07/18/13 - Gallo Earns First Career Thompson Victory

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Barnett and Gleason Win Limited Sportsman Twin Features

Berlin, Conn. native Matt Gallo stood out as the only first time winner in a sea of repeat winners in this week’s edition of Thursday Night Thompson Thunder. Gallo took down the victory in the Sunoco Modified portion of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series card. Repeat winners included Glenn Boss in the Late Models, Cam McDermott in the Lite Modifieds, and Scott Michalski in the Monster Mini Stocks. Larry Barnett and Jesse Gleason each won 20-lap Limited Sportsman features.

Gallo took the lead of the 30-lap Sunoco Modified feature event from his outside front row starting position and never looked back. He led every lap en route to his first career Thompson Speedway win.

Gallo led the charge at the start of the race with Paul Newcomb and Woody Pitkat rounding out the top three. Gallo was on fire as he pulled away to a commanding half-a-straightaway lead over the rest of the field.

The man on the move, however, was Todd Ceravolo who took over the second spot by lap four. Ryan Preece and Keith Rocco also moved up to take over third and fourth respectively.

Gallo continued to maintain a torrid pace, but Ceravolo was slowly reeling him in. The field strung out single file as Rocco looked for a way around Preece. At lap 15, Rocco dropped to the bottom heading into turn three to shoot by for the third position. Up front, Gallo was out front with only a ten-car length advantage.

Rocco began to work over Ceravolo for the second spot. Rocco rode his bumper as he looked for the momentum to get by. Gallo, meanwhile, continued his dominance out front despite the car tightening up on him.

Gallo’s lead began to shrink, but it didn’t shake Gallo’s confidence as he drove to victory lane for the first time at Thompson Speedway.

Glenn Boss took the lead for the final time on a late-race restart to earn the Late Model victory over Damon Tinio and earn his second win of the season.

Chad LaBastie took the lead at the start but Marc Curtis, Jr. quickly found his way in a position to get underneath him and challenge for the lead. The duo went side-by-side with Curtis in the lead at the line on lap three. LaBastie had a nose-length advantage at the line of lap four, but Curtis made his way up front comfortably on the next circuit LaBastie shifted his focus to Glenn Boss, who took away the second position from him on lap six.

Further back in the field, Damon Tinio was working to hold off Rick Gentes and John Lowinski-Loh for the fourth spot. On lap 12, Gentes got by and caught up to LaBastie in the third position by lap 14. Curtis, meanwhile, was comfortably leading up front.

Curtis found himself in lapped traffic by lap 15 allowing Boss to close in to his bumper. Boss looked low to challenge, but couldn’t quite get a run on Curtis, who showed no signs of relinquishing the lead. Behind them, Gentes and Lowinski-Loh were battling just as hard for the third spot before contact was made in turn four of lap 21.

Curtis led Boss heading into turn one, but Boss quickly retaliated and had a nose-length advantage coming out of turn two. Boss held the slight advantage to the line to take over the lead. The two continued to race hard, but it was all Boss at the completion of lap 23. Tinio rounded out the top three.

Curtis made a last lap effort heading into turn two of the final lap, but got loose and spun allowing Boss to drive on to the checkered flag unchallenged.

Cam McDermott secured his fourth win of the Lite Modified season by holding off John Studley for the victory. McDermott took the lead from Studley on lap four and led the remainder of the event.

Joseph Boivin took the lead at the start of the feature, but Nikki Ouellette spun on the first lap and brought out the caution. On the restart, Glenn Griswold shot to the lead, but John Studley squeezed his way in to challenge on lap two. Studley took the lead with Cam McDermott in tow. McDermott rode Studley’s bumper for a single circuit before dropping underneath and taking the lead in turn one and two of the fourth lap. Caution slowed the pace at lap six after Griswold and Dylan Menditto made contact in turn one.

McDermott wasted no time getting back to the front on the restart, but Studley was filling his rear view mirror when caution flew again. McDermott used the inside groove to keep his lead on the restart as he pulled away five car lengths ahead of Studley. McDermott and Studley were the class of the field, as they pulled away by half-a-straightaway by lap 11.

Studley reeled in McDermott by lap 14, but McDermott turned up the heat and separated himself by two car lengths by lap 17. McDermott could not be stopped and once again graced victory lane.

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Larry Barnett took the lead six laps before the conclusion of the first 20-lap Limited Sportsman feature and never looked back as he went on to take his third victory of the season.

Lloyd Anderson took the early lead as the battle for fourth heated up from the start. The field went three-wide heading into turn three before a spun car brought out the first of many cautions to follow.

Anderson drove back out front on the restart with Tommy Shea, Sr. advancing to second. Mike Palin and Jason Chicolas were in an intense side-by-side battle behind him for third with Chicolas getting the advantage on the bottom groove and the spot. Steve Kenneway took over third.

Larry Barnett moved into the picture by lap eight as he pressured Kenneway for third. Barnett’s challenges allowed Anderson and Chicolas to pull away by ten car lengths over Kenneway.

Chicolas closed in on Anderson by lap 12, and made a run on the bottom groove for the lead. Lapped traffic was a part of the picture as the fight for the point went three-wide. Chicolas had a solid run going when caution came out and kept Anderson in the lead.

Anderson and Chicolas continued their battle on the drop of the green with Chicolas muscling his way to the front on the outside groove. On lap 13, Chicolas drifted high and got shuffled back in the field before getting caught up in a tangle that brought out the caution.

Anderson was posted as an accident car and Kenneway inherited the lead for the restart with Barnett on the outside. Barnett took over the lead coming out of turn two as the tail end of the field scattered through the infield. Caution slowed the pace yet again, but this time it was Barnett out front.

Barnett remained out front after the drop of the green with Jesse Gleason making a run on Kenneway for the second spot using the outside groove. The two raced door-to-door with Kenneway holding him off by the slightest advantage at the line. Barnett, meanwhile, was keeping his distance from the rest of the field. Caution, however, continued to plague the event and slowed the pace once again.

Kenneway tried to get a run on Barnett on the restart, but Barnett held him off and reclaimed the lead. Scott Sundeen moved into third. Kenneway attempted one last challenge coming off turn four of the last lap, but Barnett continued his dominating ways this season and took the checkered flag.

Travis Jurcik was the early leader, but Jesse Gleason took over the lead on lap two. Caution slowed the pace at lap three when a car spun on the backstretch. On the restart, Gleason held off Jurcik’s challenge and drove right back out front. Kenneway spun further back in the field coming out of turn two, but everyone made it out okay and the race remained under green.

Gleason opened up a commanding lead over Jurcik and Tommy Shea, Sr. Gleason approached lapped traffic by lap 10, but it didn’t slow him down. Caution, however, quickly closed up his lead at lap 12.

The break in action didn’t impede Gleason’s momentum, and he shot right back to the front on the restart. Nevertheless, a tangle in turn two brought out the caution again and Gleason would have to do it all over.

Gleason led Jurcik through three more restarts before officials parked the cars on pit road to cool off. The mini stock feature ran its 20-lap distance before the Limited Late Model feature got back underway with Gleason out front at the drop of the green. Again, Gleason showed no signs of slowing down as he pulled away to a commanding lead over Jurcik.

Cool heads prevailed in the second half of the race as the remaining six laps went caution free and Gleason drove on to victory lane.

Scott Michalski took the lead with six laps to go in the Monster Mini Stock 20-lap feature and secured his third win of the season.
Nathan Taylor took the early lead from Nick Anderson, but an altercation further back in the field brought out the caution on the second lap. Anderson had the lead at the line on the restart, but Taylor got a run on him on the backstretch to take the lead on lap three. Mike Viens rounded out the top-three before caution slowed the pace at lap four.

Anderson shot to the lead on the restart a full car length ahead of Taylor, but Taylor retaliated and reclaimed the lead at the line. Scott Michalski moved his way into second followed by Eric Bourgeois before the halfway marker. On lap 12, Michalski made a challenge on the bottom, but Taylor shut the door. Michalski continued to pressure Taylor on the bottom and got alongside him at the line on lap 14. Coming around turn two, Michalski’s persistence paid off and he took over the lead.

Michalski, Taylor and Bourgeois were the class of the field as they separated themselves by half-a-straightaway over the rest of the field before taking the checkered flag.

SUNOCO MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH (TOP-10): 1. Matt Gallo, Berlin, CT; 2. Todd Ceravolo, Gales Ferry, CT; 3. Keith Rocco, Meriden, CT; 4. Ryan Preece, Berlin, CT; 5. Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs, CT; 6. Kerry Malone, Needham, MA; 7. Paul Newcomb, Plymouth, MA; 8. Dennis Perry, Pawcatuck, CT; 9. John Catania, Ludlow, MA; 10. Eddie LeClerc, Jr., Taunton, MA.

LATE MODEL FEATURE FINISH (TOP-10): 1. Glenn Boss, Danielson, CT; 2. Damon Tinio, Mendon, MA; 3. Chad LaBastie, Uxbridge, MA; 4. John Lowinski-Loh, Milford, MA; 5. Randy Tucker, Millis, MA; 6. John Falconi, Oakham, MA; 7. Jared Materas, Palmer, MA; 8. Derryck Anderson, Jr., 9. Bob O’Connell, Jr., Wrentham, MA; 10. Rick Gentes, Burriville, RI.

LITE MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH: 1. Cam McDermott, Scituate, RI; 2. John Studley, Framingham, MA; 3. Glenn Griswold, Vernon, CT; 4. Joseph Boivin, Belchertown, MA; 5. Dylan Menditto, Brooklyn, CT; 6. Nikki Ouellette, East Granby, CT; 7. Ryan Pellerin, Dayville, CT; 8. Bob Vojtila, Southington, CT.

LIMITED SPORTSMAN FEATURE #1 FINISH (TOP-10): 1. Larry Barnett, Moosup, CT; 2. Steve Kenneway, Lowell, MA; 3. Scott Sundeen, Douglas, MA; 4. Jesse Gleason, Lisbon, CT; 5. Bill McNeil, Preston, CT; 6. Jason Chicolas, Sutton, MA; 7. Scott Cook, Uncasville, CT; 8. Scott Sousa, Uncasville, CT; 9. Scott Fanning, Mapleville, RI; 10. Corey Fanning, Mapleville, RI.

LIMITED SPORTSMAN FEATURE #2 FINISH (TOP-10): 1. Jesse Gleason, Lisbon, CT; 2. Travis Jurcik, Chaplin, CT; 3. Corey Fanning, Mapleville, RI; 4. Scott Sundeen, Douglas, MA; 5. Jason Chicolas, Sutton, MA; 6. Scott Fanning, Mapleville, RI; 7. Lloyd Anderson, Jr., Wauregan, CT; 8. Todd Dean, Danielson, CT; 9. Kevin Mason, West Warwick, RI; 10. Matthew Lowinski-Loh, Milford, MA.

MONSTER MINI STOCK FEATURE FINISH (TOP-10): 1. Scott Michalski, S. Killingly, CT; 2. Nathan Taylor, Wauregan, CT; 3. Eric Bourgeois, East Haddam, CT; 4. Mike Viens, Seekonk, MA; 5. Chad Baxter, Pascoag, RI; 6. Leo DeFevers, Moosup, CT; 7. Dave Trudeau, Mansfield, CT; 8. Joe Baxter, Pascoag, RI; 9. Roger Ducharme, Foster, RI; 10. Anthony Comforti, Douglas, MA.

Russ Dowd