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10/18/2013 |
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WHELEN
MODIFIED TOUR SET TO QUALIFY FOR
FINAL RACE OF THE SEASON AT THOMPSON
Gentes and Carey Pick
Up Late Model Heat Wins |
Nine
divisions completed qualifying races Friday night to
set the stage for the biggest weekend of racing in
New England - Thompson Speedway’s World Series of
Stock Car racing.
The New England Truck Series, Mini Stocks, Late
Models, Limited Sportsman, Outlaw Street Stocks, Pro
4 Modifieds, Outlaw Mini Stocks, Lite Modifieds and
Outlaw Sportsman all ran their heat races in front
of a healthy crowd of enthusiastic race fans.
Highlighting the on-track action were victories by
Rick Gentes and Tom Carey III in the Late Model
division. The Lite Modifieds boasted a season record
car count with Glenn Griswold and Scott MacMichael
nailing down heat wins.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour gets qualifying
underway Saturday afternoon beginning at 2:30. The
event kicks off a long and storied history between
Thompson Speedway and the NASCAR Whelen Modified
Tour. It marks the 123rd WMT race at the track - the
most in the 29-year history of the tour.
Several drivers will by vying for the fastest time
including Mike Stefanik of Coventry, RI, who will be
looking to add to his series-leading record of nine
poles at Thompson Speedway. Stefanik won the WMT
portion of World Series weekend in 1998 and 2004,
and more recently scored the season-opening
Icebreaker win earlier this year. That win came off
the heels of a solid qualifying effort that put him
on the pole for the start of the race. He currently
sits 4th in the points.
Ryan Preece will also be looking for a strong start
to the weekend with a solid qualifying effort
Saturday afternoon. His championship hopes are on
the line at Thompson as he leads defending NASCAR
Whelen Modified Tour Champion Doug Coby by 26 points
heading into this final event of the season. He can
clinch the title with a finish of 22nd or better.
Coby, who has two wins (including the non-points
UNOH Showdown) at Thompson Speedway, will be a force
to reckon with over the weekend as he attempts to
overcome Preece for his second consecutive title.
Qualifying action is also slated for the Sunoco
Modifieds, the Granite State Pro Stock Series, the
Valenti Modified Racing Series, NEMA Midgets, and
the ISMA Super Modifieds directly following the
conclusion of NWMT time trials Saturday afternoon.
The Valenti Modified Racing Series takes the green
flag for their 75-lap feature event Saturday night.
Feature races for the New England Truck Series, Mini
Stocks, Late Models, Limited Sportsman, Outlaw
Street Stocks, Pro 4 Modifieds, the Outlaw Mini
Stocks, Lite Modifieds and Outlaw Sportsman are also
on tap.
Grandstands open at 9 a.m. with final practice
commencing the day’s activities.. |
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Source: Russ Dowd / Thompson Speedway
Posted: October
18, 2013 |
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