For the Central Vermont race fan, nothing is more sacred than Thursday Night Racing at Barre’s Thunder Road. The annual summer tradition begins again on June 16 with the New England Antique Racers joining the Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models, Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers and rk Miles Street Stocks for Casella Waste Management Night.
Starting way back in 1960, it was the genius of Ken Squier that brought Thursday Night racing to the forefront of the Thunder Road product. It was Thursday afternoons that saw the granite workers of Barre’s iconic industry head down Quarry Hill Road with a pocket-full of weekly pay, so why not be the first stop they made? For 63 seasons it’s stuck and it’s time to bring that time honored tradition back again for 2022.
The annual visit by the New England Antique Racers (NEAR) is fitting for the first Thursday program on Casella Waste Management night to help invoke those feelings of old, with the sights of old Coupes and full-bodied Chevelles that built the Speedbowl many years ago. The NEAR Museum Truck will also be on property for fans to walk through and spot some of the many Hall of Fame members whose presence at Thunder Road helped make it special for so many over the years.
For the Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models, the 2022 season is up in the air. Currently, the top three point runners, Montpelier’s Kyle Pembroke, Graniteville’s Christopher Pelkey and Milton’s Scott Dragon, are separated by just three points. Memorial Day Classic winner Stephen Donahue is holding tight to fourth place following a rough Myers Container Night last Friday.
It continues to be all Justin Prescott in the Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers as he reigns above last week’s Myers Triple Crown winner Derrick Calkins by 20 points. Mike Billado also finds himself in the over-200-cushion in third. Strong runs last week by Milton’s Sam Caron and Logan Powers from Middlesex should also have the Flying Tiger competition on edge.
While Dean Switser Jr. leads the early rk Miles point battle, Friday’s event showed the strength of sophomore drivers Trevor Jaques, Taylor Hoar and Jesse Laquerre. All three held their own against veteran Street Stock pilots like former champion Jeffery Martin and race winner James Dopp. With average car counts from the last three events near and above thirty-teams, it’ll be a toss-up as to who is left standing in Casella Waste Management Victory Lane.
Barre, Vermont’s Thunder Road begins annual Thursday Night Racing on June 16 with Casella Waste Management Night. Casella Night features 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. Grandstands open for Season Pass Holders at 5:00pm, all others at 5:15pm. Post Time is 7:00pm. General Admission tickets are set at $15 for adults and $5 for kids 12 and under.
As with every racing event at Thunder Road, including the $100,000 Vermont Milk Bowl, Casella Waste Management Night will be live at home and around the world with FloRacing, the Official Streaming Partner of Thunder Road.
Since its start as a single truck operation in Rutland, Vermont, Casella Waste Management has grown to 700 collection vehicles providing services to 170,000 businesses, institutions, municipalities throughout the Northeast. Casella Waste continues to deliver quality garbage pickup, dumpster rental and recycling services that are safe and environmentally responsible to our residential, commercial, municipal, and industrial customers. As your premier source for solid waste management and recycling needs, Casella Waste annually recovers over a MILLION tons of recyclable material. Contact Casella at (888) 314-2142 to see what they can do for you!
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.
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