Stearns Steals First Devil’s Bowl Dirt Win in Vince Quenneville Sr. Memorial

By admin September 12, 2016 Devil's Bowl, NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series

Mosher, Porter, Wood score on action-packed night

WEST HAVEN, Vt. – Wayne Stearns used a strong racecar and a bit of patience to earn his first career NASCAR Whelen All-American Series victory at the Dirt Track at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Sunday, September 11.  The Bradford, Vt., veteran earned his win in the “Vince Quenneville Sr. Memorial” on Interstate All Battery Center of Rutland Night.  Matt Mosher, Jason Porter, and Brett Wood also went to the winner’s circle during the event.

Persistence paid off for Stearns as he stalked the leaders for most of the 38-lap special event for the Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modified division.  Louie Cadwell and Lenny Pillsbury ran 1-2 for the first 15 laps before Pillsbury dropped out of the race, moving Stearns into second.  He chased Cadwell for the next 17 circuits before pouncing on Cadwell at lap 33 to take command.  A former champion at the Bear Ridge, Legion, and Canaan Fair Speedways, Stearns drove away as the laps clicked off for the win.

Tim LaDuc put on a show as he ran through the field after a lap-15 spin for the runner-up finish.  Cadwell held on to third for his best Devil’s Bowl finish, followed by Allan Hammond and Justin Comes.  Point leader Bobby Hackel finished sixth ahead of Kenny Tremont Jr., Vince Quenneville Jr., Billy Lussier, and Joey Scarborough.

Matt Mosher of Queensbury, N.Y., won the 25-lap feature for the Rosen & Berger Auto Recyclers Renegade division with crosstown neighbor Curtis Condon in second.  Billy Duprey, who had won all six of his previous starts during the season, finished third after contact on the last lap with Josh Bussino.  R.J. Germain, a regular competitor on the Asphalt Track at Devil’s Bowl, finished fourth in his first-ever dirt race, with Larry Bristol fifth.

Jason Porter of Freeport, Maine, finally saw his weekly 520-mile round trip to Devil’s Bowl Speedway pay off with his first career win in the 25-lap Portland Glass Mini Stock feature.  It was a weekend sweep for Porter, who also grabbed his first-ever win at Bear Ridge Speedway the night before.  Wayland Childs finished second and reclaimed the point lead as previous leader Mike Ryan crashed out.  Derrick Counter finished third with Sean Lantas fourth.  Andrew FitzGerald came from 18th at the start to finish fifth in his first career start on dirt.

Brett Wood of Georgia, Vt., won a first-of-its-kind Enduro that saw drivers running on both the clay and paved surfaces at the same time.  Many drivers alternated between the two tracks during the non-stop 50-lapper, but Wood and runner-up Eric Messier ran the whole race on the dirt.  Cory Gray, who ran exclusively on pavement, finished third.  Zach Wood was fourth, the last car on the lead lap.  Jeff Murray finished fifth, two laps down.

Racing continues at the Dirt Track at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Sunday, September 18 at 5:00 p.m., with the rescheduled 50th Season “Tribute Series” event honoring inaugural track champion Mert “Socks” Hulbert.  The Sportsman Modified division will race 50 laps, while the Renegades and Mini Stocks are in action.  The Mohawk Valley Vintage Dirt Modifieds will join the card and the new Catamount Mini Sprints club will run its first-ever exhibition event.  Special general admission is $15.00 for adults, $13.00 for seniors (62+), $5.00 for teens (13-17), and free for kids age 12 and under.  Gates open at 3:00 p.m., and racing begins at 5:00 p.m.

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, visitwww.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.

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – Interstate All Battery Center Night/Vince Quenneville Sr. Memorial
Devil’s Bowl Speedway Dirt Track – West Haven, VT
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
Sunday, September 11, 2016
Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modified Feature (38 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie

  1. (3) Wayne Stearns, Bradford, Vt.
  2. (12) Tim LaDuc, Orwell, Vt.
  3. (2) Louie Cadwell, East Thetford, Vt.
  4. (5) Allan Hammond, Canaan, N.H.
  5. (13) Justin Comes, Middlebury, Vt.
  6. (15) Bobby Hackel, Rensselaer, N.Y.
  7. (10) Kenny Tremont Jr., West Sand Lake, N.Y.
  8. (9) Vince Quenneville Jr., Brandon, Vt.
  9. (7) Billy Lussier, Fair Haven, Vt.
  10. (17) Joey Scarborough, Brandon, Vt.
  11. (8) # Justin Severance, Pittsford, Vt.
  12. (16) Jamy Begor, Mooers Forks, N.Y.
  13. (14) Jackie Brown Jr., Hurley, N.Y.
  14. (20) Travis Bruno, Morrisonville, N.Y.
  15. (1) Lenny Pillsbury, Cornish, N.H.
  16. (11) Chad Miller, White River Junction, Vt.
  17. (6) Jason Bruno, Morrisonville, N.Y.
  18. (18) Brian Whittemore, Pittsford, Vt.
  19. (4) Codie Aubin, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
  20. (19) Jimmy Ryan, Whiting, Vt.

Did Not Start: Jamey Ferland, Charlestown, N.H.

Heat Winners: Wayne Stearns, Kenny Tremont Jr., Tim LaDuc

Shiley Fabrication Hard Charger Award: Bobby Hackel

Shiley Fabrication Hard Luck Award: Lenny Pillsbury

Rosen & Berger Auto Recyclers Renegade Feature (25 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie

  1. (2) Matt Mosher, Queensbury, N.Y.
  2. (3) Curtis Condon, Queensbury, N.Y.
  3. (6) Bill Duprey, Hydeville, Vt.
  4. (7) R.J. Germain, Bristol, Vt.
  5. (5) Larry Bristol, Rutland, Vt.
  6. (4) # Josh Bussino, Mt. Holly, Vt.
  7. (8) Jon Hayes, Queensbury, N.Y.
  8. (1) Lou Gancarz, North Adams, Mass.

Bond Auto Parts Hard Charger Award: Bill Duprey

Portland Glass Mini Stock Feature (25 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie

  1. (8) Jason Porter, Freeport, Maine
  2. (12) Wayland Childs, Chelsea, Vt.
  3. (13) Derrick Counter, Leicester, Vt.
  4. (16) Sean Lantas, Newport, N.H.
  5. (18) Andrew FitzGerald, West Rutland, Vt.
  6. (1) Chris Conroy, Newport, N.H.
  7. (23) # Kaleb Shepard, New Haven, Vt.
  8. (6) Eric Castiglioni, Newbury, N.H.
  9. (10) Chris Cardarelli, Milton, Vt.
  10. (21) Nick Little, Claremont, N.H.
  11. (22) Johnny Bruno, Castleton, Vt.
  12. (4) # Chris Charbonneau, Rutland, Vt.
  13. (7) David Flanders, Warner, N.H.
  14. (11) David LaBarge, Glens Falls, N.Y.
  15. (14) Mike Ryan, Vershire, Vt.
  16. (5) # Josh Swahn, Pittsford, Vt.
  17. (20) Garrett Given Sr., Cornwall, Vt.
  18. (9) # Cameron Kennedy, Rochester, Vt.
  19. (19) # Roo Forrest, West Rutland, Vt.
  20. (2) # Kyle Watrous, Bomoseen, Vt.
  21. (3) Bill Partridge, Newport, N.H.
  22. (17) # Eric Messier, Hinesburg, Vt.
  23. (15) Brian Rogers, Castleton, Vt.

Bond Auto Parts Hard Charger Award: Kaleb Shepard

Enduro Series Feature (50 laps)
Pos.-(Car No.)-Driver-Hometown-Laps Complete

  1. (802) Brett Wood, Georgia, Vt. – 50 Laps
  2. (08X) Eric Messier, Hinesburg, Vt. – 50 Laps
  3. (17) Cory Gray, Rutland, Vt. – 50 Laps
  4. (20) Zach Wood, Georgia, Vt. – 50 Laps
  5. (14) Jeff Murray, Fairfax, Vt. – 48 Laps
  6. (30) Tommy Kudlacik, Milton, Vt. – 48 Laps
  7. (44) Craig Kirby, Winooski, Vt. – 48 Laps
  8. (18X) Jake Barrows, Cornwall, Vt. – 46 Laps
  9. (05) Donny Yates, North Montpelier, Vt. – 46 Laps
  10. (5) Kyle Botala, Grand Isle, Vt. – 45 Laps
  11. (118) Tim LaDuc, Orwell, Vt. – 45 Laps
  12. (72) Kyle Rogers, Fair Haven, Vt. – 45 Laps
  13. (42) John Lindblade, Stony Creek, N.Y. – 45 Laps
  14. (11X) John Nowicki, Granville, N.Y. – 45 Laps
  15. (3D) Dakota Desabrais, Fair Haven, Vt. – 44 Laps
  16. (50X) Stephanie Roberts, Fletcher, Vt. – 41 Laps
  17. (22) Ethan White, Hinesburg, Vt. – 32 Laps
  18. (8T) Tyler Quenneville, Brandon, Vt. – 31 Laps
  19. (666) Andy Botala, Grand Isle, Vt. – 27 Laps
  20. (38X) Casey O’Connell, Burlington, Vt. – 27 Laps
  21. (76) Shawn Moquin, Milton, Vt. – 17 Laps
  22. (84X) Jonathan McCluskey, Cornwall, Vt. – 9 Laps
  23. (91) Hunter Murray, Cambridge, Vt. – 3 Laps

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