O’Donnell Leads King of the Road Title Chase
Fleury, Switser Take Leads in Tigers and Streets
BARRE, VT — In just his third start in a Late Model at Thunder Road, Rookie of the Year contender Derrick O’Donnell opened up the King of the Road points chase with a dominating victory in Sunday’s 51st Annual Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic.
O’Donnell will carry a 7-point advantage over reigning track champion Nick Sweet, who is just two points ahead of third-place Trampas Demers in the point standings. The season is young yet for the Late Models, who had their first point-counting event in the Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic, but the Bond Auto Tiger Sportsmen and Allen Lumber Street Stocks experienced big point shakeups after event two of their 2013 season.
Two-time Bond Auto Tiger Sportsman Champion Shawn Fleury assumed the point lead as one of only three drivers in the division who has started the year with two straight top-ten finishes. Fleury holds an 8-point advantage over Milton, VT’s Eric Badore, who sits just three points ahead of 2012 Bond Auto Tiger Sportsman Rookie of the Year Jason Woodard. “Double O” Joe Steffen and Josh Demers round out the top five, just one and two points away from Woodard respectively. Only twenty points separate the top ten drivers in the division.
The rookie momentum continues in the Allen Lumber Street Stocks, as 2012 Street Stock Rookie of the Year Dean Switser, Jr. has taken over the point lead after two podium finishes to begin the season. Tommy “Thunder” Smith moved into second after his 26th career victory on Sunday, and Morrisville, VT’s Jamie Davis has pulled just behind him in third. Opening day winner Kevin Dodge holds on to fourth place and former Junkyard Warrior Champion Bunker Hodgdon rounds out the top five, just 12 points out of the lead.
The championship battles will resume on Sunday, June 9 for a WLVB Twilight Event at Thunder Road, featuring a special race from the New England Antique Racers, as well as door-to-door action from Thunder Road’s Late Models, Bond Auto Tiger Sportsmen, and Allen Lumber Street Stocks. Post time is 4:00pm.
Sources: Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl PR
VERMONT STATE LATE MODEL CHAMPIONSHIP
RACE #1 – Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic 100
Monday, May 27, 2013 – Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl
Vermont State Late Model Championshp
FIN SRT CAR TOTAL $ TECH
POS POS # DRIVER TEAM LAPS PTS WON REPORT
1 3 60VT Derrick O’Donnell Cody Chevrolet Chevy Impala 100 75 $2,150 Running
2 12 88VT Nick Sweet St J Auto Buick Lacross 100 68 $800 Running
3 1 85VT Trampas Demers Jiffy Mart Chevy Impala 100 66 $720 Running
4 14 7ME Glen Luce Stevens Electric & Pump Service Ford Fusion 100 64 $600 Running
5 13 9VT Chip Grenier Stony Brook Auto Ford Fusion 100 62 $500 Running
6 10 89VT Scott Payea Leahy Press Chevy Impala 100 60 $400 Running
7 18 99VT Cody Blake North Country Federal Credit Union Chevy 100 58 $380 Running
8 25 44VT Dave Pembroke VSECU Ford Fusion 100 56 $350 Running
9 5 66VT Jason Corliss Burnett Scrap Metals Chevy 100 54 $330 Running
10 11 32VT Jean-Paul Cyr Harrison Redimix Chevrolet Impala 100 52 $310 Running
11 16 14VT Phil Scott Maplewood Chevy Impala 100 50 $300 Running
12 7 50VT Jay Laquerre R & J Auto Chevy 100 48 $290 Running
13 24 18VT Jamie Fisher SD Ireland Brothers Concrete Chevy Monte Carlo 100 46 $280 Running
14 17 00VT Mike Bailey Bailey Motorsports 100 44 $270 Running
15 2 42VT Matthew White White’s Heating Toyota Camry 100 42 $260 Running
16 19 1VT Brett Wheeler Spherion Chevy Impala 100 40 $250 Running
17 20 9ME Emily Packard Northstar Fireworks Ford Fusion 100 38 $240 Running
18 27 16VT Joey Becker Richard Green Trucking Chevy Monte Carlo 100 36 $220 Running
19 23 16ME Travis Stearns Richard Green Trucking Chevy Impala 100 34 $210 Running
20 26 55VT Brent Dragon Beverage Mart Chevy Impala 100 32 $210 Running
21 9 40VT Eric Chase Malone Build Chevy Impala 100 30 $210 Running
22 22 3VT Rick Roberts R&R Lubes Chevy Impala 100 28 $210 Running
23 15 13VT Jim Morris Greg Lee Motorsports Chevy Impala 100 26 $210 Running
24 30 51VT Joey M. Laquerre Laquerre Motorsports 99 24 $210 Running
25 8 17VT Lance Allen CDR Concrete Chevy Impala 99 24 $210 Running
26 28 25VT David Whitcomb Ferguson Waterworks Chevy 99 24 $210 Running
27 29 9NY Hunter Bates Windy Hollow Homes Chevy Impala 99 24 $210 Running
28 4 27VT Kyle Pembroke Boluc Metal Recycling Chevy Impala 82 24 $210 Accident
29 6 05VT Craig Bushey Vermont Life Safety Chevy Impala 57 24 $210 Heating
30 21 68VT Brooks Clark A.W. Clark Jr. & Son Inc. Chevy Impala 49 24 $210 Handling
Lap Leaders: Trampas Demers, 1-5; Derrick O’Donnell, 6-100 (1 lead changes among 2 drivers) Cautions: 6 (lap 21, 41, 56, 82, 86, 86)
Time of Race: 43:38
Margin of Victory: .395 seconds
Heat Winners: Jean-Paul Cyr, Nick Sweet, Chip Grenier, Mike Bailey
Consi Winners: Phil Scott, Matt White
B-Feature Winner: Dave Pembroke
Lenny’s Hot Shoe Award: Derrick O’Donnell
Joe’s Racing Award: Trampas Demers
NHMS Invitational Qualifier: Derrick O’Donnell
Vermont State Late Model Championship Standings (starts)
1. 60VT Derrick O’Donnell 75 (1)
2. 88VT Nick Sweet 68 (1)
3. 85VT Trampas Demers 66 (1)
4. 7ME Glen Luce 64 (1)
5. 9VT Chip Grenier 62 (1)
6. 89VT Scott Payea 60 (1)
7. 99VT Cody Blake 58 (1)
8. 44VT Dave Pembroke 56 (1)
9. 66VT Jason Corliss 54 (1)
10. 32VT Jean-Paul Cyr 52 (1)
11. 14VT Phil Scott 50 (1)
12. 50VT Jay Laquerre 48 (1)
13. 18VT Jamie Fisher 46 (1)
14. 00VT Mike Bailey 44 (1)
15. 42VT Matthew White 42 (1)
16. 1VT Brett Wheeler 40 (1)
17. 9ME Emily Packard 38 (1)
18. 16VT Joey Becker 36 (1)
19. 16ME Travis Stearns 34 (1)
20. 55VT Brent Dragon 32 (1)
21. 40VT Eric Chase 30 (1)
22. 3VT Rick Roberts 28 (1)
23. 13VT Jim Morris 26 (1)
24. 51VT Joey M. Laquerre 24 (1)
17VT Lance Allen 24 (1)
25VT David Whitcomb 24 (1)
9NY Hunter Bates 24 (1)
27VT Kyle Pembroke 24 (1)
05VT Craig Bushey 24 (1)
68VT Brooks Clark 24 (1)
21VT Blair Bessett 24 (0)
8NH Guy Caron 24 (0)
77MA Jimmy Linardy 24 (0)
22ME Mark Norris 24 (0)
11VT Terry Reil 24 (0)
38VT Robert Eldred 24 (0)
11NH Brett Gervais 24 (0)
15VT Joey Laquerre 24 (0)
2013 Vermont State Late Model Championship Winners
# Winner Event Track Date
1. Derrick O’Donnell #60VT 51st Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic 100 Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl 05/27/13
2. Devil’s Bowl 100 Devil’s Bowl Speedway 06/07/13
3. VT Lottery Commission Governor’s Cup 150 Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl 07/11/13
4. Devil’s Bowl 100 Devil’s Bowl Speedway 09/15/13