(Press release from Thunder Road International Speedbowl)
The 60t Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic proved to be one of the most spectacular in the iconic event’s illustrious career. One-hundred-and-twenty-four cars flooded the Thunder Road pit area ranging from the top oval track masters of the Green Mountain State to some of the most nationally recognized names in Tour-type Modifieds. In the end, five deserving drivers took down impressive wins to be crowned on Memorial Day Weekend headlined by the victorious return of the ‘King of Barre’ to Thunder Road victory lane and a longtime racer from Ellington, Connecticut getting his second major Modified win of 2023.
The rk Miles Street Stocks kicked off the afternoon feature racing action with thirty 4-cylinder masters taking to the highbanks. Williamstown’s Josh Lovely proved he was the class of the field with a nearly half-a-track lead until the lap 21 caution, which ruined a strong run on the outside for defending champion Dean Switser, Jr. after lapped traffic had been plaguing the top-10 runners. The final restart set up a dogfight between Lovely and former Street Stock champion Jeffrey Martin with time running out. Although Martin had put the outside groove to good use, Josh Lovely’s rocket was the first across the line with fan-favorite Juan ‘Paco’ Marshall rounding out victory lane. Patrick Tibbetts and Kyle Gravel would complete the top-5 finishers.
Twenty-three Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models jumped in for a chance to win the iconic Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic and have their name etched in granite at Thunder Road. Second-generation drivers Scott Dragon and Chris Roberts led the field to green, quickly leading a top-7 breakaway at the front of the pack. Dragon’s early run came to an abrupt end after his rear-end grenaded leaving the lead to Nick Sweet. Sweet, the multi-time Thunder Road champion, had only made the snap decision the night before to join the event after crew-chiefing for Eric Chase and Bryan Wall Jr. at White Mountain Motorsports Park on Saturday night and was now hotly fending off defending Memorial Day Classic winner Stephen Donahue.
Donahue would better his position on the lap 70 restart following a scuffle between Cooper Bouchard and Darrell Morin. Rim-riding the Widowmaker frontstretch wall, Stephen Donahue would lead from the outside lane over Sweet until lap 90 with Sweet regaining the top spot once again. Marcel Gravel would join the top-3 picture after methodically battling his way up to take on Sweet, but time and laps ran out.
Nick Sweet earned his 2nd career Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic and his 25th career late model win at Thunder Road after pulling an all-nighter to prepare the car, including an engine swap that they had first fired at 6am Sunday morning. The ‘King of Barre’ returned to victory lane followed by his old rival, fellow former King of the Road Derrick O’Donnell, the ‘Black Night of the White Mountains.’ Marcel Gravel was able to pull off his second-consecutive third-place finish of the young 2023 season with Brooks Clark coming home fourth followed by Stephen Donahue for fifth.
The Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers once again showcased their position as the Number One Support Division in North America for their Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day feature event. Ty Delphia showed his rear bumper to the rest of the field through the early goings, but it was Jason Pelkey who would take over the lead just before the halfway point. The big-one hit on lap 20 when cars went all sorts of ways in turns three and four, including Brandon Gray, Mike MacAskill and others collected in the melee.
Jason Pelkey would regain the lead and never looked back to take down the holiday weekend victory followed by defending Flying Tiger champion Sam Caron for his second-consecutive runner-up finish in 2023 and Mike Billado to round out the podium. Logan Powers and Cameron Ouellette bounced back to complete the top-5.
To kick-start their 10th anniversary season, the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series returned to Thunder Road for the 2nd annual Granite City 100. Leading NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour rookie Austin Beers and east coast Modified standout Anthony Nocella led the field to green. By the Grace of God and over 600 horsepower, the duo started began the charge until the first caution on lap 7 saw longtime New England standout Les Hinkley slam hard into the widowmaker to come to a standstill at the flagstand, on his side. On the restart, 6-time NASCAR champion Doug Coby took over the lead followed by Ronnie Williams, inaugural Granite City 100 winner Chase Dowling, Brian Narducci and Beers.
Williams, winner of the Icebreaker 125 at Thompson Speedway in April, took the lead away just after lap 30 and kept the pace at the front of the field until a lap 70 caution for Beers’ flat right-rear rubber. The leaders flew pit-side for their change tires with almost everyone electing to switch out their hard-used right-rear Hoosier Racing Tires for the final 30-lap sprint. Brian Narducci would call the final yellow flag in the iconic Boehler Racing Ol’ Blue #3 with unresponsive steering, leaving Williams to fend off Coby, Mike Christopher Jr., Woody Pitkat and Ron Silk. In the final charge, Ronnie Williams would best the field for his second $10,000 win of the 2023 season with Doug Coby able to take second followed by Woody Pitkat in third. Chris Pasteryak successfully came back from his lap 7 caution to take fourth with Matt Swanson rounding out the top-5.
To wrap up the holiday events on Memorial Day weekend, the Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors entered the arena led by longtime campaigner Jason Kirby and young Ryan Sayers. Kirby would get the jump in his Bobby Dragon-inspired scheme but the pressure was on from Mini Milk Bowl winner Taylor Sayers. The final caution on lap 23 set up a green-white-checkers between the two as they battled hard side-by-side to the very end. Milton’s Jason Kirby would take his first career Thunder Road win on Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Weekend followed by Taylor Sayers and Tyler Wheatley earning his first podium at the Speedbowl.
The 64th season of stock car racing at Thunder Road continues in less than two weeks with Vermont’s Career Technical Education Centers and the Agency of Education Night on Friday, June 9th. The annual Friday Night Special will feature the New England Supermodified Series as these open-wheeled rockets return to the Barre highbanks. The Maplewood/Irving Late Models, Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers, rk Miles Street Stocks and Burnett Scrap Metal Road Warriors also join in to kick off the weekly summer racing series!
For more information, contact the Thunder Road offices at (802) 244-6963, [email protected], or visitwww.thunderroadvt.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @ThunderRoadVT.
Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl – Barre, VT
60th Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic
Sunday, May 28, 2023
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
Maplewood/Irving Late Models – Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic 125
1 88VT Nick Sweet Williamstown, VT
2 60NH Derrick O’Donnell N. Haverhill, NH
3 86VT Marcel J. Gravel Wolcott, VT
4 68VT Brooks Clark Fayston, VT
5 31VT Stephen Donahue Graniteville, VT
6 16VT Brandon Lanphear Morrisville, VT
7 18VT #Kaiden Fisher Shelburne, VT
8 64VT Chris Pelkey Graniteville, VT
9 94VT Brendan Moodie Wolcott, VT
10 99VT Cody Blake Barre, VT
11 8VT Chris Roberts Washington, VT
12 38VT Tyler Cahoon Danville, VT
13 04VT #Justin Prescott Williston, VT
14 27VT Kyle Pembroke Montpelier, VT
15 9VT Chip Grenier Orange, VT
16 7VT Cooper Bouchard Hinesburg, VT
17 17VT Darrell Morin Westford, VT
18 01VT Stephen Martin Craftsbury Common, VT
19 14VT Phil Scott Montpelier, VT
20 31K #Cody Schoolcraft Claremont, NH
21 44NH Keith Johnson Winchendon, MA
22 0VT Scott Dragon Milton, VT
23 55VT Keegan Lamson Berlin, VT
Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series – 2nd Annual Granite City 100
1 50 Ronnie Williams Ellington, CT
2 10 Doug Coby Milford, CT
3 88 Woody Pitkat Bellingham, MA
4 5CT Chris Pasteryak Lisbon, CT
5 25 Matt Swanson Harvard, MA
6 75 David Arute Stafford Springs, CT
7 60 Matt Hirschman Northampton, PA
8 9 Chase Dowling Bethlehem, CT
9 16 Ron Silk Norwalk, CT
10 7NY Mike Christopher, Jr. Wolcott, CT
11 24 Todd Patnode Swanzey, NH
12 24MA Mikey Flynn Hampden, MA
13 3 Brian Narducci Colchester, CT
14 13 Austin Beers Northampton, PA
15 07 Kyle Bonsignore Hebron, IL
16 85 Dylan Izzo Monroe, CT
17 76 Kirk Alexander Westminster, MA
18 50R Sam Rameau Westminster, MA
19 92 Anthony Nocella Woburn, MA
20 06 Les Hinkley Windsor Locks, CT
21 55B Robert Bloxsom III Statford, CT
22 04 Joey Jarvis Ascutney, VT
23 55CT Teddy Hodgdon Danbury, CT
Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers – (40 Laps)
1. 64VT Jason Pelkey Barre, VT
2. 07VT Sam Caron Milton, VT
3. 8VT Mike Billado Grand Isle, VT
4. 31VT Logan Powers Middlesex, VT
5. 90VT Cameron Ouellette Barre, VT
6. 36VT Joel Hodgdon Craftsbury Common, VT
7. 4ME Cooper French Northfield, VT
8. 45VT Adam Maynard Milton, VT
9. 20VT Robert Gordon Milton, VT
10. 23NY Cam Gadue Highgate, VT
11. 54VT Colin Cornell E. Burke, VT
12. 56VT Chris Laforest Barre, VT
13. 3VT Michael MacAskill Williamstown,VT
14. 37VT Kyle Streeter Waterbury Ctr., VT
15. 8NH Rich Lowrey South Hero, VT
16. 33VT #Matt Ballard Williamstown,VT
17. 78VT #Tyler Pepin Barre, VT
18. 93FL Jeff Oeschger Dover, FL
19. 68VT Jason Woodard Waterbury Ctr., VT
20. 9VT #Zach Audet Morrisville, VT
21. 13VT Ty Delphia Duxbury, VT
22. 00VT Brandon Gray E. Thetford, VT
23. 22VT Travis Patnoe Wolcott, VT
24. 34VT #Jim Paquette Alburgh, VT
25. 67VT Kevin Streeter Waitsfield, VT
26. 5VT Tyler Austin East Calais, VT
27. 26VT #Luke Peters Groton, VT
rk Miles Street Stocks – (25 Laps)
1. 54 Josh Lovely Williamstown, VT
2. 8 Jeffery Martin Barre, VT
3. 79 Juan ‘Paco’ Marshall Pittsfield, VT
4. 34 Patrick Tibbetts Plainfield, VT
5. 5 Kyle Gravel Wolcott, VT
6. 7 Kyle MacAskill Williamstown, VT
7. 98 Kasey Collins Berlin, VT
8. 48 Taylor Hoar South Hero, VT
9. 43 Jamie Davis Johnson, VT
10. 30 Cameron Powers E. Montpelier, VT
11. 74 Tyler Whittemore Barre, VT
12. 47 William Hennequin Morrisville, VT
13. 57 Trevor Jaques Milton, VT
14. 2 Haidyn Pearce Chelsea, VT
15. 0 James Dopp Northfield, VT
16. 39 Derek Farnham Bethel, VT
17. 08 #Ryan Foster Waterbury, VT
18. 55 Parker Gagne Fairfax, VT
19. 69 Christopher Davis Berlin, VT
20. 9 #Logan Farrell Barre, VT
21. 3 Michael Gay S. Burlington, VT
22. 24 Todd Raymo Swanton, VT
23. 04 Scott Weston Berlin, VT
24. 13 #Travis Gay S. Burlington, VT
25. 88 #Paul Rocheleau Georgia, VT
26. 73 Paige Whittemore Graniteville, VT
27. 16 Dean Switser, Jr. Waterford, VT
28. 17 Justin Blakely Graniteville, VT
29. 1 #Shea Wheeler Waterbury, VT
30 33 Curtis Franks Topsham, VT
DNS 22 Thomas Smith Williamstown, VT
DNS 50 Eric MacLaughlin Milton, VT
DNS 71 Jesse Laquerre Berlin, VT
Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors – (20 Laps)
1. 71 Jason Kirby Milton, VT
2. 95 Taylor Sayers Barre, VT
3. 31 Tyler Wheatley Brookfield, VT
4. 19 Neal Foster Moretown, VT
5. 88 Frank Putney Graniteville, VT
6. 99 Fred Fleury Graniteville, VT
7. 74 Bert Duffy Milton, VT
8. 50 Nick Copping Barre, VT
9. 42 Karsen Murphy Northfield, VT
10. 54 Dan Garrett, Jr. Berlin, VT
11. 43 Anderson Boyd Berlin, VT
12. 94 Ryan Sayers Barre, VT
13. 33 Brayden Murphy Barre, VT
14. 23 Jennesta Garrett Berlin, VT
15. 16 Nate Brien Williamstown, VT
16. 17 Brodie Frazier E. Montpelier, VT
DNS 86 Sean McCarthy Barre, VT
DNS 65 Connor Noyes E. Montpelier, VT
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