Brent Dragon: ACT Late Model Tour
Milk Bowl Race Preview
Brent Dragon of Milton, Vt., looks to become a multi-time champion of one of the northeast’s marquee racing events when the competes in the 48th annual Milk Bowl at Thunder Road International Speedbowl in Barre, Vt., on Saturday and Sunday, October 2-3. Dragon is the third member of his racing family to have won the Milk Bowl, joining uncle Bobby Dragon and father Beaver Dragon as a champion with his win in the 2006 event. Last year, Dragon finished second in the unique three-segment event for his third second place finish in a five-year span dating back to 2005.
WHO: Brent Dragon, Milton, Vt.
TEAM: No. 55 Beverage Mart/Furniture World of VT/Charlesbois Freightliner/Newton Pellets Chevrolet
BEST CAREER MILK BOWL FINISH: 1st (2006)
LAST MILK BOWL FINISH: 2nd (2009)
WHAT: 48th annual People’s United Bank Milk Bowl
WHERE: Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl (.250-mile oval)
FORMAT: Time Trials for heat racing starting position; 50-lap heat race to determine lineup for Milk Bowl’s 1st segment; Milk Bowl 3 segments — 50 laps, 75 laps following inversion, 75 laps following inversion.
WHEN: Qualifying: 1 p.m., Saturday, October 2; Race: 1 p.m., Sunday, October 3
ACT Late Model Tour
LAST RACE: September 18, 2nd annual ACT Invitational, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, N.H. (31st place)
NEXT RACE: October 10, ACT 150, Waterford Speedbowl, Waterford, Conn. (.333-mile oval)
POINTS POSITION: 3rd
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BRENT, AFTER FINISHING SECOND LAST YEAR IN THE MILK BOWL, ARE YOU EXTRA MOTIVATED THIS TIME AROUND?
I want to go back and win it. It’s become one of my favorite races. Since they’ve taken the (ACT Late Model Tour) points out of it, it’s gotten even better. You go out and take chances and see where you end up. I like that about it.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO WIN THE MILK BOWL? WHAT’S THE KEY?
Qualifying on Saturday is big. I think you’ve got to start in the Top-10 in the first segment and finish in the Top-5 in that segment. If you can do that, it gives you a really good shot. It starts the day off really well, and then it’s just a matter of finishing decent in the second segment and letting it all hang out in the last one.
You do have to take some chances. You normally don’t want to go three-wide at Barre, but I remember plain as day in 2006, the year I won, that was the move that won the race for me. I went right between two cars in the third segment and it got me away from Cris Michaud. At the end, it was between Cris and I — and that move got me the separation from him that I needed.
HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS RACE TO YOU?
Bobby’s won it, my dad’s won it and I’ve won it, too. It’s just a big deal. They draw a lot of people for this race, and everywhere you go more and more people know who won the Milk Bowl over anything else.
It’s a fun race. It’s all about going 50 laps as hard as you can.