Apr 2, 2013 | American Canadian Tour, Maine Racing News, NE Racing News, Thunder Road, Touring Series News
Four-Race Schedule Set for Thunder Road and Devil’s Bowl
Barre, VT – After its resurgence in 2012 following a 25-year hiatus, the Vermont State Late Model Championship Series will be back in 2013 for a four-race schedule split evenly between Barre, VT’s Thunder Road and West Haven, VT’s Devil’s Bowl Speedway.
The first event will be held at Thunder Road during the 51st Annual Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic on Sunday, May 26. Last year the event saw eventual King of the Road Nick Sweet take the victory in dominating fashion, picking up his first of two wins in the series. After that, the VSLCS will turn to the fast Devil’s Bowl half-mile on Friday, June 7 for the second jewel of the Vermont State Late Model Championship Series crown.
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Sep 3, 2012 | American Canadian Tour, Maine Racing News, NE Racing News, Thunder Road, Touring Series News
Gonyaw, Pilotte Pick up Feature Wins
Barre, VT – Eight-time Champion Brian Hoar made it clear his championship defense was far from over on Sunday afternoon at Thunder Road, claiming the clutch victory in the 34th Annual Bond Auto Labor Day Classic. Current point leader Wayne Helliwell, Jr. made him earn it, finishing a close second, and three-time Thunder Road track champion Cris Michaud rounded out the podium finishers.
Rookie Jimmy Hebert led the way early until a lap 33 caution when Helliwell spun in turn three. Hebert retained the lead following the restart, but was overpowered by Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. on lap 54 of the event. His lead, however, was short-lived when a hard charging Brent Dragon charged from the tenth starting position to take the lead on lap 68.
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Aug 21, 2012 | American Canadian Tour, Maine Racing News, Thunder Road, Touring Series News
Barre, VT – Three-time Thunder Road Champion and Vermont Lt. Governor Phil Scott will engage in more than political battles at Barre’s Thunder Road for the last Thursday night race of the summer. The Thursday finale will feature the 100-lap Aubuchon Hardware Late Model Championship event to close out the chase for the 2012 Late Model crown.
The all-time wins leader Scott, who has amassed a stunning 27 victories at Thunder Road, has been held winless in 2012. Scott remains third in the 2012 overall standings, and sits only five points off defending Champion Dave Pembroke. The situation is reminiscent to 2011, when Scott had been held winless until a convincing victory in the 100-lap finale, finishing second in overall points. Scott will attempt the feat again in 2012, working off a third place finish in last Sunday’s event, just as he was working off of a third place finish when he won the finale a year ago.
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Aug 17, 2012 | American Canadian Tour, NE Racing News, Thunder Road, Touring Series News
Steffen, Christman Fly to Feature Wins
Barre, VT – On a night where tough seasons were avenged, East Montpelier’s Cris Michaud took his second victory of the 2012 season, fending second-place point man David Pembroke, and current point leader Nick Sweet off for the feel-good win. Three-time Thunder Road Champion Phil Scott took the fourth position, and Winooski’s Jerry Lesage rounded out the top five.
Lesage, who drove to the early lead, was quickly eaten up by hungry defending Champion Dave Pembroke, who stretched out to a massive lead just before the halfway point. High point drivers Nick Sweet and Phil Scott worked their way through the field, but a lap 33 caution for the spinning car of Trampas Demers bunched the field back together. Pembroke stole the restart, but multi-time Champion Cris Michaud clung to his bumper before swinging high and wide with 10 laps to go. Michaud stole the lead from dominant Pembroke, and survived a late race restart to claim his second win of 2012. Pembroke fought off Sweet for second, while Scott slipped past Lesage in the closing laps for fourth. 2011 Tiger Champion Derrick O’Donnell, Scott Payea, Brooks Clark, Ricky Roberts, and first-time driver Emily Packard rounded out the top ten.
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Aug 15, 2012 | American Canadian Tour, Maine Racing News, NE Racing News, NHMS, Thunder Road, Touring Series News
Late Model Championship Coming to a Close
Barre, VT – As drivers prepare for weekly championship action this Thursday night (August 16), division titles are nearing the homestretch at the “Nation’s Site of Excitement” Barre’s Thunder Road. Only a handful of events remain for the Bond Auto Tiger Sportsmen, who are currently locked in one of the closest point battles in recent memory, as well as the Allen Lumber Street Stocks. For Late Models, the championship is just around the corner.
Thursday will mark the beginning of the end for championship hopes in the Late Model division, as in a stretch of seven days they will run their final three point counting events. A rainout event last Thursday has moved the Make-A-Wish/Bond night to Sunday, August 19th, creating a weeklong dash to crown the Late Model “King of the Road.”
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