Allen and Gabaree Win Last Lap Showdowns TR-070312
Barre, VT – In a night full of last lap surprises, Barre sensation Nick Sweet sent up championship fireworks of his own on his way to a hard fought win in Tuesday night’s (July 3) Northfield Savings Bank Holiday event at Thunder Road. Defending Thunder Road Champion Dave Pembroke chased Sweet to the line, and Milton’s Scott Payea was forced to settle for third in the closing laps.
Sweet started from the fifteenth position, and manipulated traffic masterfully on his way to the front of the pack. Sweet had reached second place just past the halfway mark, but Payea had extended a sizable lead searching for his first win of 2012. Sweet mercilessly closed the gap before catching him with 10 laps to go and charging to victory in the outside lane. Pembroke inched by Payea on the last lap to steal second, and Chip Grenier scored his first top five of the season with a fourth place finish. Trampas Demers, a feature winner already this season, came home fifth, three-time champion Phil Scott fought from 14th to sixth, and Brett Wheeler, Cody Blake, Jamie Fisher, and Brent Dragon rounded out the top ten.
With his win, Sweet breaks a streak of 19 different winners in 19 feature races in 2012 at Thunder Road. “Wow, that was a lot of fun to drive,” remarked Sweet. “We touched a bit there at the end, I think he just wanted our lane, but he drove a great race,” he finished with a smile.
A late-race surge from Barre’s Jason Allen earned him the victory in the Bond Auto Tiger Sportsman class. Craftsbury’s Joel Hodgdon fought his way to the lead early, and hung tough on the inside as Allen came from the fifteenth starting position to take the lead on the high side with just two laps to go. Hodgdon came home second, and John Lambert picked up third. Randy Gonyaw and rookie Jason Woodard completed the top five. Eric Badore, who suffered a broken transmission in his heat and was forced to start from 22nd, had the crowd on their feet during a remarkable climb through the field to claim sixth. Mike Martin, Chris Roberts, Shawn Fleury, and David Finck completed the top ten.
Former Junkyard Warrior Champion Ron Gabaree dominated on his way to victory in the “Crunch Bunch” Allen Lumber Street Stock feature, but had a mirror full of “Wild Willy” Hennequin in the closing laps. Hennequin would settle for second, and rookie Bob Eldred hung on for his first podium finish in third. Former Street Stock Champion Gary Mullen crossed the finish line in fourth, and rookie Kevin Dodge completed the top five.
The Northfield Savings Bank Holiday event was capped off with a spectacular display of fireworks.
Teams will not have much time to prepare as Thunder Road championship stock cars will be back in action this Thursday night, July 5th sponsored by Charter Communications. Post time is 6:30pm.
Northfield Savings Bank Holiday Fireworks Event
Thunder Road – Barre, VT
Tuesday, July 2, 2012
Late Model Unofficial Results
Pos. Driver (Car#) Hometown
1. Nick Sweet (88VT) Barre, VT
2. Dave Pembroke (44VT) Middlesex, VT
3. Scott Payea (89VT) Milton, VT
4. Chip Grenier (9VT) Graniteville, VT
5. Trampas Demers (85VT) S. Burlington, VT
6. Phil Scott (14VT) Berlin, VT
7. Brett Wheeler (1VT) Waterbury, VT
8. Cody Blake (99VT) Barre, VT
9. Jamie Fisher (18VT) Shelburne, VT
10. Brent Dragon (55VT) Milton, VT
11. Cris Michaud (6VT) E. Montpelier, VT
12. John Donahue (26VT) Graniteville, VT
13. #Lance Allen (17VT) Barre, VT
14. Jim Morris (13VT) Barre, VT
15. Brooks Clark (68VT) Fayston, VT
16. Jerry Lesage (74VT) Winooski, VT
17. Mike Bailey (00VT) South Barre, VT
18. Jay Laquerre (50VT) Barre, VT
19. Jamie Aube (41VT) No. Ferrisburg, VT
20. Dave Whitcomb (25VT) Essex Jct., VT
21. Joey Becker (16VT) Jeffersonville, VT
22. Eric Chase (40VT) Milton, VT
23. Ricky Roberts (3VT) Washington, VT
Bond Auto Tiger Sportsmen
Pos. Driver (Car#) Hometown
1. Jason Allen (29) Barre, VT
2. Joel Hodgdon (36) Craftsbury, VT
3. John Lambert (2) Northfield, VT
4. Randy Gonyaw (22) S. Barre, VT
5. #Jason Woodard (68) Waterbury Ctr., VT
6. Eric Badore (04) Milton, VT
7. Mike Martin (01) Craftsbury Comm., VT
8. #Chris Roberts (9) Washington, VT
9. Shawn Fleury (31) Middlesex, VT
10. David Finck (90) Barre, VT
11. Pete Ainsworth (80) Middlesex, VT
12. Dylan Payea (07) Henniker, NH
13. Kyle Pembroke (27) Montpelier, VT
14. Josh Demers (10) Middlesex, VT
15. Brendan Moodie (94) Wolcott, VT
16. Jason Corliss (61) Barre, VT
17. Tom Therrien (4) Hinesburg, VT
18. Mike Ziter (26) Williamstown, VT
19. Mike Billado (8) Essex, VT
20. Richard LaFond (84) Colchester, VT
21. Christopher Pelkey (64) S. Barre, VT
22. Joe Steffen (00) Grand Isle, VT
23. Scott Coburn (1) Barre, VT
Allen Lumber Street Stocks Unofficial Results
Pos. Driver (Car#) Hometown
1. Ron Gabaree (9) Barre, VT
2. William Hennequin (47) Morrisville, VT
3. Bob Eldred (31) Waterbury, VT
4. Gary Mullen (29) Tunbridge, VT
5. #Kevin Dodge (8) Barre, VT
6. Troy Kingsbury (39) Waitsfield, VT
7. Jamie Davis (43) Wolcott, VT
8. #Justin Town (53) E. Barre, VT
9. #Kevin Wheatley (33) Brookfield, VT
10. Nick Pilotte (11) Jefferson, NH
11. Bunker Hodgdon (83) Hardwick, VT
12. Cameron Ouellette (90) Barre, VT
13. Daniel Lathrop (6) Morrisville, VT
14. #Dean Switser Jr. (16) Lyndonville, VT
15. Tommy Smith (50) Williamstown, VT
16. Dave Whitcomb (77) Elmore, VT
17. Donny Yates (05) N. Montpelier, VT
18. Garry Bashaw (92) Lincoln, VT
19. #Daniel Brassard (32) E. Randolph, VT
20. Tyler McNally (37) Salisbury, VT
21. Emily Packard (98) E. Montpelier, VT
22. Amanda Habel (09) Roxbury, VT
23. Michael Gay (3) So. Burlington, VT
24. Joe Fecteau (75) Hardwick, VT
25. #Paul Grant (46) E. Calais, VT
26. Ken Christman (4) Cabot, VT
27. Jennifer Getty (25) Cambridge, VT
28. Keith Fortier (35) Hinesburg, VT
29. Marvin Johnson (24) Essex Jct., VT