On Tap: Triple Play Time For Connecticut Short Track Racing

The gang’s all here.

Thursday marks the first weekly NASCAR Whelen All-American Series show of the year at Thompson International Speedway, meaning all three state short tracks are now open for weekly racing action.

Thompson opens its weekly event calendar with a five division card Thursday.

Stafford Motor Speedway returns from a rain out last week to host its Military Appreciation Night this week.

At the Waterford Speedbowl Saturday night it’s Four Cylinder Fury, with the Northeast Mini Stock Tour in town.

Check out the details of all the weekend action below.

Where: Thompson International Speedway
What: NASCAR Whelen All-American Series event
When: Thursday
Schedule: 30-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified, 25-lap Late Model, 20-lap SK Light Modified, 20-lap Limited Sportsman and 15-lap Mini Stock. Grandstands open: 4 p.m.; Qualifying begins: 6 p.m.
Tickets: Adults $18; Youth (6-14) $5, children 5 and under free.
More: The first week of Thursday night racing at Thompson for the 2013 season. The track opened April 13-14 for the annual Icebreaker. A scheduled May 19 show was rained out. … Keith Rocco leads the standings in the SK Modified division after winning the season opening event on April 14.

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 15-lap DARE Stock. Grandstands open: 5:15 p.m.; Qualifying begins: 6:15 p.m.
Tickets: Adults $17.50 (general admission), $20 (reserved); Youth (6-14) $5, children 5 and under free.
More: The third week of Friday night racing at Stafford. The track was dark last Friday because of a rainout. … Friday is Military Appreciation night. $10 general admission tickets will be offered with any valid military ID (active or reserve) presented at the gate. … Ryan Preece and Sean Foster are tied for the points in the track’s SK Modified division. Preece has won two of three events this year in the division. Rowan Pennink and Ted Christopher are tied in third place, eight points behind the leaders.

Where: Waterford Speedbowl
What: NASCAR Whelen All-American Series event
When: Saturday
Schedule: 50-lap Northeast Mini Stock Tour, 35-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified, 30-lap Late Model, 50-lap Mini Stock, 20-lap X-Car and 25-lap Pro Four 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 seventh event of the season at the shoreline oval will see Mini Stocks take center stage. The Northeast Mini Stock Tour makes their second visit to Connecticut in 2013 with a 50-lap feature and the track’s regular Mini Stock division will go double their usual length with a 50-lap feature. … Racing was rained out at Waterford on May 25. … Kyle James came from the last (23rd) starting spot last week to win the most recent NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified feature at the track on May 18. James became the fourth different SK Modified winner in six events this year. Keith Rocco has three wins and Joey Gada and Tyler Chadwick each have one win. … Rocco goes into the night as the SK Modified division points leader, with a 23-point edge over second place Craig Lutz. Rocco’s father-in-law, Todd Ceravolo, is third in the standings, 27 points off the lead. … Rocco also leads the Late Model division standings at Waterford, holding a 1-point edge over reigning division champion Dillon Moltz.