The Modifieds will be center stage at this weekend’s Vermont 200 at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in W. Haven, VT (Credit: Devil’s Bowl Speedway photo)

By Lou Modestino

Stock car racing fans will get far more than their money’s worth at the Mekkelsen RV Vermont 200 Championship Weekend at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on September 13-14, with two jam-packed days of action ahead. While feature races and championship celebrations highlight the Sunday portion of the event, the annual “Shootout Saturday” program has also become a can’t-miss.

The action begins at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 13 with qualifying heats for the Bond Auto Parts Modified, Renegade, and Central Vermont Motorcycles Mini Stock divisions. Non-Winner Shootouts are on tap for all four weekly Devil’s Bowl divisions, giving competitors who have yet to find victory lane a chance to shine. The Modified, Late Model, Renegade, and Mini Stock classes will each have a 10-lap Shootout race for drivers who have competed at the track prior to the Vermont 200 Weekend without having won a feature.

The Texas Roadhouse North East Mini Stock Tour will invade the Devil’s Bowl half-mile for the first time on Saturday with qualifying heats and a 25-lap main event, bringing a variety of cars and drivers from all parts of the region. The NEMST has a diverse schedule that includes asphalt and dirt tracks, as well as both the “Magic Mile” oval and the 1.6-mile road course at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Toby Wells of Dublin, NH leads the standings over former champion Emerson Cayer, followed by Justin Larsen, Nicholas Anderson, and Joe Baxter; drivers from all six New England states rank inside the top 10 in standings including seventh-place Matt Sonnhalter of Thetford, VT.

The “Shootout Saturday” program will wrap up with optional practice sessions for the Modified and Late Model divisions, followed at 6:30 p.m. by the annual pig roast barbeque party, a massive bonfire, and the inaugural Mekkelsen RV “Cornhole” Tournament.

Sunday’s events begin at 1:30 p.m. and include qualifying and a 100-lap finale for the Vermont State Late Model Championship Series and twin 50-lap features for the Northern Modified Challenge Series. NASCAR Whelen All-American Series track champions will also be crowned in all four divisions.