By: Chris Wolfson
As the temperatures across the country drop, the point battle is heating up in the Bootleg Racing League’s premier Outlaw Modified Series. The Bootleg Racing League set up shop this week in Connecticut at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park. Born from a hurricane in the late 30’s, Thompson Speedway has seen its fair share of hurricanes on the exciting 5/8 mile track, once known as the “Indy of the East.” This tight track promised to produce some door to door racing and its fair share of bent sheet metal.
Heading into race 8 of the 11 race season, Phillip Temples was holding onto a slim, one-point lead over both Ryan Edwards-Kiss and New England’s own Donny Moore. Moore was previously leading the points, but some tough luck at Lakeland allowed Temples to slide into the top spot with four races remaining in the season.
Donny Moore would start from the pole for the 75 lap feature event. Moore would jump out to the early lead with Matt Mead starting on the outside of the front row sliding into that second spot.
Donny Moore (#26) leads the field at the start of the race.
The first yellow of the event would fly on lap 5 as Tim Knott looped the #41 to the inside of the track in turn 2 causing several cars to check up collecting Ronald Henrie and Ernie Brown in the process. Henrie and Brown would both go upside down and be forced to the garage to use one fast repair that is allotted in the Bootleg Racing League. The race resumed on lap 11 with Donny Moore jumping back out in front, Ryan Nuss running in the 2nd spot and Phillip Temples in 3rd. Ryan Nuss continued to put pressure on race leader Moore pushing the #13 to the limits and making contact with the outside wall several times looking for that opening.
Ronald Henrie (#75) sustains significant damage in an early wreck.
Phillip Temples championship hopes took a big hit during a restart on lap 31. Temples looked low on the #13 of Ryan Nuss and lost grip on the slippery bottom groove. As Temples slipped backwards gathering up the car, the #60 of Brian Neff made significant contact with Temples sending both of them hard into the outside retaining wall and turning Temples upside down.
Brian Neff (#60) and Phillip Temples (#19) hard into the outside retaining wall.
The caution would fly again with 25 laps to go as Brian Neff slammed the outside retaining wall hard while collecting Matt Mead in the #24.
The race would restart with 19 laps to go with championship contenders Donny Moore and Ryan Edwards-Kiss leading the way from the front row. Ronald Henrie crept his way back to the front after a rough start and was running in the third position.
The yellow would quickly come out again a lap later after multiple incidents on the race track back in the field. Several cars would end up getting turned with Ralph Conner Jr. getting the worst of it in the #58 with heavy smoke coming from his car as he made his way to pit road. The beneficiary of the caution would be championship contender Phillip Temples who would once again get the wave-around and would find himself only one lap down to the field.
The green flag would fly again with 12 laps remaining with Donny Moore continuing to show the way and Ryan Edwards-Kiss falling into the second position. The green flag run was short-lived after Vern Bradley in the #14 found himself facing the wrong direction on the back straight. The yellow flag would once again benefit Temples, now back on the lead lap.
The race would go green for the final time on lap 71. Ronald Henrie in the #75 took advantage of his inside starting position from the second row and was able to slide underneath the #20 of Ryan Edwards-Kiss to take the 2nd position. Edwards-Kiss would narrowly avoid scraping the outside wall but would run out of real estate as he and the #13 of Ryan Nuss attempted to occupy the same spot at the same time. Heavy contact would send both the #20 and #13 airborne and bring out the final caution, effectively ending the race and handing the victory and the points lead to Donny Moore.
Ryan Nuss (#13) goes airborne as Ryan Edwards-Kiss (#20) climbs the outside wall.
The Bootleg Racing League takes a week off for the Thanksgiving holiday, but will be back in action the following week at the legendary South Boston Speedway.
Don’t forget to check out the Bootleg Racing League at www.bootlegracingleague.com.
The Global Sim Racing Channel broadcast replay can be viewed at https://youtu.be/Wy7SubtlFZ0.
