Gonyo Scores C.J. Richards Memorial Modified Victory at Devil’s Bowl Speedway

By admin August 10, 2015 Devil's Bowl, NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series

Chad White is eighth different Late Model winner

WEST HAVEN, VT – Veteran stock car driver Leon Gonyo visited victory lane in nostalgic and appropriate fashion at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Friday, August 7, winning the fourth annual “C.J. Richards Memorial” presented by Carrara Masonry & Concrete. Other winners on the night included Chad White, Robert Gordon, Chuck Bradford, and Cory Gray in action for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series presented by Yandow Sales & Service and John Deere.

Chazy, NY racer Gonyo, 63, was a frequent winner in the mid-1980s under the former Champlain Valley Racing Association headed by the late Richards, who founded Devil’s Bowl Speedway in 1967. On Friday night, Gonyo strung together a three-segment low total score of eight points to take the overall victory in the race bearing Richards’ name.

Gonyo won the opening 22-lap segment for the Bond Auto Parts Modified division to score one point in the cumulative tally. Vince Quenneville Jr., of Brandon, VT, finished second to score two points, followed by two-time Modified champion Todd Stone, who was making his first Modified start of the season. Ron Proctor was fourth with Dave Snow fifth.

Greg Atkins of Clintonville, NY won the middle 22-lap round over Proctor and Jimmy Ryan; Quenneville finished fourth with Gonyo fifth. Entering the final 23-lap segment, Gonyo, Quenneville, and Proctor found themselves locked in a three-way tie for the overall lead with six segment points apiece.

Stone dominated the final leg, while Gonyo held off a surging Quenneville for the runner-up spot; Atkins and Proctor filled out the top five in the segment. Gonyo’s total of eight points was enough to beat Quenneville by a single marker for the overall victory. With 11 points each, Stone beat Proctor in a tiebreaker for third place overall by virtue of his final-segment win. Proctor took fourth with Atkins fifth.

Chad White of Fort Ann, NY was a first-time winner in the 30-lap Central Vermont Motorcycles Late Model feature and became the division’s eighth different winner in as many races in 2015. Seth Bridge did his best to rebound from a crash in the previous week by leading twice during the race, but White was strong enough on the outside lane to get back in front.

White led the final 19 laps and pulled away from double-duty racer Stone and point leader Josh Masterson. Stone, of Middlebury, VT was the runner-up ahead of Masterson. Robert Bryant Jr. finished fourth with Matt White, the winner’s brother, fifth in his first start of the season.

Milton, VT’s Robert Gordon won the two-segment Brileya’s Chrysler-Jeep Renegade feature for the second week in a row. Gordon finished second in the opening 15-lap round behind Scott FitzGerald, then won the final leg for a low total score of three points. Jimmy Bushey of Mooers Forks, NY finished fourth and second for six points and took the overall runner-up finish, with West Rutland, VT’s FitzGerald (first, fifth) third overall with six points.

Defending Portland Glass Mini Stock champion Chuck Bradford of Addison, VT made it back-to-back wins in an entertaining 15-lap race, defeating point leader Chris LaVair of Gabriels, NY. Bradford’s teammate, rookie Brad Bertrand of Ferrisburgh, VT, led the first 12 laps until Bradford and LaVair scooted past, and held on for third place.

Cory Gray of Rutland, VT took his second win of the season in the 50-lap MFT Sauce & Rub Co. Enduro Series feature. Zach Wood of Georgia, VT closed in on Gray in the final laps but was not able to mount a serious challenge. Brett Wood, Zach’s father, finished third.

Devil’s Bowl Speedway is back in action on Friday, August 14 at an early 7:00 p.m. start with Modifieds, Late Models, Renegades, and Mini Stocks, as well as the annual “Spectator Races” for street-legal vehicles. The event also marks the return of Heritage Family Credit Union “Member Night” giving free admission to all HFCU members who show proof of membership at the gate. Regular general admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, and free for kids age 12 and under.

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

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – 4th Annual Carrara Masonry & Concrete “C.J. Richards Memorial”
Devil’s Bowl Speedway, West Haven, VT
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series presented by Yandow Sales & Service and John Deere
Friday, August 7, 2015

Bond Auto Parts Modified Feature (67 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown-Segment Points
(# – denotes rookie)

(7) Leon Gonyo, Chazy, NY – 8 points
(9) Vince Quenneville Jr., Brandon, VT – 9 points
(4) Todd Stone, Middlebury, VT – 11 points
(8) Ron Proctor, Charlton, NY – 11 points
(10) Greg Atkins, Clintonville, NY – 12 points
(6) Codie Aubin, Plattsburgh, NY – 21 points
(1) Dave Snow, Brandon, VT – 22 points
(5) Jimmy Ryan, Whiting, VT – 22 points
(3) Billy Lussier, Fair Haven, VT – 24 points
(2) # Bob Kilburn, Fair Haven, VT – 25 points
(11) Jason Durgan, Morrisonville, NY – 33 points

Heat Winners: Leon Gonyo; Vince Quenneville Jr.

Segment Winners: Leon Gonyo; Greg Atkins; Todd Stone

Ingersoll Rand Power Tools Award: Leon Gonyo

Shiley Fabrication Hard Charger Award: Vince Quenneville Jr.

Shiley Fabrication Hard Luck Award: Jason Durgan

Central Vermont Motorcycles Late Model Feature (30 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)

(2) Chad White, Fort Ann, NY
(6) Todd Stone, Middlebury, VT
(8) Josh Masterson, Bristol, VT
(7) Robert Bryant Jr., Brooklyn, CT
(11) Matt White, Northfield, VT
(1) Seth Bridge, Mendon, VT
(10) Jamie Aube, North Ferrisburgh, VT
(9) Chris Bergeron, Claremont, NH
(3) Rich Lowrey Jr., Charlotte, VT
(12) # Richard Lowrey III, Charlotte, VT
(4) Robert Hagar, Windsor, VT
(5) Mark Norris, Benson, VT

Heat Winners: Todd Stone; Robert Bryant Jr.

Ingersoll Rand Power Tools Award: Chad White

Crazy Horse Racing Winners Circle Challenge: Chad White

Brileya’s Chrysler-Jeep Renegade Feature (15 laps x 2)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown-Segment Points
(# – denotes rookie)

(6) Robert Gordon, Milton, VT – 3 points
(5) Jimmy Bushey, Mooers Forks, NY – 6 points
(2) Scott FitzGerald, West Rutland, VT – 6 points
(3) # Matt Monaghan, Colchester, VT – 7 points
(4) Don Franklin, Milton, VT – 8 points
(1) # Shawn Franklin, Waitsfield, VT – 12 points

Segment Winners: Scott FitzGerald; Robert Gordon

Ingersoll Rand Power Tools Award: Robert Gordon

Bond Auto Parts Hard Charger Award: Robert Gordon

Portland Glass Mini Stock Feature (15 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)

(10) Chuck Bradford, Addison, VT
(9) Chris LaVair, Gabriels, NY
(3) # Bradley Bertrand, Ferrisburgh, VT
(6) John McCarron, Rensselaer, NY
(2) Kyle Sorensen, Ballston Spa, NY
(7) Kyle Watrous, Bomoseen, VT
(5) Dan Collins, Rensselaer, NY
(8) # Tanner Crary, Saranac Lake, NY
(1) Andrew FitzGerald, West Rutland, VT
(4) Harold LaVair Jr., Gabriels, NY
(11) Mike Clark, Salisbury, VT

Heat Winners: John McCarron; Chris LaVair

Bond Auto Parts Hard Charger Award: Chuck Bradford

Sources: Justin St. Louis/Devil’s Bowl Speedway PR