BARRE – While a heavy fog and mist started off the day, Mother Nature finally changed her ways for Northern New England race fans on Sunday afternoon at Thunder Road. Thirty-three Late Models filed into the Thunder Road pit area with officials opting to start all cars for the Memorial Day Classic.
photo by Alan Ward
All with plus-three handicaps earned in qualifying competition, defending Milk Bowl champion Marcel Gravel, former Flying Tiger champ Joel Hodgdon and former Kings of the Road Jason Corliss and Chris Pelkey brought the field to green for their 125-lap showdown on the highbanks. Gravel showed the way early, looking to etch his name on another of Thunder Road’s granite monuments but lost the lead to Corliss on the lap-eight restart after Taylor Hoar met an early end with a hard lick to the Widowmaker fronts stretch wall.
Corliss showed the way, looking for win number-four in the Memorial Day Classic but late-race restarts made for a strong-armed battle with Bryan Wall Jr. The former White Mountain and Milton CAT American-Canadian Tour standout is calling Thunder Road his home this summer season and made sure all knew it. Wall would lead lap 68 and even through several close calls in restart launches, never faltered becoming just the latest upset winning driver in Memorial Day Classic history. Wall took down his first Late Model win at Thunder Road in grand style with Corliss holding on for second and Scott Dragon driving up from a 23rd-place starting spot to claim third.
photo by Alan Ward
Ronnie Williams took off with the lead in the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series but fell to defending winner Stephen Kopcik. After stretching the single file line, a lap 45 scuffle between Ronnie Williams and Jon McKennedy collected Jeffery Battle and Woody Pitkat in turn one to call the first caution. Just 11 laps later, a tight battle for the lead with Stephen Kopcik and Teddy Hodgdon saw Teddy’s No. 55 ricochet off the backstretch wall to end his day with the first double hook of the year and Kopcik sent to the rear.
Now under the command of Matt Swanson, his mirrors suddenly became full of Austin Beers as the two young-guns battled hard at the head of the pack. Easily the finish of the day, these two Modified stars beat and banged off each other for the point with Beers sliding under with two to go to claim the Granite City 100 and the $10,000 prize.
Travis Patnoe and Ty Delphia brought the Flying Tigers to green but it was Sam Caron that slid through to steal the spotlight. The big one of Sunday’s action saw Chris Laforest, Rich Lowrey, Matt Ballard and more collide and collect on the backstretch to call the lap-10 caution. After the scuffle, it was all Sam Caron to victory lane with Kevin Streeter and Logan Farrell joining the podium.
After a spirited battle to drive up the outside groove from sixth on the grid, Josh Lovely started his season on high with a new car in the green-to-checkered Street Stock feature event that was eventually stripped in post-race inspection. Jamie Davis came from an eight-place start to take the win with Fred Fleury second and Dean Switser rounding out the podium. By advancing 12 positions, Nate Brien took home the first $50 hard-charger award of 2025.
Mason Frazier held his own to start the wild Road Warrior feature to round out Sunday’s program. Fighting hard with Caleb Cramer, Cramer nabbed the early lead over Frazier as the mini No. 70 back-slid through the inside line. Three cautions on laps 10, 11 and 12 saw several leaders spin and several more head to the rear as penalty cars. Through it all, Cayden Green took his first win of the season followed by Derrick Mann and Ryan Sayers rounding out the podium.
Thunder Road is back Sunday, June 1, for the rain-postponed Community Bank 150 with the Milton CAT American-Canadian Tour. The Late Models are set to fight hard against the Milton CAT American-Canadian Tour travel teams alongside the Flying Tigers, Street Stocks and Road Warriors with a 2 p.m. post time.
For more information, contact the Thunder Road offices at (802) 244-6963, [email protected], or visit www.thunderroadvt.com. You can also follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @ThunderRoadVT.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
Late Models
5. 86VT, Marcel J. Gravel, Wolcott
10. 01VT, Stephen Martin, Craftsbury Common
18. 36VT Joel Hodgdon, Craftsbury Common
Flying Tigers – 40 Laps
5. 15NH, Brendan Moodie, Wolcott
6. 01VT, Michael Martin, Craftsbury, Common
18. 5VT, Tyler Austin, East Calais
20. 22VT, Travis Patnoe, Wolcott
Street Stocks – 25 Laps
4. 34, Patrick Tibbetts, Plainfield
20. 18x, Walker Fitch, Marshfield
23. 32, Kylee Potter, Marshfield
Road Warriors – 20 Laps
1. 18, Cayden Green, Marshfield
