Benoit Gets First Win in New Renegade Division
WEST HAVEN, VT – Although the American-Canadian Tour late models headlined the “Thunder at The Bowl” card Sunday night to open the 44th season of racing at Devil’s Bowl Speedway, the Champlain Valley Racing Association support divisions were also on hand to kickoff the new era of racing on the asphalt at the Bowl.
Cody Benoit topped an impressive field of Renegades, coming away with his first career victory. Benoit and Dave Emigh, who was coming off a Friday night win at Albany-Saratoga, started on the front row, and Emigh set the pace for the first five laps, until Benoit got rolling and took over the point.
Jonathan Miller, who had started fourth on the grid, quickly got around Emigh for second and kept Benoit in his sights for the rest of the feature, but Benoit took the checkered flag for his first career victory. Miller was followed by Lance Rabtoy, Randy Alger, and Emigh.
Don Miller, who had his share of success in the budget sportsman class on the dirt two years ago, made a triumphant return to the speedway with a win in the sportsman feature. Miller went flag-to-flag for the win, forcing Fred Proctor to settle for second.
Chad Brown got by Gary Bashaw with two laps to go to win the Bomber Warriors feature.
The modifieds, led by Mike Bruno and Tim Laduc, will make their debut for a special Memorial Day weekend show on Sunday, May 30. The highlight of the card will be a 50-lap Tri-Track Series feature, pitting competitors from the Bowl against their counterparts from Albany-Saratoga and Airborne Speedways. All other divisions will be in action, and the STAR antique racers will also be on hand to take part in the special program, which has a holiday starting time of 2 p.m.
In the event of bad weather, the entire card will be held on Monday, May 31.
SPORTSMAN: DON MILLER, Fred Proctor, Hunter Bates, Kevin Wright, Jared McMahon, Paul Braymer, Heath Perkins.
RENEGADES: CODY BENOIT, Jonathan Miller, Lance Rabtoy, Randy Alger, David Emigh, David Rabtoy, Fred Monroe, Robert Gordon, Brian Rogers, Bill Duprey, Mike Clark, Scott Gauthier, Chris Murray, Jonathan Hayes.
BOMBER WARRIORS: CHAD BROWN, Gary Bashaw, Russ Downing, Brent Warren, Justin Lilly, Matt Monagan, Nathan Woodworth.
Sources: Devil’s Bowl Speedway