BARRE − Another Thursday in Barre meant yet another race day at Thunder Road Speedbowl affected by the rains of Mother Nature. Just ten minutes prior to the special 6:30 p.m., Governor’s Cup Post Time, rains swept in for a half-hour spell with successful track drying getting Thursday’s program underway by 7:30 p.m.
photo by Alan Ward
The poor weather necessitated a change in schedule with the Late Models getting feature racing off and running with the 46th running of the Vermont Lottery Governor’s Cup 150. A Plus-Minus handicap draw event as part of the Squier Cup presented by Milton CAT, the Governor’s Cup saw four-time winner Jason Corliss earn an incredible plus-7 in Heat No. 1 with former Milton CAT American-Canadian Tour champion Jimmy Hebert to his outside at the start.
A huge lap three front stretch traffic jam ended the night for Kasey Beattie and Chris Roberts while championship hopefuls Marcel Gravel, Kaiden Fisher and Chip Grenier were among the several caution cars. Corliss made it look like child’s play from the drop of the green flag, powering away with the lead and motoring his machine through lap traffic again and again. The rest of the top five included a hard-charging Gravel, Hebert, Chris Pelkey and Memorial Day Classic victor Bryan Wall Jr. all putting on a great battle waiting for a slow-down to rebunch the field.
photo by Alan Ward
The caution never came in the closing laps, even as four-time winner Scott Dragon held out hope for the same in second-place, he could only watch from afar as Jason Corliss took down his fourth career Governor’s Cup. Corliss would be joined in victory lane by none other than current Vermont Governor Phil Scott after Scott exited his own Late Model with a 21st place finish. Scott Dragon and Chris Pelkey rounded out the top three with Fisher and Gravel coming back from the lap three calamity to round out the top five.
The Street Stocks saw a similar crisis on lap five of their 25-lap Vermont Lottery trophy dash as the right rear hub of Curtis Franks’ Ford Mustang said “see you later” and created another front stretch traffic jam that also took out Rookie-of-the-Year prospect Keegan Tabor. A restart flub would also see the night ruined for Paul Rocheleau before it was all said and done with Tyler Wheatley in control at the front. Wheatley was on the hunt for his second win of the season but a hard-charging Kyler Davis from 20t on the starting grid took over the lead with less than ten to go and took the win with rookie Hayden Bushey and veteran Fred Fleury rounding out the top three.
Just as the Flying Tigers took the field, so too came the rain to rear its ugly head once again. With heavy rains adding to cooling temperatures and a late night already, Officials opted to end the night there and move the 40-lap feature for the Flying Tigers to Thursday, August 7.
Thunder Road International Speedbowl returns to racing action on Thursday, July 24, for the Midseason Championships with double points, the Double Purse and extra-distance racing on the line. The Late Models, Flying Tigers, Street Stocks and Road Warriors back in action with a 7 p.m. post time.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
(local competitors)
Late Models – Governor’s Cup 150
5. 86VT, Marcel J. Gravel, Wolcott
16. 36VT, Joel Hodgdon, Craftsbury Common
27. 01VT, Stephen Martin, Craftsbury Common
Street Stocks – (25 Laps)
11. 18x, Walker Fitch, Marshfield
17. 34, Patrick Tibbetts, Plainfield
29. 32, Kylee Potter, Marshfield
