Rabtoy Wins Super Stock Thriller at Devil’s Bowl Speedway

By admin July 30, 2017 Devil's Bowl, NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series, NEMST

Soucy takes Northeast Mini Stock Tour 50

WEST HAVEN, Vt. – Dylan Rabtoy is keeping things interesting at The Asphalt Track at Devil’s Bowl Speedway.  The young stock car driver won his second NASCAR Whelen All-American Series race of the season on Community College of Vermont Night on Saturday, July 29, and further tightened an already-close battle for the championship.  Also in the winner’s circle during the night were Jarrod Soucy, Cam Gadue, and Stephanie Roberts.

Rabtoy’s triumph came in the 30-lap feature race for the Rosen & Berger Auto Recyclers Super Stock division.  The 18-year-old Swanton, Vt., native started in third place and ran in second for most of the event, trailing leader R.J. Germain.  As nearly every car in the field bounced off another, Rabtoy reeled in Germain and point leader and defending champion Jim McKiernan caught them both.  Rabtoy stole the lead from Germain with 10 circuits remaining, but McKiernan dogged him the whole way home.

After a long green-flag run, caution periods on laps 26 and 27 gave McKiernan two chances to wrestle the lead away, and he certainly made an exciting effort at it.  Rabtoy anticipated McKiernan’s moves, though, and held him off in an electric run to the checkered flag for his second win of the season.

McKiernan settled for second place, and Jared Blake came out ahead in a logjam for third, posting his career-best finish.  Scott FitzGerald grabbed fourth, and Austin McKiernan – Jim’s son – came from 14th at the start to run in fifth.  Rookie Kelsea Woodard was an impressive sixth, followed by Tony Salerno, Germain, Brett Wood, and Dave Aiken.  Unofficially, McKiernan’s point lead over Rabtoy shrunk to just six points, 452-446.

Jarrod Soucy of Marlboro, Mass., came out on top of a caution-filled 50-lap race for the visiting Northeast Mini Stock Tour.  Soucy’s highly-modified Volkswagen Jetta was strong throughout the race, but was tested by Matt Sonnhalter, Emerson Cayer, and Mike Viens for the top spot.  After the yellow flags subsided, Soucy walked away with the checkered flag for his first win of the season on the tour.

Cayer and Viens, each driving Ford Mustangs, made a big charge in the final laps and finished in the runner-up and third-place spots, respectively.  Haywood Herriott finished fourth with Jake Rheaume fifth.  Nick Anderson and Justin King were the last cars on the lead lap, followed by Justin Faford, Kodi Sabins, and Matt Boucher.

Rookie Cam Gadue of Highgate, Vt. – a teammate to Super Stock winner Rabtoy – scored an upset career-first win in the 15-lap feature for the weekly Portland Glass Mini Stock division.  One day after his 18th birthday, Gadue was running well in second place and pressuring leader Andrew FitzGerald in a tight pack of traffic when FitzGerald’s car broke on the final lap, causing him to lose momentum.

Gadue was quick to respond and pounced on the lead to take the win.  Point leader and fellow rookie Shawn Moquin threaded the needle as cars scrambled to take the second spot, while FitzGerald muscled his car home in a disappointing third place, one spot ahead of his brother, Roo Forrest.  Garrett Given completed the top five, followed by Johnny Bruno, Kyle Botala, Kaleb Shepard, Samantha Stoddard, and Jeff Murray.

Stephanie Roberts of Fletcher, Vt., became the first two-time winner in the new Ladies Mini Stock division, taking a 10-lap feature in a photo finish.  Lynn Denton led the entire distance and looked poised to become the fifth different winner in as many Ladies Mini Stock races, but Roberts’ last-lap run on the outside lane paid off at the finish line.  Denton was credited with second ahead of Maddy Rabtoy, Sami Sargent, and Alayne Bruno.

Devil’s Bowl Speedway returns to action on The Dirt Track on Sunday, July 30, as Brown’s Quarried Slate and Brown’s Orchard & Farm Stand present the popular Street-Legal Spectator Races along with the Sportsman Modifieds, Mini Stocks, the Catamount Mini Sprints, and a two-segment special for the Super Stocks.  General admission is $12.00 for adults, $10.00 for seniors (62+), $5.00 for teenagers (13-17), and free for kids age 12 and under. Gates open at 5:00 p.m., and racing begins at 6:00 p.m.

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, visitwww.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 – Community College of Vermont Night

Devil’s Bowl Speedway Asphalt Track – West Haven, VT

NASCAR Whelen All-American Series

Saturday, July 29, 2017

Rosen & Berger Auto Recyclers Super Stock Feature (30 laps)

Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown

# – denotes rookie

  1. (3) Dylan Rabtoy, Swanton, Vt.
  2. (6) Jim McKiernan, Moriah Center, N.Y.
  3. (4) Jared Blake, North Hero, Vt.
  4. (8) Scott FitzGerald, West Rutland, Vt.
  5. (14) Austin McKiernan, Moriah Center, N.Y.
  6. (10) # Kelsea Woodard, Waterbury Center, Vt.
  7. (1) Tony Salerno, Mineville, N.Y.
  8. (2) R.J. Germain, Bristol, Vt.
  9. (5) # Brett Wood, Georgia, Vt.
  10. (12) Dave Aiken, Claremont, N.H.
  11. (13) # Garrett Given Sr., Cornwall, Vt.
  12. (7) # Eric Messier, Hinesburg, Vt.
  13. (11) Robin Cummings, Milton, Vt.
  14. (9) Bill Burlingame, Gansevoort, N.Y.

Did Not Start: Kyle Watrous, Bomoseen, Vt.

Heat Winners: Tony Salerno, Dylan Rabtoy

Northeast Mini Stock Tour Feature (50 laps)

Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown

  1. (4) Jarrod Soucy, Marlboro, Mass.
  2. (10) Emerson Cayer, Contoocook, N.H.
  3. (6) Michael Viens, Seekonk, Mass.
  4. (9) Haywood Herriott, Gorham, N.H.
  5. (3) Jake Rheaume, Rochester, N.H.
  6. (11) Nick Anderson, Oxford, Mass.
  7. (23) Justin King, Derry, N.H.
  8. (1) Justin Faford, Westminster, Mass.
  9. (13) Kodi Sabins, Windsor, Vt.
  10. (14) Matt Boucher, Andover, N.H.
  11. (21) Jeff Morse, Cornish, N.H.
  12. (20) Mike Soucy, Boscowen, N.H.
  13. (18) Rich Nye, Groton, Conn.
  14. (16) Devin Miranda, Taunton, Mass.
  15. (5) Matt Sonnhalter, East Thetford, Vt.
  16. (15) Dana Shepard, Putney, Vt.
  17. (7) Matt Gauffin, Antrim, N.H.
  18. (8) Julia Raymond, Winchester, N.H.
  19. (19) Desmond Skillings, Antrim, N.H.
  20. (12) Cody Leblanc, Waterville, Maine
  21. (17) Nic Skillings, Hillsboro, N.H.
  22. (2) Toby Wells, Dublin, N.H.
  23. (22) Nadine Coates, Newport, N.H.

Heat Winners: Emerson Cayer, Cody Leblanc

Portland Glass Mini Stock Feature (15 laps)

Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown

# – denotes rookie

  1. (6) # Cam Gadue, Highgate, Vt.
  2. (8) # Shawn Moquin, Milton, Vt.
  3. (3) Andrew FitzGerald, West Rutland, Vt.
  4. (5) Roo Forrest, West Rutland, Vt.
  5. (7) Garrett Given Sr., Cornwall, Vt.
  6. (2) # Johnny Bruno, Castleton, Vt.
  7. (4) # Kyle Botala, Grand Isle, Vt.
  8. (1) Kaleb Shepard, New Haven, Vt.
  9. (11) Samantha Stoddard, Chester, Vt.
  10. (9) # Jeff Murray, Georgia, Vt.
  11. (10) Zach Wood, Georgia, Vt.

Did Not Start: # Mike Preston, Panton, Vt.

Heat Winners: Andrew FitzGerald, Roo Forrest

Ladies Mini Stock Feature (10 laps)

Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown

  1. (4) Stephanie Roberts, Fletcher, Vt.
  2. (1) Lynn Denton, Milton, Vt.
  3. (3) Maddy Rabtoy, Swanton, Vt.
  4. (2) Sami Sargent, Bristol, Vt.
  5. (5) Alayne Bruno, Castleton, Vt.

Heat Winner: Alayne Bruno

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