RUTLAND, VT – More than 300 guests celebrated the 2014 stock car racing season on Saturday, January 31, as Devil’s Bowl Speedway hosted the annual Banquet of Champions at the Holiday Inn Rutland-Killington in Rutland, VT. Top drivers and special award winners were honored for their achievements including Modified champions Todd Stone and Adam Pierson, and John Bruno Award co-winners Barbara Quenneville and Vince Quenneville, Jr.
Stone was recognized for his second straight Bond Auto Parts Modified division title in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. The Middlebury, VT racer led the list of champions for the half-mile asphalt oval at Devil’s Bowl, and was joined on stage during the evening by Late Model champion Jamie Fisher, Renegade title winner Robert Gordon, and Central Vermont Motorcycles Mini Stock champion Chuck Bradford.
Pierson topped the title winners in the three-race “Battle at the Bowl” series on The Dirt Track at Devil’s Bowl. The East Corinth, VT native copped his crown in the Sportsman Modified division, while Bill Duprey took Renegade honors and Rob Gioia won the Mini Stock championship. Jessey Mueller of Olmstedville, NY was officially recognized as the champion of the eight-race Northern Modified Challenge Series, and Eric Messier took home hardware for his second consecutive Enduro Series title.
The John Bruno Award, Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s highest annual honor, was given to Barbara Quenneville and Vince Quenneville, Jr., to recognize significant lifetime contributions to motorsports. Mrs. Quenneville’s presence at local speedways extends more than 50 years; her late husband, Vince Quenneville, Sr., was a very popular and successful driver for three decades, and their son Vince Jr. has been a winner and champion for nearly 30 years.
The annual Award of Excellence was presented to long time racing supporters Ed and Ron Fabian, whose Fabian Earthmoving company was instrumental in the construction of the new 1/3-mile infield dirt track at Devil’s Bowl. Chief starter Bobby Bigelow was recognized for 25 years of service to the racing community with the annual Dedication Award. Winners of all three special annual awards received standing ovations from the more than 300 in attendance.
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Rookie of the Year awards were given to Modified racer Billy Lussier and Dan St. Hilaire in the Late Models, while Scott and Andrew FitzGerald became the first father-son team to sweep freshman crowns in the same year, taking Renegade and Mini Stock honors, respectively.
Winners of the Sportsmanship and Most Improved Driver awards – voted on by competitors – were also announced in each division. Sportsmanship Award winners were Vince Quenneville, Jr. (Modified), Bucko Branham (Late Model), Scott FitzGerald (Renegade), and Jake Noble (Mini Stock), while Most Improved Driver Award winners were Jamie LaFountain (Modified), Emily Packard (Late Model), Stephen Donahue (Renegade), and Harold LaVair (Mini Stock).
Contingency sponsor awards and certificates were also presented to many competitors on behalf of Bond Auto Parts, Central Vermont Motorcycles, Sunoco Race Fuels and New England Racing Fuel, Shiley Fabrication, Five Star RaceCar Bodies, and the New York State Stock Association.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s 49th season of stock car racing opens with the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series on the asphalt half-mile oval on Saturday, May 9. Racing on The Dirt Track at Devil’s Bowl opens on Sunday, June 7.