Photo Credit: Tom Stephenson
After Mother Nature forced a delay to the 2025 Laird Raceway season opener on June 26th, anticipation reached a fever pitch, and fans were not disappointed when the green flag finally dropped on Thursday, July 3rd. Over 3,000 enthusiastic short track racing fans packed the stands for the long-awaited return of Thursday Night Thunder, with 67 cars filling the pits for an action-packed night of racing on the ⅓ mile oval.
In the Super Late Model division, six cars roared to life in a 20-lap feature that saw Jordan Sims (#47) hold off a late charge to take the checkered flag. Jeremy Van Hoek (#51) secured second, while Jordan Rocchetta rounded out the podium in third.
The Modified division saw a competitive field of eleven drivers battle through 20 laps of fast-paced action. Echo Bay’s Jerry Ross (#01) showed his veteran poise, fending off JP DelPaggio (#22) and Jason Herrington (#78) to claim the season-opening victory.
In one of the night’s most crowded fields, sixteen Factory Stocks brought the thunder to the track. Owen Brown (#12) emerged victorious in a thrilling race, with the Bibeau brothers close behind — Daniel (#08) in second and Brad (#80) in third.
The Factory Four ‘A’ Division had a surprise twist, with Chase Wilson stepping into Ryder Byrnes’ #31 ride and steering it to victory. Kayleigh Tucker (#04) of Mother Trucker Racing impressed with a strong second-place showing, and Dyllen Sherrard took third.
The Factory Four ‘B’ feature added to the excitement as Chris Pinder (#14) captured his first win of the 2025 season. Kohle Kennedy (#27) and Taryn McCoy (#71) followed closely behind, each earning valuable early-season points.
Closing out the evening under the lights were the Enduro cars, with eleven drivers putting on a gritty display of endurance and speed. Dayne Lorenzo (#19) took the top spot after a hard-fought battle, while Chris Pinder — pulling double duty — finished second in the #95 car. Eric Sylvestre (#44) completed the podium in third.
For complete results, photos, and season standings, fans can visit the official Laird Raceway website. Visit Laird Raceway photos by Tom Stephenson.
Next up at Laird Raceway: Racing returns Thursday, July 10th with a full show scheduled and the green flag set to wave at 7:15 p.m. Fans are encouraged to arrive early for another exciting night of grassroots racing at its best.
