Champion Drivers Returning to Devil’s Bowl Speedway for C.J. Richards Memorial
Jelley, LaDuc, Ryan among showdown entries; RRMC Marrow Donor Program auction on tap
WEST HAVEN, VT – Some of Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s most accomplished stock car racing champions will climb behind the wheel again at Friday’s C.J. Richards Memorial event presented by Carrara Masonry & Concrete. All-star drivers from the West Haven, VT half-mile will strap into cars from the track’s Daredevil class for a special showdown as part of the event that features a 67-lap race for the headline NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Bond Auto Parts Modified division.
Among the entrants in the Daredevil event is Butch Jelley of Andover, VT. Jelley raced at Devil’s Bowl Speedway when Richards opened the track in 1967. Jelley’s highlights include six consecutive Modified wins in 1969 and the 1975 track championship. He’ll be joined by past Modified and Late Model standouts Tim LaDuc, Jimmy Ryan, Ray Hoard, Lee Nutting, Fred Little, Charlie Brown, Ralph Bruno, and Don Mattison. Together, the group accounts for over 150 feature victories and 10 track championships. The drivers will compete in track-owned Daredevil cars – virtually street-legal race cars with only safety modifications – which offer fans, sponsors, and members of the community the opportunity to race.
“This showdown is something fun and exciting that will really bring C.J. Richards’ legacy to the forefront. These drivers are the ones that built Devil’s Bowl into what it was under C.J.’s watch,” Devil’s Bowl Speedway owner/promoter Mike Bruno said. Bruno explained that the event will be run in three parts: A pair of five-car heat races will each qualify two drivers to the final round. “The cars may not be 600-horsepower Modifieds,” Bruno chuckled, “but I’m sure these guys will drive them like they are.”
The comeback stars are not limited to just the Daredevils, though; Todd Stone of Middlebury, VT returns to the Modifieds after finishing third one week ago in his first start at Devil’s Bowl Speedway since 2009. In the intermediate Renegade class, former Modified champion Don Miller of Wells, VT will drive a car owned by top racer Frank Monroe, who was sidelined by surgery last month.
Also on the card along with racing for the entry-level Bomber division is a silent auction to benefit the Rutland Regional Medical Center Marrow Donor Program. Items for bid include autographed memorabilia from local racers Beaver Dragon and Ron Proctor and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stars Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Mark Martin, and more. For more information or to place a bid by email, contact Kerry Ellis of the RRMC Marrow Donor Program at kellis@rrmc.org.
Regular general admission for the C.J. Richards Memorial 67 presented by Carrara Masonry & Concrete on Friday, July 20 is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors (62+), and free for children 12 and under. Gates open at 5:00pm with racing scheduled to begin at 7:30pm.
The C.J. Richards Memorial Vintage Festival presented by 101.5 “The Fox” for classic race cars and hot rods will be held on Saturday, July 21 at 12:00 noon and Sunday, July 22 at 11:00am. Admission for the two-day show is $20 for exhibitors and competitors, $10 for adults and seniors, and free for kids 12 and under. Call (802) 265-3112 or email devilsbowlspeedway@gmail.com for more information.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, VT, four miles north of Exit 2 on US Route 4. For more information, call (802) 265-3112 or click www.devilsbowlspeedwayvt.com. Devil’s Bowl Speedway is on Facebook at facebook.com/devilsbowlspeedway and Twitter at @DevilsBowlSpeed.
Sources: Devil’s Bowl Speedway
PHOTO: Champion drivers from Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s past will compete in a showdown-style event in the track’s Daredevil division (pictured) at Friday’s Carrara Masonry & Concrete C.J. Richards Memorial event. (MemorEvents photo)