Sweet Prevails in People’s United Bank Battle at Devil’s Bowl Speedway
Travis Bruno takes first Sportsman Modified victory
For Immediate Release DBS-060416-1
WEST HAVEN, Vt. – Nick Sweet proved again that he is one of the best Late Model stock car drivers on the Asphalt Track at Devil's Bowl Speedway, winning the People's United Bank John Bruno Memorial 100 on Saturday, June 4. The Barre, Vt., racer took the fourth long-distance victory of his career at the track and his first in an American-Canadian Tour race after a long fight with Wayne Helliwell Jr. Sweet's triumph headlined a winners list that included Travis Bruno, Jim McKiernan, and Harold LaVair Jr.
Sweet led the first 29 laps of the main event before giving way to Helliwell. The race ran caution-free for the first 79 laps as Dover, N.H., driver Helliwell led Sweet through heavy lapped traffic, running three-wide and making breathtaking passes on several occasions. Four yellow flags slowed the pace in the final stages, however, setting up a final duel. Sweet nosed ahead before the final caution period on lap 91, then Helliwell snuck ahead again on laps 92-93 after the final restart. Sweet's No. 40VT Malone Properties/Gary Clay Builders Chevrolet was too much and he grabbed the lead for the final time on lap 94, driving away from Helliwell for the win.
Dillon Moltz of Waterford, Conn., first fought past Rich Dubeau, then drove hard through lapped traffic to claim third place behind Helliwell. Dubeau was an ACT career-best fourth, with Luke Hinkley fifth; Hinkley's run came one year to the date of being diagnosed with leukemia, which is now in remission. Brad Babb, Todd Davis, Bobby Therrien, Josh Masterson, and Brent Dragon completed the top 10.
The race was part the "Tribute Series" during Devil's Bowl Speedway's 50th season and was dedicated to the late John Bruno of Castleton, Vt. Mr. Bruno was a multi-time champion driver and car owner at Devil's Bowl and other speedways, and father of current Devil's Bowl promoter Mike Bruno.
Morrisonville, N.Y., driver Travis Bruno – unrelated to the John Bruno family – scored his first career Devil's Bowl Speedway victory in NASCAR Whelen All-American Series action, winning the 30-lap Bond Auto Parts Sportsman Modified feature. Bruno's No. 91 Egglefield Ford entry led every step of the way in the non-stop race, with Vince Quenneville Jr. of Brandon, Vt., at his rear bumper virtually the entire distance.
Quenneville tried driving his car in multiple grooves to get by Bruno but was unsuccessful. Championship point leader Jason Durgan, also of Morrisonville, N.Y., rallied in the final laps to make it a three-car fight for the win. Quenneville held on for the runner-up spot with Durgan third, Billy Lussier fourth, and Ron Proctor fifth.
Jim McKiernan of Moriah Center, N.Y., won the 20-lap feature for the Rosen & Berger Auto Recyclers Renegade division, taking his second-straight win. Matt Monaghan threatened to take the lead from McKiernan on several occasions, but a late restart allowed Scott FitzGerald to sneak in for the runner-up position. Monaghan settled for third ahead of Ray Germain Jr. and rookie Austin McKiernan, the winner's son.
Harold LaVair Jr. scored a popular victory in the Portland Glass Mini Stock division's 15-lap feature race. The 30-year racing veteran and sentimental favorite from Saranac Lake, N.Y., led every lap to mark his first Devil's Bowl win since 2012. Rookie teammates Eric Messier and Zach Wood finished second and third, respectively, followed by Brad Bertrand and Chris LaVair, son of the race winner.
A dreary weather forecast has forced the cancellation of the event scheduled for the Dirt Track at Devil's Bowl Speedway on Sunday, June 5. The Dirt Track will instead be in action on Sunday, June 12 at 6:00 p.m. with Twin 25-lap features for the Sportsman Modifieds in addition to Renegades and Mini Stocks. Regular general admission is $12 for adults and $10 for seniors and students, and free for kids age 12 and under. The Asphalt Track's next event is on Saturday, June 18.
Devil's Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, Vt., four miles north of Exit 2 off of U.S. Route 4 and just 20 minutes from Rutland, Vt. 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.
OFFICIAL RESULTS – People's United Bank Night/John Bruno Memorial
Devil's Bowl Speedway Asphalt Track – West Haven, VT
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
Saturday, June 4, 2016
American-Canadian Tour Late Model Feature (100 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# - denotes rookie
1. (2) Nick Sweet, Barre, VT
2. (3) Wayne Helliwell Jr., Dover, NH
3. (6) Dillon Moltz, Waterford, CT
4. (4) Rich Dubeau, Lebanon, NH
5. (5) Luke Hinkley, Claremont, NH
6. (12) Brad Babb, Windham, ME
7. (17) Todd Davis, Claremont, NH
8. (1) Bobby Therrien, Hinesburg, VT
9. (7) Josh Masterson, Bristol, VT
10. (10) Brent Dragon, Milton, VT
11. (11) Mike Ziter, Barre, VT
12. (8) Scott Payea, Milton, VT
13. (23) Brandon Atkins, Au Sable Forks, NY
14. (28) Kyle Welch, Newport, NH
15. (15) Emily Packard, East Montpelier, VT
16. (16) Steve Miller, Vergennes, VT
17. (20) Eddie MacDonald, Rowley, MA
18. (13) Rowland Robinson Jr., Steuben, ME
19. (9) Aaron Fellows, Croydon, NH
20. (18) # Devin O'Connell, Madison, CT
21. (14) Robert Bryant Jr., Brooklyn, CT
22. (22) # Ryan Olsen, North Haverhill, NH
23. (27) Seth Bridge, Mendon, VT
24. (24) Jimmy Zullo, Claremont, NH
25. (21) Claude Leclerc, Lanoraie, QC
26. (25) Mark Hudson, Norton, MA
27. (26) Jeff Morse, Cornish, NH
28. (19) # Mark Jenison, Warwick, RI
Heat Winners: Aaron Fellows, Brent Dragon, Mike Ziter
Consi Winners: Robert Bryant Jr., Josh Masterson
Bond Auto Parts Sportsman Modified Feature (30 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# - denotes rookie
1. (2) Travis Bruno, Morrisonville, NY
2. (4) Vince Quenneville Jr., Brandon, VT
3. (7) Jason Durgan, Morrisonville, NY
4. (3) Billy Lussier, Fair Haven, VT
5. (5) Ron Proctor, Charlton, NY
6. (6) Jackie Brown, Hurley, NY
7. (8) Jimmy Ryan, Whiting, VT
8. (10) # Chuck Bradford, Addison, VT
9. (1) Dave Snow, Brandon, VT
10. (9) Joey Roberts, Fletcher, VT
Did Not Start: Jason Furman, Ballston Spa, NY
Heat Winners: Jason Durgan, Vince Quenneville Jr.
Shiley Fabrication Hard Charger Award: Jason Durgan
Shiley Fabrication Hard Luck Award: Joey Roberts
Rosen & Berger Auto Recyclers Renegade Feature (20 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# - denotes rookie
1. (4) Jim McKiernan, Moriah Center, NY
2. (3) Scott FitzGerald, West Rutland, VT
3. (2) Matt Monaghan, Colchester, VT
4. (5) Ray Germain Jr., Bristol, VT
5. (7) # Austin McKiernan, Moriah Center, NY
6. (1) Tony Salerno, Mineville, NY
7. (6) # Bill Burlingame, Gansevoort, NY
Heat Winner: Matt Monaghan
Bond Auto Parts Hard Charger Award: Jim McKiernan
Portland Glass Mini Stock Feature (15 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# - denotes rookie
1. (1) Harold LaVair Jr., Saranac Lake, NY
2. (8) # Eric Messier, Hinesburg, VT
3. (10) # Zach Wood, Georgia, VT
4. (5) Brad Bertrand, Ferrisburgh, VT
5. (4) Chris LaVair, Saranac Lake, NY
6. (3) Garrett Given Sr., Cornwall, VT
7. (9) John McCarron, Rensselaer, NY
8. (11) Andrew FitzGerald, West Rutland, VT
9. (6) # Brett Wood, Georgia, VT
10. (2) Roger LaBounty, Peru, NY
11. (7) # Dale Hickok, Saranac Lake, NY
12. (14) Johnny Bruno, Castleton, VT
13. (12) # Josh Swahn, Pittsford, VT
14. (13) # Roo Forrest, West Rutland, VT
Did Not Start: Michael Clark, Brandon, VT
Heat Winners: Harold LaVair, Garrett Given
Bond Auto Parts Hard Charger Award: Zach Wood
-30-
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment