THOMPSON – Call him the Energizer Bunny.
Whatever stood in the way of Tyler Chapman Wednesday at Thompson Speedway, he just kept going and going and going.
Chapman recovered from a practice crash and also from getting spun out of the lead to win the 30-lap AZ Roofing SK Light Modified feature Wednesday at Thompson Speedway.
“I almost think the second we unloaded off the trailer we almost should have left it at home,” Chapman joked about the travails of the evening for the team.
Chapman, of Ellington, took home an increased $1,000 purse for the victory, his fifth consecutive at Thompson.
Chapman ended up collected in the mess when Daltin McCarthy spun in practice.
“I didn’t even realize that he spun out,” Chapman. “I just plowed in. I tried to slow down as much as possible. Ripped the right front off. I thought we were done for the day.
“I want to thank all of Keith Rocco [Racing] guys. As soon as they saw my car in pieces, they didn’t think twice, they just jumped right in and just helped us get it back on the track.”
Nickolas Hovey of Chaplin was second and John O’Sullivan of Salem third.
“I think we were a little bit better,” Hovey said. “I cost myself the win there. I made a mental error and wrecked [Chapman] and myself. He got back to me and gave me what I deserved.”
O’Sullivan controlled the pace out front at the start with Meg Fuller slotting into second.
After hounding O’Sullivan for the first two laps, Fuller found the lane off of turn two to get by O’Sullivan for the lead, with Chapman following to second.
On lap four Hovey moved past O’Sullivan for second. Fuller and Chapman fought side-by-side for the lead on lap five before Chapman cleared Fuller for the lead off of turn two on lap six. Hovey quickly followed past Fuller to move to second.
Caution flew on lap 15 for the spinning car of Rob Shultz in turn two.
Chapman got away initially on the lap 15 restart, but Hovey quickly clawed back to his bumper. On lap 20, Hovey looked to make a move under Chapman in turn two. Contact sent both Chapman and Hovey spinning, with Shultz rolling in late to the mess.
Fuller inherited the lead after the wreck with O’Sullivan in second and Dalton McCarthy in third. Hovey was back
By lap 23 Hovey was back to second behind Fuller and Chapman in third. On lap 25 Hovey made the move under Fuller to get to the lead off of turn two with Chapman immediately following to second. On lap 27 Chapman found the lane under Hovey off of turn four to get back to the lead.
Hovey stalked all over Chapman over the final two laps and made a bid in the low lane off of turn four on the final lap, but couldn’t find a way by Chapman.
Derek Gluchacki of North Dartmouth, Mass. won the 25-lap Late Model feature.
Jake Johnson of Rehoboth, Mass. was second and Matt Lowinski-Loh of Milford, Mass. was third.
Corey Fanning of Mapleville, R.I. topped the 20-lap Street Stock feature.
Al Stone III of Durham was second and Larry Barnett of Moosup third.
Kevin Moore of Moosup won the 15-lap Mini Stock feature. Jared Roy of Sterling was second and Ryan Pomposelli of Smithfield, R.I. third.
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