RGeeProductions
07-29-2011, 09:49 AM
Field & Panaroni Share Mini Stock Spotlight; Baxter Overall Mini Challenge Winner
Cates, Gelinas, Gentes, Sundeen & Boss Score Victories
The Mini Stocks took top billing at Thompson Speedway during Thursday Night Thunder with the running of the annual Mini Stock Northern Challenge. Danny Field of Deep River, CT, continued his winning ways in the regular weekly division portion of the Challenge. Mark Panaroni of Ivoryton, CT, scored the victory in the Mini Stock Northern Tour (MSNT) leg of the challenge. Chad Baxter of Pascoag, RI scored one for the ‘home team’ as the overall winner of the Mini Stock Northern Tour Challenge.
In regular NASCAR Whelen All-American Series action, Danny Cates of Chaplin, CT, held back some stiff competition to score his first Sunoco Modified victory of the season. Larry Gelinas of Buxton, ME, won a barnburner in the Super Late Models. Rick Gentes of Woonsocket, RI, was back to form in the Late Models; scoring the feature win. A dominating performance in the Limited Sportsman found Scott Sundeen of Douglas, MA, in victory lane. What a difference a week made for TIS Modified winner Glenn Boss of Danielson, CT.
Danny Field of Deep River, CT, added to his win tally for the 2011 season winning the first leg of the Mini Stocks special event on Thursday night. Tim Higginbotham and Lou Bellisle, III had a spirited battle in the opening laps of the regularly scheduled Mini Stock feature event on Thursday Night. Bellisle came out on top to lead the way. Eric Bourgeois and Danny Field shot out of the pack of Minis to run third and fourth respectively by lap five. Tyler Poulin, the only other winner in the Monster Minis this season, also broke into the top five.
Higginbotham dropped off the pace leaving Bellisle, Bourgeois, Field, and Poulin to duke it out for the lead. A restart on lap six, after a single car incident, opened the door for Bourgeois. Contact between the leaders entering turn four found both cars sliding; further contact sent the field scattering. Field and Poulin were able to maneuver their way through to make up the front row on the ensuing restart.
Back under green Field quickly established himself as the leader. Over the stretch run to the checker, Joe Baxter had worked his through traffic and into the third position. With Field comfortably out front, Poulin had company from J. Baxter. Baxter closed but could not muster up a real challenge. The three would speed under the checkers in that order with Field scoring his ninth Mini Stock win of the season. Poulin continued his strong season to finish second over J. Baxter. Leo Defevers and Chad Baxter rounded out the top five.
Mark Panaroni of Ivoryton, CT, was tops in the companion Northern Mini Stock Tour event. Loren Smith took command of the NMST event early and went on to stretch his margin by nearly a half-straight-away over a heated battle between Emerson Cayer and Mark Panaroni. The duo ran door-to-door for several laps. Panaroni was able to edge ahead at lap seven. Christofer King had run along in the fourth spot before being reeled in by Sean Caron and Calvin Rose.
Once free of Cayer, Panaroni set his sights on leader Smith. In only a matter of laps, Panaroni had erased the entire advantage. On lap 11, Panaroni was glued to the back bumper of Smith. Deeper in the pack, King, Caron and Rose continued to vie for position. Entering turn one on lap 13, Panaroni split a lapped car and Smith to take over the lead. Cayer had also closed on Smith. Thompson regular Ducharme had made his way past King; who ran in fifth as both Caron and Rose faltered.
Panaroni gained a comfortable margin over a heated battle for the second spot. Panaroni cruised to the checker while Smith was able to hold off Cayer to finish second. Ducharme and King completed the top five.
The Northern Mini Stock Challenge served as the night capper for an evening chock-full of racing activity. The 20-lap event pitted the top finishers in the earlier Thompson Mini and the NMST events in a final challenge to the checkers. Panaroni parlayed his front row starting position to take the lead in the Challenge event. Cayer took chase of the leader. Chad Baxter appeared in third.
Panaroni went wide coming off turn four leaving the door open for Cayer. Cayer was able to steal the lead away. A caution on lap seven for a spin by Randy Jurcik negated the pass for the lead. Cayer capitalized on the restart to take over the lead. Thompson regular C. Baxter followed through relegating Panaroni to third. A single-lap later, C. Baxter challenged for the lead. The duo went door-to-door with Cayer maintaining his lead by the slightest of margins. Panaroni remained in striking distance. Baxter led lap 12 but Cayer battled back. Panaroni looked to make it three-wide coming out of turn four for lap 13. The three settled back in line with C. Baxter asserting himself as the leader once again. Things settled down with C. Baxter leading by several car-lengths over Cayer; who enjoyed a similar advantage over Panaroni. Baxter would go unchallenged to take down the popular win. Invaders Cayer and Panaroni completed the podium finishers in the Challenge.
Danny Cates of Chaplin, CT, has been knocking on the door all season. On Thursday night, he broke through and into victory lane with a dominating win in the Sunoco Modifieds. Sparks flew in the Sunoco Modified feature before turn one on the opening lap. Getting the worst of the incident were John Catania and Carl Oberg. Ryan Preece and Keith Rocco took evasive action to miss being collected. With lap one complete, Danny Cates held the lead followed by Preece, Rocco and Pitkat. Pitkat started eighth to run fourth on lap one. Rick Fuller took chase in fifth followed by Todd Ceravolo.
Cates had two car-lengths over Preece; who was being dogged by Rocco. Rocco stepped out of line moving to the inside of Preece. Pitkat thought about making it three-wide exiting turn four. When things shook out on lap seven Rocco was second being closely pursued by Pitkat. Preece bobbled exiting turn two giving up several positions.
Pitkat continued to chase Rocco for second. Cates was maintaining the small margin over Rocco. Things had settled down at the head of the pack with Cates, Rocco and Pitkat running nose-to-tail. The best battle was for fourth between Fuller, Ceravolo and Preece.
At halfway, Pitkat began to pressure Rocco once again. While they battled, Rocco and Pitkat were still able to run down Cates. Rocco had moved within a car-length of Cates. On lap 19, Pitkat dove low on Rocco. He got along side but could not keep up the momentum losing several car lengths. Preece meanwhile had gotten by both Ceravolo and Fuller. Fuller was not giving up; staying glued to Preece.
With five laps remaining, Rocco had caught the back bumper of Cates while Pitkat ran tight to Rocco’s bumper. Exiting turn four Pitkat could get a run on Rocco but could not get the run up onto the straightaway. Cates entered heavy lapped traffic with two laps to go. The lead trio was nose-to-tail. Coming to the checkers, none of the cars would step out of line. Cates crossed the stripe for his first win of the season. Rocco finished second over Pitkat. In the closing laps, Fuller was able to get by Preece for fourth. Preece had to settle for fifth.
(continued)
Cates, Gelinas, Gentes, Sundeen & Boss Score Victories
The Mini Stocks took top billing at Thompson Speedway during Thursday Night Thunder with the running of the annual Mini Stock Northern Challenge. Danny Field of Deep River, CT, continued his winning ways in the regular weekly division portion of the Challenge. Mark Panaroni of Ivoryton, CT, scored the victory in the Mini Stock Northern Tour (MSNT) leg of the challenge. Chad Baxter of Pascoag, RI scored one for the ‘home team’ as the overall winner of the Mini Stock Northern Tour Challenge.
In regular NASCAR Whelen All-American Series action, Danny Cates of Chaplin, CT, held back some stiff competition to score his first Sunoco Modified victory of the season. Larry Gelinas of Buxton, ME, won a barnburner in the Super Late Models. Rick Gentes of Woonsocket, RI, was back to form in the Late Models; scoring the feature win. A dominating performance in the Limited Sportsman found Scott Sundeen of Douglas, MA, in victory lane. What a difference a week made for TIS Modified winner Glenn Boss of Danielson, CT.
Danny Field of Deep River, CT, added to his win tally for the 2011 season winning the first leg of the Mini Stocks special event on Thursday night. Tim Higginbotham and Lou Bellisle, III had a spirited battle in the opening laps of the regularly scheduled Mini Stock feature event on Thursday Night. Bellisle came out on top to lead the way. Eric Bourgeois and Danny Field shot out of the pack of Minis to run third and fourth respectively by lap five. Tyler Poulin, the only other winner in the Monster Minis this season, also broke into the top five.
Higginbotham dropped off the pace leaving Bellisle, Bourgeois, Field, and Poulin to duke it out for the lead. A restart on lap six, after a single car incident, opened the door for Bourgeois. Contact between the leaders entering turn four found both cars sliding; further contact sent the field scattering. Field and Poulin were able to maneuver their way through to make up the front row on the ensuing restart.
Back under green Field quickly established himself as the leader. Over the stretch run to the checker, Joe Baxter had worked his through traffic and into the third position. With Field comfortably out front, Poulin had company from J. Baxter. Baxter closed but could not muster up a real challenge. The three would speed under the checkers in that order with Field scoring his ninth Mini Stock win of the season. Poulin continued his strong season to finish second over J. Baxter. Leo Defevers and Chad Baxter rounded out the top five.
Mark Panaroni of Ivoryton, CT, was tops in the companion Northern Mini Stock Tour event. Loren Smith took command of the NMST event early and went on to stretch his margin by nearly a half-straight-away over a heated battle between Emerson Cayer and Mark Panaroni. The duo ran door-to-door for several laps. Panaroni was able to edge ahead at lap seven. Christofer King had run along in the fourth spot before being reeled in by Sean Caron and Calvin Rose.
Once free of Cayer, Panaroni set his sights on leader Smith. In only a matter of laps, Panaroni had erased the entire advantage. On lap 11, Panaroni was glued to the back bumper of Smith. Deeper in the pack, King, Caron and Rose continued to vie for position. Entering turn one on lap 13, Panaroni split a lapped car and Smith to take over the lead. Cayer had also closed on Smith. Thompson regular Ducharme had made his way past King; who ran in fifth as both Caron and Rose faltered.
Panaroni gained a comfortable margin over a heated battle for the second spot. Panaroni cruised to the checker while Smith was able to hold off Cayer to finish second. Ducharme and King completed the top five.
The Northern Mini Stock Challenge served as the night capper for an evening chock-full of racing activity. The 20-lap event pitted the top finishers in the earlier Thompson Mini and the NMST events in a final challenge to the checkers. Panaroni parlayed his front row starting position to take the lead in the Challenge event. Cayer took chase of the leader. Chad Baxter appeared in third.
Panaroni went wide coming off turn four leaving the door open for Cayer. Cayer was able to steal the lead away. A caution on lap seven for a spin by Randy Jurcik negated the pass for the lead. Cayer capitalized on the restart to take over the lead. Thompson regular C. Baxter followed through relegating Panaroni to third. A single-lap later, C. Baxter challenged for the lead. The duo went door-to-door with Cayer maintaining his lead by the slightest of margins. Panaroni remained in striking distance. Baxter led lap 12 but Cayer battled back. Panaroni looked to make it three-wide coming out of turn four for lap 13. The three settled back in line with C. Baxter asserting himself as the leader once again. Things settled down with C. Baxter leading by several car-lengths over Cayer; who enjoyed a similar advantage over Panaroni. Baxter would go unchallenged to take down the popular win. Invaders Cayer and Panaroni completed the podium finishers in the Challenge.
Danny Cates of Chaplin, CT, has been knocking on the door all season. On Thursday night, he broke through and into victory lane with a dominating win in the Sunoco Modifieds. Sparks flew in the Sunoco Modified feature before turn one on the opening lap. Getting the worst of the incident were John Catania and Carl Oberg. Ryan Preece and Keith Rocco took evasive action to miss being collected. With lap one complete, Danny Cates held the lead followed by Preece, Rocco and Pitkat. Pitkat started eighth to run fourth on lap one. Rick Fuller took chase in fifth followed by Todd Ceravolo.
Cates had two car-lengths over Preece; who was being dogged by Rocco. Rocco stepped out of line moving to the inside of Preece. Pitkat thought about making it three-wide exiting turn four. When things shook out on lap seven Rocco was second being closely pursued by Pitkat. Preece bobbled exiting turn two giving up several positions.
Pitkat continued to chase Rocco for second. Cates was maintaining the small margin over Rocco. Things had settled down at the head of the pack with Cates, Rocco and Pitkat running nose-to-tail. The best battle was for fourth between Fuller, Ceravolo and Preece.
At halfway, Pitkat began to pressure Rocco once again. While they battled, Rocco and Pitkat were still able to run down Cates. Rocco had moved within a car-length of Cates. On lap 19, Pitkat dove low on Rocco. He got along side but could not keep up the momentum losing several car lengths. Preece meanwhile had gotten by both Ceravolo and Fuller. Fuller was not giving up; staying glued to Preece.
With five laps remaining, Rocco had caught the back bumper of Cates while Pitkat ran tight to Rocco’s bumper. Exiting turn four Pitkat could get a run on Rocco but could not get the run up onto the straightaway. Cates entered heavy lapped traffic with two laps to go. The lead trio was nose-to-tail. Coming to the checkers, none of the cars would step out of line. Cates crossed the stripe for his first win of the season. Rocco finished second over Pitkat. In the closing laps, Fuller was able to get by Preece for fourth. Preece had to settle for fifth.
(continued)