(Press release from Thunder Road International Speedbowl)
The time has finally come for Thunder Road’s epic summer showdown with the 43rd Vermont Governor’s Cup presented by the Vermont Lottery. The Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models that call the Barre high banks home are ready to defend their home turf against NASCAR Cup Series Champion Brad Keselowski!
Starting out in 1961, the Vermont Governor’s Cup was ceremoniously won by Barre native Mike Osborne during the Coupe era of open-wheel racing at Thunder Road. Over the years, the Vermont Governor’s Cup switched back and forth from Thunder Road to the former Catamount Stadium in Milton before coming off the schedule from 1990 to 2004. Making its grand return in 2005, the Vermont Governor’s Cup has been a July staple to coincide with New England NASCAR Cup Series weekend over the last seventeen years. As such, NASCAR Cup Champion and series car owner Brad Keselowski is ready to tackle Thunder Road for the first time in his illustrious career on Thursday behind the wheel of a Dale Shaw-prepared Late Model.
Defending Vermont Governor’s Cup champion Jason Corliss will return to Thunder Road for the first time since his 9th-place effort at the Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic. When asked if his Outlaw Schedule would affect his performance, Corliss confidently answered, “No, if anything it has made us hungrier to get back to victory lane at Thunder Road. It’s going to be tough, as always, against guys like Pelkey, Pembroke while Donahue, Dragon and Gravel have really stepped up their programs this season,” said Corliss. “But that’s what makes winning a race like this is so gratifying because you know you’re against really tough competition.”
Along with a host of local Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Model teams, including track champions Scott Dragon and Derrick O’Donnell, Memorial Day Classic Winner Stephen Donahue and current point leader Christopher Pelkey, Quebec short-track star Raphael Lessard will be making the trip to Barre with the famous #48 Larue Brothers-prepared ride. American-Canadian Tour winner at Oxford Plains Speedway, Marcel Gravel, looks to make it two wins in-a-row for the Pete’s Equipment team while Brooks Clark is ready to rejoin the wins list of Northeast icons.
The Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers received their first major points shake up with Hinesburg’s Derrick Calkins taking a slim three-point lead over Williston’s Justin Prescott, who had led the standings since the beginning of the season. Milton’s Robert Gordon in the fan-favorite ‘H20’ machine currently sits in third with his most consistent season to date as he continues to hunt down that first win on the Barre high banks. Billed as ‘the Number One Support Division in North America,’ the Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers are ready to strut their stuff for the large Vermont Governor’s Cup crowd expected on Thursday.
The rk Miles Street Stocks will also be on hand to wow the Vermont Lottery crowd with their spills and thrills. They have been the largest division weekly in 2022, averaging near and over 30 cars in all eight events this season with only one repeat winner so far. Currently, 2019 champion Jeffrey Martin has a two-point lead over perennial title contender Dean Switser, Jr. while Kyler Davis sits 38-points back in third. With several drivers, including brother/sister team Tyler and Paige Whittemore, fan-favorite Juan ‘Paco’ Marshall and Taylor Hoar all knocking on the door, Vermont Governor’s Cup night could bring another first-time winner in 2022!
Along with sponsoring the 43rd Vermont Governor’s Cup, the Vermont Lottery is also giving away a free Thunder Road hat to the first 700 fans who enter the gate on Thursday. The Vermont Lottery will also have a tent selling scratch tickets near the concession area with all non-winning tickets turned in for four special drawings: two $500 drawings during Driver Introductions and two $1,000 drawing in Vermont Lottery victory lane! Get in early for a chance at a free ballcap and some big money prizes courtesy of the Vermont Lottery!
Thunder Road returns Thursday, July 14th with the 43rd Vermont Lottery Governor’s Cup for the Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models with NASCAR Cup Series invader Brad Keselowski. The NASCAR Champion will take on the best Late Model drivers in Vermont including three-time Thunder Road champion Jason Corliss, two-time champion Scott Dragon and a host of others looking to join the Vermont Governor’s Cup wins list of New England icons. The Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers and rk Miles Street Stocks will also be on hand to continue their championship seasons. Special Post Time is set for 6:30pm with full race day schedule and pricing information available online at www.thunderroadvt.com/schedule.
All racing events at Thunder Road Speedbowl, including the 43rd Vermont Governor’s Cup presented by the Vermont Lottery and the $100,000-purse Northfield Savings Bank Vermont Milk Bowl, will be broadcast live and around the world on FloRacing with a monthly or yearly subscription. For more information about FloRacing, visit www.FloRacing.com or www.FloSports.tv.
The Vermont Lottery is responsible for the creation, sale and redemption of lottery tickets, as well as garnering education funding and advocating for responsible gambling throughout the State of Vermont. In 2021 alone, the Vermont Lottery contributed $31.9 million to the Education Fund with over half-a-billion-dollars being contributed to Education since 1999. Official Vermont Lottery tickets and games are easily accessible at your local convenience stores and outlets across the State. Every time you buy a VT Lottery ticket, the students of the Vermont win.
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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