Monadnock Speedway News....

Posted by Wayne G. B

Brian Robie 

Winchester, NH – After a three week delay due to wet grounds, rain and construction delays, Monadnock Speedway dropped the green flag on their forty-ninth racing season Saturday night. This year’s season opening event was the O’Reilly Auto Parts Spring Dash 100 featuring for the first time, The Granite State Pro Stock Series supported by Monadnock’s six NASCAR Whelen All American Racing Series divisions.

As race fans settled into the newly constructed grandstands, they were treated to record-setting round of time trials for the Granite Stock Pro Stocks.  Mike O’Sullivan of Springfield, MA, broke the qualifying record originally set in 1994 and tied last season by two-tenths of a second at 13.019 seconds.  O’Sullivan went to win the Spring Dash 100, but not before fans witnessed a dominating performance by Center Conway, NH, driver, DJ Shaw who led the race from lap 17 to lap 66  when O’Sullivan to command. Shaw spun out on 72 while in second and had to make a quick pit stop for adjustments. Shaw’s charge to the front after pitting put him back in second place behind race winner O’Sullivan. Joey Doiron of East Walpole, MA maintained a quiet top five presence over the second half of the race to capture third.

Monadnock’s premier division, the Sportsman Modifieds, kicked off their first 50 lap main event of the season with a dominating performance by Sunapee, NH’s Brian Robie. Robie started second, snagged the lead from pole-sitting Joel Monahan of Whately, MA, survived five restarts and rolled into victory lane for the win. Todd Patnode of Swanzey, NH, overcame a rare spin-out and pit stop, coming back thru the field to take second place away from Matt Kimball of Bennington, NH. Kimball finished third.  The race was red-flagged on lap 16 when Brian Chapin of Three Rivers, MA, got caught up in a multiple car incident that sent his racer crashing hard into the retaining wall at the entrance to pit road. The car left on a roll-back. Chapin walked away.

Sportsman Modifieds: Brian Robie, Todd Patnode, Matt Kimball, Ben Byrne, Joel Monahan, JT Cloutier, Keith Carzello, Scott MacMichael, Kevin Pittsinger, Alyssa Rivera, Kim Rivet, Brian Chapin, Mark Hayward, Tylet Jarvenpaa, Andy Major, Kenny Thompson

Driver Line-Up for 5-27-19

Posted by Wayne G. Barber  Photos Property Wayne G. Barber Library

News, Results, Point Standings and Driver Interviews too !

 Tonight a points leader from Seekonk Speedway and other short tracks.

News from the Valley......

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Mark’s News & Variety/Madsen Overhead Doors Modified Feature Results (30 laps): 1) Peter Britten, 2) Eddie Marshall, 3) L.J. Lombardo, 4) John Ruchel, 5) Andy Bachetti, 6) Brian Berger, 7) Marc Johnson, 8) Kenny Tremont Jr., 9) Ricky Davis, 10) Kyle Sheldon, 11) Keith Flach 12) Ronnie Johnson, 13) J.R. Heffner, 14) Mike King, 15) Wayne Jelley, 16) Kolby Schroder, 17) Rob Pitcher, 18) Olden Dwyer, 19) Kyle Armstrong, 20) Paul Gilardi, 21) Steve Hough, 22) Matt Pupello, 23) Denny Soltis, 24) Chad Jeseo, 25) Josh Marcus

Source: Lebanon Valley Media Press Release and Photo

Brian Tagg Looking To Return To Title Form In Late Models

Posted by Wayne G. Barber Photo Wayne G. Barber Library

THOMPSON, Conn. – Brian Tagg is no stranger to success at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park

The Oxford, Massachusetts, driver won the championship in Thompson’s Late Model division in 2015 – one accomplishment that easily goes down as one of the top in his racing career so far. 

He had competed in Thompson’s Sunoco Modified division previously, and also had winning success in the former Thompson Modified division and the ACT Tour before making the Late Model effort his top priority.

“It was pretty amazing because we were still learning the car. The Late Model is such a different animal and it was only my first season back at Thompson with it,” Tagg said about the title. “Racing on the ACT Tour teaches you so much, when you race against great drivers in a long race. You go back to Thompson and it gives you a different respect for it. It makes you a better driver.”

Winning Thompson’s Late Model championship was something Tagg will never take for granted. Four years later, it still feels like it was just yesterday that he sealed the deal. 

“Not a day goes by that I don’t think about it. You think about all of the good times, and there is really no better feeling than winning races, but to win a championship, you really need everything to go right for you,” Tagg said. “Not everyone gets the chance to have that feeling. I think about it all the time, and even though some people have more than one, just getting that one was amazing for me.”

This year, Tagg has refocused his efforts to look for another title in the competitive Division II class. In seven races last year, four drivers visited Victory Lane, including a division-high three wins by Ryan Morgan. Tagg knows a return to the top isn’t going to be easy against the likes of Icebreaker winner Tom Carey III and the remainder of the field, which includes multiple former champions.

He feels like the list of competitors is even better than it was when he won the title four years ago, making his path back to the top a difficult one.

“I knew Tom Carey III and Ryan Morgan and others were going to be tough, but with everyone so close, if you don’t start in the top five in a 25-lap race, you really have your work cut out for you. It takes you a few laps to get by someone most times,” Tagg said. “Before, there were some guys that weren’t as quick, but now, everyone is right there with you. It’s really tough. Things have changed in a good way. A lot of fans like our race because everyone is close and we really put on a good race.”

In the season opening Icebreaker, Tagg was up to eighth at one point, but fell back in the final circuits and finished 12th. It wasn’t exactly what he was looking for, but after starting back in 16th, he was able to make some moves and gain what could be crucial points when it comes down the stretch of the season.

The Late Model race at the Icebreaker followed the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Icebreaker 150, and teams were given a few hot laps to get a feel for their cars with the Modified rubber on the track. Teams were then given a few short minutes to make adjustments before the feature.

“It was a mix of both for us, having a deep starting position and the rubber down on the track. Giving us the few hot laps after the Whelen Modified Tour race, we were really free and we decided to make two adjustments to tighten the car up, but, we ended up going so far that we were tight,” Tagg said. “But we are very close.”

With how close he feels like his team is, Tagg isn’t planning to make any major adjustments ahead of the next event.

“After what we learned at the Icebreaker and after looking at the lap times, we are right there. I need to be better in the heat races, and we need to improve the car, so I can make some moves out there. I just want to win races,” he said. “Taking pictures is a really good time. Worrying about the points this early is way stressful for me. Even going down to the last race back in 2015, we didn’t change anything and it worked out for us.”

That next event for Tagg is going to be one of the biggest of the season for the Late Models. The upcoming May 19 race will be 40 laps in distance, as the division joins the Limited Sportsman (30 laps) as the two NASCAR Whelen All-American Series classes with extra laps planned. 

“I am a huge fan of the longer distance races, coming from racing the longer events on the ACT Tour, you know you might not have to change the setup much but you do have to take care of the car,” Tagg said. “But you still have to attack this one as a 25-lap race, and you have to make sure the car is going to handle for the entire race.”

He has sponsorship from JV Mechanical Contractors, B&G Toys and Trains, Harvest Moon Health Foods, La Mountain Brothers, P&D Pizza, HMG Builders and others, and with this support, Tagg is able to compete at a high-level on the track.

For him, even though the first race of the season resulted in a finish outside the top 10, the confidence is still flowing for his race team. 

“It is pretty high, the finish at the Icebreaker didn’t really show what we are capable of. We have a top five car,” Tagg said. “The confidence is really important in racing, and we have it. Especially with our ACT Tour racing last year, we know we are better than what we showed at the Icebreaker. May and June have been my good months in the past. I’m looking forward to it.”

Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park returns to NASCAR Whelen All-American Series action on Sunday, May 19, where the Late Models (40 laps), join the Limited Sportsman (30 laps) as two divisions with extra distance as part of the Fourth Annual Limited Sportsman extra distance and Military Night. All active military and veterans may enter the grandstands for free during this special event. The SK Light Modifieds®, Sunoco Modifieds and Mini Stocks also join the action.

Lock City Drift will begin their competitive drifting partnership with Thompson on the same day, as their Street Series begins. The schedule for the event has been completed and is available on the website under the event schedule tab.

Source: Kyle Souza Thompson Speedway Media Press Re;lease

Driver Line Up for 5-13-19

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

News,,,,, Results, Driver Interviews

E-Mail a waynewnri@yahoo.com

7 time champion Gerry DeGasparre talks about his opener victory at Seekonk Speedway !

STREAK ON THE LINE FOR BRYAN NARDUCCI

Posted by Wayne G. Barber and Photo by Wayne G. Barber

THOMPSON, Conn. – Two of the top modified drivers in the Northeast will have streaks on the line over the next month at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park.

Defending NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Justin Bonsignore has been to Victory Lane in the last five Whelen Modified Tour events at the Connecticut oval, and will look to add to that already impressive streak on Wednesday, June 5, when the series returns for the Thompson 125.

But, one of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series drivers is going to have a chance to extend his own five in a row streak coming up on May 19.

Bryan Narducci, the defending NASCAR Division III National Champion, has won five consecutive SK Light Modified® races at Thompson dating back to last year. The Colchester, Connecticut, driver opened the 2019 season with a victory at the Icebreaker, dominating the 20-lap feature, and taking the early advantage in the championship standings.

“All of the hard work in the shop every week. They always say that races are won in the shop, and I think it’s 100 percent true,” Narducci said when asked how he could put together the run of success. “All of the work that goes on to get the car ready with the setup, nut and bolt, making sure the numbers on the scales are perfect. I want to be perfect. If you want to win, you have to have all of your ducks in a row.”

In the last five wins, Narducci has managed to lead most of the laps of competition, but when the division returns to the track next Sunday afternoon, Narducci will have to start in the middle of the pack due to the handicap system in place – something he’s used to doing in his SK Light Modified® career. Narducci also competes over at Stafford Motor Speedway, where he nearly won the title last year on the heels of five victories.

“We won’t do anything different with the car, I’ve watched a lot of races at Thompson over the course of my life and learning how passing works is important. It’s definitely the hardest track to complete a pass,” Narducci said. “The outside is the preferred line, but you aren’t going to get outside of someone unless they slide down. You have to try to make the passes without getting into the other driver, and that’s why it creates such great racing. It should be fun to try to be able to get through the field to the front.”

Narducci’s busy season puts him up against a few challenges going forward. He runs the same car at both Stafford and Thompson, and with Stafford running on Friday night, and Thompson running multiple Sunday races throughout the 10-race NASCAR Whelen All-American Series schedule, the turnaround time is going to be short each week.

“I think the Sunday shows aren’t going to be that bad because we will have Saturday to get the car ready but the show that is on a Saturday when the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East is at Thompson, that will be definitely be tough,” Narducci said. “It will be a late night.”

As the defending Division III national champion, Narducci is placing his focus on that same goal again this season, before he hopes to move to the next level for the 2020 season. But, for now, it’s going to be about keeping his streak going and extending it to six straight wins in Thompson’s competitive SK Light Modified® division.

“I haven’t really thought about it that much, but I know when I pulled into Victory Lane at the Icebreaker I thought about how cool it was to win five in a row,” he said. “When Justin won the Whelen Modified Tour race, and he had five in a row, I thought that was really cool. It’s incredible to have my name up there with someone as successful as him as the defending Whelen Modified Tour champion.” 

Narducci’s next challenge is just a week away, when the division returns to competition during the Fourth Annual Limited Sportsman Extra Distance and Military Night.

“It’s great that Thompson has the military night to honor the past and the present with all of the people that have scarified everything for us. It’s nice to be able to perform in front of them,” Narducci said. “Everyone says you can be patient and pick people off, but if you can pass three cars on the restarts, you definitely want to do that. Restarts can be free positions for you. I think if you can pass some people early and start making your moves, I think you will be better off. We’ll see what happens.”

Thompson’s next event has quickly become one that fans will not want to miss. With the Limited Sportsman division going 30 laps, there is no telling what could happen in a division where excitement is always at a high level. The Late Models will also run extra distance, as they take to the track for 40 laps of high-speed action. The Sunoco Modifieds, Mini Stocks and SK Light Modifieds® will also compete in regular qualifying and feature racing.

The full schedule for the event is posted on www.thompsonspeedway.comunder the event schedule tab. It shows that qualifying heat races begin at 2 p.m., with features to follow around 3 p.m. Source: Kyle Souza Thompson Speedway Media Press Release