Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park to Pay Out Over $600,000 in Purses in 2016

Posted by Wayne G. Barber Photos Wayne G. Barber Collection

THOMPSON, CT) - Over the course of it’s 10-event season, Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park (TSMP) will pay out over $600,000 in prize money – a $100,000 increase from 2015. Over $220,000 of those funds will go directly to its own six divisions.The Sunoco Modified division will have more than $12,000 in purse money on the line for their big event, the 3rd annual Sunoco Modified 20/20 Sprint on Wednesday, July 27. This event will see the winner walk home with $2,000, and pay out $1,500 and $1,000 to 2nd and 3rd place, respectively. The race will pay $325 for 10th and $200 to start. The first two points races of the night will be 20 laps, but it’s the final 10-lap race which will determine the purse payout, making for an exciting finish to the segment-race event.  Over the course of the 10-event season, Sunoco Modified teams will be the beneficiary of nearly $100,000 in prize money, before contingencies.

The Late Model division’s main event of the season will be their own 20/20 Sprint event on Wednesday, June 1. This segment-race format will be run the same way, with the winner taking home $1,000 at the end of the night, as well as a guaranteed starter position for the American-Canadian Tour race at the World Series. The drivers in 2nd and 3rd place will take home $700 and $575, respectively, and the total purse for the night will be $7,675.  Late Model drivers will fight for nearly $60,000 over the course of their 2016 campaign.

The big night to win for the Limited Sportsman division will be the Limited Sportsman Long Distance race on Wednesday, May 18. The winner of this 40-lap feature will take home $750, with 2nd and 3rd taking $500 and $350, respectively. The total purse for this event will be $4,255.  This is part of over $30,000 in prize money for TSMP;s Division 3 drivers.

The Mini Stock division will have the opportunity to take home a little extra at their special 25-lap feature on For the Fans Night, on Saturday, July 9th. This event will see the purse raised to $300 for the winner, $225 for 2nd and $200 for 3rd, for a total purse of over $2,000, part of the $15,000-plus to be paid to Mini Stock teams.

TSMP’s non-NASCAR divisions, the Trucks and Lite Modifieds, will also have their own purses for their 20-lap events. The Trucks will receive an evenly-distributed purse of $2,615 and the Lite Modifieds will receive $2,590 in awards.
In addition to the event purses, a healthy contingency program will be announced in the weeks leading up to the season-opening, Icebreaker.  At the season-ending awards banquet, over $25,000 will be paid out in point fund money for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series and Triple Crown Series. 

With more races and more prize money on the line, this promises to be a strong season for car counts at the famed 5/8-mile historic oval. For more information about the 2016 season, visit our website http://www.thompsonspeedway.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Youtube for the most up-to-date information about our events.