July 3, 2011, West Haven, VT: First, it was Joe Williams.
Now, it’s Ron Proctor.
Proctor is officially the hottest driver on the Champlain Valley Racing Association, as he managed to hold off Bobby Hackel IV to notch his first win of the year Sunday night in the special July 4 holiday NASCAR Modified feature at Devil’s Bowl Speedway.
Proctor has not finished out of the top five in the last five races combined at Devil’s Bowl and Albany-Saratoga Speedway, and has also two wins.Proctor may have gotten a break as Williams, who until recently was the hottest driver on the circuit, had an incident in warmups with Andy Durie and ended up in the fourth turn wall. Jon Miller would later give up his seat in the No. 12 so Williams could maintain his high standing in the NASCAR points. After starting eighth in the Miller car, Williams would end the night in ninth place.
The story of the night for the big Independence Day crowd was Proctor, as he started sixth and looked strong from the drop of the green. Frank Hoard III was out to the early lead, but Proctor was the car to watch as eight laps in he managed to get by Hackel for third and passed Jessey Mueller for second on the same lap. He used a move on the outside to overtake Hackel, and a classic slingshot to the inside to steal 2nd place from Mueller.
Ron Proctor celebrates as he exits his car on July 3rd.
By lap 11, Proctor was knocking on Hoard’s door, going first high in turn one, then in turn two swinging to the low side for the lead, pulling the same move he had used just a few laps prior. But Hackel stayed with it, and a restart on lap 18 bunched the field together, play and four laps later Hackel was able to put Hoard behind him for second.
With eight to go, it was Proctor, Hackel, Hoard, and Hunter Bates. With five to go, Hackel had closed the gap to less than two/tenths of a second. Coming out of turn four on lap 28, Proctor slowed slightly and Hackel bumped him, but the veteran Proctor held on to a suddenly ill-handling race car for the win.
Hackel settled for second, and Bates got by Hoard for third.
Mike Bruno started sixth, but took the lead from Bates in the pro late model feature on lap seven and never looked back, getting his second win of the season. Bates took second place, and newcomer Joey LaQuerre managed to notch a third place finish.
Josh Coonradt made his first trip of the year to Devil’s Bowl worthwhile, as he ended up in victory lane over Bill Dupree and Matt Livingston in the Renegade feature. Kevin Brown was the winner of the Bomber Warrior feature event.
Josh Coonradt in victory lane on July 3rd.
Kevin Brown, first-time Bomber Warrior winner.
Always popular Spectator Racing returns to the Bowl on Sunday, July 10 and admission will be only $20 per car load! So fill up the minivan and bring the family for an affordable night of fun.
NASCAR MODIFIEDS: RON PROCTOR, Bobby Hackel, Hunter Bates, Frank Hoard III, Jessey Mueller, Don Miller, Kevin Wright, Mike Bruno, Joe Williams, Paul Braymer, Billy Mueller, Michael Bush, Joey Trudeau, Matt Atwood, Andy Durie, Rob Langevin, Jake Zakrewski, Dave Snow.
PRO LATE MODEL: MIKE BRUNO, Hunter Bates, Joey LaQuerre, Kevin Elliot, David Emigh, Randy Miller, Ron Richter.
RENEGADE: JOSH COONRADT, Bill Dupree, Matt Livingston, Frank Monroe, Jonathan Hayes, Jeremy Jones, Russ Farr II.
BOMBER WARRIORS: KEVIN BROWN, Jake Noble, Ray Germain, Justin Lilly. DNS: Eddie Bruno, Matt Monaghan.