(Press release from Thunder Road International Speedbowl)
Friday’s 5-division card at Thunder Road opened the weekly racing series at the Barre, Vermont oval. The racing was some of the best seen at the storied highbanks this season with razor thin finishes and the fastest speeds ever witnessed at the 63-year-old speedbowl. In the end, it was Derrick Calkins who started his quest for the Myers Container Service Triple Crown on strong footing and New England ace Jon McKennedy who stole the debut show of the New England Supermodified Series.
The Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors set a blistering pace themselves, for the lipstick-on-a-pig class of cars. Their caution free event led to a dramatic crescendo in the final lap. With Milton’s Jason Kirby in the Bobby Dragon-inspired rig leading, his luck flew away with his motor expiring under the white flag, leaving the win to Graniteville’s ‘Flyin’ Fred Fleury with the #95 of Taylor Sayers taking second and Neal Foster’s #19 taking third.
The rk Miles Street Stocks stock-piled yet another strong field of cars onto the racetrack and gave the large crowd on hand one of the best 4-cylinder races seen at Thunder Road this season. Starting off upside down was former champion Jamie Davis, who took a scary hit in the turn-two wall, ending up on his lid before the field completed one lap. After the lengthy clean up, Northfield’s James Dopp drove hard directly above Milton’s Trevor Jaques in his sophomore season through the closing laps. Dopp would edge out Jaques by just 0.035-seconds under the checkered flags with second-generation driver Taylor Hoar earning her first podium finish.
Coming off the spectacular 125 Memorial Day Classic two weeks ago, anticipation was high for the Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models and they certainly didn’t disappoint. With all-time wins leader Phil Scott on the outside front row and sophomore pilot Cooper Bouchard starting on the pole, so began a wild ride. Vermont Governor Scott did not fare well on the outside, the handling getting away from him in the corners that allowed Wolcott’s Marcel Gravel to capitalize to the top spot. With a straight-away lead over nearest challengers Scott Dragon, Christopher Pelkey and Darrell Morin, Gravel nearly had it in the bag.
It was a lap-38 caution that reset the playing field, pitting Gravel and Dragon head-to-head. In what may certainly be the best ten-laps at Thunder Road this season, Dragon held his own on the high groove while Gravel did the same below for the final circuits. In the end, Scott Dragon used the famous outside groove to secure his first Thunder Road victory since 2020, Gravel followed him for second and Pelkey for third. Montpelier’s Kyle Pembroke earned fourth with Danville’s Tyler Cahoon nabbing fifth. Rookie contender Keegan Lamson impressed with a sixth-place finish for the Berlin freshman.
The debut of the New England Supermodified Series brought the fastest speeds of any car to ever grace Thunder Road. In all, eight of these winged behemoths launched into action but not one of them had anything for Jon McKennedy. McKennedy led from the beginning, facing his only major challenge by the open-wheel ace Russ Wood who threateningly stalked the Silver #79 throughout the event. Unfortunately for Wood, his ‘lay-back-and-wait’ strategy went up in smoke with a blown motor on lap-65. At the restart, it was no contest and McKennedy drove away, posting a fast lap of 9.73-seconds on the quarter-mile. Anthony Nocella and Rob Summers joined him in victory lane with second and third, respectively.
Finally, the first leg in the Myers Container Triple Crown Series for the Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers was hotly debated throughout the 75-lap affair by pole-starting Derrick Calkins and Sam Caron. Through trial and tribulation, as hard-luck struck several top Flying Tiger teams, including Rich Lowrey and rookie Kaiden Fisher, both Calkins and Caron battled hard but it was Calkins that came out ahead, in the end. After his first win at the Community Bank 150 and a Memorial Day top-5, Justin Prescott took third to remain high in championship standings. Barre’s Jason Pelkey held on for fourth with Logan Powers impressing with a hard fought fifth.
Barre, Vermont’s Thunder Road starts their annual Thursday Night events on June 16 with Casella Waste Management Night. Casella Night will feature the return of the New England Antique Racers (NEAR) along with continued championship battles for the Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models, Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers and rk Miles Street Stocks. As with every racing event at Thunder Road, Casella Waste Management Night will be live at home and around the world with FloRacing, the Official Streaming Partner of Thunder Road. More information will be released in the coming days.
For more information, contact the Thunder Road offices at (802) 244-6963, [email protected], or visit www.thunderroadvt.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @ThunderRoadVT.
Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl – Barre, VT
Myers Container Triple Crown Series #1 plus New England Supermodified Series
Friday, June 10, 2022
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
Myers Container Service Flying Tiger Triple Crown Series – Round #1 – 75 Laps
1. 15VT Derrick Calkins Hinesburg, VT
2. 07VT Sam Caron Milton, VT
3. 44VT Justin Prescott Williston, VT
4. 64VT Jason Pelkey Barre, VT
5. 31VT Logan Powers Middlesex, VT
6. 92VT Jaden Perry Hardwick, VT
7. 68NH Tanner Woodard Waterbury Ctr., VT
8. 68VT Jason Woodard Waterbury Ctr., VT
9. 20VT Robert Gordon Milton, VT
10. 8VT Mike Billado Grand Isle, VT
11. 5VT Tyler Austin East Calais, VT
12. 01VT Michael Martin Craftsbury, Common, VT
13. 36VT Joel Hodgdon Craftsbury Common, VT
14. 90VT Cameron Ouellette Barre, VT
15. 3VT Michael MacAskill Williamstown,VT
16. 35VT Colin Cornell E. Burke, VT
17. 56VT Chris Laforest Barre, VT
18. 66VT JT Blanchard Graniteville, VT
19. 67VT Kevin Streeter Waitsfield, VT
20. 08VT Phil Potvin Underhill, VT
21. 45VT Adam Maynard Milton, VT
22. 23NY Cam Gadue Highgate, VT
23. 73VT Larry Underwood Fairfax, VT
24. 33VT Matt Ballard Williamstown, VT
25. 18VT #Kaiden Fisher Shelburne, VT
26. 11VT Jacob Roy Danville, VT
27. 13VT Ty Delphia Duxbury, VT
28. 28VT Ryan Boutin Fairfax, VT
29. 2NC Eric Johnson Barre, VT
30. 8NH Rich Lowrey South Hero, VT
New England Supermodified Series (NESS) – 75 Lap
1. 79 Jon McKennedy
2. 97 Anthony Nocella
3. 5 Rob Summers
4. 11 Michael Barnes
5. 41 Russ Wood
6. 77 Mike Collins
7. 51 David Duggan
8. 25 Dan Bowes
Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models – 50 Laps
1. 0VT Scott Dragon Milton, VT
2. 86VT Marcel J. Gravel Wolcott, VT
3. 64VT Chris Pelkey Graniteville, VT
4. 27VT Kyle Pembroke Montpelier, VT
5. 38VT Tyler Cahoon Danville, VT
6. 55VT #Keegan Lamson Berlin, VT
7. 3VT Chris Roberts Washington, VT
8. 4VT Scott Coburn Barre, VT
9. 17VT Darrell Morin Westford, VT
10. 14VT Phil Scott
11. 01VT #Stephen Martin Craftsbury Common, VT
12. 2VT Stephen Donahue Graniteville, VT
13. 40VT Eric Chase Milton, VT
14. 7VT Cooper Bouchard Hinesburg, VT
15. 9VT Chip Grenier Orange, VT
16. 68VT Brooks Clark Fayston, VT
17. 04VT Matthew Smith Fairfax, VT
18. 8VT Anthony Hill Waterford, VT
19. 99VT Cody Blake Barre, VT
20. 16VT Brandon Lanphear Morrisville, VT
21. 94VT Brendan Moodie Wolcott, VT
rk Miles Street Stocks – 25 Laps
1. 0 James Dopp Northfield, VT
2. 57 Trevor Jaques Milton, VT
3. 48 Taylor Hoar South Hero, VT
4. 8 Jeffery Martin Barre, VT
5. 71 Jesse Laquerre Berlin, VT
6. 68 Kyler Davis Berlin, VT
7. 5 Kyle Gravel Wolcott, VT
8. 3 Michael Gay S. Burlington, VT
9. 16 Dean Switser, Jr. Waterford, VT
10. 7 Kyle MacAskill Williamstown, VT
11. 54 Josh Lovely Williamstown, VT
12. 26 Luke Peters Groton, VT
13. 9 #Zachary Audet Morrisville, VT
14. 98 Kasey Collins Berlin, VT
15. 96 Thomas Peck Waterbury, VT
16. 79 Juan ‘Paco’ Marshall Pittsfield, VT
17. 2 Haidyn Pearce Chelsea, VT
18. 17 Justin Blakely Graniteville, VT
19. 30 #Cameron Powers E. Montpelier, VT
20. 73 #Paige Whittemore Graniteville, VT
21. 33 Curtis Franks Topsham, VT
22. 74 Tyler Whittemore Barre, VT
23. 6 Eric MacLaughlin Milton, VT
24. 47 William Hennequin Morrisville, VT
25. 11 #Mark Beaulieu Essex Jct., VT
26. 12 Mekaylah Bowen Morrisville, VT
27. 04 Scott Weston Berlin, VT
28. 43 Jamie Davis Johnson, VT
Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors – 20 Laps
1. 99 Fred Fleury Graniteville, VT
2. 95 Taylor Sayers Barre, VT
3. 19 Neal Foster Moretown, VT
4. 8 Ryan Foster Waterbury, VT
5. 16 Nate Brien Williamstown, VT
6. 10 Rodney Campbell Worcester, VT
7. 88 Frank Putney Graniteville, VT
8. 68 Jamie York Graniteville, VT
9. 77 Josh Vilbrin Northfield, VT
10. 50 Nick Copping Barre, VT
11. 71 Jason Kirby Milton, VT
12. 44 Chris Couture Barre, VT
13. 96 Bill O’Connor S. Washington, VT
14. 94 Ryan Sayers Barre, VT
15. 44 Chris Couture Barre, VT
16. 1 George Hoyt Braintree, VT
17. 03 Robert Catchapaw Waterbury, VT
Eight cars, saw a couple blow engines during the night and McKennedy winning pretty much like he always does. As a modified driver McKennedy is a great Super Modified driver.
I don’t get it. Is it seeing them go so fast. 10 seconds around Thunder Road with almost no real competition as far as I can see.
Where’s the beef???