Both Trampas Demers (#85VT) and Cody Blake (#99VT) are right in the thick of a six-way battle for “King of the Road” with five point-counting events remaining. (Alan Ward photo)
Barre, VT – An all-time battle to be the “King of the Road” is shaping up as Thunder Road heads into WDEV/Calkins Portable Toilets Night this Thursday, August 1. While a full card of racing is on tap for all four divisions, everyone will have at least one eye on the Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models and a point chase that is currently too close to call.
There have been many thrilling bouts for the track championship throughout Thunder Road’s 60-year history. The 2018 season was certainly near the top of the list, as the top four drivers went down to the final laps of the season before Milton’s Scott Dragon emerged with his second “King of the Road” title.
However, the 2019 edition already looks like it could be one of the best title clashes ever at the “Nation’s Site of Excitement”. With five point-counting events remaining, a mere nine points separate the top five racers. All told, six drivers could end Thursday night as the point leader, meaning every move they make looms large.
Dragon finds himself in a familiar position after nine events – atop the point standings. The two-time and defending champion has the points lead for the first time all season after his runner-up finish at the Country Camper Midseason Championships. Although, “The Dragon Wagon” has had a few rough races this year, his three victories and the double-point second-place result last week have been enough to put him in the same position as he was at this time last year.
Shelburne’s Trampas Demers is also in the same spot as 2018 – with almost the exact margin. Demers is two points behind Dragon in second place compared to three points after last year’s Midseason Championships. The veteran has been the most consistent driver in the Late Model ranks this year with top-10s in every event.
“Our performance in the second half of the season has to be better than it’s been in the past,” Demers said. “We’ve gotten to this point before. This particular year, we went backwards in the Midseason Championships, whereas in past years we’ve gained in that event. We’ve just got to hang in there for the last five races and find what we had in the beginning of the season – (Thursday) was really the first race where we didn’t run well.
“You’re going to have to finish in the top-five for at least the majority of the races left to win the title against these guys,” Demers added. “There’s no way you’re not going to be able to do that…we’ve been in this position before, and we’ve learned the pressure that it can bring. At this point, timing and momentum are everything.”
Montpelier’s Kyle Pembroke and Barre’s Jason Corliss are tied for third with each just seven points out of first. Pembroke made a huge leap thanks to his double-point Midseason Championship win while Corliss has been in the overall top-three all year. Barre’s Cody Blake rounds out the top-five and trails Dragon by nine points. Just behind this quintet, Wolcott’s Marcel J. Gravel sits 31 points back of Dragon in sixth, making him very much a title contender.
The Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers have a thriller of a championship chase developing as well. A major shift happened at the Midseason Championship with Waterbury Center’s Jason Woodard grabbed his second win of the season. The double-point victory, coupled with a 10th-place finish for Craftsbury’s Stephen Martin, brought Woodard all the way back from a 41-point deficit to a nine-point lead in the standings.
Martin now is second overall, which is still a fine position for the 17-year-old rookie. Third-year Tiger racer Tyler Austin of East Calais is 29 points behind Woodard in third while sophomore Kelsea Woodard of Waterbury Center runs 47 points back in fourth. Morrisville’s Brandon Lanphear rounds out the top-five with Joe Steffen, Logan Powers, and Colin Cornell not far behind.
In the Allen Lumber Street Stocks, it is status quo for Barre’s Jeffrey Martin. The veteran posted his ninth straight top-10 finish on double-points night, keeping him 34 points ahead of former champion Tommy “Thunder” Smith of Williamstown. Berlin’s Kasey Collins surged to third in the standings after a career-best second-place finish last week. Dean Switser Jr., Kasey Beattie, J.T. Blanchard, and Tim Hunt are breathing down Collin’s neck, leaving much to be decided.
The Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors are on the Thunder Road card for the second straight week. Points haven’t been necessary for the Road Warriors to put on a raucous show every time out, and the division has already produced four first-time Thunder Road winners in just six events. While a fifth first-timer could certainly emerge this week, popular Warriors such as Eric Chase, Josh Vilbrin, and James Dopp will have something to say about that.
Thunder Road opens the second half of the season with WDEV/Calkins Portable Toilets Night this Thursday, August 1 at 7:00 pm. All four divisions have a full card of championship action. The evening will also feature the annual “Port-a-Potty Grand Prix” to determine the fast portalet in the Northeast. The pits open at 3:30 pm and the front gates open at 5:15 pm. Admission is $12 for adults, $3 for kids ages 6-12, and $25 for a family of four (2 adults, 2 kids).
Source: Michael R. Stridsberg/Thunder Road Speedbowl Media Director
072919 Tremont Tramples Devils Bowl Field in CJ Richards Memorial 100.docx94 KB072919 Tremont Tramples Devils Bowl Field in CJ Richards Memorial 100.pdf189 KBShow all 10 attachments (3 MB)Download allSave all to OneDrive
ATTACHED PHOTOS:
Barrows.jpg: Jake Barrows of Middlebury, Vt., took over the Mini Stock division point lead with his second of the year at Devil’s Bowl Speedway (Jeremy McGaffin/Showstopper photo)
Limited.jpg: Anthony Ryan (#211) was leading the O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman feature at Devil’s Bowl Speedway when contact with another car sent him into the wall and out of the race. (Alan Ward photo)
Norris.jpg: Maine native Mark Norris, now of Benson, Vt., landed in victory lane in Vermont for the first time, winning the Super Stock feature at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. (Jeremy McGaffin/Showstopper photo)
Roberts.jpg: Rookie Evan Roberts, 13, of Fletcher, Vt., won his fifth Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprint race of the season at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. (Jeremy McGaffin/Showstopper photo)
Sportsman.jpg: Kenny Tremont Jr. (#115) goes up the middle to complete a four-wide pass, on his way to winning the Carrara Masonry & Concrete “C.J. Richards Memorial 100” at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. . (Alan Ward photo)
Sumner.jpg: Chris Sumner of Ripton, Vt., won his second Enduro Series race in as many events at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. (Jeremy McGaffin/Showstopper photo)
Tremont.jpg: Kenny Tremont of West Sand Lake, N.Y., blistered the Pepsi Sportsman Modified field to win the Carrara Masonry & Concrete “C.J. Richards Memorial 100” at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. (Jeremy McGaffin/Showstopper photo)
Warren.jpg: Anthony Warren of Shoreham, Vt., made it back-to-back wins in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman division. (Jeremy McGaffin/Showstopper photo)
Tremont Tramples Devil’s Bowl Field in C.J. Richards Memorial 100
Norris captures first Super Stock win
For Immediate Release DBS-072919-1
WEST HAVEN, Vt. – Kenny Tremont Jr. made an authoritative statement at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Sunday, July 28, dominating the Carrara Masonry & Concrete “C.J. Richards Memorial 100” race for his fifth win of the season. Five other drivers also visited the winner’s circle during the event, with Anthony Warren, Mark Norris, Jake Barrows, Evan Roberts, and Chris Sumner winning their feature races.
Walt Hammond Jr. and Wayne Stearns put on a great battle for the top spot in the first half of the 100-lap distance of the Pepsi Sportsman Modified race before Tremont arrived. Tremont started 17th on the 30-car field and needed 56 laps to get to the lead, but once he was there, he was long gone. The West Sand Lake, N.Y., driver built a big advantage during a long green-flag run, and then held off all challengers at the final restart – which came at lap 99 and extended the race by one lap with a green-white-checkered restart.
Troy, N.Y.’s Kale Groff had a spectacular Devil’s Bowl debut as the runner-up finisher. A regular competitor at Albany-Saratoga (N.Y.) Speedway, Groff had just three top-10 finishes this season at his home track before tackling the Vermont speedway for the first time. He drove from 18th starting position to reach second-place runner Stearns and engage in a fun duel in the final quarter of the race, and finally took the position late in the going.
Stearns, of Bradford, Vt., finished a season-best third, followed by Adam Pierson, who came out ahead of Joey Scarborough after an intense battle. Tanner Siemons finished sixth ahead of Vince Quenneville, Josh Sunn, Frank Hoard III, and Walter J. Hammond. Tremont has amassed a comfortable 74-point lead over Hoard in the championship standings, 463-389.
Shoreham, Vt.’s Anthony Warren found himself in the right place in the rough-and-tumble O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman feature, and ended up in Victory Lane for the second week in a row. Anthony Ryan was leading and headed for his first win when contact from second-place driver Matt Bilodeau sent both cars head-on into the wall at lap 14. Warren inherited the lead just as the 20-minute time limit was enacted and a green-white-checkered finish was set up, and he stayed out front despite a strong challenge from point leader James Hanson.
Hanson was the runner-up and protected his lead in the standings. Bobby Schmidt had by far his best performance, driving from 13th to finish third. Johnny Bruno finished fourth with Dave Snow fifth.
Mark Norris scored a popular first win in the Super Stock division after that 20-lap race was also cut short three laps by time constraints. The Benson, Vt., resident took the lead at lap 5 and held it through the end; the victory was his first on dirt and was the first win for the former asphalt competitor since a 1997 victory at Wiscasset Speedway in his native Maine.
Josh Bussino finished second with Bill Duprey third, Scott FitzGerald fourth, and Kaleb Shepard fifth. FitzGerald gained ground in the standings and now leads his son, Andrew, by 84 points.
The title fight for the Mini Stock division changed dramatically when Middlebury, Vt.’s Jake Barrows drove to his second win of the year in a 20-lap race. Craig Kirby scored his career-best finish as the runner-up, and Tim Simonds was third. Willie Rice and rookie Kendra Walden had their best results of the year in fourth and fifth, respectively.
Previous point leader Shawn Moquin retired from the race with engine problems and Barrows’ win was good enough to take over the championship lead. Barrows, Moquin, and Kirby are now all within 18 points at the top.
Thirteen-year-old rookie Evan Roberts of Fletcher, Vt., grabbed his fifth victory of the season in the 20-lap Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprint race and built on his point lead. Roberts took over just before the halfway mark in the caution-free race and had an easy drive to the win.
Dakota Green took his best finish of the year in second after leading early. Shawn McPhee was third ahead of Samantha Mulready and John McPhee Jr.
Ripton, Vt.’s Chris Sumner made it a perfect two-for-two in the Enduro Series, winning the second 50-lap race of the season; Sumner also won the opener on July 3. The father-son duo of Bill and Shawn Fountain put on a good battle for the lead before Sumner got ahead just after the race’s only red flag stoppage on lap 32. Bill Fountain spun out and was eliminated from contention, but Shawn Fountain finished second. Tim Whitney was third, one lap behind the leaders, with Kenny Torrey and Brent Wilbur next in line, each two laps down.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway is back in action on Sunday, August 4 at 7:00 p.m., as Friend Construction presents a special event for Limited Sportsman division and the annual Kids Racecar Rides at intermission. General admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors (62+), and free for kids 12 and under.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, Vt., four miles north of U.S. Route 4, Exit 2, and just 20 minutes from Rutland, Vt. For more information, visitwww.DevilsBowlSpeedwayVT.com or call (802) 265-3112. Devil’s Bowl Speedway is on Facebook atfacebook.com/DevilsBowlSpeedway, and on Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat at @DevilsBowlSpeed; follow the action using the #DevilsBowl hashtag.
Some of the top weekly Late Model racers in the region will take on the ACT stars in the Midsummer 250. (Alan Ward photo)
Waterbury, VT – The $10,000-to-win Midsummer 250 is just days away from taking the green flag at N. Woodstock, NH’s White Mountain Motorsports Park (WMMP). While the August 3 event is part of the ACT Late Model Tour schedule, it has drawn entries and interest from weekly Late Model racers around the region aiming for the giant check awaiting the winner.
Local competitors have long been the lifeblood of ACT, with drivers who compete for weekly championships and bragging rights going up against the traveling stars at most events on the schedule. The Midsummer 250 will be no exception, with top runners from WMMP, Thunder Road, and Thompson Speedway among those who have filed entries. For them victory in the big-money marathon would still be an exclamation point on both their season and career.
Some who have entered already have substantial touring experience on their résumés. Current Thunder Road point leader Scott Dragon of Milton, VT was a regular on the ACT Late Model Tour early in his career. He owns three Tour wins and still considers distance racing to be his strength. WMMP point leader Quinny Welch of Groveton, NH has earned 20 top-10 finishes at tracks ranging from Lee USA to Oxford. Warwick, RI’s Mark Jenison, the number-two driver at Thompson Speedway, has spent time on the Tour as well. For them, that knowledge could come in handy in the longest race of the year.
Others whose career has primarily been contested on the weekly level will have an opportunity to show they can run with the region’s best. That includes drivers like Lyndonville, VT’s Scott Corey, who sits sixth in points at WMMP. While Corey’s status for the weekend remains slightly uncertain after a hard crash earlier this year, he sees the potential that comes with a strong performance in such a big event.
“You get to race against some of the top Late Model drivers in the area, and it’s always special to be able to race against those guys and see how you can perform against them,” Corey said. “The team is doing a very good job this year. We’ve taken a big step from where we were – we’ve learned a lot about the car and what adjustments we can make to get better. I think sometimes the car is probably better than me! But we’ve made good strides to make the car good each week.”
Barre’s Cody Blake, meanwhile, has already showed he’s no slouch at any distance. Thunder road’s number-five point man Cody Blake of Barre, VT has a win in the 2013 Vermont Governor’s Cup and finished fourth in last year’s ACT event at WMMP, both of with were 150-lap affairs. He will step into the #7VT normally piloted by Mike Foster this Saturday.
Graniteville, VT’s Christopher Pelkey is in the top-10 in both Thunder Road and ACT points, meaning he will represent the weekly and the touring brethren this weekend. Groveton, NH’s Corey Mason is a former Speedway 51 champion and the track’s current point leader. Last season, he finished fifth in ACT points, showing his prowess at a variety of speedway. N. Haverhill’s Ryan Olsen got his start racing weekly at WMMP, posting multiple wins there, and returns home for the big show.
They’ll join the best of the ACT Late Model Tour, including current point leader Rich Dubeau of Plainfield, NH; two-time defending champion Scott Payea of Colchester, VT; multi-time winner Jimmy Hebert of Williamstown, VT; and top rookie Ryan Kuhn of East Bridgewater, MA. Regional all-stars such as Hudson, NH’s Joey Polewarczyk and St-Denis, QC’s Patrick Laperle are also planning to go after the $10,000 top prize.
The Midsummer 250 is coming this Saturday, August 3 at N. Woodstock, NH’s White Mountain Motorsports Park. The $10,000-to-win ACT Late Model Tour event is part of a card that also includes the track’s Wells River Chevrolet Flying Tigers, Woodsville Guaranty Savings Bank Strictly Stock Mini’s, and 7-Eleven Dwarf Cars.
Qualifying for the local divisions begins at 5:30pm with the first ACT heat scheduled for 6:00pm. The pits open at 11:00am and the front gates open at 2:00pm. Admission is $25 for adults, $5 for kids ages 6-12, and $50 for a family of four (2 adults, 2 kids).
Source: Michael R. Stridsberg/American-Canadian Tour Media Director
Note: If your track, tour or event is not posted on this blog send your press releases and flyers to: lmodestino@hotmail.com
A Jake Barrows of Middlebury, Vt., took over the Mini Stock division point lead with his second of the year at Devil’s Bowl Speedway (Jeremy McGaffin/Showstopper photo)
Anthony Ryan (#211) was leading the O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman feature at Devil’s Bowl Speedway when contact with another car sent him into the wall and out of the race. (Alan Ward photo)
Maine native Mark Norris, now of Benson, Vt., landed in victory lane in Vermont for the first time, winning the Super Stock feature at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. (Jeremy McGaffin/Showstopper photo)
Rookie Evan Roberts, 13, of Fletcher, Vt., won his fifth Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprint race of the season at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. (Jeremy McGaffin/Showstopper photo)
Kenny Tremont Jr. (#115) goes up the middle to complete a four-wide pass, on his way to winning the Carrara Masonry & Concrete “C.J. Richards Memorial 100” at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. . (Alan Ward photo)
Chris Sumner of Ripton, Vt., won his second Enduro Series race in as many events at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. (Jeremy McGaffin/Showstopper photo) Kenny Tremont of West Sand Lake, N.Y., blistered the Pepsi Sportsman Modified field to win the Carrara Masonry & Concrete “C.J. Richards Memorial 100” at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. (Jeremy McGaffin/Showstopper photo)
Warren.jpg: Anthony Warren of Shoreham, Vt., made it back-to-back wins in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman division. (Jeremy McGaffin/Showstopper photo)
Tremont Tramples Devil’s Bowl Field in C.J. Richards Memorial 100
Norris captures first Super Stock win
WEST HAVEN, Vt. – Kenny Tremont Jr. made an authoritative statement at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Sunday, July 28, dominating the Carrara Masonry & Concrete “C.J. Richards Memorial 100” race for his fifth win of the season. Five other drivers also visited the winner’s circle during the event, with Anthony Warren, Mark Norris, Jake Barrows, Evan Roberts, and Chris Sumner winning their feature races.
Walt Hammond Jr. and Wayne Stearns put on a great battle for the top spot in the first half of the 100-lap distance of the Pepsi Sportsman Modified race before Tremont arrived. Tremont started 17th on the 30-car field and needed 56 laps to get to the lead, but once he was there, he was long gone. The West Sand Lake, N.Y., driver built a big advantage during a long green-flag run, and then held off all challengers at the final restart – which came at lap 99 and extended the race by one lap with a green-white-checkered restart.
Troy, N.Y.’s Kale Groff had a spectacular Devil’s Bowl debut as the runner-up finisher. A regular competitor at Albany-Saratoga (N.Y.) Speedway, Groff had just three top-10 finishes this season at his home track before tackling the Vermont speedway for the first time. He drove from 18th starting position to reach second-place runner Stearns and engage in a fun duel in the final quarter of the race, and finally took the position late in the going.
Stearns, of Bradford, Vt., finished a season-best third, followed by Adam Pierson, who came out ahead of Joey Scarborough after an intense battle. Tanner Siemons finished sixth ahead of Vince Quenneville, Josh Sunn, Frank Hoard III, and Walter J. Hammond. Tremont has amassed a comfortable 74-point lead over Hoard in the championship standings, 463-389.
Shoreham, Vt.’s Anthony Warren found himself in the right place in the rough-and-tumble O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman feature, and ended up in Victory Lane for the second week in a row. Anthony Ryan was leading and headed for his first win when contact from second-place driver Matt Bilodeau sent both cars head-on into the wall at lap 14. Warren inherited the lead just as the 20-minute time limit was enacted and a green-white-checkered finish was set up, and he stayed out front despite a strong challenge from point leader James Hanson.
Hanson was the runner-up and protected his lead in the standings. Bobby Schmidt had by far his best performance, driving from 13th to finish third. Johnny Bruno finished fourth with Dave Snow fifth.
Mark Norris scored a popular first win in the Super Stock division after that 20-lap race was also cut short three laps by time constraints. The Benson, Vt., resident took the lead at lap 5 and held it through the end; the victory was his first on dirt and was the first win for the former asphalt competitor since a 1997 victory at Wiscasset Speedway in his native Maine.
Josh Bussino finished second with Bill Duprey third, Scott FitzGerald fourth, and Kaleb Shepard fifth. FitzGerald gained ground in the standings and now leads his son, Andrew, by 84 points.
The title fight for the Mini Stock division changed dramatically when Middlebury, Vt.’s Jake Barrows drove to his second win of the year in a 20-lap race. Craig Kirby scored his career-best finish as the runner-up, and Tim Simonds was third. Willie Rice and rookie Kendra Walden had their best results of the year in fourth and fifth, respectively.
Previous point leader Shawn Moquin retired from the race with engine problems and Barrows’ win was good enough to take over the championship lead. Barrows, Moquin, and Kirby are now all within 18 points at the top.
Thirteen-year-old rookie Evan Roberts of Fletcher, Vt., grabbed his fifth victory of the season in the 20-lap Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprint race and built on his point lead. Roberts took over just before the halfway mark in the caution-free race and had an easy drive to the win.
Dakota Green took his best finish of the year in second after leading early. Shawn McPhee was third ahead of Samantha Mulready and John McPhee Jr.
Ripton, Vt.’s Chris Sumner made it a perfect two-for-two in the Enduro Series, winning the second 50-lap race of the season; Sumner also won the opener on July 3. The father-son duo of Bill and Shawn Fountain put on a good battle for the lead before Sumner got ahead just after the race’s only red flag stoppage on lap 32. Bill Fountain spun out and was eliminated from contention, but Shawn Fountain finished second. Tim Whitney was third, one lap behind the leaders, with Kenny Torrey and Brent Wilbur next in line, each two laps down.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway is back in action on Sunday, August 4 at 7:00 p.m., as Friend Construction presents a special event for Limited Sportsman division and the annual Kids Racecar Rides at intermission. General admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors (62+), and free for kids 12 and under.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, Vt., four miles north of U.S. Route 4, Exit 2, and just 20 minutes from Rutland, Vt. For more information, visitwww.DevilsBowlSpeedwayVT.com or call (802) 265-3112. Devil’s Bowl Speedway is on Facebook atfacebook.com/DevilsBowlSpeedway, and on Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat at @DevilsBowlSpeed; follow the action using the #DevilsBowl hashtag.
“It’s a whole, new learning curve,” says the Brockton based Everett’s Racing Team Manager Bobby Gonneville. The organization, which sports several racing teams, is not the basic sponsorship operation it once was. If you’re driving or maintaining an Everett’s race car, you’re working on a vehicle which is owned by the team.
Before 2013 Roy Andrade was in the sponsorship mode but he wanted to become the car owner. The green and black Everett’s logo was already prominent on cars all over the track. Two big notables were Pro Stock helmsmen Dick Houlihan of Bridgewater and Bobby Tripp. But Roy had dreams perhaps of becoming a top NASCAR Cup team owner like Penske, Roush or Yates on a smaller scale.
Roy Andrade owns Everett’s Auto Parts of Brockton. It was built by and named after his father Everett Andrade. Now the company owns the biggest race team at the Seekonk Speedway to date. The white cars trimmed in black and green are hard to miss. Top-flight drivers are well supported by their ownership. Two Pro Stocks, a Late Model, one Sportsman, a Sport Truck and on Fast Fridays a Bandolero in the Seekonk Youth ranks.
“The Everett’s team is fantastic. The caliber of drivers is above the rest,” says driver Vinny Pangelinan. “Each week it’s always what can we do to get better, faster and stronger.” Vinny’s wife, Katie, adds “If we’re not winning, it’s gotta be faster.” It was the beginning of a learning curve, as Roy likes the idea of his cars winning races but he also wants to see his teams run like a business.
As Vinny Pangelinan brought his Sportsman into the team, the business of racing began to expand. Today it includes Fred Astle, Jr. and Pangelinan as well as a second Pro Stock in the hands of Dylan Estrella. A Late Model hustled around the oval by former Pro Stock champ Bobby Tripp, who was recruited back from retirement recently by Team Manager Bob Gonneville. This year Sport Truck driver Barry Shaw has been recruited. Shaw responded by winning the season’s opener and a few weeks later became the first dual-winner in his division.
There’s also Ryan Kuhn of East Bridgewater racing for the team on the American-Canadian Tour (ACT). The Kuhns still own their car as does Pangelinan. But Everett’s is the principal sponsor. Ryan is running fourth in the standings and leads in points for ACT’s rookie of the year.
Roy’s (Andrade) team expanded again this year. He looked into the Friday night racing divisions and brought in Joey LeMay from Seekonk’s Youth Racing Division with his Bandolero racer.
Houlihan and Tripp were his first two full sponsorships for Everett’s more than two decades ago. Everett’s Auto Parts footed the entire bill for their cars but the company did not own them. “Roy wanted to transfer from car sponsor to car owner,” said Gonneville. He made the arrangements with Fred Astle, Jr. in 2013 and the ownership changed hands. Now says Gonneville, “Everything Fred touches, Roy owns.” The same is true for the whole team, from Astle’s Pro Stock to Dylan Estrella’s, Tripp’s Late Model, Vinny Pangelinan’s Sportsman and Barry Shaw’s Sport Truck. But it produces a sharper team. “They want to win for Roy. He runs that kind of organization,” says Gonneville.
It’s been good for Astle, something Fast Fred puts into words, “ The Everett’s Auto Parts family that’s just what it is. It’s a great family. Myself and my team. We’ve had the best equipment we’ve had in my 38 years of racing.”
“Come down and see us race. I’m sure you’ll be impressed,” says Andrade at the close of the video they produced for the team. You can see the video at http://www.everettsautoparts.com/everetts-racing-team/ “Roy is very big on how the fans perceive the organization,” notes Gonneville. Ryan Kuhn, driver of the Everett’s car on the American Canadian Tour (ACT) says, in the team video, “He’s all about the fans. He loves the fans. He loves giving to the fans.”
Ryan’s father, the well known veteran racer Jimmy Kuhn, says, “Obviously, you want to win races, and you like to win races. But I don’t think that’s his priority. He doesn’t have to do this.” Then again perhaps he can’t help himself. Roy is a huge fan of racing. The Everett’s website says, “Roy’s enthusiasm for racing didn’t just translate to a great racing team but also a family atmosphere where all the drivers and their teams work together to succeed. He is both down in the garage seeing what the drivers need and in the stands cheering with the fans. His dedication is truly for the love of the sport.”
Everett’s business is not your average auto parts store. It is an entire recycling operation on a mega-basis, just a stone’s throw from Brockton’s Massasoit Community College. The operation is huge and automated. They recycle an average of 3,000 cars per month. There’s a self-serve area where customers can pull parts off the cars themselves, another where the company has stock that they have removed and warehoused.
For the current season, they bought new Pro Stocks for Astle and Estrella. Fred’s came from Eury Racecars of Mooresville, NC. Estella’s came from Distance Racing Products in Fairfield, Maine. The reward came on June 29th, as Estrella worked his way to the front, then had Astle on his right shoulder for a caution restart. Estrella was able to reclaim his lead and Astle jumped onto his back bumper to chase him to the checkers. The Speedway posted a great photo with the race summary that showed the twin white cars nose-to-tail with “Estrella” clearly on his windshield-top and “Astle” on the windshield of the car behind.
Information for this column came from Seekonk Speedway prress releases and personal notes
It was another busy Saturday night at the Monadnock Speedway in Winchester, NH.
Brown Wins Double Late Model Sportsman Feature
Winchester, NH – Saturday night was all about new records, extended win streaks and speed at Monadnock Speedway. Add in some great side by side racing and you had the formula for an exciting night of racing.
The spotlight was on the Late Model Sportsman division. They were scheduled for a double feature to make up for one race postponed from a rainy July 6th program, plus their regular Saturday night 25-lap race. All eyes were on Vernon, VTs, Solomon Brow. Coming into the night he had won six straight features to start the season. Only two other drivers had similar starts, Bobby Stowell in 1986 and Mike Stebbins in 2003. And only one driver had ever won seven straight to start a year. That was a New England favorite, Pete Fiandaca. Brow had two opportunities to tie his record and set a new one. Two other consecutive win streaks were also on the line Saturday. Sportsman Modified point leader, Todd Patnode of Swanzey, NH, was looking to take four wins in a row and Whatley, MA, Young Gun, Jake Pulchalski was gunning for his third straight win.
In the first 25-lap event it took Brow six laps to take the lead and roll into victory lane, tying Fiandaca. Tyler Leary of Hatfield, MA, collected second place with Cole Littlewood from Orange, MA, running a close third. The stage was set for round two and a new record. Over the first 20 laps it looked as though Brow’s string was about to be cut. Justin Littlewood of Orange, MA, had led from lap 2. On lap 20, Brow found the room to pass and take the lead. A hard crash on the next lap brought out the red flag when Cole Littlewood’s car nailed the backstretch barrier head on. On the restart, Brow left no doubt who was quickest, pulling ahead to take the checkers to set a new record of eight consecutive wins to start a season. Justin Littlewood claimed second. Hartland, VT’s, Robert Hagar had a consistent run for third.
The Sportsman Modifieds rolled out for their 50-lap main. Barely two laps of green flag racing had been completed when Patnode was caught up in a minor skirmish going into turn one. He disappeared into the pits. As the field fell into place to restart, Patnode returned joining the back of the field. For the next 40 laps the race was all about former Champion, Keith Cazello of Somers, CT, Greenfield, MA’s, Ben Byrne and Whatley, MA, driver Joel Monahan dueling for the top spot. By lap 43, Patnode had worked he way through the field and claimed the lead and the win for the fourth consecutive time. Byrne and Monahan were second and third. Honorable mention should go to Claremont, NH, driver Alyssa Rivera, who contested for the lead early and ran a strong fourth at the end of the race.
In the 15 lap Young Gun feature, Puchalski added to his win total of five with his third straight win over Ashuelot, NH’s, Matt Lambert and newcomer Brandon LaVoie from Littleton, MA.
Street Stocker, Ed Lofland of Belchertown, MA, said he needed a win to keep his season going. He did just that by leading the 25-lap event green to checkers for the win. Claremont, NH’s David Greenslit was second. Rutand, MA, driver Jaret Curtis took third.
Pure Stock point leader Chris Davis of Winchester, NH, added a fourth win to his total, outlasting a strong challenge from Erin Aikens of Claremont in a non-stop 25 lap race. Tolland, CT, driver Rich Hammann was the early race leader before settling into third at the finish.
The always exciting Northeast Midget Association brought two super fast divisions to the high banks of Monadnock to celebrate the Iron Mike Memorial. First featured division was the NEMA Lites. The hotly contested lead was eventually secured by Randy Cabral of Kingston, MA, on the 26th of 30-laps. Jake Stegios of Candia, NH, was second after having led the race twice. Teenager, Ryan Locke of Chester, NH, slipped into third with a lap to go. In the NEMA 30-lap main, Danny Gugini of Mansfield, MA, jumped on top at the green and was never seriously challenged in a very fast green to checkers race. Randy Cabral, doing double duty, gave chase but settled for second. Avery Stoehr from Lakeville, MA, worked through the field for third.
Monadnock Speedway starts off a busy month of August this Saturday with another night of twin features. The Sportsman Modifieds make up their July 6th feature along the night’s regular 50-lapper. Qualifying for the NASCAR Whelen All-American divisions plus the Classic Lites and Granite State Legends starts at 6PM.
Sportsman Modified Results: Todd Patnode, Ben Byrne, Joel Monahan, Alyssa Rivera, Brian Chapin, Dennis Charette, Keith Carzello, Andy Major, Eric LeClair, Scott MacMichael, Kim Rivet, Kevin Pittsinger, Mike Smith, Kenny Thompson, Tyler Jarvenpaa
Late Model Sportsman 1st Feature Results: Solomon Brow, Tyler Leary, Cole Littlewood, Justin Littlewood, Robert Hagar, Keith Carzello, Dennis Stange, Nancy Muni Ruot, Will Kuhn, Scott Beck, Shawn Stone, Marc Curtis (DNS)
Late Model Sportsman Second Feature: Solomon Brow, Justin Littlewood, Robert Hagar, Tyler leary, Dennis Stange, Eric Pomasko, Glen Brehio, Will Kuhn, Nancy Muni Ruot, Alecia Fohlin Parker, Cole Littlewood, Scott Beck, Shawn Stone, Keith Carzello
Street Stock Results: Ed Lofland, Dave Greenslit, Jaret Curtis, Chase Curtis, Chris Buffone, Hillary Renaud, Craig Chaffee, Michelle Leh, Rich Streeter, Nathaniel Nunez, Mike Parks, Chris Davis, Erin Aiken, Rich Hammann, Taylor Striebel, Mike Douglas, Sammy Silva, Carter Chamberlain Jake Puchalski, Matt Lambert, Brandon Lavoie, JD Stockwell, Matt Winter, Reagan Buffum
Wednesday July 31st: Street Night Gates Open at 5 pm Racing from 6-10 pm
Friday August 2nd: Street Night Gates Open at 5 pm Racing from 6-10 pm
Saturday August 3rd: NH Lottery Jet Cars Under The Stars! Featuring the World’s Fastest Jet Truck, Shockwave! And the World’s Fastest Jet Firetruck, Aftershock! Jet Funny Cars! Jet Dragsters! Wheelstanders! & Hot Rods From Hell! PLUS New England No Time, NE X-275, Pro Comp, Diesel Direct Super Street, and Iannotti Brothers Select Cars Top Sportsman. Racing beginning at 12!Main Event begins at 6 pm!
Sunday August 4th:Outlaw 10.5, Fast By Gast Top Bike, Street Fighters, Dennis K. Burke Junior Dragster, NE -X275, plus NHRA Junior Dragster Challenge, Test & Tune. Gates Opens at 8 am
All photo credit Alan Ward) Will Hull (61) leads Chris Donnelly (24) off turn 4
Clay Dow (58) & Chris Donnelly side by side exiting turn 2
Will Hull (61) & Floyd Billington (69k)
Floyd Billington lifts the Left Fron
Chris Donnelly (24) & Mark Cole (6x) duel for second
Will Hull in Victory Lane after his feature win
Top 3 (L-R) Mark Cole (3rd), Will Hull (1st), Chris Donnelly (2nd)
The Green Mountain Gear-Heads Sprint Cars of New England once again appeared at Bear Ridge Speedway on July 27th; making up an event rained out earlier in the season and found a multi groove racy track come feature time which resulted in a fast caution free event.
When the feature rolled off Kurt Conklin and Mark Cole made up the front row with Conklin getting the jump when the green flew. Conklin immediately pulled away from the field, building a healthy lead in the first couple of laps with Mark Cole running comfortably in second with Clay Dow third. As the race hit the nine lap mark Will Hull was on the move, taking the third spot from Dow and started to rapidly close the gap on Cole. By lap twelve Hull was challenging Cole for second and made his way into second two laps later. It took Will Hull only two more laps to catch Conklin and make the pass for the lead. Shortly after Hull took the top spot Chris Donnelly passed Cole for third and looked to garner second from Conklin. It only took Donnelly one more lap to dispose of Conklin moving to second and looking to reel in Will Hull. Mark Cole also took advantage of the fading Conklin to take the third spot as the two lap indicator was displayed by the flagman. At the checkers it was Will Hull with the win, Chris Donnelly was second with Mark Cole third. Kurt Conklin and Clay Dow completed the top five.
The next event on the Green Mountain Gear-Heads Sprint Cars of New England schedule will be Saturday, August 3rd, once again at the Bear Ridge Speedway in Bradford, VT.
Jim Chambers ended a season plagued with demons in the Butch Walsh Memorial at the LEE USA Speedway this past Friday to take down an exciting victory over 7 time NEMA Champion Randy Cabral. Chambers was flawless enroute to victory. In the LItes race, it was all Cabral, as he used the high line to take command of the lead early, and never looked back.
In the NEMA feature event, Chambers, by virtue of the club’s handicap system and a series of DNF’s in 2019, started near the front and had the lead at the end of lap one. Chambers was flawless, as lap by lap he hit his marks. As the race wore on, Randy Cabral broke free of traffic, and Paul Scally was in tow.
Cabral managed to close the gap as Chambers approached lapped traffic, and Scally caught the Chambers/Cabral duo to set up a very exciting ending to the race. With five to go, Cabral looked low, but Chambers closed the door, and used lapped traffic to his advantage to again pull away from Cabral. Chambers would cross the line a carlength ahead of Cabral, and following Chambers, was Cabral, Paul Scally, John Zych, Alby Ovitt, Todd Bertrand, Lanson Fornoro, Avery Stoehr, Mike Horn and Andy Lunt.
“The win at Lee was a turn around our team needed after a really rough start with some gremlins that took weeks to find. The setup was good all day, but our night didn’t start great with a broken U joint in practice. We had to thrash to get ready for the heat race to keep a good starting spot for the feature. We can’t thank Glen Cabral enough for the spare parts and for working with us on a hot day. In the feature, I knew we just needed to hit our marks and stay consistent and it worked out well,” said Chambers.
In the Lites race, ninth place starter Cabral wasted no time, blasting into the fifth spot by the end of lap one, and a lap later was in the lead. Cabral used his patented moves on the outside, but behind him, Ryan Locke was also on the move. Locke went from the tenth spot, to eight, to third all in the first four laps of the event.
As the laps rolled on, there was no catching Cabral, as he took the Frank Manafort powered #76 to victory lane. Locke finished an impressive run in second, followed by the hard charging Richie Coy, Jake Trainor, Anthony Marvuglio, Matthew Merry, Kyle Valeri, Jim Cataldo, Domenic Elicone, and Chase Locke.
“Started 9th the car was working really good high or low it was just a matter of me not screwing up around other cars. During the week you always think about the fast cars and how fast they are and if you have a chance to run with them like Jake, Ryan or Richie pretty much everyone out there. Got to thank Frank Manafort for giving me a chance in his race car and believing in me when we struggled for the last couple of races. Matt and Bobby Seymour work on that car till it’s perfect we work really well just like I do with the Bertrand team and we have the same thoughts on adjustment so it just makes for a good combination,” said Cabral.
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Lee, NH – Ricky Bly of Sunapee has been hauling to “New Hampshire’s Center of Speed” whenever his schedule allowed for the past decade-plus, trying to win a race at Lee USA Speedway to add to the already-impressive resume he built racing at other speedways throughout the state.
His persistence finally paid off on Friday night, when he put in a dominating performance to break the career-long dry spell and collect his first career Lee USA win in the 40-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Rodfather Late Model Sportsman main event.
Two-time 2019 feature winner Bobby Baillargeon of Kingston checkered second in the Steve Paquette-owned, Seacoast Truck and Auto sponsored machine, with points leader “Billistic” Bill Helliwell of Pelham, former champion Jimmy Russell of Exeter, and reigning champ Frankie Eldredge of Stratham filling out the top five.
Kris Miller of Bedford and Jesse Bousquet of Pittsfield were victorious earlier in the night during the two LMS qualifying heats, but the pair found trouble on the first lap of the main and suffered heavy damage to both of their cars after contact with each other and the outside wall.
It was all Renfrew Motorsports in the Race Parts NH Street Stocks, but in a surprising turn of events, it wasn’t Alby Ovitt sitting in victory lane at night’s end. Ovitt’s Renfrew Motorsports car owner and teammate, Jimmy Renfrew, Sr. of Candia made a rare start and drove from seventh on the starting grid to run off with the 30-lap victory.
Renfrew’s son Jimmy, Jr. claimed runner-up honors, with Somersworth driver Ovitt relegated to third in the final rundown, giving the team a sweep of the podium. Rookie Cam Huntress of Rochester came home fourth after leading several laps early in the event, with A.J. Panessiti rounding out the top five.
Adam Knowles of Seabrook unofficially took over the points lead in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Six Shooters, after nailing down his fifth feature win of the season in the 25-lap feature event. For the second straight week, Brandon Mailhot of Epping challenged Knowles in the late going, this time settling for runner-up at the checkers.
Paul Childs of Derry claimed third place honors, with Jesse Tellier of Pelham and Gary Grenier of Lebanon, ME rounding out the top five.
Defending champion Rob Carleton of Newbury, MA scored his first win of the season in the MLM Diagnostic Services Pure Stock main event, chasing down and passing Justin Faford of Westminster, MA to get the job done.
Faford came home in the second spot, with two-time winner Donnie McCaffrey of Hudson, Shawn Lessard of Farmington, and Jon Provost of Hudson finishing up the top five.
Jessica Michaud of Lebanon, ME claimed the inaugural Shirley’s Flowers and Sweets Powder Puff main event win, outrunning Jaden Curtis of Buxton, ME to put her Midnight Motorsports entry into victory lane.Next up at Lee USA on Friday, August 2 is another full program of NASCAR Whelen All American Series racing action.
