Thunder Road Releases Schedule of Events for 64th Season in 2023

Beginning with the annual Thunder Road Car Show on Saturday, May 6th, an exciting addition has been brought to the schedule. Following the Car Show and open practice for Thunder Road teams, an evening lid-lifter headlined by the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) Super Late Models will be the first feature event of 2023. The night will also include the eventful PASS Modifieds and the return of the R&R Race Parts NH Open Street Stock Series. The PASS Super Late Models will also return as part of Booth Bros./Hood Milk Bowl Qualifying Day on Saturday, September 30th.

Sunday, May 7th brings the American-Canadian Tour back to their home track for the 25th Community Bank N.A. 150. The Stars and Cars of the ACT Tour will also return for the 45th Labor Day Classic presented by New England Federal Credit Union on Sunday, September 4th. Both the silver anniversary of the Community Bank 150 and the $5,000 to win Labor Day Classic will also feature the track championship implications for the Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers and rk Miles Street Stocks along with the non-point Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors.

Memorial Day weekend brings back the epic doubleheader of the 60th Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic 125 for the Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models and the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series Granite City 100. Last year’s inaugural $10,000-to-win Granite City 100 was such a success for the tour-type modifieds, both track and series officials jumped on the opportunity for their return just one day after the spectacular showing. 

The weekly season starts in earnest with the annual Friday Night special on June 9th that includes the first round of the Myers Container Service Flying Tiger Triple Crown Series. The Flying Tigers will also take center stage with Myers Container extra-distance competition on July 6th and the 100-lap championship round set for Cody Chevrolet-Cadillac Night on August 3rd.

June 15th brings the first Thursday-night racing of the season on Casella Waste Management Night. The New England Antique Racers (NEAR) and their mobile Hall of Fame, featuring many Thunder Road short track heroes, will be on hand to celebrate the 64th season of Thursday Night action on Quarry Hill. 

Community College of Vermont Night on July 22nd will host the 9th annual Marvin Johnson Memorial First-Time Winners race for the rk Miles Street Stocks with the annual Scouts Night and Kids Rides rounding out the month of June on Thursday the 29th.

July kick-starts with the Preston’s KIA Fourth of July Spectacular on Sunday, July 2nd. Along with the on-track action, the Holiday Spectacular wouldn’t be complete without the biggest fireworks display in Central Vermont courtesy of Northstar Fireworks. 

Thursday, July 13th hosts the 44th Vermont Governor’s Cup presented by the Vermont Lottery. The 150-lap spectacular is the longest points-counting event of the season for the Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models with Flying Tigers and Street Stocks ready to show off for the big midsummer crowds expected on New England NASCAR weekend. 

July caps off with two iconic Thunder Road events starting off with the Times Argus Midseason Championships on July 20th. Double points are on the line for the championship chasers plus the first of two Double Purse nights courtesy of FloRacing, Thunder Road’s Official Streaming Partner. July 27th brings WDEV/Calkins Portable Toilets Night with the fan-favorite Port-a-Potty Grand Prix as the top team in each division competes for the golden toilet seat. 

After wrapping up the Myers Container Triple Crown Series on August 3rd, Sunday the 6th brings the 39th annual Bolduc Metal Recycling Enduro 200. The $3,000-to-win ‘People’s Race’ is a fan-favorite of the season and wouldn’t be complete without the annual 50-lap rk Miles Street Stock Special. 

August rolls off with a trio of special events starting with the 5th annual Burnett Road Warriors Challenge on Thursday the 10th followed by Vermont Tire and Service Night on August 17th which will serve as the second FloRacing Double Purse night along with the annual Kids Poster Contest.

The final Thursday event of the season on August 24th features the always popular Run-What-U-Brung spectator drags on Jet Service Envelope/Accura Printing Night where everyone’s favorite keyboard warriors put their money where their mouths are and tackle the Barre high banks. 

Thunder Road championship night returns on Friday, September 8th with the Maplewood/ Irving Oil Late Model ‘King of the Road’ Track Champion crowned. The Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tiger and rk Miles Street Stock track champions will also be awarded their season-long bounties as Thunder Road champions in season sixty-four. 

The 61st Vermont Milk Bowl presented by Northfield Savings Bank rounds out the 2023 Thunder Road season. The ‘Toughest Short Track Stock Car Race in North America’ proved its namesake once again in 2022. With that in mind, Officials have determined the same $100,000+ purse will be in effect for 2023 as well and the Milk Bowl once again set as an American-Canadian Tour 100%er event.

“We had great reactions from the fans and from teams with the epic Milk Bowl purse and having the ACT 100% teams,” said Thunder Road managing partner Cris Michaud. “After the success of last season, why change the formula? The Vermont Milk Bowl is growing once again and we’re excited about keeping that growth going.”

With the 2023 Thunder Road schedule released, 2023 forms and paperwork have also been posted online for teams to prepare for the upcoming year. Sponsorship opportunities are readily available for those wishing to join the Thunder Road family. Interested parties can contact Marketing Director Marvin Galarneau at mfg@thunderroadvt.com. 

For more information, contact the Thunder Road offices at (802) 244-6963, media@thunderroadvt.com, or visit www.thunderroadvt.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @ThunderRoadVT.

2023 Thunder Road Schedule of Events

  # DAY DATE TIME EVENT

1 Sat May 6 9:00am Thunder Road Car Show, Open Practice & PASS Spectacular

2 Sun May 7 1:30pm 25th Community Bank N.A. 150 – American-Canadian Tour

3 Sun May 29 1:30pm 60th Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic 125

Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series Granite City 100 — $10,000 to win

4 Fri Jun 9 7:00pm Myers Container Service Triple Crown #1

5 Thu Jun 15 7:00pm Casella Waste Systems Night w/ New England Antique Racers

6 Thu Jun 22 7:00pm Community College of Vermont Night – 9th Annual Marvin Johnson Memorial

7 Thu Jun 29 7:00pm Scout Night – Kids Rides

8 Sun. Jul 2 7:00pm Preston’s Kia Independence Day Spectacular – Northstar Fireworks Display

9 Thu Jul 6 7:00pm Myers Container Service Triple Crown #2

10 Thu Jul 13 6:30pm 44th Vermont Governor’s Cup 150 presented by the Vermont Lottery

11 Thu Jul 20 7:00pm Times Argus Mid-Season Championships – Driver Autographs

Double points plus double purse courtesy of FloRacing

12 Thu Jul 27 7:00pm WDEV Radio/Calkins Portable Toilets – Port-a-Potty Grand Prix

13 Thu Aug 3 7:00pm Cody Chevrolet-Cadillac Night – Myers Triple Crown #3 (100 laps)

14 Sun Aug 6 6:00pm 39th Bolduc Metal Recycling Enduro 200 & Street Stock Special

15 Thu Aug 10 7:00pm 5th Annual Road Warrior Challenge

16 Thu Aug 17 7:00pm Vermont Tire & Service Night – Kid’s Poster Contest

Double purse courtesy of FloRacing

17 Thu Aug 24 7:00pm Jet Service Envelope/Accura Printing Night – Run-What-U-Brung

18 Sun Sep 4 1:00pm 45th Labor Day Classic 200 presented by New England Federal Credit Union

 American-Canadian Tour

19 Fri Sep 8 7:00pm Championship Night for All Divisions

20 Sat Sept 30 1:00pm Booth Bros./Hood Milk Bowl Qualifying Day plus PASS Super Late Models!

21 Sun Oct 1 12:15pm 61st Vermont Milk Bowl presented by Northfield Savings Bank

Schedule Subject to Change