BARRE, Vt. — The American-Canadian Tour and Pro All Stars Series have released the full Thompson (Conn.) Speedway oval schedule.
The nine-event schedule is highlighted by the iconic Icebreaker and World Series weekends, along with four Wednesday night programs throughout the summer.
2023 will mark the fourth year ACT and PASS have sanctioned the iconic five-eighths-mile oval in Northeast Connecticut.
The 84th year at Thompson Speedway will start and end with a pair of New England’s premier race weekends. Beginning with the 49th Icebreaker, an optional practice day on March 31 gives a sneak-peak prior to the annual lid-lifter on April 1-2.
Saturday will be headlined by the PASS Super Late Models while Sunday will once again feature the $10,000-to-win Icebreaker 125 for the Thompson Outlaw Open Modifieds. Along with the Thompson Late Models, Limited Sportsman, SK Lites and Mini Stocks, a full division line-up will be announced for the Icebreaker at a later date.
The season will close with the traditional three-day Sunoco World Series of Speedway Racing, October 6-8. In its 61st iteration, the annual stock car extravaganza will once again feature three days of Tour-type Modified racing starting with the Modified Racing Series on Friday, followed by the $10,000-to-win Thompson Outlaw Open Modified Sunoco 100 on Saturday and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour on Sunday.
The World Series will also feature championship action for the weekly Thompson divisions as well as a host of touring series that will be announced.
The Wednesday night showdowns will look a little different in 2023 with the introduction of the all-new Dash for Cash Series for the Thompson Outlaw Open Modifieds. In an effort to cut down on the need for a larger pit crew during these midweek events, the Dash for Cash events will be cut down to 50 lap sprints, leaving the need for change tires and scheduled pit stops behind.
The three Dash for Cash events will continue to feature the $5,000-to-win, $600 to start purse that has been in effect for the Wednesday Open Modified shows since 2021.
“After talking with teams, we feel the format change to 50 laps without change tires will bring more teams to our midweek shows,” said PASS President Tom Mayberry. “Now it’ll be up to the driver to chase down the cash, not relying on a fast right-rear tire changer.”
The Dash for Cash for the Outlaw Open Modifieds debuts on June 21 alongside the Thompson Late Models, SK Lite Modifieds, Limited Sportsman and Mini Stocks. The New England Supermodified Series will also have their midweek debut on the Thompson highbanks after a stellar run at October’s World Series.
On July 26 the SK Lite Modifieds take center stage alongside the second Dash for Cash. The SK Lites will contend for Double Features alongside the Outlaw Open Modifieds, Thompson Late Models, Limited Sportsman and Mini Stocks.
August 16 brings the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour back to their midweek tradition at the Big-T. The NWMT Thompson 150 will be supported by the Thompson Late Models, SK Lite Modifieds, Limited Sportsman and Mini Stocks.
The final Wednesday night showdown on September 13 will feature the final Dash for Cash for the Outlaw Open Modifieds in 2023 alongside an Open Street Stock special and the Thompson local divisions.
Sunoco Modifieds are noticeably absent from the Wednesday shows but will remain part of Thompson Speedway in a big way. With the ongoing tire shortages still affecting the Sunoco Modifieds in particular, and keeping the upcoming point battles at Stafford Speedway and New London-Waterford Speedbowl in mind, officials have chosen to keep the Sunoco Modifieds to Icebreaker and World Series weekends.
“We didn’t want to get to June or July and begin making Sunoco Modified teams choose,” said ACT managing partner Cris Michaud. “To keep out of their tire inventories and save equipment for the Stafford and Waterford point battles, the Sunoco Mods will race both days of Icebreaker weekend and once again with the Triple Crown on World Series weekend.”