Story By: JUSTIN ST. LOUIS / DEVIL’S BOWL SPEEDWAY – WEST HAVEN, VT –
The busiest night of the stock car racing season produced 11 different winners at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Sunday, August 25, at the annual Sugar & Spice Restaurant “Double Stack Night” event. Double features were held for all five weekly divisions along with a 50-lap Enduro Series race and the eighth annual “Great North American Pancake Eating Championship” to make for a full night of action and excitement.
Rookie driver Brent Warren scored an upset career-first victory in the opening 20-lap feature for the Pepsi Sportsman Modified division. The Salisbury, Vt., racer, who graduated from the Limited Sportsman class after taking that division’s 2018 championship, surprised veteran driver Wayne Stearns on the outside on a restart just before the halfway mark. Warren was able to clear Stearns and drive away for a popular win.
Stearns finished a season-best second and point leader Kenny Tremont Jr. was third. Vince Quenneville and Joey Scarborough rounded out the top five ahead of Frank Hoard III, Adam Pierson, Tanner Siemons, Marty Kelly III, and Jimmy Ryan.
In the nightcap, Malta, N.Y.’s Jack Speshock ran to his second win in as many weeks at Devil’s Bowl, riding the outside lane to chase down leader Tim LaDuc. Speshock challenged LaDuc for several laps before a green-white-checkered restart extended the race to 21 laps. Speshock grabbed the lead coming to the white flag and left everyone in his wake. LaDuc settled for the runner-up spot with Tremont third.
Paolo Pascarella finished an impressive fourth in his debut in the top-level Sportsman division while driving a backup car from the John St. Germain stable. Cody Ochs was fifth, followed by Ron Proctor, Billy Lussier, St. Germain, Jason Bruno, and Mike Fisher.
Brandon, Vt.’s Matt Bilodeau ran to his second O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman win of the year in a rough 15-lap affair. Bilodeau was ahead when a big wreck cleaned out five cars on the frontstretch on the fifth lap, and a second wreck at the finish took out two more. When the smoke cleared, Bilodeau was well ahead with Johnny Bruno second, Adam Piper third, Anthony Warren fourth, and point leader James Hanson fifth.
West Rutland, Vt.’s Larry Gallipo became the ninth different first-time Limited Sportsman winner in the second race, leading every lap. Bobby Schmidt was a career-best second, and Wayland Childs took third in his first appearance of the season. Warren and Hanson completed the top five.
Chris Murray won for the fourth time in the Super Stock division, taking the first 15-lap race. The Fair Haven, Vt., racer outran the field but broke a rear suspension part on the cooldown lap and was forced to make hasty repairs in time for the second race. Garrett Given crossed the finish line in second but was disqualified for an unapproved distributor. Kevin Elliott inherited the runner-up spot, followed by Bill Duprey, rookie Roo Forrest, and Matt Mosher.
Point leader Scott FitzGerald of West Rutland, Vt., earned his fourth win of the season in the second race, barely holding off a fully repaired and hard-charging Murray. Duprey was third with rookie Cam Gadue a season-best fourth and Forrest fifth.
Mini Stock racer David Sartwell-Cornell took the second win of his rookie year in his division’s opening 12-lap race. The Highgate Springs, Vt., freshman took the lead from Tim Simonds just after halfway and sailed to the win. Simonds equaled his career-best in second place and rookie Katrina Bean scored her best finish in third. Point leader Craig Kirby and Willie Rice were next in line.
Middlebury, Vt’s Jake Barrows earned his third win of the season in the Mini Stock finale, holding off a determined run but Sartwell-Cornell in the final laps. Simonds finished third with Kirby and Rice matching their finishes from the first feature in fourth and fifth, respectively.
The Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprint division had a different look to it as the winning streak of rookie sensation Evan Roberts come to a grinding halt. Roberts walked away from a wild three-time flip in the first 12-lap race and was effectively eliminated from competition for the night. Brandon, Vt.’s Kevin Smith was ahead of the wreck and sailed home a first-time winner. Twin brothers Shawn McPhee and John McPhee Jr. finished second and third, respectively, with Samantha Mulready fourth and Joel Belanger fifth.
Cambridge, N.Y., runner Mulready took her second victory of the season in the second feature after a patient drive up the outside lane. Rookie Jack Koponen equaled his best run in second place and Cody O’Brien rebounded from a mechanical failure in the first race to finish third. John McPhee Jr. and Dakota Green completed the top five.
The Enduro Series put out a 50-lap race that ran non-stop, though several cars were involved in big crashes. Cory Gray crossed the finish line first ahead of Bill Fountain as the only two drivers on the lead lap, but Gray was disqualified for having an unapproved tire on his car. Altona, N.Y., driver Fountain inherited the win ahead of Chris Sumner and Scott Richner, each one lap down, with Brian Blake and Andy Botala next in line, each two laps behind.
Two new champions were crowned in the 8th annual Sugar & Spice “Great North American Pancake Eating Championship” at intermission. Lee Jamieson of Castleton, Vt., packed in 12 pancakes with pure Vermont maple syrup in just five minutes, unseating three-time champion Allen Jones. Twelve-year-old Kaleb Badger of Fair Haven, Vt., set a new all-time record in the kids’ division with seven pancakes, topping two-time winner Alex Messer. More than 20 world-class eaters entered the contest.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway hosts its biggest event of the year on Labor Day Weekend with the $12,000-to-win Interstate All Battery Center “Vermont 200 Weekend” on August 31 and September 1. Five divisions will be in action on Saturday at 3:00 p.m., followed at 6:30 p.m. by the speedway’s annual pig roast BBQ and bonfire party. Qualifying and the 200-lap Sportsman Modified main event will be on Sunday at 4:00 p.m., along with the Sprint Cars of New England. One-day admission is $15 on Saturday (includes BBQ admission) or $25 on Sunday, or two-day admission is $35. Pit passes are $45, good for the weekend, and camping is $25 per campsite, open on Friday at 12:00 noon.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – Sugar & Spice “Double Stack” Night
Devil’s Bowl Speedway – West Haven, Vt.
Sunday, August 25, 2019
Pepsi Sportsman Modified Feature #1 – (20 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (2) # Brent Warren, Salisbury, Vt.
2. (1) Wayne Stearns, Bradford, Vt.
3. (12) Kenny Tremont Jr., West Sand Lake, N.Y.
4. (4) Vince Quenneville, Brandon, Vt.
5. (8) Joey Scarborough, Brandon, Vt.
6. (6) Frank Hoard III, Manchester Center, Vt.
7. (16) Adam Pierson, East Corinth, Vt.
8. (5) Tanner Siemons, Orford, N.H.
9. (15) Marty Kelly III, North Bennington, Vt.
10. (14) Jimmy Ryan, Shoreham, Vt.
11. (11) Justin Comes, Middlebury, Vt.
12. (19) Brian Whittemore, Pittsford, Vt.
13. (13) Billy Lussier, Fair Haven, Vt.
14. (9) Mike Fisher, Castleton, Vt.
15. (17) # Joey Roberts, Fletcher, Vt.
16. (23) John St. Germain, West Sand Lake, N.Y.
17. (18) Cody Ochs, East Greenbush, N.Y.
18. (26) Jason Bruno, Morrisonville, N.Y.
19. (20) Jack Speshock, Malta, N.Y.
20. (25) Paolo Pascarella, Brunswick, N.Y.
21. (24) Floyd Billington, South Glens Falls, N.Y.
22. (21) James Fadden, Plainfield, N.H.
23. (3) Ron Proctor, Charlton, N.Y.
24. (22) Bruce Loomis, Queensbury, N.Y.
25. (10) Tim LaDuc, Orwell, Vt.
26. (7) Jeff Washburn, Benson, Vt.
Heat Winners: None
Shiley Fabrication Hard Charger Award: Kenny Tremont Jr. (+9 positions)
Shiley Fabrication Hard Luck Award: Ron Proctor
AMSOIL Award: Brent Warren
Pepsi Sportsman Modified Feature #2 – (20 laps – extended to 21 laps by green-white-checkered)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (8) Jack Speshock, Malta, N.Y.
2. (2) Tim LaDuc, Orwell, Vt.
3. (23) Kenny Tremont Jr., West Sand Lake, N.Y.
4. (7) Paolo Pascarella, Brunswick, N.Y.
5. (10) Cody Ochs, East Greenbush, N.Y.
6. (4) Ron Proctor, Charlton, N.Y.
7. (14) Billy Lussier, Fair Haven, Vt.
8. (11) John St. Germain, West Sand Lake, N.Y.
9. (9) Jason Bruno, Morrisonville, N.Y.
10. (13) Mike Fisher, Castleton, Vt.
11. (20) Adam Pierson, East Corinth, Vt.
12. (21) Frank Hoard III, Manchester Center, Vt.
13. (17) Jimmy Ryan, Shoreham, Vt.
14. (5) James Fadden, Plainfield, N.H.
15. (24) Wayne Stearns, Bradford, Vt.
16. (15) Brian Whittemore, Pittsford, Vt.
17. (12) # Joey Roberts, Fletcher, Vt.
18. (3) Bruce Loomis, Queensbury, N.Y.
19. (6) Floyd Billington, South Glens Falls, N.Y.
20. (25) # Brent Warren, Salisbury, Vt.
21. (18) Marty Kelly III, North Bennington, Vt.
22. (16) Justin Comes, Middlebury, Vt.
23. (26) Vince Quenneville, Brandon, Vt.
24. (19) Tanner Siemons, Orford, N.H.
25. (22) Joey Scarborough, Brandon, Vt.
26. (1) Jeff Washburn, Benson, Vt.
Heat Winners: None
Shiley Fabrication Hard Charger Award: Kenny Tremont Jr. (+20 positions)
Shiley Fabrication Hard Luck Award: Jeff Washburn
AMSOIL Award: Jack Speshock
O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman Feature #1 (15 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
1. (1) Matt Bilodeau, Brandon, Vt.
2. (6) Johnny Bruno, Castleton, Vt.
3. (3) Adam Piper, Leicester, Vt.
4. (11) Anthony Warren, Shoreham, Vt.
5. (9) James Hanson, Orwell, Vt.
6. (12) Marty Hutchins, Poultney, Vt.
7. (5) Anthony Ryan, Benson, Vt.
8. (15) Wayland Childs, Chelsea, Vt.
9. (13) Shawn Phelps, Richmond, Vt.
10. (16) Mike McGinn, Elizabethtown, N.Y.
11. (17) Larry Gallipo, West Rutland, Vt.
12. (2) Bobby Schmidt, Gansevoort, N.Y.
13. (10) Austin Comes, Middlebury, Vt.
14. (8) Dave Snow, Brandon, Vt.
15. (4) Josh Payea, Georgia, Vt.
16. (14) Justin Stone, Middlebury, Vt.
17. (7) Austin Chaves, Chester, Vt.
Heat Winners: None
Shiley Fabrication Hard Charger Award: Anthony Warren (+7 positions)
Shiley Fabrication Hard Luck Award: Dave Snow
O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman Feature #2 (15 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
1. (2) Larry Gallipo, West Rutland, Vt.
2. (1) Bobby Schmidt, Gansevoort, N.Y.
3. (4) Wayland Childs, Chelsea, Vt.
4. (7) Anthony Warren, Shoreham, Vt.
5. (6) James Hanson, Orwell, Vt.
6. (9) Johnny Bruno, Castleton, Vt.
7. (5) Marty Hutchins, Poultney, Vt.
8. (10) Matt Bilodeau, Brandon, Vt.
9. (8) Adam Piper, Leicester, Vt.
10. (11) Mike McGinn, Elizabethtown, N.Y.
11. (3) Shawn Phelps, Richmond, Vt.
Did Not Start: Anthony Ryan, Benson, Vt.; Austin Comes, Middlebury, Vt.; Dave Snow, Brandon, Vt.; Josh Payea, Georgia, Vt.; Justin Stone, Middlebury, Vt.; Austin Chaves, Chester, Vt.
Heat Winners: None
Shiley Fabrication Hard Charger Award: Anthony Warren (+3 positions)
Shiley Fabrication Hard Luck Award: Shawn Phelps
Super Stock Feature #1 (15 laps – shortened to 13 laps by time constraints)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (6) Chris Murray, Fair Haven, Vt.
2. (5) Kevin Elliott, Rutland, Vt.
3. (11) Bill Duprey, Hydeville, Vt.
4. (2) # Roo Forrest, West Rutland, Vt.
5. (13) Matt Mosher, Queensbury, N.Y.
6. (17) Rowdy Burch, Fort Edward, N.Y.
7. (18) Jim McKiernan, Moriah Center, N.Y.
8. (8) Andrew FitzGerald, West Rutland, Vt.
9. (10) # Kaleb Shepard, Vergennes, Vt.
10. (1) Russ Farr, Middle Granville, N.Y.
11. (7) Scott FitzGerald, West Rutland, Vt.
12. (15) Merv Blackwell, Hudson Falls, N.Y.
13. (9) # Cam Gadue, Highgate, Vt.
14. (16) Jason Barrett, Queensbury, N.Y.
15. (14) Joey Trudeau, Hague, N.Y.
16. (12) # Mark Norris, Benson, Vt.
17. (3) Ronnie Alger, Orwell, Vt.
Disqualified: (4) Garrett Given, Orwell, Vt. (distributor)
Heat Winners: None
Super Stock Feature #2 (15 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (2) Scott FitzGerald, West Rutland, Vt.
2. (12) Chris Murray, Fair Haven, Vt.
3. (9) Bill Duprey, Hydeville, Vt.
4. (1) # Cam Gadue, Highgate, Vt.
5. (8) # Roo Forrest, West Rutland, Vt.
6. (15) Joey Trudeau, Hague, N.Y.
7. (4) # Kaleb Shepard, Vergennes, Vt.
8. (18) Jim McKiernan, Moriah Center, N.Y.
9. (13) Matt Mosher, Queensbury, N.Y.
10. (11) Garrett Given, Orwell, Vt.
11. (13) Merv Blackwell, Hudson Falls, N.Y.
12. (17) Ronnie Alger, Orwell, Vt.
13. (16) # Mark Norris, Benson, Vt.
14. (3) Russ Farr, Middle Granville, N.Y.
15. (5) Andrew FitzGerald, West Rutland, Vt.
16. (6) Rowdy Burch, Fort Edward, N.Y.
17. (10) Kevin Elliott, Rutland, Vt.
18. (14) Jason Barrett, Queensbury, N.Y.
Heat Winners: None
Mini Stock Feature #1 (12 laps – extended to 13 laps by green-white-checkered)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (9) # David Sartwell-Cornell, Highgate Springs, Vt.
2. (8) Tim Simonds, Clarendon, Vt.
3. (5) # Katrina Bean, Benson, Vt.
4. (10) Craig Kirby, Winooski, Vt.
5. (7) Willie Rice, Poultney, Vt.
6. (6) Jake Barrows, Middlebury, Vt.
7. (4) Shawn Moquin, Milton, Vt.
8. (13) Griff Mahoney, Brandon, Vt.
9. (12) Reilly Case, New Haven, Vt.
10. (11) Adam Stewart, Benson, Vt.
11. (3) # T.J. Knight, Fair Haven, Vt.
12. (1) # Mary Gardner, Granville, N.Y.
13. (2) # Kendra Walden, Poultney, Vt.
Did Not Start: # Scott Cowdrey, Leicester, Vt.; Joe Malzac, Salisbury, Vt.
Heat Winners: None
Mini Stock Feature #2 (12 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (6) Jake Barrows, Middlebury, Vt.
2. (11) # David Sartwell-Cornell, Highgate Springs, Vt.
3. (10) Tim Simonds, Clarendon, Vt.
4. (8) Craig Kirby, Winooski, Vt.
5. (7) Willie Rice, Poultney, Vt.
6. (9) # Katrina Bean, Benson, Vt.
7. (2) Adam Stewart, Benson, Vt.
8. (4) Griff Mahoney, Brandon, Vt.
9. (3) Reilly Case, New Haven, Vt.
10. (1) # T.J. Knight, Fair Haven, Vt.
11. (5) Shawn Moquin, Milton, Vt.
Did Not Start: # Mary Gardner, Granville, N.Y.; # Kendra Walden, Poultney, Vt.; # Scott Cowdrey, Leicester, Vt.; Joe Malzac, Salisbury, Vt.
Heat Winners: None
Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprint Feature #1 (12 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (4) Kevin Smith, Brandon, Vt.
2. (8) Shawn McPhee, Rutland, Vt.
3. (9) John McPhee Jr., Rutland, Vt.
4. (7) Samantha Mulready, Cambridge, N.Y.
5. (2) Joel Belanger, Washington, N.H.
6. (12) # Eric Wade, Rutland, Vt.
7. (1) # Kamden Duffy, Richmond, N.H.
8. (6) # Jack Koponen, Mount Holly, Vt.
9. (14) # Alyza McKeighan, Brandon, Vt.
10. (11) # Mia Koponen, Ludlow, Vt.
11. (3) Dakota Green, Cambridge, N.Y.
12. (5) Cody O’Brien, Springfield, Vt.
13. (10) # Evan Roberts, Fletcher, Vt.
Did Not Start: Kaidin White, Vergennes, Vt.
Heat Winners: None
Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprint Feature #2 (12 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (5) Samantha Mulready, Cambridge, N.Y.
2. (2) # Jack Koponen, Mount Holly, Vt.
3. (11) Cody O’Brien, Springfield, Vt.
4. (6) John McPhee Jr., Rutland, Vt.
5. (10) Dakota Green, Cambridge, N.Y.
6. (13) Kaidin White, Vergennes, Vt.
7. (1) # Alyza McKeighan, Brandon, Vt.
8. (3) # Kamden Duffy, Richmond, N.H.
9. (9) # Mia Koponen, Ludlow, Vt.
10. (7) Shawn McPhee, Rutland, Vt.
11. (4) Joel Belanger, Washington, N.H.
12. (8) Kevin Smith, Brandon, Vt.
13. (12) # Evan Roberts, Fletcher, Vt.
Did Not Start: # Eric Wade, Rutland, Vt.
Heat Winners: None
Enduro Series Feature (50 laps)
Pos.-(Car No.)-Driver-Hometown-Laps Completed
1. (77) Bill Fountain, Altona, N.Y. – 50 Laps
2. (19) Chris Sumner, Ripton, Vt. – 49 Laps
3. (21) Scott Richner, Rouses Point, N.Y. – 49 Laps
4. (27) Brian Blake, Cornwall, Vt. – 48 Laps
5. (11) Andy Botala, Grand Isle, Vt. – 48 Laps
6. (17X) Tim Devino, Brandon, Vt. – 48 Laps
7. (40) Ronnie Hurt, Greenwich, N.Y. – 47 Laps
8. (5X) Josh Payea, Georgia, Vt. – 47 Laps
9. (802) Jeff Smith, Rutland, Vt. – 47 Laps
10. (3) Jarrod Colburn, Rutland, Vt. – 46 Laps
11. (57X) Carl Whittemore, Brandon, Vt. – 45 Laps
12. (94) Carrie LaRose, Middlebury, Vt. – 43 Laps
13. (57) Ryan Patch, Rutland, Vt. – 43 Laps
14. (80) Adam Buskey, AuSable Forks, N.Y. – 43 Laps
15. (3X) Gary Cheeseman, Hinesburg, Vt. – 42 Laps
16. (23) Brent Wilbur, Whiting, Vt. – 40 Laps
17. (47) Tim Whitney, Cornwall, Vt. – 38 Laps
18. (7) Shawn Fountain, Plattsburgh, N.Y. – 37 Laps
19. (188) Kenny Torrey, Orwell, Vt. – 10 Laps
20. (6A) Adam Stewart, Benson, Vt. – 8 Laps
21. (21X) Cody Groesbeck, Fair Haven, Vt. – 1 Lap
Disqualified: (17) Cory Gray, Clarendon, Vt. – 50 Laps (tire)