Barre, Vt. – Thunder Road motors into the month of August with WDEV Radio/Calkins Portable Toilets Night thisThursday, August 3. Four divisions of action will be on the card, with the Thunder Road Late Models, Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers, Allen Lumber Street Stocks, and Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors all set to do battle on the Barre high banks.
The championship chases tightened up considerably at the Times Argus Mid-Season Championships, setting up a thrilling home stretch for the 2017 season. In the Thunder Road Late Models, Hinesburg’s Bobby Therrien remains the point leader, but saw his lead over South Burlington’s Trampas Demers shrink to just 11 markers. Therrien bounced off the wall early in last Thursday’s double-points event and had to fight back from a series of pit stops to finish sixth, while Demers took second to cut into the deficit. It was Demers’ fifth straight top-five finish.
“I really think it’s just a better understanding of the race track and working it into the way our car is set up,” Demers said of his hot streak. “The big thing now is just not to get tied up in (the title chase). Consistent finishes are what’s going to make it possible to be in the hunt come the last race in September.”
Barre’s Jason Corliss sits in third place 50 points pack, ready to strike should Therrien and Demers have an off night. Milton’s Scott Dragon is fourth in the standings and remains very much alive in his bid for back-to-back “King of the Road” titles. Fellow Milton racer Eric Chase completes the top-five.
Wolcott’s Brendan Moodie remains atop the Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tiger standings, but like Therrien, saw his margin shrink considerably last Thursday. Despite the 2015 Champion’s fourth-place effort in the feature, a subpar qualifying result allowed 1991 Champion Dwayne Lanphear of Morrisville to close the gap to just nine points. 2014 Champion Jason Woodard of Waterbury Center made even bigger gains to pull within 19 points of the top spot. Three-time 2017 feature winner Trevor Lyman and top rookie Jaden Perry sit fourth and fifth.
The Allen Lumber Street Stocks have been close all season and remain so heading into WDEV/Calkins Night. Morrisville’s Brandon Lanphear used a runner-up finish last Thursday to ascend to the top of the heap. Lanphear sits five points ahead of Mid-Season Championship winner Cooper Bouchard of Hinesburg and eight points up on Fairfax veteran Alan Maynard. Jamie Davis and Reilly Lanphear have both taken turns in the point lead this season and could reclaim the top spot on Thursday as well.
WDEV/Calkins Night goes to post at 7:00pm this Thursday, August 3. The evening will also feature the annual “Port-a-Potty Grand Prix”, as the point leaders from each division will compete to determine the fastest port-a-potty in the state. The pits open at 3:30pm and the general admission gates open at 5:15pm. Admission is $12 for adults, $3 for kids ages 6-12, and $25 for a family of four (2 adults, 2 kids).
Thunder Road will then be right back in action on Sunday, August 6 at 6:00pm with the 33rd M&M Beverage Enduro 200 plus the Brian Perry & Sons Street Stock Special. One hundred cars or more are expected for the $3,000-to-win “People’s Race” which will see the field start three-wide with no yellow flags. The Allen Lumber Street Stocks will run their annual 50-lap special with $500 going to the winner. The pits open at 2:00pm and the front gates open at 3:00pm. Admission is $15 for adults and free for kids ages 12 and under.
For more information, contact the Thunder Road offices at (802) 244-6963, media@thunderroadvt.com, or visitwww.thunderroadvt.com.