THOMPSON – The theme for Bryan Narducci during the 2019 season has been drama.
For all Narducci’s success in the SK Light Modified divisions this year at Thompson Speedway and Stafford Speedway, the drama has followed the Colchester driver who often his a target on his back from much of the competition.
So it was only fitting that Narducci clinched his first Thompson Speedway championship with drama boiling at the historic track.
Narducci and Steven Chapman wrecked while battling for the lead on lap 15 of the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature Sunday at Thompson.
Narducci, of Colchester, ended up recording a 12thplace finish in the 15-car field, and it was enough for him to clinch the division title with on race remaining.
Narducci ended the day holding a 64-point lead over second place Wayne Burroughs Jr. in the standings. The most any driver can accumulate in one race at Thompson is 55 points.
“Add my name to all the champions that have won here. … It’s amazing,” Narducci said.
Narducci has won six of the nine SK Light Modified events this year at Thompson. He also has eight SK Light Modified wins at Stafford Speedway.
The drama between Narducci and Chapman has been an ongoing thread of the 2019 season at both Thompson and Stafford. The two have had at least four late race skirmishes between the track tracks.
Chapman, of Ellington, went by Albert Ouellette for the lead on lap six. Narducci moved to second on nine. Following a lap 15 restart Narducci tucked in behind Chapman off of turn two. In turn three Narducci tapped Chapman from behind and moved left to go under him. Through the corner Chapman’s rear spun and Narducci slowed to avoid hitting him. Behind the six more cars piled into the turn three mess.
Narducci said the lap 15 incident was the third time during the event that Chapman “brake checked” him into a corner.
“It seems like every time I’m behind the kid, no matter if it’s at Stafford [Speedway] or here, getting into the corners he smashes the brakes and tries to get me to run into him so I’ll get penalized,” Narducci said. “He does it at Stafford every other week. We went down the backstretch and I was pushing him and I turned left to dive under him into [turn] three. He checked up, we hooked bumpers and I was good. I was stopped and then everybody behind just piled in.”
Chapman refused to comment after the race.
“He took us out of win here,” said Chapman’s father Sumner Chapman. “He took us out of win in turn four at Stafford. He took us out of another win here. And he just took us out of another. That’s four wins. Bryan has taken us out of four wins this year. Steven has zero wins. Four wins we lost because of Bryan Narducci. We race against 25 or 26 other people at Stafford and depending on the day, 10-18 other people here. You know how many other people have taken a win away from Steven? None. But, unfortunately, this is the deal, I don’t know what to do. We come here to race. We come here to win the race as a team.
“With Bryan Narducci it happens every single time. If it’s not us it’s you, it’s him, it’s somebody else. For some unknown reason they let it go. … I don’t know what to say. I’m not trying to be mean, but it’s frustrating. …
Brian Sullivan of South Windsor inherited the lead following the lap 15 incident and went on to his first SK Light Modified victory at Thompson.
“Just worked at it all day,” Sullivan said. “… I think we were a top-three car. I hate to see what happened to [Chapman] there. [Narducci] just kind of drove right through his left rear.”
Alexander Pearl of Salem was second and Glenn Griswold of Vernon third.
Narducci doesn’t deserve a championship driving the way he does
Takes out the leader and half the field on a restart with no penalty. If it wasn’t for stafford raining out on friday it would have been a 7 or 8 car race. When will Thompson open up and see what they are doing to this division by allowing this type of driving without consequence?
Congrats to Brian Narducci, Todd Owen and the #01 team on clinching the SK Lite Championship. Also a shout out to Butch Shea. Something about the Chassis Pro car makes it the Perfect SK Lite car, and a contending SK as well. Great job guys.
Narducci deliberately slammed and spun Chapman and everyone in the stands was witness. He should be DQ’d from today’s event or the World Series at a minimum. The two of them have a feud going but in this instance Narducci was clearly at fault. Just because his mommy is a track official he should not receive special treatment. For the record I am not affiliated with any car, just a long time Stafford and Thompson fan. Narducci is a good shoe but he is getting too cocky and aggressive and needs a wake up call. He does not act like a champion
Your title is misleading (imagine that).
It sure looked like Narducci dumped Chapman going into the corner.
Biased, as I said in a previous post a few weeks back.
I’m sure Narducci is proud even though he drives worse than Danica.
Well he cannot win without dumping others. Karma will return
TJ, What is misleading in any way about the headline?
Congratulations Bryan and the #01 team. Haters are gonna hate.
Yeh, haters are gonna hate… especially when you drive like a dimwitted, bull-headed, irresponsible, entitled, tunnel-vision, loose-cannon fool, and get your wins by disrupting the other guys’ races and wrecking cars with no consequences like no-one else.
That was interesting. Chapman gets on the brakes to force Bryan to smack him and get a penalty. Not just this race but more often. Never heard that one before.
Narducci overdriving it again without the need to do so ..no patience.. worst is no accountability or personal responsibility .. karma will have its day it always does..
Haters? Are you out of your mind “Race fan 1980”? This isn’t a dislike of someone who wins like Teddy did with a bumper tap. This is a dislike for the abomination of what people call driving skills the 01 has. For you to even support his behavior in any way is supporting wrecking other drivers to win a 20 lap sprint race for a feature. This kid will deny everything because he can’t stand up for himself and admit a mistake or be a man and stop whining about what he THINKS someone else did when they really didn’t do what he’s crying about. Slamming, dumping, wrecking and blatant over aggression is NOT racing and he’s certainly not the driver everyone thinks he is. His wins and his championship are empty shells of accomplishments because of his antics and shame on Thompson race director for not taking action on this and other occasions, maybe everybody should get him gift cards to Lenscrafters for Christmas. Earth to race control… repeat offenders should be parked!! Congrats to Tyler for standing up for what he knows is right because the track won’t do it.
I have noticed a reoccurring theme here with Bryan. Every time he uses the chrome horn on the competition he blames the individual for brake checking him. I don’t believe you know a brake check from a pay check son. Just keep it up cause you can only poke the dog for so long before the dog takes a big bite out of you.
One bull in a china shop move takes out how many cars and Thompson does what about it? I thought they informed the drivers a while back enough nonsense. Oh well I guess certain individuals must not have got the memo or the track revised it without telling anyone.
I’m no fan of Bryan’s lack of discipline and patience but man Lightsout he’s kid after all. You go too far.
The reality is if we had a time machine and could go back to the early days of the SK division what you;d see is a number of drivers exactly like Bryan. Some that matured into top drivers. One of them being Ted Christopher. Now I’m not saying Bryan is on that path. All I’m saying is it’s early and using words like abomination is excessive in my view.
All this commotion is masking a really good home stretch race shaping up in the Stafford SK Lights between Chapman and Hodgdon separated by only 4 points. I just hope the 01 appreciates the significance of their battle and doesn’t do anything crazy trying to get yet another win. He had his chance. Two DQ’s and a flat tire ended his hunt for the title for all practical purposes so let the two points leaders take center stage and race each other.
Everyone hates narducci for the same reason they hate Monahan. Because he’s fast and he wins. Did you see Chapman crying in the infield?..probably spun on his own tears.
It seems as if this kid needs some damage control. In a year he went from a young up and comer everyone pulled for to a train wreck and widely disliked. He had a good points battle with Ruffrano last year at Stafford that unfortunately ended with two destroyed cars, right or wrong he has been whining and pointing fingers ever since.
Spouting off recycled Ted Christopher quotes and driving over aggressively he has managed to damage his image a great deal. He is running out of a shop that people respect and pull for, Owen is appreciated for being a hard worker and good racer. Narduci raced hard over came obstacles and is talented yet has failed to keep his emotions in check and has done and said some dumb stuff. Hopefully he can learn a little tact and learn the art of timing. He has the tools to be good but needs a little polish. Maybe he can overcome this season learn a few things and be a racer not a side show.
How many cars did Narducci wreck to get that championship? Whoever they interviewed with one of the wrecked cars called him Thompson’s prince. And they don’t hate Monahan for the same reason. Plus Doug don’t go on making excuses about him being just a kid. He just wants to be the great TC way too much. Was there any penalty for what he did Sunday? Thompson’s turning into a laughing stock.
Doug – he is not a kid. At 18 he’s an adult. A very immature adult but not a kid. What he did Sunday was the last straw for a lot of people. I was sitting in the stands and saw and heard three different teams voicing their displeasures to his father. His father was yelling obscenities and telling these teams that their drivers need to learn how to drive and it wasn’t his son’s fault. They clapped when he spun the leader. They have no respect for any other team out there. I wonder where he gets his lack of respect from? Many times he has used regurgitated Ted Christopher quotes because he truly believes he is the next TC. That is laughable. He will never be anything close to what Ted was – on or off the track.
Hillary 2020 – to answer your question about a penalty for Sunday’s actions. There was none. He was credited with a 12th place finish out of 15. The race director and Terry are turning the Hoenig’s facility into the laughing stock of racing in the northeast.
Just a reminder, as we’ve done in the past, concerning comments. No vulgarity here. Trust me when I tell you that you can actually write comments without vulgarity. If you can’t, go somewhere else because your comments are not going to be posted here. And if you submit it 14 times it’s not going to increase the chances that your vulgarity laced comment somehow gets approved.
As I’ve said before, we’re pretty liberal here with the comments section and the dialogue that’s allowed. But understand, that doesn’t mean this is some type of playground of idiocy. I really can’t believe I have to say this, but, no comments targeting or making light of physical disabilities will be posted here. Again, I can’t even believe I have to say that, but apparently there are quite a few people who think that’s going to pass. And like what was said before, don’t think if you submit the comment 32 times that it will increase the chances that it will see the light of day. Also, we’re not going to post comments that include what you supposedly heard someone say. Don’t care if it’s a driver, track official, crew member, parent, salesperson, family member, etc.
If all these drivers are pissed, why doesn’t one of them take Narducci out? Karen as a fickle bitch. Or could it be that it’s a case of pot calling kettle black. Racing, in all forms has gotten allot more aggressive in the past few years. ” Dumping” has become the new normal and in some cases it’s actually encouraged. It’s not called ” dumping” but rather ” moving someone” most drivers are guilty of over aggressive driving sometimes the officials step in, but in most cases they don’t. Drivers don’t “lean” on each other but rather punt each other out of the way. It’s the new normal, and until the officials stop it, it will continue.
Narducci never took his window net down as the Chapman kid went complete freak out mode on him. I bet he knew he was gonna get a smack to the head otherwise. The kid looks 12 years old while Narducci towers over him. It would be cool if the lite driver’s got together and boycotted the world series.
Hillary 2020,
What would boycotting the World Series accomplish for drivers? If I was a fan and paid to see that race and found out the regular division drivers chose not to participate I definitely wouldn’t want to be a fan of those particular drivers anymore. Not after I paid to see them race and they chose not to. And I’m not sure if you’ve noticed but racers have fewer and fewer options of places to participate these days. I can’t imagine giving a track a reason to boot your division is a smart idea. Remember, it’s taken quite a few years for Thompson management to finally make the decision this year to make the SK Light Modifieds a Whelen All-American Series points division. You really think it would be a smart idea for the drivers/teams who own all the equipment which I’m sure they want to race to have a track tell them that if they want to boycott they don’t need to come back because they’ll just drop the division?
HILLARY2020, LIGHTSOUTS, The other SHINE
i think you all need a HUG
Losers ha ha lol
Boycotting the World Series for one Lite driver would be like boycotting Woodstock because you don’t like the drummer in Santana. The World Series is a racing happening with what, 20 divisions,dozens of drivers,hundreds of crew members and thousands of fans. Good luck organizing that protest. And of course what Mr. Courchesne said.
Aside from the potty mouths and over the top reactions what are the facts. Chapman on this day was the class of the field. On three occasions he extended his lead under green. It was his day. Restarts invite chaos and sure enough Bryan was in the center of it. Long story short putting your front right bumper on the left year of a car in the corner never ends well. All I could wonder is why.
Bryan doesn’t have a prince problem or a Ted Christopher worship problem or a superman complex problem. .He has a thinking problem. He didn’t think about the big picture. The fact he had a championship to win, that Chapman on this day was faster and deserved to win, That he and Chapman have a history that you might not want to add another chapter to. that the kiss he planted on Chapman in the corner had virtually no upside or that he was putting the field at risk for virtually no reason as all. He just didn’t think.
It’s all so mystifying to me. Bryan has Jerry and Jeff Pearl in his orbit as well as Todd Owen. Three drivers that have commanded mountains of respect over the years. For some reason there is no adult supervision. Someone to take him by the scuff of the neck neck figurative speaking of course, tell him to knock it off and make better decisions. He apparently is surrounded by enablers. Unbiased is dead on when he says it has had negative consequences in a couple years He’s gone from Luke to Darth Vader in a year with two bonehead driving DQ’s I know of and this deal that should be three.
It’s only Tuesday. Do we know that Thompson won’t exact a penalty for the completely uncalled for hit Narducci put on Chapman? This has not been a good year for Thompson image wise. No action here would be another black mark. Even Buckler made a reference to racing with the 01 like being around a land mine and he was prophetic because the mine went off near Chapman. Thompson lets it go and it will be a mistake. Wins are hard to get. Chapman like him or not earned that win.
If you are making foul language laced comments about the 01 that aren’t making it to print in many respects you’re like Narducci’s bonehead moves. You’re not thinking. Ironic aye.
If Chapman was so much faster then how did Narducci get to his bumper down the backstretch? Could it be that Chapman is a rookie and only 15 years old…. Did he have his eyes in the mirror? Did he lift early?
These things are going to happen when you have kids racing motor vehicles. I really don’t think kids should be driving modifieds on a 5/8 mile track – change the age back to 16 or have a division for 14 to 16 year olds. I’m not taking sides on this but I think we all forget the facts – that they are kids
Steve,
Nothing wrong with your comment, but just want to clarify that Chapman is 16 years old.
I know what the world series is. We don’t need a lecture. Of course there won’t be a boycott but if no lites showed up I’m not going to be crying to get my money back. All it will most likely be is more destroyed cars or Narducci in victory lane. I could care less. So now that he’s the champ he’ll be going all out for the win. Won’t need to be points racing. Can’t wait.
Narducci was on Chapman’s bumper because it was a restart and the cars weren’t up to speed. The 01 didn’t reach the back bumper, the 14 was not given the opportunity to get up to speed.
Suggesting an age restriction at a time when the victim was under the proposed limit and the bonehead move made by the person qualified to race modifieds in your scenario at best is bad timing.
Here’s the deal about boycotts in racing. I don’t think the mentality of racers has changed that much since the days I raced. By their very nature people that race have adventurous spirits, are independent thinkers and fiercely independent. They have teams including spotters but when they are on the track they are islands and they alone are identified mostly with the results they achieve or lack there of and they want it that way. The idea that three drivers could agree on a wildcat action let alone a division is a mirage.
Thompson must have adopted the “Boys have at it” policy that Nascar uses in the big 3 series.. I recall hearing Narducci say after one of his recent wins at Stafford that ” I ‘had to do it clean tonight” which pretty much sums it up.
Shawn, in your years of covering local racing has it ever came to a point where teams sat down with an owner/GM/race director and said, “Hey we come here to race and are fed up with having to fix the car after every event because the same over aggressive driver tries to be a hero”? If I owned that 24, 151, or the 32 Wayne Burroughs drives I’d be looking to talk with Terry or someone that would hear me out. You rather get him under control or we are not coming back.
boys have at it in an entry level modified division where age differences are wide is a recipe for disaster .. at the end of the day. Narducci needs to take responsibility for his lack or patience and respect for other and the equipment. I viewed the video where he and Chapmans father have at it verbally. its a common theme and I would say Narducci was not break checked in every incident .. go back and add last years dust ups or “jingles” Narducci is a hammerhead but believes he is the anointed one. If he stays with lites it will only get worse.. if he moves up he will be humbled . yes yes I know the anointed one has been given rides in other first class equipment and done well hence the issue he drives according to his level of competition.. he has no respect for others in the lites and it shows.. grow up kid you don’t need to drive that way !! imagine another competitor requesting you do the same?? .. it beats a fist full of reality. some have shown great restraint and no one is listening. patience will eventually run out
Ricky,
I think some are guilty of some exaggeration when it comes to the talk of all the supposed people wrecked by Narducci at Thompson. Yes, he’s aggressive, and at times probably more aggressive than he needs to be. I think we can all agree on that.
That said, I’ve covered every race at Thompson this year and I can remember twice where people ended up “wrecked” because of incidences that began with something involving Narducci. On Aug. 14 when he had contact with Bert Ouellette and this past Sunday when the field piled in after he and Steven Chapman stopped in turn three. Beyond that, who else has been “wrecked” this year at Thompson by Narducci?
Nobody at Thompson has had to fix their car after every event at Thompson because of anything Narducci has done. That’s just being ridiculously exaggerative.
Shawn, i would think the 32, 43, 57, 151, 15, 54, 07 and 24 would have a different view of your account of “nobody at Thompson has had to fix their car after every event at Thompson.” He has caused more wrecks and others have gotten caught in his actions more than they haven’t. It is easy for you to sit there and call exaggeration when it isn’t your wallet that has to pay for the damages.
If he’s gone from Luke to Darth like Doug says what was he in the LLM’s at Stafford? Didn’t they call him a bonehead back then?
How old is Andrew molleur?
Aggressiveness is the new normal in all forms of racing. Look at any successful driver ..they ain’t saints. Nowadays aggressive driving is encouraged, and if you want to have any success required. Karma is a bitch though and sooner or later everyone gets theirs
The more success and notoriety someone gets, the closer and more critically he is looked at by the world. Has he made some bad decisions? Yes, absolutely, like many before him and I’m sure many after him. Just one of the many methods of learning. Has he blamed others for his mistakes? Yes, and there really aren’t many drivers that come to mind that haven’t also done that in the heat of the moment. However, he has also showed some talent and skill in events as well. Hopefully over time, the latter traits will outweigh the former ones mentioned. He’s still a young driver in a pretty potent racecar and needs more time to develop than most are willing to allow him.
HE AIN’T NO TC. Never will be either.yes he’s won some SKL events and even a championship. TC on the other hand has won in everything from quarter midgets to super modifications, from late models to Xfinity cars and even showed the cup boys a few tricks. There is no driver who will ever be like TC. When God made him he threw away the blueprint. It’s tune he stop calling himself TC, and get his own identity.