Laduc Finds Victory Lane
WEST HAVEN, VT. – You may not be able to change horses in midstream, but changing cars in midseason paid off for Tim Laduc Sunday night.
Back behind the wheel of his own car at Devil’s Bowl Speedway for the first time this season, Laduc picked up his first win of the year in the 30-lap 358 modified feature Sunday night. Laduc had been campaigning the Sput Shaw-owned 57 at the Bowl this season, and notched three top-five finishes, including a second to Don Scarborough on June 22.
But Laduc struggled two weeks ago, completing only four laps of his heat race and then finishing 19th in the feature, after completing only 26 laps of that event. So Laduc went back to his own car Sunday night and became the sixth different 358 modified winner at the Bowl this season.
Laduc got to the front quickly and finished nearly a full second ahead of runner-up Ken Tremont Jr., who was making a strong bid for his second straight win. Tremont and Don Scarborough did most of the good racing, coming from the middle of the pack, but Laduc, who turned the fastest lap of the night on lap 12 of the feature, was sitting pretty and came away with his second CVRA victory of the season.
Tremont and Scarborough battled for the No. 2 position, with Tremont finally winning that little war. Ray Hoard finished fourth and Dave Camara was fifth. Completing the top 10 were Gene Munger, Jim Ryan, Brian Whittemore, Frank Hoard Jr. and Stan Lemiesz.
Roy Fifield continued his midseason charge and drove to his third win of the season in the 20-lap pro-street stock feature. The former hobby stock champion needed a couple of weeks to get acclimated to his new ride when the season started, but now has become the dominant driver in the division at the Bowl.
Carl Vladyka, who also has three wins under his belt this season, kept the pressure on Fifield during the closing laps of the feature, but couldn’t make the pass for the lead, settling for second, a half-second behind the leader. Lori Cary came across the finish line third, followed by Robert Langevin and Henry Tanner II.
Mike Tholin, who has been doing his share of traveling this season, picked up his second victory of the year in the 15-lap hobby stock feature. Tholin, who has been making more frequent trips to the Bowl from his Ballston Spa, NY home this year, outran Tim Shaw to get the victory. Donnie Williams was third, with Billy Lussier fourth and Russ Farr fifth.
Mike Clark, driving a four-cylinder car, picked up his first win of the year in the cruiser feature. Four-cylinders dominated the feature, as Brittany Ladd was second, Scott Brace was third and Tracy Ash finished fourth. The first six-cylinder car across the line was the fifth-place car driven by John Sullivan.
The battle for the track championship will continue Sunday night, with all divisions in action. Racing will begin at 7 p.m.
Track officials are also gearing up for the invasion of the Empire Super Sprints on Sunday, Aug. 3. Last year, ESS veteran Mike Woodring put on a show for the Devil’s Bowl fans, rocketing to victory over Mike Lutz.
MODIFIEDS: TIM LADUC, Ken Tremont Jr., Don Scarborough, Ray Hoard, Dave Camara, Gene Munger, Jim Ryan, Brian Whittemore, Frank Hoard Jr., Stan Lemiesz, John Harrison, Mike Perrotte, Ron Proctor, Neal Erickson, Vince Quenneville Jr., Bill Cody, Craig Hanson, Kale Tremont, Richard Moses, John Trudeau, Randy Howe, Mike Bushee, Frank Hoard Sr., Lance Harting.
PRO-STREET STOCKS: ROY FIFIELD, Carl Vladyka, Lori Cary, Robert Langevin, Henry Tanner III, Mike Haines, Cale Kneer, Jay Fitzgerald, Denny Martin, Jonah Rule.
HOBBY STOCKS: MIKE THOLIN, Tim Shaw, Donnie Williams, Billy Lussier, Russ Farr, Scott Fowler, Tim Whitney, Bob Smith, Joe Ladd, Mike Scorzelli, Robert Ross, Joey Trudeau, Pat Cram, Shannon Donnelly, Mike Carmen, Al Gregware.
CRUISERS: MIKE CLARK, Brittany Ladd, Scott Brace, Tracy Ash, JOHN SULLIVAN, Mike Pope, Jason Bishop, Chris Carrie, Jeremy Brownell, Dwight Cram, Ron Zagata, Harold Clothier.
Sources: Devil’s Bowl Speedway