Nick Johnson Captures Late Model Title at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

The Late Models have been the most competitive division all season at Thompson Speedway both in terms of points and the variety of winners. Four different drivers entered the season finale with wins to their credit but one without a victory was Nicholas Johnson who used consistency to open a slim seven-point lead on Tom Carey, III coming into the final race of the year. Carey entered the race with momentum having won the September feature event at the Big-T. Mathematically four drivers had a chance at the title in the final race with a mere nineteen points separating fourth from Johnson in the lead.

In the end though it was a battle between Carey and Johnson with Johnson starting the 25-lap feature from ninth position while Tom Carey, III, worked his way into the top five in the early going. Carey was in the top three by lap ten engaging in a hard-fought side-by-side battle with Paul Charette for the second position which would continue throughout the rest of the event. Meanwhile Mark Jenison opened up a sizable lead out front looking for his second win of the season. With ten laps remaining Johnson worked his way into the top five as Carey continued his pursuit for the runner-up spot. Carey was unable to complete the pass despite taking the battle to the line while Johnson finished fifth completing a season of perfect top five finishes and winning the division championship in the Late Models. Mark Jenison took advantage of the hard racing behind him to charge to the race win.

With a season built on consistency Nicholas Johnson said he didn’t expect to be in the running for a title, but he was more than happy to celebrate once the checkered flag waved. “I really can’t believe it. I never thought I’d be running for a championship,” Johnson said in victory lane. “We just kind of fell into it this year and did what we could every race. We ended up on top and just never gave up. It’s unreal. To be able to race at a track where your family raced at and do well, it means a lot.”

In victory lane Mark Jenison celebrated ending his season on a high note taking the same “Support the Troops” scheme he won with during Thompson’s For the Veterans weekend to victory lane. “It’s a tough day and good racing,” Jenison said. “I want to thank our troops and veterans. They do so much for us and they don’t get much reward, but they get it tonight from all of us.”Source; Thompson Speedway Media Press Release and Track Photo Credit.

LATE MODEL FEATURE FINISH TOP-10: 1. Mark Jenison (Warwick, R.I.); 2. Paul Charette (Woodstock, CT); 3. Tom Carey, III (New Salem, MA); 4. William Wall (Shrewsbury, MA); 5. Nick Johnson (Rehoboth, MA); 6. Ryan Kuhn; 7. Ryan Morgan (Gales Ferry, CT); 8. Joey Parker (Weymouth, MA); 9. Matt Lowinski-Loh (Milford, MA); 10. Chad Baxter (Pascoag, R.I.)

Late Models

As of 10/12/2018

Pos	Car	Driver	Hometown	Wins	Top 5	Top 10	Features	Points	Gap
1	6	Nicholas Johnson	Rehoboth, MA		7	7	7	327	-
2	5	Tom Carey III	New Salem, MA	1	5	6	7	324	3
3	22RI	Mark Jenison	Warwick, RI	2	5	6	7	314	13
4	4MA	William Wall	Shrewsbury, MA	1	5	6	7	312	15
5	31	Ryan Morgan	Pawcatuck, CT	3	4	6	7	294	33
6	81	Paul Charette	Woodstock, CT		3	5	7	288	39
7	91CT	Woody Pitkat			3	4	6	232	95
8	3	Glenn Boss	Danielson, CT		1	5	6	227	100
9	10	Chad Baxter	Pascoag, RI		1	4	7	226	101
10	60	Joseph Parker	Weymouth, MA			3	7	219	108
11	50 RI	Mike Benevides	Westerly, RI			2	7	191	136
12	11MA	Randy Tucker	Millis, MA			3	6	178	149
13	17	Matthew Lowinski-Loh	Milford, MA			2	7	170	157
14	71	Michael Lindquist	Sandy Hook, CT			2	5	139	188
15	78	Walter Sutcliffe	East Haven, CT			1	6	136	191
16	55	John Warren	Chicopee, MA			1	5	123	204
17	8	Ryan Bell	Acworth, NH				6	112	215
18	70RI	Jason Larivee Jr	West Greenwich, RI			1	4	98	229
19		Rick Gentes	North Smithfield, RI		1	1	3	96	231
20	97	Ernie LaRose	Moosup, CT			1	4	90	237
21	98	Ray Parent	Tiverton, RI			2	2	80	247
22	13	Jared Materas	Westfield, MA			1	2	50	277
23	72	Ryan Kuhn	East Bridgewater, MA			1	1	42	285
24	77	Richard Duranti	Quaker hill, CT				2	40	287
25	55	Brandon Warren	Chicopee, MA				1	28	299
26	88	Corey Fanning	Mapleville, RI				1	26	301
27	9MA	Brian Tagg	Oxford, MA				1	24	303
28	22MA	Paul Lallier	Warwick, RI				1	22	305
29	42	David Wray	Putnam, CT				1	20	307