With just two races remaining in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series season at Thompson Speedway, the fight for the championship in both primary divisions is starting to heat up.
Nick Johnson, who has finished inside the top-five in all five races so far this season, holds a 15-point lead in the Late Model standings over Tom Carey III. That gap may seem like a sizeable one – but with drivers earning two points per position on the track – it would only take one slip from Johnson for him to lose his advantage.
Behind Carey, there are four drivers ready to pounce. Woody Pitkat, a regular on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour who has roots in the Late Model ranks, is third, 19 points back. As of right now, the top three contenders in the standings have yet to visit Victory Lane, but their consistency has them at the front of the field.
William Wall, who is the 2016 champion of the Late Model division and a Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, native, is fourth.
Wall was able to visit Victory Lane as part of the 2018 Icebreaker weekend, getting his season off on the right track.
Since then, the only falter for Wall was a finish outside the top-10 during the second race, where he only completed three laps.
In fifth, it’s been feast or famine for Pawcatuck, Connecticut, driver Ryan Morgan. Even though Morgan has three checkered flags to his credit this season, including the last time on the track as part of the Bud “King of Beers” 150, he is looking up towards the top from fifth spot. He is tied with Mark Jenison, 24 points back, with two races remaining.
Jenison also has been victorious in 2018.
Nick Johnson Ldr.
Tom Carey III -15
Woody Pitkat -19
William Wall -20
Ryan Morgan -24
Mark Jenison -24
Paul Charette -33
Glenn Boss -35
Chad Baxter -75
Randy Tucker -79
ROCCO RUNNING AWAY
Even though Ryan Preece was able to score a victory as part of the K&N East Throwback night, no one else has been able to defeat Keith Rocco so far this season in the Sunoco Modifieds.
On the heels of his four victories, the defending champion is up by 40 points in the standings, and will just look for two solid races to clinch the crown.
He is looking for his seventh overall championship in the SK Modifieds at Thompson – one that would be his 16th as part of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. Currently, he is tied for second in the most Whelen All-American Series track titles all-time – only trailing Joe Kosiski (17) and Jeff Strunk (15).
Behind him, Troy Talman could be the one surprise of the season so far. With five finishes inside the top-five in five races, Talman has been consistent, but hasn’t quite had the speed he needed to score a checkered flag.
Over the final two races, he looks to be the closest challenger Rocco will face in the championship battle – and if Rocco stumbles –Talman’s consistency could put him right where he needs to be.
Todd Owen, who ended last season in Victory Lane, has yet to find the black and white this year, and hasn’t put together the season he was looking for. However, his four top-10 finishes have him third, 56 points back. Woody Pitkat is fourth and Preece rounds out the top five.
The final races are set for the weekends of September 9 and October 12.
- Keith Rocco Ldr.
- Troy Talman -40
- Todd Owen -56
- Woody Pitkat -57
- Ryan Preece -61
- Kyle James -73
- Joe Gada -83
- Marcello Rufrano -91
- Ronnie Williams -108
- Paul LaPlante -134
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