BARRE, VT – Late Model stock car driver Cris Michaud of Northfield claimed his fourth victory of the season at Barre’s Thunder Road on Thursday night, winning the 50-lap Vermont ACE Hardware Dealers Trophy Dash. Michaud started 15th on the 26-car grid, and sliced his way through the field during the early laps. Once he reached the outside lane, he was able to pass leader Brooks Clark on lap 34 and cruise to the win.
Clark, of Fayston, had a career night as he ran second for much of the remainder of the event. Defending track champion Dave Pembroke and current point leader Eric Williams tried for several laps to get past Clark, and were only able to with four laps left. Pembroke, of Middlesex, and Hyde Park’s Williams finished second and third, respectively, with Clark coming home fourth, his career best result.
Former champion Jamie Fisher of Shelburne was fifth. Fisher was the race’s only other leader, nosing in front of Clark on laps 21 and 22. Chip Grenier, Joey Becker, American-Canadian Tour point leader Scott Payea, Robbie Crouch, and Gary Caron completed the unofficial top ten in order. Williams now leads Michaud by 18 points (665-647) unofficially with three championship events remaining. Pembroke and Phil Scott are tied in third at 618 points. Matt Potter of Marshfield earned his first career NAPA Tiger Sportsman win in a 30-lap event. Potter started on the pole and led every lap, but was pressured heavily by Ricky Roberts with two laps to go. Roberts, of Websterville finished second, two Barre
drivers, Dave Finck and Shawn Sicard, close behind. Craig Bushey of Cambridge finished fifth ahead of rookie Josh Demers in a best-ever sixth. Josh Lovely, Tony Rossi, Brian Delphia, and Derrick O’Donnell rounded out the unofficial top ten.
Steve Mandigo of Wolcott earned his first Thunder Road victory in over a decade by winning the Calkins Portables/WDEV Radio 25-lap make-up feature for the Allen Lumber Street Stocks, previously rained out on July 31. Mandigo came from 13th starting position to lead by lap 10. Lloyd Blakely of Graniteville, Bruce Melendy of Danville, Tim Campbell of West Topsham, and Mike Martin of Craftsbury Common completed the unofficial top five finishers in order.
Teenaged rookie Mike MacAskill earned his first career Street Stock win in the regularly scheduled VT ACE Hardware Dealers 25-lapper. MacAskill, of Williamstown, had his hands full of Lincoln’s Garry Bashaw, but was able to hold on for the win. Gary Mullen of Tunbridge finished in third behind Bashaw, with Blakely and Elmore rookie David Whitcomb in tow.
Neal Foster of Waterbury won the 15-lap Power Shift Online Junkyard Warrior event in his infamous “Tetanus Wagon,” a well-weathered VW Golf. Scott Weston of Berlin finished second ahead of Wolcott’s Jamie Davis, Travis Hull of Graniteville, and Donny Yates of North Montpelier.
Thunder Road is back in action on Sunday (Aug. 17) with the rain-postponed Casella Waste Management 100 for the Tiger Sportsman division. Late Models, Street Stocks, and double Warrior features are also on the card. General admission is $9.50 for adults, $3 for children (6-12), and just $20 for a family of four. Gates open at 3:30pm, racing begins at 5:00pm. For more
information, call (802) 244-6963 or visit www.thunderroadspeedbowl.com.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – VT ACE Hardware Dealers Night
Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl – Barre, VT – Thu., Aug. 14, 2008
Pos.-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)
Late Model (50 laps)
1. Cris Michaud, Northfield
2. Dave Pembroke, Middlesex
3. Eric Williams, Hyde Park
4. Brooks Clark, Fayston
5. Jamie Fisher, Shelburne
6. Chip Grenier, Graniteville
7. Joey Becker, Jeffersonville
8. Scott Payea, Milton
9. Robbie Crouch, Tampa, FL
10. Gary Caron, Colchester
NAPA Tiger Sportsman (30 laps)
1. Matt Potter, Marshfield
2. Ricky Roberts, Websterville
3. Dave Finck, Barre
4. Shawn Sicard, Barre
5. Craig Bushey, Cambridge
6. #Josh Demers, Middlesex
7. Josh Lovely, Barre
8. Tony Rossi, Groton
9. Brian Delphia, Duxbury
10. Derrick O’Donnell, Bradford
Allen Lumber Street Stock – Calkins Portables/WDEV Radio Feature (25 laps)
1. Steve Mandigo, Wolcott
2. Lloyd Blakely, Graniteville
3. Bruce Melendy, Danville
4. Tim Campbell, West Topsham
5. Mike Martin, Craftsbury Common
6. Greg Adams, Jr., Hardwick
7. Gary Mullen, Tunbridge
8. Markus Farnham, Randolph Center
9. Shawn Powell, Jericho
10. Jason Corliss, Plainfield
Allen Lumber Street Stock (25 laps)
1. #Mike MacAskill, Williamstown
2. Garry Bashaw, Lincoln
3. Gary Mullen, Tunbridge
4. Lloyd Blakely, Graniteville
5. #David Whitcomb, Elmore
6. Shawn Powell, Jericho
7. Mike Martin, Craftsbury Common
8. William Hennequin, Morrisville
9. Greg Adams, Jr., Hardwick
10. Tim Campbell, West Topsham
Power Shift Online Junkyard Warrior (15 laps)
1. Neal Foster, Waterbury
2. Scott Weston, Berlin
3. Jamie Davis, Wolcott
4. Travis Hull, Graniteville
5. Donny Yates, North Montpelier
6. Justin Gay, Barre
7. Mike Gay, South Burlington
8. Ken Christman, Cabot
9. Justin Prescott, Williston
10. Chad Brown, Milton