The New England auto racing season is underway, and Ron Silk is $10,000 richer.
The Norwalk, Conn., driver held off the competition last Saturday to win the Icebreaker 125 Tour Type Modified race at Thompson (Conn.) Speedway Motorsports Park, and most importantly, the 10 grand that goes to the winner. By taking Haydt Yannone Racing to Victory Lane, it marked the third time since 2016 that Silk has given a Tour Type team its first win, according to RaceDayCT.com.
“It’s really great,” Silk said. “I’ve run well with them every time I’ve run but always been that little bit short so tonight to get the win for them, anytime you’re with a new team to get that first win checked off is always a big deal. It’s a really good night. I’m happy for all these guys, they put a lot of effort and time into this and I’m glad to get them some results.
“… Ten thousand bucks is pretty good too. I kind of forget about that to be honest. That’s awesome. I can’t wait to come back again.”
Keith Rocco and Bobby Santos III were second and third, respectively.
Silk battled back from a penalty on lap 30 that sent him to the rear of the field.
He went from fourth to first in a lap following a restart on lap 113, passing Rocco for the top spot, which he held to the checkered flag.
NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Preece missed out on his chance to compete, as the Icebreaker was changed to a one-day event due to inclement weather scheduled for Sunday. Preece had planned to compete in the Cup race at Martinsville, Va., on Saturday night and jet to Thompson for the Tour Type race on Sunday.
The resulting show was almost as hectic as the season-ending World Series of Speedway Racing at Thompson, which seems at times to be never ending.
This marked the first time since its inception in 1985 that the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour did not take part in the Icebreaker. Track promoters expect to draw larger fields by opening up the competition and putting up larger purses. Twenty-nine cars attempted to qualify, with 25 making the main feature.
The Whelen Modified Tour instead began its season at Martinsville Speedway last Thursday as part of the Cup Series weekend festivities.
For Eric Goodale, it was sort of a career full circle, as the Long Islander made his Tour debut at the Virginia paper clip in 2008 and, 13 years later, took down the victory and the grandfather clock that goes with it.
“To finally win one feels pretty damn sweet,” Goodale told NASCAR.com about his prize. “It is about that clock. I’ve wanted one for so long.”
Goodale held off Tyler Rypkema and defending Tour champion Justin Bonsignore for his fourth career win. It’s his second at a Cup Series track, following a previous victory at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.
Preece had the car to beat early, leading the first 110 laps of the Virginia Is For Racing Lovers 200. However, he faded late and finished 12th. Cup veteran Ryan Newman qualified second but had mechanical issues and finished 29th.
Goodale hopes to build on the momentum from his win when the Tour turns to Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway for the NAPA Spring Sizzler on April 25.
“Without a mechanical issue or getting caught up in an accident, I feel like we’ll have a top-5 car for the Sizzler,” Goodale said in a Stafford press release.
Jason Remillard is a copy editor and page designer at the Recorder. He can be reached at jremillard@recorder.com and followed on Twitter @racinwithjason.