by Jay | Aug 22, 2012 | Thunder Road, Vermont
In 2012, Barre’s own Nick Sweet has been busy with one of the most successful Thunder Road Late Model seasons in recent memory, but when the dust settles at the end of the month in Thunder Road’s Late Model division, his focus will turn to the race he owned in 2011: The Bond Auto Labor Day Classic.
Last year, Sweet lost the championship to Middlesex’s Dave Pembroke in late August, but was offered the seat of the RPM #57 car, teammate to eight-time Champion Brian Hoar, for the Labor Day Classic. Sweet flew to his first victory in the event, etching his name once more in the granite stones at Thunder Road.
(more…)
by Jay | Aug 22, 2012 | Thunder Road, Vermont
Packard Shines In Thunder Road Debut
15-year-old Follows With Strong Runs At Canaan Fair Speedway
EAST MONTPELIER, Vt. – Emily Packard’s storybook season continues to add new chapters.
Last Thursday night, Packard opened eyes when she made her Late Model debut against one of the deepest weekly fields in the region – on one of the trickiest tracks anywhere in the northeast – with a 10th-place finish in a 50-lap Late Model feature at Thunder Road International Speedbowl in Barre, Vt.
Packard, 15, of East Montpelier, Vt., has competed in a Street Stock on the quirky quarter-mile throughout 2012 while also racing in the Late Model division on Saturday nights at Canaan Fair Speedway in Canaan, N.H.
(more…)
by Jay | Aug 22, 2012 | Thunder Road, Vermont
Three-time Thunder Road Champion and Vermont Lt. Governor Phil Scott will engage in more than political battles at Barre’s Thunder Road for the last Thursday night race of the summer. The Thursday finale will feature the 100-lap Aubuchon Hardware Late Model Championship event to close out the chase for the 2012 Late Model crown.
The all-time wins leader Scott, who has amassed a stunning 27 victories at Thunder Road, has been held winless in 2012. Scott remains third in the 2012 overall standings, and sits only five points off defending Champion Dave Pembroke. The situation is reminiscent to 2011, when Scott had been held winless until a convincing victory in the 100-lap finale, finishing second in overall points. Scott will attempt the feat again in 2012, working off a third place finish in last Sunday’s event, just as he was working off of a third place finish when he won the finale a year ago.
“I feel good coming in to the 100-lapper on Thursday,” said Scott. “Obviously we always want to be in it for the championship, but we’ve had a good year and with the momentum here from the last couple of weeks, I think we’ve got a good shot,” he finished.
Though the Late Model Championship race will end on Thursday, Bond Auto Tiger Sportsmen and Allen Lumber Street Stock championships hit the homestretch with their third-to-last point counting event. Low-buck veteran Brendan Moodie, Jr, of Wolcott, leads the Bond Auto Tiger Sportsmen in a close points battle, holding on to a slim 16-point lead over two-time Champion Shawn Fleury. Jason Allen, Bobby Therrien, and Mike Martin remain within striking distance of the top spot.
Jefferson, NH’s Nick Pilotte has stretched out his lead over rookie sensation Dean Switser, Jr as they head into the final three events, but his 33-point lead is far from insurmountable. Switser, along with Tommy “Thunder”, the winningest driver in Street Stock history, “Wild” Willy Hennequin, and Bunker Hodgdon continue to battle for the 2012 Allen Lumber Street Stock title.
All three divisions will be in action for the final Thursday night of the summer, featuring the 100-lap Late Model Finale presented by Aubuchon Hardware. Post time is 6:00pm. Adult admission is $10, a family pass is $20, kids 6-12 are $3 and children under 6 get in free.
by Jay | Aug 20, 2012 | New England, Thunder Road, Vermont
Roberts, Smith Pick Up Feature Wins
Barre, VT – After a tough season, Winooski’s Jerry Lesage vindicated himself in style with a convincing victory in the 50-lap Late Model main event at Barre’s Thunder Road on Sunday, August 19. Lesage had to fend off rising star Cody Blake, as well as three-time “King of the Road” Phil Scott to take his first checkered flag in over seven years.
Pole-sitter Ricky Roberts ran with the lead early, but by lap 23 the familiar #74 of Lesage had pulled to his rear bumper. Lesage flew high to the outside and snatched the lead from Roberts by the halfway mark, and ran from the pack. Roberts was then swarmed by Blake, who took over the second position, as well as Scott, and point-leader Nick Sweet who stacked up two wide behind him. Blake distanced himself from the battle, while Scott methodically worked by Roberts with Sweet taking away fourth in the closing laps. Scott Payea, defending Champion Dave Pembroke, Jamie Aube, last week’s winner Cris Michaud, and Brett Wheeler completed the top ten finishers.
(more…)
by Jay | Aug 17, 2012 | Thunder Road, Vermont
Steffen, Christman Fly to Feature Wins
Barre, VT – On a night where tough seasons were avenged, East Montpelier’s Cris Michaud took his second victory of the 2012 season, fending second-place point man David Pembroke, and current point leader Nick Sweet off for the feel-good win. Three-time Thunder Road Champion Phil Scott took the fourth position, and Winooski’s Jerry Lesage rounded out the top five.
Lesage, who drove to the early lead, was quickly eaten up by hungry defending Champion Dave Pembroke, who stretched out to a massive lead just before the halfway point. High point drivers Nick Sweet and Phil Scott worked their way through the field, but a lap 33 caution for the spinning car of Trampas Demers bunched the field back together. Pembroke stole the restart, but multi-time Champion Cris Michaud clung to his bumper before swinging high and wide with 10 laps to go. Michaud stole the lead from dominant Pembroke, and survived a late race restart to claim his second win of 2012. Pembroke fought off Sweet for second, while Scott slipped past Lesage in the closing laps for fourth. 2011 Tiger Champion Derrick O’Donnell, Scott Payea, Brooks Clark, Ricky Roberts, and first-time driver Emily Packard rounded out the top ten.
(more…)
by Jay | Aug 16, 2012 | Thunder Road, Vermont
Late Model Championship Coming to a Close
As drivers prepare for weekly championship action this Thursday night (August 16), division titles are nearing the homestretch at the “Nation’s Site of Excitement” Barre’s Thunder Road. Only a handful of events remain for the Bond Auto Tiger Sportsmen, who are currently locked in one of the closest point battles in recent memory, as well as the Allen Lumber Street Stocks. For Late Models, the championship is just around the corner.
Thursday will mark the beginning of the end for championship hopes in the Late Model division, as in a stretch of seven days they will run their final three point counting events. A rainout event last Thursday has moved the Make-A-Wish/Bond night to Sunday, August 19th, creating a weeklong dash to crown the Late Model “King of the Road.”
(more…)
