Joe Arena Dominates the NESST Icebreaker at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park

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

  At the 2015 World Series Joe Arena (Bristol, CT) was crowned the inaugural North East Street Stock Tour Champion at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park (CT). This weekend he began his title defense with a dominating win on the historic 5/8-mile oval, leading all 20 laps in the Icebreaker, presented by RAD Auto Machine.

Arena and 2015 NESST Rookie of the Year, Jim Boyle (Waterford, CT) led the seventeen-car field to the green.  Arena jumped out to an early lead in his No. 74 Hen House BBW/Traditional Mortgage/Dalena Auto Parts Chevrolet Monte Carlo, while 2016 Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park Limited Sportsman Champion, Scott Sundeen (Sutton, MA), and series newcomer, Jim Sylvia (Middletown, RI) began marching their way through the field.   The two veteran drivers would end up finishing sixth and ninth, respectively.  Sundeen received the $50 bonus from RAD Auto Machine for advancing the most positions (11) during the event.

Arena’s lead was erased twice by caution flags, one coming on lap 10 and the other on lap 13. Once racing resumed, Arena withstood challenges from Thompson veterans, Corey Hutchings (Salem, CT), and former Thompson Limited Sportsmen champion Steve Kenneway (Lowell, MA), but was able to hold both off.

 “I was pretty calm about that first restart, but then the second one I thought about Steve Kenneway, he’s a tough competitor like me. I want to thank Corey (Hutchings) for giving me a little push there of two on the restart. That really bolted us to the front there,” the veteran driver went on to say.

Arena began his title defense with his second NESST win. The first came last year at Speedway 51.  By virtue of his position at the halfway mark, Arena also received the Dur-A-Flex halfway bonus, as well as a $200 certificate from Coastline Fire Protection for his race win.

Kyle Cassagrande, who won his heat race, was involved in a mid-race skirmish, and lost the most positions during the event, receiving both the Northeast Race Cars & Parts Unlucky Dog Award as well as a $50 bonus from RAD Auto Machine.

NORTHEAST STREET STOCK TOUR: 1. Joe Arena (Bristol, CT); 2. Corey Hutchings Mr. Excitement)(Salem, CT); 3. Steve Kenneway (Lowell, MA); 4. Ryan Lineham (Coventry, RI); 5. Chris (Moose ) Douton  (Waterford, CT) 6. Scott Sundeen, Douglas, Mass. 7. Frank L’Etoile, Jr. (Wethersfield, CT); 8. Jim Boyle Waterford, CT); 9. Jim Silva; 10. NO NAME #77s

For full results for the Icebreaker, presented by RAD Auto Machine, visit www.nestreetstocktour.com.  Also, you can follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

The next NESST event will take place May 6 at Claremont Speedway (NH).