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REFLECTIONS
ON THE THOMPSON 125
Ryan Preece Takes the Checkers at the Thompson 125
by Denise DuPont |
 NASCAR
Whelen Modified Tour (NWMT) returned to Thompson
Speedway Motorsports Park (TSMP) on Wednesday, June
14th. There were twenty-eight modifieds in the pits
ready to go racing.
Jon McKennedy of Chelmsford, MA took the Brady Bunch
Racing Chevrolet to the top of the charts during
practice. While Ryan Preece from Berlin, Ct found
himself forced to the sidelines with a broken drive
shaft.
Donny Lia of Riverhead, NY was second in practice
with the Bardahl Tommy Baldwin Chevrolet and scored
his twenty-second career pole during group
qualifying. This was also his fifth Coors Light Pole
at TSMP.
Lia lead the field around to start the feature race
with Doug Coby of Milford, Ct. at his side. When the
initial green flag flew Lia had the lead followed in
second by Timmy Solomito of Islip, NY. Coby dropped
back to fifth.
 There
was one red flag and several laps of cautions during
the race which collected up some of the field’s
strong contenders. The most intense caution occurred
on lap 91 and brought out a red flag. The fastest
cars in the field were charging forward on new
rubber. Hard racing, close quarters, determined
racers and contact set up the perfect storm to set
up a possible racing incident. Lia, Craig Lutz of
Miller Place, NY and Chase Dowling from Roxbury, CT
were in the pack charging forward when contact was
made. Cars spun, contact was made and flames brought
racing to a halt. Also involved in the accident were
Max Zachem (#20), Dave Sapienza (#36) Justin
Bonsignore (#51) and Rob Summers (#64).
Just shy of lap 100, the race returned green. Rowan
Pennink of Huntingdon Valley, PA. led the field to
green for the final race laps. Pennink maintained
the lead until Preece went under Pennink for the top
position on lap 108. From there forward it was clear
sailing for Preece to the checkers. This was
Preece’s second 2017 victory. Pennink was second,
Bobby Santos III of Franklin, Mass. Third, Coby
fourth and Eric Goodale of Riverhead, NY fifth.
 "All
of my guys work really hard," Preece said at race
conclusion. "Our guys live in Long Island,
Connecticut, Rhode Island, so it can be hard for
them. As long as the car is good and I can drive
forward, it's my job to get myself back there. I
shouldn't have to depend on them."
“We played a little bit different pit strategy,”
Pennink commented. “We pitted a little bit earlier
which got us to the front for track position. But he
(Ryan Preece) had a really good car. I don’t think
we would have beat him even if we played the same
pit strategy. We just needed to get the car a little
bit better and we would have had a shot. They did a
good job.”
Santos pitted for tires on lap 33 and stayed out for
the remainder of the race. "Our strategy definitely
worked in his favor,” Confessed third place finisher
Santos. "We weren't spectacular to start the race
but we made a good adjustment and put tires on and
we had a good car overall tonight."
The fifth of eighteen schedule NASCAR Whelen
Modified tour races is now in the books with Timmy
Solomito leading the points chase. Defending
champion Coby is ninth and Preece rounds off the top
ten in standings. The NWMT will return to racing on
Saturday June 24th at Riverhead Raceway for the Buzz
Chew Chevrolet-Cadillac 200.
Notes from Thompson
Speedway Motorsports Park:
Interviewing various drivers and fans in the
grandstands about the Group qualifying process, I
found that most are not happy with the new
procedure. They find it confusing, hard to follow
and adapt to. It may be just because it is new and
different, but most agree that the two lap time
trial tradition is a hard tradition to get away
from.
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Source:
Denise DuPont /
TheChromeHorn.com
Posted:
June 16, 2017 |
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