STAFFORD – Jeremy Lavoie stood in victory lane with his shiny red Limited Late Model celebrating a season championship and lamented the history of his ride.
“If I could show you guys a picture of this car when I bought it in 2014, in the mud, and [rebuilt] it from the ground up, [if someone had said] that we’d be here as back to back champions, I wouldn’t believe it,” Lavoie said. “My family … they stick behind with whatever I want do and they stick behind me 100 percent. … They are a great support crew and I could never do this without them.”
Lavoie, of Windsor Locks, used a third place finish in the final 20-lap Limited Late Model feature of the season to clinch his second consecutive division..
“If you had ever told me I would have done it, maybe once, but back to back is unbelievable,” Lavoie said. “It’s like a dream come true. It’s still so surreal. It doesn’t really feel like I did it. It hasn’t hit me yet that’s for sure. I’ve got to hand it to my crew, I sit in the trailer and tell them what I want and they go and do it and it’s up to me to bring it to the front of the field.”
Lavoie’s primary competition for the title, Matt Clement, won the feature. Lavoie came into the event with an eight-point lead in the standings over Clement. Lavoie finished the season with a four-point advantage over Clement.
Clement, of Wethersfield, had never won an event in the division before this season. He closed out the year with seven victories, including wins in the NAPA Spring Sizzler and NAPA Fall Final.
“I kept telling myself, my team members, my family members, I eve told Jeremy ‘If he gets to win the championship I’m taking home these Fall Final trophies no matter what it takes.’” Clement said. “We took the Spring Sizzler down this year. To win both of these races this year, this is awesome. I couldn’t have dreamed of this in my life.”
Duane Provost of Palmer, Mass. was second.
Lavoie promised to return looking for a third title in 2020.
“We’re going to come back next year and give it 100 percent again and shoot for three,” Lavoie said. “Shoot for the sky and see how far it takes you. We’re not done yet.”
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