by Jay | Jul 15, 2013 | ACT, New England, New Hampshire, Touring Series News, Vermont, White Mountain Motorsports Park
N. Woodstock, NH – Rookie Bobby Therrien of Hinesburg, VT set a blistering pace on his way to his first career American Canadian Tour win in the 150-lap event at White Mountain Motorsports Park on Saturday, July 13. Therrien led all but two of the 150 laps as the event saw just 1 caution. Therrien and runner-up finisher Brock Davis broke away from the field following the lap 44 caution and built a large lead while negotiating heavy lap traffic.
Current ACT point leader Wayne Helliwell, Jr. worked his way up from his 9th starting position to third but couldn’t catch the lead two. Brent Dragon took 4th while Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. came all the way from 18th to complete the top five. Jimmy Hebert took 6th while Ben Lynch marched from 20th to 7th. Glen Luce earned 8th, Jeff White 9th and Quinny Welch recovered from a spin to complete the top ten.
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by Jay | Jul 13, 2013 | Devils Bowl, Vermont
Stone Untouchable, Masterson Breaks Through at Devil’s Bowl Mid-Season Championship
Gordon, LaVair take double-points victories
WEST HAVEN, VT – NASCAR Whelen All-American Series stock car driver Todd Stone got one for the thumb on Friday, July 12, dominating the Bond Auto Parts Modified feature at the double-points Rutland Herald Mid-Season Championships at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. The Middlebury, VT driver was seemingly in his own league during the 35-lap race, taking his fifth victory in nine starts on the year.
Stone needed just six laps to shoot from his 10th starting position into the lead and easily distanced himself from the field. He withstood three restarts alongside Hunter Bates, also of Middlebury, VT, en route to the win. Bates was second at the finish. Leon Gonyo of Chazy, NY won a heated battle for third place, besting Jessey Mueller of Olmstedville, NY and Vince Quenneville, Jr., of Brandon, VT.
With point values doubled for all preliminary and feature races on the night, Stone earned 100 points for his feature victory but stretched his overall championship lead by only six points. Bates made a major gain by winning the Sunoco Race Fuels Semi-Feature – a race which Stone failed to qualify for – taking 20 bonus points for that victory. Bates now trails Stone by only 35 points (591-556), cutting his previous deficit by nearly half.
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by | Jul 12, 2013 | ACT, Thunder Road, Touring Series News, Vermont
Barre, VT – The spotlight was on NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Clint Bowyer at Thunder Road Thursday (July 11), but when the night ended, it was Barre’s Cody Blake who was hoisting the Vermont Lottery Commission Governor’s Cup in victory lane.
21-year-old Blake in his North Country Federal Credit Union No. 99 spent the final laps with a mirror full of Nick Sweet, who was weaving at his bumper looking for a chance to pounce. “I told him on the radio – stay on the bottom, he can’t get you,” father Greg Blake said. “There wasn’t any emotion from him until the last two laps.”
“He drove a phenomenal race,” Sweet said. “My car was really good and I was all over him. I hope we gave the fans a good show.”
“It’s a dream come true,” Blake said in victory lane where he was presented the trophy by Gov. Peter Shumlin. “It’s just amazing.”
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by | Jul 12, 2013 | Devils Bowl, Vermont
Friday, July 12 – RUTLAND HERALD MID-SEASON CHAMPIONSHIPS
2:00pm Pit Gates Open for Early Practice Session
3:30pm Track Closed/Clear Pits
4:00pm Pits Open
5:00pm Practice/Grandstands Open
5:45pm Renegade & Mini Stock Driver Meeting – MANDATORY
(In Devil’s Den)
6:15pm Late Model Spotter Meeting – MANDATORY
(On Tech Pad)
5:00pm Practice (subject to change)
5:00-5:10 Bond Auto Parts Modified (10 minutes)
5:10-5:20 Late Model (10 minutes)
5:20-5:30 Central Vermont Motorcycles Mini Stock (10 minutes)
5:30-5:40 Renegade (10 minutes)
5:40-5:55 Bond Auto Parts Modified (15 minutes)
5:55-6:10 Late Model (15 minutes)
6:15pm-6:45pm Kids Racecar Rides
6:55pm Post Parade (1X Mod // 87 LM // 51 & 9 Ren // 8 & 5 Mini)
7:00pm
(2) Central Vermont Motorcycles Mini Stock Heats (8L)
Bond Auto Parts Modified Heats
If 18+ cars: 3 Heats (8L) – Lo (Q1/Q3), Mid (Q2/Q4), Hi (Q3/Q5)
If under 18 cars: 2 Heats (10L) – Lo (Q3/Q6), Hi (Q3/Q6)
Renegade Segment #1 (12L)
(2) Late Model Heats (8L)
Sunoco Race Fuels Modified Semi-Feature (6L)
Daredevil Feature – FANS! (4L)
Intermission/Driver Autograph Session (15 min.)
Central Vermont Motorcycles Mini Stock Feature (15L)
Renegade Segment #2 (12L)
Bond Auto Parts Modified Feature (35L)
Late Model Feature (30L)
by | Jul 10, 2013 | Thunder Road, Vermont
Vermont State Championship Series: Emily Packard Vermont Governor’s Cup 150 Race Preview
THE STORY
EAST MONTPELIER, Vt. – Emily Packard of East Montpelier, Vt., returns to the Vermont State Championship Late Model Series for the third of the four-race series in the Vermont Lottery Commission Governor’s Cup 150 at Thunder Road International Speedbowl in Barre, Vt., on Thursday, July 11. The race – which features the entry of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Clint Bowyer – is the longest race of the Vermont State Championship Series contested at both Thunder Road and Devil’s Bowl Speedway. Packard, 16, currently sits fourth in the series standings after finishing a career-best seventh in the People’s United Bank 100 at Devil’s Bowl on June 30. Packard competes weekly at Thunder Road, where she is 16th in the standings in her first full season in Late Model division.
THE FACTS
WHO: Emily Packard, East Montpelier, Vt.
CREW CHIEF: Neal Woodward, Georgia, Vt.
TEAM: No. 9x Northstar Fireworks/Berlin Optical Expressions Chevrolet
SPONSORS: Northstar Fireworks, Fecteau Homes, Berlin Optical Expressions, Yipes! of Barre, VT Shifter Karts, GossCars.com, Be The Match, Rutland Regional Medical Center, R.G. Paving
BEST CAREER THUNDER ROAD FINISH: 5th (July 2013)
LAST RACE AT THUNDER ROAD: 18th (July 2013)
WHAT: Vermont Lottery Commission Governor’s Cup 150
WHERE: Thunder Road International Speedbowl, Barre, Vt. (.25-mile oval)
WHEN: Thursday, July 11 – 3 p.m., practice; 6 p.m., qualifying; 8 p.m., race
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by | Jul 10, 2013 | ACT, Thunder Road, Vermont
Barre, VT – The annual 150 lap Vermont Lottery Governor’s Cup stock car race at Barre’s Thunder Road takes on added consequence this Thursday night (July 11). Not only will it be a showdown for local racing talent against celebrated national stock car star Clint Bowyer, but for Thunder Road regulars there is a lot more at stake.
Bowyer, in last Saturday’s Daytona 400, sped to 2nd in the NASCAR National Championship Standings 49 points behind 5-time national champion Jimmy Johnson. Johnson has dominated the NASCAR Sprint Cup series this season, but for Thunder Road regulars their track point battle is one of the wildest in memory and it has just been turned topsy turvy… again.
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