Kopcik Wins Modified Feature Tuesday At Thompson Speedway; NASCAR Mod Tour Event Pushed To Thursday

Story By: CALE KING / THOMPSON SPEEDWAY MOTORSPORTS PARK – THOMPSON, CT – The sights and sounds of Thompson Speedway reopened on Twisted Tea Tuesday last night in the heart of Northeast Connecticut.

Four divisions made up the extra money, extra distance program with a spectacular fireworks presentation rounding out the show. In the end, four ultra-fast and competitive individuals stood victorious in O’Reilly Auto Parts Victory Lane, all of whom went home with a little extra change in their pockets.

The Sunoco Modifieds headlined Twisted Tea Tuesday with their $3,000-to-Win, 40-lap main event. On the start Oxford, Massachusetts-native Troy Talman used a three-wide move on the back stretch to claim the early lead while Todd Owen was glued to his back bumper in second. By the halfway point at lap 20, Talman continued his lead with Owen in tow as Stephen Kopcik entered into the match. With Owen and Kopcik under a blanket, stalking and blocking one another, Talman was able to extend his lead by two car lengths.

Under the crossed flags, Kopcik would take over the second position from Owen under the and set his sights on Talman. As if shot out of a cannon, Kopcik took the look under Talman and sling-shotted around the #3 car in turn three and never looked back. Stephen Kopcik claimed the $3,000 win, his third on the season followed by Troy Talman who successfully kept Todd Owen in third place.

The $1,500-to-win Street Stock Open called in the largest car count on Twisted Tea Tuesday with 26 Street Stocks from across New England converging for their 50-lap event. On the start, Chad Baxter took off from the pole followed by Thompson Speedway regulars Randy Waterman, Ryan Lineham and ‘Leadfoot’ Larry Barnet as the field settled in for the 50-lap distance. The NASCAR Division III National Champion Baxter was thundering around the ‘Big T’ as Paul Newcomb set a blistering pace in the middle of the pack, at times over three-tenths of a second quicker than his competitors. Newcomb would take 3rd-place by lap 18 after starting 20th and by halfway he had taken second place over Randy Waterman.

On lap 28, Newcomb would take a dive into turn one under Baxter, muscling his way into Baxter’s #0 car on the apex of the corner and taking off with the lead out of turn two. Baxter wouldn’t let Newcomb out of his sight, with Baxter’s car turning better in the high banked Thompson corners. It simply wasn’t enough as Paul Newcomb took down the $1,500 Street Stock Open. After Chad Baxter refused post-race Technical Inspection he was disqualified giving Randy Waterman second and Ryan Lineham third.

Night #1 of the all-new Double Down Showdown for the SK Lite Modifieds was a tad wilder than their Sunoco Modified brethren. Trouble started early as the #27 of Corey Caddick lost control in turn two and called out the first caution of the night. On the restart Todd Douillard took off with Mark Bakaj on his inside in the Darrell Waltrip Gatorade throwback scheme. John O’Sullivan quickly charged into the lead around Douillard, using the outside-lane speed to his advantage. Seeing the advantage, Steven Chapman followed O’Sullivan’s hard charge on the outside and at the halfway point the young-gun took the lead just before the spinning Anthony Forino brought out the second caution.

With the Double Down Showdown championship, and the $750 winner’s share on their minds, O’Sullivan and Chapman battled side-by-side through the green flag until Chapman finally got the advantage going into turn three. The final caution would come out on lap 26 for the spinning Douillard in turn four, setting up a final, epic restart between O’Sullivan and Chapman with strong running Megan Fuller and Mark Bakaj lining up behind the leaders. A final side-by-side battle continued for the final four laps until John O’Sullivan came home the winner just 0.217-seconds ahead of second-place finisher Steven Chapman with Dalton McCarthy coming home third after Bakaj, Nathan Pytko and Josh Carey collided in turn two on the final lap.

At the start of the $300-to-Win Mini Stock 15 lapper on Tuesday night, Bill Schoeler left the rest of the field behind to sort themselves out as he set the blistering pace. The real race on track was for third place as June winner Dave Trudeau fought desperately to hold the podium position as he was swarmed by the Roys, Glynn and Jared. With six to go, Schoeler lost control of his #84 machine going into turn one and lost the lead in an instant to point leader Kevin Moore. Moore would take down his second Thompson Mini Stock win of the year followed by Jarred Roy and Dave Trudeau.

Thursday, August 18th brings the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour back to Northeast Connecticut for the Phoenix Communications 150! Alongside the Touring Modified stars will be the championship event for the SK Lite Double Down Showdown along with feature action for the local ACT-type Late Models and Limited Sportsman. Pit Gates open at 1:00pm with Grandstands opening at 3:00pm. Post Time is set for 5:30pm with NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Time Trials beginning at 6:20pm and the Phoenix Communications 150 to start at 8:00pm. General Admission is set at $40 for adults, $15 for kids 6-12 and kids 5 and under are free!

With doom and gloom forecasted for Wednesday, August 17th in Northeast Connecticut, American-Canadian Tour (ACT) and Pro All Stars Series (PASS) Officials have postponed the return of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour to Thursday, August 18th.

The schedule in its entirety will remain the same simply pushed back from Wednesday to Thursday.

“No weather-demanded change in schedule is made lightly,” said ACT managing partner Cris Michaud. “With the rain they are calling for tomorrow, both Tom [Mayberry] and I felt it best to play it safe and push everything to Friday, save these teams a night’s stay at a hotel and another missed day from work.”

The full Wednesday schedule, including the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Phoenix Communications 150, the final round of the SK Lite Double Down Showdown, ACT-type Late Models and Limited Sportsman will run on Thursday, August 18 with Qualifying set to begin at 5:30pm. Times and prices will remain the same.

Thursday, August 18th brings the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour back to Northeast Connecticut for the Phoenix Communications 150! Alongside the Touring Modified stars will be the championship event for the SK Lite Double Down Showdown along with feature action for the local ACT-type Late Models and Limited Sportsman. Pit Gates open at 1:00pm with Grandstands opening at 3:00pm. Post Time is set for 5:30pm with NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Time Trials beginning at 6:20pm and the Phoenix Communications 150 to start at 8:00pm. General Admission is set at $40 for adults, $15 for kids 6-12 and kids 5 and under are free!

Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park – Thompson, CT
Twisted Tea Tuesday
Tuesday, August 16, 2022

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS

$3,000-to-Win Sunoco Modifieds – 40 Laps

1. Stephen Kopcik (179), Newton CT

2. Troy Talman (3), Oxford MA

3. Todd Owen (81), Somers CT

4. Jon Puleo (7), Branford CT

5. Tyler Berry (18), Griswold CT

6. RJ Marcotte (5), Millville MA

7. Paul LaPlante (02), Scituate RI

8. Cody Rose (62), Worcester MA

9. Rene Marcotte (5x), Millville MA

DNS Mike Christopher, Jr. (82), Wolcott CT

$1,500-to-Win Street Stock Open – 50 Laps

1. Paul Newcomb (7), Plymouth MA

2. Chad Baxter (0),

3. Randy Waterman (75), Danielson CT

4. Ryan Lineham (19),

5. Zach Robinson (89), Putnam CT

6. Aaron Plemons (67), Uncasville CT

7. Larry Barnett (73), Moosup CT

8. Nick Hovey (16), Chaplin CT

9. Wayne Coury (17CT),

10. Jon Porter (38), E. Lyme CT

11. Bert Ouelette (93), Ellington CT

12. Tyler Trott (80),

13. Tyler Cinamella (66), Willimantic CT

14. Ike Chima (56),

15. Nathan Taylor (1), Brooklyn CT

16. Clark Brooks (73x),

17. Jeff Van Pelt (13), N. Providence RI

18. Michael Malbaurn (64),

19. Bill Porter (23),

20. Joe Arena (74),

21. Samantha Dell (28RI), Harrisville RI

22. Tim Poulin (22), N. Grosvenordale CT

DNS Corey Fanning (11), Maplewood RI

DNS Austin Erickson (1ME),

DNS Nick Bendiak (31),

DNS Kevin Bowman (21),

SK Lite Modified Double Down Showdown Round #1 – 30 Laps

1. John O’Sullivan (15), Norwich CT

2. Steven Chapman (14), Ellington CT

3. Dalton McCarthy (34MA),

4. Meghan Fuller (02), Auburn MA

5. Cole Kugler (07K), Bradford RI

6. Anthony Forino (52),

7. Todd Douillard (16MA), Palmer MA

8. Mark Bakaj (88), Lebanon CT

9. Nathan Pytko (24), Oxford MA

10. Josh Carey (69), Belchertown MA

11. Steve Kenneway (26), Hampton NH

12. Corey Caddick (27), Richmond RI

DNS Isaiah Newcomb (22), Plymouth MA

$300-to-Win Mini Stocks – 15 Laps

1. Kevin Moore (82), Moosup CT

2. Jarred Roy (1CT), Moosup CT

3. Dave Trudeau (97), Marshfield CT

4. Glynn Roy (81), Sterling MA

5. Ryan Pomposelli (19),

6. Steve Michalski (44), Brooklyn CT

7. Brad Caddick (18) Wyoming RI

8. Bill Schoeler (84), Warwick RI

9. Kyle Wing (7), Marshfield CT