Monster Mini Stocks Champioship Race at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park Heating Up !

Posted by Wayne G. Barber Photos from the Wayne G. Barber Library

The Monster Mini Division in 2017 is really heating up now after the June 14 racing card to a sellout crowd at Thompson Speedway. Last year's champion Wayne Burroughs #20 Oakdale, Conn. has been stout after three events, third, second and one victory for 152 points. The 2013 division champion Eric Bourgeois #87 East Haddam, Conn.
with his awesome win on June 14th puts him back in the hunt with 141 points.


  The three new members of the Monster Mini series in 2017 are Nathan Taylor #34 , Brooklyn, Conn. and is driving division veteran Roger Ducharme's old race car who sits at fourth with 124 markers. Taylor also took a small hit today with a black flag for his exhaust hanging to low.
  I am really missing the Eddie Field #38 and the Joe Baxter #24 that has been in the field the past few years and always drove the wheels off their race cars.

 Young New London Waterford Speed Bowl transfer Jacob Perry #21 Pawcatuck, Conn. who bounced back from the horrific accident and concussion at the April Icebreaker for another top 5 and has led laps in this competitive division and even won a heat race. Another race team who gaining some steam is Mike Anzalone #16 Plainfield, Conn. who had a nice 4th place finish tonight.The race team who took the biggest point hit tonight was former champion Dave Trudeau #97ct, Mansfield, Conn. who got the black flag for a hanging facia and had to settle for a 15th place finish of the 16 car field. With 3 races in the record books in 2017 and only 4 races left on the schedule this will be hard to make up.
 Eric Bourgeois made a statement with a dominant win in the Mini Stocks, leading the most laps and beating championship rival Wayne Burroughs, Jr. to the checkered flag. Bourgeois admitted he was hoping to have a successful night at Thompson as he was considered stepping away from full-time driving duties to focus on his son’s career in mini stocks. With his win putting him back in contention for the title he said he would continue to take to the track at Thompson in an effort to grab the championship.

“It’s a very special win. The car was on a rail. We got to the front and took off. If I did good I said I was coming back,” Bourgeois said. “Hopefully this is a momentum builder toward the championship at the end – (Wayne) Burroughs is very consistent. I think if I stay consistent and he has a bad night we’ll all be in the hunt one way or another. It’s all with the weeks to come.”

Mini Stock Feature Top-10 Finish: 1. Eric Bourgeois (East Haddam, CT); 2. Wayne Burroughs, Jr. (Oakdale, CT); 3. Doug Curry (Groton, CT); 4. Mike Anzalone (Plainfield, CT); 5. Jacob Perry (Pawcatuck, CT); 6. Mitch Bombard (Willimantic, CT); 7. Steve Michalski (Brooklyn, CT); 8. Nick Matera (Warwick, RI); 9. Jared Roy (Sterling, CT); 10. Dave Trudeau, Jr. (Mansfield, CT) 11, Keith Ballou #10 (Pascoag, RI ) 15 Laps