Flyin’ Jimmy Ryan Returning to Devil’s Bowl Speedway
Whiting veteran back home on both asphalt and dirt
WEST HAVEN, VT – Jimmy Ryan is coming home to Devil’s Bowl Speedway. One of Vermont’s most popular open-wheel Modified stock car drivers for many years, “Flyin’ Ryan” plans to end his hiatus from driving in 2015. He has recently taken delivery of a Teo Pro Car chassis, a brand new Chevrolet “602” crate engine, and has reclaimed his familiar car number 60 with the registration office.
Ryan plans to compete on both asphalt and clay, running in the Bond Auto Parts Modified division of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series (NWAAS) on the pavement, and in the Liberty Street Discount Beverage & Deli Sportsman Modified class in the five-race Optical Expressions of Berlin Dirt Track Series.
The Whiting, VT veteran’s most recent season of driving was five years ago. Ryan is highly regarded as a dirt track specialist – he was a frequent winner on the former half-mile clay track at Devil’s Bowl and was a two-time champion at Bear Ridge Speedway – but he won twice during the first year of the new pavement era at Devil’s Bowl in 2010 and picked up another asphalt victory at Albany-Saratoga Speedway that season.
Ryan says that his desire to race never went away, but a busy work schedule kept him out of the car. Though he is hesitant to officially throw his hat in the ring as a full-season championship chaser, he concedes that he will likely be having too much fun to skip any races.
“I’ll be at the opener on the asphalt on May 9th for the 100-lapper. After that, we’ll see where it goes,” Ryan said with a laugh. “I’ve been telling everyone that I’m not planning on running every race, but no one seems to believe that. They’re probably right.”
Sponsorship for the #60 car will be provided by long-time supporters Foster Motors, Toon’s Home Improvement, and Clayton Ryan Trucking. Ryan’s main focus will be on the weekly asphalt events at Devil’s Bowl, but he also has the dates of the five-race schedule for The Dirt Track at Devil’s Bowl circled on his calendar. He also hopes to make occasional appearances at Airborne Park Speedway in Plattsburgh, NY.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s 49th season of stock car racing opens with the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series on Saturday, May 9 at 6:00 p.m. The Bond Auto Parts Modifieds will run 100 laps under the lights, and will be joined by a 50-lap race for the Central Vermont Motorcycles Late Models and championship openers for the Brileya’s Chrysler-Jeep Renegade and Portland Glass Mini Stock divisions.
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 and Instagram at @DevilsBowlSpeed; follow the action using the #DevilsBowl hashtag.
Sources: Justin St. Louis/ Devil’s Bowl Speedway PR
PHOTO: Whiting, VT’s Jimmy Ryan, shown here after a victory in 2010, is “flyin’” home to Devil’s Bowl Speedway this summer.