In the early weeks of the New England racing season, weather is always a wildcard. But as winter wanes and spring nears, Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park is prepared yet again to be the first track to open the gates.
The historic Connecticut oval’s traditional Icebreaker weekend is booked for April 5-7, kicking off not only the Northeast’s circle-track motorsports calendar but a big season for the venerable speedway.
A practice day on Friday, April 5 serves to shake free the off-season rust as teams brace for two days of feature racing, anchored by a selection of New England’s top touring series and featuring nine different divisions in all.
This year’s Icebreaker is the 50th edition of a season-opening tradition for the track nestled in Connecticut’s “Quiet Corner,” minutes from the Massachusetts and Rhode Island borders. The high-banked ⅝-mile oval is one of the oldest paved tracks in the country, hosting events in the late 1940s and even a round of NASCAR’s Grand National division in 1951.
Over the years, Thompson evolved into a haven for Modified racing, with the Icebreaker and the season-ending World Series weekends bookending the year for many open-wheel racers. The 1985 Icebreaker was the first event for the modern-era NASCAR Modified Tour, establishing the Icebreaker as a cornerstone event of the NASCAR Tour for years to come. The NASCAR-sanctioned Icebreaker opened the Tour schedule for many years, including an unbroken stretch from 2002 through 2016.
The 2020 running of the Icebreaker fell victim to the COVID-19 pandemic, while developments through the year threatened the future of oval racing at Thompson altogether. Late in the summer, American-Canadian Tour and Pro All Stars Series principals Cris Michaud and Tom Mayberry collaborated to promote two events at Thompson, including that October’s World Series.
The success of the collaboration encouraged Michaud and Mayberry to lease the speedway from the Hoenig family for regular oval racing, an arrangement that continues today.
Highlighting this year’s golden anniversary is the return of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour to the Icebreaker itinerary for the first time since 2019. Three-time Tour titlist Justin Bonsignore won the last NASCAR-sanctioned Icebreaker at Thompson, one of thirteen career victories at the track. Reigning champion Ron Silk bested Bonsignore on a late-race restart to win last October’s World Series, putting the two title hopefuls atop the short list of favorites for the Sunday-afternoon headliner.
Saturday’s racing card is anchored by the Thompson debut of the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series, with the $10,000-to-win Constantine Paving & Sealing 75 kicking off the 11th season for the all-star tour. The PASS Super Late Models, part of the Icebreaker schedule since 2016, will co-headline Saturday’s festivities with their own 75-lap tilt to open the PASS North schedule. Rounding out the touring visitors, the Evolve Bank Pro Trucks return for another bout on the Thompson high banks.
The Icebreaker weekend is also the first event of an ambitious 12-race program for Thompson in 2024, with four divisions vying for year-long championship honors. The Sunoco 604 Modifieds, Thompson’s top class, have been reimagined for 2024, and will run features on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday’s program includes features for Thompson’s thrilling Street Stocks and Mini Stocks, while the ACT-type Late Models will race as part of Sunday’s schedule. Sunday’s program also includes a feature for SK Light Modifieds.
With nine divisions and ten feature races on the weekend’s roster, the Icebreaker is a fitting celebration of regional short track racing, and the perfect way to kick off another season of competition in New England.
VT&NH Racing News is proud to be on hand for the full weekend, bringing you coverage from Friday’s practice sessions to Sunday’s NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour feature.
-Jeff Brown Release
-Photo Credit Jeff Brown
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