Preece Sweeps Twin Sunoco Modified Features at Thompson

Posted by Wayne G. Barber & Photos by Wayne G. Barber

With this being the third to last race of the season at Thompson, drivers came ready to fight for every inch of real estate on the track over the course of the evening with the highlight events being the twin 25-lap features of the Sunoco Modified Series that opened and closed the night in epic fashion.

With Keith Rocco in complete control of the series points lead at Thompson and having a dominant year, series regulars were looking to take away some of Rocco’s thunder and stake their claim on a bit of real estate with two opportunities for a win on the night. Rocco ran well in both events and maintained his points lead, but the one driver he needed to beat the most was the one who would claim victory not once, but twice, as Ryan Preece, second in points, swept the duel races and took a small chunk out of Rocco’s sizable lead with two events remaining on the schedule at the Big T.

Preece worked his way to the front methodically in the first race, taking the lead ten laps in and never looking back, but took a much more aggressive approach in the second race of the night battling Rocco for the lead in the late stages and eventually using a crossover move to take the top spot with only five laps to go, completing an impressive sweep over his rival, Rocco, who finished runner-up in both events.

The wins were the third and fourth on the season for Preece, second to Keith Rocco’s six victories to date in 2016, and gave Preece a boost of excitement and confidence as the season approaches its conclusion.

“I could really move the car around (in the second race),” said Preece who didn’t change tires between the events, running all fifty laps on the same set. “It was a little free, but the amount of forward drive the car had was phenomenal. It really handled. That’s what you want in a racecar.”

Preece added that the battles between himself and Rocco were entertaining to say the least and that he had to be patient, especially in the second feature, to make the right moves at the right time.

“I was kind of sitting there. You could tell I was watching where (Rocco was making moves) and how he was doing it,” said Preece. “Once the opportunity arose and I followed Keith through it was pretty much a cat and mouse game down the straightaways, making those inside and outside moves, and when the time came I got a run off of two and we made it happen.”

SUNOCO MODIFIEDS FEATURE #1 FINISH: 1. Ryan Preece (Berlin, CT); 2. Keith Rocco (Berlin, CT); 3. Ronnie Williams (Tolland, CT); 4. Woody Pitkat (Stafford, CT); 5. Steven Kopcik (Newtown, CT); 6. Rowan Pennink (New Egypt, New Jersey); 7. Jason Sundeen (Douglas, MA); 8. Adam Norton (Palmer, MA); 9. Jeff Gallup (Agawam, MA); 10. Matt Gallo (Berlin, CT); 11. John Studley (Framingham, MA); 12. Kyle Trainor (Marlboro, MA); 13. Eddie LeClerc (Taunton, MA); 14. Joey Parker (Weymouth, MA); 15. Kyle Cafro (North Windham, CT); 16. John Catania (Agawam, MA)

SUNOCO MODIFIEDS FEATURE #2 FINISH: 1. Ryan Preece (Berlin, CT); 2. Keith Rocco (Berlin, CT); 3. Rowan Pennink (New Egypt, New Jersey); 4. Woody Pitkat (Stafford, CT); 5. Ronnie Williams (Tolland, CT); 6. Matt Gallo (Berlin, CT); 7. Jason Sundeen (Douglas, MA); 8. Jeff Gallup (Agawam, MA); 9. Adam Norton (Palmer, MA); 10. Steven Kopcik (Newtown, CT); 11. Kyle Trainor (Marlboro, MA); 12. Eddie LeClerc (Taunton, MA); 13. John Studley (Framingham, MA); 14. Kyle Cafro (North Windham, CT); 15. Joey Parker (Weymouth, MA);