Helliwell, Quenneville Take Rousing Spring Green Wins at Devil’s Bowl Speedway
First ACT win for Helliwell; Gordon and Masterson also winners
WEST HAVEN, VT — Devil’s Bowl Speedway fans rocked the grandstands with exciting season-opening stock car racing at the 101.5 “The Fox” Spring Green on Sunday afternoon. Wayne Helliwell, Jr., and Vince Quenneville, Jr., brought the house to its feet with close finishes and emotional landmark wins. Robert Gordon and Josh Masterson each started the 2012 campaign off in victory lane as well.
Helliwell, of Dover, NH, copped his first career victory on the American-Canadian Tour in a razor-close finish with Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. Helliwell started the 112-lap main event in third place but was held up in early traffic and fell back almost outside the top then. He clawed his way back to the front on the outside lane, taking the lead from Polewarczyk just after the halfway point in the race. Hudson, NH racer Polewarczyk held nothing back during the final laps as he tried to steal the win, but Helliwell persevered for his inaugural ACT Late Model Tour score. Austin Theriault of Fort Kent, ME drove from 20th starting position to finish third ahead of Ray Parent and Randy Potter.
PHOTO: Bond Auto Parts Modified winner Vince Quenneville, Jr. (left) in victory lane with Kevin Nevalainen, NASCAR Senior Manager, Weekly Racing Operations, of Daytona Beach, Florida. (MemorEvents photo)
Vince Quenneville, Jr., made his return to Devil’s Bowl Speedway a popular one with his home track fans, taking the first Bond Auto Parts Modified victory of the year in the 35-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series feature. Quenneville, of Brandon, VT, drove into the lead on the outside of defending champion Ron Proctor after a restart with seven laps remaining and never looked back. Proctor, of Charlton, NY, held off a furious mid-race charge from Leon Gonyo for the runner-up spot. Jessey Mueller drove from 18th starting position to finish third, with Gonyo fourth and rookie Joey Roberts completing the unofficial top five.
PHOTO: Renegade winner Robert Gordon swept the qualifying heat and 25-lap feature. (MemorEvents photo)
Rob Gordon of Milton, VT opened the season with a 25-lap score in the Renegade feature. Gordon beat Lance Rabtoy of Fairfax, VT in a comfortable margin at the finish, but not before two- and three-wide racing in the first half of the race. Ryan Keith finished third ahead of Frank Monroe and Jeremy Jones.
PHOTO: Bomber top three finishers (L-R): Harold LaVair (2nd), Josh Masterson (1st), Ray Germain, Jr. (3rd) in victory lane. (MemorEvents photo)
Rookie Josh Masterson of Bristol, VT started his Bomber division career on the right foot by winning that class’ 20-lap feature in his first career start. Harold LaVair of Gabriels, NY held on for second place. Ray Germain, Jr., was third, followed by John McCarron and Dan Collins.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway is back in action on Sunday, May 13 for a Mother’s Day Special event at 1:30pm. General admission is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors (62+), and free for children 12 and under. Devil’s Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, VT, six miles north of Exit 2 on US Route 4. For more information, call (802) 265-3112 or click www.devilsbowlspeedwayvt.com.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – 101.5 “The Fox” Spring Green
Devil’s Bowl Speedway, West Haven, VT
Sunday, May 6, 2012
(# – denotes rookie)
American-Canadian Tour Late Models (112 laps)
1. Wayne Helliwell, Jr., Dover, NH
2. Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., Hudson, NH
3. Austin Theriault, Fort Kent, ME
4. Ray Parent, Tiverton, RI
5. Randy Potter, Groveton, NH
6. Eric Williams, Hyde Park, VT
7. Ricky Rolfe, Albany Township, ME
8. Quinny Welch, Lancaster, VT
9. Brent Dragon, Milton, VT
10. Luke Hinkley, Claremont, NH
11. Brian Hoar, Williston, VT
12. Nick Sweet, Barre, VT
13. Jamie Fisher, Shelburne, VT
14. Jean-Paul Cyr, Milton, VT
15. Todd Davis, Claremont, NH
16. Mark Lamberton, Mooers Forks, NY
17. Eddie MacDonald, Rowley, MA
18. Joey Becker, Jeffersonville, VT
19. Glen Luce, Turner, ME
20. Craig Bushey, Fairfax, VT
21. Travis Fadden, North Haverhill, NH
22. # Jimmy Hebert, Williamstown, VT
23. Todd Patnode, Richmond, NH
24. Jim Linardy, Somerville, MA
25. Bruce Jaycox, Hartland, VT
26. Derek Lynch, Warkworth, ON
27. Hunter Bates, Middlebury, VT
28. Jeff Labrecque, Jr., Rochester, NH
29. Spencer McPherson, Carleton Place, ON
30. Ben Ashline, Pittston, ME
31. Claude Leclerc, Lanoraie, QC
32. Rowland Robinson, Jr., Birch Harbor, ME
33. Eric Chase, Milton, VT
34. # Dan Petronis, II, Mechanicville, NY
Heat Winners: Eric Chase, Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., Brent Dragon
Consi Winners: Craig Bushey, Glen Luce
B-Feature Winner: Jimmy Hebert
Bond Auto Parts Modified (35 laps)
1. Vince Quenneville, Jr., Brandon, VT
2. Ron Proctor, Charlton, NY
3. Jessey Mueller, Olmstedville, NY
4. Leon Gonyo, Chazy, NY
5. # Joey Roberts, Georgia, VT
6. Alex Bell, Cambridge, NY
7. Don Scarborough, Brandon, VT
8. Hunter Bates, Middlebury, VT
9. Jamie Proctor, Schuylerville, NY
10. # Andy Smith, South Glens Falls, NY
11. Mike Bush, Hudson Falls, NY
12. Jason Bruno, Plattsburgh, NY
13. Cody Sargen, Greenfield Center, NY
14. # Jeff Haskins, Wells, VT
15. Jim Introne, Jr., Hartford, NY
16. Paul Braymer, Granville, NY
17. Matt Atwood, Whitehall, NY
18. James Introne, Sr., Hartford, NY
Did Not Start: Dave Snow, Brandon, VT
Heat Winners: Vince Quenneville, Jr., Joey Roberts, Ron Proctor
Renegade (25 laps)
1. Robert Gordon, Milton, VT
2. Lance Rabtoy, Fairfax, VT
3. Ryan Keith, Pittsford, VT
4. Frank Monroe, Granville, NY
5. Jeremy Jones, Leicester, VT
6. # Robin Cummings, Milton, VT
7. Bill Duprey, Hydeville, VT
8. # Bob Monroe, Granville, NY
9. Randy Miller, Ballston Spa, NY
Heat Winner: Robert Gordon
Bomber (20 laps)
1. # Josh Masterson, Bristol, VT
2. Harold LaVair, Gabriels, NY
3. Ray Germain, Jr., Bristol, VT
4. John McCarron, Rennselaer, NY
5. Dan Collins, Rennselaer, NY
6. Garry Bashaw, Lincoln, VT
7. Jake Noble, Benson, VT
8. Matt Monaghan, Colchester, VT
9. Eddie Bruno, Fair Haven, VT
10. # Gerald LaFlam, Hinesburg, VT
11. Justin Lilly, Castleton, VT
12. Alan Drescher, Argyle, NY
13. Joe Fountain, Saranac, NY
Did Not Start: Bobby LaVair, Gabriels, NY; # Shane Doran, Benson, VT
Heat Winners: Dan Collins, Josh Masterson
Sources: Devil’s Bowl Speedway
PHOTO: 101.5 The Fox Spring Green winner Wayne Helliwell, Jr. (bottom left) and team celebrate their first career American-Canadian Tour victory. (MemorEvents photo)