Alan Ward/Big Al’s Photos photo
Barre, VT – The next-to-last Thursday night event of the 56th Thunder Road racing season is this Thursday, August 20 with Jet Service Envelope/Accura Printing Night. N. Haverhill, NH’s Derrick O’Donnell is just three races away from a record-tying third consecutive “King of the Road” title, making each spot critical this Thursday night.
The evening will also feature the annual “Run-What-U-Brung” spectator races, allowing people to race their registered and inspected street vehicles mano-a-mano around the ¼-mile oval. Participants must register at the pit gate by 5:30pm, purchase a pit pass, and wear a full racing helmet.
O’Donnell had a big night last Thursday. Barre challengers Nick Sweet and Cody Blake were both involved in crashes while O’Donnell escaped trouble to secure a fifth-place finish. O’Donnell now has a 42-point lead over Sweet and is 60 points ahead of Blake, putting him in the catbird seat for a third straight championship, a feat accomplished only once in Thunder Road’s 56-year history. John Donahue and Scott Dragon round out the top-five.
The Late Models are still looking for their first winner of the Maplewood Convenience Stores “Triple Crown”. The bonus for a driver winning their heat, semi-feature, and the 50-lap main event is up to $800 after Brett Gervais’ bid last Thursday was felled by a flat tire in the feature.
“I definitely think I’m going to get another crack at it,” Gervais said. “Winning two out of three is always good, but that last one is the one that matters the most. It’s definitely something I’m looking to do, but the season is coming to a close, so the pressure is on. We’ll just have to work harder and try to bring it to the finish.”
Behind the leading Late Model group, a tight race has developed for the rest of the top-10 positions. Sixty points separate sixth-place Jason Corliss from 12th-place Gervais, leaving much to be decided in the final three events.
The title chase is wide open in the Bond Auto Tiger Sportsmen with just 48 points separating the top-six drivers. Defending Tiger Champion Jason Woodard of Waterbury Ctr. has led the standings for the past four weeks, but his margin over Wolcott’s Brendan Moodie shrunk to 17 points in last Thursday’s Twin 50s. Dylan Payea and Christopher Pelkey are third and fourth with Stephen Donahue and Mike Martin tied for fifth.
Hardwick’s Jaden Perry has a mere 10-point lead over Wolcott’s Jamie Davis in the Allen Lumber Street Stock standings. Marcel J. Gravel, Tyler Austin, and Jamon Perry sit third through fifth.
Jet Service Envelope/Accura Printing Night at Barre’s Thunder Road featuring the “Run-What-U-Brung” spectator races is this Thursday, August 20 with a 7:00pm post time. Admission is $12 for adults, $3 for kids ages 6-12, and $25 for a family of four (2 adults, 2 kids).
For more information contact the Thunder Road offices at 802.244.6963, [email protected], or visit www.thunderroadspeedbowl.com.