by Jay | Jul 17, 2012 | New England, Thunder Road, Vermont
Historic Winnings Posted for Marquee Race
Thunder Road officials have announced that the 50th Annual People’s United Bank Milk Bowl on Sunday, September 30th, will boast winnings exceeding $100,000 for competitors at “The Nation’s Site of Excitement.” It is the highest purse ever posted for the event deemed the “Toughest Short Track Race in America”.
The season-ending event for Barre’s Thunder Road has long been a marquee for Northeast Auto Racing, but the 50th anniversary will be even more special. The weekend will include a “Reserve Milk Bowl” for up to thirty competitors who do not qualify for the 50th People’s United Bank Milk Bowl. It will be comprised of a two-segment feature event, as well as a $20,000 purse of its own, with $3,000 going to the winner.
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by Jay | Jul 14, 2012 | ACT, New England, Thunder Road, Touring Series News, Vermont
RPM Motorsports: VT Governor’s Cup
Brian Hoar Thunder Road Race Report
Brian Hoar of Williston, Vt., finished 10th in the Vermont Governor’s Cup 150 at Thunder Road International Speedbowl in Barre, Vt., on Thursday, July 12. Hoar started deep in the 30-car field after qualifying for the main event through the B-feature, pitted later than most leaders in the RPM Motorsports No. 37 GossCars.com Dodge and emerged with the Top-10 finish. It was the first time Hoar had raced on the banked quarter-mile track since a traction compound was added to the outside groove.
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by Jay | Jul 13, 2012 | ACT, New England, Thunder Road, Touring Series News, Vermont
Badore, Whitcomb Bounce Back for Feature Victories
Barre’s hometown hero Nick Sweet continued a dominating 2012 with a dazzling victory in the Vermont Governor’s Cup 150 presented by the VT Lottery Commission at Thunder Road on Thursday (July 12). Sweet was hounded by defending Champion Dave Pembroke, and perennial front runner Scott Payea picked up third place. Young sensation Cody Blake crossed the line fourth, with 2011 Governor’s Cup winner John Donahue rounding out the top five.
American Canadian Tour front-runner Joey Polewarczyk Jr., snatched the early lead from the second starting position, but it only took 6 laps for Sweet to pull to the front from fourth. Sweet dominated the next 46 circuits, looking well on his way to victory, when he stunned the large hometown crowd and pitted on a lap 53 caution, taking the top five with him and leaving East Montpelier’s Cris Michaud at the point. Michaud spent the next 46 laps in a duel with South Burlington’s Trampas Demers, but it was all for not when the familiar #88 of Sweet returned to reclaim the lead on lap 100 of the 150 lap event, and went on to power through a late race surge from Pembroke to take the Governor’s Cup by just .365 seconds. Top Vermont State Championship Series runners Brent Dragon, Phil Scott, and Ricky Rolfe struggled to 16th, 22nd, and 21st place finishes respectively.
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by Jay | Jul 13, 2012 | ACT, New England, Thunder Road, Touring Series News, Vermont
By Phil Whipple
When it came to the biggest race of the summer for hometown boy Nick Sweet, he had them covered when it counted most.
Sweet powered his St. Jay Auto entry past former champion Cries Michaud on lap 108 and pulled away to win the 33rd annual Vermont Governor’s Cup 150 Thursday night at Thunder Road International Speedway.
David Pembroke chased Sweet during the final green-flag run yet settled for second, while Scott Payea charged his way to third. Second generation driver Cody Blake and veteran John Donahue completed the top five.
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by Jay | Jul 11, 2012 | ACT, Thunder Road, Touring Series News, Vermont
Former Winner Files Surprise Entry
American Canadian Tour sensation Joey Polewarczyk Jr., of Hudson, NH has filed his entry for the Vermont Governor’s Cup 150 presented by the VT State Lottery Commission this Thursday night at Barre’s Thunder Road. Polewarczyk will join multi-time Thunder Road Champion Phil Scott, Late Model point leader Nick Sweet, and Vermont State Championship Series point leader Brent Dragon as early favorites to take the cup.
Polewarczyk, who currently sits second on the American Canadian Tour, is preparing for a stretch of big races in the coming months. He has committed to competing in the Oxford 250, at a track where he already owns 2 ACT victories, and then will find himself in high gear for the second half of the American Canadian Tour season as he chases his first ACT Championship.
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by Jay | Jul 11, 2012 | ACT, New England, Thunder Road, Touring Series News, Vermont
RPM Motorsports: VT Governor’s Cup
Brian Hoar Thunder Road Race Preview
THE STORY
GEORGIA, Vt. – Brian Hoar of Williston, Vt., will look for his third straight Thunder Road International Speedbowl win when he heads to the Vermont Governor’s Cup 150 at the Barre, Vt., track on Thursday, July 12. Hoar has won the last two Thunder Road events he’s entered dating back to last season in the RPM Motorsports No. 37 GossCars.com Dodge Charger, including the ACT Late Model Tour Merchants Bank 150 in late April. The race is the third in the four-race Vermont Late Model State Championship Series, which includes two races each at Thunder Road and Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven, Vt. The driver of the No. 37 isn’t the only person on the team riding a hot hand at Thunder Road – team owner Rick Paya has won three major events and a weekly series race as a crew chief at the track since last September.
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