BARRE – An action-packed night of racing awaited the fans of Thunder Road Speedbowl on Double Feature Night.
photo by Alan Ward
The Kids Division returned to Thunder Road for the second of three planned appearances. Gracen Gorham charged up through the pack in the first fifteen lap feature to claim the opening win of the night over Madison Potter and Evan Folsom. Re-racked for their second feature, again Gorham looked to have the dominant car but it was
The Street Stocks had a good start to their evening until lap 16 saw the likes of Howard Stockwell, Riley Morris and Erik Steel collide along the backstretch with Steel and Morris hooked together in the wreck. Back under green, Paul Rocheleau took down win number one in dominant fashion over Donat Premont and Connor Rueda.
Using lessons gained in the first feature, Tyler Whittemore made the methodical march to the front of the second Street Stock feature. After a hot and heavy battle with last week’s winner Jamie Davis, Tyler kept it calm and steady out front while sister Paige went to war with Davis. While they occupied their own fight behind him, Tyler Whittemore cruised to the win with Paige Whittemore coming home second over Jamie Davis, the first one-two sibling finish since Jamon and Jaden Perry’s one-two Flying Tiger finish back in 2017.
Speaking of the Flying Tigers, their twin 40-lap features were the talk of Thursday night. The first feature proved frustrating for drivers with several quick-spin, single car yellows plagued the opening CCV feature. In the end, Cooper French used veteran restarts to take the opening win followed by Eric Messier and Mike MacAskill across the stripe.
Sophomore Brodie Frazier launched off with the lead in the second feature with Dean Switser Jr. and Kyle Gravel ran side-by-side for second. A pair of mid-race mishaps put Cooper French back in familiar territory out front until ten laps to go. With the race coming down to the wire, Brendan Moodie took second place over Karsen Murphy and began the march to take down French but time ran out. Northfield’s Cooper French swept both 40 lap features, this time with Moodie and Karsen Murphy following on his tail.
The Late Models proved to be the only weather casualty after the Thunder Road team of officials and drivers pushed the show along as best as possible. Their first feature proved to be the fastest and cleanest of the night with a green-to-checkered run of 50 laps in just under eleven minutes. Taylor Hoar showed the way early but by the halfway point former King of the Road Scott Dragon took control and never looked back to take the win by over second over second-place runner Jason Corliss and Justin Prescott in third.
While trying their best to get it in, Mother Nature ended the second Late Model feature with eight laps complete at the end of Thursday’s show. The remainder of the Feature No. 2 will be run at the start of the Preston’s Kia Independence Day Spectacular next Thursday, July 2.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
(local competitors)
Late Models – Feature #1 (50 Laps)
8. 86VT, Marcel J. Gravel, Wolcott
10. 01VT, Stephen Martin, Craftsbury Common
Late Models – Feature No. 2 (50 Laps)
Rained out at eight laps complete
to be finished July 2
Flying Tigers – Feature No. 1 (40 Laps)
9. 94VT, Brendan Moodie, Wolcott
17. 22VT, Travis Patnoe, Wolcott
22. 5VT, Kyle Gravel, Wolcott
Flying Tigers – Feature No. 2 (40 Laps)
2. 94VT, Brendan Moodie, Wolcott
14. 22VT, Travis Patnoe, Wolcott
15. 5VT, Kyle Gravel, Wolcott
Street Stocks – Feature No. 1 (25 Laps)
22. 18VT, Walker Fitch, Marshfield
27. 34VT, Patrick Tibbetts, Plainfield
Street Stocks – Feature No. 2 (25 Laps)
11. 18VT, Walker Fitch, Marshfield
22. 34VT, Patrick Tibbetts, Plainfield
Kids Division – Feature No. 1 (15 Laps)
2. 23, Madison Potter, Marshfield
Kids Division – Feature No. 2 (15 Laps)
7. 23, Madison Potter, Marshfield
