RaceDayCT Poll: Who Has The Best Chance To Get Their First Whelen Modified Tour Win At North Wilkesboro
It’s a moment in time for Jeremy Lavoie that set in motion a season of redemption in 2023 for the Stafford Speedway Limited Late Model division driver.
Lavoie, who has been the model for consistency for much of his career in the Limited Late Model division, saw bad luck bite him at the worst possible moment in 2022.
Lavoie went into the final event of the 2022 season at Stafford holding a 16-point lead in the Limited Late Model division standings. Running third with just over three laps remaining in the 20-lap season finale, disaster struck for Lavoie. He spun on the track and went to pit road on lap 17. Rich Hammann then used a fourth place finish in the feature to edge Lavoie by two points in the standings and win the Limited Late Model division championship.
“Right rear lower trailing arm broke off the rear end,” the 33-year old Lavoie said. “It could have been a weld that had been cracked for weeks, could have been a weld that had been cracked just that one week. But it decided to let go with three laps to go in [the final race].
“I didn’t bury my head in the sand because I knew that we had a really good season, despite that fact. Even finishing second in points last year, it was definitely heartbreaking standing in the infield watching them finish out the race for those last three laps. But I kept my head high and knew we would come into this season stronger. I just knew it would make us come back stronger.”
That drive to be stronger has been evident from Lavoie and his team at every event since the green flag fell for the 2023 season at Stafford.
Lavoie goes into Friday’s final race of the season at NAPA Championship night at Stafford holding a 16-point lead in the standings over Matt Clement. Lavoie is looking to become the first driver in the division’s history to win three championships.
Stafford introduced the the Limited Late Model division in 2005. Since then there have been three drivers to win two titles. Kevin Gambacorta, who clinched his first Late Model title at the track last week, won Limited Late Model championships in 2006 and 2011. Duane Provost won Limited Late Model championships in 2016 and 2016. Lavoie won titles in the division in 2018 and 2019.
In 14 events this season Lavoie has two wins and nine podium finishes. His worst finish of the season was a sixth place on Aug. 18.
“This year we came in looking for redemption for last year,” Lavoie said. “The main goal was to finish all the laps in all the races. That’s first things first. Obviously try to be on the podium or in the top-five comes second. Obviously we strive for wins, but if we can’t win we strive for the podium finish.”
Lavoie ran in the Street Stock division (formerly DARE Stock) in 2012 and 2013. After taking the 2014 season off, he joined the Limited Late Model division in 2015. Since 2017 he has been a fixture near the top of the division’s standings every year.
He finished third in the division, 22 points behind Provost in 2017. In 2020 he was third again, 16 points behind division champion Andrew Durand. In 2021 he was second in the standings, 22 points behind champion Alexandra Fearn.
“It definitely shows a lot of hard work and the time that we spend in the shop to prepare the race car,” Lavoie said. “We want to bring the race car to the track ready to compete. We’re not trying to fix the car at the track. Everything is done and ready at the shop and meticulously maintained. We try to hold ourselves to a high standard in how our car is prepared. I think it shows since 2017.
“I think it’s a great accomplishment for our family. Being in the racing scene for 45 years now, and me being the driver in my family that’s been able to get one championship, and then two and now with the possibility to get three, it shows that we’re persistent, we’re consistent and our hard work and dedication is bar none.”
RaceDayCT Poll: Who Has The Best Chance To Get Their First Whelen Modified Tour Win At North Wilkesboro
Great guy and family. Wish the best of luck to Jeremy