Modified Ace Proctor Doubles Down at Devil’s Bowl Speedway
WEST HAVEN, Vt. – Ron Proctor has made one thing clear: The asphalt track title at Devil’s Bowl Speedway will have to go through him. The longtime stock car driver and former two-time champion made it back-to-back wins at the Vermont track to open the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series season on Saturday, May 27, taking his second dominant score in a row. Also winning at the event were Jim McKiernan, Brad Bertrand, Connor Watrous, and Richie Turner.
Proctor’s victory came in a 50-lap feature event for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Sportsman Modified division, which featured an experimental format for the first time. The race was run in three stages, with Billy Lussier easily winning the first 20-lap leg and $250. After a random re-draw done by fans to line up the middle round, Vince Quenneville Jr. dominated the second stage – a 15-lap sprint – and also copped $250.
Quenneville drew an invert pill of “six” after his victory to set up the final 15-lap dash, putting Charlton, N.Y., driver Proctor on the pole for the third stage. For the second week in a row, Proctor quickly drew away from the field and stormed to the victory and a quick $500. Jason Durgan of Morrisonville, N.Y., rebounded from a miserable outing at the season opener to take second place, and Joey Roberts of Fletcher, Vt., was third. Lussier and Jackie Brown Jr. completed the official top five finishers.
Jim McKiernan of Moriah, N.Y., blistered the field in the 20-lap feature for the Rosen & Berger Auto Recyclers Super Stock division. The defending champion drew the pole starting spot and was never headed during the race. Dylan Rabtoy of Swanton, Vt., finished second with Scott FitzGerald third. Rookies Eric Messier and Brett Wood rounded out the top five.
Brad Bertrand matched Proctor’s feat in the Portland Glass Mini Stock division, taking his second-straight win to open the year with a convincing drive. The Ferrisburgh, Vt., runner – aboard a Subaru Impreza – topped a good battle for second place between Garrett Given and Andrew FitzGerald, which went Given’s way. Rookies Shawn Moquin and Cam Gadue were next in line.
Thirteen year-old Connor Watrous of Bomoseen, Vt., made history as the first winner in the new Bandit division for youth racers age 10-15. A trio of youngsters, driving cars that fit the Mini Stock rulebook, satisfactorily completed training earlier in the day and were turned loose for an eight-lap feature race. Watrous made his way past Evan Roberts, then tracked down leader Tanner Lunt to make a late pass and take the win. Lunt, 14, of Fort Ann, N.Y., finished second, with Roberts, 11, of Fletcher, Vt., in third.
Richie Turner of Highgate, Vt. was an easy winner in the Enduro Series, taking a 50-lapper that thinned out quickly due to early crashes and attrition. Cory Gray finished second as the only other driver on the lead lap. Loran McNally finished third with Andy Botala and double-duty racer Cam Gadue behind him.
Best Appearing Car winners of the annual Devil’s Bowl Speedway Downtown Car Show & Fan Festival – held on Sunday, May 21 – were announced earlier in the evening. After tallying fan votes, Joey Roberts’ blue and orange No. 50X car took top honors in the Sportsman Modified class, Garrett Given’s black No. 82G car won the Super Stock division, and rookie Curtis Denton’s green and black No. 8 topped the Mini Stocks.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway completes a busy Memorial Day weekend on Sunday, May 28, with the King of Dirt Series Sportsman Modifieds and the Sprint Cars of New England on the 3/10-mile dirt track. Super Stocks and Mini Stocks will also be in action. General admission is $15 for adults, $13 for seniors, $5 for teenagers, and free for kids age 12 and under. Grandstand gates open at 4:30 p.m. with racing at 6:00 p.m. As many as 40 Sportsman Modifieds are expected to attempt to qualify for the King of Dirt Series feature race.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, Vt., four miles north of U.S. Route 4, Exit 2. For more information, visit www.DevilsBowlSpeedwayVT.com or call (802) 265-3112. Devil’s Bowl Speedway is on Facebook at @DevilsBowlSpeedway and on Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat at @DevilsBowlSpeed; follow the action using the hashtag #DevilsBowl.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – Memorial Day Special
Devil’s Bowl Speedway Asphalt Track – West Haven, VT
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
Saturday, May 27, 2017
O’Reilly Auto Parts Sportsman Modified Feature (50 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (8) Ron Proctor, Charlton, N.Y.
2. (6) Jason Durgan, Morrisonville, N.Y.
3. (1) Joey Roberts, Fletcher, Vt.
4. (2) Billy Lussier, Fair Haven, Vt.
5. (7) Jackie Brown Jr., Hurley, N.Y.
6. (4) Chuck Bradford, Addison, Vt.
7. (5) Mike Wells, West Chazy, N.Y.
8. (9) # Chad White, Fort Ann, N.Y.
9. (3) Vince Quenneville Jr., Brandon, Vt.
Stage Winners: Billy Lussier, Vince Quenneville Jr., Ron Proctor
Shiley Fabrication Hard Charger Award: Ron Proctor
Shiley Fabrication Hard Luck Award: Vince Quenneville Jr.
Car Show Winner: Joey Roberts, Fletcher, Vt.
Rosen & Berger Auto Recyclers Super Stock Feature (20 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (1) Jim McKiernan, Moriah Center, N.Y.
2. (7) Dylan Rabtoy, Swanton, Vt.
3. (5) Scott FitzGerald, West Rutland, Vt.
4. (9) # Eric Messier, Hinesburg, Vt.
5. (11) # Brett Wood, Georgia, Vt.
6. (8) # Garrett Given Sr., Cornwall, Vt.
7. (4) R.J. Germain, Bristol, Vt.
8. (3) Jared Blake, North Hero, Vt.
9. (6) Tony Salerno, Mineville, N.Y.
10. (2) Bill Burlingame, Gansevoort, N.Y.
11. (10) # Chris Cardarelli, Milton, Vt.
Heat Winners: R.J. Germain, Dylan Rabtoy
Car Show Winner: Garrett Given Sr., Cornwall, Vt.
Portland Glass Mini Stock Feature (15 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (7) Brad Bertrand, Ferrisburgh, Vt.
2. (2) Garrett Given Sr., Cornwall, Vt.
3. (5) Andrew FitzGerald, West Rutland, Vt.
4. (10) # Shawn Moquin, Milton, Vt.
5. (8) # Cam Gadue, Highgate, Vt.
6. (12) # Johnny Bruno, Castleton, Vt.
7. (1) Josh Swahn, Pittsford, Vt.
8. (6) Kaleb Shepard, New Haven, Vt.
9. (4) Zach Wood, Georgia, Vt.
10. (9) # Mike Preston, Panton, Vt.
11. (11) # Huunter Given, Orwell, Vt.
12. (3) Roo Forrest, West Rutland, Vt.
Did Not Start: # Curtis Denton, St. Albans, Vt.
Heat Winners: Roo Forrest, Brad Bertrand
Car Show Winner: Curtis Denton, St. Albans, Vt.
Bandit Youth Division Feature (8 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
1. (3) Connor Watrous, Bomoseen, Vt.
2. (1) Tanner Lunt, Fort Ann, N.Y.
3. (2) Evan Roberts, Fletcher, Vt.
Enduro Series Feature (50 laps)
Pos.-(Car No.)-Driver-Hometown-Laps Completed
1. (14) Richie Turner, Highgate, Vt. – 50 Laps
2. (17) Cory Gray, Clarendon, Vt. – 50 Laps
3. (7) Loran McNally, Monkton, Vt. – 49 Laps
4. (01) Andy Botala, Grand Isle, Vt. – 49 Laps
5. (62) Cam Gadue, Highgate, Vt. – 48 Laps
6. (50X) Dylan Duffy, Milton, Vt. – 46 Laps
7. (44) Craig Kirby, Winooski, Vt. – 40 Laps
8. (25) Kyle Botala, Grand Isle, Vt. – 40 Laps
9. (802) Zach Wood, Georgia, Vt. – 35 Laps
10. (84X) Jonathan McCluskey, Cornwall, Vt. – 18 Laps
11. (18X) Jake Barrows, Cornwall, Vt. – 10 Laps
12. (118X) Eli Paquin, Addison, Vt. – 9 Laps
13. (94) Mike Klupa, Essex, Vt. – 5 Laps
14. (91) Hunter Murray, Cambridge, Vt. – 2 Laps
15. (53) Brian Clark, Milton, Vt. – 0 Laps
Sources: Justin St. Louis/Devil’s Bowl Speedway PR