BARRE – The Kids Division kicked off the Thunder Road feature racing action after her heat race win, Bella Hamel ran away with the lead in the caution-free feature event while outside polesitter McKenzi Sicard fell back by the halfway point as Gracen Gorham, Kaden Wimble and Maddie Potter. Hamel would nail down her first career victory in the Kids class with Gorham and Wimble rounding out the podium.
Fred Fleury and third-generation driver Howard Stockwell brought the Street Stocks to green for their 30-lap main event. Fleury quickly faded on the inside lane leaving Stockwell to drive away with Jason Kirby, Scott Weston, Riley Morris and Nate Brien in tow. Kirby brought out the lap 20 caution as he flew broadside into the turn-one tire barrier after a three-wide move. Veteran Scott Weston took the restart jump over the rookie Stockwell as a hard charging Hayden Bushey entered the top-five picture. Under the checkered flags, Scott Weston took down his first win of the season, followed closely by Hayden Bushey and Riley Morris taking his first podium in third.
A similar stage was set at the head of the Late Model feature event with rookie Matt Sonnhalter and former King of the Road Stephen Donahue leading the field to green. Before long, fourth-generation driver Jesse Laquerre made his way under Sonnhalter followed closely by Brandon Gray. Laquerre began to pull away leaving behind an eight-car gaggle led side-by-side with Gray and Darrell Morin.
The stalemate finally broke with nine laps remaining as Morin caught up with the lap car of Mike Rubalcaba, allowing Gray and Justin Prescott to break free but with minimal laps left to make a move. After a rough and tumble season, Jesse Laquerre would take the feature with Gray and Prescott following him across the line for second and third. Prescott was later disqualified for an unapproved transmission giving Jason Corliss the third-place finish.
By virtue of plus-minus handicap qualifying, last week’s thrilling duo Brendan Moodie and Cooper French brought the Flying Tiger field to green for round-two of the Triple Crown. The back of the thirty-two car field quickly caved to the speeds of Moodie, French, Eric Messier and Logan Powers at the front of the pack. A flat right front tire on Messier’s car called out the lap 21 caution and ruined his strong day leaving Moodie, French and Powers to lead the field back to green.
A trio of quick-spin cautions for Mike Billado, Karsen Murphy and Dean Switser may have slowed the field in the middle of the event but they weren’t enough to dim the aspirations of Brendan Moodie. Again and again the veteran drove off with the restart lead until he flew under the twin checkered flags to take the Triple Crown win over Cooper French and Logan Powers.
The time has come for the annual Midseason Championships at Thunder Road on Thursday, July 23. The Late Models, Flying Tigers, Street Stocks and Road Warriors go extra distance with double points and the double purse on the line along with the annual autograph session. Racing will begin next Thursday at 7 p.m.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
(local competitors)
Flying Tigers – Round 2, Triple Crown (75 Laps)
1. 94VT, Brendan Moodie, Wolcott
12. 23VT, Matt Potter, Marshfield
16. 5VT, Kyle Gravel, Wolcott
26. 22VT, Travis Patnoe, Wolcott
Late Models – (60 Laps)
9. 01VT, Stephen Martin, Craftsbury Common
12. 86VT, Marcel J. Gravel, Wolcott
Street Stocks – (30 Laps)
8. 34VT, Patrick Tibbetts, Plainfield
21. 18VT, Walker Fitch, Marshfield
Kids Division – (15 Laps)
4. 23, Madison Potter, Marshfield
