By Shawn Courchesne & Denise DuPont
Ronnie Williams rallied from a lap down and used a late dash through the field to win the Thompson Outlaw Modified Icebreaker 125 Saturday at Thompson Speedway.
Williams, of Ellington, earned a $10,000 payday for the victory.
Jon McKennedy of Chelmsford, Mass. was second and Anthony Nocella of Woburn, Mass. third.
“I think that I got fired with about 19 [laps] to go,” Williams said. “We had got lapped. Yeah, that was my call there to stay out. It did not look too good for a while.”
Williams gambled and stayed out on old tires, going a lap down to the field by the time caution flew at lap the lap 107 mark. He pitted for fresh tires and then a caution three laps later put Williams back on the lead lap for the restart running 13th.
Williams was able to fifth with 10 laps remaining and was in third by lap 118. Williams got by McKennedy for second on lap 121 before the caution of the day flew on lap 123. Williams out dueled Nocella for the lead on the green-white-checkered finish.
Mike Christopher Jr. of Wolcott was fourth Todd Owen of Somers fifth. Twenty-one car started the event.
Troy Talman of Oxford, Mass. held off Keith Rocco to win the 30-lap Sunoco Modified feature.
“That was a good battle there,” Talman said. “He raced me clean. We had a little cross over back and forth, but I kept the wheels on it.”
Rocco, of Wallingford, held on for second. Owen was third.
Trevor Sanborn of East Parsonfield, Me. put on a dominate display in winning the 75-lap PASS Super Late Model feature.
Sanborn passed Derek Griffith for the lead early in the event and went unchallenged the rest of the way.
“I was concerned for a second,” Sanborn said. “I thought [Griffith] was a little better than us. The longer that it went the better the car was. I was not even running as hard as I should be. I was hoping that there was not going to be a caution at the end which there wasn’t. If there was I was saving for it. This is pretty cool.”
Corey Fanning of Mapleville, R.I. topped the field in the 25-lap Limited Sportsman feature.
Ryan Waterman of Danielson was second and Jason Chicolas of Sutton, Mass. third.
John O’Sullivan of Norwich won the 25-lap SK Light Modified feature. Tyler Chapman of Ellington was second and Isaiah Newcomb of Plymouth, Mass. third.
Tommy Silva won the 20-lap Mini Stock feature on track but was disqualified immediately following the event for refusing to go to post race tech inspection. It gave the victory to Jared Roy of Moosup. Ryan Pomposelli of Smithfield, R.I. was moved to second and Rick LaFlesh of Griswold to third.
Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park – Thompson, CT
49th Icebreaker – Day #2
Saturday, April 8, 2023
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
(Finishing Position, Car #, Driver, Hometown)
$10,000-to-Win Open Outlaw Modified Icebreaker – 125 Laps
1. 50W Ronnie Williams Ellington, CT
2. 79 Jon McKennedy Chelmsford, MA
3. 92 Anthony Nocella Woburn, MA
4. 7NY Mike Christopher, Jr. Wolcott, CT
5. 81 Todd Owen Somers, CT
6. 5CT Chris Pasteryak Lisbon, CT
7. 25 Matt Swanson Harvard, MA
8. 179 Anthony Bello Newtown, CT
9. 5MA RJ Marcotte Millville, MA
10. 01NY Artie Peterson Center Moriches, NY
11. 1 George Bessette, Jr. Danbury, CT
12. 57 Keith Rocco Berlin, CT
13. 31C Andrew Charron E. Greenwich, RI
14. 88 Woody Pitkat Bellingham, MA
15. 55CT Teddy Hodgdon Danbury, CT
16. 28 Buddy Charette Woodstock, CT
17. 4NH Tommy Barrett Millis, MA
18. 50M Carl Medeiros, Jr. Westport, MA
19. 33 Paul Buzel Trumbull, CT
20. 43 Devin O’Connell Madison, CT
21. 17 Kevin Folan N. Attleboro, MA
DNS 08 Nick Halkowicz Shelton, CT
PASS Super Late Models – 75 Laps
1. 44 Trevor Sanborn E. Parsonsfield, ME
2. 47B Gabe Brown Center Conway, NH
3. 12G Derek Griffith Hudson, NH
4. 17MA Eddie MacDonald Rowley, MA
5. 54 Johnny Clark Hallowell, ME
6. 94 Garrett Hall Scarborough, ME
7. 39 Max Cookson Pittsfield, ME
8. 88 Brandon Barker Westbrook, ME
9. 60 D.J. Shaw Center Conway, NH
10. 7CT Cory Casagrande Stafford Springs, CT
11. 12 Dennis Spencer, Jr. Oxford, ME
12. 73D Joey Doiron Berwick, ME
13. 21 Josh King Vernon, VT
14. 20 Joe Pastore Gorham, ME
15. 27NH Wayne Helliwell, Jr. Dover, NH
16. 40RI Mike Mitchell Cumberland, RI
17. 18 Michael Scorzelli Feura Bush, NY
18. 17 Kevin Folan W. Attleboro, MA
19. 24J JP Josiasse Ennismore, ON
20. 29 Austin Teras Gray, ME
21. 28 Rowland Robinson, Jr. Steuben, ME
22. 50 Andy Shaw Center Conway, NH
Sunoco Modifieds – 30 Laps
1. 3 Troy Talman Oxford, MA
2. 57 Keith Rocco Berlin, CT
3. 81 Todd Owen Somers, CT
4. 7 JP Puleo Branford, CT
5. 47 Anthony Bello Newtown, CT
6. 22 Isaiah Newcomb Plymouth, MA
7. 28 Rich Gautreau S. Windsor, CT
Limited Sportsman – 25 Laps
1. 11 Corey Fanning Mapleville, RI
2. 75 Ryan Waterman Danielson, CT
3. 7x Jason Chicolas Sutton, MA
4. 73 Larry Barnett Moosup, CT
5. 01 Brent Gleason Griswold, CT
6. 51CT Travis Jurcik Moosup, CT
7. 51 Bert Ouellette Ellington, CT
8. 38 Jon Porter E. Lyme, CT
9. 1 Nathan Taylor Brooklyn, CT
10. 80 Tyler Trott E. Hartford, CT
11. 26 Michael Rotundo Rehoboth, MA
12. 67 Aaron Plemons Uncasville, CT
13. 8 Josh Gerard W. Wareham, MA
14. 10 Hank Stott Medway, MA
15. 66 Tyler Cinamella Willimantic, CT
16. 22T Tim Poulin N. Grosvenordale, CT
DNS 36 Scott Sundeen Sutton, MA
SK Lite Modifieds – 25 Laps
1. 15 John O’Sullivan Norwich, CT
2. 41 Tyler Chapman Ellington, CT
3. 22 Isaiah Newcomb Plymouth, MA
4. 7 Alexander Pearl Salem, CT
5. 15x Amanda West Colchester, CT
6. 27 Corey Caddick Stafford, CT
7. 2 Meghan Fuller Auburn, MA
8. 16CT Ethan Durocher Plainfield, CT
9. 32 Tom Abele Norwich, CT
10. 09 Cassandra Cole Westbrook, CT
11. 16 Nickolas Hovey Chaplin, CT
12. 78 Evan Bourgois E. Haddam, CT
13. 16MA Todd Douillard Palmer, MA
14. 24 Nathan Pytko Oxford, MA
15. 03 Jaden Brown Kunkletown, PA
16. 26 Steve Kenneway Lowell, MA
17. 24H Frank Hirt Danbury, CT
18. 28CT George Perreault Woodstock, CT
19. 36RI Michael Cooper Pawtucket, RI
20. 71 Peter Lopuch Redding, CT
21. 52 Anthony Forino Waterbury, CT
Mini Stocks – 20 Laps
1. 1CT Jarred Roy Moosup, CT
2. 19 Ryan Pomposelli Smithfield, RI
3. 9CT Rick LaFlesh Griswold, CT
4. 97 Dave Trudeau Marshfield, CT
5. 82 Kevin Moore Moosup, CT
6. 44 Steve Michalski Brooklyn, CT
7. 7 Kyle Wing Marshfield, CT
8. 22 Brad Caddick Wyoming, RI
9. 40 Nadine Coates Newport, NH
10. 54 Eric Finkbein, Jr. Columbia, CT
11. 10 Keith Ballou Pascoag, RI
DSQ 31 Tommy Silva Gales Ferry, CT*
*Disqualified for Refusing Post-Race Inspection
CONGRATS to Ronnie Williams, Adam & Les Skowyra, and the whole #50 Les’s Auto team for the victory in the Icebreaker 125. Great job.
congrats to ronnie williams and team way to go
Is that a rare attempt at humility for Ronnie Williams or is he saying he was right in the end having got the win?
Looked like they clicked that program off with surgical precision. The announcers were easy on the ear filling in each others gaps in knowledge nicely, good mix of the engines in the background and a surprisingly good stream from Racing America.
Mini’s get no respect but they are as fast as the Limited Sportsman. The SK race just sad, surprisingly strong SK Light field of cars with many Stafford regulars getting their cars broken in for the new season.
Brent Gleeson does a pod showing his car preparation for the season that takes place of the winter. It’s the classic small time, home garage effort showing the monumental amount of work that goes into a car for a guy that does most of his own work. After all the work, he goes out in the heat and the drivers side skin is flapping in the breeze. Not a big deal it was fixed in short order but it just shows that every detail counts in racing. His times and finish not indicative of the amount of work done but when you’re replacing all the pre jacking bolt chassis components on back it takes time to dial-er-in.
That was a Jim Dandy tour mod feature was it not? Completely unpredictable as cars were strong then not, the 50 and 79 looked out of it then in and Nocella who seemed to have a lock on a win ends up third. Tire strategy as much luck as careful planning as it turns out.
Droll Ronnie Williams understated after the win….check. Jon McKennedy pouting yet again at a missed opportunity at Thompson….check. Nocella clearly disappointed but stoic as usual… check.
That was an instant classic Open Tour-Type Modified race at Thompson. Lots of passing and racing for the lead. Competitive racing all around and best thing is it was all clean! I even bought the Racing America PPV when I walked back to my vehicle because, it was a great race to watch. This is a great race to show to someone who wants to experience racing or see racing for the first time. My favorite track and series didn’t disappoint. I hope more names come in the summer.
What a comeback, congratulations Ronnie!
The potential outcome of the open race seemed like it changed a dozen times! And 1/2 of them were in the last 35 laps! Great racing! Good turnouts for PASS and SKL’s. A little surprised at the Ltd and Mini counts and shocked at the SK count, maybe some cars not ready yet. However, a good battle in SK and overall a great way to officially open the New England racing season!
Unbelievable Open Mod race. I ordered it after attending and have watched the ending 3 times because I could not believe it. By far, best race IMO in the 35 years I’ve been going to the Ice Breaker. Congratulations Ronnie Williams and the 50 team. He started 11th, got the lead on Lap 25. On Lap 72, everyone pits and he said he made the call/strategy to stay out. Gets passed by the field and eventually lapped by Lap 104. Most drivers in that situation are cooked in a 125 lap race. Caution with 18 to go gets him in the pits, and his crew takes their time to prepare the car. Caution with 15 to go gives him the Lucky Dog. Then he does the seemingly impossible. He passes 14 cars in 14 laps, lead the last lap to win it. Are you Kidding me. That is one of the best wins I’ve ever seen. This was spectacular and so many people missed it. This open race should have had its own article and I thought I’d see 50 comments from the regulars but no, only 6 guys. Yes, there was a G/W/C late caution with 2 to go, but Williams on race monitor was 2-3/10’s faster than Nocella. The 92 was a sitting duck either way. The late caution just sealed the deal for the 50 team. Great way to kick off the Open Mod season, can’t wait for more. I’d love to hear about the emotions, doubt and then pure joy or defeat from the drivers point of view. All of the top 3. This was Northeast Modified open racing at its best!!
It’s nice to read that a person is watching the race more then once. If it’s a good race it’s impossible to appreciate what happened completely since in real time you’re not paying attention to things that you couldn’t know would become very important. Like the 50 and 79 being out of it but as it turned out far from that. A second time and you get to see what actually made the win possible.
Not to change the subject but is there a entry list for NH this weekend?
So what’s more acceptable. Spinning yourself out to get a caution needed to win the race? Or spinning someone else out to get a caution needed to win the race?
Hillary 2024, Dale Earnhardt answered your questions long ago. He was famous for it.
As far as I’ve seen the Pass/Act promoters are very sparse with their advance notice of entrants in their tour mod events. While NH this weekend is an MRS race, they as well struggle to really pin down who will be showing up for their events. Can’t find anything on their site so far.
If you’re going then you’ll probably have to wing it. If you’re thinking of buying the PPV then checking practice on Race Monitor is probably the way to go.