Williams Wins As Proctor Clinches Devil’s Bowl Speedway Modified Championship
Bushey, Gordon, Masterson celebrate titles
WEST HAVEN, VT – Veteran stock car racer Ron Proctor of Charlton, NY celebrated his second-straight NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Bond Auto Parts Modified track championship at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Friday night following a 50-lap finale presented by Brown’s Quarried Slate and Brown’s Orchard & Farm Stand. Joe Williams of Scotia, NY drove to a convincing victory – his first of the season – while Proctor ran a smooth, steady race to finish seventh and secure the title.
Williams, driving the No. 55L ME Engineering/BNC Motorsports entry for Sargen Racing, jumped out to a big lead early and held the point through a 45-lap stretch of green-flag racing. Two quick caution periods – one of which claimed championship contender Vince Quenneville, Jr., with a hard crash into the Turn 1 wall – did little to slow Williams down, and he sped to the win.
Leon Gonyo of Chazy, NY finished second with Alex Bell of Cambridge, NY third. Hunter Bates of Middlebury, VT started a solid double-duty effort with a fourth-place finish, followed by Rookie of the Year Joey Roberts of Georgia, VT. The unofficial top ten was completed by Jessey Mueller, Proctor, Jeff Haskins, Andy Smith, and Jamie Proctor.
The final championship margin for Ron Proctor’s No. 27 Timco Transportation & Towing/Charlton Oil-sponsored Teo Pro Car was 33 points, 898-865, over Brandon, VT racer Quenneville, unofficially. Quenneville shot hard into the outside retaining wall after contact following the lap 45 restart; he was uninjured, but his car could not continue.
Craig Bushey of Fairfax, VT capped a dominant season in the J&S Steel Late Model division with his eighth victory of the championship season and ninth overall. Bushey held off an almost constant challenge from Bryan Town of Charlestown, NH for the win during the caution-filled race, while 15 year-old fourth-generation racer Joey Laquerre of East Montpelier, VT was third. Championship runner-up Matt White of Northfield, VT was fourth in the race, followed by Pete Yetman of Peru, MA.
Bates finished sixth in his second feature start of the night, followed by Chad White, Kevin Elliott, Dan Petronis, and Johnny Chesnut. Rookie of the Year Robert Bryant, Jr., was 11th, unofficially. Bushey, who clinched the championship last week, had a final margin of 67 points on Matt White, 751-684, unofficially.
Robert Gordon of Milton, VT won a wild 20-lap Renegade finale to clinch the first championship of his decade-long career. Gordon was running third when rookie Kevin Brisson spun race leader and championship threat Ryan Keith of Pittsford, VT with a handful of laps remaining. As most of the field piled in, Gordon avoided damage and held on to beat Richie Turner of Fairfax, VT for the win. Fourteen year-old rookie Stephen Donahue of Graniteville, VT finished third in his second-ever Devil’s Bowl start, followed by Larry Underwood of Milton, VT and Keith. Gordon’s final unofficial advantage on Keith was 19 points, 868-849, for the championship.
Bobby LaVair of Gabriels, NY rebounded from a crash last week to pick up his fourth Bomber victory of the season in an action-packed 20-lap race. LaVair made a late pass of Bristol, VT’s Josh Masterson for the win; Masterson clinched both the championship and Rookie of the Year titles one week early, ending with a 65-point cushion on LaVair for the crown.
The race’s third-place finisher was decided in bizarre fashion; Jake Noble of Benson, VT crossed the finish line in third, but was penalized two positions for rough riding Ray Germain, Jr., on the final lap. Matt Monaghan of Colchester, VT was awarded third place by race directors, but was disqualified in post-race technical inspection for an unapproved tire, thereby handing Germain third place. Noble was scored fourth with John McCarron fifth.
Two very exciting Daredevil races were held – one for fans who were selected by random draw, one for former Devil’s Bowl Speedway racers. Pete Bischoff of Castleton, VT was the winner of the fan race, beating Heath Goyette of Castleton, VT and Doug Jones of Wells, VT. Former Modified racer Lee Nutting of Rutland, VT beat Modified and Late Model standout (and Devil’s Bowl owner/promoter) Mike Bruno, despite two spins by Bruno in the eight-lap race. Charlie Brown – a former racer and the event sponsor – was third.
The 2012 Devil’s Bowl Speedway racing season concludes on Saturday, September 15 and Sunday, September 16 with the Vermont 200 weekend. Qualifying for Modifieds, Renegades, and Bombers will be held on Saturday at 1:30pm, along with feature events for Renegades and Bombers. Sunday is packed with a 100-lap Modified feature, special events for Renegades and Bombers, and qualifying and the 100-lap finale for the Vermont State Late Model Championship Series.
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.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – Brown’s Quarried Slate/Brown’s Orchard & Farm Stand Night
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
Devil’s Bowl Speedway, West Haven, VT
Friday, September 7, 2012
Bond Auto Parts Modified Feature (50 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)
1. (4) Joe Williams, Scotia, NY
2. (7) Leon Gonyo, Chazy, NY
3. (5) Alex Bell, Cambridge, NY
4. (9) Hunter Bates, Middlebury, VT
5. (11) # Joey Roberts, Georgia, VT
6. (8) Jessey Mueller, Olmstedville, NY
7. (10) Ron Proctor, Charlton, NY – 2012 Champion
8. (3) # Jeff Haskins, Wells, VT
9. (1) # Andy Smith, South Glens Falls, NY
10. (2) Jamie Proctor, Schuylerville, NY
11. (14) Mike Bush, Hudson Falls, NY
12. (6) Vince Quenneville, Jr., Brandon, VT
13. (12) Cody Sargen, Greenfield Center, NY
14. (13) Dave Snow, Brandon, VT
15. (15) Jason Bruno, Plattsburgh, NY
Heat Winners: Vince Quenneville, Jr., Alex Bell
Sunoco Race Fuels “Dash For Cash” Semi-Feature Winner: Ron Proctor
J&S Steel Late Model Feature (40 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)
1. (4) Craig Bushey, Fairfax, VT – 2012 Champion
2. (3) Bryan Town, Charlestown, NH
3. (13) # Joey M. Laquerre, East Montpelier, VT
4. (2) Matt White, Northfield, VT
5. (9) Pete Yetman, Peru, MA
6. (15) Hunter Bates, Middlebury, VT
7. (16) Chad White, Fort Ann, NY
8. (5) Kevin Elliott, Rutland, VT
9. (6) Dan Petronis, Mechanicville, NY
10. (8) # Johnny Chesnut, Grantham, NH
11. (9) # Robert Bryant, Jr., Brooklyn, CT
12. (18) # Jesse Carris, Rutland, VT
13. (17) # Tom Eriksen, Jr., West Ferrisburgh, VT
14. (10) Boomer Morris, Barre, VT
15. (12) Joey Laquerre, Sr., East Montpelier, VT
16. (14) Norm Andrews, Northfield, VT
17. (7) Doug Hoar, Williston, VT
18. (11) # Emily Packard, East Montpelier, VT
Heat Winners: Craig Bushey, Bryan Town
Renegade Feature (20 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)
1. (3) Robert Gordon, Milton, VT – 2012 Champion
2. (4) Richie Turner, Fairfax, VT
3. (6) # Stephen Donahue, Graniteville, VT
4. (5) Larry Underwood, Milton, VT
5. (1) Ryan Keith, Pittsford, VT
6. (2) Kevin Brisson, East Middlebury, VT
Heat Winner: Ryan Keith
Bomber Feature (20 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)
1. (10) Bobby LaVair, Gabriels, NY
2. (7) # Josh Masterson, Bristol, VT – 2012 Champion
3. (3) Ray Germain, Jr., Bristol, VT
4. (9) Jake Noble, Benson, VT
5. (4) John McCarron, Rennselaer, NY
6. (6) Garrett Given, Cornwall, VT
7. (2) Dan Collins, Rennselaer, NY
8. (1) Harold LaVair, Gabriels, NY
9. (5) Tyson Drown, Morrisonville, NY
DSQ: (8) Matt Monaghan, Colchester, VT (Unapproved tire)
Heat Winners: Ray Germain, Jr., Josh Masterson
Daredevil Feature – Fans (4 laps)
1. Pete Bischoff, Castleton, VT
2. Heath Goyette, Castleton, VT
3. Doug Jones, Wells, VT
4. Christine Kipphut, Fair Haven, VT
5. Jen Haskins, Wells, VT
Daredevil Feature – Racers (6 laps)
1. Lee Nutting
2. Mike Bruno
3. Charlie Brown
4. Dave Miller
Bond Auto Parts Modified – UNOFFICIAL Final Point Standings
Pos.-Driver-Points
(# – denotes rookie)
1. Ron Proctor, Charlton, NY – 898
2. Vince Quenneville, Jr., Brandon, VT – 865
3. Jessey Mueller, Olmstedville, NY – 828
4. Leon Gonyo, Chazy, NY – 823
5. # Joey Roberts, Georgia, VT – 810
6. Alex Bell, Cambridge, NY – 806
7. Hunter Bates, Middlebury, VT – 790
8. Cody Sargen, Greenfield Center, NY – 688
9. Jamie Proctor, Schuylerville, NY – 685
10. # Jeff Haskins, Wells, VT – 677
J&S Steel Late Model – UNOFFICIAL Final Point Standings
Pos.-Driver-Points
(# – denotes rookie)
1. Craig Bushey, Fairfax, VT – 751
2. Matt White, Northfield, VT – 684
3. Bryan Town, Charlestown, NH – 675
4. Dan Petronis, Mechanicville, NY – 638
5. Kevin Elliott, Rutland, VT – 628
6. # Robert Bryant, Jr., Brooklyn, CT – 567
7. Norm Andrews, Northfield, VT – 488
8. # Jesse Carris, Rutland, VT – 355
9. # Johnny Chesnut, Grantham, NH – 348
10. # Joey M. Laquerre, East Montpelier, VT – 322
Renegade – UNOFFICIAL Final Point Standings
Pos.-Driver-Points
(# – denotes rookie)
1. Robert Gordon, Milton, VT – 868
2. Ryan Keith, Pittsford, VT – 849
3. Jeremy Jones, Leicester, VT – 661
4. Bill Duprey, Hydeville, VT – 658
5. Frank Monroe, Granville, NY – 385
6. # Robin Cummings, Milton, VT – 215
7. # Bob Monroe, Granville, NY – 156
8. Kevin Brisson, East Middlebury, VT – 129
9. Richie Turner, Fairfax, VT – 105
10. # Stephen Donahue, Graniteville, VT – 91
Bomber – UNOFFICIAL Final Point Standings
Pos.-Driver-Points
(# – denotes rookie)
1. # Josh Masterson, Bristol, VT – 861
2. Bobby LaVair, Gabriels, NY – 796
3. Ray Germain, Jr., Bristol, VT – 787
4. Harold LaVair, Gabriels, NY – 752
5. # Gerald LaFlam, Hinesburg, VT – 639
6. Garrett Given, Cornwall, VT – 593
7. Dan Collins, Rennselaer, NY – 585
8. Matt Monaghan, Colchester, VT – 533
9. John McCarron, Rennselaer, NY – 500
10. Jake Noble, Benson, VT – 439
Sources: Devil’s Bowl Speedway
PHOTO: Bond Auto Parts Modified top-three finishers (L-R): Third-place finisher Alex Bell, race winner Joe Williams, runner-up Leon Gonyo. (MemorEvents photo)