Stone Fights Mueller off in Richards Memorial Nailbiter at Devil’s Bowl

By admin August 3, 2013 Devil's Bowl

Atkins, Bergeron split Late Model mains; Hanson, Bushey make history

WEST HAVEN, VT – Veteran stock car driver Todd Stone held off young up-and-comer Jessey Mueller to win Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s most important open-wheel Modified event on Friday, August 2, taking the second annual Carrara Masonry & Concrete C.J. Richards Memorial 67. The win highlighted a night full of close finishes, with Brandon Atkins, Chris Bergeron, Lacey Hanson, and Karen Bushey also taking victories at the event honoring the track’s late founder.

The outcome of the race – which was the second round of the five-race Northern Modified Challenge Series – was in question throughout the entire 67-lap distance until Stone crossed the finish line as the winner. Veteran Leon Gonyo of Chazy, NY started on the front row by virtue of a random draw and led the opening seven laps. Visiting short track standout “Liquid” Loud Cicconi of Aston, PA, driving Stone’s team car, took command on lap 8 and diced with Gonyo for the next 14 laps before Middlebury, VT racer Stone entered the picture.

Stone took the lead from Cicconi at lap 31 and led his teammate in an entertaining duel, but Cicconi’s engine failed, forcing him out of the race at lap 39 while running second. The resulting restart allowed 18-year-old Mueller, of Olmstedville, NY, to draw even with Stone, and the pair raced in lockstep for the final 27 laps. Both were forced to make daring maneuvers through lapped traffic with five laps to go, nearly causing them to crash, but Stone held on to beat Mueller by a car length to win. The victory was his fourth-straight and seventh of the season in the Bond Auto Parts Modified division at Devil’s Bowl.

“It means so much to win this race,” Stone said in victory lane. “C.J. Richards is the reason we’re all here at Devil’s Bowl. I cut my racing teeth here a long time ago and I considered C.J. a friend and a mentor as much as a race promoter.”

Gonyo finished third after a see-saw battle with Hunter Bates of Middlebury, VT. Vince Quenneville, Jr., of Brandon, VT recovered from a mid-race pit stop to finish in fifth place. Ron Proctor, Travis Bruno, Joe Williams, rookie Jamie LaFountain, and Dave Snow completed the unofficial top ten.

Rookie Brandon Atkins and veteran Chris Bergeron split twin 20-lap features in the Late Model division. Atkins, 16, of AuSable Forks, NY, posted his career-first victory in impressive fashion in the opening race, outrunning Robert Bryant, Jr., of Brooklyn, CT, and Jim “Boomer” Morris of Barre, VT for the win. Bergeron, of Claremont, NH came from 13th starting position to win a wild second race that featured a multi-car pileup on the frontstretch. Bryant, who earlier made a three-wide pass to move from fourth place into the lead, finished second by a fender. Rookie Josh Masterson of Bristol, VT finished third.

Rookie Lacey Hanson of Owrell, VT made history by becoming the first woman to win a main event in a weekly NASCAR Whelen All-American Series division at Devil’s Bowl Speedway, as she held off a persistent challenge from Chris LaVair of Gabriels, NY to score in the 15-lap Central Vermont Motorcycles Mini Stock feature. Jake Noble of Benson, VT – Hanson’s teammate – finished third to protect his point lead in the division.

Karen Bushey of Cambridge, VT matched Hanson’s historic accomplishment when she became the first woman to win in the Daredevil “community” division – a series of track-owned cars driven by race fans drawn at random. Bushey, the mother of drivers Craig and Brad Bushey, beat Josiah Simons of Poultney, VT, and Billy Jones of Rutland, VT for the win.

Devil’s Bowl Speedway is back in action on Friday, August 9 at 7:00pm with Interstate All Battery Center of Rutland Night presented by the Green Mountain Water Environment Association. The event also includes Spectator Racing, in which race fans driver their street-legal vehicles in single-elimination races. Regular general admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, and free for children 12 and under.

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 – Carrara Masonry & Concrete C.J. Richards Memorial 67
Northern Modified Challenge Series
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
Devil’s Bowl Speedway, West Haven, VT
Friday, August 2, 2013

Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)

Northern Modified Challenge Series (67 laps)

(3) Todd Stone, Middlebury, VT
(5) Jessey Mueller, Olmstedville, NY
(2) Leon Gonyo, Chazy, NY
(7) Hunter Bates, Middlebury, VT
(9) Vince Quenneville, Jr., Brandon, VT
(6) Ron Proctor, Charlton, NY
(15) Travis Bruno, Morrisonville, NY
(8) Joe Williams, Scotia, NY
(18) # Jamie LaFountain, Plattsburgh, NY
(12) Dave Snow, Brandon, VT
(13) Cody Sargen, Greenfield Center, NY
(1) Andy Smith, South Glens Falls, NY
(19) Jim Introne, Jr., Queensbury, NY
(17) # Bruce Schwab, Jr., Whitehall, NY
(14) Adam Bartemy, Sheldon, VT
(4) Lou Cicconi, Aston, PA
(11) Joey Roberts, Fletcher, VT
(10) Jeff Haskins, Wells, VT
(18) James Introne, Sr., Hartford, NY

Heat Winners: Vince Quenneville, Jr., Joe Williams, Hunter Bates

Late Model Feature #1 (20 laps)

(4) # Brandon Atkins, AuSable Forks, NY
(2) Robert Bryant, Jr., Brooklyn, CT
(5) Boomer Morris, Barre, VT
(8) Chris Bergeron, Claremont, NH
(10) Hunter Bates, Middlebury, VT
(7) Ricky Bly, Sunapee, NH
(14) Chris Wilk, Center Rutland, VT
(9) Dan Petronis, II, Mechanicville, NY
(3) Chris Curtis, Rutland, MA
(11) # Josh Masterson, Bristol, VT
(6) Matt White, Northfield, VT
(1) # Johnny Scarborough, Bomoseen, VT
(12) Nick LaGoy, Cadyville, NY
(15) Norm Andrews, Northfield, VT
(13) # Carol Parker, Fair Haven, VT
(16) # Seth Bridge, Mendon, VT

Heat Winners: Johnny Scarborough, Robert Bryant, Jr.

Late Model Feature #2 (20 laps)

(13) Chris Bergeron, Claremont, NH
(5) Robert Bryant, Jr., Brooklyn, CT
(12) # Josh Masterson, Bristol, VT
(11) # Brandon Atkins, AuSable Forks, NY
(6) Ricky Bly, Sunapee, NH
(10) Hunter Bates, Middlebury, VT
(3) Norm Andrews, Northfield, VT
(4) Chris Curtis, Rutland, MA
(2) # Johnny Scarborough, Bomoseen, VT
(16) # Carol Parker, Fair Haven, VT
(15) Boomer Morris, Barre, VT
(7) Matt White, Northfield, VT
(8) Chris Wilk, Center Rutland, VT
(9) Dan Petronis, II, Mechanicville, NY
(1) # Seth Bridge, Mendon, VT
(14) Nick LaGoy, Cadyville, NY

Central Vermont Motorcycles Mini Stock Feature (15 laps)

(5) # Lacey Hanson, Orwell, VT
(7) Chris LaVair, Gabriels, NY
(10) Jake Noble, Benson, VT
(9) # Chuck Bradford, Addison, VT
(3) John McCarron, Rensselaer, NY
(8) Mike Whalen, Jr., Plattsburgh, NY
(4) # Jason Sabourin, Vergennes, VT
(2) Garry Bashaw, Lincoln, VT
(11) # Scott FitzGerald, West Rutland, VT
(14) # Lance Masterson, Lincoln, VT
(13) # Kyle Sorensen, Ballston Spa, NY
(12) Matt Monaghan, Colchester, VT
(1) Harold LaVair, Jr., Gabriels, NY
(5) Bobby LaVair, Gabriels, NY

Heat Winners: Mike Whalen, Jr., Chris LaVair

Daredevil Feature (4 laps)

Karen Bushey, Cambridge, VT
Josiah Simons, Poultney, VT
Billy Jones, Rutland, VT
Brenda Roberts, Milton, VT
Tina Robinson, Castleton, VT
Carrie LaRose, Middlebury, VT

Sources: Justin St. Louis/Devil’s Bowl Speedway PR

PHOTO: Todd Stone won the second annual Carrara Masonry & Concrete C.J. Richards Memorial 67 for the Northern Modified Challenge Series at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. (MemorEvents photo)

PHOTO: Brandon Atkins was a first-time Late Model winner on Carrara Masonry & Concrete Night at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. (MemorEvents photo)

PHOTO: Chris Bergeron celebrates his Late Model victory on Carrara Masonry & Concrete Night at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. (MemorEvents photo)

PHOTO: Lacey Hanson made history as the first woman to win a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series feature at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in the Central Vermont Motorcycles Mini Stock division. (MemorEvents photo)