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 | Jul 6, 2012 | Thunder Road, Vermont
Barre, VT – In a night full of last lap surprises, Barre sensation Nick Sweet sent up championship fireworks of his own on his way to a hard fought win in Tuesday night’s (July 3) Northfield Savings Bank Holiday event at Thunder Road. Defending Thunder Road Champion Dave Pembroke chased Sweet to the line, and Milton’s Scott Payea was forced to settle for third in the closing laps.
Sweet started from the fifteenth position, and manipulated traffic masterfully on his way to the front of the pack. Sweet had reached second place just past the halfway mark, but Payea had extended a sizable lead searching for his first win of 2012. Sweet mercilessly closed the gap before catching him with 10 laps to go and charging to victory in the outside lane. Pembroke inched by Payea on the last lap to steal second, and Chip Grenier scored his first top five of the season with a fourth place finish. Trampas Demers, a feature winner already this season, came home fifth, three-time champion Phil Scott fought from 14th to sixth, and Brett Wheeler, Cody Blake, Jamie Fisher, and Brent Dragon rounded out the top ten.
With his win, Sweet breaks a streak of 19 different winners in 19 feature races in 2012 at Thunder Road. “Wow, that was a lot of fun to drive,” remarked Sweet. “We touched a bit there at the end, I think he just wanted our lane, but he drove a great race,” he finished with a smile.
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by Jay | Jul 4, 2012 | ACT, Thunder Road, Touring Series News, Vermont
Allen and Gabaree Win Last Lap Showdowns
In a night full of last lap surprises, Barre sensation Nick Sweet sent up championship fireworks of his own on his way to a hard fought win in Tuesday night’s (July 3) Northfield Savings Bank Holiday event at Thunder Road. Defending Thunder Road Champion Dave Pembroke chased Sweet to the line, and Milton’s Scott Payea was forced to settle for third in the closing laps.
Sweet started from the fifteenth position, and manipulated traffic masterfully on his way to the front of the pack. Sweet had reached second place just past the halfway mark, but Payea had extended a sizable lead searching for his first win of 2012. Sweet mercilessly closed the gap before catching him with 10 laps to go and charging to victory in the outside lane. Pembroke inched by Payea on the last lap to steal second, and Chip Grenier scored his first top five of the season with a fourth place finish. Trampas Demers, a feature winner already this season, came home fifth, three-time champion Phil Scott fought from 14th to sixth, and Brett Wheeler, Cody Blake, Jamie Fisher, and Brent Dragon rounded out the top ten.
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by Jay | May 28, 2012 | ACT, New England, Thunder Road, Touring Series News, Vermont
In a race that had eluded his prestigious racing career, Barre, VT’s Nick Sweet methodically worked his way to the victory in the 50th Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic at Thunder Road in Barre, VT on Sunday, May 27, 2012. The Memorial Day Classic was the first of four events in the Vermont State Late Model Championship series. Sweet held off Lt. Governor Phil Scott and Brent Dragon, who flew through the field from the 12th and 16th starting positions to finish second and third.
The race began with pole sitter and former Oxford Plains Speedway Champion Ricky Rolfe showing the way early, only to engage with a heated back and forth struggle with Milton’s Scott Payea. Rolfe and Payea traded the lead back and forth, side by side for more than half of the race. Scott and Sweet trailed the pair for the majority of the exchange as the top four ran in a tight battle for the point. Scott took over on the outside lane for 12 laps only to see Nick Sweet steal it away for good on a lap 68 restart.
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