Monthly Archives: October 2018

*Save the Date* Magnolia Pictures’ THE LAST RACE (A Documentary By Michael Dweck) – In Theaters and On Demand November 16th

**SAVE THE DATE**


presents

THE LAST RACE
A film by Michael Dweck

In Theaters and On Demand November 16th

THE LAST RACE is an intimate portrait of a small-town stock car racetrack and the tribe of passionate blue-collar drivers that call it home, struggling to hold on to an American racing tradition as real estate development threatens its survival.

Award winning filmmaker Michael Dweck’s stirring imagery takes you inside the world of grassroots racing and eye to eye with the cars’ snarling grills and white roll bars that protrude like bones out of scarred metal. Yet a patient camera lets us know the drivers as everyday people and learn that the racetrack is tied to a deep sense of identity. The track is on the only piece of undeveloped land in the area—it’s worth millions—and the only thing keeping the bulldozers at bay is track owners Barbara and Jim Cromarty’s love of the track and its community.

What: LA Press Day

Who: Filmmaker Michael Dweck

When: Tuesday, November 13th from 10-3pm

Where:
MPRM Communications 
5055 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles 90036

Links Available Upon Request

Press Requests:
MPRM Communications
Sara Tehrani / stehrani@mprm.com

thelastracethefilm.com
MPRM · 5055 Wilshire Blvd Ste 840 · Los Angeles, CA 90036-6102 · USA

Don Hoenig’s Original Swap Meet and Flea Market is THIS weekend @ Thompson Speedway with $12 admission! Attention racers, car enthusiasts, antique collectors and pickers!

November 15th is TSMP employee appreciation night! 

6 pm at the Raceway Restaurant. Employee awards will be handed out.

Any employees who would like to attend this complimentary dinner should contact Taylor with an RSVP ASAP:  Taylor@Thompsonspeedway.com

All RSVP’s are due by November 12th at close of business.

Nick Johnson Clinches First Thompson Late Model Title
By Kyle Souza, for Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park
Click Here To Read The Full Article
Upcoming Events at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park:
November 2nd-4th Don Hoenig’s Flea Market & Swap Meet

Don Hoenig’s Original Flea Market & Swap Meet presented by RacingJunk.com returns to Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park. Whether it’s race cars, parts, tools, tires or even winter clothing, you’ll find it all at one of the largest Automotive Swap Meets in New England!
Click here for more Information 

November 10th Lock City Drift

November 17th Gig Motorsports

Save the Date for Don Hoenig’s Flea Market & Swap Meet November 2nd -4th!

Come visit the King Cadillac GMC Booth which will be located in front of the main garage building at the Swap Meet! Stop by and enter for your chance to win $500 towards accessories or a new Meyer plow – all makes and models!

We will also have used car specials starting at $3,995!! 

So come visit us at Don Hoenig’s Original Flea Market & Swap Meet
this weekend.

Don’t forget to ask us about our Meyer Plow rebate program where you
save up to $500 on a new plow! 

“Back of House” returns with an all-new season as we look deeper than ever before behind the scenes in hospitality and entertainment. Grand openings, big celebrities, special events, amazing food, concerts and sports all collide as viewers get an all-access pass to one of the largest resort destinations in the world. Explore it all, from the back stages of electrifying entertainment venues and luxury hotel suites to the back hallways and offices of key executives. Deadlines are tight, as a group of dedicated employees navigate their daily jobs in a quest to make each guest’s stay a great getaway. See how it all gets done.

New Englanders ready for chance to win PASS National Championship at Hickory

The PASS Super Late Model Championship will be determined at the Hicktory Speedway in NC this Saturday.

 

 

CHARLOTTE, NC (October 31) – The longest season in grassroots, short track racing will come to a close on Saturday afternoon, November 10, when the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) National Championship Super Late Models take the green flag at Hickory Motor Speedway.  The 13th Annual Mason-Dixon MegaMeltdown 200 will cap off another exciting season that began in Dillon, SC way back in February.  And, it will all be captured in front of the MAVTV cameras. Last year, race fans across the country were able to see the ultimate North versus South shootout when North Carolina’s Brandon Setzer and Maine’s Garrett Hall tangled coming to the checkered flag.

This year, all eyes will be focused on the battle for asphalt Super Late Model racing’s only national championship.  After wins by Derek Griffith at Dillon and Thompson, CT to start the PASS National Championship season, Connecticut’s Ray Christian, III has chipped away at the lead and now trails Griffith by a single point as he heads to Hickory for the first time ever.

“We’re going in to Hickory with the same mindset that we have at every other racetrack…learn as much as we can and bring the car home in one piece,” says Christian, driver of the Crazy Horse Racing #93.  “This whole national championship run was a completely unexpected scenario for us, considering this is my first year in a Super Late Model.  But, I think we have shown these guys that we can race with them a little bit this year.”

Not to be forgotten though will also be Turner, ME’s, Ben Rowe.  The 5-Time and defending PASS National Champion sits third in the standings, just 10 points behind Griffith.  And, of Rowe’s 10 career wins down south, three have come at Hickory.  Those stats are not lost on Christian.

“I’ve never been to Hickory, but I’ve watched races from down there and guys like Ben Rowe have a million laps there,” says Christian. “I can’t wait to get down there because it looks like a blast and definitely the kind of place I can really get in to.  I just hope that no matter how the national points turn out that, at the end of the day at Hickory, I hope we earn those guys respect.”

And, if the PASS National Championship fight is not enough, fans will be treated to Matt Craig versus Kodie Conner as Craig goes for his third straight PASS South Super Late Model title, plus MASS Street Stocks and Legends. 

Action gets under way on Friday with rotating practice for the PASS Super Late Models, MASS Street Stocks, and Legends from 2-5 PM. On Saturday, pit gates open at 7:30 AM, with practice starting at 9:30 AM, qualifying at 11:45 AM, and main events at 1:30 PM.

PASS Super Late Model entry forms and the complete weekend schedule for the Mason-Dixon MegaMeltdown 200 can be found at ProAllStarsSeries.com.

The Pro All Stars Series is recognized as North America’s premier sanctioning body for asphalt Super Late Models and boasts such marquee events as the legendary Oxford 250 at Oxford Plains Speedway, PASS South’s Easter Bunny 150 at the historic Hickory Motor Speedway, and the PASS Commonwealth Classic at Richmond Raceway.  For technical information concerning all PASS divisions please send questions to passracing@roadrunner.com.

Source: Alan Dietz/PASS Tours PR

 

Note: If your track, tour or event is not posted on this blog send your press releases and flyers to: lmodestino@hotmail.com

New England Dragway-No Tricks, Just Treats!

Enjoy these treats
while they last!
The MUST HAVE Christmas Gift for your race fan
has arrived in our online store!
These Metal Signs are perfect for your car enthusiast’s garage, workshop, man cave, etc. We have a VERY limited number of these available, so snag one now!
If you’d like to save on shipping and pick one up at the New England Dragway office give us a call at 603-679-8001.
New England Hot Rod Council Sign Approximately 15″ in Diameter.
New England Dragway Sign
Approximately 20″ x 10″
New England Dragway | 603-679-8001 | NewEnglandDragway.com

Artist Dausch pledges donation to IMS Museum restoration project via sale of Gurney-Clark Lotus painting

Editor’s Note: For a hi-res image of artist Gary Dausch with the Lotus 29/1 artwork and the actual Lotus 29/1 car in the IMS Museum collection, or a low-res image of the artwork alone, suitable for social media, please contact Eric Powell at the IMS Museum. Contact info is at the bottom of this news release. Thank you for your coverage!
Artist Gary Dausch Pledges Donation to IMS Museum Restoration Project
Via Sale of Spectacular Gurney-Clark Lotus Painting
INDIANAPOLIS, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018 – Thanks to the talent and generosity of artist Gary Dausch, enthusiasts of racing history and fine art can acquire an incredible piece of artwork and support the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum at the same time.
Dausch has created a beautiful rendering of Dan Gurney’s 1963 Lotus 29/1, depicting the legendary Californian Gurney sitting in the cockpit with car owner Colin Chapman and teammate Jim Clark at his side. Chapman is clearly deep in thought, listening to Clark’s analysis – all in the name of speed and the goal of winning.
“I see this as a portrait,” said Dausch. “The focus is on a group of like-minded people and a car, which is why I avoided the background. This tiny group ultimately changed the face of IndyCar racing. It represents a major moment in automotive history.”
The Lotus 29/1 in Dausch’s oil-on-canvas original is the subject of the IMS Museum’s 2018 Restoration Project. Years after Gurney drove the 29/1 to a seventh-place finish at the 1963 Indianapolis 500, carrying a white/blue livery and No. 93, the Ford Motor Company painted the car “British racing green” and yellow with the No. 92 to honor Clark’s 1965 Indianapolis 500 win. Ford donated the 29/1 to the IMS Museum in 1973.
The Museum is preparing to restore it to its beautiful white and blue No. 93 race livery and full running condition.
“Dan Gurney, Jim Clark and Team Lotus were racing favorites of mine,” said Dausch. “They had vision, grit, determination and smarts. As a group they weren’t loud about things, but they went out and did their work and had spectacular results with the resources they had. They spoke softly and carried a big stick.”
If the artwork sells through the Museum, Dausch will donate 20 percent of the proceeds to the Lotus 29/1 restoration project, which requires a $90,000 price tag for an engine overhaul, new fuel cell, tires, suspension, body work and paint. The price of Dausch’s artwork is $4,800; limited-edition prints of this piece are also available for $150 each.
An Indianapolis resident who spent years in art education and corporate communications, Dausch cites similar reasons why he joined Walker Racing’s IndyCar Series operation: team owner Derrick Walker’s vision, grit and pursuit of excellence without the deepest pockets in the sport. Dausch spent 13 years with Walker Racing in marketing.
Today, he commits his time to restoring race cars in his home shop and producing auto racing fine art; his works hang in the homes and offices of many notable racing personalities.
Dausch has enjoyed many years of friendship with staff at the IMS Museum, starting with longtime restoration manager, the late Bill Spoerle, who Dausch said was great friends with his father. He said it is that kinship and – of course – passion for the Lotus 29/1 that led him to support the 2018 IMS Museum Restoration Project.
Dausch came about his passion for artistry and motorsports honestly, as his great uncle was Erwin “Cannon Ball” Baker, who after a brief vaudeville career became world-famous for setting hundreds of records for coast-to-coast, or point-to-point, high-speed drives on motorcycles and stock automobiles. His name is the inspiration for later “Cannonball Run” cross-country races, which inspired a book and several movies.
Baker won a race on the very first day of motorized competition at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – motorcycle racing on Aug. 14, 1909. He also finished 11th at the 1922 Indianapolis 500 in a Frontenac owned by the Chevrolet brothers, completing all 200 grueling laps without a relief driver.
Dausch’s Lotus 29/1 painting is on display in the IMS Museum gallery, and available for viewing during regular hours and regular admission price. Supporters interested in purchasing the painting should contact Jennifer Hiatt, IMS Museum director of philanthropy and membership, at (317) 492-6563 for information.
Donations to the IMS Museum Restoration Project for the Lotus 29/1 can be made via check, by calling the IMS Museum at (317) 492-6568 or online: http://bit.ly/lotus29-1
To learn more about Dausch’s artistry, visit http://www.gdausch.com/
***
About the IMS Museum: The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum is home to one of the world’s premier motorsports and automobile collections, with interpretive emphasis on the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and its role as an American icon of sporting tradition and innovation.
Located inside the famed 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval, the Museum is open 363 days a year (closed Thanksgiving and Christmas). It is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization which relies on support from admissions, tours, sponsorships, annual memberships and planned-giving for its operations, educational programming, restoration and preservation efforts, and special exhibits and events.
Source: : Eric Powell, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, (317) 492-6748,
Follow the IMS Museum:
Facebook ‌ Twitter ‌ Instagram ‌

Happy Halloween New England! FLASH SALE!  Drive a Corvette Z06 at Thompson Speedway!🏁

BEWARE OF SPOOKTACULAR SAVINGS

24 HOUR FLASH SALE

We’ll have you saying “Oh my gourd”

TRICK OR TREAT YO’ SELF!

TODAY ONLY ALL GIFT VOUCHERS ONSALE
Use code HALLOWEEN

American Muscle Road Course: 3 Lap You-Drive $169 / 2 Lap Ride Along $79!
Extreme Racing Nascar: 8 Lap You-Drive $109 / 4 Lap Ride Along $59!
Exotics Car Autocross: 3 Lap You-Drive $69 / 2 Lap Ride Along $29!

*Good for 1 year from purchase date. Valid at all locations. 

Shop Now!
Questions? Email us at info@circuit1events.com
Or call us at 888-314-6965 M-F 9am-5pm Eastern Time
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Moto Bash @ Capeway Rovers in Middleborough on Sunday, 11/4/18

Sat 11/3 at 7 pm
Haunted Kitchen
Sunday
MOTO BASH
$1,000
in Gift Cards & Track Bucks
577 Winthrop St,
Taunton, MA 02780
774-627-7789
Has Donated
$500
in Track Bucks to
be distributed as follows:
50 Open, 65 Open,
Supermini
1st $50
2nd $30
3rd $20
Riders Meeting
4 Names will be called for
$50 Track Bucks
Must be at the riders meeting to win
or another name will be called
$500
Hole Shot
Gift Cards
12 Classes
see below
Side X Sides
have been added
NCSC Championship Race
Sunday 11/4/18
Round 8 Fall Series
Best Racing of the Season
Capeway Rovers
Middleboro, MA
Weather: Sunny 55
Gate opens 6pm Saturday
Close 10pm
Reopen 6:30 am
Sign up Saturday 6-7pm
Sunday 7-9am
New England Organization Members
NCSC/NEMX/NESC/WSP
Entries $35 per Class with Membership Card
Non-Members $35 per Class + $10 One Day
Mechanics Pass $5
General Admission
Sunday $15 per person
NO BICYCLE RIDING ON RACE DAY EVER!!!
NO DOGS ON THE TRACK EVER!!!
No starting your bike until 9am @ Capeway
NO JUMPING UNDER YELLOW FLAG!!!!
Always Race to the Checkered Flag
RACE ORDER
30+ A/B/C
85cc 9-11/12-15
450 A/B/C
50cc Open
125 Youth A/B/C
40 A/B/C
65cc 7-9/10-11
Open A/B/C
Supermini
50cc 4-6 / 7-8
250 A/B/C
65cc Open
Women / 50+
Side x Side
Check final race order after practice!!!!!!!!!!
RACE SAFE, HAVE FUN NCSC
PRACTICE ORDER
VET
50cc
EXPERT/AMATEUR
85cc
NOVICE
65cc
Side x Side
Women practice with Ability level of your bike size
THERE IS NO
BICYCLE RIDING ON
RACE DAY EVER
2nd Moto Hole Shot $50 Gift Card:
40+C, Women to:
Monty’s Cycle Shop
751 N Main St, Rte 28
W. Bridgewater, MA
508-583-1172
2nd Moto Hole Shot $50 Gift Card:
250 C, Supermini, Youth ABC to:
WAGNER MOTORSPORTS
700 PLANTATION ST
WORCESTER, MA
508-581-5950
2nd Moto Hole Shot $50 Gift Card:
50 Open, 65 Open to:
Bettencourt Honda / Suzuki
31 S. Main St Route 28
W. Bridgewater, MA
508-587-1701
2nd Moto Hole Shot $25 Gas Card:
30+C, 50+ From:
C-CYCLE SUSPENSION SERVICE
160 W. High St
E. Hampton, CT
860-267-1710
2nd Moto Hole Shot $50 Gift Card:
Supermini, 450 C, Open C to:
Hutch Motorsports
1470 New State Hwy, Rte 44,
Raynham, MA
508-977-9600
Expert Payback:
100% Payback 250A, 450A,
50% Payback Open A, 30+ A, 40+ A
MOTO MOM
T Shirts available for in cafeteria
Capeway Rovers T-Shirts,
Sweatshirts, Hooded Sweatshirts
at Sign Up
CHILDREN’S * WOMEN’S * ADULTS * UP TO 4XL
Make sure your transponders are charged and ready
to go, (and reload your transponder if needed).
Transponder Rental: $10 per day for the transponder
and $10 clip rental with $200 cash or Credit Card held for
collateral. $10 clip rental fee refunded with clip return.
NCSC 2018
FALL SERIES
4-Nov SUN NCSC MOTO BASH at Capeway Rovers M/C
11-Nov SUN NCSC at Capeway Rovers M/C
18-Nov SUN NCSC at Capeway Rovers M/C
23-Nov FRI PRACTICE at Capeway Rovers M/C
BOTH SPRING & FALL SERIES REQUIRES MEMBERSHIP & 70% PARTICIPATION FOR AWARDS
SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
GPS Address:
224 Plymouth St
Carver, MA 02330

NEHA 2018 King of the Hill Point Standings

 

 

Place Name Num Class Points Events
1 Sherman Baumann 36 FL 4.94157 Philo 1.000, Okemo I 1.000, Burke II 1.000, Burke I 0.996, Ascutney II 0.946
2 Emmanuel Cecchet 966 R1 4.73473 Ascutney I 1.000, Philo 0.990, Okemo I 0.949, Burke II 0.903, Burke I 0.893
3 Kent Everding 109 S1 4.57626 Burke I 0.963, Ascutney II 0.962, Burke II 0.949, Okemo I 0.881, Philo 0.822
4 Stephen Jones 702 S4 4.54 Philo 0.944, Okemo I 0.924, Ascutney II 0.902, Burke II 0.893, Burke I 0.877, Ascutney I 0.743
5 Margaret Sharron 11 R1 4.5149 Philo 0.970, Ascutney I 0.926, Burke II 0.881, Okemo I 0.873, Burke I 0.865
6 Don Taylor 88 S3 4.4907 Okemo I 0.918, Ascutney I 0.914, Ascutney II 0.895, Burke II 0.885, Burke I 0.879
7 David M. Dennis 98 P1 4.47991 Philo 0.947, Ascutney I 0.925, Okemo I 0.911, Burke II 0.858, Burke I 0.838
8 Patrick Martin 027 P2 4.1897 Philo 0.910, Okemo I 0.832, Ascutney II 0.823, Ascutney I 0.819, Burke II 0.805, Burke I 0.790
9 Jimi Heyder 442 P2 4.16814 Philo 0.896, Ascutney I 0.864, Okemo I 0.833, Ascutney II 0.800, Burke II 0.775, Burke I 0.764
10 Doru Caraeni 777X U1 4.15539 Philo 0.852, Ascutney I 0.850, Okemo I 0.827, Burke II 0.823, Burke I 0.804
11 Jesse O’Brien 365 P4 4.09302 Ascutney II 0.855, Okemo I 0.836, Philo 0.825, Burke I 0.792, Burke II 0.785
12 Mike Wilson 6X U1 4.08804 Philo 0.852, Ascutney I 0.845, Ascutney II 0.808, Okemo I 0.806, Burke II 0.777
13 Drew Young 62X U4 4.03434 Ascutney I 0.832, Philo 0.831, Okemo I 0.808, Ascutney II 0.803, Burke I 0.760
14 Kevin Gale 25 FL 3.90756 Ascutney II 1.000, Okemo I 0.996, Burke I 0.960, Burke II 0.951, Philo 0.000
15 Robin Rielly 69X U4 3.75952 Philo 0.803, Ascutney II 0.759, Burke II 0.750, Okemo I 0.749, Burke I 0.698, Ascutney I 0.000
16 Paul Malko 13X 3.57994 Ascutney I 0.750, Okemo I 0.745, Ascutney II 0.716, Burke II 0.694, Burke I 0.675
17 Erik Reisner 719 S2 3.57085 Philo 0.941, Ascutney I 0.902, Burke II 0.875, Ascutney II 0.852, Okemo I 0.000
18 Doug Hardy 948X U5 3.52312 Philo 0.766, Ascutney II 0.716, Okemo I 0.714, Burke II 0.672, Burke I 0.655
19 Brad Martin 7X UE 3.19833 Okemo I 0.824, Burke I 0.814, Philo 0.792, Burke II 0.768, Ascutney II 0.000

 

Source: New England  Hill Climbers Assn.

NASCAR veteran Mike Helton Joins AMA at Pro Racing’s Management Board

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NASCAR Veteran Mike Helton Joins AMA Pro Racing’s Management Board

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Photo Credit: NASCAR

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 29, 2018) – AMA Pro Racing announced today that it welcomes longtime NASCAR veteran Mike Helton to its Board of Managers. Helton – who continues in his current role at NASCAR as Vice Chairman – joins David Atlas, Tom Bledsoe, George Silbermann and Mark Raffauf on the Board, which leverages 150-plus years of motorsports experience as it helps guide and assist the AMA Pro Racing organization.

 

Helton brings wide-ranging and multi-faceted experience to the Board, much of which comes from his decades of experience at NASCAR and within the motorsports community. Since 2015 he’s served as Vice Chairman of NASCAR, held the position of NASCAR President beginning in 2000, and been intimately involved with the sanctioning body since 1994.

 

“Mike Helton brings a lifetime of Motorsports experience to American Flat Track during a period of rapid growth for the sport,” said Michael Lock, CEO of American Flat Track. “We welcome Mike to the Board and are looking forward to the benefit of his insights and guidance.”

 

Helton’s duties today involve overseeing competition, helping guide NASCAR leadership in its strategic planning, and expanding the sport’s reach, both nationally and internationally. Helton is a current member of NASCAR’s Board of Directors, as well as a member of the company’s Executive Council.

 

Helton is also Chairman of The NASCAR Foundation, a charity that raises money and encourages volunteerism as it supports nonprofit causes around the country. Additionally, his career includes operational stints at two major racing venues, Atlanta Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway – and he’s also spent some time in a race car himself.

 

“I’m excited about becoming a part of AMA Pro Racing’s Board of Managers,” Helton said. “I’ve been a motorcycle enthusiast for most of my life and really am impressed with the direction American Flat Track is going. I look forward to being a part of their increasing role in motorsports.”

 

Born and raised in Bristol, Va., Helton resides in Ormond Beach, Fla. with his wife Lynda.

How to Watch:

NBCSN and FansChoice.tv are the official homes for coverage of American Flat Track. For the 2018 season, NBCSN’s coverage of AFT moves to highly-coveted, weekend afternoon programming slots within two weeks of each event. The complete schedule for AFT on NBCSN can be viewed at http://www.americanflattrack.com/events-nbcsn/. FansChoice.tv remains a cornerstone of AFT’s digital strategy, providing live streaming coverage of every event on AFT’s live page while previous events and exclusive features are available on AFT’s VOD page.

About American Flat Track:
American Flat Track is the world’s premier dirt track motorcycle racing series and one of the longest-running championships in the history of motorsports. Sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing in Daytona Beach, Fla., the series is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track motorcycle racing on the globe. For more information on American Flat Track, please visit http://www.americanflattrack.com, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, check us out on Instagram, live stream the events at FansChoice.tv and catch all the American Flat Track racing action on NBCSN.

Nick Johnson clinches first Thompson Late Model title

NICK JOHNSON (Credit: TMSP Photo)

 

EDGES TOM CAREY III FOR WHELEN ALL AMERICAN SERIES CROWN

 

BY KYLE SOUZA, FOR THOMPSON SPEEDWAY MOTORSPORTS PARK

 

THOMPSON, Conn. – When you look at the final NASCAR Whelen All American Series Late Model point standings at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park, you see four drivers who captured a checkered flag. In fact, those four drivers were the only competitors to celebrate in Victory Lane this season in a division that saw 29 drivers take the green flag at least once.

But, at the top of those standings, the eventual champion of the 2018 season had a zero in the win column. Nick Johnson, a native of Rehoboth, Massachusetts, is celebrating his first Thompson championship in the No. 6, even though he didn’t visit Victory Lane. Johnson finished in the top five in all seven races, including a fifth-place in the season-finale, which helped him seal the crown.

Johnson was the only driver to score top five finishes in every event, and also the only driver to finish inside the top-10 in all seven races. He defeated Tom Carey III by just a mere three points in the closest battle across all four of the Whelen All American Series divisions at Thompson.

“Not at all,” Johnson said when asked if he thought he could win the title at the beginning of the season. “My immediate thought was I just wanted to come and win. We didn’t even think we were going to run a full-time schedule but one thing leads to another, and here we are.”

Entering the finale, Johnson knew he wasn’t going to win the title by just comfortably riding around the .625-mile oval. He started deep in the back, and watched Tom Carey III, his closest challenger, pull away from him. Carey got all the way to the front, and finished third, just inches behind Buddy Charette for that spot.

Even though he finished in front of Johnson on the track, it wasn’t enough to get the title.

“Honestly, going into the season, the goal was really to win races. We didn’t achieve that goal, but it ended up leading to the championship,” Johnson said. “Once we ended up leading the championship standings, it was going to be hard to back away from it. We decided to just run with it and see what we could do.”

In the end, after seven months, Johnson’s decision turned out to be the right one. While he defeated Carey but just three, Mark Jenison, who won the final race of the season, ended just 13 points out after doing everything he could.

William Wall was fourth, 15 back, while Ryan Morgan, who won a season-high three races, rounded out the top five.

“Those few laps, I was just watching the yellow car (Carey) and making sure I stayed with it,” Johnson said. “There were a few times where I had no where to go, and I was fast enough to pass, but it’s not really a track you can run three-wide. I just had to have patience, wait, and when the opportunity presented itself, I took it. I was pretty surprised to be honest.”

Johnson will be officially crowned champion at the 2018 Banquet & Awards Celebration, with a date to be announced at a later date.

Source: Taylor Pelletier

Sr. Manager, Event Services

Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park

Note: if your track, tour or event is not posted on this blog send your press releases and flyers to: lmodestino@hotmail.com