(Press Release from Thompson Speedway)
It might not have been planned, but Doug Curry is right in the middle of the championship battle in the Mini Stock division at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park.
The Groton, Connecticut, driver is a former frontrunner at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl, where he finished second in the title chase last year. After some consideration at the beginning of this season, Curry decided he would give Thompson’s title fight a run.
With just three NASCAR Whelen All-American Series races remaining, Curry is just 19 points back of leader Scott Michalski, and 11 back of Steve Michalski. He’s also been able to visit Victory Lane in two of the last three races driving his No. 2.
“We had originally planned on only doing half of the races, but some things happened, and we have a lot of time invested in our program,” Curry said. “I ran full-time in 2017 when it was just seven races, and even though we did all of the races, we really struggled at Thompson. But I’m having a lot of fun right now.”
With the speed under the hood, it’s no surprise that Curry is running as well as he is. He started the season with a ninth-place finish at the Icebreaker, and a DNF in the third race of the year, but he’s been able to recover nicely. A swap to a different car might have done the trick.
“We went to the Icebreaker with my backup car and we were dominant all weekend, it looked like we were going to win the race, but we got into a wreck and it didn’t quite work out,” Curry said. “We knew we had the speed. But we decided to switch over to the other car and it was like a light switch. It’s funny to think that I’m almost sneaking my way into the points battle with seven races down and some DNF’s. It makes me wonder what would have happened if I didn’t have those DNF’s.”
Not only is Curry deeply invested in his race team — he’s no stranger to racing in general. His family has been involved in racing for many years, and now, he’s competing at a high level at one of the toughest tracks in the country. The high-banks of Thompson offer Mini Stock drivers a chance to showcase their driving talent at high speeds, where engines matter.
“Thompson is very competitive,” Curry said. “These drivers have been up there since I was a kid and they were racing Mini Stocks. I wanted to win at Thompson, the prestige and everything that comes with it, it’s neat. I had been in position in the past, but it had never worked out. I was wondering if the track hated me. But things have definitely turned the switch for me.”
For now, Curry has a decision to make heading into the final three races. Will he play on the safe side during the races and chase the championship? Or will he go out on the track and do whatever it takes to keep his winning momentum rolling?
“It’s business as usual, we are going to keep doing the same things we have been doing,” Curry said. “I need to win – if these other guys finish second, third… I’ll need the points. Any extras I can get in the feature or in the heat races are important. Just going to try to win everything here in the last three… heat races, features, everything.”
Curry is also spending time away from the track, where he’s preparing to marry his fiancée, who is the daughter of Limited Sportsman competitor Chris ‘Moose’ Douton.
“We met at the track and she’s been huge in all of this,” Curry said. “She’s been more than understanding about me being in the garage long hours and putting all the time and the work into this racing.”
Joining his friends and family, Curry also has support from a long list of sponsors, including Ken’s Auto, US Country 99.5, Badazz Creative Coatings, Ashaway Performance Engines, EB Exterminating, Kris’s Lawn Care, Treats Pools and Spa’s, The Trask Family, JSB Motorsports, CIC Motorsports, Jeff’s Outlaw Grafix and more. That long list of supporters is helping him get the car to the race with all the speed it has.
Curry is going with the mindset that the points will fall in line if he keeps winning.
“I’m not worried about points – I’m going out there to win and take as much hardware home as I can,” Curry said. “If the points work out in the end, that’s cool. We are within striking distance. Once it comes close to the World Series, we can pursue that. But right now we are prepared to go there and win the next three races.”
Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park returns to NASCAR Whelen All-American Series action on Sunday, September 1, with all five divisions and Lock City Drift’s Street Series. Fans are reminded that this event is the make-up for the rainout on June 30.
Looking ahead, camping for the Sunoco World Series is also available via the reservations tab on the website.
For more information on Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park, fans are encouraged to visit www.thompsonspeedway.com, and follow the track on social media via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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