OXFORD, Maine — A star-studded field of 64 drivers have filed entries for Sunday’s 45th Annual Clark’s Scrap Metals Oxford 250.

Defending Oxford 250 champion Curtis Gerry leads the accolade pack field as he looks to claim his second straight win in the $25,000-to-win classic. The 2016 Beech Ridge Motor Speedway champion is in good position to do so as he has won in five straight PASS North Super Late Model events at the Oxford Plains Speedway oval and six of his last eight PASS North races.

Hot on Gerry’s heels will be two-time Beech Ridge champion Reid Lanpher. The Manchester, Maine and two-time Oxford 250 runner-up driver has posted seven top-five finishes in eight PASS North races this season, which include a win at Beech Ridge in July.

Two-time Oxford 250 champion Travis Benjamin will look to snap Gerry’s hot streak at the three-eighths mile oval. The two-time PASS North champion drove from a 31st place starting position in July at Oxford to finish fifth.

Three-time Oxford 250 race winner and seven-time Oxford track champion Mike Rowe is on the top contenders list as he is fresh off a win in Oxford weekly competition one week ago. His son, two-time Oxford 250 winner and four-time PASS North champion Ben Rowe, will look to snap a long wingless streak and get his car owner, Richard Moody, into victory lane.

In addition to Mike Rowe, nine former Oxford track champions will each look at add their name to the Oxford 250 record book as winner, led by nine-time Oxford champion Jeff Taylor. The Farmington, Maine driver has made 20 previous, but has only been able to post two-runner-up finishes, once in 1995 and again in 2012.

The 2004 Oxford champion and 2002 Oxford 250 winner Scott Robbins will look to join a list of eight drivers with two Oxford 250 wins, while four-time Oxford champion Tim Brackett will look for his first 250 win. His son, two-time Oxford champion T.J. Brackett, will also look to grab his first 250 win, as will the 2012 Oxford champion Shawn Martin.

Tracy Gordon, the 1991 Oxford track champion and two-time Oxford 250 runner-up, will look for his first win in the prestigious race, as will the 1984 Oxford champion ahd 1995 NASCAR North champion Kelly Moore. Two recent track champions champions, 2011 champion Jeff White and defending champion Alan Tardiff, will also seek their first 250 win.

The list of other former Oxford 250 champions entered into Sunday’s event include 2016 winner and three-time American-Canadian Tour champion Wayne Helliwell Jr., 2015 winner Glen Luce, 2012 winner and 2014 American-Canadian Tour champion Joey Polewarczyk Jr., and 2009 and 2010 winner Eddie MacDonald.

A host of other champions see their names in search of their first 250 win, including 2013 PASS North champion Cassius Clark. The Farmington, Maine driver dominated the first half of last year’s Oxford 250 and ultimately finished third. Another clark, six-time PASS North champion Johnny Clark, will also search for his first 250 win after he finished runner-up in the 2005 event.

Two-time PASS North champion D.J. Shaw, 2015 Granite State Pro Stock Series champion Derek Griffith, 2015 PASS South champion Tate Fogleman, 2016 Maritime Pro Stock Tour champion Cole Butcher, 2014 Beech Ridge champion Dave Farrington Jr., 2012 Beech Ridge champion Brad Babb, and former Oxford Late Model champion Dennis Spencer Jr. are all entered.

Two other champions with large accomplishments are also entered in search of their first Oxford 250 win — Maine favorite Austin Theriault and Georgia’s Bubba Pollard.

The 2017 ARCA Racing Series champion Theriault will enter Sunday’s 250 in search of besting his 2014 result of second. The Fort Kent, Maine driver also finished third in the 2012 edition of the race.

Pollard, of Senoia, Georgia, has a long list of accomplishments that see multiple wins and championships at tracks and series throughout the Southeast, including the famed All-American 400 at Nashville’s Fairgrounds Speedway in 2016. Pollard has also claimed wins in the SRL’s Winter Showdown at Kern County Raceway Park, Snowflake 100 at Five Flags Speedway, the Red Eye 100 at New Smyrna Speedway, and the CRA Speedfest at Watermelon Capital Speedway. It will be Pollard’s first attempt at the Oxford 250.

Also entered in Sunday’s event includes current Oxford Super Late Model championship point leader Gabe Brown, 2013 Oxford 250 runner-up Joey Doiron, 2015 Oxford 250 third place finisher Ben Lynch, two-time PASS South championship runner-up Kodie Conner, and former PASS North race winners Jeremy Davis, Garrett Hall, Bryan Kruczek, Mike Hopkins, Derek Ramstrom, Trevor Sanborn, Lonnie Sommerville, and Joe Squeglia.

Also entered is NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour driver Matt Swanson, former ACT Late Model Tour race winner Travis Stearns, Legends car standout Austin Teras, and multi-time Stafford Speedway Late Model champion Adam Gray.

Sunday’s Oxford 250 will go green at 1:30pm with heat race qualifying. The 45th Annual Clark’s Scrap Metals Oxford 250 will begin at approximately 6:00pm.

PHOTO: Defending Oxford 250 race winner Curtis Gerry (7) and last year’s Oxford 250 runenr-up Reid Lanpher (59) will lead more than 60 other drivers into Sunday’s $25,000-to-win Oxford 250. (Alan Ward photo)

The post Star-Studded Field Ready for Sunday’s Oxford 250 appeared first on VtMotorMag.com.

–by T.J. Ingerson (@TJIngerson)
VMM Editor

BARRE — The “King of the Road” all comes down to one race for three drivers on Thursday night at Thunder Road.

Scott Dragon, Jason Corliss, and Trampas Demers sit at the top of the Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Model championship standings separate by just ten points with just one final event remaining.

Dragon, the 2016 Late Model champion, holds a narrow nine point advantage over Corliss while last week’s point leader, Demers, sits ten markers back.

With the tight championship standings, no driver has a clear path to the championship with Thunder Road’s point system for both heat races and feature events.

“I’m going to feel better coming (to the final race) next week leading (the championship),” Dragon said. “We just have to do the normal. We’re psyched.”

“We’re going to have to come back (on Thursday),” Demers said, “and hope for the best.”

The championship battle got turned on its head one week ago when Trampas Demers cut a left-front tire on lap 12 just as he was prepared to attempt weave his way through the field. That sent the No. 85 Jiffy Mart Ford to the pits, and when Demers returned, he was only able to muster a 13th place finish.

“Its (ten) points and its three of us,” Demers said. “We’ve got to come out and have our A game and rack up some points in the heat.

“And then win the feature and let is shake out from there. It’s all we can do.”

“It’s going to be a real exciting Thursday next week,” Corliss said. “I’m looking forward to it. I don’t want to wait. But we’re really looking forward to it.”

Demers had entered the night 13 points ahead of Dragon and 18 points ahead of Corliss. As Demers fought his battles, Dragon and Corliss battled each other that left Corliss upset at the championship point leader.

“I got a little blue paint on my bumper (from Dragon) and that’s kind of how the blue car finished in front of me,” Corliss said. “He did what he had to do.

“I got one race left. I might have to do something similar.”

For Dragon, last week’s run put him in the driver’s seat for a second championship, but doesn’t believe it will give him the advantage.

“It’s a lot of luck,” Dragon said. “It’s a lot of luck at this point. (They both) run great.”

Corliss held a potential prediction of what fans may see on the Thursday night finale.

“It’s going to be a real exciting Thursday,” Corliss said. The gloves might have to come off.”

Dragon and Demers hold tiebreakers over Corliss with two wins, but Corliss would hold the tiebreaker over Dragon and Demers should he win the 65-lap feature in Thursday night’s championship finale by virtue of his five second place finishes. Should none of the three win, Dragon will hold the tiebreaker with his two runner-up finishes.

And while the eyes will be mainly on the three top championship contenders, hometown favorite Cody Blake sits lurking should all three drivers slip on the final night of the season.

Blake enters the finale 41 points down from Dragon. Unofficially, should Blake win his heat race and the feature event, Corliss and Demers could finish no better than tenth with Dragon no better than 15th. That would also require the top three contenders finishing eighth or worse in their heat race. A win by Blake would net him the tiebreaker over everyone with three feature wins in 2018.

Thursday’s Jet Service Envelope/Accura Printing Night will also be the penultimate championship event for the Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers and Allen Lumber Street Stocks.

Craftsbury’s Joel Hodgdon holds a comfortable 104-point advantage over 2002 Flying Tiger champion Joe Steffen as the Tigers enter Thursday night’s event. Unofficially, Hodgdon could clinch the championship on Thursday night with a finish of third or better in their 40-lap feature event.

Sixteen-year-old Stephen Martin leads Jeffrey Martin by 50 points in the Allen Lumber Street Stock championship standings with Matthew Smith in third, 12 markers back of second. Logan Powers is fourth, six points back of Smith, with Tim Hunt in fifth, just four points back of Powers.

Thunder Road will also hold their annual Run-What-U-Brung spectator races. Post time is set for 7:00pm.

PHOTO: One of these three drivers, Trampas Demers (left), Scott Dragon (center), or Jason Corliss (right), will likely leave Thunder Road on Thursday night at the new “King of the Road” champion. (VMM file photo)

The post Three Drivers Set to Battle for Thunder Road “King of the Road” Crown appeared first on VtMotorMag.com.

Billado fights back to win Tigers; Smith earns 32nd Street Stock win

–by T.J. Ingerson (@TJIngerson)
VMM Editor

BARRE — Cody Blake did everything he could do on Thursday night at Thunder Road.

The hometown favorite took the lead with two laps left in the Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Model 65-lap Jet Service Envelope/Accura Printing championship finale event to claim his third win of the season.

The win, however, was not enough for a come-from-behind championship as point leader Scott Dragon finished second to earn his second track championship.

“This win is pretty sweet no matter which way you look at it,” Blake said. “It was a blast.

“The last three weeks we didn’t have the car to win. Tonight, we came back with more confidence and a better setup and it worked out in our favor.”

Blake started ninth in the championship finale and had quickly moved his way into the fifth position by lap 10, fourth by lap 15, and third by lap 20. From there, Blake would get by Kyle Pembroke before just after the midway point and begin to reel in the race leader.

However, as Blake worked his way toward the leader Morris, championship point leader Dragon had broke free and begin to challenge Blake for the second position just before lap 50. Blake, however, would stay to the outside lane and turn up the pressure on Morris.

Blake would move up to Morris’ outside on lap 58 and the two would battle side-by-side for the race lead until Blake slipped ahead on lap 63 and ran away to the win.

“(The team and I) had a conversation and figured out we were better on (the top groove),” Blake said. “We knew we were going to stay there.

“When I saw (Morris) begin to fall off, I didn’t think we were going to have enough laps, but I knew when we got to his back bumper, that we could make it happen.”

The win for Blake, which was the sixth of his Late Model career, gives him confidence headed into next Sunday’s $5,000-to-win Labor Day Classic 200.

“This car kept getting better every lap,” Blake said. “I’m pretty confident for the 200.”

Dragon, of Milton, worked past Morris after Blake steered clear to finish second and earn his second Thunder Road “King of the Road” Late Model championship. Morris, of Barre, settled for third after he led the event from lap six through lap 62.

Second place point driver Jason Corliss fell short of a championship with a fourth place finish while Kyle Pembroke completed the top-five finishers.

Marcel Gravel, Brooks Clark, third place point driver Trampas Demers, Mike Bailey, and Christopher Pelkey completed the top-ten finishers.

Mike Billado ended a rough 2018 season in victory lane in the Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tiger 40-lap feature.

“It’s definitely been a difficult year for us,” Billado said. “We definitely struggled very hard and it’s been a trying year for us.

“At about midseason, I was ready to quit. We weren’t find anything in this car, under this car.”

The Essex driver fought back past Kevin Streeter on a lap 30 restart to claim the win. Streeter had taken the lead on the prior restart one lap earlier.

“All those cautions and restarts,” Billado said, “but I wasn’t going to be denied tonight.”

Rookie driver and 17-year-old Kelsea Woodard of Waterbury Center made a hard charge late in the feature event, but settled for second for a career-best finish. Fellow rookie Brandon Lanphear of Morrisville finished third.

Kyle Streeter and Tyler Austin finished fourth and fifth while second place point driver Joe Steffen finished sixth. Flying Tiger point leader Joel Hodgdon finished seventh and unofficially clinched the Flying Tiger championship. Kevin Streeter finished eighth while Cooper Bouchard bounced back from an trip off the top of turn three to finish ninth. Jason Pelkey completed the top-ten finishers in tenth.

Tommy Smith captured his 32nd career Allen Lumber Street Stock win in their 25-lap feature event.

The Williamstown driver kept Tim Hunt at bay over the final 14 laps of the event after Hunt was able to use a lap 11 restart to stage a tough fight on the outside.

“This is awesome,” Smith said. “It was fun running against Hunt.

“We’ve just been working on this car and it’s coming around.”

Smith and Hunt would battle side-by-side for nearly seven laps following the restart until Smith steered clear on lap 18. Smith, however, would see Hunt stalk him for the final seven laps of the race until Smith claimed the checkered flag.

Hunt, of Derby, settled for second with youngster Kasey Beattie third. Logan Powers and Jeffrey Martin finished fourth and fifth with rookie Trevor Rossi, Matthew Smith, Gary Mullen, point leader Stephen Martin, and Dean Switser Jr. sixth through tenth, unofficially.

Unofficially, a finish of 13th or better for Stephen Martin in Street Stock feature during the Labor Day Classic event will net the 16-year-old the Street Stock championship.

Thunder Road’s season will continue on Sunday, September 2 with the Coca-Cola Labor Day Classic 200 for the ACT Late Model Tour. The track will officially crown the champions in the Flying Tigers and Street Stocks as they will run in their championship finale.

VtMotorMag.com will have more from Thunder Road’s Late Model championship finale soon.

PHOTO: Cody Blake celebrates his third Thunder Road Late Model win of the season on Thursday night in the Late Model championship finale (T.J. Ingerson/VMM photo)

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS — Jet Service Envelope/Accura Printing Night
Thunder Road Speedbowl, Barre, Vt.
Thursday, August 23, 2018

Pos.-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)

Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models (65 laps)
1. Cody Blake, Barre
2. Scott Dragon, Milton
3. Boomer Morris, Barre
4. Jason Corliss, Barre
5. Kyle Pembroke, Montpelier
6. Marcel Gravel, Wolcott
7. Brooks Clark, Fayston
8. Trampas Demers, Shelburne
9. Mike Bailey, South Barre
10. Christopher Pelkey, South Barre

Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers (40 laps)
1. Mike Billado, Essex
2. # Kelsea Woodard, Waterbury Center
3. # Brandon Lanphear, Morrisville
4. Kyle Streeter, Waterbury Center
5. Tyler Austin, East Calais
6. Joe Steffen, Grand Isle
7. Joel Hodgdon, Craftsbury
8. # Kevin Streeter, Waitsfield
9. # Cooper Bouchard, Hinesburg
10. Jason Pelkey, Barre

Allen Lumber Street Stocks (25 laps)
1. Tommy Smith, Williamstown
2. Tim Hunt, Derby
3. Kasey Beattie, St. Johnsbury
4. Logan Powers, Middlesex
5. Jeffrey Martin, Barre
6. # Trevor Rossi, Washington
7. Matthew Smith, Essex
8. Gary Mullen, Tunbridge
9. Stephen Martin, Craftsbury
10. Dean Switser Jr., Lyndonville

The post Blake Uses Late Pass to Earn Thunder Road Late Model Win appeared first on VtMotorMag.com.

–by T.J. Ingerson (@TJIngerson)
VMM Editor

BARRE — Scott Dragon could have never dreamed of winning a single Thunder Road championship. He now has two.

The Milton driver captured his second “King of the Road” Late Model championship in three years on Thursday night with a runner-up finish in the Jet Service Envelope/Accura Printing 65-lap finale for the Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models.

“Ten years ago, I never would have dreamed that I would have even gotten one,” Dragon said. “I didn’t run here weekly. I would come up here and help Eric Chase and would think about how cool it would be to be able to race on Thursday nights.

“I got the opportunity with Richard Green and (the team) and it’s been a blast. They know how to make a car go around here. And Joe (Becker) kind of tuned me in on the track a little bit. It’s been awesome.

“It’s pretty awesome.”

Dragon entered the night nine points ahead of Jason Corliss and ten points ahead of Trampas Demers in the Late Model championship standings. After heat race qualifying, Corliss had narrowed the gap down to seven points with Demers 11 back.

“Jason (Corliss) was really the one I was worried about,” Dragon said.” I knew going in that if Jason didn’t win it, that I had a seven point buffer.

“I was feeling pretty good and the car was good.”

The eventual champion started the 65-lap finale from the 13th position and was the first of the championship contenders to break free from the middle of the pack. Dragon began to close in on the race leaders and battle with eventual race winner Cody Blake, but as he did, Corliss was able to work past Demers and reel in Dragon.

“I knew that once I got back to the bottom late in the race I was able to gap Jason a little bit if I hit my line right,” Dragon said. “A late caution may have thrown something into it, but I was having fun battling with Cody Blake there at the end.

“Even going into the race, I was feeling confident. We just had a good car.”

Dragon turned in some tense moments during the late stages with Corliss closing in as Dragon battled for the second position with Blake. Dragon and Blake, along with then race leader Boomer Morris, would make incidental contact as they trio raced for the lead.

“Cody (Blake) is a really good race and he’s a clean racer. We’ve raced each other and I’ve given him breaks over the years and he’s given me breaks over the years. I knew that we were racing and that we were having fun.

“I felt that I didn’t have anything to worry about. It was good hard racing.”

Dragon would get past Morris to finish second in the final finishing order of the 65 lap event, and was relieved to claim the championship.

“This is huge to be through this,” Dragon said. “This has been on my mind every day at work, through the weekend. It’s a lot of pressure.

“I know Jason (Corliss) and Trampas (Demers) and I’m sure they were feeling, too. It’s a great season. We all deserved to win this thing; those two are great, great race car drivers.”

Dragon said his season turned around one week before his back-to-back wins in the Governor’s Cup and double point counting Mid-Season championship.

“It was actually the week before (the back-to-back win),” Dragon said of his turnaround. “We knew we were off. The first half of this season I didn’t feel like we were in this hunt. We were about a fourth place car.

“The guys in the shop, we got thinking about it and they made some changes. It doesn’t take a lot sometimes to gain a tenth of a second, and that’s all it takes sometimes. We found it and we were able to maintain it.”

However, Dragon pointed out to one main factor in his run to a second championship that saw him finish outside of the top-ten only once in 14 races.

“The luck has just gone our way the last couple of weeks,” Dragon said. “It came in when we needed it. The car has been really good.

“It just worked out.”

PHOTO: Scott Dragon and his Richard Green Racing team celebrate their second Thunder Road “King of the Road” championship on Thursday night. (T.J. Ingerson/VMM photo)

The post A DREAM: Dragon Earns Second Thunder Road “King of the Road” Crown appeared first on VtMotorMag.com.

Rowley, Mass. driver earns second straight ACT win at Oxford

–by Ricky St. Clair
VMM Correspondent 

OXFORD, Maine — Oxford Plains Speedway has been kind to Eddie MacDonald over the last decade.

The two-time Oxford 250 winner doubled down on American-Canadian Tour races at the three-eighths mile this season by winning the Night Before the 250 ACT 150 Saturday.

The victory marked MacDonald’s seventh of his career at Oxford, which is second behind only New Hampshire Motor Speedway (10).

MacDonald held off Jimmy Hebert on a pair of lap 126 restarts, the second coming after a lengthy delay for a seven-car accident in turns one and two.

MacDonald, who started 10th in the 24-car field, raced to the lead after a lap 51 yellow flag, which was displayed when ACT Late Model Tour points leader Scott Payea was involved in an incident racing for second with Chip Grenier, resulting in both drivers being sent to the rear.

MacDonald survived four restarts over the last 53 circuits and never relinquish the lead.

MacDonald cut Payea’s point lead to 21, with Hebert third and 25 points back, unofficially.

“We needed to get a win,” MacDonald said. “We’ve been struggling, like third, fourth, fifth. Jimmy and Scott, they’ve been really fast.

“It’s definitely great to get a win, especially get a win for (car owner) Freddie Peterson. He loves
winning. We’ve got to try and keep him happy and get another trophy.

“It’s awesome for the guys, and they’ve really worked hard this weekend.”

Hebert, a winner of the previous two points-counting events on the New England Late Model tour, threatened once by pulling alongside MacDonald in lapped traffic but fell off once MacDonald broke free.

Hebert settled for a runner-up result, holding off early-race leader Evan Hallstrom by .439 seconds for second.

“We were a little bit too aggressive with the front end,” Hebert said. “On the restarts, the front end was dragging, and it took a few laps for the tires to build up, and then the caution would come out, and we didn’t have anything for him.”

Hallstrom started on the pole by recording a plus-three in his qualifying heat, and he led laps three to 51 after overtaking Rich Dubeau for the top spot.

Hallstrom collected his first-ever ACT Late Model Tour trophy by finishing on the podium, and the accomplishment occurred only 10 days after his first Late Model victory at Thunder Road International Speedbowl.

Max Dolliver turned heads by finishing fourth in his first career ACT Late Model Tour start after he inside the top five for the last two-thirds of the event, and Rowland Robinson Jr. completed the top-five finishers after racing from 17th on the grid.

Sixth through ninth went to Rich Dubeau, Shawn Swallow, Mike Ziter, Ryan Morgan, while Payea bounced back from his lap 51 penalty and a spin later in the event to finish tenth.

The ACT Late Model Tour will next visit Thunder Road for the Labor Day Classic 200 on Sunday, September 2.

VtMotorMag.com will have more from the ACT Late Model Tour event on the Night Before the 250 soon.

PHOTO: Eddie MacDonald celebrates his second straight ACT Late Model Tour win at Oxford Plains Speedway on Saturday night. (T.J. Ingerson/VMM photo)

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS — Night Before the 250 ACT 150
ACT Late Model Tour
Oxford Plains Speedway, Oxford, Maine
Saturday, August 25, 2018

Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)

1. (10) Eddie MacDonald, Rowley, Mass.
2. (9) Jimmy Hebert, Williamstown, Vt.
3. (1) # Evan Hallstrom, Northfield, Vt.
4. (6) Max Dolliver, Londonderry, N.H.
5. (17) Rowland Robinson Jr., Steuben, Maine
6. (2) Rich Dubeau, Lebanon, N.H.
7. (3) Shawn Swallow, Stark, N.H.
8. (20) Mike Ziter, Barre, Vt.
9. (7) Ryan Morgan, Gales Ferry, Conn.
10. (11) Scott Payea, Milton, Vt.
11. (14) # Dylan Payea, Milton, Vt.
12. (4) # Christopher Pelkey, South Barre, Vt.
13. (8) Brian Tagg, Oxford, Mass.
14. (24) Craig Weinstein, East Walpole, Mass.
15. (18) Matt Anderson, Franklin, N.H.
16. (13) Bryan Mason, Stark, N.H.
17. (23) # Reilly Lanphear, Duxbury, Vt.
18. (22) Jason Larivee Jr., West Greenwich, R.I.
19. (12) Claude Leclerc, Lanoarie, Que.
20. (19) # Peyton Lanphear, Duxbury, Vt.
21. (15) Corey Mason, Groveton, N.H.
22. (16) Jimmy Linardy, Somerville, Mass.
23. (21) Russ Clark, Littleton, N.H.
24. (5) Chip Grenier, Graniteville, Vt.

Did not start: Mike Foster, Montpelier, Vt.

The post MacDonald Doubles Down at Oxford appeared first on VtMotorMag.com.

–by T.J. Ingerson (@TJIngerson)
VMM Editor

OXFORD, Maine — Bubba Pollard showed he was a quick learner Sunday at Oxford Plains Speedway.

The Southeast Super Late Model star took the lead from Travis Benjamin just before a lap 219 caution and then held off two two-time Oxford 250 champions to earn himself the Northeast racing’s grandest prize — the 45th annual Clark’s Scrap Metal Oxford 250.

“Man, there’s so many people on that damn social media that talks, and they’re like, ‘Bubba Pollard won’t come up here ‘cause of heat races,’” Pollard said. “Well, hell, I just won the Oxford 250.

“So that’s all I gotta say.”

The Senoia, Georgia driver started in the 29th position and slowly made his way through the field to sit just outside of the top five by the midway point of the event. Then, a lap 129 caution flag saw a host of cars, including Pollard, head down pit road for the first time for four tires.

After the pit stop, Pollard had moved his way back inside of the top 10 until a lap-198 caution saw Pollard head back down pit road for two more tires. With pit strategy and many of the leaders pitting for their four tires, Pollard was able to get to sixth just before lap 200.

Pollard restarted outside of Benjamin on lap 206 and led lap 207 before Benjamin moved back ahead. Pollard stayed in close quarters until he was able to move to Benjamin’s inside on lap 218 on the frontstretch and take the lead for keeps.

From there, Pollard would hold off Benjamin and another two-time Oxford 250 winner, Ben Rowe, to claim one of the biggest wins of his racing career.

“Yes, this is a big race, but I used to put pressure on myself when I was younger,” Pollard said. “Now, I just treat it like another race. I get excited, but I try to not let it out.

“When I come to these places for the first time, there is no pressure. There is no expectations. I feel like some of the fans put pressure on me, and I didn’t realize how big it was until I stepped in here this morning.”

Pollard’s team had an up and down two days of practice before Sunday’s event.

On Friday, the team left confident, but Saturday’s roller coaster and the extra time spent getting his number 26 car right helped propel him to victory.

“We worked 3 hours on Friday after every (other team) left,” Pollard said. “Saturday, we worked another 3 hours. It was seven, eight o’clock when we left. Everyone was loaded up.

“I hate it for my guys. They want to come up here and have fun, but they want to win. They do what it takes to win.”

Pollard led 33 laps — 32 which came during the stretch to the checkered flag to earn a payday of $28,300.

Joey Polewarczyk Jr. of Hudson, N.H. was one of the cars that used the pit twice strategy and ran to the front after the first four-tire pit stop, but got shuffled back after the second pit stop and lost ground to eventual winner Pollard. Polewarczyk was able to weave his way back through the field to finish second.

Reid Lanpher of Manchester, Maine, was able to make a late race charge to finish third while Garrett Hall led a race high 166 laps to earn himself a payday of $20,600 with a fourth place finish. Joey Doiron completed the top-five finishers.

D.J. Shaw finished sixth while Benjamin fell back to seventh after he led the race with 32 laps left. Mike Hopkins and Brandon Barker finished eighth and ninth while Ben Rowe, who was second on the final restart, had an issue and fell back to tenth when the checkered flag flew.

VtMotorMag.com will have more from the 45th Annual Clark’s Scrap Metals Oxford 250 soon.

PHOTO: Bubba Pollard celebrates his win in the 45th Annual Clark’s Scrap Metal Oxford 250 on Sunday at Oxford Plains Speedway. (T.J. Ingerson/VMM photo)

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS — 45th Annual Clark’s Scrap Metal Oxford 250
PASS North Super Late Models
Oxford Plains Speedway, Oxford, Maine
Sunday, August 26, 2018

Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown

1. (29) Bubba Pollard, Senoia, Ga.
2. (21) Joey Polewarczyk Jr., Hudson, N.H.
3. (2) Reid Lanpher, Manchester, Maine
4. (1) Garrett Hall, Scarborough, Maine
5. (6) Joey Doiron, Berwick, Maine
6. (12) D.J. Shaw, Center Conway, N.H.
7. (7) Travis Benjamin, Morrill, Maine
8. (32) Mike Hopkins, Hermon, Maine
9. (18) Brandon Barker, Windham, Maine
10 (27) Ben Rowe, Turner, Maine
11. (16) Eddie MacDonald, Rowley, Mass.
12. (17) Wyatt Alexander, Ellsworth, Maine
13. (30) Ray Christian, Uncasville, Conn.
14. (31) Dave Farrington Jr., Jay, Maine
15. (20) Joe Squeglia, Derry, N.H.
16. (19) Calvin Rose Jr., Turner, Maine
17. (22) Kelly Moore, Scarborough, Maine
18. (11) Wayne Helliwell Jr., Dover, N.H.
19. (33) Nick Sweet, Barre, Vt.
20. (42) Shawn Martin, Turner, Maine
21. (35) Derek Griffith, Hudson, N.H.
22. (28) Tim Brackett, Buckfield, Maine
23. (4) Johnny Clark, Hallowell, Maine
24. (38) Kyle Reid, Sydney, N.S.
25. (15) Bryan Kruczek, Newmarket, N.H.
26. (40) Cole Butcher, Porters Lake, N.S.
27. (10) Scott McDaniel, Livermore, Maine
28. (25) Tracy Gordon, Strong, Maine
29. (5) Mike Rowe, Turner, Maine
30. (13) Austin Theriault, Fort Kent, Maine
31. (37) Lonnie Sommerville, Barnsville, N.B.
32. (8) Jeff Taylor, Farmington, Maine
33. (36) Gabe Brown, Center Conway, N.H.
34. (9) Austin Teras, Gray, Maine
35. (14) Glen Luce, Turner, Maine
36. (24) Cassius Clark, Farmington, Maine
37. (34) Curtis Gerry, Waterboro, Maine
38. (39) Kodie Conner, Kannapolis, N.C.
39. (41) Scott Robbins, Dixfield, Maine
40. (26) Ryan Robbins, Dixfield, Maine
41. (3) T.J. Brackett, Buckfield, Maine
42. (23) Alan Tardiff, Lyman, Maine

The post NORTHERN INVADER: Pollard Wins 45th Oxford 250 appeared first on VtMotorMag.com.

Chaffee flips title fight with Modified win; Hull earns another Midget win

BRADFORD — Bob Kilburn scored a popular career first win on Saturday night at Bear Ridge Speedway.

The Fair Haven driver led all 30 laps in the Wells River Chevrolet Sportsman Coupe feature event. It was the first win in his racing career that started just five years ago at the age of 58.

Kilburn, who is a popular figure in the pit area with other drivers, was greeted by nearly half of his fellow competitors in victory lane to offer their congratulations.

Kilburn started from the pole position and was forced to hold off former division champion Jason Colbeth over much of the event.

Colbeth, of Newbury, settled for second while multi-time champion Josh Harrington finished third. Jason Horniak and Earl Maxham finished fourth and fifth while Matt Ellsworth, Todd Hayward, Chris LaForest, Melvin Pierson, and Tad Kingsbury completed the top-ten finishers.

Kevin Chaffee flipped the Sabil & Sons DIRTcar Sportsman Modified championship standings one more time with his third win of the season.

The Bradford driver used a lap 36 restart to get by then race leader Mike Dunn to claim the win an retake the points lead with just four championship events remaining.

Richie Simmons of Bradford settled for second while freshman Modified driver Tanner Siemons posted a career best of third. Robert Tucker, who fell to second in the championship standings, finished fourth while Dunn fell back to fifth after the final restart.

Adam Pierson, Ryan Christian, Terry Williams, Jordan Fornwalt, and Jeremy Huntoon finished sixth through tenth, unofficially.

Unofficially, Chaffee leads Tucker by six points entering their Valley Floors Night championship event on Saturday, September 1.

Will Hull earned his fifth Laquerre’s Sport USAC Dirt Midget Association feature win of the season at Bear Ridge in their 25-lap event.

The Plainfield driver took the lead from his Seals-It teammate Seth Carlson with just three laps left to claim the win.

Adam Whitney finished second while Joe Krawiec was third. Jeff Horn and Derek O’Hearn completed the top-five finishers while Justin Phillips, points leader Jason Goff, David Moniz, Coupe driver Harrington, and Brandon Emerson.

Carlson finished 11th in the running order after he spun shortly after he lost the lead and subsequently penalized for a post-race procedural violation.

Ryan Christian took his 11th win in the C.A. Miller Limited Late Model feature after a one-week hiatus from the winner’s circle.

Last week’s winner, John Neddo, finished second with Walt Hammond Jr. finished third. Toby Stark and George Osgood Jr. completed the top-five finishers.

Kelly Miller Jr. earned his second Weglarz Property Service Four Cylidner win in three weeks in their 20-lap feature.

The Johnson driver held off Jason Porter in the final run to the checkered flag when Miller worked lapped traffic, which allowed Porter to challenge for the race lead.

Porter, of Freeport, Maine, finished second with Owen Carbee third. Jesse Durkee and rookie Cody Copeland completed the top-five finishers. Apparent third place finisher Buddy Welch was penalized for a post-race procedural violation.

Eric Relation claimed the win in the 500cc Granite State Mini Sprint feature event while Kyle Belliveau earned the win in the 600cc Granite State Mini Sprint feature.

Bear Ridge Speedway will continue their 51st season of racing on Saturday, September 1 with Valley Floors Night. The Sprint Cars of New England and USAC Dirt Midget Association will be competing, as weill the Mike Estrada State Farm four- and six-cylinder enduro. Post time is 6:00pm.

PHOTOS:
1 – Bob Kilburn celebrates his first career feature win in any division on Saturday night at Bear Ridge Speedway as he earned the win in the Wells River Chevrolet Sportsman Coupe event. (Alan Ward photo)
2 – Kevin Chaffee visited victory lane for third time this season in the Sabil & Sons DIRTcar Sportsman Modified feature event. (Alan Ward photo)

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS — Dead River Co. Night
Bear Ridge Speedway, Bradford, Vt.
Saturday, August 25, 2018

Pos.-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)

Sabil & Sons DIRTcar Sportsman Modifieds (40 laps)
1. Kevin Chaffee, Bradford
2. Richie Simmons, Bradford
3. # Tanner Siemons, Orford, N.H.
4. Robert Tucker, Bradford
5. Mike Dunn, North Haverhill, N.H.
6. Adam Pierson, East Corinth
7. Ryan Christian, Canaan, N.H.
8. Terry Williams, Wells River
9. Jordan Fornwalt, Bradford
10. Jeremy Huntoon, Newbury

Wells River Chevrolet Sportsman Coupes (30 laps)
1. Bob Kilburn, Fair Haven
2. Jason Colbeth, Newbury
3. Josh Harrington, Topsham
4. Jason Horniak, Bradford
5. Earl Maxham, Enfield, N.H.
6. Matt Ellsworth, Corinth
7. Todd Hayward, Bradford
8. Chris LaForest, Barre
9. Melvin Pierson, Corinth
10. Tad Kingsbury, Corinth

Laquerre’s Sport USAC Dirt Midget Association (25 laps)
1. Will Hull, Plainfield
2. Adam Whitney, Warren
3. Joe Krawiec, Bristol, Conn.
4. Jeff Horn, Ashland, Mass.
5. Derek O’Hearn, Bristol, N.H.
6. Justin Phillips, West Suffield, Conn.
7. Jason Goff, Preston Hollow, N.Y.
8. David Moniz, Fairhaven, Mass.
9. Josh Harrington, Topsham
10. Brandon Emerson, Williamstown

C.A. Miller Limited Late Models (20 laps)
1. Ryan Christian, Canaan, N.H.
2. John Neddo, Barre
3. Walt Hammond Jr., Canaan, N.H.
4. Toby Stark, Canaan, N.H.
5. George Osgood Jr., Corinth

Weglarz Property Service Four Cylinders (20 laps)
1. Kelly Miller Jr., Johnson
2. Jason Porter, Freeport, Maine
3. Owen Carbee, South Ryegate
4. Jesse Durkee, South Royalton
5. # Cody Copeland, East Corinth

The post Kilburn Scores Popular Career First at Bear Ridge appeared first on VtMotorMag.com.

Ten drivers score wins on night of double features

(From track press release)

WEST RUTLAND — Ten different dirt track stock car drivers visited victory lane at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Sunday, August 26, as the Sugar & Spice Restaurant presented its annual “Double Stack Night” program. A full card of double feature races for all five weekly divisions – plus the seventh annual “Great North American Pancake Eating Championship” – meant a busy night for everyone, but the whole event was completed by 9:15 p.m.

Veteran driver Tim LaDuc and young up-and-comer Jake Scarborough split wins in the twin 20-lap races for the Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modified division. LaDuc stole the show in the opening race, leading only the final 50 feet. Mike Palmer started on the pole position and led the whole way, but Orwell, Vt., runner LaDuc tracked him down with five laps left and began making a bid for the point.

LaDuc tried repeatedly to get under Palmer on the inside lane, but ran out of room in every attempt except the final one; the pair drag-raced to the checkers with LaDuc beating Palmer by a bumper for his first win of the year. Ron Proctor had a consistent drive to finish third ahead of Allan Hammond and rookie Jeff Washburn.

The second Sportsman race was a battle as well, as Brandon, Vt.’s Jake Scarborough and hometown driver Billy Lussier ran out front. Scarborough led the first lap before Lussier took over for the next 11 circuits. Lussier’s handling began fall off, though, and Scarborough nosed ahead at lap 13 and never looked back. The victory was the first of Scarborough’s career at Devil’s Bowl.

Josh Sunn got by Lussier late in the race to take the runner-up spot, reversing a streak of bad luck that slowed a championship-level pace early in the season. Lussier finished third, with Adam Pierson and Joey Scarborough – the winner’s twin brother – rounding out the top five. The results of the second Sportsman feature are unofficial pending a review of post-race technical inspection.

The championship point battle tightened slightly, and leader Kenny Tremont Jr. now holds a 33-point advantage on Joey Scarborough, 607-574, with LaDuc in third place at 568.

The O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman division had good action in its twin 15-lap features, with Travis Billington and Joey Roberts scoring the wins. South Glens Falls, N.Y., youngster Billington spoiled the party for Tanner Forbes in the first race; Forbes had a big lead with two laps left when a caution flag came out for a spun car, bringing Billington to him for a double-file restart. Billington wasted no time and took the lead, streaking to his fifth win of the year. Forbes was a career-best second ahead of Roberts, Matt Bilodeau, and Brent Warren.

Fletcher, Vt., racer Roberts was a convincing winner in the second feature, taking the lead from Mike Parodi on a restart just past the halfway point and running away for his fourth win. Warren finished second with Adam Piper third, Billington fourth, and Bilodeau fifth. Warren leads the standings at 749 points, but Billington (729), Roberts (723), and Paolo Pascarella (721) are all within 28 markers entering the final month of racing.

Twin 15s in the Super Stock division saw division dominator Chris Murray and longtime racer Garrett Given cop the victories. Fair Haven, Vt., driver Murray eased a two-week run of bad luck with a dominant win in the first race; he took the lead from Scott FitzGerald at lap 6 and checked out on the field. FitzGerald was the runner-up over Joey Trudeau, Jim McKiernan, and Matt Mosher.

The second race nearly saw a big upset as underdogs Trevor Hurlburt and Ronnie Alger led lots of laps. A caution flag with three laps left interrupted Alger’s lead and allowed Cornwall, Vt., driver Given to push his Camaro to the outside lane on a crazy restart to sail to his first win of the year. A jumbled field shook out with Curtis Condon second, Alger third, Kevin Elliot fourth, and FitzGerald fifth. With eight wins in 15 races, Murray has built a commanding 71-point lead on Condon, 759-688, with FitzGerald hot on Condon’s heels just four points behind.

A pair of 12-lappers for the Portland Glass Mini Stock division saw repeat winners Mike Preston and Johnny Bruno share the spotlight. Panton, Vt., runner Preston took the first race despite a determined challenge from Shawn Moquin that came down to the final corner; it was Preston’s third win of the season. Bruno finished third behind Moquin, followed by Kaleb Shepard and Brad Bertrand in his first appearance of the year.

The nightcap saw 15 year-old Bruno, of Castleton, Vt., slice through traffic and build a commanding lead for his second win in three weeks. Mike Lique was second, just ahead of a scramble in the last corner that left Bertrand in third place and Moquin wrecked in the wall. Shepard took fourth and Tim Simonds was fifth.

Title contender Chris Conroy sold his car during the week and has taken a break from racing, which leaves Shepard with a huge 81-point lead over Moquin, 706-625.

Two 16 year-olds ran to the checkered flag in the twin 12-lap races for the Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprint division, with rookie Dakota Green and sophomore driver Colby Beinhaur taking top honors. Green, of Eagle Bridge, N.Y., was the surprise winner of the first race; his teammate Alex Bell – moonlighting from his regular gig in the Sportsman Modified division – had a massive lead in his first Mini Sprint race, but the car slowed on the final lap and Green and the field quickly reeled him in. Green stole his first-ever win and finished ahead of Beinhaur, Austin Chaves, Shawn McPhee, and Bell, who coasted across the finish line.

It was Shoreham, Vt., racer Beinhaur who dominated the second race for his second win of the year. Kevin Smith was in the thick of things in both races and finished strong as the runner-up. Green, McPhee, and first-time Mini Sprint racer Jason Sabourin completed the top five.

Cody O’Brien continues to lead the Mini Sprint title chase with a 13-point edge on Chaves, 525-512. Green inched closer with his strong double-feature effort and sits third at 493 points.

The gastronomic spectacle which was the seventh annual Sugar & Spice “Great North American Pancake Eating Championship” was held at intermission, and a new all-time record was set by Allen Jones of Rutland, Vt., who mowed through 14 pancakes doused in Vermont maple syrup in just five minutes; Jones’ win was his second in a row and third overall. Eleven year-old Alex Messer of Fair Haven, Vt., won the junior division by cramming six flapjacks in his belly to tie the all-time record for kids; Messer also won in 2015.

Devil’s Bowl Speedway is back on Sunday, September 2, as The Stove Depot presents a jam-packed Labor Day weekend special event featuring the Sprint Cars of New England and a fireworks show, along with all five weekly divisions. Special general admission is $18 for adults, $15 for seniors (age 62+), $5 for teens (age 13-17 with proof of age), and free for kids age 12 and under. Gates open at 4:30 p.m. and racing starts at 6:00 p.m.

Devil’s Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, Vt., four miles north of U.S. Route 4, Exit 2, and just 20 minutes from Rutland, Vt. For more information, visit www.DevilsBowlSpeedwayVT.com or call (802) 265-3112. Devil’s Bowl Speedway is on Facebook at facebook.com/DevilsBowlSpeedway and on Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat at @DevilsBowlSpeed; follow the action using the #DevilsBowl hashtag.

PHOTO: Jake Scarborough (#24S) of Brandon, Vt., makes the winning pass on Billy Lussier (#25) in Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modified action.  (Alan Ward photo)

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS — Sugar & Spice “Double Stack” Night
Devil’s Bowl Speedway, West Haven, Vt.
Sunday, August 26, 2018

Pos.-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)

Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modifieds Feature #1 (20 laps)
1. Tim LaDuc, Orwell
2. Mike Palmer, Salisbury
3. Ron Proctor, Charlton, N.Y.
4. Allan Hammond, Canaan, N.H.
5. # Jeff Washburn, Benson
6. Justin Comes, Middlebury
7. Vince Quenneville Jr., Brandon
8. # Marty Kelly, North Bennington
9. Kenny Tremont Jr., West Sand Lake, N.Y.
10. # Tanner Siemons, Orford, N.H.

Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modifieds Feature #2 (20 laps)
1. Jake Scarborough, Brandon
2. Josh Sunn, White River Junction
3. Billy Lussier, Fair Haven
4. Adam Pierson, East Corinth
5. Joey Scarborough, Brandon
6. Jimmy Ryan, Shoreham
7. Kenny Tremont Jr., West Sand Lake, N.Y.
8. Tim LaDuc, Orwell
9. Vince Quenneville Jr., Brandon
10. # Tanner Siemons, Orford, N.H.

O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman Feature #1 (15 laps)
1. Travis Billington, South Glens Falls, N.Y.
2. Tanner Forbes, Jay, N.Y.
3. Joey Roberts, Fletcher
4. Matt Bilodeau, Pittsford
5. Brent Warren, Salisbury
6. Paolo Pascarella, Troy, N.Y.
7. Adam Piper, Leicester
8. James Hanson, Orwell
9. Jim Mattison, Hudson Falls, N.Y.
10. Montgomery Tremont, West Sand Lake, N.Y.

O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman Feature #2 (15 laps)
1. Joey Roberts, Fletcher
2. Brent Warren, Salisbury
3. Adam Piper, Leicester
4. Travis Billington, South Glens Falls, N.Y.
5. Matt Bilodeau, Pittsford
6. Mike Parodi, South Glens Falls, N.Y.
7. Montgomery Tremont, West Sand Lake, N.Y.
8. Tanner Forbes, Jay, N.Y.
9. Jim Mattison, Hudson Falls, N.Y.
10. Larry Gallipo, West Rutland

Super Stocks Feature #1 (15 laps)
1. Chris Murray, Fair Haven
2. Scott FitzGerald, West Rutland
3. Joey Trudeau, Hague, N.Y.
4. Jim McKiernan, Moriah Center, N.Y.
5. Matt Mosher, Queensbury, N.Y.
6. Lou Gancarz, North Adams, Mass.
7. Randy Alger, Fair Haven
8. Garrett Given, Cornwall
9. Curtis Condon, Queensbury, N.Y.
10. Kevin Elliott, Rutland

Super Stocks Feature #2 (15 laps)
1. Garrett Given, Cornwall
2. Curtis Condon, Queensbury, N.Y.
3. Ronnie Alger, Orwell
4. Kevin Elliott, Rutland
5. Scott FitzGerald, West Rutland
6. # Andrew FitzGerald, West Rutland
7. Trevor Hurlbert, Fair Haven
8. Chris Murray, Fair Haven
9. Larry Bristol, Rutland
10. Lou Gancarz, North Adams, Mass.

Portland Glass Mini Stocks Feature #1 (12 laps)
1. Mike Preston, Panton
2. Shawn Moquin, Milton
3. Johnny Bruno, Castleton
4. Kaleb Shepard, Vergennes
5. Brad Bertrand, Ferrisburgh

Portland Glass Mini Stocks Feature #2 (12 laps)
1. Johnny Bruno, Castleton
2. Mike Lique, West Lebanon, N.H.
3. Brad Bertrand, Ferrisburgh
4. Kaleb Shepard, Vergennes
5. Tim Simonds, Clarendon

Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprints Feature #1 (12 laps)
1. # Dakota Green, Eagle Bridge, N.Y.
2. Colby Beinhaur, Shoreham
3. Austin Chaves, Chester
4. # Shawn McPhee, Rutland
5. Alex Bell, Cambridge N.Y.

Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprints Feature #2 (12 laps)
1. Colby Beinhaur, Shoreham
2. # Kevin Smith, Brandon
3. # Dakota Green, Eagle Bridge, N.Y.
4. # Shawn McPhee, Rutland
5. Jason Sabourin, Vergennes

The post LaDuc, Scarborough Split Wins on “Double Stack” Night at Devil’s Bowl appeared first on VtMotorMag.com.

Maxham tops tight Coupe feature; Welch claims fifth Four Cylinder feature

–by T.J. Ingerson (@TJIngerson)
VMM Editor

BRADFORD — Steven Flint broke through in a big way on Saturday night at Bear Ridge Speedway.

The Orange driver snapped a two-year winless streak to earn his second career Sabil & Sons DIRTcar Sportsman Modified feature win in their 40-lap Valley Floors-sponsored feature event.

Flint patiently sat on race leader Mike Ryan’s rear bumper for much of the first 30 laps until he moved past Ryan on the outside in turn two on lap 28.

From there, Flint was forced to hold off division hotshoe Richie Simmons on a restart with just five laps left to claim the win.

Simmons, of Bradford, settled for second while Jordan Fornwalt ran from 11th to finish third. Ryan Christian finished fourth while Ryan held on for fifth.

Todd Buckwold and Tanner Siemons finished sixth and seventh while point leader Kevin Chaffee extended his point lead with an eighth place finish. Matt Lashua and reigning champion Derek Graham completed the top-ten finishers.

Second place point driver Robert Tucker ran into mechanical issues during the 40-lap feature and unofficially finished 16th. Unofficially, Chaffee will hold a 22-point lead over Tucker with just three races left.

Earl Maxham came out on top of a three-way battle for the lead to earn his second Wells River Chevrolet Sportsman Coupe feature win of the season.

The Enfield, N.H. driver took the lead from Tanner Siemons on lap 24 of the 30-lap Sportsman Coupe feature as Tad Kingsbury looked for a way around the both of them. Maxham then held off a late charge from Kingsbury with Siemons lurking on the final lap to claim the win.

Kingsbury, of Corinth, finished second with Siemons third. Matt Ellsworth and Kevin Dickinson finished fourth and fifth while Jason Horniak Brian Chaffee, Jason Colbeth, Gene Pierson Jr., and Josh Harrington completed the top-ten finishers.

Point leader Melvin Pierson finished 12th, unofficially, and will carry a 45-point advantage over Jason Colbeth with just three races left.

Buddy Welch took the lead on lap three with a three-wide move to claim the win in the 20-lap Weglarz Property Service Four Cylinder feature.

The East Corinth driver dove to the inside of then race leader Robert Audet as Garrett Brown jumped to the outside. Welch held the advantage to take the lead and run to the win.

The win for Welch was his fifth of the season.

Bobby Bell of St. Johnsbury finished third while division point leader Jason Porter extended his advantage with a fourth place finish. Defending champion Jesse Durkee and rookie Cody Copeland completed the top-ten finishers.

Brown, Owen Carbee, Dennis Perry, Kelly Miller Jr., and Danny Doyle finished sixth through tenth, respectively.

Unofficially, Porter extended his advantage from two points to 14 points over second place, which changed from Doyle to Durkee. Doyle will sit in third, six points back of Durkee, with Bobby Bell fourth, just one point shy of Doyle. Race winner Welch sits closeby in fifth, 33 points back.

The Four Cylinders have just two races left on their schedule.

Lacey Hanson won the 30-lap Sprint Cars of New England feature.

Bear Ridge Speedway will continue their 2018 season on Saturday, September 8 with Stauch Security night. Post time is 6:00pm.

PHOTO: Steven Flint captured his second career Sportsman Modified feature win on Saturday night at Bear Ridge Speedway. (T.J. Ingerson/VMM photo)

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS — Valley Floors Night
Bear Ridge Speedway, Bradford, Vt.
Saturday, September 1, 2018

Pos.-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)

Sabil & Sons DIRTcar Sportsman Modifieds (40 laps)
1. Steven Flint, Orange
2. Richie Simmons, Bradford
3. Jordan Fornwalt, Bradford
4. Ryan Christian, Canaan, N.H.
5. Mike Ryan, Chelsea
6. Todd Buckwold, Canaan, N.H.
7. # Tanner Siemons, Orford, N.H.
8. Kevin Chaffee, Bradford
9. Matt Lashua, Canaan, N.H.
10. Derek Graham, Woodsville, N.H.

Wells River Chevrolet Sportsman Coupes (30 laps)
1. Earl Maxham, Enfield, N.H.
2. Tad Kingsbury, Corinth
3. Tanner Siemons, Orford, N.H.
4. Matt Ellsworth, Corinth
5. Kevin Dickinson, Canaan, N.H.
6. Jason Horniak, Bradford
7. Brian Chaffee, Bradford
8. Jason Colbeth, Newbury
9. Gene Pierson Jr., East Corinth
10. Josh Harrington, Topsham

Weglarz Property Service Four Cylinders (20 laps)
1. Buddy Welch, East Corinth
2. Bobby Bell, St. Johnsbury
3. Jason Porter, Freeport, Maine
4. Jesse Durkee, South Royalton
5. # Cody Copeland, East Corinth
6. # Garrett Brown, Concord
7. # Owen Carbee, South Ryegate
8. Dennis Perry, East Corinth
9. Kelly Miller Jr., Johnson
10. Danny Doyle, Rochester

The post Flint Breaks Through for Second Bear Ridge Win appeared first on VtMotorMag.com.

–by T.J. Ingerson (@TJIngerson)
VMM Editor

BRADFORD — Lacey Hanson has earned her fair share of Sprint Car accomplishments, but she may have claimed her most meaningful one on Saturday night at Bear Ridge Speedway.

The multi-time Sprint Cars of New England feature winner and Devil’s Bowl Speedway Sprint Car champion claimed her first Sprint Car win at Bear Ridge in the Sprint Cars of New England Valley Floors 30-lap feature.

“This is awesome,” Hanson said. “I’ve never won (at Bear Ridge) in my Sprint Car. I got my first win in my Mini Sprint here.

“This, this means a lot.”

The Orwell, Vt. driver started the 30-lap feature from the second position and quickly established herself in the lead. From there, Hanson held off all challengers, including multi-time Bear Ridge champion Adam Pierson, on three restarts to claim the win.

Second place point driver Matt Hoyt ran in the top-three for the entire 30-lap distance to finish second while Luke Greenwood ran from a 12th place starting position to finish third. Pierson settled for fourth with Jake Williams fifth.

Tyler Austin, Mike Kondrat, Troy Comeau, Jordan Fornwalt, and Dennis McLeod completed the top-ten finishers, unofficially.

Sprint Cars of New England point leader Will Hull had a rough night as he experienced a wild flip on the frontstretch during his heat race. Hull then hopped in Christine Boesch’s car for the feature, but fell to a mechanical issue near the end after he had moved up to fourth. Unofficially, Hull finished 14th.

The Sprint Cars of New England will continue their 2018 season on Sunday, September 2 at Devil’s Bowl.

PHOTO: Lacey Hanson celebrates her Bear Ridge Speedway Sprint Cars of New England feature win on Saturday night. (T.J. Ingerson/VMM photo)

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS — Valley Floors 30
Sprint Cars of New England
Bear Ridge Speedway, Bradford, Vt.
Saturday, September 1, 2018

Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)

1. (2) Lacey Hanson, Orwell, Vt.
2. (3) Matt Hoyt, Campton, N.H.
3. (12) Luke Greenwood, Hudson, N.H.
4. (8) Adam Pierson, East Corinth, Vt.
5. (4) Jake Williams, Center Tuftonboro, N.H.
6. (10) Tyler Austin, West Fairlee, Vt.
7. (1) Mike Kondrat, Freedom, N.H.
8. (7) Troy Comeau, Warren, N.H.
9. (6) # Jordan Fornwalt, Bradford, Vt.
10. (5) Dennis McLeod, Canaan, N.H.
11. (9) Rick Stone, Cornwall, Conn.
12. (14) Mark Cole, Lebanon, N.H.
13. (11) Ron Giroux, Jewett City, Conn.
14. (13) Will Hull, Plainfield, Vt.
15. (15) Wade Prentice, Campton, N.H.

Did Not Start: Christine Boesch, Canaan, N.H.

The post Hanson Scores Memorable Bear Ridge Sprint Car Win appeared first on VtMotorMag.com.

–by T.J. Ingerson (@TJIngerson)
VMM Editor

BARRE, Vermont — Jason Corliss became one of just eleven drivers on Sunday at Thunder Road.

The hometown driver joined ten other drivers to claim at least one win in Thunder Road’s three granite monument races — the Memorial Day Classic, Labor Day Classic, and Milk Bowl — as he dominated the second half of Sunday’s Coca-Cola Labor Day Classic 200.

“Anytime I sit in this Burnett Scrap Metals Ford I know I got a shot to win,” Corliss said. “As a race car driver, that’s all you can ask for.

“I like winning, like every race car driver. And to be in that position to have race cars that are able to do that is a blessing. I’m really fortunate.”

Corliss joins Larry Demar, Russ Ingerson, Jean-Paul Cabana, Dave Dion, Bobby Dragon, Robbie Crouch, Brent Dragon, Dave Pembroke, John Donahue, and Nick Sweet as winners of all three granite monument races.

The win for Corliss was his second straight ACT Late Model Tour twin at Thunder Road as he claimed the win in the Community Bank 150 earlier this season.

Corliss took the lead from Cody Blake on lap 97 as he ran down the race leader and moved to Blake’s outside to claim the lead.

“Right off the (start), the car felt really good,” Corliss said. “I knew I just had manage my tires, manage the traffic, and just put myself in a good position. It’s really easy to burn tires off in a 200 lap race.

“Thankfully, we were able to pick off some cars really early, ride for a while, and then pick off some more. We had some cautions that helped us and the race flowed really great for us. We had a great race car and we could pick them off when we needed to and ride when we needed to.

“It was just a picture perfect day.”

From there, Corliss would thwart brief challenges from newly crowned Thunder Road champion Scott Dragon on multiple restarts to run to his second career ACT Late Model Tour win and the $5,000 Summer Showdown Series win.

“It’s Scott Dragon and he’s good,” Corliss said of the restarts. “And he’ll do what he needs to do to try and win the race. Yeah, it’s a little nervous, but I knew we had a really good car.

“As long as I didn’t let him get too good of a restart, we were going to be in good shape.”

For Corliss, he was one of the top-four finishers who opted not to pit for their allotted two additional tires.

“We were going to see how the race played out,” Corliss said of his team’s strategy. “You never know what is going to happen with these races. Sometimes pitting is the best strategy.

“For us, I had a feeling that, as a driver and not making the call whether we were pitting or not, I had a feeling that (not pitting) was going to be the winning strategy. With racing here weekly, it’s so hard to make up track position. It’s not like the old surface with no grip and you could get up in the goop and make a lot of moves.”

Dragon, of Milton, Vt., earned his third straight second place finish in the Labor Day Classic.

“There always seems to be someone just a little better in each one,” Dragon said. “I gave it my best shot (on the restarts) on the outside and was able to stay with (Corliss) for longer than I thought I was going to.

“(Corliss) was just a little bit better today. According to my crew chief, I would have a couple of laps where I was a little quicker than him and then he’d have a couple of laps where he was quicker. It was kind of back and forth.”

The hometown fan favorite Blake settled for third after he led the first 96 laps of the 200-lap event while Stephen Donahue finished fourth as the last car who did not pit.

ACT Late Model Tour point leader Scott Payea pitted early and fought to a fifth place finish as the strategy did not work out to their advantage. Payea, of Milton, Vt., was able to get past his closest championship competitor, Eddie MacDonald, late to extend his point lead.

MacDonald finished sixth with Marcel Gravel seventh. Brooks Clark, Kyle Pembroke, and Nick Sweet completed the top-ten finishers.

Unofficially, Payea will hold a 26-point advantage over MacDonald with one race left at Thompson Speedway in October.

Championship contender Jimmy Hebert finished 11th after he suffered drivetrain issues in practice and was left with limited practice. Hebert will have a mathematical chance at Thompson as he will enter 40 points back of Payea.

VtMotorMag.com will have more from the Coca-Cola Labor Day Classic at Thunder Road soon.

PHOTO: Jason Corliss and his Chris Burnett-owned Burnett Scrap Metals team celebrate their Coca-Cola Labor Day Classic win on Sunday at Thunder Road. (T.J. Ingerson/VMM photo)

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS — Coca-Cola Labor Day Classic 200
ACT Late Model Tour
Thunder Road Speedbowl, Barre, Vt.
Sunday, September 2, 2018

Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)

1. (11) Jason Corliss, Barre, Vt.
2. (6) Scott Dragon, Milton, Vt.
3. (1) Cody Blake, Barre, Vt.
4. (7) Stephen Donahue, Graniteville, Vt.
5. (10) Scott Payea, Milton, Vt.
6. (20) Eddie MacDonald, Rowley, Mass.
7. (18) Marcel Gravel, Wolcott, Vt.
8. (15) Brooks Clark, Fayston, Vt.
9. (5) Kyle Pembroke, Montpelier, Vt.
10. (22) Nick Sweet, Barre, Vt.
11. (16) Jimmy Hebert, Williamstown, Vt.
12. (3) Josh Masterson, Bristol, Vt.
13. (24) Boomer Morris, Barre, Vt.
14. (8) Rich Dubeau, Lebanon, N.H.
15. (2) Bobby Therrien, Hinesburg, Vt.
16. (17) # Christopher Pelkey, South Barre, Vt.
17. (14) Tyler Cahoon, St. Johnsbury, Vt.
18. (21) # Dylan Payea, Milton, Vt.
19. (13) Corey Mason, Groveton, N.H.
20. (25) Claude Leclerc, Lanoarie, Que.
21. (23) Mike Ziter, Barre, Vt.
22. (9) Darrell Morin, Richmond, Vt.
23. (19) Brian Tagg, Oxford, Mass.
24. (4) # Brendan Moodie, Wolcott, Vt.
25. (26) # Evan Hallstrom, Northfield, Vt.
26. (12) Eric Chase, Milton, Vt.

The post Corliss Joins Exclusive List with Thunder Road ACT Win appeared first on VtMotorMag.com.

Whittemore, Hull celebrate championships

(From track press release)

WEST HAVEN — A big holiday crowd packed the grandstands at Devil’s Bowl Speedway to see Justin Comes and Adam Pierson take top honors at The Stove Depot Labor Day Special on Sunday, September 2. Other race winners included Paolo Pascarella, Chris Murray, Mike Preston, and rookie John McPheeJr., and come-from-behind championship titles were wrapped up by Brian Whittemore and Will Hull.

Comes put on a show in the 30-lap feature race for the Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modified division of the weekly NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. The Middlebury, Vt., racer started 10th and worked his through traffic on the far outside lane, living up to his “High Side Hustler” nickname. Comes passed John St. Germain Jr. for the lead at lap 18 and briefly sailed away from the pack, but track championship point leader Kenny Tremont Jr. chased Comes down and caught him in the final two laps.

Tremont pulled even with Comes during the final lap, but Comes was able to hold him off in a furious drive to the finish line. St. Germain posted his best finish of the year by a long shot with third place, and Adam Pierson was fourth.

Low-buck underdog Brian Whittemore finished fifth in the race and clinched the first-ever championship in the five-race Central Vermont Motorcycles “Challenger Series” for drivers who had not won a dirt track feature race at Devil’s Bowl in the modern era since 2010. Whittemore received a big cheer from the crowd in victory lane.

Double-duty driver Pierson scored a career milestone with his first win in a winged Sprint Car, with a dominating performance in the 25-lap race for the visiting Sprint Cars of New England tour. The East Corinth, Vt., driver recently stepped into the Bruce Clattenburg-owned No. 8 car in a fill-in role and needed just three weeks to get to victory lane.

Will Hull and Bobby Hackel had a very entertaining battle for the runner-up spot, which originally went to Hackel, but he was penalized two positions by race control for driving under the inner tire barrier to complete a pass. That put Hull into the second position officially, followed by Matt Hoyt, Hackel, and Dan Douville.

Hull, of Plainfield, Vt., clinched the five-race Sprint Car track championship by overtaking Douville in the point standings, and just 24 hours after a violent flip at Bear Ridge Speedway nearly destroyed his car.

Eighteen year-old Paolo Pascarella of Troy, N.Y., earned his first win in three months in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman division, dominating a 20-lap race. Pascarella shot from fifth place at the start to take the lead from Larry Gallipo five laps into the race, and had no trouble walking away with the win. Travis Billington came from 11th to finish second, ahead of point leader Brent Warren. Joey Roberts was fourth and Gallipo scored his first-ever top-five finish.

It wasn’t even close in the 20-lap Super Stock feature, as Fair Haven, Vt.’s Chris Murray won by more than half a lap for his ninth victory of the season. Curtis Condon rebounded from a trip off the backstretch at the midway point in the race to finish second. Josh Bussino, Scott FitzGerald, and Kevin Elliott completed the top five.

Mike Preston of Panton, Vt., ran to his fourth win of the year in the 15-lap race for the Portland Glass Mini Stocks. Tim Simonds reeled Preston in over the final laps but settled for a career-best second place. Point leader Kaleb Shepard took third over Brad Bertrand and Shawn Moquin.

Thirteen year-old John McPhee Jr. became the latest rookie to break through in the Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprint division. The Rutland, Vt., racer led every lap and survived two late restarts against recent winners Colby Beinhaur and Dakota Green, who finished second and third, respectively. Robert Griffin was fourth in his first race since June, and Shawn McPhee – the winner’s twin brother – finished fifth.

Devil’s Bowl Speedway is back in action on Sunday, September 9, as Casella Waste Management presents the Leon Gonyo Memorial 50-lap special for the Sportsman Modifieds – the final tune-up before the historic Interstate All Battery Center Vermont 200 on Sept. 15-16. All five weekly divisions will be on the card, along with the Ladies Mini Stocks. Regular general admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors (age 62+), $5 for teens (age 13-17 with proof of age), and free for kids age 12 and under. Gates open at 4:30 p.m. and racing starts at 6:00 p.m.

Devil’s Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, Vt., four miles north of U.S. Route 4, Exit 2, and just 20 minutes from Rutland, Vt. For more information, visit www.DevilsBowlSpeedwayVT.com or call (802) 265-3112. Devil’s Bowl Speedway is on Facebook at facebook.com/DevilsBowlSpeedway and on Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat at @DevilsBowlSpeed; follow the action using the #DevilsBowl hashtag.

PHOTOS:
1 – Justin Comes (right) of Middlebury, Vt., celebrates his Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modified win with Center Merrill of The Stove Depot. (Josh Ryan photo)
2 – Adam Pierson (left) of East Corinth, Vt., celebrates his Sprint Cars of New England win with Center Merrill of The Stove Depot.  (Josh Ryan photo)
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS — The Stove Depot Labor Day Special
Devil’s Bowl Speedway, West Haven, Vt.
Sunday, September 2, 2018

Pos-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)

Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modifieds (30 laps)
1. Justin Comes, Middlebury
2. Kenny Tremont Jr., West Sand Lake, N.Y.
3. John St. Germain Jr., West Sand Lake, N.Y.
4. Adam Pierson, East Corinth
5. Brian Whittemore, Pittsford
6. Jake Scarborough, Brandon
7. Joey Scarborough, Brandon
8. James Fadden, Plainfield
9. Billy Lussier, Fair Haven
10. Josh Sunn, White River Junction

Sprint Cars of New England (25 laps)
1. Adam Pierson, East Corinth
2. Will Hull, Plainfield
3. Matt Hoyt, Campton, N.H.
4. Bobby Hackel, Rensselaer, N.Y.
5. Dan Douville, Bridgewater, N.H.
6. Lacey Hanson, Orwell
7. Jake Williams, Center Tuftonboro, N.H.
8. Mike Kondrat, Freedom, N.H.
9. Rick Stone, Cornwall, Conn.
10. Bill Guertin, Westfield, Mass.

O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman (20 laps)
1. Paolo Pascarella, Troy, N.Y.
2. Travis Billington, South Glens Falls, N.Y.
3. Brent Warren, Salisbury
4. Joey Roberts, Fletcher
5. Larry Gallipo, West Rutland
6. Mike Ryan, Chelsea
7. Adam Piper, Leicester
8. Matt Bilodeau, Pittsford
9. Taner Forbes, Jay, N.Y.
10. James Hanson, Orwell

Super Stocks (20 laps)
1. Chris Murray, Fair Haven
2. Curtis Condon, Queensbury, N.Y.
3. Josh Bussino, Mount Holly, N.Y.
4. Scott FitzGerald, West Rutland
5. Lou Gancarz, North Adams, Mass.

Portland Glass Mini Stocks (15 laps)
1. Mike Preston, Panton
2. Tim Simonds, Clarendon
3. Kaleb Shepard, Vergennes
4. Brad Bertrand, Ferrisburgh
5. Shawn Moquin, Milton

Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprints (15 laps)
1. # John McPhee Jr., Rutland
2. Colby Beinhaur, Shoreham
3. # Dakota Green, Eagle Bridge, N.Y.
4. Robert Griffin, Newport, N.H.
5. # Shawn McPhee, Rutland

The post Comes and Pierson Tops at Devil’s Bowl Labor Day Special appeared first on VtMotorMag.com.

Hodgdon, Martin secure championships; Hennequin, Wyman, Lee claim wins

–by T.J. Ingerson (@TJIngerson)
VMM Editor

BARRE — Matt Potter shook off a year of bad luck to end his season in victory lane on Sunday afternoon at Thunder Road.

The Marshfield driver led all but two laps en route to victory in the Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tiger feature. Potter was forced to hold off multiple drivers on multiple restarts to claim his first win of the season.

“The way this year is gone, this is awesome,” Potter said. “We’ve had nothing but bad luck.”

The win for Potter was the third of his Flying Tiger career.

Potter started second in the 40-lap Coca-Cola Labor Day Classic Flying Tiger feature and quickly jumped out to the lead over polesitter Adam Maynard. From there, Potter would only surrender the lead once to Sid Sweet Jr. on lap 11 until he reclaimed the lead when Sweet ran into issues on lap 12.

Kyle Streeter made a late race charge to finish second, as did Mike MacAskill, who finished third. Mike Martin and rookie driver Kelsea Woodard finished fourth and fifth while reigning champion Jason Woodard, Cooper Bouchard, Tyler Austin, Kevin Streeter, and Joe Steffen completed the top-ten finishers.

Division champion Joel Hodgdon finished 25th after he ran into issues with Dwayne Lanphear after the two drivers made contact on lap 34 of the event. After the contact, Lanphear proceeded to run into Hodgdon’s car in turn three, move past him, and back into him, ending Hodgdon’s day. Lanphear was parked by race officials.

“I guess the quitter had a problem with me beating him,” Hodgdon said in victory lane about Lanphear. “Hopefully that’s over.

“We won the championship.”

Will Hennequin took advantage of Jacob Roy’s misfortune to claim his 13th career Allen Lumber Street Stock win.

The Hardwick driver started third and quickly moved into second behind Roy. However, as the field worked to complete lap six, Roy’s right tire flew off his car in turn four and handed the lead to Hennequin.

Hennequin would hold onto the race lead after the restart to claim his first win of the season.

“If the 11 car (of Roy) didn’t break, I had nothing for him,” Hennequin admitted in victory lane.

Matthew Smith of Essex Junction got past Juan Marshall late in the 25-lap event to finish second while rookie Marshall of Pittsfield settled for third. Second place point driver Jeffrey Martin and third place point driver Tim Hunt completed the top-five finishers.

Craftsbury’s Stephen Martin claimed the 2018 Street Stock championship with a sixth place finish.

“We definitely started out the year rough,” Martin said. “We had a championship state of mind all year long.

“I know there are a lot of people who said we didn’t earn this, but this (car) has not run good all day. We just pulled it out and I can’t believe it actually happened.”

Dean Switser Jr., Logan Powers, and rookie Tyler Pepin and Bryan Wall finished seventh through tenth, respectively.

Jason Wyman took the lead early in the 20-lap New England Dwarf Car feature to claim the win in their feature event.

The Franconia, N.H. driver was forced to hold off Jeff Ainsworth over the closing laps as Ainsworth worked to cross Wyman over off of the corner multiple times.

“This car was on a rail all day,” Wyman said. “(Jeff Ainsworth) and I were running similar lap times all day.”

Ainsworth, of Bethlehem, N.H. settled for second after he was unable to find a way around Wyman. Colby Bourgeois finished third with Jarred Ainsworth and Chad Dufour fourth and fifth.

Jayme Lee of Williamstown claimed the win in the 20-lap Burnett Scrap Metals feature event. Frank Putney of Graniteville finished second with James Dopp third. Eric Chase and Josh Vilbrin completed the top-five finishers.

Thunder Road’s 2018 season will conclude with the three-day Northfield Savings Bank Milk Bowl weekend event that begins on Friday, September 28.

VtMotorMag.com will have more from the Coca-Cola Labor Day Classic soon.

PHOTOS:
1 – Matt Potter exits his Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tiger in celebration of his win on Sunday afternoon at Thunder Road. (T.J. Ingerson/VMM photo)
2 – Joel Hodgdon and his family team celebrate their Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tiger championship. (T.J. Ingerson/VMM photo)
3 – Stephen Martin celebrates his Allen Lumber Street Stock championship on Sunday afternoon at Thunder Road. (T.J. Ingerson/VMM photo)

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS — Coca-Cola Labor Day Classic
Thunder Road Speedbowl, Barre, Vt.
Sunday, September 2, 2018

Pos.-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)

Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers (40 laps)
1. Matt Potter, Marshfield
2. Kyle Streeter, Waterbury Center
3. Mike MacAskill, Williamstown
4. Mike Martin, Craftsbury
5. # Kelsea Woodard, Waterbury Center
6. Jason Woodard, Waterbury Center
7. # Cooper Bouchard, Hinesburg
8. Tyler Austin, East Calais
9. # Kevin Streeter, Waitsfield
10. Joe Steffen, Grand Isle

Allen Lumber Street Stocks (25 laps)
1. Will Hennequin, Hardwick
2. Matthew Smith, Essex Junction
3. # Juan Marshall, Pittsfield
4. Jeffrey Martin, Barre
5. Tim Hunt, Derby
6. Stephen Martin, Craftsbury
7. Dean Switser Jr., Lyndonville
8. Logan Powers, Middlesex
9. # Tyler Pepin, Barre
10. # Bryan Wall, East Kingston, N.H.

New England Dwarf Cars (20 laps)
1. Jason Wyman, Franconia, N.H.
2. Jeff Ainsworth, Bethlehem, N.H.
3. Colby Bourgeois, St. Johnsbury
4. Jarred Ainsworth, Bethlehem, N.H.
5. Chad Dufour, Littleton, N.H.

Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors (20 laps)
1. Jayme Lee, Williamstown
2. Frank Putney, Graniteville
3. James Dopp, Northfield
4. Eric Chase, Berlin
5. Josh Vilbrin, Northfield

The post Potter Shakes Off Rough Season for Thunder Road Labor Day Win appeared first on VtMotorMag.com.

Dickinson claims first Coupe win; Porter extends lead with fourth Four Cylinder win

–by T.J. Ingerson (@TJIngerson)
VMM Editor

BRADFORD — Mike Dunn snapped a three-year winless streak on Saturday night at Bear Ridge Speedway.

The North Haverhill, N.H. driver led all 40 laps in the Staunch Security-sponsored Sabil & Sons DIRTcar Sportsman Modified feature to earn his first victory since August 15, 2015.

“It’s huge,” Dunn said of his win. “I have a 2011 Bicknell (chassis) and it’s an old race car. It’s been around and it’s been banged up quite a bit.”

Dunn’s only challenge came during the race’s nine restarts that would see Mike Ryan, Jeremy Huntoon, and Tanner Siemons line up to challenge the eventual race winner. The fiercest challenge came from Siemons with two restarts inside the final five laps.

“It was a long time to be in a race car, especially having to keep stopping and going,” Dunn said. “If you have a long stretch, it’s ok, but the stopping and going is tough.

“The car was good all night. I knew that there wasn’t much on the top and the car handled real well. I knew that nobody was going to get by me on the top.”

The freshman Siemons of Orford, N.H. settled for second while point leader Kevin Chaffee made a late race charge from sixth to third on the outside to extend his point lead.

“I thought this car was going to be junk with the way it was going the first 30 laps,” Chaffee said. “It just sucked. We got that last caution and the tires just came to life and it just took off.

“It was awesome.”

Matt Lashua of Canaan, N.H. settled for fourth while multi-time champion Adam Pierson completed the top-five finishers. Sixth through tenth went to Richie Simmons, Terry Williams, second place point driver Robert Tucker, Jordan Fornwalt, and reigning champion Derek Graham.

Unofficially, Chaffee will hold a 27-point advantage over Tucker as the division enters next week’s double-point counting 99Rock New England Dirt Track Championship event. However, Chaffee isn’t looking at the standings with two races left.

“(Having the point lead) is pretty big, but right now, we’re just trying to win every race that we can,” Chaffee said. “The points are going to come out however they come out.

“There is nothing that you can do about it and thinking about it in the car isn’t any good.”

Kevin Dickinson picked up career win number one in the 30-lap Wells River Chevrolet Sportsman Coupe feature.

The Canaan, N.H. driver started from the pole position and led all 30 laps en route to the win. Dickinson was forced to hold off former division champion Gene Pierson Jr. to claim the win.

Pierson, of East Corinth, settled for second with multi-time division champion Josh Harrington third. Rookie pilot Tad Kingsbury and defending champion Brian Chaffee completed the top-ten finishers.

Sixth through tenth went to Tanner Siemons, Jason Horniak, Matt Ellsworth, Todd Hayward, and point leader Melvin Pierson.

Unofficially, Pierson will carry a 46-point leader over Hayward into next week’s double-point counting New England Dirt Track championship event with Jason Colbeth, Horniak, Chris LaForest and Harrington closeby.

Joe Krawiec claimed his second Laquerre’s Sport USAC Dirt Midget Association feature win of the season in the division’s 25-lap event.

The Bristol, Conn. driver took the lead on lap eight from Jeff Horn and held onto the lead through four restarts from both Horn and Adam Whitney to claim the win.

The win was Krawiec’s first since June.

Whitney, of Warren, finished second with series point leader Jason Goff third. Derek O’Hearn and second place point driver Will Hull fifth.

Tim Gallant, Horn, David Moniz, Mike Chaffee, and Dan Douville completed the top-ten finishers.

Two drivers, Justin Phillips and Alex Rose, walked away from separate rollover incidents that brought the red flag out on the field. Both drivers were okay.

Jason Porter of Freeport, Maine made a thrilling three-wide pass to get past Owen Carbee and Kelly Miller Jr. on the race’s final restart with five laps left to claim the win.

The win for Porter was his fourth of the year and extends his point lead with one race left.

Porter lined up third on the final restart behind race leader Carbee and second place Miller when Miller went to Carbee’s outside just as Carbee drifted wide into turn one. That allowed Porter to stay low to their inside to take the lead and claim the win.

Defending champion Jesse Durkee snuck by Carbee to finish second while the rookie Carbee settled for third. Danny Doyle and Buddy Welch completed the top-five finishers while Garrett Brown, Dennis Perry, Miller, Kevin LaForest and Zach Audet finished sixth through tenth.

Unofficially, Porter extended his point lead to 20 points over Durkee with their double-point counting finale next week.
Ryan Christian claimed his 12th C.A. Miller Limited Late Model feature win of the season in their 20-lap event.

The Canaan, N.H. driver had to fight hard for the win with fellow Canaan driver Walt Hammond Jr. Christian was able to sneak by Hammond late in the feature.

Hammond settled for second with Kelly Miller third. George Osgood Jr. and Toby Stark completed the top-five finishers.

Doug McPhail of Tilton, N.H. claimed the win in the 25-lap Wingless Auto Club feature as he held off Jamie Glidden after a late race restart.

Glidden finished second with Mark Cole third. Sam Comeau snuck past his son, Nick Comeau, to finish fourth while Nick settled for fifth.

Bear Ridge Speedway will continue its 51st season on Saturday, September 15 with the 99ROCK New England Dirt Track Championships as double points will be on the line for all four of Bear Ridge’s weekly divisions. The Wingless Auto Club and Granite State Mini Sprints will also make their final appearance of the 2018 season. Post time is 6:00pm.

PHOTO: Mike Dunn celebrates his Bear Ridge Speedway DIRTcar Sportsman Modified win with his wife April on Saturday night. (T.J. Ingerson/VMM photo) 

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS —Staunch Security Night
Bear Ridge Speedway, Bradford, Vt.
Saturday, September 8, 2018

Pos.-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)

Sabil & Sons DIRTcar Sportsman Modifieds (40 laps)
1. Mike Dunn, North Haverhill, N.H.
2. # Tanner Siemons, Orford, N.H.
3. Kevin Chaffee, Bradford
4. Matt Lashua, Canaan, N.H.
5. Adam Pierson, East Corinth
6. Richie Simmons, Bradford
7. Terry Williams, Wells River
8. Robert Tucker, Bradford
9. Jordan Fornwalt, Bradford
10. Derek Graham, Woodsville, N.H.

Wells River Chevrolet Sportsman Coupes (30 laps)
1. Kevin Dickinson, Canaan, N.H.
2. Gene Pierson Jr., East Corinth
3. Josh Harrington, Topsham
4. # Tad Kingsbury, Corinth
5. Brian Chaffee, Bradford
6. Tanner Siemons, Orford, N.H.
7. Jason Horniak, Bradford
8. Matt Ellsworth, Corinth
9. Todd Hayward, Bradford
10. Melvin Pierson, Corinth

Laquerre’s Sport USAC Dirt Midget Association (25 laps)
1. Joe Krawiec, Bristol, Conn.
2. Adam Whitney, Warren
3. Jason Goff, Preston Hollow, N.Y.
4. Derek O’Hearn, Bristol, N.H.
5. Will Hull, Plainfield
6. Tim Gallant, Wales, Mass.
7. Jeff Horn, Ashland, Mass.
8. David Moniz, Fairhaven, Mass.
9. Mike Chaffee, East Corinth
10. Dan Douville, Bridgewater, N.H.

Weglarz Property Service Four Cylinders (20 laps)
1. Jason Porter, Freeport, Maine
2. Jesse Durkee, South Royalton
3. # Owen Carbee, South Ryegate
4. Danny Doyle, Rochester
5. Buddy Welch, East Corinth
6. # Garrett Brown, Concord
7. Dennis Perry, East Corinth
8. Kelly Miller Jr., Johnson
9. Kevin LaForest, Northfield
10. # Zach Audet, Morrisville

C.A. Miller Limited Late Models (20 laps)
1. Ryan Christian, Canaan, N.H.
2. Walt Hammond Jr., Canaan, N.H.
3. Kelly Miller, Elmore
4. George Osgood Jr., Corinth
5. Toby Stark, Canaan, N.H.

Wingless Auto Club (25 laps)
1. Doug McPhail, Tilton, N.H.
2. Jamie Glidden, Campton, N.H.
3. Mark Cole, Lebanon, N.H.
4. Sam Comeau, Hebron, N.H.
5. Nick Comeau, Hebron, N.H.

The post Dunn Ends Winless Streak with Dominant Bear Ridge Modified Win appeared first on VtMotorMag.com.

Murray hits double digits in Super Stocks

(From track press release)

WEST HAVEN — Joey Scarborough did it again at Devil’s Bowl Speedway.

The second-generation Brandon, Vt., driver dominated Casella Waste Systems Night to take his fourth victory of the season in the 50-lap Leon Gonyo Memorial race.  Other winners included Joey Roberts, Chris Murray, Shawn Moquin, Shawn McPhee, and Mary Gardner, in the final event before the blockbuster Interstate All Battery Center Vermont 200 Weekend.

A crisp late summer night threw a curveball into Scarborough’s chassis setup plans, and he struggled through practice, qualifying, and hot laps in the Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modified division of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.  Admitting that the setup his team threw at the car for the feature race was a total guess, Scarborough was surprised – and relieved – that it worked.

Veteran racer Ron Proctor held the lead for the first 18 circuits before Scarborough took over and drove away from the field.  A huge lead was erased by a caution flag, and the ensuing restart brought Tim LaDuc to Scarborough’s rear bumper.  Scarborough survived LaDuc’s challenge, and then outran a charging Adam Pierson in the final 10 laps for the victory.

Pierson and LaDuc completed the podium positions, followed by Jimmy Ryan and Justin Comes.  Point leader Kenny Tremont Jr. finished sixth in front of John St. Germain Jr., Vince Quenneville Jr., Proctor, and Billy Lussier.  Unofficially, Scarborough trails Tremont by 36 points, 701-665, entering the Interstate All Battery Center Vermont 200 Weekend on September 15-16.

Joey Roberts of Fletcher, Vt., notched his fifth win of the season in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman division.  Though it was scheduled to be a 20-lap sprint race, it turned out to be a marathon as several wrecks and spins slowed the pace including a big pileup on the opening lap which destroyed the cars of Mike Ryan and James Hanson.  When the smoke cleared, Roberts had the best car and ran away for the win.

Travis Billington finished second with teammate Mike Parodi third.  Jesse Edwards finished fourth in just his second Devil’s Bowl start, and point leader Brent Warren raced home fifth.  Unofficially, Warren has a narrow 15-point lead on Billington, 845-830, with Roberts third just 21 points behind and Paolo Pascarella only 26 back.

Fair Haven, Vt., driver Chris Murray hit double digit victories in the Super Stocks, winning for the 10th time in 2018.  Murray wasn’t a runaway winner, though, with Josh Bussino and Scott FitzGerald hot on his heels the whole way.  FitzGerald ended up second with Bussino third, Garrett Given fourth, and Andrew FitzGerald fifth.  Murray’s unofficial 81-point lead on Scott FitzGerald (866-785) is nearly unbeatable entering the final two races.

Shawn Moquin of Milton, Vt., was a first-time winner in the 15-lap race for the Portland Glass Mini Stock division.  Moquin needed just one lap to drive from sixth starting position into the lead, and he would never relinquish command; Mike Preston reeled Moquin in but could not mount a challenge.  Johnny Bruno was third ahead of Craig Kirby and Jake Barrows.  Kaleb Shepard has a big 74-point lead on Moquin, 800-726, unofficially.

The 15-lap race for the Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprints ended with a surprise as leader Austin Chaves’ car quit on him three laps from the finish.  Chaves’ lead at the time was nearly half of a lap – so big that the next drivers in line could not see his car and, simply, forgot about him.  When Chaves coasted into the pits, that left twin 13 year-old brothers Shawn and John McPhee of Rutland, Vt., to duke it out with Kevin Smith.  Shawn McPhee led only the last lap after taking the spot away from his brother, for his second win of the year.  John McPhee was second with Smith third, point leader Cody O’Brien fourth, and Colby Beinhaur fifth.  Another 13 year-old, O’Brien, dodged a bullet and retained the point lead, leading Chaves by 24 markers, 608-584.

Mary Gardner of Granville, N.Y., earned her first win in the Ladies Mini Stock division, taking down an eight-lap race.  Gardner held off the hard-charging Morgan Ballard, who was the runner-up, with Jessica Moquin third.  Danielle Beckett was fourth with Connor McKee fifth.

The Interstate All Battery Center Vermont 200 Weekend is next on Sept. 15-16, which is shaping up to be the biggest event in Devil’s Bowl Speedway history.  Saturday’s program begins at 4:00 p.m. and features a 50-lap Super Stock race, the 500cc Mini Sprints, and the Ron Casey Memorial non-winner’s race for Sportsman Modifieds, followed by an open practice session and the annual pig roast barbeque and bonfire party.  Sunday’s event begins at 2:00 p.m. with qualifying for as many as 70 or more Sportsman Modifieds and a 200-lap, $10,000-to-win main event; the King of Dirt Racing Pro Stock Series and the Mini Stocks will also be in action on Sunday.

Admission is $12 on Saturday, $25 on Sunday, or just $30 for the two-day weekend ticket; kids 12 and under will be admitted for free.   Pit passes are $40, good for both days.  Camping is $25 per campsite, good from Friday at noon to Monday at noon.

Devil’s Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, Vt., four miles north of U.S. Route 4, Exit 2, and just 20 minutes from Rutland, Vt.  For more information, visit www.DevilsBowlSpeedwayVT.com or call (802) 265-3112. Devil’s Bowl Speedway is on Facebook at facebook.com/DevilsBowlSpeedway and on Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat at @DevilsBowlSpeed; follow the action using the #DevilsBowl hashtag.

PHOTO: Joey Scarborough (left) of Brandon, Vt., won the Leon Gonyo Memorial 50 for the Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modified division; he was joined in victory lane by a representative from event sponsor Casella Waste Systems (Josh Ryan photo)

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS — Casella Waste Systems Night
Devil’s Bowl Speedway, West Haven, Vt.
Sunday, September 9, 2018

Pos.-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)

Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modifieds (50 laps)
1. Joey Scarborough, Brandon
2. Adam Pierson, East Corinth
3. Tim LaDuc, Orwell
4. Jimmy Ryan, Shoreham
5. Justin Comes, Middlebury
6. Kenny Tremont Jr., West Sand Lake, N.Y.
7. John St. Germain Jr., West Sand Lake, N.Y.
8. Vince Quenneville Jr., Brandon
9. Ron Proctor, Charlton
10. Billy Lussier, Fair Haven

O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman (20 laps)
1. Joey Roberts, Fletcher
2. Travis Billington, South Glens Falls, N.Y.
3. Mike Parodi, South Glens Falls, N.Y.
4. Jesse Edwards, Gansevoort, N.Y.
5. Brent Warren, Salisbury
6. Adam Piper, Leicester
7. Paolo Pascarella, Troy, N.Y.
8. R.J. Germain, Bristol
9. Tanner Forbes, Jay, N.Y.
10. Wayland Childs, Chelsea

Super Stocks (20 laps)
1. Chris Murray, Fair Haven
2. Scott FitzGerald, West Rutland
3. Josh Bussino, Mount Holly
4. Garrett Given, Cornwall
5. # Andrew FitzGerald, West Rutland
6. Matt Mosher, Queensbury, N.Y.
7. Mike Wells, West Chazy, N.Y.
8. Ronnie Alger, Orwell
9. Trevor Hurlburt, Bomoseen
10. Lou Gancarz, North Adams, Mass.

Portland Glass Mini Stocks (15 laps)
1. Shawn Moquin, Milton
2. Mike Preston, Panton
3. Johnny Bruno, Castleton
4. # Craig Kirby, Winooski
5. Jake Barrows, Cornwall

Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprints (15 laps)
1. # Shawn McPhee, Rutland
2. # John McPhee Jr., Rutland
3. # Kevin Smith, Brandon
4. Cody O’Brien, Springfield
5. Colby Beinhaur, Shoreham

Ladies (8 laps)
1. Mary Gardner, Granville, N.Y.
2. Morgan Ballard, Fair Haven
3. Jessica Moquin, Milton

The post Scarborough Dominates for Fourth Devil’s Bowl Win appeared first on VtMotorMag.com.

Top drivers aiming for $10,000 prize on September 16

(From track press release)

WEST HAVEN — A star-studded roster of dirt track Modified stock car drivers is getting ready for the Interstate All Battery Center Vermont 200 at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Sunday, September 16.  The first-of-its-kind race for crate engine Sportsman Modifieds has drawn interest from no less than nine United States and two Canadian provinces, and as many as 70 or more drivers are expected to enter on race day.

Qualifying begins on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. with time trials, heat races, and consolation rounds.  The 200-lap feature event will see a starting field of up to 34 cars gunning for the $10,000 top prize, and two B-mains will each pay $500 to win for non-qualified cars.

Topping the list of drivers expected on Sunday is Brett “The Jet” Hearn, a winner of more than 900 races during his career.  The New Jersey native has not driven a Sportsman car in more than two years and has not raced at Devil’s Bowl Speedway since 2000, but he says he is ready to tackle the new half-mile surface and try to beat the local favorites for the money.  He plans to compete in his own No. 20 car.

Eight-time Devil’s Bowl champion and current point leader Kenny Tremont Jr. will be waiting for Hearn when he arrives.  The West Sand Lake, N.Y., driver has three wins at Devil’s Bowl in 2018 among more than 350 in his career, and he recently beat Hearn for a Super DIRTcar Series Modified win at Lebanon Valley Speedway.

Forty-year racing veteran Hector Stratton of Bennington, Vt., has filed an official entry into the event and looks to add to his 31-win Devil’s Bowl career.  Rising Modified star and former Devil’s Bowl regular Jessey Mueller plans to return to his home track on Sunday; he won a Small Block Modified feature there in July.  Former Albany-Saratoga Speedway champion Marc Johnson – a multi-time winner at Devil’s Bowl – is also expected to compete, as is Empire Super Sprint star Danny Varin.

Other top outsiders who also intend to compete include multi-time Super DIRT Week Sportsman winner Dave Marcuccilli; King of Dirt Racing Sportsman Series champions Connor Cleveland and Rocky Warner; 2018 Northeast Crate Nationals winner Brian Calabrese; current Bear Ridge Speedway point leader Kevin Chaffee and multi-time Bear Ridge champion Adam Pierson, each of whom has won at Devil’s Bowl in 2018; Fonda Speedway champion Chad Edwards, and Glen Ridge Motorsports Park champion Dave Constantino.

Devil’s Bowl will have plenty of home-track representation, including former champions Tim LaDuc, Vince Quenneville Jr., Ron Proctor, Bobby Hackel, and Ray Hoard.  Feature winners from 2018 include twin brothers Jake and Joey Scarborough, Josh Sunn, Mike Palmer, and Justin Comes, along with strong runners Jimmy Ryan, Billy Lussier, Allan Hammond, John St. Germain Jr., and James Fadden.

Top Devil’s Bowl rookies Marty Kelly III and Tanner Siemons are expected, as well as many of the leading Limited Sportsman drivers including top-five point runners Brent Warren, Travis Billington, Joey Roberts, Paolo Pascarella, and Adam Piper.  More drivers are expected to officially enter the event by the end of the week.

The Interstate All Battery Center Vermont 200 Weekend is jam-packed with racing action; also on the card for Sunday are the King of Dirt Racing Pro Stock Series with the 29-lap Carl Vladyka Memorial paying $1,029 to win, and the $1,000-to-win Portland Glass 50 for four-cylinder Mini Stocks.  The two-day event kicks off on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. with a 50-lap, $1,000-to-win Super Stock race, the Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprints, and the Ron Casey Memorial Non-Winners Shootout for Sportsman Modifieds.

Two-day general admission is $30 for adults (age 13+); single-day tickets are available on Saturday for $12 and Sunday for $25; kids age 12 and under are free.  Pit passes are $40, good for both days, and camping passes are $25 each, valid Friday at noon to Monday at noon.  Race entries for the Sportsman Modified division are $75 each, or $30 each for the Super Stock, Mini Stock, and 500cc Mini Sprint divisions.

Sponsorship for the event is underwritten by Interstate All Battery Center of Rutland, with support from Fabian Earth Moving, Portland Glass, Kubricky Construction, and Central Vermont Motorcycles.  Lap sponsorships are still available for $50 each; email devilsbowlspeedway@gmail.com for more information.

Devil’s Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, Vt., four miles north of U.S. Route 4, Exit 2, and just 20 minutes from Rutland, Vt.  For more information, visit www.DevilsBowlSpeedwayVT.com or call (802) 265-3112. Devil’s Bowl Speedway is on Facebook at facebook.com/DevilsBowlSpeedway, and on Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat at @DevilsBowlSpeed; follow the action using the #DevilsBowl hashtag.

PHOTO: Brett Hearn is ready for the Interstate All Battery Center Vermont 200 at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Sunday.  (Photo by Dylan Friebel/RaceProWeekly.com)

The post Hearn Leads List of Stars Expected for Vermont 200 at Devil’s Bowl appeared first on VtMotorMag.com.

Chaves tightens Mini Sprint point battle with fourth win

(From track press release)

WEST HAVEN — The Interstate All Battery Center Vermont 200 Weekend kicked off with a big day of racing at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Saturday, September 15. Ron Proctor, Jim McKiernan, and Austin Chaves opened the biggest event in the track’s history by visiting victory lane, setting up a huge Sunday program.

Proctor sailed to the win in the second annual 20-lap “Ron Casey Memorial” Non-Winners Shootout for the Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modified division. The Charlton, N.Y., driver and two-time Devil’s Bowl track champion had a nearly perfect day, winning his qualifying heat and leading every lap of the feature race.

The race started with a few hiccups as it took the 23 starting drivers to get into a rhythm, but by the fourth lap the racing was top-notch. Vince Quenneville Jr. made a run at Proctor during the second half and even nosed ahead for the lead on the outside lane with six laps left, but a caution period for a spin negated the pass and gave Proctor the lead for the restart.

Proctor pulled away at the final green flag for his first win on a dirt surface at Devil’s Bowl since September 5, 1999; he won in a 10 year-old Teo chassis on coilover shocks – a setup leftover from his dominant years on the former asphalt surface at Devil’s Bowl. Proctor was presented his trophy by the family of Ron Casey in victory lane.

Quenneville settled for second place with James Fadden a strong third. Jimmy Ryan recovered from an early spin to finish fourth, with Fred Proctor fifth. Rookie Marty Kelly III finished sixth ahead of Brian Whittemore, John St. Germain Jr., Joe Williams, and Elmo Reckner.

Jim McKiernan posted the biggest victory of his career in the Super Stock division, taking a 50-lap race that paid $1,000 to win. The Moriah Center, N.Y., veteran first rebounded from a wild crash to win his qualifying heat, and then survived the repeated challenges of longtime rival Scott FitzGerald throughout the main event for the win. FitzGerald finished a distant second as McKiernan pulled away.

Unofficially, Chris Murray of Fair Haven, Vt., mathematically clinched his second-straight championship with a third-place finish. Curtis Condon came alive late in the race to finish fourth, and Lou Gancarz bounced back from multiple wrecks for fifth. Ronnie Alger nipped Tyler Irwin for sixth, followed by Jason Barrett, Garrett Given, and Matt Mosher.

Austin Chaves of Chester, Vt., won for the fourth time in the Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprints, but had to hold off rookie Dakota Green in a tight battle in the second half of the 20-lap race. Green made a last-turn effort on the outside lane to get the win, but slipped out of the groove and allowed Chaves to cruise to the checkered flag. Shawn McPhee finished third ahead of Evan Roberts and Samantha Mulready.

Chaves tightened to championship battle as leader Cody O’Brien struggled. Unofficially, O’Brien holds just a two-point edge on Chaves, 641-639, entering the season finale on Sunday, September 23.

The Interstate All Battery Center Vermont 200 Weekend continues on Sunday, Sept. 16 at 2:00 p.m., with three rounds of qualifying for Sportsman Modifieds, two B-Mains for non-qualifiers, and a 200-lap, $10,000-to-win main event. More than 40 drivers have filed official entries as of Saturday, with nearly double that number expected to attempt qualifying on Sunday including star drivers Brett Hearn, Kenny Tremont Jr., Jessey Mueller, and many more. Also on the card are the championship finale for the visiting King of Dirt Racing Pro Stock Series and the $1,000-to-win Portland Glass 50 for the Mini Stock division.

General admission is $25 on Sunday with kids 12 and under admitted free; pit passes are $40. Grandstands open at 12:00 noon with racing at 2:00 p.m. The Vermont 200 Weekend is presented by Interstate All Battery Center of Rutland, Fabian Earth Moving, Portland Glass, Kubricky Construction, and Central Vermont Motorcycles.

Devil’s Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, Vt., four miles north of U.S. Route 4, Exit 2, and just 20 minutes from Rutland, Vt. For more information, visit www.DevilsBowlSpeedwayVT.com or call (802) 265-3112. Devil’s Bowl Speedway is on Facebook at facebook.com/DevilsBowlSpeedway and on Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat at @DevilsBowlSpeed; follow the action using the #DevilsBowl hashtag.

PHOTO: Ron Proctor (right) of Charlton, N.Y., celebrates his Ron Casey Memorial Sportsman Modified Shootout win with Babe Keith of Interstate All Battery Center. (DBS Media photo)
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS — Interstate All Battery Center Vermont 200 Saturday
Devil’s Bowl Speedway, West Haven, Vt.
Saturday, September 15, 2018

Pos.-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)

Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modifieds Non-Winners (20 laps)
1. Ron Proctor, Charlton, N.Y.
2. Vince Quenneville Jr., Brandon
3. James Fadden, Plainfield
4. Jimmy Ryan, Shoreham
5. Fred Proctor, Clifton Park, N.Y.
6. # Marty Kelly III, North Bennington
7. Brian Whittemore, Pittsford
8. John St. Germian Jr., West Sand Lake, N.Y.
9. Joe Williams, Niskayuna, N.Y.
10. Elmo Reckner, Ballston Lake, N.Y.

Super Stocks (50 laps)
1. Jim McKiernan, Moriah Center, N.Y.
2. Scott FitzGerald, West Rutland
3. Chris Murray, Fair Haven
4. Curtis Condon, Queensbury, N.Y.
5. Lou Gancarz, North Adams, Mass.
6. Ronnie Alger, Orwell
7. Tyler Irwin, Peru, N.Y.
8. Jason Barrett, Queensbury, N.Y.
9. Garrett Given Sr., Cornwall
10. Matt Mosher, Queensbury, N.Y.

Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprints (20 laps)
1. Austin Chaves, Chester
2. # Dakota Green, Eagle Bridge, N.Y.
3. # Shawn McPhee, Rutland
4. Evan Roberts, Fletcher
5. # Samantha Mulready, Hoosick Falls, N.Y.

The post Proctor, McKiernan Open Devil’s Bowl Vermont 200 Weekend with Big Wins appeared first on VtMotorMag.com.

Pierson hangs on for Coupe win; Christian, Porter seal championships with wins

–by T.J. Ingerson (@TJIngerson)
VMM Editor

BRADFORD — Jordan Fornwalt held off Bear Ridge Speedway’s best on Saturday night.

The hometown driver took the lead on lap 15 of the 99ROCK/Wells River Savings Bank New England Dirt Track Championship Sabil & Sons DIRTcar Sportsman Modified 40-lap feature event and held off Kevin Chaffee, Derek Graham, and Robert Tucker over the closing laps to claim the win.

“We have struggled all year,” Fornwalt said. “But the car was great tonight. I couldn’t have asked for a better car.

“This is the icing on the cake.”

Fornwalt became the 13th different winner this season in Sportsman Modified competition in 18 races.

Fornwalt started tenth and made quick work toward the front of the field and brought Chaffee with him. A lap 13 restart would set Fornwalt up as he would challenge Steven Flint for the top spot to take the lead on lap 15.

From there, three ensuing restarts would put Chaffee on his rear bumper, but Fornwalt was able to maneuver his way from top-to-bottom and back again to fend off Chaffee as Chaffee faced a fierce challenge from Graham and Tucker.

Chaffee looked to Fornwalt’s inside, but lapped traffic benefitted Fornwalt and the winning driver was able to pull away to the win.

Chaffee extended his point lead with a runner-up finish while reigning Sportsman Modified champion Graham finished third. Second place point driver Tucker bounced back from an early race problem that saw him head to the pits to finish fourth. Third place point driver Richie Simmons completed the top-five finishers.

Former Bear Ridge regular and multi-time Albany-Saratoga Speedway winner this season Jason Gray finished sixth with Todd Buckwold seventh. Matt Lashua, Chris Clark, and rookie Tanner Siemons rounded out the top-ten finishers.

Unofficially, Chaffee will carry a 35-point advantage over Tucker and will just have to start next week’s season ending event to be crowned the 2018 Sportsman Modified champion.

Gene Pierson Jr. claimed his first win of the season in the 30-lap Wells River Chevrolet Sportsman Coupe feature.

The East Corinth driver ran out to the early race lead and then held off a fierce late race challenge from Melvin Pierson and Josh Harrington to claim the win.

Gene Pierson would slip up off of turn four and open the inside lane on the final lap, which allowed Melvin Pierson to sneak inside. Gene Pierson would shut the door into turn one, which allowed Harrington to power on the outside. That allowed Gene Pierson to pull away and claim the win.

The win for Gene Pierson was his first since early 2017. He became the 13th Sportsman Coupe winner this season.

Melvin Pierson extended his point lead with the runner-up finish while Harrington settled for third. Todd Hayward and Bob Kilburn completed the top-five finishers with Tanner Siemons, Matt Ellsworth, Earl Maxham, Chris LaForest, and Tad Kingsbury finished sixth through tenth, unofficially.

Unofficially, Melvin Pierson will enter next week’s event with a 50-point advantage over Hayward and will be crowned the 2018 Sportsman Modified champion by just starting the feature.

Jason Porter made a back-to-front run in the second Weglarz Property Service Four Cylinder Twin 20 segment to post the overall low score and claim his fifth win of the season.

The Freeport, Maine driver used his segment one finish of third place to post four points overall, three points clear of second place.

The win for Porter earned the driver the 2018 Four Cylinder championship.

Porter started fifth in the first 20-lap segment and was able to navigate his way to a third place finish. In the second, Porter used a fast car and benefitted from a caution-filled start to navigate his way to the front. From there, Poter took the lead from Bobby Bell and sailed to the win.

Last season’s champion Jesse Durkee finished second overall with finishes of second and fifth while Buddy Welched used a segment one win and paired it with a sixth place finish in segment two to finish third overall.

Bell finished fourth overall after his runner-up finish in the second segment while Kelly Miller Jr. finished fifth. Kevin LaForest was sixth while Owen Carbee bounced back from a segment two roll over to finish seventh overall. Cody Copeland, Danny Doyle, and Garrett Brown completed the top-ten overall finishers.

Ryan Christian performed a clean sweep in the C.A. Miller Limited Late Model Twin 20s to claim the overall win.

The win for the Canaan, N.H. driver was his 13th of the season and sewed up the 2018 Limited Late Model championship.

Christian led all 20 laps in the first segment and then ran back-to-front in the second to claim the win.

Toby Stark used a pair of third place finishes to finish second overall with John Neddo of Barre third with nine points. Travis Smith and Kelly Miller Sr. completed the top-five overall.

George Osgood Jr., who finished second in the first segment, lost a motor midway through the second segment and finished sixth overall. Todd Dunham, Derrick Stearns, Nicholas Longley, and Donald Ottati completed the top-ten overall finishers.

Campton, N.H. driver Jamie Glidden claimed his third Bear Ridge Wingless Auto Club feature win of the season in their 20-lap feature event. Nick Comeau finished second with last week’s winner Doug McPhail third. Mark Cole and Sam Comeau completed the top-five finishers.

Tom Chaffee of Corinth held off his son, Riley Chaffee, to claim the win in the 500cc Granite State Mini Sprint 20-lap feature. Eric Relation finished third with Matt Calley and Tyler Vickery fourth and fifth, respectively.

Kyle Belliveau of Hopkinton, N.H. earned a dominating win in the 25-lap 600cc Granite State Mini Sprint feature. Jordan Eldridge finished second with Mark Wiggett third. Zach Herbert and Rich Crooker completed the top-five finishers.

Bear Ridge Speedway will conclude its 51st season of championship auto racing on Saturday, September 22 with the Northeast Crate Motor Nationals that will feature the Newport Chevrolet Sportsman Modified 100 that will see Bear Ridge crown its 2018 track champion. The Sportsman Coupes will conclude their season with a 60-lap event, while the USAC Dirt Midget Association and Sprint Cars of New England will crown their 2018 champions. Time trial qualifying will begin at 5:00pm.

PHOTO: Jordan Fornwalt celebrates his Sabil & Sons DIRTcar Sportsman Modified feature win on Saturday night at Bear Ridge Speedway. (T.J. Ingerson/VMM photo)

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS — 99ROCK New England Dirt Track Championships
Bear Ridge Speedway, Bradford, Vt.
Saturday, September 15, 2018

Pos.-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)

Sabil & Sons DIRTcar Sportsman Modifieds (40 laps)
1. Jordan Fornwalt, Bradford
2. Kevin Chaffee, Bradford
3. Derek Graham, Woodsville, N.H.
4. Robert Tucker, Bradford
5. Richie Simmons, Bradford
6. Jason Gray, East Thetford
7. Todd Buckwold, Canaan, N.H.
8. Matt Lashua, Canan, N.H.
9. Chris Clark, Vershire
10. # Tanner Siemons, Orford, N.H.

Wells River Chevrolet DIRTcar Sportsman Coupes (30 laps)
1. Gene Pierson Jr., East Corinth
2. Melvin Pierson, Corinth
3. Josh Harrington, Topsham
4. Todd Hayward, Bradford
5. Bob Kilburn, Fair Haven
6. Tanner Siemons, Orford, N.H.
7. Matt Ellsworth, Corinth
8. Earl Maxham, Enfield, N.H.
9. Chris LaForest, Barre
10. # Tad Kingsbury, Corinth

Weglarz Property Service Four Cylinders (2 x 20 laps)
1. Jason Porter, Freeport, Maine — (3 + 1 = 4)
2. Jesse Durkee, South Royalton — (2 + 5 = 7)
3. Buddy Welch, East Corinth — (1 + 6 = 7)
4. Bobby Bell, St. Johnsbury — (6 + 2 = 8)
5. Kelly Miller Jr., Johnson — (4 + 4 = 8)
6. Kevin LaForest, Northfield — (8 + 3 = 11)
7. # Owen Carbee, South Ryegate — (7 + 8 = 15)
8. # Cody Copeland, East Corinth — (5 + 11 = 16)
9. Danny Doyle, Rochester — (5 + 11 = 16)
10. # Garrett Brown, Concord — (10 + 9 = 19)

C.A. Miller Limited Late Models (2 x 20 laps)
1. Ryan Christian, Canaan, N.H. — (1 + 1 = 2)
2. Toby Stark, Canaan, N.H. — (3 + 3 = 6)
3. John Neddo, Barre — (4 + 5 – 9)
4. Travis Smith, Lebanon, N.H. — (6 + 4 = 10)
5. Kelly Miller Sr., Lake Elmore — (5 + 6 = 11)
6. George Osgood Jr., Corinth — (2 + 9 = 11)
7. Todd Dunham, Fairlee — (10 + 2 = 12)
8. Derrick Stearns, Bradford — (8 + 8 = 16)
9. Nicholas Longley, Orange, N.H. — (7 + 11 = 18)
10. Donald Ottati, Bristol, N.H. — (7 + 11 = 18)

Wingless Auto Club (30 laps)
1. Jamie Glidden, Campton, N.H.
2. Nick Comeau, Hebron, N.H.
3. Doug McPhail, Tilton, N.H.
4. Mark Cole, Lebanon, N.H.
5. Sam Comeau, Hebron, N.H.

500cc Granite State Mini Sprints (20 laps)
1. Tom Chaffee, Corinth
2. Riley Chaffee, Orange
3. Eric Relation, Orange
4. Matt Calley, Sanbornton, N.H.
5. Tyler Vickery, Nashua, N.H.

600cc Granite State Mini Sprints (25 laps)
1. Kyle Belliveau, Hopkinton, N.H.
2. Jordan Eldridge, Tyngsboro, Mass.
3. Mark Wiggett, North Woodstock, N.H.
4. Zach Herbert, Laconia, N.H.
5. Rich Crooker, Hudson, N.H.

The post Fornwalt Fends Off Best to Claim Bear Ridge Win appeared first on VtMotorMag.com.

NORTH WOODSTOCK, N.H. — Ben Rowe returned to a familiar place on Saturday night at White Mountain Motorsports Park.

The Turner, Maine driver earned his tenth career win at the quarter-mile oval nestled into New Hampshire’s White Mountains in PASS North Super Late Model competition to earn his first win since 2016.

Rowe worked past fellow multi-time series champion Johnny Clark in the NAPA Blue & Gold 150 to extend his lead on the series’ all-time wins list.

After Rowe snagged the lead, the eventual race winner was forced to hold off New Hampshire hotshoe Joey Polewarczyk to earn the win.

Polewarczyk of Hudson, N.H. settled for second while Connecticut driver Dillon Moltz ran from last place on the starting grid after a motor swap to finish third. Clark settled for fourth while recently crowned Oxford Plains Speedway Super Late Model champion Gabe Brown completed the top-five finishers.

Series point leader and defending champion D.J. Shaw, Craig Weinstein, Reid Lanpher, Derek Griffith, and Derek Ramstrom finished sixth through tenth, respectively.

White Mountain Motorsports Park’s 25th anniversary weekend will continue on Sunday, September 16 with the $10,000-to-win Napa Blue & Gold 250 for the Late Models. Post time is 12:00pm.

PHOTO: Ben Rowe, seen earlier this season at Thunder Road Speedbowl, earned the PASS North Super Late Model win on Saturday night at White Mountain Motorsports Park. (VMM file photo)

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS — NAPA Blue & Gold 150
PASS North Super Late Models
White Mountain Motorsports Park, North Woodstock, N.H.
Saturday, September 15, 2018

Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown

1. (4) Ben Rowe, Turner, Maine
2. (17) Joey Polewarczyk, Hudson, N.H.
3. (27) Dillon Moltz, Waterford, Conn.
4. (2) Johnny Clark, Farmingdale, Maine
5. (7) Gabe Brown, Center Conway, N.H.
6. (14) D.J. Shaw, Center Conway, N.H.
7. (10) Craig Weinstein, Walpole, Mass.
8. (13) Reid Lanpher, Manchester, Maine
9. (11) Derek Griffith, Hudson, N.H.
10. (3) Derek Ramstrom, Worcester, Mass.
11. (5) Mike Hopkins, Hermon, Maine
12. (18) Jeremy Davis, Tamworth, N.H.
13. (12) Travis Benjamin, Morrill, Maine
14. (26) Dennis Spencer Jr., South Paris, Maine
15. (16) Nick Sweet, Barre, Vt.
16. (15) Garrett Hall, Scarborough, Maine
17. (1) Trevor Sanborn, East Parsonsfield, Maine
18. (22) Austin Teras, Gray, Maine
19. (9) Wayne Helliwell Jr., Dover, N.H.
20. (24) Nick Hinkley, Wiscasset, Maine
21. (21) Kyle Welch, Newport, N.H.
22. (25) Glen Luce, Turner, Maine
23. (19) David Oliver, Standish, Maine
24. (6) Dan Winter, Windham, Maine
25. (23) Tim Brackett, Buckfield, Maine
26. (8) Chad Dow, Pittsfield, Maine
27. (20) Glenn Martel, Belmont, N.H.

The post Rowe Returns to WMMP PASS Victory Lane appeared first on VtMotorMag.com.

–by T.J. Ingerson (@TJIngerson)
VMM Editor

NORTH WOODSTOCK, N.H. — Eddie MacDonald wasn’t in Las Vegas, but the strategy gamble he and his Rollie LaChance-led team made paid off in a big way.

The Rowley, Mass. driver claimed the win and collected the $10,000 winner’s prize in the NAPA Blue & Gold 250 on Sunday afternoon at White Mountain Motorsports Park after he was one of the final three cars to make their pit stop.

“We needed a shot in the arm,” MacDonald said. “We were hoping for a better run at the Oxford 250 so this kind of makes up for it.

“This hasn’t been our best place. Earlier in the year, we weren’t that good. We kind of lucked into a third. But to come here and pass (Scott) Payea for the lead is awesome.”

MacDonald had made steady progress from a 25th place starting position to sit in the seventh position just prior to a lap 123 caution flag. That pause saw many frontrunners head down pit road and moved MacDonald up to second by a lap 133 restart.

From there, MacDonald would run behind seven-time White Mountain champion Quinny Welch until a lap 155 caution flag.

There, the two lead cars would jet down pit road and surrender the race lead. MacDonald would restart in the 15th position on the ensuing restart.

However, with the freshest tires, MacDonald powered his way quickly toward the front and had moved up to the third position by lap 175. The eventual race winner would watch the last two ACT Late Model Tour champions, Scott Payea and Nick Sweet, have a fierce side-by-side battle for the lead.

Payea would take the lead from Sweet on lap 183, which helped MacDonald move up to second when Sweet pitted out of second on lap 187 with a tire issue. From there, Payea and MacDonald would battle for the lead with MacDonald moving into the lead on lap 193.

From there, MacDonald would steer clear after a lap 194 restart to claim the win with a comfortable margin.

“We went back and forth,” MacDonald explained about the team’s strategy. “It’s such a tough call. But we thought the fresh tires at the end would be the way to go.”

The day was not without adversity for MacDonald. After he had earned a “plus-five” in his heat race, MacDonald had transferred into the 250-lap main event through the consolation race and would have been slated to start third. However, he was disqualified in post-qualifying technical inspection for a weight infraction.

“This team never gives up,” MacDonald said. “No matter what the case is. We just kept plugging along.”

Jimmy Hebert of Williamstown, Vt. finished second after he ran inside of the top-five for much of the 250-lap event. Milton, Vt. driver Scott Payea had his own issues with qualifying inspection, but bounced back to finish third.

Joey Polewarczyk of Hudson, N.H. made his first Late Model-type car start of the year and finished fourth while recent Thunder Road Labor Day Classic winner Jason Corliss of Barre, Vt. completed the top-five finishers.

Sweet bounced back from his late race pit stop to finish sixth while Jonathan Bouvrette finished seventh after he led during parts of the first half of the race. Welch was unable to make his way back through the field after his pit stop with MacDonald and finished eighth while recently crowned Thunder Road champion Scott Dragon finished ninth. Mathieu Kingsbury completed the top-ten finishers.

Unofficially, there were 12 lead changes among seven drivers and the race was slowed 12 times by caution flags. The race took just over two hours to complete.

PHOTOS:
1 – Eddie MacDonald celebrates his $10,000 NAPA Blue & Gold 250 win on Sunday afternoon at White Mountain Motorsports Park. (T.J. Ingerson/VMM photo)
2 – Eddie MacDonald (center) in victory lane with his father Red, girlfriend Kelyn, and car owners Freddie and Shelia Peterson in celebration his NAPA Blue & Gold 250 win at White Mountain Motorsports Park. (T.J. Ingerson/VMM photo)

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS — NAPA Blue & Gold 250
Foley Oil Late Models
White Mountain Motorsports Park, North Woodstock, N.H.
Sunday, September 16, 2018

Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown-Laps Completed

1. (25) Eddie MacDonald, Rowley, Mass. — 250 laps
2. (5) Jimmy Hebert, Williamstown, Vt. — 250 laps
3. (18) Scott Payea, Milton, Vt. — 250 laps
4. (7) Joey Polewarczyk, Hudson, N.H. — 250 laps
5. (4) Jason Corliss, Barre, Vt. — 250 laps
6. (20) Nick Sweet, Barre, Vt. — 250 laps
7. (2) Jonathan Bouvrette, Blainville, Que. — 250 laps
8. (3) Quinny Welch, Lancaster, N.H. — 250 laps
9. (19) Scott Dragon, Milton, Vt. — 250 laps
10. (17) Mathieu Kingsbury, Blainville, Que. — 249 laps
11. (11) Max Dolliver, Londonderry, N.H. — 249 laps
12. (12) Andy Hill, Lower Waterford, Vt. — 249 laps
13. (15) Mike Kenison, Lancaster, N.H. — 249 laps
14. (1) Alex Guenette, Terrebonne, Que. — 249 laps
15. (29) Mark Jenison, Warwick, R.I.– 248 laps
16. (6) Stacy Cahoon, St. Jonhsbury, Vt. — 157 laps
17. (22) Patrick Laperle, St-Denis, Que. — 157 laps
18. (24) Tyler Cahoon, St. Johnsbury, Vt. — 157 laps
19. (13) Chris Pelkey, South Barre, Vt. — 156 laps
20. (14) John Donahue, Graniteville, Vt.– 118 laps
21. (8) Stephen Donahue, Graniteville, Vt. — 116 laps
22. (10) Cody Blake, Barre, Vt. — 115 laps
23. (23) Jesse Switser, West Burke, Vt. — 86 laps
24. (27) Jeff Marshall, Lunenburg, Vt. — 82 laps
25. (26) Oren Remick, Monroe, N.H. — 82 laps
26. (9) Bryan Mason, Stark, N.H. — 75 laps
27. (28) Claude Leclerc, Lanoarie, Que. — 69 laps
28. (16) D.J. Shaw, Center Conway, N.H. — 54 laps
29. (21) Dave Farrington Jr., Jay, Maine — 33 laps
30. (30) Chris Roberts, Washington, Vt. — 24 laps

The post HIGH ROLLER: Strategy Gamble Nets MacDonald Big White Mountain Payday appeared first on VtMotorMag.com.