10/17/2004

THOMPSON WORLD SERIES - OTHER DIVISIONS OF LI RACERS
by Walter Johnston

    Long Island drivers were nicely represented at Thompson during World Series weekend. In addition to our Tour Mod reps, we had a number of Charger and Late Model drivers entered in the Outlaw Late Model race (Chargers) and Pro Stock race (Riverhead Late Models). Additionally, I ran into a few others who run as regulars in the New England area.

     In the Pro Stock race, Chuck Docherty and George Bessette started on the front row, with our own Long Island gang’s Buzzy Eriksen Jr. in 3^rd starting spot. Also starting the race were Roger Oxee 10^th, Dave Macomber 14^th, Kenny Alfano 18^th, Sean Patterson 20^th, Jarrod Hayes 21^st, Greg Kleila 22^nd, Billy Wheeler 24^th, Dennis Krupski 25^th, and Luke Ferland 27^th.

   At the green, Docherty took off for the lead, but before the completion of the first lap, Billy Wheeler and Scott Geno crashed going into turn 3, with Wheeler’s car suffering extensive damage, and bringing out the yellow flag. With a complete restart, Docherty once again took the lead, but Bessette passed him on lap 4 for the lead, with Ray Parent following him to take 2^nd spot. By lap 13, Sean Patterson and Dennis Krupski had fallen behind by more than a lap as the leaders set a blistering pace. On lap 16, Buzzy Eriksen lost power in his mount and pulled it out of the way on the infield front stretch, but the yellow flew anyway. Dave Berghman, who had be slicing his way through the field, was now running second and got by for first on lap 18, and left the rest of the field behind. 3 laps later, on lap 21, disaster struck in the form of a multi-car wreck coming off turn 2, involving the 2^nd through 7^th place runners, and changing the running order of the competitors greatly. With Berghman, Todd Owen and Jeff Connors now the top 3, the green flew again, and as Roger Oxee (4^th) missed a shift, Ray Parent and Jarrod Hayes got by, for 4^th and 5^th. Oxee recovered to hold 6^th place as Kleila ran 7^th. As the laps wound down, Todd Owen challenged Berghman for the lead, but fell short as the checkers flew, giving Bergman, who started 29^th, the win.

   In the Outlaw Late Model race, Rick Gentes out ran pole sitter Woody Pitkat to get the early lead. After that, it would be a battle for 2^nd on back. One car spun, but recovered, on lap 5, and no yellow was displayed. On lap 9 one car hit the backstretch wall, bringing out the first caution of the race. Again under green, Gentes maintained his lead, and 2 laps later, Rusty Turbush suffered a broken driveshaft, and left on the hook. On the restart, there were battles for position going eon everywhere, including John “Bungee Boy” Ellwood as he battled Eric Goodale for 6^th spot. On lap 13, Courier clipped the backstretch wall, and yellow flew once more. By now, Mike Bologna was up to 9th, and Tom Soper was 10th. As the green flew again, Gentes and Jeff Zuidema were side by side battling for the lead lap after lap. Gentes finally got solidly in the lead just as John Wicks crashed coming out of turn 4 and climbed the front stretch wall, bringing out another caution. On the restart, before a lap was complete, the field bunched up in the backstretch and a multi-car collision brought the caution out again. On the restart, the caution flew one lap later as Mike Bologna and Mike Rego collided in turn 4. On the next restart, Corey Hutchings hit the turn 2 wall, bringing out the caution once more, and now the field had been reduced to 15 cars from the original 32 starters. Under green once again, John Ellwood got up into 4th, with Eric Goodale moving to 5th by lap 21, when the next caution flew as the 71 of Gerry DeGasparre Jr. stalled in turn 2. The final green flew with Gentes still out front, with Jeff Zuidema chasing him, while Bob Grigas III ran 3rd. They ran that way right to the checkers, with Gentes taking the win. Results for our Long Island drivers can be found elsewhere here on the JAM.

Notes and News: Weather was not as much of a factor as at past World Series. The threat of rain saw track management opt to start Friday's qualifying early, and it all got in before the forecast rain arrived.... Saturday night's features, six in all, were reduced to 3 as rain hit at 8 PM, but they were easily moved to Sunday without much disruption of the show schedule...Mike Andrews probably as stunned as others about his great qualifying run that put him on the pole...remarked that he just couldn't believe how well the car gripped during his second qualifying lap...Roger Oxee plagued most of the weekend by engine woes, but luckily, they found a few things that might be causing it, and he stated car was okay for him during the Pro Stock feature...Other feature results can be found on YankeeRacer.com, our sister site...Thompson announced this weekend that there will be a "Thompson Modified" division in 2005, with an already built model of the car on display...looks a lot like an IMCA Modified, should be interesting...Nice to run into so many Riverhead drivers and fans who were there to spectate.. Our drivers did us proud during this super competitive series of events...

Sources:  Walter Johnston/LongIslandJam.com
Posted:  October 17, 2004