BARRE – Even as snowflakes fell during the first driver’s meeting of the season at Thunder Road on Sunday, May 3, race fans filled the Nation’s Site of Excitement to witness the frigid opening event of year on Quarry Hill. A pit area held 119 cars with the Street Stocks on high with 38 entries.
photo by Alan Ward
The large field prompted officials to run two 25-lap features to split the entry list. Defending Alera Group Triple Crown champion Paige Whittemore and sophomore racer Jason Kirby led the first feature to green. While Whittemore later fell out with mechanical issues, Kirby went toe-to-toe with Nate “Tater” Brien just ahead of the lap-eight pileup caution. Back under green, young hot-shoe Hayden Morris worked from third on the restart to first, taking the checkers on feature one ahead of last year’s top rookie Hayden Bushey and all-time division winner Tommy “Thunder” Smith.
Feature-two for the Street Stocks never slowed as polesitter Connor Rueda bested the field with a 1.675-second lead over Derek Farnham at the end with Ryan Foster rounding out the podium.
photo by Alan Ward
The 31-car Flying Tigers kicked off their 2026 season strong with their 40-lap main event. After Parker Gagne led the early going, the lone caution for Rich Lowrey’s spin on lap nine allowed for fourth-place starter Eric Messier to restart alongside the youngster under the renewed green flag. Gagne fought back to the lead for two laps before Messier made it known he aimed to see the checkers first and so he did. Hinesburg’s Eric Messier would take the Community Bank bonus check over Parker Gagne with Brendan Moodie taking third.
Thirty-five Milton CAT American-Canadian Tour teams made the trip to Thunder Road for the 28th annual Community Bank 150. Twenty-nine would start the show led by Rehobeth, Mass., driver Jake Johnson and Quebec’s Jeff Côté. While the two touring stars drove away with the top spots, the best battle on track saw the last two Thunder Road champions Jason Corliss and Kaiden Fisher duke it out for seventh on the grid. The two Kings swapped lanes and paint throughout the middle of show.
photo by Alan Ward
The final caution came for Cooper Bouchard’s run-in with the Widowmaker in turn four prompting a three-lap shootout to the end. By then, Center Conway, N.H.’s Gabe Brown had led the majority of the Community Bank 150 but now had the field closed back up to his rear bumper. The former Milton CAT American-Canadian Tour champion chose the outside lane on the restart and drove away with the $5,000 win as Jake Johnson and Jesse Switser clashed at the line to come home second and third, respectively. Fisher and Corliss would round out the top-five as the highest finishing Late Models in fourth and fifth.
Vermont Milk Bowl winner Marcel Gravel made it up to sixth from a 21st-place starting spot followed by D.J. Shaw, Justin Prescott, Côté, and top ACT rookie Jacob “Rowdy” Burns in tenth.
photo by Alan Ward
The Road Warriors rounded out Sunday’s racing action with mechanical woes bringing the fifteen car line-up to just ten starters. Taylor Sayers would use a midrace pick with lap-car Jami Raymo to steal the lead away from Neal Foster and take the opening day win. Eddie Thompson motored his way into second in the final three laps with Foster rounding out the podium.
Thunder Road is back in action on Sunday, May 24 for the 63rd running of the Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic. The Late Models will start their quest for the 2026 King of the Road title while the Squier Cup presented by Milton CAT will begin with the 125-lap Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic. The Flying Tigers, Street Stocks and Road Warriors also return along with the season-debut of the Kids Division. Post Time is set for 1:30pm.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
(local competitors)
Milton CAT American-Canadian Tour
Community Bank, n.a. 150 (150 Laps)
6. 86VT, Marcel J. Gravel, Wolcott
17. 01VT, Stephen Martin, Craftsbury Common
27. 92VT, Jaden Perry, Hardwick
Flying Tigers (40 Laps)
3. 94VT, Brendan Moodie, Wolcott
28. 22VT, Travis Patnoe, Wolcott
Street Stocks – Feature #1 (25 Laps)
12. 32VT, Kylee Potter, Marshfield
13. 34VT, Patrick Tibbetts, Plainfield
Street Stocks – Feature #2 (25 Laps)
5. 8VT, Walker Fitch, Marshfield
Road Warriors – (20 Laps)
6. 18, Cayden Green, Marshfield
