Scarborough Dominates
WEST HAVEN, VT. – Don Scarborough must hate to see the modified racing season at Devil’s Bowl Speedway come to an end.
Scarborough, who suffered through a midseason slump, capped his year with a dominating performance in Sunday night’s double-point 100-lap modified feature at the Bowl, recording his second straight win, and third victory overall of the season.
Only three cars finished on the lead lap of the 100-lapper, and no one had the horses to match Scarborough. The official order of finish had Gene Munger second, with Frank Hoard Sr. in third place.
But Scarborough had to share the spotlight with Vince Quenneville Jr., who wrapped up the first modified point championship of his career at the Bowl. Quenneville, who lost the championship last year on the final night of the racing season, went into Sunday night’s 100-lapper with an 11-point lead over Ken Tremont Jr. But Tremont wasn’t even in attendance because of a scheduling conflict.
Yet, Quenneville, whose father, Vince Sr., was a legend of New England dirt track racing before tragically losing his life in a highway accident, still had his share of problems. He was involved in an accident on lap 27 which almost ended his night. He went one lap down at that time, and drove a conservative race to come across the finish line sixth, which was more than enough to give him the title.
The official top five consisted of Scarborough, Munger, Hoard Sr., Rich Ronca, and Stan Lemiesz. Hoard deserved an award for perseverance, as he was involved in three separate incidents during the 100-lapper, but never gave up.
Ronca was one of the biggest surprises of the night. Running the car he uses in the sportsman division at Albany-Saratoga Speedway, he started 17th in the 100-lapper, but ran a great race to record his best modified finish ever.
Henry Tanner III picked up his first win of the season in the 20-lap pro-street stock feature, and Mike Haines came across the finish line second to win the point championship.
Carl Vladyka went into the night with a two-point lead in the battle for the track title, but he blew the right front tire on his car and hit the wall hard on lap 12, ending his night and allowing Haines to come away with the title. Haines only won two features during the point season (one coming when the actual winner was disqualified), but used a string of consistent finishes to earn his first title.
Joe Santoro made a rare appearance at the Bowl Sunday night and came from the rear of the field to finish third. He was followed by Jay Fitzgerald and Butchie Irwin.
Pat Cram and Billy Lussier put on the best show of the night, with Cram nosing out Lussier for the win in the 15-lap hobby stock feature. The win was Cram’s second of the season. The two cars ran side-by-side for the last five laps, with Cram beating Lussier to the finish line by 0.217 seconds. Scott Fowler was third, followed by Kevin Sawyer and Shannon Donnelly.
Tim Shaw won the Hobby Stock point championship despite being involved in a big wreck on the first lap of the feature and finishing 14th, six laps down to the leaders. But he had built up a big enough lead that all he needed to do was start the feature.
The cruisers were also in action Sunday night, with Ron Zagata continuing his late-season run to notch his fifth win of the season. Rich Mrzyglod hung tough for most of the feature, but had to settle for second, just two seconds behind Zagata. They were followed by Chris Carrie, Jason Bishop, and Brittany Ladd. Carrie had the first four-cylinder car across the finish line.
Although the point season is done at the Bowl, the racing certainly isn’t, as the track will be holding its annual Mountain Man 100 Sunday night. Pro-street stocks, hobby stocks, and cruisers will be featured, with racing moving back to a 6 p.m. starting time.
MODIFIEDS (100 laps): DON SCARBOROUGH, Gene Munger, Frank Hoard Sr., Rich Ronca, Stan Lemiesz, Don Mattison, Vince Quenneville Jr., Craig Hanson, Chris Vernold, Jimmy Ryan, Neal Erickson, C.V. Elms, Lance Harting, Brent Lacoste, John Landry, Ron Proctor, Ed Pieniazek Jr., Don Ronca, Kale Tremont, Chris Donnelly, Dick Bisson, Tim Laduc, Fred Proctor.
PRO-STREET STOCKS: HENRY TANNER III, Mike Haines, Joe Santoro, Jay Fitzgerald, Butchie Irwin, Robert Langevin, Lori Cary, Cale Kneer, Jeff Washburn, Jonah Rule, Denny Martin, Randy Alger, Carl Vladyka, Ed Thompson, Dave Woods, Mike Paquin.
HOBBY STOCKS: PAT CRAM, Billy Lussier, Scott Fowler, Kevin Sawyer, Shannon Donnelly, Dave Emigh, Anita Lussier-Williams, Thomas Pierce, Al Gregware, Jason Walker, Bill Burlingame, Russ Farr, Bob Smith, Tim Shaw, Adam Forbes.
CRUISERS: RON ZAGATA, Rich Mrzyglod, Chris Carrie, Jason Bishop, Brittany Ladd, Thomas Welch, Vince Greene, Mike Clark, Dwight Cram, Amanda Clemens, Harold Clothier, John Sullivan, Robert Cole, Scott Brace, Mike Pope.
Sources: Devil’s Bowl Speedway