(Press Release from American-Canadian Tour)
17 Divisions on Card with Multi-Day & Single-Day Ticket Options
The American-Canadian Tour (ACT) and Pro All Stars Series (PASS) have announced the division line-up for the 59th Sunoco World Series of Speedway Racing at Connecticut’s Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park. A total of 17 regional touring series, local divisions, and open shows are on the calendar for the three-day racing festival from Friday, October 8 to Sunday, October 10.
The centerpiece of the Sunoco World Series is the return of the $20,000-to-win Sunoco Thompson 300 for the Outlaw Open Modified Series on Sunday, October 10. The biggest names in Tour-Type Modifieds have filed their entries for the event, including Icebreaker 125 winner Ron Silk, multi-time Thompson Speedway champion Keith Rocco, Race of Champions Modified champion Patrick Emerling, two-time Outlaw Modified winner Ronnie Williams, and four-time Modified Racing Series champion Jon McKennedy.
The build-up to the main event includes the ACT Late Model Tour, PASS Super Late Models. Sunoco Modified Triple Crown Series, and much more. A total of nine different champions are being crowned throughout the weekend. All divisions will hold their qualifying and feature events on the same day.
Lap sponsorships for the Sunoco Thompson 300 are still available for $50 per lap. All lap sponsor money goes to the leader of that lap, further increasing the potential payout. Please call the ACT offices at (802) 244-6963 or download the form at www.acttour.com if you are interested in lap sponsorship.
The first green flag of the 59th Sunoco World Series flies at 5:30pm on Friday, October 8. World Series Opening Night includes the first round of the Sunoco Modified Triple Crown Series and the championship event for the Thompson Late Models. Friday also includes an 8-cylinder Street Stock Open, the Senior Tour Auto Racers (STAR) Modifieds and Late Models, and the Vintage Outlaw Modifieds. Rotating practice will begin at 11:00am for all participating World Series divisions except ACT and PASS.
Racing resumes October 9 with Twisted Tea World Series Saturday beginning at 2:30pm. Eight divisions are on the Saturday program, which is headlined by a pair of 75-lap features for the ACT Late Model Tour and PASS Super Late Models. They are joined by the NEMA Midgets, round two of the Sunoco Modified Triple Crown, the EXIT Realty Pro Truck Challenge, the championship events for the Vandi Auto Supply Limited Sportsmen and North East Mini Stock Tour, and the Pro-4 Modifieds.
The Sunoco World Series comes to a head on Sunday, October 10. Qualifying begins at 12:30pm following an Outlaw Open Modified Series practice session. In addition to the Thompson 300, Sunday’s schedule will include the final round of the Sunoco Modified Triple Crown, the NEMA Lites, and championship events for Thompson’s SK Light Modifieds and Mini Stocks.
The complete schedule of events, including pit opening times and order of events, is expected to be finalized by end-of-day Tuesday. Advance general admission tickets will go on sale later this week at www.happsnow.com/event/Thompson-Speedway-Motorsports-Park-YHPQ. Camping spots can be reserved by submitting the form at www.thompsonspeedway.com.
Fans and teams will have a variety of grandstand and pit ticket options at the 59th Sunoco World Series. Combined with the single-day race format for all divisions, this gives teams and fans flexibility about how they choose to experience the Sunoco World Series.
Three-day general admission tickets are $75 for adults, $20 for kids ages 6-12, and free for kids ages 5 and under. A two-day ticket for Saturday and Sunday is $60 for adults and $15 for kids ages 6-12.
Single-day tickets will also be offered. Sunday-only admission is $40 for adults and $10 for kids ages 6-12. Saturday-only admission is $30 for adults and $10 for kids ages 6-12. Friday-only admission is $20 for adults and $5 for kids ages 6-12.
Three-day World Series pit passes are $90 for adults and $45 for kids ages 12 and under. Sunday-only is $50 for adults and $25 for kids ages 12 and under, Saturday-only is $40 for adults and $20 for kids ages 12 and under, and Friday-only is $30 for adults and $15 for kids ages 12 and under.
Fans who can’t make it to Thompson Speedway can watch every lap of the Sunoco World Series live via pay-per-view on Speed51.TV. Pricing will be comparable to that of purchasing grandstand tickets.
Thompson Speedway caps its 2021 racing season with the annual Sunoco World Series of Speedway Racing from Friday, October 8 to Sunday, October 10. The weekend is highlighted by the $20,000-to-win Thompson 300 for the Outlaw Open Modified Series. The weekend also includes the Sunoco Modified Triple Crown Series, ACT Late Model Tour, PASS Super Late Models, The NEMA Midgets, all local divisions, an 8-Cylinder Street Stock Open, and more.
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, 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.
Best $ 90.00 bucks I ever spend … Three days of Great Racing on the HIGH BANKS , THE 300 , 3
SK Races , Pass . Act … only thing i will MISS is the SUPER MODIFIEDS on Sunday …. But all in all PRICELESS …!!!!!!
Get rid of one of the late model races and put the super modifieds on the card , For God Sake
Carl, they’ve been running the Thompson late models on Fridays and the ACT tour on Saturdays for a few years now. Thompson cars go Friday so they can run the ACT race if they want; same rules. I think we need to give a little extra respect to the LM’s considering their main guy is 1/2 responsible for the Thompson oval! It is too bad ISMA isn’t running, but a dozen cars won’t be a great race on that big of a track either. I like the Supers, and on a bull ring the small field is still a good show. Those few will stretch out in a hurry at Thompson.
Carl Block, have you seen what’s happening with the SuperModifieds? The only tracks where they’ve gotten decent car counts this year are Star, Oswego, and Sandsusky (OH) — three tracks that run big block and/or small block Supers on a regular basis. The other five tracks they’ve raced at (Seekonk, Monadnock, Lee, Claremont, and Jennerstown) all drew 14cars or less, according to the results on their website.
ISMA isn’t cheap to bring in, either. My understanding is that it costs in the neighborhood of $35,000 to $40,000 — and that’s whether they have 10 cars or 25. It seems to me like a business decision the promoters had to make. If I could pay $40,000 to most likely get around 14 SuperModifieds, or pay about $25,000 to get two Late Model races with 20-30 cars each, I know which option I would choose.
Exactly when did they start calling this a festival because that surely is what it is. Very few fans are capable of watching all the racing action and grasping it all in it’s entirety. That’s not even really the goal is it, it’s more like immersing yourself in a cocoon of racing ambiance for three days focusing only when your main interest is on deck.
It’s the World Series of Auto Racing or as I like to think of it the Shawn Courchesne race coverage marathon. No sitting in the hauler killing time or in the stands with an Uncle D’s Blazin’ BBQ and slaw for this guy it’s a three day marathon of work. Too much for one reporter but it’s what you signed up for. Grinding away, getting stories, watching events and reporting it all. Not like an announcer that can make mistakes that are forgotten in a moment they are in writing and have to be accurate. Periodically moderating this forum a chore that has to be particularly annoying considering there are bigger fish to fry. You know Mr. Courchesne if it’s too much just give me the keys to the forum and I’ll be happy to moderate while you’re busy.
It’s not just Shawn it’s all the people that make the festival go I’m thinking about. From Michaud and Mayberry to the announcers, track and tech officials and others that make it possible. Fun, food and good company for the competitors and fans, a three day grind for the people making it memorable for the people coming. I can’t imagine managing an event this big it must be more like herding a mass of different interests and variables in one direction trying to get to the destination in one piece hoping all the time it’s doesn’t rain.
So this year after all that work for three days, race after race after race how does it end? You’re capping a marathon three days with a marathon 300 lap race. It’s insane man, just insane!
The posted purse is $85,475 for the 300. Isn’t that what a tour race costs? The Beech Ridge tour purse was $80,000. Given the amount of tires needed I’d say the purse is almost a little light unless you win. I know that purse doesn’t include lap money but that isn’t being paid by the promoter either. Didn’t the last 300 pay over $100,000? I don’t see how this is better or cheaper than a tour race beyond a little nostalgia.
TJ,
You’re comparing apples to oranges here. The Thompson 300 is a one event Open show in which the “posted purse” will be paid out entirely on that day based on finishing positions in the event.
The “posted purse” for a Whelen Modified Tour event is different than that in that the “posted purse” number doesn’t reflect simply what is paid for finishing positions on the track in the event. The “posted purse” for a Whelen Modified Tour event also includes contingency bonuses, some of which actually have nothing to do with that event. Some of those awards are paid out for something someone did last year. It also includes money that isn’t actually paid out for the event, but rather goes toward the end of the season point fund for the series. If you’re going to compare “purses” you need to compare the position by position payout breakdown.
I don’t see the difference from the tracks perspective. I’m only comparing what the track pays Thompson is going to payout $85k on Oct 10th to 36 drivers. Plus lap money. If it were a tour race they would have paid around that amount to Nascar to host a tour race and pay the purse. The only difference is the tour guys get their point fund portion of cash in November. I don’t see how one or the other is more expensive from the promoters perspective. $85k is $85k.
Do you think the 300 would generate a bigger or smaller field if it was a Nascar Whelen sanctioned event instead of an open event? I have my thoughts on which would generate a higher car count but I think I will keep it to myself at this point.
Do you think a good reference point may be last years NHMS Whelen Musket 200. I think they had 28 cars for last years Musket race. I am not sure what the purse was for that event was Nascar I dont think posts it anymore. I do know the first year when it was a 250 lapper, the purse was over 150k. Not sure what they cut it to the second year when they cut laps to 200. I imagine they cut the purse for last year with less laps and the whole pandemic going on..
Whether Nascar or Open modified, its the return of the Thompson 300. This has to be the most anticipated race of the season. Unfortunately, there isn’t a whole lot of crown jewel events for Asphalt mods on the schedule but if there is any this race has to be one of them. Dont worry if its Nascar or not. Its a mod race at Thompson. If we dont support it, there may not be many left to go to.
I’d be guessing an $85k NASCAR purse costs the promoter $120k and a show put on by the promoter with an $85k purse costs $85k. I could be wrong but that’s just my guess
Csg:
“ Dont worry if its Nascar or not. Its a mod race at Thompson. If we dont support it, there may not be many left to go to”
Amen.
I second that.
Sure, there may be some dissenters, but these “full fendered gentlemen” are doing what they can to save a historic oval, with both full and open wheel divisions. With good events.
I give them all the credit in the world. They are stepping up (big time in my opinion).
Who else would do that?
Stuart Fearn, you dont think the cost of leasing the track from the Hoenigs for the event should be added to the payout for Thompson???????
wmass,
well that would be added to both scenarios so makes no change in my simple analysis example. The delta is still a big amount that apparently less and less people (promoters) are willing to cough up
THANK YOU ACT & PASS for saving THOMPSON in 2021 & 2022 !!!! MAY the WORLD SERIES fill your QUIVER full of MONEY for doing the RIGHT THING!!!!! Praying for 3 Beautiful Days of Weather so you can Max out your WAR CHEST for next year and pay off this years bills…… THANK YOU for bringing back the Thompson 300 for those of US who have missed it when it was taken off the Schedule…. Racers knowing that you will be BACK IN 2022 will no doubt bring back the car counts and fans along with those CARS.. You have given them a SOLID PLAN that now they can plan for & that’s half the GAME for RACERS knowing that 2022 will be RACING ON THE HIGH BANKS !!!!! Things are LOOKING GOOD for the FUTURE at THOMPSON !!!!! Best TRACK around to SEE MODIFIEDS bar none …..!!!!
Yeah, yeah, what Suitcase said!!
Suitcase Jake, well said and I couldn’t agree more. There is nothing like the roar of the modifieds coming off turn two and going down the backstretch at THOMPSON!!!! Its just unreal. Thanks to ACT and PASS for making it all happen.