Teenager Mueller Scores Modified Triple Crown at Devil’s Bowl Speedway
Crate engines sweep top three; Bushey grabs first career Late Model win
WEST HAVEN, VT – Teenage stock car driver Jessey Mueller scored a Triple Crown victory in the Central Vermont Motorcycles Trophy Dash at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Sunday afternoon. The 17-year-old from Olmstedville, NY swept his qualifying heat, the bonus-points semi-feature, and the 35-lap main event for the Bond Auto Parts Modified division in NASCAR Whelen All-American Series action.
Mueller started eighth in the 18-car field and quickly moved into the top three. He dogged leader Hunter Bates for several laps before poking his No. 19 Mueller & Sons Heavy Duty Towing-sponsored Bicknell out front at laps 10 and 11. Sixteen-year-old Bates, of Middlebury, VT, regained the lead at lap 12 and held it until Mueller drove around him again on the outside at lap 27.
Mueller crossed the finish line with a comfortable margin over Bates for the Triple Crown sweep, with defending track champion Ron Proctor of Charlton, NY third. The podium drivers each used the General Motors “602” crate engine, down some 250 horsepower to the larger 358-cubic inch engines also allowed in the division. Donald Scarborough of Brandon, VT had the first 358 engine in fourth place, followed by Alex Bell and Vince Quenneville, Jr. Rookie drivers Jeff Haskins, Joey Roberts, and Andy Smith finished 7-8-9, and Jason Bruno completed the unofficial top ten.
Craig Bushey of Fairfax, VT ran to his first career J&S Steel Late Model victory in a wild 30-lap Central Vermont Motorcycles event. Bushey capitalized on a botched restart by the early leaders to make a three-wide outside lane pass on lap 8 and cruised to the win in his No. 05 Vermont Life Safety/Miller Auto Group Chevrolet.
Behind Bushey, though, positions changed nearly every lap as Dan Petronis, Bryan Town, Matt White, and rookies Danny Sullivan and Bobby Therrien battled. White, of Northfield, VT took second place in a thrilling three-wide finish, narrowly edging Therrien and Sullivan. Petronis finished fifth, followed by Kevin Elliott, Town, Dave Wilcox, and rookies Johnny Chesnut and Jesse Carris.
Robert Gordon of Milton, VT posted his second Renegade win of the season in a two-segment, cumulatively-scored race. Gordon finished third in the first 15-lap leg and won the final round for a total score of four points. Frank Monroe of Granville, NY ran second in both rounds to also score four points, but the overall victory was awarded to Gordon based on his better final-segment finish. Jeremy Jones of Leicester, VT, the first-segment winner, finished third overall (5 points), followed by Ryan Keith (7 points) and rookie Robin Cummings (10 points).
Harold LaVair of Gabriels, NY won an entertaining 20-lap Bomber feature in a full-contact battle with his son, Chris LaVair, and rookie driver Josh Masterson. After many changes in lead position, Harold LaVair held off Masterson and Chris LaVair at the finish, with Matt Monaghan and Eddie Bruno rounding out the unofficial top five.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway begins its summer Friday night schedule with the People’s United Bank Memorial Day Special on Friday, May 25 at 7:30pm. The Bond Auto Parts Modifieds will run twin 20-lap segments for their main event, along with a full card of J&S Steel Late Models, Renegades, and Bombers, and a giant holiday fireworks display. Special general admission is $15 for adults, $13 for seniors (62+), and free for children 12 and under. Gates open at 6:00pm.
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 – Central Vermont Motorcycles Trophy Dash
Devil’s Bowl Speedway, West Haven, VT
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Pos.-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)
Bond Auto Parts Modified (35 laps)
1. Jessey Mueller, Olmstedville, NY
2. Hunter Bates, Middlebury, VT
3. Ron Proctor, Charlton, NY
4. Don Scarborough, Brandon, VT
5. Alex Bell, Cambridge, NY
6. Vince Quenneville, Jr., Brandon, VT
7. # Jeff Haskins, Wells, VT
8. # Joey Roberts, Georgia, VT
9. # Andy Smith, South Glens Falls, NY
10. Jason Bruno, Plattsburgh, NY
11. Leon Gonyo, Chazy, NY
12. Cody Sargen, Greenfield Center, NY
13. Jamie Proctor, Schuylerville, NY
14. James Introne, Sr., Hartford, NY
15. Matt Atwood, Whitehall, NY
16. Paul Braymer, Granville, NY
17. Jim Introne, Jr., Hartford, NY
18. Dave Snow, Brandon, VT
DNS: Joey Trudeau, Hague, NY
Heat Winners: Jessey Mueller, Hunter Bates
Semi-Feature Winner: Jessey Muller
J&S Steel Late Models (30 laps)
1. Craig Bushey, Fairfax, VT
2. Matt White, Northfield, VT
3. Bobby Therrien, Hinesburg, VT
4. # Danny Sullivan, Morrisonville, NY
5. Dan Petronis, II, Mechanicville, NY
6. Kevin Elliott, Rutland, VT
7. Bryan Town, Charlestown, NH
8. Dave Wilcox, Swanton, VT
9. # Johnny Chesnut, Grantham, NH
10. # Jesse Carris, Rutland, VT
11. Norm Andrews, Northfield, VT
12. # Robert Bryant, Jr., Brooklyn, CT
Heat Winners: Bryan Town, Craig Bushey
Renegade (15 laps x 2)
1. Robert Gordon, Milton, VT (4 pts.)
2. Frank Monroe, Granville, NY (4 pts.)
3. Jeremy Jones, Leicester, VT (5 pts.)
4. Ryan Keith, Pittsford, VT (7 pts.)
5. # Robin Cummings, Milton, VT (10 pts.)
6. # Bob Monroe, Granville, NY (15 pts.)
7. Rick Doner, AuSable Forks, NY (16 pts.)
DNS: Bill Duprey, Hydeville, VT
Heat Winner: # Robin Cummings
Segment Winners: Jeremy Jones, Robert Gordon
Bomber (20 laps)
1. Harold LaVair, Gabriels, NY
2. # Josh Masterson, Bristol, VT
3. Chris LaVair, Gabriels, NY
4. Matt Monaghan, Colchester, VT
5. Eddie Bruno, Fair Haven, VT
6. John McCarron, Rennselaer, NY
7. # Gerald LaFlam, Hinesburg, VT
8. Bobby LaVair, Gabriels, NY
9. Dan Collins, Rennselaer, NY
10. Garry Bashaw, Lincoln, VT
11. Jake Noble, Benson, VT
12. Justin Lilly, Castleton, VT
13. # Shane Doran, Benson, VT
14. # Kyle Watrous, Niantic, CT
15. Ray Germain, Jr., Bristol, VT
DNS: Joe Fountain, Saranac, NY
Heat Winners: Chris LaVair, Josh Masterson
Sources: Devil’s Bowl Speedway
PHOTO: Jessey Mueller ran to the Triple Crown at the Central Vermont Motorcycles Trophy Dash on Sunday. (MemorEvents photo)