Devil’s Bowl Three-peat for Sweet in People’s United Bank 100
Mueller stays hot with Modified checkers; Gordon, LaVair score
WEST HAVEN, VT – Nick Sweet continued his dominance of Vermont State Late Model Championship Series racing at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Friday night, winning the People’s United Bank 100. The defending Vermont State Champion has now won in his last three visits to the Rutland County track. His victory headlined a list of NASCAR Whelen All-American Series winners on the night that also included Jessey Mueller, Robert Gordon, and Chris LaVair.
Sweet, of Barre, VT, made up for a bitter defeat just five days earlier in the Vermont State Championship opener at his hometown track, Thunder Road, by leading every lap of the People’s United Bank 100. Starting from the pole position by virtue of a field-high “+6” position gain in qualifying, Sweet stretched out to a comfortable lead for much of the race. A pair of 17-year-olds in Brandon Atkins and Emily Packard didn’t let Sweet take the win easily, however.
A caution period on lap 66 gave Atkins new life, and he stuck to Sweet for the remainder of the race. Atkins made a bid for Sweet’s lead just before the race’s fourth caution on lap 82, then gave Sweet all he could handle during three quick restarts in the final four laps. Atkins, of AuSable Forks, NY, finished second.
Packard, of East Montpelier, VT, survived a tangle with top-five driver Jamie Fisher on lap 96, then held close to the top two for a Devil’s Bowl career-best third-place finish. Trampas Demers and defending track champion Chris Bergeron finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Lance Allen was a solid sixth, followed by Josh Masterson, Ricky Bly, Thunder Road winner Jason Corliss, and a recovering Fisher. Rookie Eric Badore finished 12th after spinning out of the top-five in the final laps.
Jessey Mueller, 19, extended his own winning streak in the 30-lap main event for the Bond Auto Parts Modified division. The well-traveled Olmstedville, NY driver has won in four of his last five total starts, taking victories at Airborne Park Speedway, Thunder Road, and Devil’s Bowl since May 10. Mueller passed Vince Quenneville, Jr., for the lead just after the halfway mark and cruised to the win.
Defending track champion Todd Stone of Middlebury, VT was the runner-up, with Joey Roberts of Fletcher, VT third. Quenneville slipped to fourth place, followed by Ron Proctor. Leon Gonyo, Jamie LaFountain, rookie Billy Lussier, Dave Snow, and Cody Sargen completed the top 10 in order.
Robert Gordon of Milton, VT won the two-segment season opener for the Renegade division. Stephen Donahue of Graniteville, VT was second, with Randy Howard of Georgia, VT a career-best third.
Chris LaVair of Gabriels, NY earned his first Central Vermont Motorcycles Mini Stock division win of the season in a 15-lap feature. Jake Noble of Benson, VT finished second, and opening day winner Chuck Bradford of Addison, VT came from last place to finish third.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway returns to action on Friday, June 6 at 7:00 p.m. with the special “Facebook Friday” event. Race fans who “like” the track’s official Facebook page at Facebook.com/DevilsBowlSpeedway may print a coupon for buy-one-get-one-free general admission for the event. All four weekly NASCAR divisions will be in action, along with the rescheduled opening round of the wild-and-wacky Enduro Series. Regular general admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors (age 62+), and free for children age 12 and under. The “Fans First” program also returns for the event with free general admission for residents of Whitehall, NY (zip code 12887) who present valid identification.
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, call (802) 265-3112 or visit www.DevilsBowlSpeedwayVT.com. Devil’s Bowl Speedway is on Facebook atfacebook.com/DevilsBowlSpeedway and on Twitter and Instagram at @DevilsBowlSpeed; follow the action using the #DevilsBowl hashtag.
Third-place finisher Emily Packard (left), winner Nick Sweet (center), and runner-up Brandon Atkins (right) celebrate their runs in the People’s United Bank 100 at Devil’s Bowl Speedway.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – People’s United Bank Night
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
Vermont State Late Model Championship Series
Devil’s Bowl Speedway, West Haven, VT
Friday, May 30, 2014
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
Late Model Feature (100 laps)
1. (1) Nick Sweet, Barre, VT
2. (2) Brandon Atkins, AuSable Forks, NY
3. (5) Emily Packard, East Montpelier, VT
4. (7) Trampas Demers, South Burlington, VT
5. (12) Chris Bergeron, Claremont, NH
6. (9) Lance Allen, Barre, VT
7. (11) Josh Masterson, Bristol, VT
8. (16) Ricky Bly, Sunapee, NH
9. (14) Jason Corliss, Barre, VT
10. (3) Jamie Fisher, Shelburne, VT
11. (10) Joey M. Laquerre, East Montpelier, VT
12. (6) # Eric Badore, Milton, VT
13. (18) Shawn Fleury, Middlesex, VT
14. (13) Robert Bryant, Jr., Brooklyn, CT
15. (17) Seth Bridge, Mendon, VT
16. (19) Jerry Lesage, Winooski, VT
17. (20) # Scott Coburn, Barre, VT
18. (4) Chip Grenier, Graniteville, VT
19. (22) Chris Riendeau, Ascutney, VT
20. (8) Bucko Branham, Plattsburgh, NY
21. (15) Boomer Morris, Barre, VT
22. (21) # Dan St. Hilare, Shelburne, VT
Leaders: Nick Sweet, 1-100. (0 lead changes)
Cautions: 7 (Laps 0, 37, 66, 82, 96, 96, 98)
Heat Winners: Trampas Demers, Nick Sweet, Bucko Branham
Consi Winner: Chip Grenier
Late Model Feature (100 laps)
REVISED FOLLOWING SCORING RECHECK ON 6/13/14
1. (1) Nick Sweet, Barre, VT – 100 laps
2. (2) Brandon Atkins, AuSable Forks, NY – 100 laps
3. (5) Emily Packard, East Montpelier, VT – 100 laps
4. (7) Trampas Demers, South Burlington, VT – 100 laps
5. (12) Chris Bergeron, Claremont, NH – 100 laps
6. (9) Lance Allen, Barre, VT – 100 laps
7. (11) Josh Masterson, Bristol, VT – 100 laps
8. (16) Ricky Bly, Sunapee, NH – 100 laps
9. (14) Jason Corliss, Barre, VT – 100 laps
10. (3) Jamie Fisher, Shelburne, VT – 100 laps
11. (18) Shawn Fleury, Middlesex, VT – 100 laps
12. (10) Joey M. Laquerre, East Montpelier, VT – 100 laps
13. (6) # Eric Badore, Milton, VT – 100 laps
14. (17) Seth Bridge, Mendon, VT – 99 laps
15. (13) Robert Bryant, Jr., Brooklyn, CT – 97 laps
16. (19) Jerry Lesage, Winooski, VT – 96 laps
17. (4) Chip Grenier, Graniteville, VT – 96 laps
18. (20) # Scott Coburn, Barre, VT – 95 laps
19. (22) Chris Riendeau, Ascutney, VT – 91 laps
20. (8) Bucko Branham, Plattsburgh, NY – 86 laps
21. (15) Boomer Morris, Barre, VT – 64 laps
22. (21) # Dan St. Hilare, Shelburne, VT – 54 laps
Leaders: Nick Sweet, 1-100. (0 lead changes)
Cautions: 7 (Laps 0, 47, 66, 82, 96, 96, 98)
Heat Winners: Trampas Demers, Nick Sweet, Bucko Branham
Consi Winner: Chip Grenier
Third-place finisher Joey Roberts (left), Bond Auto Parts Modified winner Jessey Mueller (center), and runner-up Todd Stone (right) in People’s United Bank victory lane at Devil’s Bowl Speedway.
Bond Auto Parts Modified Feature (30 laps)
1. (7) Jessey Mueller, Olmstedville, NY
2. (6) Todd Stone, Middlebury, VT
3. (11) Joey Roberts, Fletcher, VT
4. (1) Vince Quenneville, Jr., Brandon, VT
5. (5) Ron Proctor, Charlton, NY
6. (3) Leon Gonyo, Chazy, NY
7. (4) Jamie LaFountain, Plattsburgh, NY
8. (10) # Billy Lussier, Fair Haven, VT
9. (9) Dave Snow, Brandon, VT
10. (8) Cody Sargen, Greenfield Center, NY
11. (2) Jason Durgan, Morrisonville, NY
Heat Winners: Vince Quenneville, Jr., Jason Durgan
Third-place finisher Randy Howard (left), Renegade winner Robert Gordon (center), and runner-up Stephen Donahue (right) in People’s United Bank victory lane at Devil’s Bowl Speedway.
Renegade Feature (8 laps x 2)
1. (2) Robert Gordon, Milton, VT
2. (5) Stephen Donahue, Graniteville, VT
3. (3) Randy Howard, Georgia, VT
4. (4) # Scott FitzGerald, West Rutland, VT
5. (1) Tony Putzier, Jericho, VT
Segment Winners: Robert Gordon (2)
Third-place finisher Chuck Bradford (left), Central Vermont Motorcycles Mini Stock winner Chris LaVair (center), and runner-up Jake Noble (right) in People’s United Bank victory lane at Devil’s Bowl Speedway.
Central Vermont Motorcycles Mini Stock Feature (15 laps)
1. (3) Chris LaVair, Gabriels, NY
2. (7) Jake Noble, Benson, VT
3. (13) Chuck Bradford, Addison, VT
4. (1) Mike Whalen, Jr., Plattsburgh, NY
5. (2) Harold LaVair, Jr., Gabriels, NY
6. (6) John McCarron, Rensselaer, NY
7. (10) # Andrew FitzGerald, West Rutland, VT
8. (11) Bobby LaVair, Saranac Lake, NY
9. (5) Dan Collins, Rensselaer, NY
10. (4) Kyle Sorensen, Ballston Spa, NY
11. (9) Lacey Hanson, Orwell, VT
12. (8) Matt Monaghan, Colchester, VT
13. (12) # Shaylynn Senecal, West Rutland, VT
Heat Winners: Jake Noble, Chris LaVair
Sources: Justin St. Louis/Devil’s Bowl Speedway PR
Photos by MemorEvents Photos