(Press Release from Thompson Speedway)
Late Model drivers in New England won’t want to miss a big 50-lap feature as part of the 58th Annual World Series of Speedway Racing at Connecticut’s Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park. On Saturday, October 10, some of the top competitors in ACT-style Late Models will bear down on the Thompson high-banks with more than $17,000 in total prize money on the line.
The race pays $2,000 to win, $1,200 for second, and $1,000 for third with a minimum $300 payout to take the green flag. However, the lucrative purse throughout the field isn’t the only value drivers will be chasing. For the first time in recent World Series memory, drivers will also be chasing lap money in the Late Model feature, with most laps slated for $50 to the driver who leads that circuit.
The total value of lap money rises close to $3,000 with $100 from the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) to the lap-one leader and $300 from “The Dumpster Guy” for the leader of the final lap. ACT and Pro All Star Series (PASS) officials are leasing the track for the prestigious World Series in 2020 and running operations.
John Lesnewski, a crew member on Woody Pitkat’s No. 91 Hartwell Motorsports Late Model, and Brian Tagg, a long-time competitor at Thompson, collected sponsors for the lap bonuses within just a few days after an announcement was made by Lesnewski on Facebook.
“John texted me and said he was trying to get some sponsors together and I shared it, and the two of us just went at it trying to sell them,” Tagg said. “It only took us a little bit over two days to sell them all. It makes it interesting… as a driver, you’re always looking for ways to make it more interesting and try to draw more interest from competitors who wouldn’t normally come. The purse was already awesome, and we figured we would spice it up even more.”
Outside of the lap money, two additional bonus awards have been provided. The second-place finisher will earn an extra $100, a donation that reads: “paying it forward in honor of generosity of Cape Towing and Salvage and Streb Chiropractic.” Woody Pitkat, who won the Late Model feature as part of the Thompson 150 on September 3, also has donated a $100 bonus to the sixth-place finisher.
“What John, Brian, and their teams have done to help support the World Series is great to see,” World Series co-promoter and ACT managing partner Cris Michaud said. “We think this is going to be one of the top races of the entire weekend and one that fans won’t want to miss.”
For Tagg, watching what Michaud and PASS owner Tom Mayberry have done to try and bring Thompson back to the top is special – and he couldn’t be more thankful.
“It’s hard to even describe,” Tagg said. “As a competitor, you never want see your home track go away. When you have people like Cris and Tom… they didn’t have to do anything. They are three states away, but they wanted to do what they could for the local short track… it’s truly amazing.”
The 58th Annual World Series of Speedway Racing takes place October 9-11 with three action-packed days of racing. The schedules include 18 divisions and series with the season finale for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. Two additional open shows – a $2,000-to-win 350 Supermodified 30-lap race and a 75-lap, $5,000-to-win Modified Open – will join the Late Model Open on Saturday’s schedule.
Outside of the Late Models, purses for Thompson’s local divisions include a $1,500-to-win Sunoco Modified race, $350-to-win Limited Sportsman and SK Light Modified features, and a $200-to-win Mini Stock main event. Full purse structures for all the local divisions and open shows can be found on the Thompson, ACT, and PASS websites.
General admission tickets are just $55 for a three-day pass and are a hot commodity since Connecticut COVID-19 regulations have the track at just 25% grandstand capacity. Tickets can be purchased by visiting https://happsnow.com/event/Thompson-Speedway-Motorsports-Park-YHPQ/WORLD-SERIES–NO2QX.
For more information about the World Series of Speedway Racing schedule, contact the ACT offices at (802) 244-6963, [email protected], or visit www.acttour.com/thompson-speedway or www.thompsonspeedway.com. You can also get updates on Facebook and Twitter at @ACTTour.
For camping information and general Thompson Speedway inquires, call (860) 923-2280 or email [email protected]. You can follow Thompson Speedway on Facebook and Instagram at @ThompsonSpeedway or on Twitter at @ThompsonSpdwy.
For technical information concerning all PASS divisions, and for media or marketing questions, please contact [email protected] or visit www.proallstarsseries.com. Don’t forget to “Like” the Pro All Stars Series on Facebook or follow on Twitter @PASSSLM14 to keep up with breaking news as it happens.
Excellent news for the Racers.. I would like to see Ryan Kuhn Win the race.. Last race he lead most of the race, Had a huge lead until the yellow flag raised its ugly head . He got passed by the outlaw McDonald and then got pushed up in marbles late in the race but still finished in top five , Hopefully this time he can park it in Victory Lane… Kuhn is also entered in the Thunder Road Milk Bowl Race coming up .. He was rookie of the year last year on the ACT Tour, This year he is 3rd in points in ultra competitive ACT Tour with the schedule winding down. Tagg is great representative for the Late Models.. Was happy for him when he Won the Championship at Thompson. Points were very close going into the last race but he came out on top.. Good Memories of His Father Racing around New England also..