photo by Buzz Fisher
Street Stock Victory Lane (L-R) Dean Switser Jr. (3rd), winner Chris Davis, Jeffrey Martin (2nd).
BARRE – In true Thunder Road fashion, for the second-consecutive week, a first-time winner has carried on a strong family name to Thunder Road victory lane while high-speed two and three-wide moves wowed the crowd at hand. More than a few drivers went home with ear-to-ear grins, while others will have to wait to settle their scores.
The Street Stock 25-lap feature led to green by Mike “The Biffer” Gay and Chris Davis. The Biffer would spin on the backstretch just two laps in following contact from third-place runner Todd Raymo with both restarting at the tail of the field. Now under the command of hardluck campaigners Davis and defending champion Dean Switser Jr., the field took off once again. Youngsters Taylor Hoar and Trevor Jaques made their way into third and fourth as the second caution flag would fly on lap 15 for the spinning rookie Logan Farrell on the front-stretch.
With just 10 laps remaining and Davis and Switser at the helm, Jeffrey Martin began to make waves at the front. By utilizing the outside groove, Martin made his way into third before taking second around Switser with just three laps remaining. Although he would jump to the outside under the white flag, time ran out for the former champion as he got the best seat in the house for teammate Chris Davis’ second career victory at The Road. Defending champion Dean Switser Jr. took home third to round out victory lane.
photo by Alan Ward
Late Model Victory Lane (L-R) Kyle Pembroke (3rd), winner Kaiden Fisher, Brandon Lanphear (2nd).
The Late Model was led to green by the winningest driver in Thunder Road history and a greenhorn rookie on the front row for the first time. Phil Scott would take the quick lead over Claremont, N.H.’s Cody Schoolcraft at the onset as the field began to stretch under the long green flag period. Fellow rookie Kaiden Fisher would take the initiative from the fourth starting position as Schoolcraft backtracked on the outside lane. The yellow lights would flash on lap 39 for the spinning Chris Pelkey in turn four leading to a duel between Scott and Fisher.
“Tropical Storm” would get the jump on Scott as the all-time wins leader slid back until a daring three wide move wedged between Nick Sweet and Scott Dragon sent Scott twirling in turn one to call out the second and final caution on lap 42. This time Fisher would best Brandon Lanphear at the line and take his lead all the way to the end. Kaiden Fisher would follow in father Jamie Fisher’s footsteps, bringing the 18VT Late Model back into Thunder Road victory lane. Brandon Lanphear turned a horrible week around to take second followed by Kyle Pembroke to round out the podium.
photo by Alan Ward
Flying Tiger Victory Lane (L-R) Michael MacAskill (3rd), winner Jason Pelkey, Sam Caron (2nd).
Cooper French and Kevin Streeter would lead the second round of the Triple Crown Series for the Flying Tigers, each carrying a plus-4 handicap from their respective heats. The two would continue to battle at the front following the lap six caution for the spinning Chris Laforest in turn two with Jason Pelkey and Brandon Gray joining the picture. Pelkey would use French’s ill-handling machine sliding off turn four to sneak under and steal the lead with Gray in tow before the lap 16 caution for a spinning Colin Cornell off the bumper of Mike Billado.
Pelkey and Gray would lead off the pack under the restart green while Mike MacAskill would capitalize on a backtracking Gray to steal second with Logan Powers, point leader Joel Hodgdon and Sam Caron in hot pursuit. Three blown right front tires would follow for the Kyle Streeter, Trevor Jaques and Adam Maynard machines each calling out the yellow with only Jaques unable to rejoin the field. One common denominator would follow as Pelkey and MacAskill continued to duke it out at the front of the field with Pelkey getting the edge on the bottom by MacAskill hanging tough on the top. While Pelkey led the way, MacAskill battled doorhandle-to-doorhandle with Logan Powers as Caron and Gray looked on. The lapped car of Luke Peters would reshuffle the top guns in the end but it would be Jason Pelkey fist-pumping his way across the start/finish line to claim his first Myers Container Triple Crown win. Sam Caron rebounded from last week’s disappointments to claim second followed by a hard-charging Mike MacAskill who used all the real estate on the outside groove to come home third.
photo by Alan Ward
Road Warriors Victory Lane (L-R) Brodie Frazier (3rd), winner Ryan Sayers, Tyler Wheatley (2nd).
The Road Warriors put up a lightning-fast 20-lap feature event to round out the night. While Frank Putney brought the unofficial Thunder Road pace car to the infield on lap one, Ryan Sayers would show the way from the onset in the five minute and thirty second feature. While Brodie Frazier fought through a fogged-over windshield to run second for 75% of the race, Tyler Wheatley used the cross-over to move into second with four laps remaining to move up from his often third-place finish.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
(local competitors)
Flying Tigers – Triple Crown Round #2 – (75 Laps)
5., 36VT, Joel Hodgdon, Craftsbury Common
27., 22VT, Travis Patnoe, Wolcott
Late Models – (50 Laps)
9., 01VT, Stephen Martin, Craftsbury Common
11., 86VT, Marcel J. Gravel, Wolcott
Street Stocks – (25 Laps)
8., 5, Kyle Gravel, Wolcott
9., 34, Patrick Tibbetts, Plainfield
