance to score his first Pro Stock feature win of the season. Marc Palmisano of Hadley, MA, took down an exciting win in the Late Model main event. Joe Coates of Eastford, CT was hailed as the winner in the Limited Sportsman division and Scott Michalski of S. Killingly, CT, was tops in the Mini Stocks. Kurt Vigeant of Oxford, MA, extended his point lead in the TIS Modified division with his second win of the 2008 season.
Keith Rocco took the lead early and went on to stretch out his lead during the caution-free main event for the Sunoco Modifieds on Thursday night. Tommy Cravenho started the race from the point and held the top spot with Tim Sullivan having a strong run in the early going in second. Rocco was on a tear on his way to the front. He made quick work of Todd Ceravolo and with a bump and run on Tim Sullivan moved into second.
Cravenho held his line as Rocco was relentless in pursuit of the lead. With the two battling, Ceravolo was able to catch the lead duo. A bonsai move in the inside groove exiting turn three, gave Rocco the lead on lap 12. Ceravolo continued to trail closely.
Kerry Malone, who swapped cars with teammate Woody Pitkat for the evening was locked in a battle with Bert Marvin just outside of the top-five. Once free of Malone, Marvin took over the fourth spot from Sullivan. While Rocco was getting away from the pack, Ceravolo worked over Cravenho for second. Blewett, who started scratch on the field after making his way down from qualifying his Whelen Modified Tour car at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, had moved by Danny Cates and Pitkat with only three laps remaining.
Rocco, never missed a beat in lapped traffic, cruising to his fourth win of the year. Cravenho held on to finish second. Ceravolo joined the duo on the podium. Marvin had a strong run to finish fourth. Sullivan had a career-best top five.
Jeff Connors of Ellington, CT, led green-to-checker to score his first win of the 2008 season. The opening lap of the 30-lapper was marred by an incident that took out contenders George Bessette, Norm Wrenn, Ron Yuhas, Jr. and others. On the restart, Connors was able to grab the lead from Jeff Zuidema. Dave Berghman immediately began to pressure Zuidema for second. Ramstrom, in turn, was now looking under Berghman. Neither was able to make the pass. Fred Astle and O’Sullivan were going at it for the sixth spot.
All battles ceased on lap 9 for a single-car spin involving Derek Ramstrom. A few laps later, Chris Magee made hard contact with the outside wall on the backstretch but green flag racing remained. Shortly after, Berghman was able to take over the second position from Zuidema.
During the extended green flag run, Berghman began to chase down Connors. Zuidema continued to fade as he lost positions to Macedonio and O’Sullivan. Ramstrom was already back, knocking on the door of the top five at lap 23.
The final dash to the checkers was set up after an incident that involved Astle and Andy Johnson. On the single file restart, Connors was easily able to retain his lead. Zuidema fell off the pace. Connors scored a popular victory over Berghman and O’Sullivan. Macedonio and Ramstrom completed the top five.
Marc Palmisano of Hadley, MA, came out on the winning end of an exciting 30-lap Late Model feature event. Tommy O’Sullivan jumped out from his pole starting position to lead the early going. A scary looking incident found the caution waving on lap five and Randy Waterman’s ride double hooked. Pete Yetman and John Materas were also involved.
On the restart, O’Sullivan continued to lead while Palmisano and Hartwell duked it out for the second spot. Palmisano edged ahead leaving Hartwell to fend off Gentes. After a lap 6 restart, Gentes disposed of Hartwell moving into third. Zuidema followed through and into fourth. Mark Jenison was making tracks to the top five as well.
The top-four had begun to distance themselves from the pack during the green flag run.
The best battle was for the sixth position between Coates and Mark Oliveira. The action was beginning to heat up among the leaders.
A lap after halfway, Palmisano was glued to the back bumper of O’Sullivan while Gentes was looking racy in third. Gentes peeked low lap after lap. Zuidema looked to make a move on the high-side. At the head of the field, sparks were flying as the leaders O’Sullivan and Palmisano made slight contact. Palmisano came out on top on lap 21. Gentes immediately began to pressure O’Sullivan for second. The two went door to door through the white flag lap when Gentes was finally able to take the position away.
In the end, Palmisano enjoyed the battling as he ran to checkers for his fourth win of the season. Gentes came home second followed by Zuidema, who edged O’Sullivan on the final lap. Hartwell completed the top five.
Joe Coates of Eastford, CT, became the seventh different winner in the ultra-competitive Limited Sportsman division. The racers showed why the division is among the fan favorites with a wild -and wooly night in the pack of the three and four-wide racing. Coates headed the strong field of Limiteds in the early going.
Divisional top guns, who had been mired deep in the field, began to work their way into the fray with an extended green flag run. Ed Puleo battled his way into third while point leader Scott Sundeen had worked his way into the fifth position at halfway. Joe Arena, Larry Barnett, and Jesse Gleason lagged behind at the tail end of the top-ten.
Over the final five laps, Randy Jurcik had begun to run down Coates but had to worry about the charge of Jay Sundeen. The younger Sundeen took over the runner-up spot on lap 17. With only three laps to go, the first caution of the event flew for an incident that involved Eric Grant and others.
Coates bolted out on the restart to retain his lead. Gleason was the big gainer on the restart moving into the top-five. J. Sundeen dove low in turn one on the final lap to make a bid at the win. He lost the handle of his mount sending him sliding sideways through the infield. This gave Coates the breathing room he needed to run to his first win of the 2008 season. Jurcik scored a season-best second followed by Gleason, Puleo, and Barnett, who came on strong on the final run to the checkers.
Kurt Vigeant of Oxford, MA, made the best of a mid-race caution to pounce into the lead of the TIS Modified main event. He withstood a number of late race cautions to score his second win of the 2008 season. In the early going it appeared as if Brian Tagg might get his first career win. He was locked in a fierce battle for the lead from the drop of the green flag. John Studley held the point with young Tagg applying heavy pressure. On lap four, Tagg was able to grab the lead away. Brian Sullivan and Glenn Boss followed through. RJ Marcotte headed to pit road after getting the consolation flag for leaking fluid.
The top three ran nose to tail at the halfway marker with Kurt Vigeant running a distant fourth. The handling appeared to be going away on the leader’s mount when the second and third place runners tangled. Both cars sustained substantial damage after hitting the wall. On the ensuing restart, the defending champion lined up to the outside of Tagg. Vigeant was strong on the restart to take over the lead. Shane Michalski tailed but settled back in line in third.
A series of minor incidents made the run to the checkers anything but smooth sailing for the leader. The veteran was up to the task; however, racing unchallenged over the final few laps to the checkers. Fellow Oxford resident, Tagg had a career best finish of second. Shane Michalski, Studley, and Leo Oliveira rounded out the top five.
Scott Michalski of S. Killingly, CT, proved why he is the hottest driver in the Mini Stock division in the home stretch with his second win in three races. The Mini Stockers had a tough time getting going on Thursday night including an incident involving early leader Roger Ducharme. Glynn Roy was the beneficiary of the shuffling at the pack leading the event while the second position was being hotly contested by Tim Taylor, Scott Michalski, Danny Field, and Mike Romano.
Michalski motored from third position to the lead in a pair of laps prior to halfway. Field began to work over Taylor for third with Romano and Mike Viens getting into the action. While Michalski stretched his lead, Field continued his march, moving into second on lap nine. In the closing laps, the best battle on the field was for the fourth position between Taylor, Field and Viens.
Michalski ran alone to the checkers to post his fourth win of the season. Field extended his point lead on Romano with a second place finish. Roy posted a third place finish while Taylor edged out Viens for fourth. Romano settled for sixth.
Only two point races remaining in the 2008 season. Complete details on New England Short Track Racing’s marquee event, the World Series of Speedway Racing, are available on the official website www.thompsonspeedway.com.
Sunoco Modified Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Keith Rocco, Wallingford, CT; 2. Tommy Cravenho, Raynham, MA; 3. Todd Ceravolo, Gales Ferry, CT; 4. Bert Marvin, New London, CT; 5. Tim Sullivan, S. Windsor, CT; 6. Kerry Malone, Needham, MA; 7. Jimmy Blewett, Howell, NJ: 8. Danny Cates, Chaplin, CT; 9. Woody Pitkat, Stafford, CT; 10. Josh Sylvester, Lebanon, CT.
Pro Stock Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Jeff Connors, Ellington, CT; 2. Dave Berghman, Seekonk, MA; 3. Mike O’Sullivan, Springfield, MA; 4. Jay Macedonio, Somerset, MA; 5. Derek Ramstrom, Worcester, MA; 6. Jim Banfield, S. Glastonbury, CT; 7. Andy Johnson, Rehoboth, MA; 8. Scott Rotherforth, Glastonbury, CT; 9. Jeff Zuidema, N. Brookfield, MA; 10. Fred Astle, Jr., Westport, MA.
Late Model Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Marc Palmisano, Hadley, MA; 2. Rick Gentes, Woonsocket, RI; 3. Jeff Zuidema, N. Brookfield, MA; 4. Tommy O’Sullivan, Springfield, MA; 5. Jeff Hartwell, Putnam, CT; 6. Conrad Cote, Lisbon, CT; 7. Mark Oliveria, Blackstone, MA; 8. Mark Jenison, Danielson, CT; 9. John Materas, Voluntown, CT; 10. Jeremy Sadowski, Voluntown, CT.
Limited Sportsman Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Joe Coates, Eastford, CT; 2. Randy Jurcik, Chaplin, CT; 3. Jesse Gleason, Lisbon, CT; 4. Ed Puleo, Branford, CT; 5. Larry Barnett, Leydard, CT; 6. Scott Sundeen, Douglas, MA; 7. Joe Arena, Bristol, CT; 8. Gerald Sevigny, Brooklyn, CT; 9. Joe Campbell, Moosup, CT; 10. Tommy Shea, New London, CT.
TIS Modified Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Kurt Vigeant, Oxford, MA; 2. Brian Tagg, Oxford, CT; 3. Shane Michalki, Woodstock, CT; 4. John Studley, Framingham, MA; 5. Leo Oliveira, Raynham, MA; 6. Buddy Charrette, Woodstock, CT; 7. Cam McDermott, Scituate, RI; 8. Richie Ferreira, Raynham, MA; 9. Bart Ramos, Putnam, CT; 10. Denis Legere, N. Reading, MA.
Mini Stock Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Scott Michalski, S. Killingly, CT; 2. Danny Field, Deep River, CT, 3. Glynn Roy, Sterling, CT; 4. Tim Taylor, Wauregan, CT; 5. Mike Viens, Seekonk, MA; 6. Mike Romano, Glendale, CT; 7. Billy Pomposelli, Chepachet, RI; 8. Chad Baxter, Pascoag, RI; 9. Chuck Rogers, Quaker Hill, CT; 10. Tyler Poulin, Millville, MA.
Sources: Dale Wolbrink/Thompson International Speedway PR