ON SITE: Eric Beers sets Thompson International Speedway track record

Track record speed? Not likely, at least that’s what Eric Beers thought before he went out and set a track record on Saturday afternoon.

Beers covered Thompson International Speedway in 18.429 seconds, becoming the first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour driver ever to top out at over 122 mph, earning the Coors Light Pole Award for Sunday’s season-ending XtraMart World Series 150.

After a redraw for the top-10 qualifiers, Beers will start sixth in THE MAIN EVENT ON SUNDAY after claiming his third Pole Award of the season.

"No idea," Beers said of the chances for a track record. "I knew everybody was going faster (than in practice). We ran a (18.5-second lap) in practice, but you never know you’re going to go that quick."

Championship contenders Matt Hirschman and Ted Christopher qualified third and seventh, respectively. Christopher will start fifth and Hirschman seventh after the redraw. Christopher owns a 35-point lead over Hirschman.

Beers, of Northampton, Pa., is not only the track’s qualifying record holder, but he’s also the race record holder on Thompson’s .625-mile high-banked oval. Two years ago, he averaged more than 81 mph in a 150-lap event at the track.

The previous qualifying record belonged to Todd Szegedy, a former series champion, who turned a lap of 18.457 seconds in April of 2007.

"It’s just a fast race track that’s fun to race on," Beers said. "Hopefully we can one-up our record in the race and get another win here."

Beers has two career Modified Tour wins, the last of which came here at Thompson in the record 2006 event. His best finish in the four Tour races that have been held here this season is 10^th. That came just over a month ago.

"In the spring and the fall races here, the track has good grip and two lanes for racing," Beers said. "We were good here in the spring race, and the weather was about the same (Saturday). We’ll just go from there."

Jimmy Blewett, who qualified fourth via time trials, will start on the pole.

Comments

[Ashley Katon]

All i can say is WOW.. What happwnd at Thompson in the fall of 2008 was the best thing that happend all year.. After we have falling short of wining a few races with the 46 modified that just made the hole year a little better for thge team.. Eric did a great job and i hope that 2009 will be the year that we get a win..