RGeeProductions
08-30-2013, 09:55 AM
Rocco, Gentes, McDermott, Kenneway, Bourgeois Champs
The 2013 season was celebrated in the final installment of Thursday Night Thompson Thunder (TNTT) with Keith Rocco, Rick Gentes, Cam McDermott, Steve Kenneway, and Eric Bourgeois earning division titles. NASCAR Whelen All American Series winners included Woody Pitkat in the Sunoco Modified division, Tom Carey, Jr. in the Late Models, Glenn Griswold in the Lite Modifieds, Scott Sundeen in the Xtra Mart Limited Sportsman division, and Eric Bourgeois in the Mini Stocks. Toby Wells took down the victory in the North East Mini Stock 20-lap feature.
Tom Carey, Jr. hasn’t won at Thompson Speedway since 2003 when he ran in the then-titled NASCAR Busch North Series. But Carey has a lot of winning left in him.
Carey took the lead eight laps before the race conclusion on a restart and held off Keith Rocco for the win.
Chad LaBastie took the early lead, but an accident involving Damon Tinio brought the field under caution before the lap was complete. Marc Curtis, Jr. took his place at the head of the field for the restart. LaBastie, however, got a solid run in the high groove and took the lead coming out of turn two. The battle for second went three-wide into turn four with John Lowinski-Loh coming out in second and Rick Gentes in third. Gentes wasn’t about to settle in, however, and took over the second spot on lap three. His momentum wasn’t over and Gentes drove by LaBastie effortlessly to take the lead on lap four. Glenn Boss was the man on the move and positioned himself on Gentes’ bumper by lap seven. Keith Rocco moved into third.
Gentes, Boss and Rocco were nose-to-tail as they started working their way through lapped traffic. On lap 15, Boss dropped to the bottom lane and got up alongside Gentes in a bid for the lead, but Gentes shut the door. On the following circuit, the battle for the lead went three-wide as Boss went low and Rocco went high. Contact was made between Boss and Gentes on the front stretch and caution came out. Rocco, Boss and Gentes were all sent to the rear for aggressive driving while Lowinski-Loh inherited the lead.
Tom Carey, Jr. could not hold back the determined Lowinski-Loh on the restart, but all eyes were on the rear of the field where Boss and Gentes made contact once again. Boss ended up in the turn three wall, and the incident ended Boss’ championship run.
Lowinski-Loh led Carey and Larry Gelinas into turn one on the restart before opening up a ten-car lead over the rest of the field, but Carey dove to the bottom coming out of turn four of lap 32 to take over the top spot. Lowinski-Loh’s championship hopes also came to an end when he got a right front flat on lap 34 and had to take his 20 machine to the pits.
Carey maneuvered his way through lapped traffic with Rocco attached to his rear bumper, but Carey held on for the win.
Woody Pitkat took the lead at lap 12 and held off a determined Keith Rocco to take down the victory in the final Sunoco Modified division point race. Rocco’s second place finish earned him the 2013 division title.
Paul Newcomb and Ryan Preece were in a tight side-by-side battle for the lead when caution came out on the first lap for a spun car off of turn four. Newcomb assumed the top spot for the restart with Preece challenging on the bottom and Nick Boivin challenging up top.
Newcomb maintained the lead, but Preece was able to get a run on the bottom groove to take over the lead on lap two. Preece pulled away as Rocco looked for a way around Newcomb. Sparks began to fly from Newcomb’s machine on lap five and officials reacted with a black flag for the 71 machine. Rocco patiently waited for him to pull in before setting his sights on Preece, who now held a full second lead over the rest of the field.
The race took a dramatic turn on lap nine when Preece spun in turn three and hit the outside retaining wall. Rocco inherited the lead with Woody Pitkat on the outside for the restart. Rocco drove to the front with Pitkat on his bumper. On lap 11, Pitkat went down to the inside into turn one and came out of turn two the new leader. Pitkat held on to the lead despite the pressure from Rocco on his bumper, but would have to hold off the point leader through another restart.
Rocco had a nose length advantage on the outside heading into turn one, but Pitkat came on strong in the corner and came out of turn two in the lead. Caution put a quick halt to the battle as the field lined up for yet another restart.
Pitkat shot to the front at the drop of the green with Rocco and Malone close behind. The top-five – Pitkat, Rocco, Malone, Matt Gallo and Dennis Perry – ran nose-to-tail over the next several laps, but ultimately, Pitkat, Rocco and Malone were able to pull away in a class all their own. Rocco stuck like glue to the back of Pitkat’s machine, and made a last-lap look on the bottom groove, but Pitkat was too strong and took the win.
Toby Wells drove Thompson Speedway like a veteran, but it was the New Hampshire native’s first trip to the 5/8th’s mile oval. Wells took the lead from Glen Thomas on a lap 12 restart and drove unchallenged to the checkered flag.
Mitchell Bombard led the first lap, but it was Cristofer King out front on lap two. Coming quick was Thomas in second on the bottom groove, but Wells managed to get by him on the outside before caution flew on lap five. King drove to the front as Thomas battled Danny Field for the second position. Thomas won that battle as he set his sights on King. Thomas took the lead coming out of turns three and four on lap seven and pulled ahead ten car lengths ahead of Wells.
Thomas and Wells were brought back together when caution set them up for a restart at lap 12. Thomas led them into turns one and two, but it was Wells ahead by a nose at the line to officially lead the lap. Thomas remained a fixture in his rear-view mirror as the duo pulled away by half-a-straightaway over the rest of the field. No one could catch them, however, as Wells drove to the checkered flag with Thomas in tow.
(continued)
The 2013 season was celebrated in the final installment of Thursday Night Thompson Thunder (TNTT) with Keith Rocco, Rick Gentes, Cam McDermott, Steve Kenneway, and Eric Bourgeois earning division titles. NASCAR Whelen All American Series winners included Woody Pitkat in the Sunoco Modified division, Tom Carey, Jr. in the Late Models, Glenn Griswold in the Lite Modifieds, Scott Sundeen in the Xtra Mart Limited Sportsman division, and Eric Bourgeois in the Mini Stocks. Toby Wells took down the victory in the North East Mini Stock 20-lap feature.
Tom Carey, Jr. hasn’t won at Thompson Speedway since 2003 when he ran in the then-titled NASCAR Busch North Series. But Carey has a lot of winning left in him.
Carey took the lead eight laps before the race conclusion on a restart and held off Keith Rocco for the win.
Chad LaBastie took the early lead, but an accident involving Damon Tinio brought the field under caution before the lap was complete. Marc Curtis, Jr. took his place at the head of the field for the restart. LaBastie, however, got a solid run in the high groove and took the lead coming out of turn two. The battle for second went three-wide into turn four with John Lowinski-Loh coming out in second and Rick Gentes in third. Gentes wasn’t about to settle in, however, and took over the second spot on lap three. His momentum wasn’t over and Gentes drove by LaBastie effortlessly to take the lead on lap four. Glenn Boss was the man on the move and positioned himself on Gentes’ bumper by lap seven. Keith Rocco moved into third.
Gentes, Boss and Rocco were nose-to-tail as they started working their way through lapped traffic. On lap 15, Boss dropped to the bottom lane and got up alongside Gentes in a bid for the lead, but Gentes shut the door. On the following circuit, the battle for the lead went three-wide as Boss went low and Rocco went high. Contact was made between Boss and Gentes on the front stretch and caution came out. Rocco, Boss and Gentes were all sent to the rear for aggressive driving while Lowinski-Loh inherited the lead.
Tom Carey, Jr. could not hold back the determined Lowinski-Loh on the restart, but all eyes were on the rear of the field where Boss and Gentes made contact once again. Boss ended up in the turn three wall, and the incident ended Boss’ championship run.
Lowinski-Loh led Carey and Larry Gelinas into turn one on the restart before opening up a ten-car lead over the rest of the field, but Carey dove to the bottom coming out of turn four of lap 32 to take over the top spot. Lowinski-Loh’s championship hopes also came to an end when he got a right front flat on lap 34 and had to take his 20 machine to the pits.
Carey maneuvered his way through lapped traffic with Rocco attached to his rear bumper, but Carey held on for the win.
Woody Pitkat took the lead at lap 12 and held off a determined Keith Rocco to take down the victory in the final Sunoco Modified division point race. Rocco’s second place finish earned him the 2013 division title.
Paul Newcomb and Ryan Preece were in a tight side-by-side battle for the lead when caution came out on the first lap for a spun car off of turn four. Newcomb assumed the top spot for the restart with Preece challenging on the bottom and Nick Boivin challenging up top.
Newcomb maintained the lead, but Preece was able to get a run on the bottom groove to take over the lead on lap two. Preece pulled away as Rocco looked for a way around Newcomb. Sparks began to fly from Newcomb’s machine on lap five and officials reacted with a black flag for the 71 machine. Rocco patiently waited for him to pull in before setting his sights on Preece, who now held a full second lead over the rest of the field.
The race took a dramatic turn on lap nine when Preece spun in turn three and hit the outside retaining wall. Rocco inherited the lead with Woody Pitkat on the outside for the restart. Rocco drove to the front with Pitkat on his bumper. On lap 11, Pitkat went down to the inside into turn one and came out of turn two the new leader. Pitkat held on to the lead despite the pressure from Rocco on his bumper, but would have to hold off the point leader through another restart.
Rocco had a nose length advantage on the outside heading into turn one, but Pitkat came on strong in the corner and came out of turn two in the lead. Caution put a quick halt to the battle as the field lined up for yet another restart.
Pitkat shot to the front at the drop of the green with Rocco and Malone close behind. The top-five – Pitkat, Rocco, Malone, Matt Gallo and Dennis Perry – ran nose-to-tail over the next several laps, but ultimately, Pitkat, Rocco and Malone were able to pull away in a class all their own. Rocco stuck like glue to the back of Pitkat’s machine, and made a last-lap look on the bottom groove, but Pitkat was too strong and took the win.
Toby Wells drove Thompson Speedway like a veteran, but it was the New Hampshire native’s first trip to the 5/8th’s mile oval. Wells took the lead from Glen Thomas on a lap 12 restart and drove unchallenged to the checkered flag.
Mitchell Bombard led the first lap, but it was Cristofer King out front on lap two. Coming quick was Thomas in second on the bottom groove, but Wells managed to get by him on the outside before caution flew on lap five. King drove to the front as Thomas battled Danny Field for the second position. Thomas won that battle as he set his sights on King. Thomas took the lead coming out of turns three and four on lap seven and pulled ahead ten car lengths ahead of Wells.
Thomas and Wells were brought back together when caution set them up for a restart at lap 12. Thomas led them into turns one and two, but it was Wells ahead by a nose at the line to officially lead the lap. Thomas remained a fixture in his rear-view mirror as the duo pulled away by half-a-straightaway over the rest of the field. No one could catch them, however, as Wells drove to the checkered flag with Thomas in tow.
(continued)