Barre, VT – It was an action-packed afternoon of racing at Thunder Road Sunday, starting with two rained out NBT Bank features from Thursday. The Maplefields/Irving Late Models made history to start Sunday’s showcase with a long green flag run setting up a fan-favorite finish. Early polesitters Stephen Donahue and Darrell Morin slipped back after lap 20, setting up a four-car, side-by-side battle between Stephen Martin, Chris Pelkey, Taylor Hoar and Marcel Gravel. As Pelkey began to drive away, Hoar broke past the boys to chase down the #64 on the highside. The lap 54 caution saw Stephen Donahue and Scott Coburn spin in turn three to end both their days ahead of the Five Star Roofing feature later on leaving one final restart. Pelkey picked the high groove with Hoar down low as the EastRise Credit Union Dodge Charger came to life and drove off with the win. Taylor Hoar joins Tracie Bellerose as the only female winners in the Maplefields/Irving Late Models and the first since July 31, 2003. Chris Pelkey took second-place with Stephen Martin coming home third.
The Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors also wowed the crowd with their rain-delayed NBT Bank 50-lap Challenge. The field ballooned to include several late arrivals and some quickly repaired Bolduc Metal Recycling Enduro teams. After a relatively clean run for the Road Warriors, Eddie Thompson reigned supreme with Branden Premont and Nick Copping following him across the line.
The Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers dove into the first Five Star Roofing trophy dash of the afternoon. Karsen Murphy led from the drop of the green flag while a pair of big-time run ins with the turn one wall ruined the day for Travis Patnoe and Mike Billado as the Tigers approached the halfway point. Murphy and Ty Delphia kept a spirited side-by-side battle at the front as Eric Messier, Logan Powers and Chris LaForest kept their noses in the fight as well. In the end they had nothing for the Northfield kid with Karsen Murphy nailing down his second win of the season, Eric Messier took home second with Ty Delphia rounding out the podium.
The rk Miles Street Stocks were next on track with 50 laps to round out the Alera Group Triple Crown on Five Star Roofing night. ‘Flyin’ Fred Fleury quickly took over the lead with Logan Farnsworth and Jason P. Kirby in hot pursuit with Alera Group Triple Crown point leader Hayden Morris mired in traffic back in 23rd. Farnsworth nabbed the lead using the outside groove on lap 16 as Morris followed Paul Rocheleau in the same groove slowly but surely making up valuable points. The lap 33 caution for fluid re-racked the field with Scott Weston taking the restart lead away from Farnsworth as the field stayed stacked two-by-two behind them. It looked like Hayden Morris had it all wrapped up until both his white #13VT and the #99VT of Fleury spun into the infield off turn one in the final lap. Scott Weston beat Logan Farnsworth back to the line under the checkered flags with Connor Rueda coming home third. Rueda’s third-place finish was enough to seal the deal, earning the East Barre teenager the 2026 Alera Group Triple Crown championship!
The Maplefields/Irving Late Models returned for the Five Star Roofing feature, their second 60-lap sprint around the Barre highbanks. Once Bobby Therrien got out around Darrell Morin he was lights-out on the field in the caution-free event. The former King of the Road took down his first win of the season over Scott Dragon and Jason Corliss at the line.
The Burnett Scrap Metals rounded out Five Star Roofing night with Caleb Cramer and Jacob Hall-Larson bringing the field to green. 20 laps on the board and Cramer led the early goings until Brayden Murphy fired up the inside groove to lead lap 5. From then on it was the thirty-three show out front with Murphy nabbing his first career win over Bill O’Connor and Trevor Jaques.
Thunder Road is back to Thursday night action this Thursday, August 13 for Vermont Tire & Service Night! The Maplefields/Irving Late Models headline Vermont Tire & Service Night with a 100 lap special in Round #2 of the Squier Cup Triple Crown presented by Milton CAT. The Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers, rk Miles Street Stocks and the Dads 4 By Tool & Supply Kids Division join the card plus the Kids Poster Contest and all Vermont Black Bears youth hockey players in uniform are admitted free!
