Derek Griffith Returns To Thunder Road Victory Lane With Pro All-Stars Series


(Press release from Thunder Road International Speedbowl)

Derek Griffith (center) celebrate victory in the PASS Super Late Model feature Saturday at Thunder Road with third place finish Evan Hallstrome (left) and second place finisher D.J. Shaw (right) (Photo: Alan Ward/Thunder Road)

Sam Caron Defends Track Championship by Taking R&R Street Stock 75

As part of a reimagined opening weekend for the 64th season of stock car racing at Thunder Road International Speedbowl, the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) invaded the State of Vermont on Saturday. The PASS Super Late Models once again stirred the bowl at Thunder Road along with the PASS Modifieds and R&R Race Parts Open Street Stock Series to kick-off the 2023 racing season with plenty of octane and horsepower to fuel the thrills and spills of the tripleheader event.

The PASS Modifieds brought Thunder Road to life in more ways than one. Young Evan Roy became the first victim of the Widowmaker frontstretch wall in his heat race, meeting Thunder Road for the first time behind a tow truck. Come feature time Brandon Varney showcased himself as class of the field leading his fellow Modifieds the whole way through. Not a run-away by any means, with Spencer Morse and Spencer Vaughn all over his rear bumper from green to checkers. Varney took down his first Thunder Road win in a very excited Victory Lane followed by former Thunder Road winner Spencer Morse and Vaughn rounding out the podium.

After several weeks of rain-outs for the Maine-based Super Late Model Series, the PASS North and National Series troupe were finally able to continue their 2023 season. By taking the two heat race wins, Gabe Brown and Derek Griffith led the field to green with Griffith quickly taking control. The Hudson, New Hampshire native maintained his leading position all while Brown, D.J. Shaw and Evan Hallstrom put on the pressure from behind. A late race spin by Dennis Spencer brought Hallstrom to battle with Griffith as the former Thunder Road weekly racer went toe-to-toe with the nationally recognized hot-shoe.

Through multiple caution periods, the battle between Griffith and Hallstrom continued to heat and cool as the two switched positions on the restart constantly, one not quite getting the edge over the other. On the final restart with just over ten laps remaining, Griffith showed his veteran capabilities and charged away from Hallstrom to claim the PASS Super Late Model 150, his second-career Thunder Road victory. D.J. Shaw fought the good fight all race long to come home second followed by Hallstrom who took down his third, third-place finish in Pro All Stars Series competition.

The R&R Race Parts Open Street Stock Series returned to Thunder Road to assist the PASS pros on lid-lifter Saturday. Twenty-two V-8 Street Stocks from across New England converged on Thunder Road as they were led to green by longtime twin state racer Chris Riendeau and defending Stafford Speedway champion Adam Gray. Riendeau took the jump but was quickly chased down by defending Thunder Road champion Sam Caron before Kris Watson and Brian Caswell tangled on the front stretch.

The battles up front continued to grow physical between Riendeau, Caron and Jason Woodard concluding on laps 58 and 59 as the Thunder Road regulars came to blows with the invader. After muscling his way around, Sam Caron went on a tear through the final fifteen circuits to take the R&R Race Parts Open Street Stock 75. Chris Riendeau came home second followed by Jason Woodard for third to round out the evening’s events.

Tomorrow brings the 25th Annual Community Bank N.A. 150 at Thunder Road on Sunday, May 7th. The stars and cars of the American-Canadian Tour go toe-to-toe with the weekly Thunder Road Maplewood/Irving Late Models, the Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers, rk Miles Street Stocks and the Burnett Scrap Metal Road Warriors. Annual Class Day activities celebrate the 2022 track champions and the 2023 class of racers begins at 12:55pm with post time for the Community Bank 150 set for 1:30pm. Grandstands open at 10:00am on Sunday with general admission pricing set at $30 for adults, kids 12 to 6 are $10 with children 5 and under free!

For more information, contact the ACT offices at (802) 244-6963, [email protected], or visit www.acttour.com. You can also get updates on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @ACTTour.

Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl – Barre, VT

Pro All Stars Series Season Opener Saturday!

Saturday, May 6, 2023

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS

Pro All Stars Series Super Late Models – 150 Laps

1.         12G      Derek Griffith              Hudson, NH

2.         60        D.J. Shaw                     Center Conway, NH

3.         1VT      Evan Hallstrom           Northfield, VT

4.         47B      Gabe Brown                Center Conway, NH

5.         02        Brian Whalley             Laconia, NH

6.         39        Max Cookson               Pittsfield, ME

7.         54        Johnny Clark               Hallowell, ME

8.         5x        Bobby Therrien           Hinesburg, VT

9.         73D      Joey Doiron                 Berwick, ME

10.       12        Dennis Spencer, Jr.     Oxford, ME

11.       50        Andy Shaw                  Center Conway, NH

12.       44        Trevor Sanborn           E. Parsonsfield, ME

13.       45VT    Derek Ming                 W. Burke, VT

14.       14        Scott McDaniel           Livermore, ME

PASS Modifieds – 40 Laps

1.         1          Brandon Varney          Canton, ME

2.         34        Spencer Morse            Naples, ME

3.         7          Spencer Vaughn          Canton, ME

4.         28        Kevin Oliver                Gray, ME

5.         70        Ryan Hewins               Oxford, ME

6.         6          Drew Morse                Auburn, ME

7.         85        Chandler Harrison       Freeport, ME

8.         33        Danny Morris              Lewiston, ME

9.         1x        Jacob Hethcoat           Oxford, ME

10.       9          Alex Ricker                  Tamworth, NH

DNS     13        Evan Roy                     Turner, ME

DNS     41        Tracy Gordon              Strong, ME

R&R Race Parts Open Street Stock Series – 75 Laps

1.         07VT    Sam Caron                   Colchester, VT

2.         4VT      Chris Riendeau            Ascutney, VT

3.         68        Jason Woodard           Waterbury Ctr., VT

4.         97        Adam Gray                  Granby, MA

5.         07        Chris Buffone              Belchertown, MA

6.         52        Brad Bushey                Cambridge, VT

7.         33VT    Matt Sonnhalter          E. Thetford, VT

8.         16z       Dylan Zullo                  Claremont, NH

9.         81        Andrew Brousseau      Charlestown, NH

10.       71        Donny Silva                 Hudson, ME

11.       44VT    Justin Prescott             Milton, VT

12.       99        Matt Robinson            Milford, NH

13.       85        Kenny Harrison           Durham, ME

14.       45        Adam Maynard           Milton, VT

15.       1          Travis Lovejoy             Waterboro, ME

16.       81x      Lewis Anderson           Hollis, ME

17.       47        Brian Caswell              Buxton, ME

18.       7          Eric Smith                    Perkinsville, VT

19.       35        Kris Watson                 Kendeskeag, ME

20.       57        Justin Beecher             Billerica, MA

DNS     78        Tyler Pepin                  Barre, VT

DNS     00VT    Brandon Gray              E. Thetford, VT

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