Thompson, CT — Don Hoenig’s original All-Automotive Swap Meet and Flea Market returns to the Thompson International Speedway, rain or shine, on the weekend of November 3rd and 4th. This incredible event is one of the nation’s best and largest such gatherings and is held rain or shine on the grounds of the sprawling speedway complex.
This year will mark the 36th year of buyers and sellers coming together in one place to assist each other in selling or acquiring very special automotive parts all the way up to complete cars, trucks, racecars, trailers, ATVs, snowmobiles and so much more.
(more…)
Stafford, CT — The 2007 season has been an unforgettable one for Woody Pitkat. If there was a race somewhere along the Eastern Seaboard, chances are Pitkat was behind the…
Read more
Thompson, CT — The 34th Annual World Series is now in the record books ending a bittersweet racing season at Thompson International Speedway. Adding their names to the history books were Bobby Santos III of Franklin, MA, in the Whelen Modified Tour; Chris Perley of Rowley, MA, in the International Supermodified Association (ISMA); and Randy Cabral of Plymouth, MA, in the Northeastern Midget Association (NEMA). Also garnering World Series glory was Jimmy Blewett of Howelll, NJ, in the Sunoco Modifieds, Jeff Connors of Ellington in Pro Stocks, and a surprise winner in the Late Models Ron Levesque, Jr. of Tiverton, RI. Ben Seitz had a run for the ages when the young driver from Pocassett, MA, scored an unprecedented fourth Northeastern Midget Association driving championship.
For the second week in a row, a new winner has graced victory lane during a Whelen Modified Tour event at Thompson International Speedway. After competing in the Busch Series race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte and jumping a plane back to New England, Bobby Santos III took the lead from Matt Hirschman on lap 131. Veteran Reggie Ruggiero came storming back through the pack after his pit stop to finish second. Hirschman finished third.
(more…)
Thompson, CT — The World Series of Speedway Racing continued on Saturday at Thompson International Speedway with a full day of both qualifying and feature racing actions. The qualifying order…
Read more
Thompson, CT — Anthony Ferrante Jr. earned his second career Budweiser Pole Award Saturday, and then redrew the top spot for Sunday’s Xtra-Mart 150 at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway.
Ferrante’s time of 120.656 mph around the .625-mile oval beat out Tony Hirschman Jr. by .025 seconds. Donny Lia, who has already clinched the 2007 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship, qualified fourth, followed by Billy Pauch Jr.
(more…)
Thompson, CT — The traditional World Series of Speedway Racing got underway on Friday night at Thompson International Speedway with qualifying action for eight of the 14 divisions in competition…
Read more
The Fornoro boys – Drew and Nokie – are together again and coming to Thompson Speedway’s World Series this weekend.They bring some Northeastern Midget Association history to a spot already loaded with it.
The point battle - Joey Payne Jr. and owner Gene Angelillo come to the World Series with an eight-point edge on Ben Seitz and owner Peter Valeri – takes center stage. There are a number of “stories” accompanying what will be the 67th NEMA feature on the storied five-eights. The Fornoros are one of them.
(more…)
Berkley, MA – When the checkered flag falls on the 2007 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season at Thompson this Sunday it will mark the end of an era in New England auto racing. Dick Houlihan, who began his racing career in 1972 at the now closed Lakeville Speedway (MA), will climb from his racecar for the final time.
Since that first start “Houly” has raced at tracks all around New England, the east coast, as far west as Indiana and even in Canada. Throughout his career he has driven for many car owners including Danny Fournier, Jim McCloud, Sam Medeiros, Frank Procopio, Bill Ambrosio, Dan Andruck, John McKenna, Lenny Ellis, Greg Paquin and Wayne Darling. Along the way Dick won over 150 Features and 9 championships including 3 NASCAR Weekly Series titles, one at Thompson in 1996 and back to back titles at Seekonk in 2002 and 2003. He was also voted the Most Popular Driver at Seekonk in 2001 and 2002.
(more…)
Win At Stafford Has Stefanik Looking At Thompson With Optimism
Mike Stefanik was just two races away from a long, soul-searching winter.
And then came the Fall Final.
The seven-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion arrived at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway having muddled through a season that had produced just three top fives and six top 10s in 14 starts. Title No. 8, a goal in the offseason, was never a serious consideration after a 34th in the season-opener at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway for the No. 16 Diversified Metals Pontiac.
(more…)
Thompson, CT — Hundreds upon hundreds of racecars will gather on October 12th, 13th, & 14th for the biggest auto racing event in the northeast. The sprawling complex that is the Thompson International Speedway will be filled, wall-to-wall with well over five hundred racecars that will be ready to compete in the 34th annual XTRAMART World Series of Speedway Racing. It is an incredible sight whether flying over, driving by or walking through the grounds of the Thompson Speedway. No other race track even comes close to hosting an event the size of Thompson’s the World Series and it’s this coming Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Fourteen different and distinct divisions of racecars will compete in this three-day racing extravaganza. It’s an event that race fans have waited a full year to see. Headline divisions include the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, the Winged Super Modifieds of ISMA, the mighty Midgets of NEMA and Thompson’s Super Six NASCAR Whelen All American Series divisions. Add to this the extremely quick Pro Four Modifieds, The American Race Trucks and three Outlaw divisions and you have one of the most diversified race programs to be found anywhere.
(more…)
Oswego, NY — With anticipation building for the East-West Supermodified Shootout that will take place at Concord Motor Speedway on November 2 and 3 as part of the North-South Shootout action, A.J. Russell of Clovis, CA made a long trip to do some testing recently. Russell hauled his West Coast Super number 7 to Berlin Raceway on Sept. 29 to compete with the ISMA and MSA regulars. While not meeting his expectations finish wise, Russell none-the-less gained some insight into the east coast racing and he also enjoyed himself. So much so that he will also compete at Thompson Speedway’s World Series of Racing on Oct. 13-14.
Russell, used to running tracks like Meridian (ID), Rocky Mt. and Spokane (WA), Madera (CA), Douglas (OK) and TRP (AZ), brought the slick number 7 out of the hauler in Michigan and with the help of ISMA tech officials, made the car ready to race. While there are similarities between the West and East Coast built supermodifieds, there are differences – mainly that of the minimum weight. That may not be an issue at Concord.
(more…)
Thompson, CT — This weekend the friends of Sonny Richards will proudly present the 7th Annual Sonny “King” Richards Memorial Award. This honor, presented in memory of one of Modified Racing’s most beloved personalities, is bestowed on the individual who has best represented the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, both on and off the track. The winner has been selected by members of the media from nominees that were determined by a panel of esteemed motorsports journalists and close friends of the King.
Previous winners have included Art Barry, Tony Ferrante, Sr., Ralph Solhem, posthumously Tom Baldwin, Sr., and Jerry Marquis. The most recent recipients, photographers Howie & Mary Hodge, continue to represent the Tour with a pride and dignity reminiscent of the King himself.
(more…)
Thompson, CT — Julia DeMato, an American Idol top ten finalist, will sing the National Anthem at the Thompson International Speedway on Sunday, October 14th. Her performance will be the highlight of the pre-race ceremonies that will begin shortly after 12 Noon.
Born and raised in Brookfield, CT., Julia is one of seven children of Peter and Joan DeMato. At the age of 23, Julia went to New York City to wait in line for a chance to have her dream come true. She made cut after cut after cut and then she was “off to Hollywood.” Julia says, “The rest is history.”
(more…)
Thompson, CT — The Fast Track driver information system at the Thompson International Speedway has received high praise in its first year of use at the historic New England speedway.
The Fast Track Medical Response System was implemented during the early stages of the 2007 racing season in an effort to greatly enhance the ability to provide medical services to competitors, race team members and employees at Thompson. Thompson International Speedway was the first race track to adopt the Fast Track Medical Response System. The Fast Track system is designed around a light weight bracelet that contains a tiny computer chip. This computer chip contains vital medical information on the person wearing it. In the event that medical assistance is needed, a quick scan of the bracelet provides first responders with valuable medical information in seconds. If the patient is transported to a medical facility, this same information is immediately available to the medical staff at the receiving facility.
(more…)
Speedbowl announcer Matt Buckler continues on the mind after a six-day stay at Manchester (CT) Memorial Hospital. The motorsports writer for the Journal Inquirer of Manchester, Buckler suffered complications of…
Read more
Thompson, CT — It is a racing weekend like no other. Thompson International Speedway’s World Series of Speedway Racing brings together just about every type of racecar to be found in the northeast for a three-day racing extravaganza that includes over five hundred racecars and fourteen different divisions. It all happens the weekend of October 12th, 13th, and 14th.
The 34th annual World Series of Speedway Racing, presented by Whelen Engineering and XTRAMART, is the largest and most diversified racing weekend held anywhere in the country. Race teams and race fans from over a dozen states and two Canadian provinces make their annual pilgrimage to this incredible event which is as much a huge party as it is a non-stop race weekend.
(more…)
Thompson, CT — The two week wait was worth it for Ronnie Silk of Norwalk, CT, who earned his first career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour win at Thompson International Speedway during the running of part two of Modified Mania II. Louie Mechalides of Tynsboro, MA, turned in a dominating performance to win the 75-lapper for the True Value Modified Racing Series.
Ronnie Silk scored a popular win in the Whelen Modified Tour 150 at Thompson in front of a crowded house. In the opening stages of the event current point leader Donnie Lia and Ron Yuhas, Jr. ran at the head of the field.
(more…)
Thompson, CT — Louie Mechalides of Tyngsboro Mass. earned his second True Value Modified Racing Series victory of the season in Modified Mania II at the Thompson International Speedway. Mechalides and Tommy Cravenho of Raynham, Mass. waged a torrid battle for the lead over the closing laps with Mechalides finishing just .15 seconds ahead of Cravenho. It was his 4th career series win.
Mechalides, who started fifth in the Maclellan Metal Finishing Pontiac, took over the top spot for the first time from Andy Seuss on lap 12. Seuss and Mechalides traded the point until Mechalides took over the lead for good on lap 22. Seuss pressured Mechalides until lap 27 when his day ended in a Turn –2 accident. Chris Pasteryak of Lisbon, Conn., Jimmy Kuhn of West Bridgewater, Mass. and Cravenho took turns pressuring Mechalides to the finish.
(more…)
Thompson, CT — A season packed with racing excitement at Thompson International Speedway came down to the final night with champions crowned in all six NASCAR Whelen All-American Series divisions. At the night’s end, Woody Pitkat of Stafford made his first appearance in Sunoco Modified victory lane. But, it was Keith Rocco of Wallingford who drove his Bannister Motorsports #6 to a fifth place finish to earn the team their second championship in three seasons.
In Pro Stock action, Mike O’Sullivan of Springfield, MA, scored his second Thompson Pro Stock championship in winning-style taking down Thursday night’s feature win. In similar fashion, Kurt Vigeant of Oxford, MA, capped off his first TIS Modified championship with a feature win in the regular season finale.
(more…)
Thompson, CT — The exciting conclusion of the Sunoco Modified Mania race program will be this Sunday afternoon at the Thompson International Speedway. Race teams from both the True Value Modified Series and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will gather at the ultra-fast Thompson Speedway to compete in their events that were rained out on September 9th.
The six-division racing spectacle began under threatening skies on September 9th. Four of the six races were completed before the rains came and the remainder of the event had to be rescheduled. Weather concerns do not seem to be in the cards for this weekend as forecasters are predicting bright sun and temperatures in the mid to upper 70s.
(more…)
Two weeks ago this Sunday, when a drenching rain forced the starting lineup of the True Value Modified Racing Series to the speedway infield after two laps of competition, Andy Seuss, Hampstead, NH; thought his early lead and a shot at his first win of the season was over. The initial makeup date announced by the speedway operatives was Saturday night Sept 22, a day marked on the Seuss calendar for a family wedding. Andy planned to watch his brother, Steve Jr, “go down the aisle” never figuring he’d be the guy bringing the TVMRS field down the aisle, (the long front straightaway) when the race resumed at the historic Connecticut oval.
All that changed when the speedway’s management, made an adjustment to the schedule, to avoid racing the same day as the historic Race of Champions event in upstate New York, another major program for modified race cars. The conclusion of the “Sunoco Race Fuels Mod Mania” weekend will take place this Sunday with the TVMRS picking up where it left and completing the 75 lap feature race. The green flag to restart the event will drop at 2:30PM.
(more…)
Thompson, CT — A Thompson man will be in court next week facing assault charges.
Police responded to reports of a stabbing and assault at the Thompson International Speedway on May 28, 2007. Officers secured the scene in the parking lot and spoke with witnesses.
(more…)
Thompson, CT — Championship titles for all six of the NASCAR Whelen All American Series divisions at the Thompson International Speedway will be decided on Thursday, September 20th. The season-long challenge of earning valuable NASCAR and track points has come down to one last chance when the racers gather at the historic speedway for the final points race of the 2007 racing season.
The popular Thursday night race programs have been filled with thrills and spills and the 2007 season will be long-remembered as one of the most competitive in recent memory. The points battles for the championship of each of the “super six” divisions will go down to the final lap of each race this Thursday. As a result of the incredible competition during the September 13th race program, the points battles got even tighter in each division.
(more…)
Thompson, CT — During an exciting night of racing, the points battles continued to heat up at Thompson International Speedway on Thursday. Kerry Malone of Needham, MA, won a Sunoco Modified main event that shook up the point standings heading into the final event of the regular season next Thursday night, September 20, 2007. Mike O’Sullivan of Springfield, MA, padded his point lead with a Pro Stock feature victory while Keith DeSanctis of Monson, MA, by virtue of his Limited Sportsman victory, moved into the point lead in the division. Keeping in it the family, Tommy O’Sullivan added to the celebration by winning in the Late Model division. Unofficial O’Sullivan teammate Tim Sullivan of E. Windsor bested the TIS Modified field helping his championship hopes. Scott Michalski of South Killingly earned his first win of the 2007 season in the Mini Stocks.
Kerry Malone of Needham, MA saw it all en route to his third Sunoco Modified win of the season. He nearly spun, took the lead, and his car was suspected of leaking fluid. But in the end, Malone was dry all the way to the checkered flag.
For the second week in a row the points were shaken up atop the Sunoco Modified point standings. With his runner-up finish, Keith Rocco took over the points lead by 14 points over a tie for second between Tommy Cravenho and Woody Pitkat.
(more…)
Thompson, CT — The completion of the Sunoco Modified Mania Program has been set for Sunday, September 23rd. Rain forced track officials to look for a date that was compatible for all concerned. Following lengthy discussions the day after the rain out, the new race day was set to be the afternoon of Sunday, September 23rd.
Four of the six-divisions in competition for Sunoco Modified Mania were able to complete their events. But, shortly after the True Value Modifieds hit the track, the skies opened, the rains came and everything was brought to a stop. That left the True Value Modifieds and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour ducking for cover and looking for a date to complete their portion of the Sunoco Modified Mania program.
Grandstands will open at 11:30 AM on Sunday, September 23rd. Racecars from these two divisions will be allowed to practice until 2 PM. The True Value Modified feature event will pick up with two laps complete at 2:15 PM and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will run their entire 150-lap main event at about 3:30 PM.
[Photo Gallery] by Adam Fohlin.
(more…)
Thompson, CT — A dominating win by Matt Hirschman highlighted a soggy Sunoco Modified Mania II event. Hirschman led every lap of the Race of Champions main event before the rains came in forcing the postponement of the Whelen Modified Tour 150 and the True Value Modified Racing Series. The True Value Modified Racing Series completed only two laps with Andy Suess of Hampstead, NH, holding the point before torrential rains hit the speedway.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and the True Value Modified Racing Series events will be rescheduled for Saturday evening, September 22, 2007. Official starting times will be announced in the coming days.
Three of the other scheduled events of Modified Mania II were completed before the rains came with Todd Ceravolo of Gales Ferry taking down the Sunoco Modified main event and Leo Oliveira scored the TIS Modifieds victory. Thompson regular Norm Wrenn of Nashua, NH, scored the Pro-Four Victory.
[Photo Gallery] by Adam Fohlin.
(more…)
Thompson, CT — The 75 lap True Value Modified Racing Series portion of Modified Mania at Thompson International Speedway was postponed after completing only 2 laps because of inclement weather. The event has been rescheduled for Saturday Sept. 22 with a time to be announced at a later date. Andy Seuss of Hempstead, N.H. was leading the event when the rain began. (more…)
Thompson, CT — Chris Pasteryak of Lisbon, Conn., Andy Seuss of Hempstead, N.H. and Jimmy Kuhn of Bridgewater, Mass were the winners of the True Value Modified Series qualifying races at Thompson International Speedway on Saturday. Those drivers will make up the first three starting positions in Sunday’s 75 lap event.
Dwight Jarvis, Louie Mechalides and Tom Abele, Jr. will start in positions 4-6. The first 18 starting positions were locked in by the qualifying races. The remainder of the field will be determined by a consolation race on Sunday.
(more…)
Thompson, CT — Modified Mania II got underway at Thompson International Speedway on Saturday with qualifying for all divisions. This unprecedented event treats race fans to three of the premier asphalt Modified tours in the country-the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, the True Value Modified Racing Series (TVMRS) and the Race of Champions (RoC) Tour. Thompson’s own weekly division Sunoco Modified and TIS Modifieds and the Pro Four Modifieds round out the weekend racing card.
Donny Lia of Jericho, NY, continues to be the man to beat in the Whelen Modified Tour as he topped the speed charts to earn the Bud Pole Award. Matt Hirschman of Northampton, PA, who is doing double-duty this weekend, showed the way in time trials for the RoC competitors. The qualifying format for the TVMRS calls for 12-lap heat races. It was Chris Pasteryak of Lisbon, CT, and Jimmy Kuhn, Jr. of W. Bridgewater, MA, each taking down victories.
Modified Mania Event Schedule
Qualifying Results
NASCAR WMT
True Value Modifieds
Race of Champions
Pro 4 Modifieds
(more…)