(Press Release from American-Canadian Tour)
Officials from the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) and Pro All Stars Series (PASS) announced today that with many Tour-type Modified Teams being committed to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Friday and Saturday, officials felt it best to postpone the Twisted Tea Midsummer 75 event to Tuesday, August 16 and create an exciting doubleheader event to coincide the with the Phoenix Communications 150 for the NASCAR Modifieds on Wednesday, August 17th.
With the Twisted Tea Midsummer 75 virtually wedged between NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events at New Jersey’s Wall Stadium on July 9th and the upcoming event at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, officials felt the third Outlaw Open Modified event of 2022 would lack a strong, quality car count with teams preparing for the big stage in Loudon.
“It’s a tough decision to make, but Tom and I feel the direction we’re heading with Thompson Speedway is a positive one, for both fans and teams,” said American-Canadian Tour managing partner Cris Michaud. “We feel postponing Wednesday’s event is the best decision to keep that positive momentum going.”
Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park will return on Tuesday, August 16th for an epic midweek doubleheader. All weekly divisions, including the SK Modifieds, ACT-type Late Models and Limited Sportsman return to the Thompson high banks on Tuesday with a special Fireworks Spectacular while on Wednesday, August 17th the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour returns to Thompson for the Phoenix Communications 150. Full race day schedules for the new August doubleheader will be released within the next two weeks.
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.
They should have just combined everything from July and September so, it’s a $10k to win 125/150 lap race in September like a second Icebreaker. I mean c’mon this isn’t 2004 or even 2017, nobody can afford to race for fun, (I know it pays $5K) basically the day before, then again for NASCAR tour points the next day. I mean think about it- they are moving it because, of the busy NASCAR Tour schedule yet now they wanna run a track that is already expensive to race a mod at but, now back to back days – paired with two workdays.
Ugh Thompson why are you doing this to my favorite track and series? My busiest week of the month every month nonetheless for work. Well I guess we know when they should have the race- any Sunday but, ya know what takes center stage there on those days. Begin your roast of me complaining. I’m still going both days.
This is a bit much to ask of the teams and the fans to pay for 2 mid week shows at the same track. Not for my money still save to work each day never mind gas to go back each night.I think the big T is coming to be the big losser!!!!!!!!!!
Wouldn’t it make more sense to just cancel the open tour race and just have the Wednesday show with the local divisions and Whelen?
Bob,
Why would it be a bit much to ask of anyone that already planned on being there this week? If a team or a fan was planning on being at the track this week they’re now not spending that money. So ultimately they’re spending the same amount of money, it’s just over two days instead of a month apart.
Hilary 2024,
I would think you’d have to be privy to the contractual details/obligations involved in the lease between the track operators and track owner before trying to decided what would make more sense.
I don’t understand why people complain so much. Cris and Tom are doing the right thing for everyone involved. Let them run the show they clearly know what they’re doing with Thunder Road, Oxford, ACT, PASS and many other local touring series. This is the best move for everyone involved. I don’t think they get the credit they truly deserve for all they’ve done to keep the oval alive at Thompson. Two summer nights of modified racing and people still bitch.
This doesn’t make much sense. Two race nights back to back? I guess I don’t understand. I guess I am a little slow! I wonder if NASCAR would have pulled a Thompson race if this wasn’t done. Total speculation. I think NASCAR is understanding they don’t have a grip on these drivers and teams. Also the guys renting Thompson have a relationship with New Hampshire. Kinda strange. But strange is Thompson.
Maybe they do better on car count. Perhaps some of the drivers who were going for the tour race might go a day earlier and run the open. I think they would be better off having the tour race precede the open race though.
I agree with some of the prior comments. asking people to take two days off work in a row, midweek, is probably a tough sell for most people. Further they cited car turnout wedged between two tour races with 2 to 3 days space in between. Not sure running 1 day before a tour race is much better even at the same track. Not sure any tour drivers are going to risk their equipment the day before a tour race. No time to put it back together again if something happens. I can see this not going well. i am just happy thompson is still running oval track races. I wish they were able to run weekends. These midweek shows are tough
Hard to pull a positive out this one. So last minute. And nothing is exciting about midweek back to back shows that don’t start until 6pm.
There has to be a long term master plan here. Maybe track owner opens up a Sunday… godforbid…. For a late summer Bud 300 on its own not thrown into a hectic World Series. That has to be it. Makes no sense otherwise.
I completely understand the theory of trying to not have a short Open field this week, but I wonder about the logistics for fans and racers. I would think it would help the Open division car count but might be tougher for everyone else. For example, it’s much easier for me to take two Wednesday afternoons off of work a couple of weeks apart, but I don’t know that I’ll be able to do that two days in a row. I may have to choose only one instead of going to both events as I originally planned. Also, there is the Lincoln Tech Open that Friday. I wonder how many other people may have the same problem, particularly racers and crews for the other divisions.
2 day regular shows are super common out west with limited car counts. Guys that drive 300+ miles each way just race Friday and Saturday nights. Works well rather than track chasing all weekend, every weekend. Especially now with gas prices so high.
At my age I can’t go to a Thompson Mid week show and make it to work the next day, never mind two days in a row. I sure miss Plainville mid week shows
Perhaps a little refocus to the reason behind having to choose between the lesser of several sub optimal choices. It’s the track ownerships decision to tie their future to those quiche eating, wine tasting road racers. You know where the pit crews consist of guys with cashmere sweaters draped jauntily off their shoulders arms crossed in the front. So circle track gets the scraps. The debate is which is the least unattractive scrap to select.
Apologies to the road racers……didn’t mean it. Well not completely anyway.
Also they are rescheduling just 10 days after Tri Track at Waterford and may lose cars to that.
Spedbowl114, friday/saturday works much easier for most people than tuesday/wednesday does.
Fast Eddie is correct. It puts pressure on Stafford. Three top tier modified races in 4 days. I am sure that Stafford could get more cars than Thompson in 2 days combined. NASCAR thought Stafford was a slam dunk, for years! Good for Stafford! I literally enjoyed all my times there this year. Thompson not nearly as much. Very good racing in open wheels and street stocks at Stafford.
Thompson, low car counts. I would assume drivers and crews are kind of unhappy. Speculating again.
But if I had to drive there 2 nights in a row to win a few hundred dolllars, I wouldn’t like it.
At best a few hundred dollars for the lower divisions.
Kayman,
Definitely understand the concerns many people have for the state of the Thompson Speedway oval right now. That said, I think many people think there’s an open calendar for the track operators to reschedule events. There’s not. It’s a miniscule window of opportunity they have to reschedule anything. So basically the choice is have an event or cancel the event altogether. They’re working the best they can with the limited opportunity they’re being offered.
Thanks kayman, and i understand what shawn is saying. Too small for a window, more like an air gap in a seal! I hope everyone finds a way, for the racers to be at both nights and also as many fans as possible for both. I certainly appreciate the efforts by Mr Michaud and mr Mayberry to keep thompson alive!!
Hey, you wanted tour type mods. Well you got tour type mods. Way too many series competing for tracks and dates.
I do applaud Mayberry/Michaud for their efforts, they could have just pulled the plug on July race! Not easy with Track Limitations and Schedule Conflicts. Now big thing will be Price, as we all know SINCE 1985 Thompson had always had the highest admission prices for the WMT, So one would expect a $40 to 55 price tag for WMT and $30 for open show, a LOT of $$$ For fans along with Stafford 2 nights later, will there be a COMBO discount? will anyone besides friends and family show up on Tuesday if that expensive????
just say it.. they didn’t want to be embarrassed…..this is a joke . the oval is done . the Hoenigs let someone else take the reigns knowing it was a losing proposition. cmon know its over ! racing surface is also unsafe . call Bemer he`s all about capitol improvements ..PS what happened to the Eames era at Thompson ?
No matter how it got to be this way the period from the 12th with the Racing Guys at Claremont to the 19 at Stafford is just self destructive. Illogical no matter how you look at it. Not any one event specifically but the end result.
Not a ton of overlap each event will have a satisfactory field of cars but not optimal. The floaters will be tugged in too many directions in too short a space of time.
Hopefully they’ll make adjustments this fall in schedule development that gives them more options when things don’t go perfectly.