Roberts, Mueller Split Modified Features Before Large Devil’s Bowl Crowd; Masterson, Bergeron take Late Model thrillers; LaVair wins Mini Stock special
Masterson, Bergeron take Late Model thrillers; LaVair wins Mini Stock special
WEST HAVEN, VT – NASCAR Whelen All-American Series drivers Jessey Mueller and Joey Roberts highlighted an exciting night of stock car racing at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Friday, August 16, splitting victories in twin 25-lap features on Brown’s Quarried Slate/Brown’s Orchard & Farm Stand Night. Feature winners also included Josh Masterson, Chris Bergeron, Chris LaVair, Eric “Mongo” Messier, and event sponsor Charlie Brown.
Eighteen-year-old Mueller, of Olmstedville, NY, posted his third win of the season in the opening event for the Bond Auto Parts Modified division. Mueller started 11th on the grid and patiently made his way through traffic to enter the top five at lap 15. He took second place from Cody Sargen at lap 20, just before a multi-car crash blocked the track and brought out the red flag.
Due to the lengthy cleanup period and a predetermined time limit of 20 minutes, the race was cut to 22 laps with a green-white-checkered finish. Mueller rocketed past leader Ron Proctor of Charlton, NY on the restart to grab the lead and cruise to the win. Proctor took the runner-up finish for his best result since June, with Leon Gonyo of Chazy, NY third. Vince Quenneville, Jr., of Brandon, VT and Joe Williams of Scotia, NY were next in line.
Fletcher, VT driver Joey “Fireball” Roberts turned a frustrating season around with an emotional victory in the 25-lap nightcap. After rebuilding his car twice from hard wrecks earlier in the season, Roberts crashed in his qualifying heat but his team repaired the front end of his car in time for feature racing. Once he took the lead at lap 8, Roberts sailed to an uncontested and popular victory, the second of his career. Gonyo finished a strong night as the runner-up, ahead of point leader Todd Stone of Middlebury, VT, who crashed twice in the opening feature. Mueller finished fourth with Proctor close behind.
The Late Model division ran two thrilling 25-lap features, each decided by final-lap passes. In the first race, rookie Josh Masterson of Bristol, VT outgunned fellow youngster Hunter Bates of Middlebury, VT in a side-by-side duel. Chris Bergeron of Claremont, NH finished third ahead of first-time Devil’s Bowl racer Luke Hinkley, also of Claremont, NH, and early leader Ricky Bly of Sunapee, NH.
Bergeron won the second 25-lap race after a breathtaking pass on the final lap that saw the lead cars race four-wide on the backstretch. Masterson went from fifth place to second in the maneuver to take the runner-up finish. Rookie Brandon Atkins of AuSable Forks, NY finished third with Bly fourth and Bates fifth. The large grandstand crowd gave the podium finishers a loud ovation after the race.
Chris LaVair of Gabriels, NY took his fourth win of the season in a three-segment, cumulatively scored special event for the Central Vermont Motorcycles Mini Stock division. LaVair posted finishes of second, fourth, and first in the three 10-lap rounds to post low total score of 7 points for the overall win. Mike Whalen, Jr., of Plattsburgh, NY tied LaVair’s 7-point score with finishes of first, third, and third, but lost the tiebreaker due to LaVair’s better final-segment finish. Bobby LaVair, the winner’s brother, finished third overall with 13 points. Jake Noble of Benson, VT (14 points) and second-segment winner Lacey Hanson of Orwell, VT (15 points) completed the overall top five.
Eric “Mongo” Messier of Hinesburg, VT won the 50-lap Enduro Series race for his third career victory. Messier held off teammate Brett “Woody” Wood of Georgia, VT, and “Wild Bill” Fountain of Altona, NY for the win; the podium finishers were the only drivers to complete all 50 laps of the race. Kevin Sorel of Plattsburgh, NY, and Ethan White of Hinesburg, VT were next in line, each two laps behind.
Former Devil’s Bowl Speedway competitor Charlie Brown of Brown’s Quarried Slate and Brown’s Orchard & Farm Stand won a special four-lap race in the Daredevil “community” division. Brown bested Joe Howard, Doug Senecal, and Robbie Thornton for the win.
The Red Knights International Firefighters Motorcycle Club made a special appearance at the beginning of the event, bringing over 200 bikes and several fire trucks and rescue vehicles for a rousing parade around the Devil’s Bowl half-mile oval. More than $2,000 was raised toward the Club’s charity drive to find a cure for blood cancers.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s final Friday night summer event is on Friday, August 23 at 7:00pm with the second annual Great North American Pancake Eating Championship presented by Sugar & Spice Restaurant of Mendon, VT. Double features for the Modified, Late Model, Renegade, and Mini Stock divisions are on the schedule along with “Spectator Races” for race fans with street-legal vehicles. 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 – Brown’s Quarried Slate/Brown’s Orchard & Farm Stand Night
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
Devil’s Bowl Speedway, West Haven, VT
Friday, August 16, 2013
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)
Bond Auto Parts Modified Feature #1 (25 laps – shortened to 22 laps by time constraints)
1. (11) Jessey Mueller, Olmstedville, NY
2. (6) Ron Proctor, Charlton, NY
3. (9) Leon Gonyo, Chazy, NY
4. (8) Vince Quenneville, Jr., Brandon, VT
5. (7) Joe Williams, Scotia, NY
6. (13) Joey Roberts, Fletcher, VT
7. (2) Cody Sargen, Greenfield Center, NY
8. (12) Todd Stone, Middlebury, VT
9. (10) Hunter Bates, Middlebury, VT
10. (3) # Jamie LaFountain, Plattsburgh, NY
11. (14) Andy Smith, South Glens Falls, NY
12. (1) Jim Introne, Jr., Queensbury, NY
13. (4) Jeff Haskins, Wells, VT
14. (5) Dave Snow, Brandon, VT
15. (15) James Introne, Sr., Hartford, NY
Heat Winners: Jim Introne, Jr., Joe Williams
Sunoco Race Fuels Semi-Feature Winner: Todd Stone
Bond Auto Parts Modified Feature #2 (25 laps)
1. (6) Joey Roberts, Fletcher, VT
2. (8) Leon Gonyo, Chazy, NY
3. (14) Todd Stone, Middlebury, VT
4. (13) Jessey Mueller, Olmstedville, NY
5. (10) Ron Proctor, Charlton, NY
6. (12) Joe Williams, Scotia, NY
7. (9) Hunter Bates, Middlebury, VT
8. (2) Jeff Haskins, Wells, VT
9. (11) Vince Quenneville, Jr., Brandon, VT
10. (4) Cody Sargen, Greenfield Center, NY
11. (5) # Jamie LaFountain, Plattsburgh, NY
12. (1) Dave Snow, Brandon, VT
13. (7) Andy Smith, South Glens Falls, NY
14. (3) Jim Introne, Jr., Queensbury, NY
15. (15) James Introne, Sr., Hartford, NY
Late Model Feature #1 (25 laps)
1. (6) # Josh Masterson, Bristol, VT
2. (7) Hunter Bates, Middlebury, VT
3. (9) Chris Bergeron, Claremont, NH
4. (13) Luke Hinkley, Claremont, NH
5. (3) Ricky Bly, Sunapee, NH
6. (8) # Brandon Atkins, Plattsburgh, NY
7. (4) Robert Bryant, Jr., Brooklyn, CT
8. (2) # Johnny Scarborough, Bomoseen, VT
9. (5) Dan Petronis, Mechanicville, NY
10. (1) Norm Andrews, Northfield, VT
11. (14) Kevin Boutin, Jr., Swanton, VT
12. (12) Rich Lowrey, Charlotte, VT
13. (10) # Seth Bridge, Mendon, VT
14. (15) Chris Lacey, Burlington, VT
15. (11) # Carol Parker, Fair Haven, VT
Late Model Feature #2 (25 laps)
1. (9) Chris Bergeron, Claremont, NH
2. (6) # Josh Masterson, Bristol, VT
3. (8) # Brandon Atkins, Plattsburgh, NY
4. (3) Ricky Bly, Sunapee, NH
5. (7) Hunter Bates, Middlebury, VT
6. (13) Luke Hinkley, Claremont, NH
7. (4) Robert Bryant, Jr., Brooklyn, CT
8. (5) Dan Petronis, Mechanicville, NY
9. (1) Norm Andrews, Northfield, VT
10. (2) # Johnny Scarborough, Bomoseen, VT
11. (10) Chris Lacey, Burlington, VT
12. (15) # Carol Parker, Fair Haven, VT
13. (14) # Seth Bridge, Mendon, VT
14. (11) Rich Lowrey, Charlotte, VT
15. (12) Kevin Boutin, Jr., Swanton, VT
Central Vermont Motorcycles Mini Stock Feature (10 laps x 3)
1. (12) Chris LaVair, Gabriels, NY
2. (9) Mike Whalen, Jr., Plattsburgh, NY
3. (8) Bobby LaVair, Gabriels, NY
4. (10) Jake Noble, Benson, VT
5. (13) # Lacey Hanson, Orwell, VT
6. (11) # Chuck Bradford, Addison, VT
7. (5) John McCarron, Rensselaer, NY
8. (3) Harold LaVair, Jr., Gabriels, NY
9. (7) # Scott FitzGerald, West Rutland, VT
10. (4) Matt Monaghan, Colchester, VT
11. (2) # Lance Masterson, Lincoln, VT
12. (6) Kyle Watrous, Bomoseen, VT
13. (1) # Kyle Sorensen, Ballston Spa, NY
Segment Winners: Mike Whalen, Jr., Lacey Hanson, Chris LaVair
Enduro Series (50 laps)
Pos.-Car No.-Driver-Hometown-Laps Completed
1. 88x Eric Messier, Hinesburg, VT – 50 laps
2. 802 Brett Wood, Georgia, VT – 50 laps
3. 77 Bill Fountain, Altona, NY – 50 laps
4. 68 Kevin Sorel, Plattsburgh, NY – 48 laps
5. 22 Ethan White, Hinesburg, VT – 48 laps
6. 56 Bret Williams, Sudbury, VT – 47 laps
7. 3 Shane Wood, Whiting, VT – 47 laps
8. 666 Andy Botala, Grand Isle, VT – 47 laps
9. 66 Ted Sheloski, Ira, VT – 46 laps
10. 14 Chris Mattos, Milton, VT – 46 laps
11. 28 Trevor Sampson, Addison, VT – 46 laps
12. 50 Ed Shackett, Sr., Middlebury, VT – 45 laps
13. 91 Hunter Murray, Cambridge, VT – 42 laps
14. 30 Tom Kudlacik, Milton, VT – 41 laps
15. 269 Mike Hance, Westport, NY – 36 laps
16. 33 Jonathan Schaff, Hydeville, VT – 34 laps
17. 7 Shawn Fountain, Plattsburgh, NY – 33 laps
18. 51 Alex Laplante, Milton, VT – 14 laps
19. 48 Eddie Shackett, Jr., Middlebury, VT – 0 laps
20. 10 Brad Disorda, Leicester, VT – 0 laps
Did Not Start: 35 Jeff Murray, Georgia, VT; 420 Kaleb Shepard, Georgia, VT
Daredevil Feature (4 laps)
1. Charlie Brown, Castleton, VT
2. Joe Howard, Castleton, VT
3. Doug Senecal, West Rutland, VT
4. Robbie Thornton, Rutland, VT
Sources: Justin St. Louis/Devil’s Bowl Speedway PR
PHOTO: Joey Roberts (#50x) of Fletcher, VT scored an emotional Bond Auto Parts Modified victory on Brown’s Quarried Slate/Brown’s Orchard & Farm Stand Night at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Friday. (MemorEvents photo)
PHOTO: Bond Auto Parts Modified winner Jessey Mueller (center) in victory late with runner-up Ron Proctor (right) and third-place finisher Leon Gonyo (left) at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. (MemorEvents photo)
PHOTO: Jim Introne, Jr. (#9J) and Jeff Haskins (#95) in the middle of a big crash during the first 25-lap Bond Auto Parts Modified feature at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. (MemorEvents photo)
PHOTO: Joey “Fireball” Roberts celebrates his first Bond Auto Parts Modified victory of the season at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. (MemorEvents photo)
PHOTO: Rookie Josh Masterson of Bristol, VT earned his second Late Model win of the season at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. (MemorEvents photo)
PHOTO: Chris Bergeron celebrates his Late Model victory after an exciting four-wide pass on the final lap at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. (MemorEvents photo)
PHOTO: Central Vermont Motorcycles Mini Stock winner Chris LaVair (center) in victory lane with Charlie Brown (left) and Buddy Brown (right) of Brown’s Quarried Slate and Brown’s Orchard & Farm Stand. (MemorEvents photo)
PHOTO: Charlie and Buddy Brown in victory lane after Charlie Brown’s victory in the Daredevil division race at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. (MemorEvents photo)