Mike Christopher Jr. Saves Tires to Dash for Cash Win on Sunoco World Series FridayJohnson Comes Back from Flat Tire to Claim ACT1011

(Alan Ward photos)

Thompson, CT — After heat race qualifying events set the night’s feature line-ups, the Thompson Late Models took on the Big-T for the final event in their 2024 track championship season. Ryan Morgan and champion hopeful Brian Tagg lined-up alongside one another to lead the Late Models to green with defending champ Nick Johnson holding a 13 point lead over Tagg following the heats. Morgan would get the jump on the dominant outside groove with Johnson in tow as Tagg fell under attack by Derek Gluchacki and Matt Lowinski-Loh. Gluchacki powered under Morgan to take third and set his sights on Johnson at the head of the pack, dueling lap after lap with three-wide racing behind them.

The three-wide racing between Lowinski-Loh, Corey Fanning and Tagg went sour in turn two with Lowinski-Loh taking a hard hit with the outside wall as rookie Kyle Gero piled into Fanning late to bring in a big clean-up effort. On the restart, championship in grasp, a flat right rear tire saw Johnson slide backwards across the line before finally spinning in turn one to bring out the caution. Johnson would maintain a fifth place run in the final twenty circuits to claim the championship by eleven points over Brian Tagg while Derek Gluchacki dominated to his 4th win of the season with Ryan Kuhn and Ryan Morgan rounding out the podium.

The Evolve Bank Pro Truck Challenge returned to Thompson Speedway for their rain-delayed Jim Boyle Memorial 35. Tyler Chapman and Josh Stringer brought the field to green just before Chris Taylor went up in a shower of sparks mid-pack with one lap complete. Chapman kept the lead up front until lap eleven when Duane Knoll shot underneath off turn two and took over the top spot in the Deuce. While Knoll kept pace at the front, outside pole sitter Stringer dropped slowly on the bottom with a blown motor to call out the lap 22 caution. The final circuits saw a dogfight that also included Ryan Kuhn with a last lap dash finding Tyler Chapman taking the win, Duane Knoll in second and Jaysin Beal getting third by a bumper over Ryan Kuhn!

The RLS Performance team cars of Ryan Lineham and Derek Gluchacki brought the R&R Race Parts NH Street Stock Open 50 to green with Lineham quickly launching to a growing lead. Things stayed calm until the lap 19 caution for Corey Fanning’s meet and greet with the turn three wall but Lineham once again powered away with the restart lead as Gluchacki fought hard with Andrew Gillis for second under the crossed flags. The relatively clean and green event saw a dominant Ryan Lineham spank the R&R Race Parts Open Street Stock field to the $1,000 win over team-car piloted by Derek Gluchacki in second and Andrew Gillis in third.

By virtue of a +5 in heat race qualifying, Ronnie Williams lined-up alongside the +4 earning Mike Christopher, Jr. to lead the Outlaw Open Modified Dash for Cash 50-lapper to green. The prelude Tour-type Modified event of Sunoco World Series weekend certainly didn’t disappoint with Williams facing off with Patrick Emerling and Woody Pitkat early in the sprint. After leading through the halfway point, Mike Christopher Jr. made the power-move under Williams to nab the lead with Williams falling back, conserving in hopes of a caution flag. That caution never came and Mike Christopher Jr. toppled the Outlaw Open Mod King Ronnie Williams for the $5,000 Sunoco World Series win with Teddy Hodgdon hanging tough to take home third.

Hot off the Dash for Cash run, Tyler Barry and Derek Ramstrom led the Thompson Sunoco Modified feature to green but it was top rookie Isaiah Newcomb who would nab the lead on lap 2 as veterans Keith Rocco and Todd Owen quickly enveloped the young leaders. While Barry and Newcomb desperately swapped lanes to evade onslaught, Todd Owen would steal the lead on lap 8 until Rocco took over on lap 10. Todd Owen kept his foot planted firmly to the firewall to claim his first Thompson Sunoco Modified win with the new 604-powered format with Keith Rocco and Jon Puleo joining him on the victory lane podium.

The Senior Tour Auto Racers closed out the evening with a view of yesteryear for the nostalgic at heart to bring a cruising close to Sunoco World Series Friday.

The 62nd Sunoco World Series of Speedway Racing continues tomorrow, Saturday, October 13. Intense racing action courtesy of the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series, American-Canadian Tour, Pro All Stars Series and New England Supermodified Series highlights the eight division Super Saturday showdown! Pits open at 8:30am with Post Time set for 2:00pm on Saturday.

Saturday only General Admission is available at $45 for adults, $15 for kids 12-6 with children five and under free all three days of Sunoco World Series weekend! The multi-day general admission ticket is also available at $75 for adults and $30 for kids 12-6.

Folks with general admission tickets from the Icebreaker Saturday event will receive a $25 credit towards the Saturday portion of World Series weekend and the rescheduled Monaco Modified event. This is for general admission only; Fans must turn in Icebreaker tickets to receive the credit.

Saturday only pit admission is available to adults for $50 and $25 for kids 12 and under. The Multi-Day Pit Pass is also available to adults for $100 and $50 for kids 12 and under.For more information about the American-Canadian Tour, contact the ACT offices at (802) 244-6963, media@acttour.com, or visit www.acttour.com. You can also get updates on Facebook and Twitter at @ACTTour.

For technical information concerning all PASS divisions, and for media or marketing questions, please contact passracing@roadrunner.com or visit www.proallstarsseries.com. Don’t forget to “Like” the Pro All Stars Series on Facebook or follow on Twitter @PASSSLM14 to keep up with breaking news as it happens.

For general Thompson Speedway inquiries, call (860) 923-2280, email oval@thompsonspeedway.com, or visit www.thompsonspeedway.com. You can follow Thompson Speedway on Facebook and Instagram at @ThompsonSpeedway or on Twitter at @ThompsonSpdwy.

62nd Sunoco World Series Friday
Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park – Thompson, CT
Friday, October 11, 2024
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS

Late Models – (30 Laps)
2024 Thompson Speedway Late Model Champion: Nick Johnson

1. 03MA Derek Gluchacki Dartmouth, MA
2. 72MA Ryan Kuhn East Bridgewater, MA
3. 31CT Ryan Morgan North Franklin, CT
4. 9MA Brian Tagg Millbury, MA
5. 6MA Nick Johnson Rehoboth, MA
6. 91CT Jake Johnson Rehoboth, MA
7. 14 Zach Robinson Putnam, CT
8. 28 Mark Jenison Warwick, RI
9. 50RI Mike Benevides Westerly, RI
10. 17CT Matt Lowinski-Loh Thompson, CT
11. 1CT Corey Fanning Mapleville, RI
12. 19CT #Kyle Gero Baltic, CT
    DNS 07MA Woody Pitkat Bellingham, MA

Outlaw Open Modifieds – Sunoco World Series Dash for Cash (50 Laps)

1. 00 Mike Christopher, Jr. Wolcott, CT
2. 50 Ronnie Williams Ellington, CT
3. 55CT Teddy Hodgdon Danbury, CT
4. 8 Woody Pitkat Bellingham, MA
5. 07 Patrick Emerling Mooresville, NC
6. 1 Stephen Kopcik Newtown, CT
7. 25 Matt Swanson Harvard, MA
8. 57 Keith Rocco Berlin, CT
9. 5CT Chris Pasteryak Lisbon, CT
10. 13 Max Zachem Oakdale, CT
11. 76 Brett Meservey Brewster, MA
12. 79 Jon McKennedy Chelmsford, MA
13. 28 Buddy Charette Woodstock, CT
14. 81 Todd Owen Somers, CT
15. 81NY Mark Stewart Wading River, NY
16. 3 Tyler Rypkema Owego, NY
17. 8F Chris Finocchario Macdeon, NY
18. 8NY Tyler Barry Griswold, CT
19. 31 Noah Korner Avon, CT
20. 47 Joey Mucciacciaro Wolcott, CT
21. 55x Jacob Perry Kannapolis, NC
22. 48 Glen Steger Copiague, NY
23. 25x Rob Richardi Jr. Taunton, MA
24. 36 David Sapienza Riverhead, NY

R&R Race Parts NH Street Stock Open – (50 Laps)

1. 19 Ryan Lineham Warwick, RI
2. 10 Derek Gluchacki Dartmouth, MA
3. 77 Andrew Gillis Ashland, MA
4. 7 Shane Gendron Chelmsford, MA
5. 03 Josh Gerard W. Wareham, MA
6. 68VT Jason Woodard Waterbury Ctr., VT
7. 35 Kris Watson Kendeskeag, ME
8. 24 Jeff Alley Machias, ME
9. 52 Rob MacRae Billerica, MA
10. 11 Corey Fanning Mapleville, RI
11. 54 Colby Lambert Westport, MA
12. 19x Adrien Paradis Plainville, CT
13. 67 Aaron Plemons Montville, CT
14. 36NH Nate Hamblett Derby, VT
15. 81 PJ Evans Uncasville, CT
16. 80 Tyler Trott E. Hartford, CT
17. 15 Sean Petleck Ware, MA
18. 2T Tim Poulin Thompson, CT
19. 16 Nick Hovey Chaplin, CT
20. 38 Jon Porter Lisbon, CT
21. 18 Devon McConologue West Newfield, ME
22. 9NH Joey Ventrillo Methuen, MA
23. 116 Pepe Silvia Middletown, CT

Thompson Sunoco Modifieds – (30 Laps)

1. 81 Todd Owen Somers, CT
2. 09 Keith Rocco Berlin, CT
3. 7 Jon Puleo Branford, CT
4. 76 Tyler Barry Griswold, CT
5. 99 Derek Ramstrom Worcester, MA
6. 03 Nate Wenzel Granby, MA
7. 22 #Isaiah Newcomb Plymouth, MA
8. 27 Chase Cook Norwich, MA
9. 2 Danny Cates Chaplin, CT
10. 18 Andrew Martell Charlestown, NH
11. 4 #Zach Leone Worcester, MA
12. 40 Mike Mitchell Cumberland, RI
13. 99 Mike Mayberry Naples, ME
14. 22x Tom Sekulski Nesconcet, NY

Evolve Bank & Trust Pro Truck Challenge – Jim Boyle Memorial (35 Laps)

1. 81 Tyler Chapman
2. 2 Duane Knoll
3. 30 Jaysin Beal
4. 72 Ryan Kuhn
5. 94 Jason Paquette
6. 32 Randy Burr
7. 14 Damian Palardy
8. 47 Todd Taylor
9. 8 Al Stone III
10. 1 Dennis Charette
11. 27 Sean Caron
12. 52 Mercedes Caron
13. 151 Howard Payne
14. 11RI Nicholas Frechette
15. 42 Chris Palamar
16. 29 Josh Stringer
17. 5 Chris Taylor