Big Change: All Thompson Icebreaker 2021 Events To Be Run On Saturday Due To Poor Sunday Weather Forecast


With an iffy weather forecast for Sunday and few options for makeup dates, Icebreaker 2021 weekend at Thompson has become Icebreaker 2021 Saturday at Thompson.

The entire Icebreaker Saturday and Sunday schedule will be condensed into a one day show on Saturday.

Current forecasts call for the possibility of rain through the day and evening on Sunday in the Thompson area.

It will mean a packed schedule on Saturday with 10 features on the schedule, including a $10,000 to win 125-lap Thompson Outlaw Open Modified feature and a 75-lap Pro All Stars Series feature.

“This is what made the most sense based on the weather forecast and other circumstances,” ACT managing partner Cris Michaud said in a release. “A lot of teams and fans who traveled a long way for the Icebreaker are already at the track. This will save them the hours of driving and travel costs needed to finish the show on another weekend. It’s also the fairest solution given that many people who already bought Sunday tickets might not be able to come back at another time.”

Below is the announcement from the American-Canadian Tour:

The Sunday program of the annual Icebreaker at Connecticut’s Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park has been rescheduled for Saturday, April 10 at approximately 5:30pm. American-Canadian Tour (ACT) and Pro All Stars Series (PASS) officials made the decision due to an inclement weather forecast for Sunday, April 11. The Saturday night forecast is far more favorable with clear skies highs in the low-60s.

Both days of the Icebreaker will now be run on Saturday. The post time for the original Saturday card has been moved up to 12:00pm. The PASS Super Late Models, Sunoco Modifieds, NEMA LITES Midgets, EXIT Realty Pro Truck Challenge, Street Stock Open, and Mini Stocks will run their shows as originally planned.

The Saturday afternoon program is expected to conclude at approximately 4:00pm. At this time, officials will clear both the stands and the pits. All fans will exit to the parking lot. Drivers and crew members with multi-day pit wristbands will go to the track infield.

Once the stands and pits are clear, those who have Sunday tickets and pit passes may re-enter for the Saturday night event. This card includes the Icebreaker 125 for the Outlaw Open Modifieds along with the Thompson Late Models, Limited Sportsmen, and SK Light Modifieds.

General admission for the Saturday afternoon card is $30 for adults and $10 for kids ages 12 and under. Saturday night is $35 for adults and $10 for kids ages 12 and under. Grandstand tickets and pit passes will be available at the gate.

The Friday Test N’ Tune has also been extended until 6:30pm. This will help replace the lost practice time from moving the Sunday event. The complete revised schedule of events has been posted at www.acttour.com/thompson-speedwaywww.proallstarsseries.com, and www.thompsonspeedway.com.

“This is what made the most sense based on the weather forecast and other circumstances,” ACT managing partner Cris Michaud said. “A lot of teams and fans who traveled a long way for the Icebreaker are already at the track. This will save them the hours of driving and travel costs needed to finish the show on another weekend. It’s also the fairest solution given that many people who already bought Sunday tickets might not be able to come back at another time.”

“The Saturday night forecast looks really good for racing,” Michaud said. ”We think it’s going to be a lot of fun watching the country’s top Tour-type Modified racers go at it for $10,000 under the lights at Thompson Speedway.”

Thompson Speedway opens its 82nd season with the annual Icebreaker on Saturday, April 10. 

Two separate cards of thrilling action are planned. The Saturday afternoon card begins at 12:00pm with the PASS Super Late Models, Sunoco Modifieds, NEMA LITES Midgets, EXIT Realty Pro Truck Challenge, Mini Stocks, and an 8-Cylinder Street Stock Open.

At 5:30pm on Saturday night, the $10,000-to-win Icebreaker 125 for the Outlaw Open Modified Series takes center stage. There’s also a 40-lap Late Model shootout plus the Limited Sportsman and SK Light Modifieds.  An optional Test N’ Tune practice day is slated for Friday, April 9.

Adult general admission is $30 for Saturday afternoon and $35 for Saturday night. Kids ages 12 and under are $10 for each program. Advance tickets are available at https://happsnow.com/event/Thompson-Speedway-Motorsports-Park-YHPQ. Grandstand attendance is limited to 50% of capacity per Connecticut COVID-19 guidelines. Pit passes will be sold at the track.

Speed51.TV is also offering a live pay-per-view broadcast for both days of the Icebreaker. PPV passes are $29.99 for Saturday after, $34.99 for Saturday night, and $54.99 for the full program. Sign up now at https://www.speed51.tv/products/ppv-2021-icebreaker-weekend-pass-at-thompson.

For more information about the American-Canadian Tour, contact the ACT offices at (802) 244-6963, [email protected], or visit www.acttour.com.  You can also get updates on Facebook and Twitter at @ACTTour.

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.

For general Thompson Speedway inquiries and camping reservations, call (860) 923-2280, email [email protected], or visit www.thompsonspeedway.com. You can follow Thompson Speedway on Facebook and Instagram at @ThompsonSpeedway or on Twitter at @ThompsonSpdwy.

Updated Icebreaker 2021 Schedule

Comments

  1. Well since I was only going to the Saturday show, I might buy a ticket for Saturday night now.

  2. Wish there was a all day pass. Not sure if logidtics and the 50% capacity would preclude that. Happy that a decision was made early though.

  3. 🌈🦄2020 says

    This will definitely not be a cluster.

  4. Fast Eddie says

    I’ve been to multi-day events, two races at the same track on consecutive days, and two races at different tracks on the same day. But this one is a new-old scenario for me. I’m pretty sure I’ve been to two separate events at the same track on the same day only once before, and that was a tractor pull back in the 80’s!

  5. They had to do this at the Oxford 250 last year. Saturday was totally rained out, so they ran the Saturday show which included the ACT Tour starting Sunday morning. When that was done, all the people were cleared from the pits and stands, then either left if they were done for the day or came back in they were attending the normal Sunday 250 program. But for that there were a lot less fans permitted in the grandstand than Thompson is allowed this week.(but there were probably several thousand people in the pits at Oxford so the number might come close to being even)

  6. Capt Mike Qbvious says

    Fast Eddie,

    They kind of had to do it this way because single-day grandstand tickets and PPV passes had already been sold. The same thing happened at last year’s Oxford 250 — Saturday night was a washout, and single-day tickets/passes had already been sold, so they ran the Saturday night card on Sunday morning followed by the regular Sunday card.

  7. Fast Eddie says

    I’m fine with the decision; WAY better than sitting in the rain on Sunday. I paid for two events and I will see two events; only now it’s a day race followed by a night race. Works for me!

  8. Should be interesting. The Sunday group now Saturday night is going to have to wait around waiting for the Saturday show to end if it goes long. Then the Saturday group is going to have to funnel out to the parking lot through a narrow gate with a group of people waiting to come in. This could be a logistical nightmare trying to keep the masses socially distanced through all this. It looks like they are giving themselves an hour and a half to clear the track and pits of fans and racers. They are going to need to have a bunch of people directing fans and a lot of cooperation for this to go well and get done quickly. Hopefully most people understand and it goes smoothly. Not sure how they will get all the Sunday cars through pre race safety tech. Are they going to clear the drivers and fans that have tickets to both shows? Are they offering refunds on Sunday tickets if people cant make it for Saturday night? Its going to be a long day/night of racing. I think they did an entire World series event in one day several years ago. It went well but that didnt include clearing re entering limitations on capacity and what not. The following weekend is already booked for PASS and ACT with NHMS show. So this is probably the best option available.

  9. This is great for we streamers but I know I certainly appreciate the stress this puts on the entire Michaud & Mayberry team, announcers, track official, tech, the food venders, security and even our man Shawn.
    If you’re going to be a part of that why not have is be a record so I’ll ask. Is this the most racing events, divisions or whatever packed into one day regionally?

  10. This is one of the worst ideas ever. I think they have another weekend following this one. But if you really want all of these shenanigans, go to Thompson Motorsports Park,Speedway, Road Course,International, Golf Course, Banquet Hall, Cart track, etc. Dumb Idea.

  11. Put some of the shows on Sat. No one really cares about the American Canadian Tour or the Pro All Star Series. Decent enough races but not a draw. At least from what I have seen on this website and at the track. Put it off until next weekend. DONE.

  12. Kayman,
    There is not another open weekend anytime soon. April 17 you have a Tour Type Open Modified event at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, which is being put on by the same promotional group operating Thompson Speedway. So no, you’re not going to run next Sunday at Thompson after running Saturday in Loudon. The week after that April 24-25 is opening weekend at Stafford Speedway. The weekend after that you have the Tri-Track Open Modified Series opening event on May 1 at Monadnock Speedway. The weekend after that May 8-9 is Mother’s Day on Sunday. And also keep in mind, the group putting on the events at Thompson Speedway is leasing the oval from track ownership. That track ownership also operates a very busy road course, so they can’t just say “Oh it’s going to rain Sunday, but we have our pick of any other dates we want to use.” Nope, doesn’t work that way. To call it “one of the worst ideas” ever is beyond ridiculous. I’d much rather see this than sit at the track all day Sunday in the rain waiting for a window in the weather and knowing there would likely be no possible way to make up the event at any point in the near future.

  13. 🌈🦄2020 says

    The one day world series had to have more divisions didn’t it? If you’re worried about being social distanced, don’t go. The people running this event aren’t idiots. I’d imagine they’ll open up more gates and have more entry and exit points than usual. And Dafella I trust you wouldn’t even dream about being there. The nightmares would last for months.

  14. Shawn is going to need a heck of a lot of Jack Links.

  15. Capt Mike Qbvious says

    Kayman,

    Please tell us what weekend you’re thinking of that does not conflict with the current schedules for ACT, PASS, Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park, the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (which has many drivers/teams entered in this event), the Exit Realty Pro Trucks, and the NEMA Lites. I for one would love to know.

  16. I didn’t know they had a SNAFU by stacking one race on top of another in the Spring in New England. I guess that is the same reason they are renting The Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park.

  17. Barry,
    Bought the weekender bag of Jack Links today. Also got a pair of 30 ounce SubZero bottles to be able to stow a portion of the day’s iced coffee needs. It’s gonna be a long one. Looking forward to it.

  18. Kayman,
    There is no American-Canadian Tour feature scheduled for this card. And put what off until next weekend? There’s an event at New Hampshire Motor Speedway next weekend. There’s no possible way to postpone anything from this weekend at Thompson to next weekend.

  19. There is absolutely no reason to race week after week in early Spring. What happens if it rains in Loudon. And this is a plan? To have people leave just to come back once they are behind the gates? It seems quite strange to me that this is the best case scenario. It really seems rather strange. No one will come in until the second set of races. I have a feeling it will get cold in the evening and those races will not be very good. But who knows…

  20. Kayman,
    Did you lose money on a bet or something? I’m at a loss as to make sense of any of your points? You act like having big racing weekends in April stacked up is a new thing in New England. See, here’s what happens, spring comes, it gets warm tracks open and they have lots of races. Happens every year. And take a look at the forecast, I’m seeing temperatures in the 60’s most of the night in Thompson Saturday. So at this point you’re worried about the cold when the forecast is for 60 degrees and you’re worried about how long an American-Canadian Tour race will take that’s not even actually on the schedule. I hope you weren’t on the debate team in high school because you’re struggling with your arguments.

  21. A few thoughts while I sit here in the rain eating hot dogs.

    Kayman being flogged for going against the establishment is oddly familiar. Second, there is a reason why you don’t book races every weekend in April in New England. Third, I told you it was going to rain on Sunday several months ago? You should have listened to me.

    If you think postponements are bad now wait until July, Aug and Sept. This is just the start. The casualties will mount as the season goes on.

    These guys let everyone into WMMP last summer to the dismay of many of you. I wouldn’t worry about limitations. For their sake, let’s hope that is even an issue.

  22. Hi Shawn,

    The point is, trying to fit all of these races and heats in one day is not going to work. There usually is one week in between the Icebreaker and Sizzler. With all that is going on in one day, with no practice besides one Modified from what I heard on Tuesday, this is a recipe for disaster. If the rain comes in earlier than anticipated that puts more strain on everyone. No practice on a green track with drivers frothing at the mouth to race spells one thing. Problems.

  23. There really isnt much they can do given the upcoming schedule. Its really state mandated restrictions or should I say the pandemic we are in that is screwing everything up. They can easily run the show in one day where it gets tricky is shuffling people and race teams in and out for the separate admission which they did because of limits. I wish them luck. If you are there please be patient. Remember without PASS and ACT there might not be any racing on the Thompson oval. They deserve a break here. They cant control the weather.

  24. Trying to make an argument against this being a total poop show is kinda silly as well. Not sure if you know the crowd there or anywhere, but, if you were told to leave and come back for another $35.00 dollars in 15 minutes you can understand the problem with that, right?

  25. I think kayman is talking just to hear himself talk.

    Thompson is doing what they have to do to get the Ice Breaker in this weekend. My hats off to the team for making it happen.

  26. Kayman,
    They’re taking the opportunity to use the best option available. Which part of that are you not getting. You keep saying how bad it is, which it really isn’t, but you offer no other better thoughts for how to fix it. And as far as being told to leave and come back, what do you expect? It’s two separate shows with two separate tickets. Yes it’s a weird situation to have to clear the place out and then let people back in, but that’s what happens when you’re putting on two separately ticketed shows in one day. When you go to a comedy club and there’s an 8 pm show and a 10 pm show they clear the place out and then let people in. And why? Because it’s two separate shows with two separate tickets. You don’t get to stay for the second show for free just because you bought a ticket for the first show. No difference here. It’s like you’re just arguing points for the sake of just continuing to argue. There were tickets sold for Saturday and there were separate tickets sold for Sunday. People who didn’t buy tickets for Sunday shouldn’t get a freebie to ride the pine just because they’re already in there on Saturday. My god some of the logic of fans in the sport blows my mind.

  27. Earl,
    Yes, thank you for saying it. It’s like with every comment he’s just trying to offer another utterly nonsensical argument.

  28. Are you reading the same schedule I am Kayman?

    Rotating practice all divisions Friday 11AM – 6:30PM

    Rotating practice all divisions Saturday 8:30AM – 11:30AM

    What green track? Practice, heat racing, feature racing, what if this, what if that? Are you even going to the race?

    JD, remember you are boycotting Thompson. Why are you even commenting?

  29. I am done trying to justify my argument. I have been beaten down. Enjoy the races.

  30. Fast Eddie says

    I don’t think this will be a problem to make this work. They have run 14 features at Thompson on a Sunday when cars can’t be fired up until noon. A couple of years ago they ran heats and WMT qualifying for 10 divisions and ran 8 features on a Saturday due to rain Friday night, with all involved having practice. The only glitch is getting people in and out, not as big a deal as you might think. At the end of Thompson events they always open a big gate in turn 4. My guess is the Saturday crowd will go out that way along with the regular exit at the ticket booth and the Sunday crowd will line up at the regular gates to get in. The booth exit can then become a second entrance. Yes, it will take a little time to get back in but I don’t think it will be that big of a deal. Not everyone is going both days, and for those that are, you have a chance to take a mid-day break at your car before going back in; something COVID has prevented us from doing at most tracks.

  31. solsticeson says

    Geezs, $30 then $35, all going have to walk out, line up to buy another ticket? Cmon Thompson, really?

  32. As JD was saying he was sitting in the rain and ready to express of few of his thoughts I too had some thoughts as well sitting comfortably in my Barkalounger as he cast his pearls upon the swine of the forum.
    First the prediction at Thompson was not for rain it was for snow. Also striking was how effortlessly that perpetually negative and combative perspective transfers from New Hampshire to a completely different environment in Virginia. The contributions not on the fresh stimulus in front of him. Insights to share about what his eyes are seeing and ears are hearing as the new season he’s labeled with such importance unfolds in front of him. No it’s as if he never left New Hampshire. The grievances and grudges packed neatly along with his fresh undies and socks ready to be unpacked in literally any location and any conditions.
    Thanks JD for a status update on what riles you but this is a racing site and the question remains………..WHERE’S THE BEEF??????

  33. For like 20 years people have often complained that “The Sunday weather for the Icebreaker is going to be terrible, why don’t they run the whole thing on Saturday?” But as soon as they actually decide to do this a couple start freaking out. Also for the situation of clearing the stands after the first set of races and having separate admission for the second set of races, that is exactly what happens when Major League Baseball has to have day\night doubleheaders due to rainouts. Not the first time in the history of sports history this has been done.

  34. Complaining is the lifeblood of any comment section. You’ll note that the opinion piece on announcers that called the race last night is overwhelmingly popular whereas a pretty shocking surprise win by Goodale not so much.
    The move of everything to Saturday was terrific in my view especially if the folks on the the front lines that are making it happen are as well.. All you have to do is think back to how many times either of the promoters of the event in all their other ventures in racing from track ownership to series have blundered. Have a little faith.

  35. Viva Race Fan says

    Don’t be so Cheap….

  36. I don’t know man. I’m looking outside, seeing near perfect conditions and marveling at these guys for turning on a dime to make the the right call on such a big operation. I won’t be at the race but well know what the average race fan looks at first. Could it rain, what are the odds and how much am I willing to sit in the car and wait for the rain to stop and track to dry. I didn’t invent that thought process and it kills the gate when it happens.
    Race day morning and precipitation is not any part of the calculation to go to one or both of these events. There may be crashes causing delays, coordinating such a big show may have glitches but the single biggest impediment to a race event success excepting Covid19 or course not in play.
    How was that one day deal not the right call?

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