THOMPSON, Conn. — Jeffrey Battle won Friday night’s Modified Racing Series headliner at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park.
Mike Christopher, Jr. and Battle brought the Modified Racing Series to green for the Sunoco Race Fuels 50 with Christopher taking the early single-file lead. Tyler Barry brought out the first caution on lap 7, stalled on the backstretch with Battle and Ronnie Williams now leading the field back to green.
Williams launched from the bottom groove to steal the lead away as Eric Goodale, Patrick Emerling and Anthony Nocella motored their way into the top five picture before Nate Wenzel’s backstretch spin called out the caution again.
The restart set-up a bare-knuckle brawl between Williams and Emerling with Williams narrowly maintaining the lead. Mechanical catastrophe ended Williams’ run at the front on lap 19, giving Emerling the lead as the slowed on the backstretch.
The ensuing restart saw a dogfight between Emerling and Battle all around the Thompson five-eighths-mile until a huge turn two pileup put things on pause.
Point leader Brett Meservey, Christopher, Jr., Matt Kimball and others as Anthony Nocella’s engine expired and spread oil all over the turn.
Battle chose the bottom with Emerling up top as Emerling went in the spin cycle on the restart! Staying green, Battle ran away ahead of Tyler Rypkema and Austin Beers and never looked back to take his first career Modified Racing Series win behind the wheel of the iconic Gary Casella-owned #25. Rypkema brought the BRE Enterprises ‘Ole Blue’ #3 home second with Cam McDermott rounding out the podium.
The Thompson Sunoco Modifieds kicked off feature racing on Friday night with the first of two features on Sunoco World Series weekend. Derek Ramstrom quickly took the lead with the field behind him in a last-lap melee on lap two. Todd Owen powered by on the outside to lead lap three with Bryan Narducci, Jon Puleo and Keith Rocco in tow. Nathan Pytko’s turn two spin brought out the lap 18 caution, which kicked off a restart caution that collecting Pytko again. Back under green Todd Owen kept command all the way to the checkered flag with Rocco getting around Narducci for second in the closing laps.
2025 Rookie of the Year Jared Roy and 2026 Rookie of the Year Travis Hydar brought the Late Model field to green for the final time this season. Cory Dimatteo’s bonanza move in turn two on lap one allowed Matt Lowinski-Loh to nab the lead as Woody Pitkat made it through to take second under Roy. Aaron Plemons and Jason Williams spun in turn three to bring out the lap 5 caution, starting Pitkat and Lowinksi-Loh side-by-side at the front.
Williams called out another caution on lap 16 with a solo turn-two spin to close up the field with nine-laps remaining. This time Pitkat got the jump on the outside groove but couldn’t make it stick with Matt Lowinski-Loh coming back to the front to claim with number four and the 2026 championship ahead of Pitkat and Hydar at the line.
Shane Gendron brought the R&R Race Parts Open Street Stocks to green for their 50-lap Sunoco World Series showdown. Ryan Lineham battled up through the pack to take the lead on lap 12 as Al Stone III and Alby Ovitt put on a show in the battle for third. Ovitt’s return to Thompson went up in smoke on lap 20 leaving Lineham alone with clear skies out front. Ryan Lineham took the $1,000 R&R Race Parts NH winners check with Shane Gendron and Al Stone III rounding out the podium.
Dylan Cabral and Ty Mello brought the Crown Vic division to green for their first of two Sunoco World Series features on Friday night. A late race caution for Glenn Jenison reracked the field for a final showdown that was stolen by Dylan Cabral at the line over Ethan Williams with Ty Mello holding out for third.
