Statistical Advance: Analyzing the Pepsi Full Fender Frenzy 100 at Thompson International Speedway
Daytona Beach, FL — The NASCAR Camping World Series East will make the first of two appearances in Connecticut in 2009 for the Pepsi Full Fender Frenzy 100 at Thompson International Speedway on Saturday, July 11.
Thompson International Speedway Data
Race: #7 of 11 (7/11/09) | ENTRY LIST
Track Layout: .625-mile oval
Banking: 26 degrees in the turns
Race Length: 100 laps/62.5 miles
Qualifying/Race Data
2008 pole winner: Trevor Bayne (110.527 mph, 20.375 sec.)
2008 race winner: Trevor Bayne (69.167 mph, 0:54.13)
Track qualifying record: Martin Truex Jr. (1111.386 mph, 20.200 sec., 7-13-02)
Recent Race Winners at Thompson
2008 – Trevor Bayne
2007 – Sean Caisse
2006 – Matt Kobyluck
2005 – Eddie MacDonald
2004 – Brad Leighton
Recent Pole Winners at Thompson
2008 – Trevor Bayne
2007 – Sean Caisse
2006 – Sean Caisse
2005 – Sean Caisse
2004 – Ryan Moore
At Thompson International Speedway:
History
• Opened on May 26, 1940 as the first asphalt racing surface in the United States, and the largest track in New England at the time.
• Has one of the oldest NASCAR affiliations in the nation.
• Held NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races in 1951, 1969 and 1970.
• Has played host to 25 NASCAR Camping World Series East and 107 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races.
• Features six NASCAR Whelen All-American Series divisions as part of the ‘Thursday Night Thompson Thunder.’
Notebook
• The first NCWSE race at TIS was held on July 31, 1988 and won by Bobby Dragon.
• The NCWSE has competed at TIS in all but two years since the series was formed in 1987.
• The 25 all-time NCWSE races at TIS have produced 17 different winners … Ricky Craven and Mike Stefanik top the winners list with three apiece.
• Sean Caisse earned three consecutive Coors Light Pole Awards at TIS from 2005-07, which puts him at the top of list of all-time pole winners.
• Among the expected entrants for the Pepsi Full Fender Frenzy 100, only Matt Kobyluck (2006) and Eddie MacDonald (2005) have wins at TIS.
Up to Speed:
• Brian Ickler won the NASCAR Camping World Series East season-opener at Greenville (S.C.) Pickens Speedway on April 11 … Rookie Brett Moffitt became the youngest driver in NCWSE history to earn a 21 Means 21 Pole Award presented by Coors Light at the event.
• Matt DiBenedetto was victorious on April 25 at Tri-County Motor Speedway in Hudson, N.C., in just his second start … Rookie Alan Tardiff earned his first career Coors Light Pole Award at the event.
• Kyle Busch made his NCWS debut in the East/West combination race at Iowa Speedway on May 17 in Newton, Iowa … He set the series’ track qualifying record and went on to lead 168 of 200 laps to capture the race win.
• Moffitt became the youngest race winner in series history at South Boston (Va.) Speedway on May 30 … Ryan Truex also earned his first career 21 Means 21 Pole Award presented by Coors Light.
• Truex earned his first career win at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International on June 6 … DiBenedetto earned his first career 21 Means 21 Pole Award presented by Coors Light … Both accomplished those feats in their first road course events.
• DiBenedetto emerged victorious at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H., on June 26 from a last-lap battle with Truex for his second win in just four starts … Truex captured his second 21 Means 21 Pole Award presented by Coors Light on the year.
• Jody Lavender has held the season points lead for four of the six races to-date … He brings an 18-point lead to Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway.
• The No. 18 Toyota of Joe Gibbs Racing and J.D. Gibbs is atop the current owner standings … The team has registered three wins and top-10 finishes in each of the first six races.
Selected Driver Highlights:
Eric Curran (No. 31 Chevrolet)
• Will make his first NASCAR Camping World Series East oval track start, and second start overall of the 2009 season … Finished 16th at Watkins Glen International on June 6.
• Debuted in the series with a sixth-place finish at Lime Rock Park in 2008.
• Finished 24th in the NASCAR Camping World Series West race at Infineon Raceway on June 20.
• Competes regularly in the SCCA Speed World Challenge
Matt DiBenedetto (No. 18 Toyota)
• First-year driver for Joe Gibbs Racing that splits time in the car with Max Gresham.
• Has top-10 finishes in each of his four starts, including two wins.
• Won in his second start at Tri-County Motor Speedway and earned second win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
• Earned first career pole at Watkins Glen International and finished fifth in his first road course race.
• Is scheduled to start at Lime Rock Park and Dover International Speedway following this race.
Jesus Hernandez (No. 12 Dodge)
• Splits time in the Troy Williams Motorsports entry with Antonio Perez.
• Has made four starts in 2009 with a best finish of fifth (among East competitors) at the Iowa combination race.
• Has 10 top fives and 15 top 10s in 29 career NCWSE starts.
• Tied his best career finish by crossing the line second at TIS in 2008.
Matt Kobyluck (No. 40 Chevrolet)
• The 2008 NCWSE champion … Has seven poles, 16 wins and 88 top 10s in 163 career NCWSE starts … Has won at 11 different tracks, including TIS in 2006.
• Won the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown for the second time in his career in January.
• Has one top five and four top 10s in six 2009 starts … Is fourth in points and has completed 843 of 844 laps so far this year, the most among all drivers.
Corey LaJoie (No. 07 Ford)
• Will attempt to make his NCWSE debut.
• Notable career wins include an Aaron’s Pro Challenge Series triumph at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2007 and a UARA win at Rockingham Speedway this past April.
• Son of Randy LaJoie, two-time NASCAR Nationwide Series champion.
Jody Lavender (No. 88 Chevrolet)
• Has 10 top 10s in 20 career NCWSE starts, including four in six 2009 outings.
• The current points leader, 18 ahead of Eddie MacDonald.
• Registered best career finish of second in the season opener at Greenville Pickens Speedway.
• Finished sixth at Thompson International Speedway in 2008.
Eddie MacDonald (No. 71 Chevrolet)
• Has five wins and 44 top 10s in 116 career NCWSE starts.
• Is currently second in points with five top 10s in six starts … Has completed all but two laps.
• Won at TIS in 2005 and finished 15th at the track a year ago.
Brett Moffitt (No. 44 Chevrolet)
• Has four top fives in six starts in his rookie season … Is fifth in overall points and second in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings.
• Became youngest driver in NCWSE history – surpassing Joey Logano – to earn a pole when he accomplished the feat in the season opener at GPS … Also surpassed Logano by becoming the youngest race winner in series history at South Boston Speedway.
• Held the series points lead for one race following a third-place effort at WGI.
Steve Park (No. 35 Chevrolet)
• Has two wins and 19 top 10s in 32 career NCWSE starts.
• Is currently sixth in points with a best finish of sixth at WGI.
• Has wins in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, Camping World Truck Series and Whelen Modified Tour in addition to his pair in the Camping World Series East.
• Has six career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins at TIS, but none in the NCWSE … Finished 22nd at TIS in 2008.
Joey Polewarczyk (No. 03 Chevrolet)
• Will make 2009 debut after running two races in the Dave Davis Motorsports No. 03 in 2008.
• Made series debut at TIS last year and finished 16th … Also finished sixth in the fall NHMS race.
• The No. 03 he will pilot is currently second in owner points with drivers Patrick Long (4 starts), Jeffrey Earnhardt (1) and Sean Caisse (1) having recorded top 10s in each of the six races.
• Is currently second in points in the American-Canadian Tour with a win at Oxford Plains Speedway.
Derek Ramstrom (No. 53 Chevrolet)
• Is set to make his NCWSE debut as a teammate to Steve Park.
• Is currently second in the TIS Super Late Model standings, six points behind Norm Wrenn.
• Won on June 4 and has top-five finishes in each of the five SLM races in 2009.
• Earned three wins and rookie of the year honors a year ago in the TIS SLM division.
Ryan Truex (No. 00 Toyota)
• Has seven career NCWSE starts … Made his series debut at Stafford Motor Speedway in 2008 … Is a 2009 Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate competing for Michael Waltrip Racing.
• Earned his first career pole at SBS and first race win at WGI.
• Joined father, Martin Sr., and brother, Martin Jr., as NCWSE race winners with his triumph at WGI … Brother has a win at TIS in 2001.
• Is up to third in the season standings with top-five finishes in each of the last three outings … Leads the Sunoco Rookie of the Year points.
Sources: NASCAR PR