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Photo: Tom Morris Racing Photography
After getting postponed twice due to weather the NASCAR WMT is finally ready to run the annual Icebreaker on Wednesday April 16th at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park.
Twenty nine drivers have entered the first New England NASCAR WMT race of the season.
Points leading Patrick Emerling in the Fleetworks #1 looks to back up the solid start to the season after winning the opening race at New Smyrna Speedway.
We spoke to Patrick about the upcoming Icebreaker.
Has last year’s strong finish carried over to 2025?
“As a new team we started last year building a notebook, we wanted to win all year. As the year went on, we gained momentum.” Patrick finished the 2024 season strong, winning three of the last seven races, adding the opening race at New Smyrna Speedway he has four wins in the last eight NASCAR WMT races.
We spoke to Patrick on coming in as the point leader.
” It is very cool to be the point leader. We had a good outing at New Smyrna Speedway, and we are always good at Thompson.”
We also asked about his Geoff Bodine tribute wrap:
“It’s very cool to do the throwbacks, Dale Hedquist, his crew chief reached out to the Armstrong’s and coordinated with Geoff Bodine to design the car.” The design was done to match the Red #5 pinto that Geoff drove to so many wins.
I asked about his Xfinity ride and if that helped him with his modified racing.
” I believe it does, any seat time as a driver helps you in whatever you race. Plus, the higher level of competition doesn’t hurt”
Lastly Patrick expressed all the positive things going on with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. “The point fund, the added sponsors all good things”
Last years champion Justin Bonsignore will look for a win coming off his 16th place finish in the NASCAR Xfinity race at Homestead Miami Speedway.
We also spoke to Justin Bonsignore about the Icebreaker:
“I am hoping to contend for another Icebreaker win and possibly tie Mike Stefanik at Thompson, that would be awesome.”
“I am always aiming to contend for a championship. We just need to put together solid runs each week and be in a good position later this summer.”
Ron Silk who’s last win was at Riverhead Raceway in September and only a 9th place finish to start the season would like to get back into victory lane. It was announced that Ron would not run the full tour in 2025. Who knows if Ron starts the season strong putting him in contention for some good point fund money does that change.
Nine of the top ten finishers at New Smyrna have entered the Icebreaker. The only exception is Ryan Newman who will not be traveling north.
The Icebreaker will be the first of the three FloRacing Connecticut challenge. The point fund will pay out $25,000 to the top 10 owners in points that have not participated in races at Thompson in the last three years.
If you can’t make it to Thompson the race will be broadcast on FloRacing at 8:00 PM.
Icebreaker 150
Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park
$116,053 posted awards
RACING PURSE BREAKDOWN
*1st place monies includes the $3,500 Special Award Whelen Engineering “Winner of the Race” award paid to winning driver.
Total: $82,450
1st-$12,585
2nd-$4,792
3rd-$3,744
4th-$2,881
5th-$2,776
6th-$2,671
7th-$2,567
8th-$2,562
9th-$2,557
10th-$2,552
11th-$2,348
12th-$2,343
13th-$2,338
14th-$2,333
15th-$2,329
16th-$2,224
17th-$2,219
18th-$2,214
19th-$2,210
20th-$2,205
21st-$2,000
22nd-$2,000
23rd-$2,000
24th-$2,000
25th-$2,000
26th-$2,000
27th-$2,000
28th-$2,000
29th-$2,000
30th-$2,000
($10,000 of the above purse is contributed by FloRacing.com)
QUALIFYING AND SPECIAL AWARDS
$1,150 Hoosier Tire “Pole Award” per event award to the eligible driver with the fastest qualifying time eligible to participate under the Manufacturers’ Prize Money Conditions.
$1,000 Hoosier Tire “Hard Charger” per event award to the highest finishing eligible driver who advances the most positions from the start of the race to the end of the race. In the case of a tie, the highest finishing driver will receive the award.
$550 Sunoco Spec Fuel per race award divided: 1st-$300 5th-$150 10th-$100
$400 Phil Kurze “Halfway Leader” Award presented by Josten’s per event award to the race leader at the halfway point of the event, regardless if the race is running under green or yellow.
One set of Hoosier Racing Tires – Product Award valued at $1,000 to be awarded as follows: At the conclusion of the event, the race winner will draw a pill to randomly select which finishing position of 10th through 25th will win this award.
One set of Hoosier Racing Tires – Product Award valued at $1,000 to be awarded to the highest finishing new team participating in the race. New team is defined as a new Car Owner to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour or a Car Owner who has not participated during the past three (3) seasons of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. If there are no new teams that qualify for this award, a second pill will be drawn, by the race winner, and the tires will be awarded to a team that finishes between 10th and 25th positions.
Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park
Icebreaker Entry List
| Car No. | Driver | Team | Crew Chief | Chassis Mfg. | Sponsors |
| 1 | Patrick Emerling | KPL Racing LLC | Dale Hedquist | LFR | Fleetworks, Inc. |
| 3 | Tyler Rypkema | Boehler’s Racing Equipment | Greg Fournier | Boehler Racing | USNE; Northeast Drilling |
| 7 | Luke Baldwin | Tommy Baldwin Racing LLC | Tommy Baldwin | PSR Products | Baldwin Automotive |
| 16 | Ron Silk | Haydt Yannone Racing | Phil Moran | FURY Race Cars | Blue Mountain Machine; Future Homes |
| 18 | Ken Heagy | Christopher Fleming | Greg Gorman | FURY Race Cars | Avon Prime Meats |
| 21 | Stephen Kopcik | Wanick Motorsports LLC | Nick Kopcik | Troyer | Newtown Pools; Wanick Construction |
| 22 | Kyle Bonsignore | Kyle Bonsignore | Cam Mcdermott | FURY Race Cars | MTT; ChaLew Performance; Munns Auto |
| 24 | Andrew Krause | Supreme Racing | TBA | LFR | Supreme Mfg. Co. |
| 44 | Chase Dowling | Lawney Tinio | Danny Gamache | LFR | Harshaw Paving and S&S Paving |
| 46 | Craig Lutz | Goodie Racing | Douglas Ogiejko | FURY Race Cars | Riverhead Building Supply |
| 51 | Justin Bonsignore | Kenneth Massa Motorsports, LLC | Ryan Stone | FURY Race Cars | Phoenix Communications, Inc. |
| 54 | Tommy Catalano | Catalano Motorsports | Rick Kluth | Troyer | FX Caprara; USNE |
| 56 | Trevor Catalano | Catalano Motorsports | JJ Vece | Troyer | USNE Power & Construction |
| 58 | Eric Goodale | Goodie Motorsports | Rob Hyer | FURY Race Cars | GAF Roofing |
| 59 | Tyler Barry | Jody Lauzon | Billy Michael | Chevrolet | Pro Systems Integration; BNP Machine |
| 60 | Matt Hirschman | Pee Dee Motorsports Elite | Mike Stein | LFR | Elite Towing |
| 64 | Austin Beers | KLM Motorsports | Ron Yuhas | Troyer | G&G Electrical Supply, AP Marquadt & Sons, Dell Electric, Lumiere Electrical, Andrew James Interiors, Hughes Motors |
| 79 | Jonathan McKennedy | Jonathan McKennedy | TBA | FURY Race Cars | Christophers Towing |
| 81 | Mark Stewart | Christopher Turbush | Christopher Turbush | FURY Race Cars | Cromers Market; Keith Grimes Excavating |
| 82 | Woody Pitkat | DWR Racing Corp. | Nick Walsh | LFR | Gunsmoke Stables Racing; Danny’s Cesspool Service |
| 88 | Roger Turbush | Roger Turbush | Jarrod Hayes | FURY Race Cars | Rheem |
| 107 | Jake Johnson | JMA Motorsports | Justin Albernaz | FURY Race Cars | Lin’s Propane; Propane Plus; Platinum Fire Protection; Island International; Axis Wealth Partners |
| 112 | Brian Sones | Dennis Wenner | Dennis Wenner | Troyer | Dennis Wenner |
| 120 | Max Zachem | Kenneth Zachem | Ken Zachem | LFR | USNE; Lu-Mac’s |
| 129 | Mike Marshall | Taylor Charbonnier | Taylor Charbonnier | Troyer | MLM Diagnostics; Jusczak Electric |
| 155 | Teddy Hodgdon | Hodgdon Racing | Ted Hodgdon | FURY Race Cars | Montanari Fuel; Business Time Motorsports |
| 163 | Dylan Slepian | Dylan Slepian | TBA | Chevrolet | Eastport Feeds |
| 211 | Eric Berndt | Ferguson Racing | TBA | LFR | Alliant Insurance Services |
| 225 | Matt Swanson | Roscoe Racing | TBA | FURY Race Cars | Ceravolo’s Auto; Mully’s Auto Repair; Casella Snowplows; Arco Welding Supply |
