Durgan Dominant in Coca-Cola Firecracker Win at Devil’s Bowl Speedway
WEST HAVEN, Vt. – Jason Durgan left little doubt in his first victory of the season at the Asphalt Track at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Saturday, July 2. The point leader of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Bond Auto Parts Sportsman Modified division was a dominant winner in the Coca-Cola “Firecracker 44” on a night that also saw a large, enthusiastic crowd cheer Seth Bridge, Scott FitzGerald, Eric Messier, and Zach Wood as winners.
Durgan, of Morrisonville, N.Y., waded through an early mess in the 44-lap Modified race that saw three wrecks in the first two laps. After trailing early leader Dave Snow for several laps, Durgan threw his No. 17 Valley View Firewood/Taylor Rental-sponsored car to the outside lane at the one-quarter mark in the race and powered into the lead, then set sail for the rest of the distance to win by a dominant half-track advantage.
Behind Durgan, Brandon, Vt., racer Snow held off a persistent challenge from Jackie Brown Jr., for much of the race. Ron Proctor tracked the pair down and passed them both on the outside lane to move into second place, but was thwarted by a slowly deflating tire in the final laps and began to drop back. Snow moved back into second place for the best finish of his career. Brown held on for third, followed by Travis Bruno and Joey Roberts.
Seth Bridge of Mendon, Vt., inherited his first-ever victory following technical inspection for the Central Vermont Motorcycles Late Model division. Bridge ran a very competitive 44-lap race to cross the finish line in third place. Josh Masterson and Robert Bryant Jr., ran 1-2 originally but their cars were found to be below the minimum ride height requirement; they were each penalized five positions in the official running order for the minor infraction. Bridge was named the winner ahead of Steve Miller, Chad White, Bill Donahue, and Jesse Carris.
West Rutland, Vt.’s Scott FitzGerald won an entertaining 20-lap battle in the Rosen & Berger Auto Recyclers Renegades after an exciting back-and-forth run with Matt Monaghan. The pair traded the lead multiple times per lap as time ran out, and FitzGerald was out front when the checkered flag waved. Monaghan took the runner-up spot with Tony Salerno a career-best third. Jim McKiernan and R.J. Germain rounded out the top five.
Portland Glass Mini Stock rookie Eric Messier of Hinesburg, Vt., also picked up a win in the inspection line. Apparent first-place finisher Harold LaVair was found to have an unapproved wheel offset and was penalized 10 positions. Messier’s win was his second-straight victory. Georgia, Vt., racer Zach Wood – Messier’s teammate and a fellow rookie – was moved up to second place with Brad Bertrand, Mike Whalen Jr., and Brett Wood next.
Zach Wood of was the winner of a bizarre 50-lap Enduro Series race to close the evening. As holiday fireworks exploded in the air prior to the start of the Enduro event, an unexpected – and very heavy – rain storm soaked the race track. Because the Enduro Series thrives on all types of wacky situations, the race was run with cars slipping and sliding around, made only more exciting as the rain returned halfway through the race. Wood went off the track in the early going and lost a lap, but recovered to un-lap himself and eventually take the lead and the win. Cory Gray finished second and Tommy Kudlacik – who led most of the race – finished third after a scoring recheck. Brett Wood and Hunter Murray completed the top five.
More than 30 bicycles were given away during the event to the delight of young fans in attendance. Bikes of all shapes, sizes, and colors were donated by race teams and officials, and kids that entered the contest were selected by blind draw to win. The bike giveaways were sponsored by Thomas Dairy.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway is back in action on the Dirt Track on Sunday, July 3, with the second half of the Independence Day “Firecracker” weekend presented by WhistlePig Whiskey. Sportsman Modifieds, Renegades, and Mini Stocks will be on track along with the Sprint Cars of New England and the Enduro Series. Special general admission is $20 for adults, $18 for seniors (62+) and students (13-17), and free for kids age 12 and under.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, Vt., four miles north of Exit 2 off of U.S. Route 4 and just 20 minutes from Rutland, Vt. For more information, visit www.DevilsBowlSpeedwayVT.com or call (802) 265-3112. Devil’s Bowl Speedway is on Facebook at facebook.com/DevilsBowlSpeedway and on Twitter and Instagram at @DevilsBowlSpeed; follow the action using the #DevilsBowl hashtag.
OFFICIAL RESULTS – Coca-Cola Firecracker
Devil’s Bowl Speedway Asphalt Track – West Haven, VT
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
Saturday, July 2, 2016
Bond Auto Parts Sportsman Modified Feature (44 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (9) Jason Durgan, Morrisonville, N.Y.
2. (1) Dave Snow, Brandon, Vt.
3. (3) Jackie Brown Jr., Hurley, N.Y.
4. (4) Travis Bruno, Morrisonville, N.Y.
5. (6) Joey Roberts, Fletcher, Vt.
6. (11) Billy Lussier, Fair Haven, Vt.
7. (8) Ron Proctor, Charlton, N.Y.
8. (13) # Chuck Bradford, Addison, Vt.
9. (7) Vince Quenneville Jr., Brandon, Vt.
10. (10) Alex Bell, Cambridge, N.Y.
11. (2) Jimmy Ryan, Whiting, Vt.
12. (12) # Matt Bilodeau, Pittsford, Vt.
13. (5) Bob Kilburn, Fair Haven, Vt.
Heat Winners: Dave Snow, Joey Roberts
Shiley Fabrication Hard Charger Award: Jason Durgan
Shiley Fabrication Hard Luck Award: Bob Kilburn
Central Vermont Motorcycles Late Model Feature (44 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
1. (3) Seth Bridge, Mendon, Vt.
2. (2) Steve Miller, Vergennes, Vt.
3. (6) Chad White, Fort Ann, N.Y.
4. (7) Bill Donahue, Graniteville, Vt.
5. (1) Jesse Carris, Rutland, Vt.
6. (4) Josh Masterson, Bristol, Vt.
7. (5) Robert Bryant Jr., Brooklyn, Conn.
Heat Winner: Josh Masterson
Crazy Horse Racing Winners Circle Challenge: Seth Bridge
Rosen & Berger Auto Recyclers Renegade Feature (20 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (5) Scott FitzGerald, West Rutland, Vt.
2. (2) Matt Monaghan, Colchester, Vt.
3. (1) Tony Salerno, Mineville, N.Y.
4. (7) Jim McKiernan, Moriah Center, N.Y.
5. (4) Ray Germain Jr., Bristol, Vt.
6. (3) # Austin McKiernan, Moriah Center, N.Y.
7. (6) # Bill Burlingame, Gansevoort, N.Y.
Heat Winner: Jim McKiernan
Bond Auto Parts Hard Charger Award: Scott FitzGerald
Portland Glass Mini Stock Feature (20 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (11) # Eric Messier, Hinesburg, Vt.
2. (5) # Zach Wood, Georgia, Vt.
3. (8) Brad Bertrand, Ferrisburgh, Vt.
4. (7) Mike Whalen Jr., Peru, N.Y.
5. (1) # Brett Wood, Georgia, Vt.
6. (9) # Roo Forrest, West Rutland, Vt.
7. (3) Roger LaBounty, Morrisonville, N.Y.
8. (2) Andrew FitzGerald, West Rutland, Vt.
9. (4) # Cameron Kennedy, Rochester, Vt.
10. (10) # Josh Swahn, Pittsford, Vt.
11. (6) Harold LaVair Jr., Gabriels, N.Y.
Did Not Start: Garrett Given Sr., Cornwall, Vt.; Kaleb Shepard, New Haven, Vt.
Heat Winners: Brett Wood, Harold LaVair Jr.
Bond Auto Parts Hard Charger Award: Eric Messier
Enduro Series Feature (50 laps)
Pos.-(Car No.)-Driver-Hometown-Laps Complete
1. (20) Zach Wood, Georgia, Vt. – 50 Laps
2. (17) Cory Gray, Rutland, Vt. – 50 Laps
3. (30) Tommy Kudlacik, Milton, Vt. – 50 Laps
4. (802) Brett Wood, Georgia, Vt. – 49 Laps
5. (91) Hunter Murray, Cambridge, Vt. – 49 Laps
6. (44) Craig Kirby, Winooski, Vt. – 47 Laps
7. (35) Jeff Murray, Georgia, Vt. – 47 Laps
8. (76) Shawn Moquin, Milton, Vt. – 47 Laps
9. (07) Kevin Keene – 47 laps
10. (98) Dom Guerrina, North Hero, Vt. – 47 Laps
11. (69) Karl Raacke – 47 laps
12. (33X) Andrew Lopes, Colchester, Vt. – 46 Laps
13. (38X) Casey O’Connell, Burlington, Vt. – 46 Laps
14. (110) Shawn McIntyre, Swanton, Vt. – 46 Laps
15. (5) Kyle Botala, Grand Isle, Vt. – 45 Laps
16. (18X) Jake Barrows – 43 Laps
17. (723) Donnie Fuller – 42 Laps
18. (80) Zachary Gasvey – 35 Laps
19. (666) Andy Botala, Grand Isle, Vt. – 21 Laps
20. (22) Ethan White, Hinesburg, Vt. – 3 Laps
Sources: Justin St. Louis/Devil’s Bowl Speedway PR