Shawn Monahan celebrates victory in the Limited Sportsman feature Wednesday at Thompson Speedway (Photo: Jim DuPont/RaceDayCT)
THOMPSON – Sideways was the right way for Shawn Monahan Wednesday at Thompson Speedway.
Holding off an all out assault from Ryan Waterman coming to the checkered flag, Monahan slid across the start/finish line sideways to win the 20-lap Limited Sportsman feature Wednesday at Thompson.
It was the second consecutive victory and third victory in five starts this year at Thompson for Monahan, of Waterford.
After staving off multiple taps from Waterman, Scott Sundeen was leading coming to the white flag. On the final lap Waterman got a run off turn two down the backstretch and the two went side-by-side into turn three, with Monahan running third.
With contact through turn four, Waterman drove Sundeen up the track and then finished him with a bang to the side of his car.
“The race director was warning [Waterman], ‘No contact or we’re going to pull you from the position.’” Monahan said. “He didn’t have his headset working and he sent it in there pretty deep and moved [Sundeen] up. Quite frankly, I really don’t feel sad about it at all. [Sundeen] openly doesn’t like me and he drove me right out of the park going into turn one. I say a prayer every time I get into the car, a line I never forget. No weapon formed against me shall prosper. I’m not going to do something to somebody so therefor I don’t want to get it in return. … It’s just been playing out in my favor.”
The banging between Waterman and Sundeen slowed the pair enough to allow Monahan to catch the leaders and skate to the open low lane off of turn four.
With Monahan moving to the lead coming off the corner, Waterman made a hard left from the high lane where he had deposited Sundeen and drove into the side of Monahan’s car. Monahan deflected the initial contact, but from there Waterman attempted to hook Monahan’s right rear coming down the frontstretch. Monahan’s car initially jerked right from the contact then quickly jerked back left and sideways across the start/finish line as Waterman backed off.
“Ryan doesn’t like to lose,” Monahan said. “I think right about at that very last moment he realized ‘I’m about to junk Shawn, let me let him save it because I’m going to finish second.’ But … he had a lot going through his mind. I know how he thinks because I was once there. For some reason he gets a major excitement out of that and that’s just part of the game.”
Waterman crossed the finish line in second but was penalized to the rear of the field after the event. It gave Zach Robinson of Putnam second and Corey Fanning of Mapleville, R.I. third.
Thompson shouldn’t call themselves NASCAR Sanction, because racing is all about the beating and banging coming to the checkered flag. DQing someone for putting on a spectacular race for the fans that pay good money to come over month. Thompson is becoming a joke. And on the last restart for the limited sportsman Monahan should of restarted 3rd not 2nd, they always seem to let things slide when Monahan is the one doing things. And if the racers in the limited sportsman don’t want someone like Waterman to race them hard then maybe they should go into the mini stocks where they don’t race as hard. Ltd. Sportsman are meant to be ran hard and banging each other that’s how they all started back in the day. But glad Thompson is all about sucking Monahan off to make him happy.
Dear anonymous- if you would like anyone to respect or even consider what you have to say relevant, you should be a little more respectful. They went back to the last completed lap, that’s the only reason I went back to second. I like banging a little as well. Nascar sanction has not much to do with your statement either. Thompson is extremely professional and with the amount of short track problems in this country, you would be best staying off of the keyboard…
Just Curious, is there any truth to the rummor that the Sundeens, Monahan’s and the Waterman’s are renting a beach house at Misquamicut beach next week? And if it is true are the fans invited to the big barbeque?? I’m game if it’s true!!
In my opinion that was the best race of the night. I’m not a Monahan Fan or limited Sportsman. The end of that race was good. It was a show. That’s what it’s all about not follow the Leader around. The Mod race Was boring until the last 30 laps.
In my opinion that was the best race of the night. I’m not a Monahan Fan or limited Sportsman. The end of that race was good. It was a show. That’s what it’s all about not follow the Leader around. The Mod race Was boring until the last 30 laps. !
I’m not a really a big Monahan fan but when he drives a late model – he is really exciting to watch. I was very impressed with M. Fuller’s run.
This was a pretty exciting race. The last few laps, there were cars that were at the mercy of others, they could have been spun with the flick of a steering wheel, but they weren’t. Gloves are off coming out of T4 to the line.