BARRE, VT – Pete Ainsworth of Middlesex turned his Tiger Sportsman stock car racing season around with a 30-lap feature victory in the Bond Auto Labor Day Classic program at Barre’s Thunder Road on Sunday afternoon. Ainsworth started tenth on the 28-car grid and methodically worked his way to the front. He reached leader Chris Lacey, a rookie from Burlington, on lap 20, battled door-to-door with Lacey for three laps, then drove away for the win.
Lacey spun out of contention in Turn 1 on lap 25, allowing Middlesex rookie Josh Demers to slip by for second place. Demers’ runner-up finish was his second of the weekend, as he equaled his result from the 30-lap event on Thursday night. Hometown driver David Finck finished third for third time in six events.
Rick Garand of Middlesex and Hinesburg driver Tom Therrien finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Shawn Sicard, Craig Bushey, Eric Badore, rookie Mike Ziter, and Jimmy Hebert completed the unofficial top ten finishers in order.
David Greenslit of Waitsfield earned his first Allen Lumber Street Stock win of the season in the 25-lap Bond Auto event. Greenslit battled Elmore rookie David Whitcomb for the entire distance, and was following Whitcomb on lap 24 when Whitcomb lost control and spun to the infield. Greenslit avoided contact and drove to the win. Another rookie, Mike MacAskill of Williamstown,
finished in second place. Michael Moore of East Haven took third place at the finish line from Randolph Center’s Markus Farnham. Shawn Powell of Jericho completed the unofficial top five.
Josh Vilbrin of Northfield won a two-segment Power Shift Online Junkyard Warrior feature for his first career victory. Vilbrin had finishes of third and fifth in the two 10-lap segments, for a total low score of eight points. Mike Gay of South Burlington also scored eight points after winning the first segment and finishing seventh in the second segment. Vilbrin was awarded the overall victory due to his higher final-segment finish. Jamie Davis of Wolcott came back from a three-time rollover
on Saturday to finish third overall in Sunday’s feature with ten points. Jeff Martin, Jr. (10 points) finished fourth overall with Mark LaFleche (11 points) in fifth place, unofficially.
Brad Leigthon of Center Harbor, NH scored an unlikely victory in the 30th running of the Bond Auto Labor Day Classic 200 for the American-Canadian Tour Championship Late Models, pocketing just over $9,600 including bonuses. Leighton survived two wild off-track crashes and a total of four flat tires to take the win. Cris Michaud of Northfield finished second over Eric Williams of Hyde Park. Ben Rowe of Turner, ME was fourth, with Montreal driver Patrick Laperle fifth, unofficially. For more information
on the Bond Auto Labor Day Classic 200, visit www.acttour.com.
Thunder Road’s 49th season of stock car racing concludes with the Chittenden Bank Milk Bowl on Sat./Sun., Sept. 27/28.
The race will be the final championship event for Thunder Road’s Sportsman, Street Stock, and Warrior classes, as well as the ACT
Late Model Tour. For more information, call (802) 244-6963 or visit www.thunderroadspeedbowl.com.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – Bond Auto Labor Day Classic 200
Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl – Barre, VT – Sunday, August 31, 2008
(# – denotes rookie)
Pos.-Driver-Hometown
NAPA Tiger Sportsman (30 laps)
1. Pete Ainsworth, Middlesex
2. # Josh Demers, Middlesex
3. David Finck, Barre
4. Rick Garand, Middlesex
5. Tom Therrien, Hinesburg
6. Shawn Sicard, Barre
7. Craig Bushey, Cambridge
8. Eric Badore, Georgia
9. # Mike Ziter, Williamstown
10. Jimmy Hebert, Williamstown
Allen Lumber Street Stock (25 laps)
1. David Greenslit, Waitsfield
2. # Mike MacAskill, Williamstown
3. Michael Moore, East Haven
4. Markus Farnham, Randolph Center
5. Shawn Powell, Jericho
6. Tommy Smith, Williamstown
7. Bruce Melendy, Danville
8. Tim Campbell, West Topsham
9. Greg Adams, Jr., Hardwick
10. Gary Mullen, Tunbridge
Power Shift Online Junkyard Warrior (10 laps x2)
1. Josh Vilbrin, Northfield – 8 points
2. Mike Gay, South Burlington – 8 points
3. Jamie Davis, Wolcott – 10 points
4. Jeff Martin, Jr., Moretown – 10 points
5. Mark LaFleche, Graniteville – 11 points
6. Lance Donald, Williamstown – 13 points
7. Donny Yates, North Montpelier – 13 points
8. Ken Christman, Cabot – 14 points
9. Travis Hull, Graniteville – 14 points
10. Justin Prescott, Williston – 16 points
American-Canadian Tour Bond Auto Labor Day Classic 200
1. Brad Leighton, Center Harbor, NH
2. Cris Michaud, Northfield
3. Eric Williams, Hyde Park
4. Ben Rowe, Turner, ME
5. Patrick Laperle, Montreal, QC
6. Randy Potter, Groveton, NH
7. Dennis Demers, Shelburne
8. Joey Laquerre, East Montpelier
9. Pete Potvin, III, Graniteville
10. Trampas Demers, South Burlington