BARRE, VT – Stock car racer Eric Williams of Hyde Park became the first driver in two decades to
successfully defend a victory in the CARQUEST Vermont Governor’s Cup Late Model 100 at Barre’s Thunder Road on Thursday night. Williams started on the pole position of the 26-car field after earning a “+3” in plus/minus handicap heat race qualifying, but by no means eased into the win.
After receiving the command to fire engines from Vermont’s Governor, the Honorable James Douglas (Rep.), Williams traded the lead in the main event with Dwayne Lanphear, Cris Michaud, and unofficial point leader Dave Pembroke a total of ten times. Williams took the lead from Pembroke on the inside lane on lap 59 and kept it for just four laps before Pembroke nosed ahead of lap 64. Williams held on to the low groove, and took over for good one lap later.
Michaud passed Pembroke for the runner-up position on the race’s sixth and final restart on lap 67,
and made a late bid for the lead with two laps remaining, but settled for second behind Williams. Pembroke finished third, just ahead of rookie Chip Grenier of Northfield and Middlesex driver Shawn Fleury.
Jamie Fisher, Rich Lowrey, Phil Scott, Trampas Demers, and Pete Fecteau completed the unofficial
Top 10 in order. With his back-to-back wins in the CARQUEST Vermont Governor’s Cup 100 Williams becomes the first driver since Tampa, FL ace Robbie Crouch in 1986-87 to accomplish the feat.
Hometown driver Scott Coburn won the 35-lap Tiger Sportsman event, his second of the year. Coburn held off a hard-charging Joe Steffen of Essex Junction for the victory. Steffen made a last-gasp effort to take the win with two laps remaining, moving inside Coburn as the pair approached lapped traffic, but was unsuccessful. Rookie Derrick O’Donnell of Bradford turned in a career-best third place finish. Point leader Nick Sweet of Barre finished fourth ahead of Cambridge racer Craig Bushey.
Hinesburg rookie Bobby Therrien grabbed his third Allen Lumber Street Stock win of the season in
the division’s 25-lap feature. Therrien passed leader Alan Maynard with a handful of laps remaining, then breezed to an easy win over Greg Adams, Jr. of Hardwick. Jason Corliss of Plainfield edged North Troy’s David Allen for third place. Michael Moore of East Haven finished third.
David Whitcomb of Elmore won a wild and wacky 15-lap Power Shift Junkyard Warrior feature over
runner-up Ryan Foster of Waterbury and Barre’s Travis Payette. Thunder Road’s 48th season of exciting stock car racing continues on Thursday, July 19 with the Fisher/Federated Auto Parts Trophy Dash. A special “Media Madness” race is planned for members of the local television, radio, and print news media, using Junkyard Warrior race cars. Post time is scheduled for 7:00pm, with preliminary events beginning at 6:30pm. For more information, call (802) 244-6963 or visit www.thunderroadspeedbowl.com.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – 25th CARQUEST Vermont Governor’s Cup
Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl, Barre, VT – Thursday, July 12, 2007
(# next to drive name indicates rookie)
25th CARQUEST Vermont Governor’s Cup Late Model 100
Finish-(Start)-Car#-Driver-Hometown-Car-Laps Complete
1. (1) 7 Eric Williams, Hyde Park, Unicel Chevrolet, 100
2. (3) 6 Cris Michaud, Williamstown, Merchants Bank/Burrell Roofing Ford, 100
3. (5) 44 Dave Pembroke, Montpelier, VSECU/Cabot Chevrolet, 100
4. (6) 9 #Chip Grenier, Northfield, Streeter Concrete/Hillside Mini Storage Ford, 100
5. (7) 31 Shawn Fleury, Middlesex, VT Army Guard/Ultramar Chevrolet, 100
6. (18) 18 Jamie Fisher, Shelburne, S.D. Ireland Brothers Chevrolet, 100
7. (23) 8 Rich Lowrey, Charlotte, OCE/Blockbuster Chevrolet, 100
8. (16) 14 Phil Scott, Middlesex, Northfield Savings Bank Chevrolet, 100
9. (10) 85 Trampas Demers, South Burlington, Jiffy Mart Chevrolet, 100
10. (26) 75 Pete Fecteau, Morrisville, Fecteau Homes Pontiac, 100
11. (11) 97 Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., Hudson, NH, Pole’s Automotive Chevrolet, 100
12. (2) 28 Dwayne Lanphear, Morrisville, Casella/KAS Environmental Dodge, 100
13. (22) 36 Kip Stockwell, Braintree, Stockwell Motorsports Chevrolet, 100
14. (19) 46 David Chagnon, Colchester, LA Memorial Scholarship/Smuggs.com Chevrolet, 100
15. (14) 00 Mike Bailey, Barre, DB Design/D+D Smokehouse Pontiac, 100
16. (17) 45 Brian Hoar, Williston, Goss Dodge, Inc. Dodge, 100
17. (21) 16 Joey Becker, Jefersonville, Richard Green Trucking Ford, 100
18. (4) 5 Marcel Gravel, Wolcott, Riverview Garage/Foley Services Pontiac, 100
19. (20) 26 John Donahue, Graniteville, National Guard Ford, 100
20. (25) 74 Jerry Lesage, Winooski, Alpine Sprinkler Chevrolet, 100
21. (13) 13 Jamie Aube, Bow, NH, Aube Motorsports Chevrolet, 100
22. (12) 50 Jay Laquerre, East Montpelier, Laquerre Motorsports Chevrolet, 100
23. (8) 22 Gary Caron, Colchester, Caron Motorsports Chevrolet, 100
24. (15) 68 Brooks Clark, Fayston, A.W. Clark, Jr. & Son, Inc./Lackey Sunoco Chevrolet, 99
25. (9) 25 Dave Whitcomb, Essex Jct., Sun Ray Fire Security/Ferguson Waterworks Chevrolet, 63
26. (24) 86 Dennis Demers, Shelburne, Shelburne Limestone Corp. Chevrolet, 63
NAPA Tiger Sportsmen (35 laps)
Finish-Driver-Hometown
1. Scott Coburn, Barre
2. Joe Steffen, Essex Junction
3. #Derrick O’Donnell, Bradford
4. Nick Sweet, Barre
5. Craig Bushey, Cambridge
6. Joey Laquerre, East Montpelier
7. #Tim Potter, Plainfield
8. Chuck Beede, Williamstown
9. David Finck, Barre
10. #Kyle Tatro, Hyde Park
Allen Lumber Street Stocks (25 laps)
Finish-Driver-Hometown
1. #Bobby Therrien, Hinesburg
2. Greg Adams, Jr., Hardwick
3. Jason Corliss, Plainfield
4. David Allen, North Troy
5. Michael Moore, East Haven
Power Shift Junkyard Warriors (15 laps)
Finish-Driver-Hometown
1. David Whitcomb, Elmore
2. Ryan Foster, Waterbury
3. Travis Payette, Barre