Thompson Speedway management confirmed to RaceDayCT Saturday that the track will move forward with a six-event schedule that was proposed to its NASCAR Whelen All-American Series division teams late last month.
In a letter sent to competitors on Dec. 27, Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park CEO Jonathan Hoenig addressed issues facing the oval track program at the facility. Hoenig informed competitors that the track would be cutting divisional purses by about 75 percent for the 2020 season. Hoenig asked that teams indicate whether or not they would be committed to the proposed program by January 15 and that a decision would be made following that date on whether or not track management would move forward with the schedule for 2020.
Thompson Speedway general manager Terry Eames told RaceDayCT Saturday that track management was pleased with the level of commitment they saw from competitors for the proposed program.
“We are confident with the amount of support we have seen over the last month, from everyone involved in planning our 2020 season,” Eames told RaceDayCT. “The Icebreaker traditionally begins the New England racing season, and we are looking forward to getting underway in April.”
Eames said track management is also now working with an organized competitor’s group to help supplement purses and foster cooperation between the track and teams.
The six-event schedule for the 2020 season is down from 10 events in 2019.
Outside of the opening and closing events of Icebreaker weekend and Sunoco World Series weekend, the other four events in 2020 will be held on Wednesdays.
The track will open with its traditional Icebreaker weekend April 3-5. The weekend will be anchored by the second event of the season for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Modified Tour, the Icebreaker 150, on April 5.
The track will close out its 2020 schedule with the Sunoco World Series Weekend Oct. 9-11. The closing weekend will also showcase the Whelen Modified Tour with the running of the division’s season ending World Series 150 on Oct. 11.
In between the Whelen Modified Tour will run a third time at the track for the Budweiser 150 on Wednesday Aug. 19.
The track will also host NASCAR Whelen All-American Series events on Wednesday June 3, Wednesday July 8 and Wednesday Aug. 5.
The track will also host a test and tune day on March 21 with a rain date of March 28.
“We’re working feverishly to get a rules package ready to announce,” Eames said. “We expect in just a few days we’ll have a sheet of bullet notes about the few minor changes that we’re going to make to rules so teams can start planning around that.”
Eames also confirmed that ticket prices will remain the same for 2020 as they were for the 2019 season.
I guess that’s the best we could hope for!!! Hopefully track management can get some more sponsors going forward to help fund the NWAAS program. Please folks lets all work together…….
So the purses for the big shows will be the same as the Wednesday show? If that is the case then the race teams should only be charged wed night pit fee not the $50 amount
Just put them out of business till somebody else buys the track nobody show up not even for the road course at they sunk all that money into
Work together? How did people “work together” to build the road course at Thompson? In that case, Thompson did its job. But then, it was something that landed in their proverbial lap. Racing now requires work, something the NASCAR associated industry is not used to. It used to be just the label NASCAR was enough to attract a crowd, not there I competition and they need to work to win.
Dear Thompson speedway,
Glad to hear the racing season is on. Due to the fact that there is a 75% reduction in the payoff to the racers, I hope there is a corresponding reduction in your admission prices. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Good luck with that Ed J , only thing you can do is a 75percent reduction in attendance
Ed,
Last line of the article. Ticket prices will remain the same as 2019. So they cut their payout to the drivers by 75% and aren’t passing any savings along to the fans that support them. There is no mention of pit fees, I do hope they reduce them, as the reduction in purse directly impacts the car owners and drivers.