Sold-Out Crowd Celebrates at Devil’s Bowl Speedway Banquet of Champions
White, Eddy honored with John Bruno Award; eight track champions crowned
RUTLAND, Vt. – A sold-out crowd of more than 370 stock car drivers, team members, race officials, sponsors, and media put the cap on the 2015 Devil’s Bowl Speedway racing season on Saturday, January 30 at the track’s annual Banquet of Champions. The event was hosted by the Holiday Inn Rutland-Killington in Rutland, Vt., and officially crowned the season champions in eight different divisions at the West Haven, Vt., speed plant.
Several special annual awards were also presented, including the track’s highest honor, the John Bruno Award. The trophy was shared by Debbie Eddy of Fair Haven, Vt., and posthumously by her longtime partner, Ron White, in recognition of their significant lifetime contributions to racing while maintaining high standards of conduct and respect on and off the track.
The couple has fielded winning Modifieds for drivers including Harry Peek, Ray Hoard, and most recently Ron Proctor. Proctor drove the team’s car to a 100-lap victory on May 9, just four days before the unexpected passing of the well-liked Ron White. Ms. Eddy, upon accepting the award, received an extended standing ovation.
Brandon, Vt., veteran Vince Quenneville Jr. collected his first championship on the asphalt half-mile in the Bond Auto Parts Modified division of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series presented by Yandow Sales & Service and John Deere. Quenneville’s five-win season was enough to edge Proctor for the title while Greg Atkins, the late Leon Gonyo, and Billy Lussier completed the top five.
Tribute was also paid to veteran driver Gonyo, of Chazy, N.Y., who passed away suddenly on September 19, moments after winning the final asphalt Modified race of the season. Matt Gonyo accepted his father’s fourth-place trophy with a moving speech, and he, too, received a lengthy standing ovation.
Other asphalt track champions included Josh Masterson of Bristol, Vt., in the Central Vermont Motorcycles Late Models; Robert Gordon of Milton, Vt., in the Brileya’s Chrysler-Jeep Renegades; and Chris LaVair of Gabriels, N.Y., in the Portland Glass Mini Stocks. Masterson and LaVair were each their first-time champs in their respective divisions, while Gordon’s title was his third in four years. Rookie of the Year titles went to Bob Kilburn of Fair Haven, Vt., (Modified), Richard Lowrey III of Charlotte, Vt., (Late Model), Matt Monaghan of Colchester, Vt., (Renegade), and Bradley Bertrand of Ferrisburgh, Vt., (Mini Stock).
Kenny Tremont Jr. of West Sand Lake, N.Y., added to his legendary career with his seventh Devil’s Bowl championship. The title, which came in the Liberty Street Discount Beverage & Deli Sportsman Modified class of the Berlin Optical Expressions Dirt Track Series, was his first on the new 3/10-mile Dirt Track at Devil’s Bowl. He beat Tim Hodge, Jackie Brown Jr., Quenneville, and Josh Sunn for the crown.
Darrell Older of Ballston Spa, N.Y., and Brian Bishop of Bridport, Vt., also won dirt championships. Older’s title was in the Renegade division, while Bishop topped the Mini Stocks. Brett Wood of Georgia, Vt., collected his first title in the MFT Sauce & Rub Co. Enduro Series, which holds races on both track surfaces at Devil’s Bowl.
The Award of Excellence was given to racing mainstay and Sunoco Race Fuels dealer John Holland of New England Racing Fuels, while the Dedication Award was presented to longtime Devil’s Bowl Speedway track official Nick Lussier, a veteran of 45 years at his hometown facility.
Sportsmanship Awards were given to drivers from each division on both the asphalt and dirt, as determined by a vote of their peers. On the asphalt side, awards went to Bob Kilburn (Modified), Steve Miller (Late Model), Robert Gordon (Renegade), and Chuck Bradford (Mini Stock), while dirt trophies went to Billy Lussier (Sportsman Modified), Matt Mosher (Renegade), and Chris Cardarelli (Mini Stock). Most Improved Driver laurels, also voted on by drivers, were bestowed upon asphalt racers Billy Lussier (Modified), Seth Bridge (Late Model), Scott FitzGerald (Renegade), and Kyle Sorensen (Mini Stock).
Bonus and contingency awards were also presented on behalf of Bond Auto Parts, Central Vermont Motorcycles, Portland Glass, Five Star Race Car Bodies, Shiley Fabrication, Crazy Horse Racing, American Racer Tires, The University of Northwestern Ohio, and NASCAR.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s 50th season of racing will include NASCAR Whelen All-American Series-sanctioned action for both the asphalt half-mile and the dirt 3/10-mile tracks, totaling 27 scheduled events. The asphalt track will race primarily on Saturday nights, and the dirt track will race primarily on Sunday nights; opening weekend is scheduled for May 21-22.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, Vt., four miles north of Exit 2 off of U.S. Route 4 and just 20 minutes from Rutland, Vt. 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.
DEVIL’ S BOWL SPEEDWAY – BANQUET OF CHAMPIONS AWARD WINNERS
Saturday, January 30, 2016
Special Annual Award Winners
John Bruno Award: Deborah Eddy, Fair Haven, Vt., & Ron White, Fair Haven, Vt.
Award of Excellence: John Holland, New England Race Fuels, Burlington, Conn.
Dedication Award: Nick Lussier, West Haven, Vt.
Asphalt 1/2-mile – NASCAR Whelen All-American Series pres. by Yandow Sales & Service and John Deere
Track Champions:
Bond Auto Parts Modified – Vince Quenneville Jr., Brandon, Vt.
Central Vermont Motorcycles Late Model – Josh Masterson, Bristol, Vt.
Brileya’s Chrysler-Jeep Renegade – Robert Gordon, Milton, Vt.
Portland Glass Mini Stock – Chris LaVair, Gabriels, N.Y.
Rookies of the Year:
Bond Auto Parts Modified – Bob Kilburn, Fair Haven, Vt.
Central Vermont Motorcycles Late Model – Richard Lowrey III, Charlotte, Vt.
Brileya’s Chrysler-Jeep Renegade – Matt Monaghan, Colchester, Vt.
Portland Glass Mini Stock – Bradley Bertrand, Ferrisburgh, Vt.
Most Improved Drivers:
Bond Auto Parts Modified – Billy Lussier, Fair Haven, Vt.
Central Vermont Motorcycles Late Model – Seth Bridge, Mendon, Vt.
Brileya’s Chrysler-Jeep Renegade – Scott FitzGerald, West Rutland, Vt.
Portland Glass Mini Stock – Kyle Sorensen, Ballston Spa, N.Y.
Sportsmanship Awards:
Bond Auto Parts Modified – Bob Kilburn, Fair Haven, Vt.
Central Vermont Motorcycles Late Model – Steve Miller, Vergennes, Vt.
Brileya’s Chrysler-Jeep Renegade – Robert Gordon, Milton, Vt.
Portland Glass Mini Stock – Chuck Bradford, Addison, Vt.
Dirt 3/10-mile – Berlin Optical Expressions Dirt Track Series
Track Champions:
Liberty Street Discount Beverage & Deli Sportsman Modified – Kenny Tremont Jr., West Sand Lake, N.Y.
Renegade – Darrell Older, Ballston Spa, N.Y.
Portland Glass Mini Stock – Brian Bishop, Bridport, Vt.
Sportsmanship Awards:
Liberty Street Discount Beverage & Deli Sportsman Modified – Billy Lussier, Fair Haven, Vt.
Renegade – Matt Mosher, Queensbury, N.Y.
Portland Glass Mini Stock – Chris Cardarelli, St. George, Vt.
MFT Sauce & Rub Co. Enduro Series
Series Champion: Brett Wood, Georgia, Vt.
Contingency Award Winners
Crazy Horse Racing Winner’s Circle Challenge: Central Vermont Motorcycles Late Model – Josh Masterson, Bristol, Vt.
Five Star Race Car Bodies Bonus Certificates:
Bond Auto Parts Modified – Ron Proctor, Charlton, N.Y.
Central Vermont Motorcycles Late Model – Chad White, Fort Ann, N.Y.
Brileya’s Chrysler-Jeep Renegade – Jared Blake, North Hero, Vt.
University of Northwestern Ohio Youth Achievement Award & Scholarship: Central Vermont Motorcycles Late Model – Walter J. Hammond, Canaan, N.H.
Sources: Justin St. Louis/Devil’s Bowl Speedway PR