Ryan Preece Has Fun Night At Thunder Road; Jason Corliss Dominant In Governor’s Cup Event

Ryan Preece relaxes with his crew before the running of the Governor’s Cup Thursday at Thunder Road International Speedbowl (Photo: Shawn Courchesne/RaceDayCT)

BARRE, VT – The fans lined up deep to meet and greet NASCAR Cup Series driver and former Whelen Modified Tour champion Thursday at Thunder Road International Speedbowl. 

But on the track it was the competition in line behind Jason Corliss as the home track driver dominated to march to a dominating victory in the 42nd Essex Equipment Vermont Governor’s Cup for the track’s Late Model division. 

Preece, who was making his first appearance at the track ended up 10th

“Honestly, I wish we were doing it again,” Preece said after the event. “I wish we had twin 150’s and we could tighten the car up a little bit. We rolled the center really well. Early on I was starting to get in and was getting a little free [off the corners] and that’s just kind of what it went to. But it was cool. I enjoyed the track. I really hope we can get a Modified race here because I think it would be a hell of a show.” 

After finishing second in the consolation heat qualifier Preece started 13th in the 26-car field. He made his way up to eighth place, but a restart about a third of the way through the event changed the course. Starting the outside Preece got hung out and fell back to 13th and then spent the rest of the feature fighting to regain what he earned early. 

When it was over Preece praised how the track’s groove changed during event. 

“So I don’t know it is, maybe it’s something they do up here different with the stone,” Preece said. “When I watch White Mountain [Motorsports Park in North Woodstock, N.H.] the track starts on the bottom and moves up. You’ve got to search for grip. Where our tracks at home, you’ve got to move down, you’ve got to move down, you’ve got to move down. The groove never really moves up. So it’s interesting. You can search for grip and find some. I was really loose but I could hold the throttle down somewhat and keep the left rear loaded and keep it tight enough to make some way on the top at the end to try to pick a few spots off.” 

Corliss, of Barre, VT, took the lead from three-time track champion Derrick O’Donnell on lap 41 of the 150-lap event and left the field far behind for his second consecutive win in the event. It was the 23rd Late Model of his career at Thunder Road, moving him into sole possession of second place on the track’s all-time win list for the division. 

O’Donnell, of North Haverhill, N.H., was second and Brooks Clark of Waitsfield, VT, third. 

Jason Corliss celebrates victory in the Essex Equipment Vermont Governor’s Cup Thursday at Thunder Road (Photo: Alan Ward/Thunder Road)

THUNDER ROAD SPEEDBOWL — Barre, VT

42ND ESSEX EQUIPMENT VERMONT GOVERNOR’S CUP

THURSDAY, JULY 15, 2021

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS

MAPLEWOOD/IRVING OIL LATE MODELS

Pos., Start Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown, Laps

1. ( 7 ) Jason Corliss ( 66VT ) , Barre, VT , 150 Laps

2. ( 4 ) Derrick O’Donnell ( 60NH ) , N. Haverhill, NH , 150 Laps

3. ( 1 ) Brooks Clark ( 68VT ) , Waitsfield, VT , 150 Laps

4. ( 20 ) Kyle Pembroke ( 27VT ) , Montpelier, VT , 150 Laps

5. ( 3 ) Chip Grenier ( 62VT ) , Orange, VT , 150 Laps

6. ( 17 ) Scott Dragon ( 0VT ) , Milton, VT , 150 Laps

7. ( 16 ) Trampas Demers ( 85VT ) , Shelburne, VT , 150 Laps

8. ( 6 ) Brendan Moodie ( 94VT ) , Wolcott, VT , 150 Laps

9. ( 21 ) Bobby Therrien ( 5VT ) , Hinesburg, VT , 150 Laps

10. ( 13 ) Ryan Preece ( 47NH ) , Berlin, CT , 150 Laps

11. ( 10 ) Matthew Smith ( 04VT ) , Fairfax, VT , 150 Laps

12. ( 2 ) Tyler Cahoon ( 38VT ) , Danville, VT , 150 Laps

13. ( 12 ) Christopher Pelkey ( 64VT ) , Graniteville, VT , 149 Laps

14. ( 8 ) #Brandon Lanphear ( 16VT ) , Morrisville, VT , 149 Laps

15. ( 18 ) Cody Blake ( 99VT ) , Barre, VT , 149 Laps

16. ( 25 ) Darrell Morin ( 17VT ) , Westford, VT , 149 Laps

17. ( 5 ) #Cooper Bouchard ( 7VT ) , Hinesburg, VT , 149 Laps

18. ( 23 ) Phil Scott ( 14VT ) , Berlin, VT , 149 Laps

19. ( 26 ) Connor Martell ( 21MT ) , Williston, VT , 149 Laps

20. ( 9 ) Ryan Kuhn ( 72MA ) , E. Bridgewater, MA , 149 Laps

21. ( 24 ) Scott Coburn ( 72VT ) , Barre, VT , 88 Laps

22. ( 22 ) Stephen Donahue ( 2VT ) , Graniteville, VT , 74 Laps

23. ( 27 ) Jamie Swallow Jr. ( 4NH ) , Lancaster, NH , 45 Laps

24. ( 11 ) Anthony Hill ( 8VT ) , Waterford, VT , 44 Laps

25. ( 19 ) Chris Roberts ( 3ME ) , Washington, VT , 35 Laps

26. ( 15 ) Marcel J. Gravel ( 86VT ) , Wolcott, VT , 11 Laps

DNS ( 14 ) Eric Chase ( 40VT ) , Milton, VT

Lap Leaders: Brooks Clark, 1-34; Derrick O’Donnell, 35-40; Jason Corliss, 41-150. (2 lead changes among 3 drivers)

Time of Race: 43 minutes, 9 seconds   Margin of Victory: 2.157 seconds 

Cautions: 2 (laps 11, 45) 

Heat Winners: Cooper Bouchard, Brendan Moodie, Jason Corliss

Consi Winner: Tyler Cahoon

Comments

  1. Ryan Preece is FANtastic.

    Bringing attention to short track racing is what the industry needs.

    When I was a kid, it was all the rage when the Grand National came to Islip… Petty and all the other big names were there. That is missing today, which is why Larson gets such good press, because he runs everywhere. And Preece is doing the same.

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