Demers Wins Thriller in Vermont Governor’s Cup

By admin July 13, 2017 Thunder Road

Barre, Vt. – South Burlington’s Trampas Demers earned one of the biggest Thunder Road Late Model wins of his career on Thursday, July 13, taking the lead for good from Hinesburg’s Bobby Therrien with 10 laps remaining and holding on to win the 38th Vermont Governor’s Cup presented by VP Racing Fuels.

With NASCAR Champion Kyle Busch in the field and a massive crowd in attendance, it was the veteran Demers who stole the show in a wild, back-and-forth race. Demers led eight laps in the early going before dropping back in the pack as Blainville, QC’s Jonathan Bouvrette and Milton’s Scott Dragon set the pace.

After he and many of the leaders pitted on a lap-98 caution for Jamie Fisher’s spin – which also saw Vermont Governor Phil Scott go sailing off the top of turn one in the aftermath – Demers methodically worked his way back through the field and was running third when the 14th and final caution came out on lap 134 of the 150-lap event for Jean-Francois Dery’s stalled machine.

Therrien got the jump over leader Marcel J. Gravel on the restart with Demers following him around. A few laps later, Demers swung to the outside of Therrien for the 14th lead change of the race, capturing his eighth career victory in the process.

Point leader Therrien maintained his advantage with a second-place finish while Gravel took third. Darrell Morin, Dragon, Jason Corliss, Cody Blake, Eric Chase, Eric Badore, and Boomer Morris completed the top-10. Busch was running sixth when he slapped the wall on a lap-114 restart, forcing him to retire from the event.

Rookie Jason Pelkey of Barre earned his first career Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tiger victory in their 40-lap feature. Pelkey grabbed the top spot from fellow rookie Burt Spooner III on lap seven and cruised to an easy win in a caution-free race.

Waitsfield’s Kyle Streeter took second. Craftbury Common’s Mike Martin darted to third on the final lap after Spooner and Jaden Perry got together fighting for the spot. Dwayne Lanphear took fourth while point leader Brendan Moodie inherited fifth after Joel Hodgdon was disqualified in post-race technical inspection. Jason Woodard, Mike Billado, Gregg Lyman, Perry, and Tyler Austin completed the top-10.

Middlesex’s Logan Powers became to second rookie of the night to score his first victory with a win in the Allen Lumber Street Stock feature. Powers seized the lead from polesitter Scott Weston on the opening circuit of the 25-lap event and drove out to a big lead. After a pair of mid-race cautions tightened up the field, Powers held off Hinesburg’s Cooper Bouchard for the win.

Essex Junction’s Matthew Smith finished third followed by Stephen Martin and Alan Maynard. Dean Switzer Jr., Jamie Davis, Reilly Lanphear, Peyton Lanphear, and Will Hennequin also earned top-10 finishes.

Thunder Road is next in action on Thursday, July 20 for Fairpoint Communications Night. Round two of the Myers Containers Service Triple Crown Series for the Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers will highlight the card along with the Thunder Road Late Models, Allen Lumber Street Stocks, and the season debut of the Burnett Scrap Metal Road Warriors. Post time is 7:00pm. Admission is $12 for adults, $3 for kids ages 6-12, and $25 for a family of four.

For more information, contact the Thunder Road offices at (802) 244-6963, media@thunderroadvt.com.

38TH VERMONT GOVERNOR’S CUP PRESENTED BY VP RACING FUELS

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS

THUNDER ROAD LATE MODELS

Pos., Start Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown, Laps

  1. ( 3 ) Trampas Demers ( 85VT ) , S. Burlington, VT , 150 Laps
  2. ( 9 ) Bobby Therrien ( 5VT ) , Hinesburg, VT , 150 Laps
  3. ( 15 ) Marcel J. Gravel ( 86VT ) , Wolcott, VT , 150 Laps
  4. ( 16 ) Darrell Morin ( 17VT ) , Westford, VT , 150 Laps
  5. ( 1 ) Scott Dragon ( 16VT ) , Milton, VT , 150 Laps
  6. ( 18 ) Jason Corliss ( 66VT ) , Barre, VT , 150 Laps
  7. ( 4 ) Cody Blake ( 99VT ) , Barre, VT , 150 Laps
  8. ( 14 ) Eric Chase ( 40VT ) , Milton, VT , 150 Laps
  9. ( 6 ) Eric Badore ( 04VT ) , Milton, VT , 150 Laps
  10. ( 5 ) Boomer Morris ( 13VT ) , Barre, VT , 150 Laps
  11. ( 21 ) Ricky Roberts ( 3VT ) , Washington, VT , 150 Laps
  12. ( 11 ) Christopher Pelkey ( 64VT ) , Graniteville, VT , 150 Laps
  13. ( 24 ) Tyler Cahoon ( 38VT ) , Danville, VT , 150 Laps
  14. ( 10 ) Josh Demers ( 10VT ) , Montpelier, VT , 150 Laps
  15. ( 26 ) Mike Bailey ( 00VT ) , S. Barre, VT , 150 Laps
  16. ( 12 ) Kyle Pembroke ( 27VT ) , Montpelier, VT , 150 Laps
  17. ( 25 ) Jamie Fisher ( 18VT ) , Shelburne, VT , 150 Laps
  18. ( 20 ) Chris Riendeau ( 4VT ) , Perkinsville, VT , 149 Laps
  19. ( 22 ) David Whitcomb ( 25VT ) , Essex Jct., VT , 147 Laps
  20. ( 2 ) Jean-Francois Dery ( 21QC ) , Quebec, QC , 128 Laps
  21. ( 13 ) Kyle Busch ( 51NV ) , Las Vegas, NV , 114 Laps
  22. ( 8 ) Jonathan Bouvrette ( 41QC ) , Blainville, QC , 112 Laps
  23. ( 17 ) Scott Coburn ( 72VT ) , Barre, VT , 101 Laps
  24. ( 7 ) Phil Scott ( 14VT ) , Berlin, VT , 98 Laps
  25. ( 23 ) Mike Foster ( 7VT ) , Williston, VT , 98 Laps
  26. ( 19 ) Shawn Fleury ( 31VT ) , Middlesex, VT , 18 Laps

DNS ( 27 ) Jason Durgan ( 17NY ) , Plattsburgh, NY , 0 Laps

Lap Leaders: Scott Dragon, 1-3; Jean-Francois Dery, 4-20; Dragon, 21-24; Trampas Demers, 25-32; Jonathan Bouvrette, 33-52; Dragon, 53-54; Bouvrette, 55-72; Dragon, 73-76; Bouvrette, 77-98; Cody Blake, 99-104; Marcel J. Gravel, 105-112; Blake, 113-114; Gravel, 115-131; Bobby Therrien, 132-140; Demers, 141-150. (14 lead changes among 7 drivers)

Time of Race: 1:31:40   Margin of Victory: 0.346 seconds

Cautions: 14 (laps 0, 6, 20, 24, 34, 51, 72, 98, 112, 113, 114, 114, 114, 131)

Heat Winners: Jean-Francois Dery, Phil Scott, Jonathan Bouvrette

Consi Winner: Shawn Fleury

LENNY’S SHOE & APPAREL FLYING TIGERS

Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown

  1. #Jason Pelkey ( 64 ) Barre, VT
  2. Kyle Streeter ( 37 ) Waitsfield, VT
  3. Mike Martin ( 01 ) Craftsbury Common, VT
  4. Dwayne Lanphear ( 11 ) Morrisville, VT
  5. Brendan Moodie ( 94 ) Wolcott, VT
  6. Jason Woodard ( 68 ) Waterbury Ctr., VT
  7. Mike Billado ( 8 ) Essex, VT
  8. Gregg Lyman ( 17 ) Hinesburg, VT
  9. #Jaden Perry ( 92 ) Hardwick, VT
  10. #Tyler Austin ( 5 ) East Calais, VT
  11. Robert Gordon ( 20 ) Milton, VT
  12. Sid Sweet Jr. ( 51 ) Williamstown, VT
  13. Matthew Potter ( 7 ) Marshfield, VT
  14. #Burt Spooner III ( 4 ) E. Montpelier, VT
  15. Joe Steffen ( 00 ) Grand Isle, VT
  16. Jacob Perry ( 60 ) Hardwick, VT
  17. Kevin Dodge ( 88 ) Barre, VT

DSQ Joel Hodgdon ( 36 ) Craftsbury Common, VT

ALLEN LUMBER STREET STOCKS

Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown

  1. #Logan Powers ( 31 ) Middlesex, VT
  2. Cooper Bouchard ( 7 ) Hinesburg, VT
  3. Matthew Smith ( 04 ) Essex Jct., VT
  4. #Stephen Martin ( 01 ) Craftsbury Common, VT
  5. Alan Maynard ( 10 ) Fairfax, VT
  6. Dean Switser, Jr. ( 45 ) Lyndonville, VT
  7. Jamie Davis ( 43 ) Wolcott, VT
  8. Reilly Lanphear ( 21 ) Duxbury, VT
  9. Peyton Lanphear ( 22 ) Duxbury, VT
  10. William Hennequin ( 47 ) Hardwick, VT
  11. Brandon Lanphear ( 11 ) Morrisville, VT
  12. Tom Smith ( 50 ) Williamstown, VT
  13. Gary Mullen ( 29 ) Tunbridge, VT
  14. Michael Gay ( 3 ) So. Burlington, VT
  15. Kevin Streeter ( 67 ) Waitsfield, VT
  16. #Jeff Murray ( 35 ) Georgia, VT
  17. Tom Campbell ( 85 ) Middlesex, VT
  18. Tim Hunt ( 93 ) Derby, VT
  19. Bryan P. Wall ( 77 ) E. Kingston, NH
  20. Kelsea Woodard ( 55 ) Waterbury Ctr., VT
  21. Scott Weston ( 40 ) Berlin, VT
  22. #Kasey Collins ( 98 ) Barre, VT
  23. Bunker Hodgdon lll ( 83 ) E. Hardwick, VT
  24. Eric Messier ( 70 ) Hinesburg, VT
  25. Greg Collette ( 33 ) Milton, VT
  26. Jacob Roy ( 27 ) Danville, VT
  27. Justin Blakely ( 17 ) Graniteville, VT
  28. #Thomas Peck ( 96 ) Barre, VT

Sources: Michael Stridsberg/Thunder Road Speedbowl PR