Devil’s Bowl gets asphalt practice completed; Pierson, Sunn win at Bear Ridge
(NOTE: The Devil’s Bowl Speedway “Regional Racing Report” is a semi-regular feature highlighting affiliated drivers and series competing at other race tracks.)
The 50th season of stock car racing at Devil’s Bowl Speedway is right around the corner, with NASCAR Whelen All-American Series action on the half-mile asphalt oval on Saturday, May 21 and racing on the 3/10-mile dirt track on Sunday, May 22. A handful of Devil’s Bowl drivers were in action at other tracks over the weekend, and this is a look at how they performed:
ASPHALT RACING REPORT:
Open Practice
Devil’s Bowl Speedway – West Haven, Vt.
- A dozen NASCAR Whelen All-American Series race teams took advantage of the open practice session on the Asphalt Track at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Saturday, May 7, which ended as rain showers moved in around 4:00 p.m.
- Competitors in the Bond Auto Parts Sportsman Modified division included Vince Quenneville Jr., Ron Proctor, Joey Roberts, Bob Kilburn, Billy Lussier, and Travis Bruno.
- A pair of Central Vermont Motorcycles Late Models showed: Steve Miller’s retro-looking orange No. 00, and the No. 8NY car that will be split between Brent Dragon and brothers Chad and Matt White.
- In the Rosen & Berger Renegades, Jimmy Bushey, Jim McKiernan, and Tony Salerno each got on the track and reported positive results. Salerno also debuted his new hairstyle – the #TonyTail!
- Brad Bertrand, the 2015 rookie of the year, sported a new silver paint job – still tacky! – on his Subaru in the Portland Glass Mini Stocks.
- Earlier in the day, the first Bandit Youth Division safety class was held, with 15-year-old Brendan “Roo” Forrest and 12-year-old Connor Watrous in attendance. The class was used to familiarize the youngsters with the race track surfaces, safety lights, and flags, and the driver’s safety gear. Both drivers practiced making quick exits from different parts of the racecar in case of an on-track emergency.
American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Late Models
Thunder Road Speedbowl – Barre, Vt.
- Nick Sweet, a three-time Devil’s Bowl winner, dominated the Merchants Bank 150 on Sunday, May 8. Jimmy Hebert made a late challenge and settled for second ahead of Scott Payea, Lt. Governor Phil Scott, and Cody Blake.
- The American-Canadian Tour returns to Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Saturday night, June 4, for the People’s United Bank 100.
DIRT RACING REPORT:
Open Practice
Devil’s Bowl Speedway – West Haven, Vt.
- Open practice for the Dirt Track at Devil’s Bowl was rained out on Sunday, May 8.
Bear Ridge Speedway – Bradford, Vt.
- Adam Pierson and Josh Sunn each registered a win and a runner-up finish on opening night at Bear Ridge Speedway on Saturday, May 7. Pierson led Sunn to the checkers in the Sportsman Modified race, while Sunn beat Pierson to take the USAC Midget feature.
- Tim Hodge, a Devil’s Bowl title contender last year, finished third in the Sportsman Coupe race.
- Jesse Durkee, a winner at Devil’s Bowl in 2015, won the Four Cylinder feature. Devil’s Bowl regular Jason Porter finished third, and Justin Severance was eighth.
Lebanon Valley Speedway – West Lebanon, N.Y.
- Defending Devil’s Bowl Sportsman Modified champion Kenny Tremont Jr. finished third in Lebanon Valley Speedway’s Big Block Modified feature on Saturday, May 7, and 21st in the Small Block Modified feature.
Sprint Cars of New England
Legion Speedway – Rumney, N.H.
- Rain interrupted opening night at Legion Speedway on Friday, May 6. Jake Williams and Luke Greenwood won qualifying heats for the Sprint Cars of New England (SCoNE), and Chris Donnelly won the Dash For Cash before the wet weather moved in.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s 50th season is scheduled to open with an all-new schedule and format in 2016. The track’s half-mile asphalt oval has a new date of Saturday nights at 6:00 p.m., beginning on Saturday, May 21, and the 3/10-mile dirt track has expanded to a full 13-race schedule on Sunday nights at 6:00 p.m., starting on Sunday, May 22. Regular general admission at most events will continue to be $12.00 for adults, while kids age 12 and under will get in for free at all stock car racing events in 2016.
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.