Corliss Sails to Victory at Casella Waste Systems Night

By admin June 18, 2021 Thunder Road

Barre, VT — Barre’s Jason Corliss simply could not be stopped en route to victory at Casella Waste Systems Night on Thursday, June 17. Corliss roared from 17th on the Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Model starting grid to take the lead from Wolcott’s Brendan Moodie with seven laps remaining in the 50-lap feature and sail away for the win.

It was the 22nd Late Model victory of Corliss’s career at Thunder Road, moving him into a tie with Nick Sweet for second all-time. His second win of the season extended his points lead as he pursues a rare three-peat as “King of the Road”.

Moodie started on the pole and set the tone for most of the main event. Behind him, the action was fierce, as the 23-car field meant the top point drivers had to hustle to get to the front. Corliss was the first to finally break the gridlock, swinging to the outside groove on lap 24 and rocketing from 10th to fourth in just three laps.

With 20 to go, the first caution flew when the lapped car of Scott Coburn got turned around as a huge pack tried to slither by. Graniteville’s Stephen Donahue got a great jump over Moodie on the restart, but a spin in the back of the pack by Connor Martell brought the caution back out and negated Donahue’s edge.

On the second restart attempt, Corliss passed Chip Grenier for third and dropped down behind Moodie. Donahue led the next two circuit before Moodie slowly inched back past him. All the while, Corliss waited for the hole to open.

It finally did so with nine laps to go as Corliss cleared Donahue for second. He immediately went back to the high groove and need only two laps to pass Moodie for the lead. One final caution came out with five laps remaining as Brandon Lanphear found trouble in turn two. Once the green flag was displayed, Corliss was off like a phantom in the night for the statement victory.

Milton’s Scott Dragon passed Moodie for second on the last restart but was subsequently disqualified in post-race technical inspection for a tread width violation. That gave the runner-up spot back to Moodie with Donahue third. Grenier, Brooks Clark, Marcel J. Gravel, Tyler Cahoon, Christopher Pelkey, Matthew Smith, and Trampas Demers rounded out the top-10.

Williamstown’s Tommy “Thunder” Smith did it again for his 34th career victory in the first of twin RK Miles Street Stock features. Smith rolled off eighth in the first 25-lap feature, which had been rained out from the Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic two weeks ago.

After the lone caution on lap seven for a multi-car frontstretch tangle, Smith put the hammer down, snatching the lead away from polesitter Kyle MacAskill on lap 11. Williamstown’s MacAskill kept pace with Smith the rest of the race but could not mount a counter-attack as Smith grabbed his second straight win.

Tunbridge’s Gary “The Flying Farmer” Mullen finished third in a comeback season following a 2020 racing hiatus. Berlin’s Kyler Davis ended up fourth after Dean Switser Jr. and Luke Peters crashed in turn two on the final lap, which significantly jumbled the results. Scott Weston, Justin “El Chopo” Blakely, rookie Trevor Jaques, Jamie Davis, Kaiden “Tropical Storm” Fisher, and Peters completed the top-10.

In the second 25-lap feature, Williamstown’s Josh Lovely outdueled fellow veteran William Hennequin of Hardwick for his third career RK Miles Street Stock victory. Hennequin had inherited the lead on lap 13 when rookie Jared Rouleau and Tom Campbell tangled as the trio fought for the top spot.

Lovely moved into the second spot from that incident and was able to drop in line on the restart after warding off MacAskill. The wily second-generation racer then spent lap after lap trying to set up a slingshot move on the leader.

With two laps to go, Lovely finally made it work, darting inside Hennequin so quickly off turn two that Hennequin didn’t even have time to try and stop him. Lovely had the race made from there and grabbed the win with Hennequin on his bumper.

Right behind Hennequin, MacAskill and James Dopp spun across the line fighting for third, with MacAskill getting his second podium finish of the night by a bumper cover. Fisher, Blakely, Jamie Davis, Jaques, Peters, and Haidyn Pearce came fifth through 10th.

Grand Isle’s Mike Billado took everything Craftsbury Common’s Stephen Martin could throw at him and came up smelling like roses with his 11th career Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tiger win. Billado spent the first half of the 40-lap feature stalking a fellow #8 from the islands in South Hero’s Rich Lowrey. When Jaden Perry crashed to bring out the caution at lap 20, Billado took advantage and caught Lowrey napping on the restart for the lead.

Martin passed Lowrey for second following another yellow three laps later and immediately went to work on Billado. After Justin Prescott spun on lap 27 for the third and final caution, Martin put his nose out front for three circuit. But Billado took the lead back using the short way around on the inside and wasn’t fazed by any of Martin’s attempts to get underneath him over the final 10 laps.

Martin settled for second with Milton’s Robert Gordon third. Sam Caron, Cameron Ouellette, Logan Powers, Lowrey, Jason Pelkey, Tanner Woodard, and Jason Woodard completed the top-10.

Williamstown’s Nate “Tater” needed all 20 laps of the Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warrior feature to earn his third career win. Brien inherited the third spot with four laps remaining when Bert Duffy and Taylor Sayers came to blows over the position. The resulting crash and caution, which also collected Josh Vilbrin, erased a big lead for the front two of “Flyin’” Fred Fleury and Rodney Campbell.

After Jacob Hall-Larson and Jamie York tangled on the restart, Brien moved inside Campbell for second. With just two laps to go, Tater went for broke on the outside, and stole the win from Fleury by a radiator cap.

Frank Putney came in third followed by Campbell, Duffy, Neal Foster, and Jason Kirby. They were the only seven drivers to finish the feature on a night that started with 23 Road Warriors.

Thunder Road continues the summer racing season next Thursday, June 24 at Community College of Vermont Night. The Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models, Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers, RK Miles Street Stocks, and Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors all have a full card of racing. The program also features the Marvin Johnson Memorial First-Time Winner’s Race for the Street Stocks.

Admission is $15 for adults, $5 for kids ages 6-12, and $30 for a family of four (2 adults, 2 kids). Advance tickets are available at www.happsnow.com/event/Thunder-Road-Speedbowl. All Thunder Road events are also live-streamed on FloRacing for those with a monthly or yearly subscription.

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 and Twitter at @ThunderRoadVT. For more information about FloRacing, visit www.FloRacing.com.

THUNDER ROAD SPEEDBOWL — Barre, VT

CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS NIGHT

THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2021

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS

MAPLEWOOD/IRVING OIL LATE MODELS

Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown

  1. Jason Corliss ( 66VT ) Barre, VT
  2. Brendan Moodie ( 94VT ) Wolcott, VT
  3. Stephen Donahue ( 2VT ) Graniteville, VT
  4. Chip Grenier ( 62VT ) Orange, VT
  5. Brooks Clark ( 68VT ) Waitsfield, VT
  6. Marcel J. Gravel ( 86VT ) Wolcott, VT
  7. Tyler Cahoon ( 38VT ) Danville, VT
  8. Christopher Pelkey ( 64VT ) Graniteville, VT
  9. Matthew Smith ( 04VT ) Fairfax, VT
  10. Trampas Demers ( 85VT ) Shelburne, VT
  11. Matt White ( 42VT ) Northfield, VT
  12. Bobby Therrien ( 5VT ) Hinesburg, VT
  13. Nick Sweet ( 40VT ) Barre, VT
  14. Darrell Morin ( 17VT ) Westford, VT
  15. #Cooper Bouchard ( 7MA ) Hinesburg, VT
  16. Connor Martel ( 21MT ) Williston, VT
  17. Anthony Hill ( 8VT ) Waterford, VT
  18. Scott Coburn ( 72VT ) Barre, VT
  19. Kyle Pembroke ( 27VT ) Montpelier, VT
  20. #Brandon Lanphear ( 16VT ) Morrisville, VT
  21. Boomer Morris ( 13VT ) Barre, VT
  22. Chris Roberts ( 3ME ) Washington, VT

DSQ Scott Dragon ( 0VT ) Milton, VT

DNS Trevor Lyman ( 25VT ) Hinesburg, VT

RK MILES STREET STOCKS

MEKKELSEN RV MEMORIAL DAY MAKE-UP FEATURE

Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown

  1. Thomas Smith ( 22 ) Williamstown, VT
  2. Kyle MacAskill ( 7 ) Williamstown, VT
  3. Gary Mullen ( 29 ) Tunbridge, VT
  4. Kylar Davis ( 68 ) Berlin, VT
  5. Scott Weston ( 04 ) Berlin, VT
  6. Justin Blakey ( 17 ) Graniteville, VT
  7. #Trevor Jaques ( 57 ) Milton, VT
  8. Jamie Davis ( 43 ) Wolcott, VT
  9. Kaiden Fisher ( 18 ) Shelburne, VT
  10. Luke Peters ( 26 ) Groton, VT
  11. #Haidyn Pearce ( 2 ) Chelsea, VT
  12. Eric MacLaughlin ( 6 ) Milton, VT
  13. Josh Lovely ( 54 ) Williamstown, VT
  14. William Hennequin ( 47 ) Morrisville, VT
  15. #Jared Rouleau ( 60 ) Warren, VT
  16. #Todd Raymo ( 24 ) Swanton, VT
  17. Thomas Peck ( 96 ) Waterbury, VT
  18. Michael Gay ( 3 ) So. Burlington, VT
  19. Dean Switser Jr. ( 16 ) Waterford, VT
  20. Derek Farnham ( 5 ) S. Royalton, VT
  21. Patrick Tibbetts ( 84 ) Barre, VT
  22. James Dopp ( 0 ) Northfield, VT
  23. Tom Campbell ( 85 ) Middlesex, VT
  24. #Taylor Hoar ( 48 ) South Hero, VT
  25. Jeffrey Martin ( 8 ) Barre, VT

DNS Juan Marshall ( 79 ) Pittsfield, VT

DNS Trevor Rossi ( 94 ) Washington, VT

DNS Kasey Collins ( 98 ) Barre, VT

DNS #Tyler Whittemore ( 74 ) Barre, VT

DNR Patrick Lacasse ( 9 ) Wolcott, VT

DNR #Brad Kelley ( 55 ) Williamstown, VT

RK MILES STREET STOCKS

CASELLA FEATURE

Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown

  1. Josh Lovely ( 54 ) Williamstown, VT
  2. William Hennequin ( 47 ) Morrisville, VT
  3. Kyle MacAskill ( 7 ) Williamstown, VT
  4. James Dopp ( 0 ) Northfield, VT
  5. Kaiden Fisher ( 18 ) Shelburne, VT
  6. Justin Blakey ( 17 ) Graniteville, VT
  7. Jamie Davis ( 43 ) Wolcott, VT
  8. #Trevor Jaques ( 57 ) Milton, VT
  9. Luke Peters ( 26 ) Groton, VT
  10. #Haidyn Pearce ( 2 ) Chelsea, VT
  11. Thomas Smith ( 22 ) Williamstown, VT
  12. Dean Switser Jr. ( 16 ) Waterford, VT
  13. Kylar Davis ( 68 ) Berlin, VT
  14. Thomas Peck ( 96 ) Waterbury, VT
  15. Eric MacLaughlin ( 6 ) Milton, VT
  16. Gary Mullen ( 29 ) Tunbridge, VT
  17. Scott Weston ( 04 ) Berlin, VT
  18. #Todd Raymo ( 24 ) Swanton, VT
  19. #Taylor Hoar ( 48 ) South Hero, VT
  20. Mekaylah Bowen ( 12 ) Morrisville, VT
  21. Tom Campbell ( 85 ) Middlesex, VT
  22. Trevor Rossi ( 94 ) Washington, VT
  23. #Jared Rouleau ( 60 ) Warren, VT

DNS Kasey Collins ( 98 ) Barre, VT

DNS Derek Farnham ( 5 ) S. Royalton, VT

DNS Michael Gay ( 3 ) So. Burlington, VT

DNS Jeffrey Martin ( 8 ) Barre, VT

DNS Dean Switser Jr. ( 16 ) Waterford, VT

DNS Christopher Davis ( 69 ) Berlin, VT

DNS Juan Marshall ( 79 ) Pittsfield, VT

DNS #Tyler Whittemore ( 74 ) Barre, VT

LENNY’S SHOE & APPAREL FLYING TIGERS

Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown

  1. Mike Billado ( 8VT ) Grand Isle, VT
  2. Stephen Martin ( 9VT ) Craftsbury Common, VT
  3. Robert Gordon ( 20VT ) Milton, VT
  4. Sam Caron ( 07VT ) Milton, VT
  5. Cameron Ouellette ( 90VT ) Barre, VT
  6. Logan Powers ( 31VT ) Middlesex, VT
  7. Rich Lowrey ( 8NH ) South Hero, VT
  8. Jason Pelkey ( 64VT ) Barre, VT
  9. #Tanner Woodard ( 68NH ) Waterbury Ctr., VT
  10. Jason Woodard ( 68VT ) Waterbury Ctr., VT
  11. Derrick Calkins ( 15VT ) Hinesburg, VT
  12. Kevin Boutin Jr. ( 25NH ) Fairfax, VT
  13. Michael Martin ( 01VT ) Craftsbury Common, VT
  14. Chris Laforest ( 56VT ) Barre, VT
  15. Kelsea Woodard ( 55VT ) Waterbury Ctr., VT
  16. Jaden Perry ( 92VT ) Hardwick, VT
  17. Adam Maynard ( 45VT ) Milton, VT
  18. Bryan Wall Jr. ( 77NH ) East Kingston, NH
  19. Brandon Gray ( 00VT ) E. Thetford, VT
  20. Colin Cornell ( 54VT ) E. Burke, VT
  21. #JT Blanchard ( 66VT ) Graniteville, VT
  22. #Justin Prescott ( 44VT ) Williston, VT
  23. Chris Chanbers ( 20CT ) Chelsea, VT
  24. Danny Doyle ( 55NH ) Northfield, VT
  25. Michael MacAskill ( 33VT ) Williamstown, VT

BURNETT SCRAP METALS ROAD WARRIORS

Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown

  1. Nate Brien ( 16 ) Williamstown, VT
  2. Fred Fleury ( 99 ) Graniteville, VT
  3. Frank Putney ( 88 ) Graniteville, VT
  4. Rodney Campbell ( 10 ) Worcester, VT
  5. Bert Duffy ( 74 ) Milton, VT
  6. Neal Foster ( 19 ) Waterbury, VT
  7. Jason P. Kirby ( 71 ) Milton, VT
  8. Taylor Sayers ( 95 ) Barre, VT
  9. Josh Vilbrin ( 07 ) Northfield, VT
  10. Jamie York ( 68 ) Barre, VT
  11. Jacob Hall-Larsen ( 12 ) Northfield, VT
  12. Paige Whittemore ( 47 ) Graniteville, VT
  13. Dan Garrett Jr. ( 54 ) Berlin, VT
  14. Bill O’Connor ( 96 ) South Washington
  15. Jamie Buick ( 38 ) East Barre, VT
  16. Robert Catchapaw ( 03 ) Waterbury, VT
  17. Matt Ballard ( 33 ) Williamstown, VT

DNS Mark Beaulieu ( 1 ) Essex Jct., VT

DNS Cole Badger ( 6 ) E. Montpelier, VT

DNS Corey Martin ( 7 ) Northfield, VT

DNS Nicholas Copping ( 50 ) Barre, VT

DNS Albert Campbell ( 18 ) Worcester, VT

DNS = Did Not Start

DNR = Did Not Return

Sources: Thunder Road Speedbowl PR

(IMG_4108.JPG): Barre’s Jason Corliss came from 17th to pick up the 22nd Late Model victory of his Thunder Road career on Thurday, June 17. (Alan Ward photo)

(IMG_4021.JPG): Williamstown’s Tommy “Thunder” Smith won his 33rd Street Stock feature and second in a row to start Casella Waste Systems Night. (Alan Ward photo)

(IMG_4131.JPG): Williamstown’s Josh Lovely made slingshot pass with two laps to go to win the Street Stock nightcap. (Alan Ward photo)

(IMG_4081.JPG): Grand Isle’s Mike Billado earned career win number 11 in the Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tiger. (Alan Ward photo)

(IMG_4021.JPG): Williamstown’s Nate “Tater” Brien (left) passed Fred Fleury on the final lap to capture the Road Warrior feature. (Alan Ward photo)