Bell Wins in Tight Modified Finish at Devil’s Bowl Speedway
Bates shines in Late Models, Wood wins exciting Enduro
WEST HAVEN, VT – Alex Bell topped the winners’ list during a night of exciting stock car racing action and close finishes at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Friday, May 31. Bell earned the sixth Bond Auto Parts Modified victory of his career during Whelen Engineering Night presented by Mobil 1 for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.
Bell, 21, of Cambridge, NY, led every step of the 35-lap feature race, but never had more than a two car-length advantage. After taking the lead from polesitter Jamie Proctor in the first corner, Bell ran a consistent line but was unable to shake perennial Modified championship contenders Vince Quenneville, Jr. and Ron Proctor. Quenneville, of Brandon, VT, dogged Bell the entire distance and drew even in a side-by-side fight as the laps clicked away.
Two-time defending champion Proctor, of Charlton, NY, ran equally close to Quenneville’s rear bumper throughout the race, and the trio even ran three-abreast momentarily just before the final lap began. Bell was able to pull ahead to win by just a car length over Quenneville, with Proctor a tight third. Leon Gonyo of Chazy, NY outlasted a race-long battle with Jessey Mueller of Olmstedville, NY for fourth place.
Joe Williams of Scotia, NY, who won the bonus-points Sunoco Race Fuels Semi-Feature earlier in the evening, finished sixth in the main event. Todd Stone, Hunter Bates, Jamie Proctor, and Jamie LaFountain completed the top ten.
Double-duty driver Bates saved his best for last in the Late Model division. The 17-year-old began the day by attending his final class at Middlebury Union High School, then led only the final 100 yards of the 30-lap Late Model feature to earn a popular career-first victory in the division; Bates won the Late Model championship at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in 2011 despite never winning a main event.
The race was dominated by Chris Bergeron of Claremont, NH, who was making his first start at Devil’s Bowl, but a restart with just three laps remaining allowed Bates to complete his drive to the front and steal the victory by a fender on the outside lane – officially .045-second at the finish line. Chris Curtis of Rutland, MA finished third driving a new car that he acquired less than eight hours earlier. Kevin Elliott of Rutland, VT was fourth, followed by Jamie Fisher of Shelburne, VT. Rookie Brandon Atkins finished sixth in his first start, followed by Robert Bryant, Jr., rookie Josh Masterson, Dan Petronis, and Norm Andrews.
The finish of the Late Model race is unofficial pending the further review of possible infractions found in post-race technical inspection. An official ruling will be made in the coming days.
Defending champion Robert Gordon of Milton, VT posted his first win of the season in the Renegade division’s 15-lap feature, edging Fairfax, VT racer Richie Turner. Fifteen-year-old Rich Lowrey, III of Charlotte, VT posted an impressive third-place showing in the first stock car race of his career. Rookies Brad Bushey of Cambridge, VT, and Ray Germain, Jr. of Bristol, VT completed the top five.
Bobby LaVair of Gabriels, NY turned an otherwise sour night for his three-car family team around by winning the 15-lap Central Vermont Motorcycles Mini Stock feature. LaVair won as his father Harold and brother Chris watched from the sidelines with blown engines. Jake Noble of Benson, VT finished second, and John McCarron of Rensselaer, NY inherited third place in post-race inspection after the car driven by Dan Collins failed to meet the minimum weight requirement. Matt Monaghan of Colchester, VT finished fourth and rookie Lacey Hanson of Orwell, VT was fifth.
Brett “Woody” Wood of Georgia, VT won the 75-lap Enduro Series event for the second win of his Enduro career at Devil’s Bowl. Wood’s 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse came out on top of an entertaining three-car fight between he and the team of Bill and Shawn Fountain. “Wild Bill” Fountain of Altona, NY finished second, while Eric “Mongo” Messier of Hinesburg, VT was third. Tyler Rhoades of Milton, VT was fourth with Andy Botala of Grand Isle, VT fifth. Shawn Fountain finished sixth, the final driver on the lead lap, after a late crash.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway returns to action on Friday, June 7 with the People’s United Bank 100 – the second round of the four-race Vermont State Late Model Championship Series. The Bond Auto Parts Modifieds, the Renegades, and the Central Vermont Motorcycles Mini Stocks will be in action, along with the first Spectator Races of the season for street-legal vehicles. Racing is scheduled to begin at 7:00pm.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, VT, four miles north of Exit 2 on U.S. Route 4. For more information, visit www.devilsbowlspeedwayvt.com or call (802) 265-3112. Devil’s Bowl Speedway is on Facebook at facebook.com/DevilsBowlSpeedway and on Twitter at @DevilsBowlSpeed.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – Whelen Engineering Night presented by Mobil 1
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
Devil’s Bowl Speedway, West Haven, VT
Friday, May 31, 2013
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)
Bond Auto Parts Modified (35 laps)
1. (2) Alex Bell, Cambridge, NY
2. (6) Vince Quenneville, Jr., Brandon, VT
3. (10) Ron Proctor, Charlton, NY
4. (5) Leon Gonyo, Chazy, NY
5. (7) Jessey Mueller, Olmstedville, NY
6. (8) Joe Williams, Scotia, NY
7. (11) Todd Stone, Middlebury, VT
8. (9) Hunter Bates, Middlebury, VT
9. (1) Jamie Proctor, Schuylerville, NY
10. (10) Jamie LaFountain, Plattsburgh, NY
11. (4) Cody Sargen, Greenfield Center, NY
12. (16) Matt Atwood, Whitehall, NY
13. (15) Dave Snow, Brandon, VT
14. (14) Jim Introne, Jr., Hartford, NY
15. (12) James Introne, Sr., Hartford, NY
16. (13) Mike Bush, South Glens Falls, NY
Heat Winners: Ron Proctor, Leon Gonyo
Sunoco Race Fuels Semi-Feature Winner: Joe Williams
Late Model (30 laps) – Pending Technical Inspection Review
1. (7) Hunter Bates, Middlebury, VT
2. (9) Chris Bergeron, Claremont, NH
3. (8) Chris Curtis, Rutland, MA
4. (3) Kevin Elliott, Rutland, VT
5. (10) Jamie Fisher, Shelburne, VT
6. (11) # Brandon Atkins, Plattsburgh, NY
7. (14) Robert Bryant, Jr., Brooklyn, CT
8. (12) # Josh Masterson, Bristol, VT
9. (4) Dan Petronis, Mechanicville, NY
10. (1) Norm Andrews, Northfield, VT
11. (17) # Tommy Eriksen, Jr., Ferrisburgh, VT
12. (15) # Seth Bridge, Mendon, VT
13. (16) # Carol Parker, Fair Haven, VT
14. (5) Boomer Morris, Barre, VT
15. (6) Pete Yetman, Peru, MA
16. (13) Jesse Carris, Rutland, VT
17. (2) Chad White, Fort Ann, NY
Heat Winners: Chris Bergeron, Dan Petronis
Renegade (15 laps)
1. (1) Robert Gordon, Milton, VT
2. (2) Richie Turner, Fairfax, VT
3. (5) # Rich Lowrey, III, Charlotte, VT
4. (4) # Brad Bushey, Bolton, VT
5. (3) # Ray Germain, Jr., Bristol, VT
6. (6) Jon Boutin, St. Albans, VT
Heat Winner: Robert Gordon
Central Vermont Motorcycles Mini Stock (15 laps)
1. (5) Bobby LaVair, Gabriels, NY
2. (4) Jake Noble, Benson, VT
3. (2) John McCarron, Rensselaer, NY
4. (10) Matt Monaghan, Colchester, VT
5. (8) # Lacey Hanson, Orwell, VT
6. (6) # Jason Sabourin, Vergennes, VT
7. (7) # Chuck Bradford, Addison, VT
8. (9) Kyle Watrous, Bomoseen, VT
9. (12) Mike Whalen, Jr., Morrisonville, NY
10. (13) # Kyle Sorensen, Ballston Spa, NY
11. (3) Garry Bashaw, Lincoln, VT
12. (11) Harold LaVair, Jr., Gabriels, NY
13. (14) Chris LaVair, Gabriels, NY
Disqualified: (1) Dan Collins, Rensselaer, NY (weight)
Heat Winners: Bobby LaVair, Garry Bashaw
Enduro Series (75 laps)
Pos.-Car No.-Driver-Hometown-Laps Completed
1. 802 Brett Wood, Georgia, VT – 75 laps
2. 77 Bill Fountain, Altona, NY – 75 laps
3. 88x Eric Messier, Hinesburg, VT – 75 laps
4. 86 Tyler Rhoades, Milton, VT – 75 laps
5. 666 Andy Botala, Grand Isle, VT – 75 laps
6. 7 Shawn Fountain, Altona, NY – 75 laps
7. 17 Cory Gray, Rutland, VT – 74 laps
8. 68 Kevin Sorel, Plattsburgh, NY – 74 laps
9. 35 Jeff Murray, Georgia, VT – 73 laps
10. 91 Hunter Murray, Cambridge, VT – 72 laps
11. 3 Shane Wood, Whiting, VT – 71 laps
12. 51 Alex Laplante, Milton, VT – 69 laps
13. 56 Bret Williams, Sudbury, VT – 67 laps
14. 28 Trevor Sampson, Addison, VT – 65 laps
15. 14 Chris Mattos, Milton, VT – 65 laps
16. 3T Justin Bolster, Fair Haven, VT – 63 laps
17. 22 Ethan White, Hinesburg, VT – 63 laps
18. 30 Tom Kudlacik, Milton, VT – 61 laps
19. 269 Mike Hance, Westport, NY – 59 laps
20. 20 Zach Wood, Georgia, VT – 58 laps
21. 44G Matt Grenier, Fair Haven, VT – 48 laps
22. 18 Evan Bathalon, Brandon, VT – 45 laps
23. 420 Kaleb Shepard, Georgia, VT – 32 laps
24. 69 Doug White, Dorset, VT – 26 laps
25. 48 Eddie Shackett, Jr., Middlebury, VT – 16 laps
26. 11D Jason Gingras, Middlebury, VT – 15 laps
27. 21 Chad Patch, Rutland, VT – 13 laps
PHOTO: Hunter Bates of Middlebury, VT notched his career-first Late Model victory at Devil’s Bowl Speedway by just .045-second over Chris Bergeron. (MemorEvents photo)
PHOTO: Alex Bell of Cambridge, NY won the Bond Auto Parts Modified feature at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Friday night after fending off Vince Quenneville, Jr. and Ron Proctor. (MemorEvents photo)