Tremont Family Collects Top Honors at Devil’s Bowl Speedway Banquet of Champions

By admin January 28, 2019 Devil's Bowl, NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series

Tremont Jr. crowned champion; Tremont Sr. receives John Bruno Award

WEST HAVEN, Vt. – Devil’s Bowl Speedway celebrated its champions and top performers from the 2018 stock car racing season on Saturday, January 26, at the annual Banquet of Champions. A crowd of well over 300 guests honored more than 80 drivers and special award winners during the event, which was held at the Holiday Inn Rutland-Killington in Rutland, Vermont.

The Tremont family of West Sand Lake, New York, received the biggest cheers during the evening; driver Kenny Tremont Jr., was officially crowned for the ninth time in his career as the Devil’s Bowl Speedway track champion, while his father and car owner, Ken Tremont Sr., was the recipient of the seventh annual John Bruno Award – the track’s highest honor.

Tremont Sr.’s award – given in memory of the late driver and car owner John Bruno – recognized his lifelong commitment to local racing while maintaining high standards of conduct. At age 80, Tremont won his 11^th Devil’s Bowl Speedway track championship as a car owner in 2018; along with the titles won with his son driving, he also won championships in 1970 with Joe Messina and in 1977 with Chuck Ely.

Tremont Jr. had a three-win season to capture the Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modified division championship and the final Vermont State Championship under the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series banner. Tim LaDuc collected runner-up honors ahead of Joey Scarborough, Justin Comes, and Vince Quenneville.

First-year Modified racer Brent Warren of Salisbury, Vermont, collected the championship trophy in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman division. A three-time race winner, Warren defeated Travis Billington, Paolo Pascarella, Joey Roberts, and Adam Piper.

Chris Murray of Fair Haven, Vermont, took his second consecutive title with a dominant, 10-win season in the Super Stock division, topping Scott FitzGerald, Curtis Condon, Lou Gancarz, and Josh Bussino.

Kaleb Shepard of Vergennes, Vermont, won the Portland Glass Mini Stock crown on the strength of five wins and was followed in the standings by Shawn Moquin, Mike Preston, Johnny Bruno, and Craig Kirby.

Cody O’Brien of Springfield, Vermont, was recognized as the youngest champion in Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s 52-year history, taking the Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprint title at age 13. Austin Chaves, Shawn McPhee, Dakota Green, and Joel Belanger were next in line.

Will Hull of Plainfield, Vermont, was crowned the champion of the five-race Sprint Car series, while Demetrios Drellos of Queensbury, New York, earned the four-race 358 Modified title. Brian Whittemore of Pittsford, Vermont, collected his first career championship in the five-race Central Vermont Motorcycles Challenger Series.

Several special awards were also given during the evening including Rookie of the Year, Sportsmanship, and Most Improved Driver laurels. Marty Kelly III took the rookie title in the Sportsman Modified class with similar honors going to Andrew FitzGerald in the Super Stocks, Craig Kirby in the Mini Stocks, and Shawn McPhee in the 500cc Mini Sprints.

Sportsmanship awards – which are determined by a vote of drivers – went to Billy Lussier (Sportsman Modified), Brent Warren (Limited Sportsman), Scott FitzGerald (Super Stock), Johnny Bruno (Mini Stock), and Samantha Mulready (500cc Mini Sprint).

Most Improved Driver plaques – also determined by vote – were presented to Joey Scarborough (Sportsman Modified), Joey Roberts (Limited Sportsman), Andrew FitzGerald (Super Stock), Lynn Denton (Mini Stock), and Cody O’Brien (500cc Mini Sprint).

Also presented during the evening were two special annual honors; the Vergennes Area Rescue Squad received the Award of Excellence for its commitment to the immediate and future success of Devil’s Bowl Speedway, and Chief Scorer Charlotte McGinn was given the Dedication Award for her years of effort at the speedway.

Certificates were presented to many drivers on behalf of O’Reilly Auto Parts, Shiley Fabrication, and Central Vermont Motorcycles, and special plaques were also presented on behalf of NASCAR. Bobco Racing Video and Big Al’s Photos provided videography and photography, and Heartbeat Entertainment provided sound and lighting.

Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s 2019 season will open on Sunday night, May 19. Membership licenses and season passes are available now.

Devil’s Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, Vt., four miles north of U.S. Route 4, Exit 2, 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, Instagram, and Snapchat at @DevilsBowlSpeed; follow the action using the #DevilsBowl hashtag.

DEVIL’ S BOWL SPEEDWAY – BANQUET OF CHAMPIONS AWARD WINNERS

Saturday, January 26, 2019 – Holiday Inn Rutland-Killington, Rutland, Vt.

John Bruno Award:

Ken Tremont Sr., West Sand Lake, N.Y.

Award of Excellence:

Vergennes Area Rescue Squad, Vergennes, Vt.

Dedication Award:

Charlotte McGinn, Elizabethtown, N.Y.

Track Champions:

Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modified – Ken Tremont Jr., West Sand Lake, N.Y.
O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman – Brent Warren, Salisbury, Vt.
Super Stock – Chris Murray, Fair Haven, Vt.
Portland Glass Mini Stock – Kaleb Shepard, Vergennes, Vt.
Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprint – Cody O’Brien, Springfield, Vt.
360 Sprint Car – Will Hull, Plainfield, Vt.
358 Modified – Demetrios Drellos, Queensbury, N.Y.
Central Vermont Motorcycles Challenger Series – Brian Whittemore, Pittsford, Vt.

Rookies of the Year:

Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modified – Marty Kelly III, North Bennington, Vt.
Super Stock – Andrew FitzGerald, West Rutland, Vt.
Portland Glass Mini Stock – Craig Kirby, Winooski, Vt.
Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprint – Shawn McPhee, Rutland, Vt.

Sportsmanship Awards:

Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modified – Billy Lussier, Fair Haven, Vt.
O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman – Brent Warren, Salisbury, Vt.
Super Stock – Scott FitzGerald, West Rutland, Vt.
Portland Glass Mini Stock – Johnny Bruno, Castleton, Vt.
Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprint – Samantha Mulready, Hoosick Falls, N.Y.

Most Improved Driver Awards:

Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modified – Joey Scarborough, Brandon, Vt.
O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman – Joey Roberts, Fletcher, Vt.
Super Stock – Andrew FitzGerald, West Rutland, Vt.
Portland Glass Mini Stock – Lynn Denton, Milton, Vt.
Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprint – Cody O’Brien, Springfield, Vt.

Sources: Justin St. Louis/Devil’s Bowl Speedway PR
Photos by Alan Ward

Champions_1200.jpg: (L-R) Devil’s Bowl Speedway 2018 track champions Cody O’Brien, Brian Whittemore, Will Hull, Chris Murray, Ken Tremont Jr., Brent Warren, Demetrios Drellos, and Kaleb Shepard celebrate their accomplishments.

JohnBruno_1200.jpg: Clayton Ryan (center) hands Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s John Bruno Award trophy to 2018 recipient Ken Tremont Sr., as Helen “Chip” Alexander, daughter of the late John Bruno, looks on.

Murray_1200.jpg: Devil’s Bowl Speedway Super Stock champion Chris Murray (center) with Austin Bruno (left) and Alayne Bruno (right).

OBrien_1200.jpg: Devil’s Bowl Speedway 500cc Mini Sprint champion Cody O’Brien (center) with division sponsor Eric Friend of Friend Construction (left) and Alayne Bruno (right).

Shepard_1200.jpg: Devil’s Bowl Speedway Portland Glass Mini Stock champion Kaleb Shepard (center) with Austin Bruno (left) and Alayne Bruno (right).

Tremont_1200.jpg: Devil’s Bowl Speedway Sportsman Modified track champion Kenny Tremont Jr. (left) and John Bruno Award winner Ken Tremont Sr. (right).

Warren.jpg: Devil’s Bowl Speedway Limited Sportsman champion Brent Warren (right) with Alayne Bruno (left).