On Tap: Make It A Triple For Connecticut Short Tracks This Weekend

It’s been nearly a month and a half since the short track racing season kicked off in Connecticut, and now finally all three tracks will be open for operation for one fluid and full racing weekend.

The Waterford Speedbowl and Stafford Motor Speedway have their regular weekly shows on schedule for this weekend. Thompson International Speedway – shuttered for the last month since the running of the Icebreaker – wakes back to life this weekend with a special Sunday event featuring the Valenti Modified Racing Series.

Weekend Events

Where: Stafford Motor Speedway
What: NASCAR Whelen All-American Series event
When: Friday
Schedule: 40-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified, 30-lap Late Model, 20-lap SK Light Modified, 20-lap Limited Late Model and 20-lap DARE Stock. Grandstands open: 5:15 p.m.; Qualifying begins: 6:15 p.m.
Tickets: Adults $17.50, $20; Youth (6-14) $5, children 5 and under free.
More: The second week of Friday night racing at Stafford. … The DARE Stock division run its Xtramart Xtra D event with an extra five laps added from their normal 15-lap length. … Ryan Preece of Berlin won the SK Modified feature at the Stafford Spring Sizzler on April 28 and followed that up with a victory on the opening Friday night of the season last week. Preece, the 2011 SK Modified champion at Stafford, had a total of two victories at the track in 2012. … May is Youth Organization Month at Stafford. All children 6-14 wearing a youth organization team shirt or uniform will be admitted free to the general admission grandstands when accompanied by an adult.

Where: Waterford Speedbowl
What: NASCAR Whelen All-American Series event
When: Saturday
Schedule: 35-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified, 30-lap Late Model, 25-lap Street Stock, 25-lap Mini Stock and 25-lap SK Light Modified. Grandstands open: 3 p.m.; Qualifying: 5:30 p.m.; Features: 7 p.m.
Tickets: Adults $17; Youth (6-14) $6, children 5 and under free.
More: The sixth event of the season at the shoreline oval is on tap. The Speedbowl’s May 11 event was rained out, marking the first weather loss of the season at the track. … Keith Rocco has won three of the first five SK Modified division events at Waterford this season. Ted Christopher, running full-time at the track for the first time in more than a decade, hasn’t won an event yet this year, but sits second in the standings to Rocco, 17 points behind. … Rocco, who also competes full-time in the track’s Late Model division, sits one point behind standings leader and reigning Late Model division champion Dillon Moltz. … Garrett Denton goes looking for his fourth victory of the season in the Mini Stock division. Denton has two second place finishes to go with his three victories.

Where: Thompson International Speedway
What: Valenti Modified Racing Series And NASCAR Whelen All-American Series event
When: Sunday
Schedule: 75-lap Valenti Modified Racing Series, 30-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified, 25-lap Late Model, 20-lap Limited Sportsman, 20-lap SK Light Modified and 15-lap Mini Stock. Grandstands open: 11 a.m.; Qualifying: 2:20 p.m.
Tickets: $25, juniors, $5.
More: The first event at Thompson since the track’s Icebreaker 2013 opener on April 14. …. The third event of the season for the Valenti Modified Racing Series. Steve Masse won the season opener at the Waterford Speedbowl on April 7. Rowan Pennink won the second event of the season at Monadnock Speedway in Winchester, N.H. on April 20. … Pennink currently holds a 10-point lead over Lou Mechalides. … Of the 200 laps run in competition this year, Pennink and Masse have combined nine laps led. Pennink leads the series in positions gained on the track at plus 22. … Pennink has three career VMRS victories at Thompson Speedway. … Keith Rocco won the season opening SK Modified feature at Thompson Speedway on April 14.