Hackel Makes History at Devil’s Bowl Speedway Dirt Track
Sweeps Sportsman Modified and Sprint Car races
WEST HAVEN, Vt. – Bobby Hackel blew the fans and the competition away at the Dirt Track at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Sunday, August 14, becoming just the second stock car driver in the track’s 50-season history to win in two divisions on the same night. The 21 year-old from Rensselaer, N.Y., swept both the 35-lap feature for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Sportsman Modifieds and the 30-lap race for the Sprint Cars of New England. Also winning at the Liberty Street Discount Beverage & Deli Night event were Josh Coonradt and Mike Ryan.
Photos – https://www.facebook.com/NERacing/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10153518231652134
Hackel got his work started in the Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modifieds, when he came from 13th starting position to challenge leader Kevin Chaffee of Bradford, Vt., at lap 13. It was West Sand Lake, N.Y.’s Kenny Tremont Jr. to make the first move, though, as he passed both Hackel and Chaffee to take command at lap 17. Hackel followed Tremont through traffic for the next 17 laps, with Tremont’s lead growing and shrinking as the pair navigated lapped traffic.
Coming to the white flag, Hackel made a move inside Tremont and bounced through a rut, making contact with Tremont’s car in the middle of Turns 3 and 4 as they both tried to get past the lapped car of Vince Quenneville Jr. Hackel came out on top to grab the lead, then drove away in the final lap for his fourth Modified win of the year. Tremont settled for second with Chaffee – driving in place of the injured Tim Hodge – in third. Allan Hammond was fourth with Wayne Stearns fifth; Chaffee, Hammond, and Stearns each scored season-best finishes.
In the Sprint Cars of New England (SCoNE) race, Orwell’s Lacey Hanson was the star for much of the show, driving from fifth place into the lead at lap six and sending her home-track crowd into a cheering frenzy. Hanson held a big lead for most of the caution-free race but was held up by several lapped cars late in the going.
Sprint Car rookie Hackel – again from 13th at the start, and using a smaller 305-cubic-inch engine compared to the rest of the SCoNE tour’s 360-cubic-inch power plants – caught Hanson to pass her for the lead on lap 27, then drove off to his first-ever Sprint Car win. Hanson tied her SCoNE career-best finish as the runner-up, followed by veteran Will Hull. Chaffee, who was also pulling double-duty, finished fourth with Scott Holcomb fifth.
Hackel is just the second driver in Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s documented history to win in two divisions at the same event, and is the first to do so on a dirt surface. He joins current track promoter Mike Bruno as the only double winners; Bruno won Modified and Late Model races on asphalt on July 31, 2011.
The 20-lap feature race for the Rosen & Berger Auto Recyclers Renegade division turned into a bizarre battle of attrition that saw only three of the 11 starters running at the finish. Fonda Speedway star Josh Coonradt of Ballston Lake, N.Y., was both fast and lucky, winning the race in his first Devil’s Bowl start of the season.
Brothers and Airborne Park Speedway asphalt regulars Josh Terry of Essex, N.Y., and Tylor Terry of Morrisonville, N.Y., finished second and third, respectively, in their first dirt race at Devil’s Bowl; Tylor Terry was two laps down at the finish after an early pit stop. Chris Murray and Larry Bristol completed the top five, though both were in the pit area at the finish.
Chelsea, Vt., drivers Mike Ryan and Wayland Childs finished 1-2 in the 15-lap race for Portland Glass Mini Stock division after a race-long battle for the lead. Derrick Counter of Leicester, Vt., was a career-best third, followed by Ben Grant and rookie Chris Charbonneau. Dave Flanders of Warner, N.H., walked away from a vicious five-time rollover with no injuries.
All results in all divisions are currently unofficial pending technical inspection. Any penalties and/or disqualifications that may arise will be announced soon.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway returns to action on its half-mile Asphalt Track on Saturday, August 20 at 7:00 p.m., with Brown’s Quarried Slate/Brown’s Orchard & Farm Stand Night featuring the annual Mini Stock Special event and the popular Pit Area Tour. The 3/10-mile Dirt Track runs on Sunday, August 21 at 6:00 p.m. with the rescheduled “Vince Quenneville Sr. Memorial” 38-lap Sportsman Modified special presented by Interstate All Battery Center of Rutland.
Regular general admission at each event is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors (62+), $5 for teens (13-17), and free for kids age 12 and under.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, Vt., four miles north of Exit 2 off of U.S. Route 4 and just 20 minutes from Rutland, Vt. For more information, visit www.DevilsBowlSpeedwayVT.com or call (802) 265-3112. Devil’s Bowl Speedway is on Facebook at facebook.com/DevilsBowlSpeedway and on Twitter and Instagram at @DevilsBowlSpeed; follow the action using the #DevilsBowl hashtag.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – Liberty Street Discount Beverage & Deli Night
Devil’s Bowl Speedway Dirt Track – West Haven, VT
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
Sunday, August 14, 2016
Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modified Feature (35 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (13) Bobby Hackel, Rensselaer, N.Y.
2. (14) Kenny Tremont Jr., West Sand Lake, N.Y.
3. (4) Kevin Chaffee, Bradford, Vt.
4. (2) Allan Hammond, Canaan, N.H.
5. (6) Wayne Stearns, Bradford, Vt.
6. (7) Justin Comes, Middlebury, Vt.
7. (12) # Justin Severance, Pittsford, Vt.
8. (10) Tim LaDuc, Orwell, Vt.
9. (9) Derrick McGrew, Ballston Spa, N.Y.
10. (20) Trevor Rocke, Canaan, N.H.
11. (11) Vince Quenneville Jr., Brandon, Vt.
12. (5) Billy Lussier, Fair Haven, Vt.
13. (15) Louie Cadwell, East Thetford, Vt.
14. (1) Jason Bruno, Morrisonville, N.Y.
15. (18) Chad Miller, White River Junction, Vt.
16. (16) Codie Aubin, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
17. (19) Matt Atwood, Whitehall, N.Y.
18. (17) Brian Calabrese, Johnstown, N.Y.
19. (3) Brian Whittemore, Pittsford, Vt.
20. (8) Jackie Brown Jr., Hurley, N.Y.
Heat Winners: Jason Bruno, Justin Comes, Tim LaDuc
Shiley Fabrication Hard Charger Award: Bobby Hackel
Shiley Fabrication Hard Luck Award: Jackie Brown Jr.
Sprint Cars of New England Feature (30 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (13) # Bobby Hackel, Rensselaer, N.Y.
2. (5) Lacey Hanson, Orwell, Vt.
3. (9) Will Hull, Plainfield, Vt.
4. (10) Kevin Chaffee, Bradford, Vt.
5. (4) Scott Holcomb, Granby, Conn.
6. (7) Luke Greenwood, Hudson, N.H.
7. (12) Chris Donnelly, Piermont, N.H.
8. (8) Jake Williams, Center Tuftonboro, N.H.
9. (1) Chris Clark, Vershire, Vt.
10. (6) # Matt Hoyt, Campton, N.H.
11. (11) Dan Douville, Bridgewater, N.H.
12. (2) Dennis McLeod, Concord, N.H.
13. (14) Anthony Cain, Fairfax, Vt.
14. (3) # Chad Turck, Pittsfield, N.H.
15. (15) Lauren Boisvert, Danbury, N.H.
Did Not Start: Christine Boesch, Concord, N.H.; Patrick Smith, East Andover, N.H.
Heat Winners: Kevin Chaffee, Will Hull
Dash Winner: Kevin Chaffee
Rosen & Berger Auto Recyclers Renegade Feature (20 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (7) Josh Coonradt, Ballston Lake, N.Y.
2. (9) Josh Terry, Essex, N.Y.
3. (10) Tylor Terry, Morrisonville, N.Y.
4. (11) Chris Murray, Fair Haven, Vt.
5. (3) Larry Bristol, Rutland, Vt.
6. (8) Chase Aussicker, Ballston Spa, N.Y.
7. (5) # Josh Bussino, Belmont, Vt.
8. (2) Curtis Condon, Queensbury, N.Y.
9. (1) Aaron Fachini, North Adams, Mass.
10. (4) Matt Mosher, Queensbury, N.Y.
11. (6) # Jason Gagnon, Castleton, Vt.
Did Not Start: Lou Gancarz, North Adams, Mass.
Heat Winner: Chase Aussicker
Bond Auto Parts Hard Charger Award: Josh Terry
Portland Glass Mini Stock Feature (15 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (2) Mike Ryan, Vershire, Vt.
2. (3) Wayland Childs, Chelsea, Vt.
3. (1) Derrick Counter, Leicester, Vt.
4. (9) Ben Grant, Victory Mills, N.Y.
5. (11) # Chris Charbonneau, Rutland, Vt.
6. (8) David LaBarge, Glens Falls, N.Y.
7. (13) Chris Cardarelli, Milton, Vt.
8. (14) Robert Garney, Fort Edward, N.Y.
9. (10) Josh Wood, Ballston Spa, N.Y.
10. (6) # Kyle Watrous, Bomoseen, Vt.
11. (15) # Kaleb Shepard, New Haven, Vt.
12. (5) Eric Castiglioni, Newbury, N.H.
13. (7) Jonathon Baker, Plymouth, N.H.
14. (4) Chris Conroy, Newport, N.H.
15. (12) David Flanders, Warner, N.H.
Heat Winners: Derrick Counter, Mike Ryan
Bond Auto Parts Hard Charger Award: Chris Charbonneau