Putnam Town Crier - Hinckley pg 9 6-24-10

Details: Category: Past Issues

THOMPSON --- Les Hinckley of Windsor Locks was viorious June 17 as the Modified Racing Series made their first official appearance of the 2010 season at the 5/8-th mile oval at Thompson International Speedway. The NASCAR Whelen All-American Series competitors provided some incredible racing on Thursday Night as well with thrilling finishes. Ted Christopher of Plainville, won his third feature viory of the 2010 season at Thompson in exciting fashion. Mike O’Sullivan of Springfield, Mass., won a thriller in the Super Late Models. Brother Tommy O’Sullivan, also of Springfield, took a commanding viory in the Late Models. Larry Barnett of Moosup, scored his first win of the season in Limited Sportsman aion. Brian Sullivan of S. Windsor, returned to the TIS Modified division and returned to his winning ways while Steve Michalski of Brooklyn, wired the field to score the viory in the Mini Stocks.
Modified Racing Series Finish (Top Ten): 1. Les Hinckley, Windsor Locks, ; 2. Ted Christopher, Plainville, ; 3. Jon McKennedy, Chelmsford, MA; 4. Steve Masse, Bellingham, MA; 5. Eric Goodale, Wading River, NY; 6. Charlie Pasteryak, Lisbon, ; 7. Dwight Jarvis, Ascutney, VT; 8. Richard Savary, Canton, MA; 9. Mike Stefanik, Conventry, RI; 10. Geoff Gernhard, Salem, .
Sunoco Modified Feature Finish (Top-Ten): 1. Ted Christopher, Plainville, ; 2. Woody Pitkat, Stafford, ; 3. Keith Rocco, Wallingford, ; 4. Ronnie Silk, Norwalk, ; 5. Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon Valley, PA: 6. Danny Cates, Chaplin, ; 7. Kerry Malone, Needham, MA; 8. Andy Gasper, Andover, ; 9. Dave Salzarulo, Monson, MA; 10. John Catania, Agawam, MA.
Super Late Model Feature Finish (Top-Ten): 1. Mike O’Sullivan, Springfield, MA; 2. Larry Gelinas, Buxton, ME; 3. Mike Stefanik, Coventry, RI; 4. Jim Banfield, S. Glastonbury, ; 5. George Bessette, Danbury, ; 6. Daryl Stampfl, Norwood, MA; 7. Dennis Maxfield, Fitchburg, MA; 8. Scott Rotherforth, Glastonbury, ; 9. Jeramee Lillie, W. Warwick, RI; 10. Derek Ramstrom, Worcester, MA.
Late Model Feature Finish (Top-Ten): 1. Tommy O’Sullivan, Springfield, MA; 2. Wayne Coury, Sr., Milford, ; 3. Rick Gentes, Woonsocket, RI; 4. John Materas, Voluntown, ; 5. Mark Jenison, Warwick, RI; 6. Jeff Hartwell, Auburn, MA; 7. Mark Oliveira, Blackstone, MA; 8. Randy Waterman, Killingly, ; 9. Mark Parmentier, Putnam, ; 10. Joe Oliver, Commack, NY.
Limited Sportsman Feature Finish (Top-Ten): 1. Larry Barnett, Ledyard, ; 2. Shawn Monahan, Waterford, ; 3. Scott Fanning, Mapleville, RI; 4. Jason Chicolas, Sutton, MA; 5. Chris Douton, Waterford, ; 6. Paul Coutu, Jr., Thompson, ; 7. Scott Sundeen, Douglas, MA; 8. Jesse Gleason, Lisbon, ; 9. Mike Romano, Chepachet, RI; 10. Kevin Bowe, Pawtucket, RI.
TIS Modified Feature Finish: 1. Brian Sullivan, S. Windsor, ; 2. Brian Tagg, Oxford, MA; 3. R.J. Marcotte, Millville, MA; 4. Shane Michalski, Woodstock, ; 5. Jason Sundeen, Douglas, MA; 6. John Studley, Framingham, MA; 7. Tyler Poulin, Pascoag, RI; 8. Denis Legere, N. Reading, MA; 9. Keith McDermott, Scituate, RI; 10. Ryan Morgan, Mystic, .
Mini Stock Feature Finish (Top-Ten): 1. Steve Michalski, Brooklyn, ; 2. Chuck Rogers, Quaker Hill, ; 3. Scott Jussaume, Danielson, ; 4. Randy Churchill, Jr., Oakdale, ; 5. Scott Michalski, S. Killingly, ; 6. Llyod Anderson, Wauregan, ; 7. Trevor Michalski, S. Killingly, ; 8. Bert Ouellette, Dayville, ; 9. Chad Baxter, Pascoag, RI; 10. Jeff Moffat, Warwick, RI.
Les Hinckley of Windsor Locks, was opportunistic in the Town Fair Tire 75 to score the viory in the Modified Racing Series. Hinckley was coming on strong over the final portion of the event. He had situated himself to be in contention for the viory when circumstances gave him the opening he needed. Modified veteran Mike Stefanik led the better part of the Modified Racing Series main event while Ted Christopher also took his turn at the helm. Thompson regular Rowan Pennink asserted himself late in the event and looked to be car to beat in the late stages. Conta between then-leader Stefanik and Pennink sent the leader Stefanik spinning. Pennink was given the consolation flag for his involvement.
Hinckley, who was running third on lap 56, inherited the lead for the ensuing restart. Over the final 19 laps, Hinckley was able to get some distance over a heated battle between Christopher and Jon McKennedy.
At the end it was all Hinckley, who posted his third win of the season. “I always wanted to win a race at Thompson,” said Hinckley in viory lane.
Christopher was able to hold on for second followed by McKennedy. Steve Masse and Eric Goodale completed the top five. For complete details visit modifiedracingseries.com
Ted Christopher of Plainville, scored an exciting win against his rival on Thursday Night in a thrilling Sunoco Modified main event. Kerry Malone was back in aion in his family-owned #79 to lead the opening laps of the 30-lapper. Danny Cates, Ronnie Silk, Keith Rocco and Christopher ran in the top-five. Sparks flew early between Christopher and Rocco with conta between the two on the opening lap.
Cates made a bid for the lead but had to settle back behind Malone. Cates would begin to backslide as he relinquished several spots early. Christopher was able to work his way past Cates and Silk. He made quick work of Malone to take over the lead on lap six. Rocco followed through to run in second. Silk and Pitkat were also able to get by Malone.
Up front, Christopher and Rocco ran nose to tail a distance ahead of Silk in third. Silk had his hands full with a charging Pitkat. Rocco tried the crossover move in turn four on lap 20 but he slid back up the track allowing Christopher to retain his lead. A single lap later Rocco used the outside groove to drive around Christopher for the top spot. In the lead, Rocco could not get away from Christopher. The two played cat-and-mouse as the laps were winding down.
An incident that involved John Catania, Wayne Arute and Dave Salzarulo cooled off the heated battle for the top spot. On the single-file restart, Rocco, Christopher, Pitkat, Silk, and Pennink lined-up inside the top-five.
Rocco looked like he was shot out of a cannon on the restart; gaining several car lengths on Christopher immediately. The #36 of Tim Sullivan ended up in the outside wall in turn two to bring out the caution; setting up another restart.
Rocco repeated the feat on the ensuing restart. On the backstretch TC got along side Rocco. They entered the corner side-by-side. Rocco drove Christopher nearly to the grass on the front stretch in defense of his lead. Ever-composed Christopher got along side Rocco again on the backstretch on the final lap. He edged ahead of Rocco entering turn three as Pitkat joined the fray. Christopher exited turn four with the lead running to his third win of the season. Pitkat was also able to get alongside Rocco. Pitkat won the drag race to the checkers to finish second. Rocco had to settle for the third spot over Silk and Pennink.
An equally as exciting Super Late Model main event found Mike O’Sullivan of Springfield, MA, coming out on top of a three-car battle to score the viory. George Bessette, O’Sullivan and Larry Gelinas made easy work of the front row starters to run in the top-three positions early. On lap three, O’Sullivan took over the top spot from Bessette. As Gelinas pressured Bessette for second, Derek Ramstrom joined the battle at the head of the field.
O’Sullivan was able to gain a sizable advantage as Bessette, Gelinas, and Ramstrom continued to battle for second. On lap 7, Ramstrom stormed by Gelinas. Less than a lap later he took over second from Bessette and began to hunt down O’Sullivan.
Ricky Fuller, Jim Banfield and Mike Stefanik caught Gelinas. Conta between Fuller and Banfield ended Fuller’s night as he headed to pit road on lap 13.
At halfway, Ramstrom was glued to the back bumper of O’Sullivan. Gelinas got along side Bessette for third. Stefanik joined the battle. Gelinas was able to move into third opening the door for Stefanik as well. The aion slowed when Jeramee Lillie and Dave Silvia made hard conta on the front stretch.
O’Sullivan was up for the challenge on the restart to retain his lead. Gelinas was looking racy on the restart giving Ramstrom a run. When things shook out, O’Sullivan continued to lead Ramstrom, Gelinas, and Stefanik. Bessette ran in a distant fifth.
With less than 10 laps to go, O’Sullivan had to go on the defensive as Ramstrom began to apply serious pressure. Ramstrom could get along side O’Sullivan lap-after-lap. Gelinas stuck the nose of his #48 in to make it a three-car race for the lead. Stefanik was in striking distance in fourth.
Coming out of four to take the checkers, O’Sullivan, Ramstrom and Gelinas came out of the corner three-wide. Giving it everything he had on the bottom groove, Ramstrom lost the handle on his car; spinning to the infield leaving O’Sullivan and Gelinas to duke it out for the win. O’Sullivan crossed the stripe with the viory followed by Gelinas and Mike Stefanik. Banfield and Bessette rounded out the top five.
Tommy O’Sullivan made it a family affair as he turned in a dominating performance to win the Late Model feature event. John Falconi took over the top spot on the opening lap when Mark Jenison got out of shape in turn two. His stay at the front was short-lived as O’Sullivan cruised by to take over the lead on lap three. O’Sullivan quickly stretched his advantage to nearly a straightaway.
A three-car battle for the second spot was brewing between Falconi, John Materas, and Rick Gentes. Just after taking the crossed flags for halfway, the battle erupted. Conta between Materas and Gentes sent Materas spinning. Falconi was colleed in the incident. Gentes was sent to the rear of the field for his involvement.
The incident brought out the caution to erase O’Sullivan’s lead. On the restart, O’Sullivan was pitted against Wayne Coury, Sr., Jeff Hartwell and Mark Jenison. After a pair of restarts, O’Sullivan picked up where he left off. Coury continued to run in second a distance behind the leader. Gentes had already worked his way up to the fourth position. On lap 20, Gentes took over third from Hartwell.
Over the final laps, O’Sullivan continued to enjoy a sizeable advantage over Coury. Coury; however, had his hands full with Gentes. On the white flag lap, Gentes got alongside Coury. They exited turn four side-by-side. Coury was scored as second behind winner O’Sullivan. Gentes, Materas and Jenison completed the top five.
Larry Barnett of Ledyard, , was tops in the Limited Sportsman division on Thursday night to score his first viory of the season. In the early going, Scott Fanning had worked his way out to a sizeable advantage over the rest of the field. During the first half of the event, the division’s big guns like Barnett, Chris Douton, and Shawn Monahan had worked their way through the pack and into contention.
Fanning watched as his sizeable advantage diminished with a caution. On the restart, Fanning had to defend his position against Barnett, who made his way into second. On the lap eight restart, Barnett was the new leader.
When the caution flew on lap 11 Barnett held the top spot over Fanning, Monahan, and Douton. Barnett was able to retain his lead followed by Fanning. Douton got out of shape on the ensuing restart colleing Joe Arena, who was also running inside the top five.
Monahan was on the charge once back to green. He moved by Fanning for second and set his sites on Barnett, who had already gained a five-plus car-length advantage. Over the closing laps, Monahan could not muster up a serious challenge as Barnett went on to take the viory. Monahan, Fanning, Jason Chicolas, and Douton rounded out the top five.
Reigning divisional champ Brian Sullivan, made a rare appearance in the TIS Modified division in 2010 to visit a familiar place-viory lane. Local favorite Brian Tagg jumped out from his pole starting position to lead for the better part of the 20-lapper. From deep in the pack, Sullivan made a three-wide move on Shane Michalski and R.J. Marcotte to take over the second position. He used the extended green flag run to hunt down Tagg.
Sullivan dogged Tagg for several laps before finally making the winning pass on lap 16. The S. Windsor, , driver would not be headed as he streaked to his second win in only two starts. Tagg finished a satisfying second over R.J. Marcotte, Michalski and Jason Sundeen inside the top five.
Steve Michalski of Brooklyn, , turned in a flawless performance to score the viory in the Mini Stock main event. The feature was highlighted by a spirited battle between Michalski and Chuck Rogers. Michalski held the top spot with Rogers in close pursuit.
Scott Michalski ran in the third spot; however, before he could make it a family affair at the head of the pack, a charging Randy Churchill motored by for the position. While Michalski was able to sneak out to a two-car length advantage, the best battle on the field was for the second spot. Scott Jussuame ran down Churchill in search of the third position.
Jussuame was able to make the pass with only one-lap remaining. Up front, Rogers was able to muster up a late race charge; getting along side Michalski on the final lap. Steve Michalski was up for the challenge and streaked to his first win of the 2010 season. Rogers capped off a great night to finish second ahead of Jussuame, Churchill, and Sc. Michalski.Hinckley Tops in Modified Racing Series at Thompson