Story By: THOMPSON SPEEDWAY MOTORSPORTS PARK – THOMPSON, CT – Excitement returned to the highbanks of Thompson Speedway for the second of three rounds of Thursday Night Thunder in the quiet corner of Connecticut. In their first 50-lap, $3,000-to-win showdown of the season, Danny Cates quickly took off to lead the start of the Thompson Sunoco Modified feature. Both the competition, and the patience, was fierce with the field running nose-to-tail, biding their time for the right space to make a move.
Two-time winner Jon Puleo was the first, launching around Cates in turn three and powering through turn four to steal the early lead. Keith Rocco began stalking Puleo, making his move to lead lap 8 but Puleo held strong, jumping under the multi-time Thompson champ to take back the lead with the cross-over. The battle continued until mechanical issues forced Puleo out of the race, giving Rocco the lead all the way to the checkered flags. Rocco’s machine would be disqualified in post-race technical inspection giving rookie Isaiah Newcomb his first Thompson Sunoco Modified win followed by Cates and Josh Carey in the top-three.
The Late Model division went green to checkered with Kulwicki Driver Development Program (KDDP) finalist Derek Gluchacki leading all 25 laps ahead of the pack. Ryan Morgan continued his consistent and competitive season to finish second with fellow former Thompson champion Brian Tagg taking third. Windham, Maine’s Cole Robie and Riverside, Rhode Island’s Connor Souza joined in to round out the top-five.
Sixteen strong, the Street Stocks began the evening’s racing action, running clean and green until the halfway point of their 20-lap main event when Scott Sundeen and Austin Flanagan made contact in turn two with both cars being towed off for the night. One final late caution for a spinning ‘Leadfoot’ Larry Barnett couldn’t slow the dogfight between Ryan Waterman and Corey Fanning in the final circuits. Post-race technical inspection removed Waterman, Fanning and Aaron Plemons from their top-five finishes giving Jason Chicolas the win with Brent Gleason and Tyler Cinamella rounding out the top-three.
After the AZ Roofing SK Light Modifieds were plagued by cautions early in their feature event, young point leader Tyler Chapman worked through the field to lead the final 21 circuits with Nick Hovey and Meghan Fuller rounding out the podium. Similarly, the Mini Stocks also had a rough start with defending champion Jared Roy quickly sifting things out to take the lead and the win with Ryan Pomposelli and Richard LaFlesh joining him in victory lane.
Thursday Night Thunder is back at Thompson Speedway for the third and final time in 2024 on Thursday, July 25 headlined by the $3,000-to-win, Twisted Tea Midsummer 50 for the Thompson Sunoco Modifieds! Along with the Thompson Sunoco Modified 50-lapper, the Late Models, AZ Roofing SK Light Modifieds, Street Stocks and Mini Stocks are back in action on Thursday, July 25 with a 6:00pm Post Time!
Thursday Night Thunder – Round #2
Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park – Thompson, CT
Thursday, June 27, 2024
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
Thompson Sunoco Modifieds – (50 Laps)
1. 22 #Isaiah Newcomb Plymouth, MA
2. 2 Danny Cates Chaplin, CT
3. 69 Josh Carey Belchertown, MA
4. 76 Tyler Barry Griswold, CT
5. 27 Chase Cook Norwich, MA
6. 07 Scott Zilinski Erving, MA
7. 4 #Zach Leone Worcester, MA
8. 7 Jon Puleo Branford, CT
DSQ 09 Keith Rocco Berlin, CT
Late Models – (25 Laps)
1. 03MA Derek Gluchacki Dartmouth, MA
2. 31CT Ryan Morgan North Franklin, CT
3. 9MA Brian Tagg Millbury, MA
4. 29ME Cole Robie Windham, ME
5. 38RI Connor Souza Riverside, RI
6. 6MA Nick Johnson Rehoboth, MA
7. 91CT Andrew Molleur Shelton, CT
8. 21MA Pete Yetman Peru, MA
9. 19CT #Kyle Gero Baltic, CT
10. 78 Emma Monahan Quaker Hill, CT
11. 73CT Jared Materas Westfield, MA
AZ Roofing SK Light Modifieds – (25 Laps)
1. 41CT Tyler Chapman Ellington, CT
2. 16 Nickolas Hovey Chaplin, CT
3. 2 Meghan Fuller Auburn, MA
4. 15 John O’Sullivan Norwich, CT
5. 8 Ryan Souliere N. Smithfield
6. 34MA Daltin McCarthy Oxford, MA
7. 3 Steven Midford Ellington, CT
8. 44 Robert Schultz Ocean, NJ
DNS 32 Wayne Burroughs Jr. Colchester, CT
Street Stocks – (20 Laps)
1. 7x Jason Chicolas Sutton, MA
2. 01 Brent Gleason Griswold, CT
3. 66 Tyler Cinamella Willimantic, CT
4. 2 Tim Poulin Thompson, CT
5. 85 Michael Viens Seekonk, MA
6. 10 Charles H. Stott III Medway, MA
7. 73 Larry Barnett Moosup, CT
8. 19 Ryan Lineham Hope Valley, RI
9. 46x David Paradis Auburn, MA
10. 52 Al Stone III Durham, CT
11. 36 Scott Sundeen Sutton, MA
12. 28 Austin Flanagan Warwick, RI
13. 6 Scott Souza Uncasville, CT
DSQ 75 Ryan Waterman Danielson, CT
DSQ 11 Corey Fanning Mapleville, RI
DSQ 67 Aaron Plemons Uncasville, CT
Mini Stocks – (15 Laps)
1. 1CT Jared Roy Moosup, CT
2. 19 Ryan Pomposelli Smithfield, RI
3. 9CT Richard LaFlesh Griswold, CT
4. 82 Kevin Moore Moosup, CT
5. 44 Steve Michalski Brooklyn, CT
DNS 97 Dave Trudeau Mansfield, CT