Given wins $1,000 demo derby with “16 hour car”
WEST HAVEN, Vt. – Hunter Given and Tim LaDuc, both of Orwell, Vt., came out on top of an action-packed day at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Saturday, June 10, taking the biggest victories at the “Rutland County Rumble” event. Given won $1,000 by coming out on top of a wild Demolition Derby, while LaDuc swept the triple crown in the headline Altered Farm Tractor class of the four-division Truck & Tractor Pulls.
Seventeen year-old Given was the best of the 25-car Demolition Derby field. The youngster – who is a rookie driver in the weekly Mini Stock division at Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s regular Saturday night Asphalt Track stock car events – capped off a busy 24-hour period in style with his metal-crunching victory.
Given’s parents purchased for him a well-used 2002 Chevrolet Prizm on Friday evening, and by lunchtime on Saturday the car had been transformed into a derby machine. Given’s “16 hour car” was the last one running, beating out Mark Billings Jr. of Swanton, Vt., in a cat-and-mouse run in the finale.
Given was one of two winners in the four-cylinder qualifying heat, joining Tim Frederick of Rutland, Vt. The winners of the six-cylinder heat were Ashlie Bodington of Addison, Vt., and Brian Blake of Cornwall, Vt., who were two of the most popular drivers in the field. Brad Hathaway of Schuyler Falls, N.Y., and Greg Whitney of Brandon, Vt., were named the consolation winners – though Whitney’s car had just rolled onto its roof at the finish. Billings won the “Roughest Rumbler” heat for heavy hitters.
LaDuc, a former track champion at Devil’s Bowl and the current point leader in the Sportsman Modified division on the Dirt Track on Sunday nights, swept all three hooks in the Altered Farm Tractor division of the Truck & Tractor Pulls. LaDuc’s 1973 International Harvester 1066 tractor – named the “Orwell Express Unleashed” – pulled the “Dirt Commander” sled 324.93 feet in the 9,500-lb. class, 295.04 feet in the 11,000-lb. class, and 311.57 feet in the 12,000-lb. class.
Hudson Falls, N.Y., driver Jordan Bigelow’s “Run It Hot” 1963 International Harvester 806 finished second in the 9,500-lb. hook at 270.47 feet. Jason Van De Weert of Ferrisburgh, Vt., drove his “Renegade” 1975 John Deere 6030 to runner-up honors in both the 11,000-lb. class (271.90 feet) and the 12,000-lb. class (292.99 feet).
Kevin Brooks of Brookline, Vt., won the first of two hooks for the Super Stock 4×4 Truck division, topping a stout field of 14 entries. Brooks’ 1979 Ford F-250 pulled 293.96 feet, beating “The Shocker” driven by Jacques Cassan of Manchester Center, Vt., who registered 287.87 feet.
Kelly Zakarauskas of Massena, N.Y., was popular winner in the second Super Stock 4×4 Truck hook, as she drove her 2002 Chevrolet Silverado named “The Hulk” 288.53 feet to defeat Hudson Falls, N.Y.’s David Rosick in the “Fatal Attraction” 1990 Chevrolet Silverado (281.57 feet).
Torrey Reed of Sheldon, Vt., dominated both 2.6 Pro Diesel Truck runs, and his “Firecracker” 2008 Dodge Ram 3500 set the longest pull of the day at 345.40 feet in the second hook.
Josh Mullholland of Hampton, N.Y., won the first 2.5 Diesel Truck hook when his “Smokin’ HD” 2006 GMC 2500 HD pulled 274.88 feet. Rick Abare of Ticonderoga, N.Y., won the second round with a 294.93-foot run in the “Mad Max” 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway is back in action on Sunday, June 11, at 6:00 p.m. on the 3/10-mile Dirt Track. Whelen Engineering presents a full six-division card with the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modifieds, Rosen & Berger Super Stocks, and Portland Glass Mini Stocks.
Also on hand Sunday will be the Lucas Oil POWRi Outlaw Midget Series and the new Catamount Mini Sprints, and the Ladies Mini Stocks run on dirt for the first time. The Thomas Dairy Kids Poster Contest is also on tap at intermission.
General admission for Sunday’s racing event is $12.00 for adults, $10.00 for seniors (62+) $5.00 for teenagers, and free for kids. Gates open at 5:00 p.m. and racing begins at 6:00 p.m.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, Vt., four miles north of U.S. Route 4, Exit 2. 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
Devil’s Bowl Speedway – West Haven, VT
“Rutland County Rumble” – Truck & Tractor Pulls/Demolition Derby
Saturday, June 10, 2017
Demolition Derby – Feature Winner
Hunter Given, Orwell, Vt. – 2002 Chevrolet Prizm
Demolition Derby – Heat Winners
Brian Blake, Cornwall, Vt. – 1998 Volvo S70
Ashlie Bodington, Addison, Vt. – 2002 Chevrolet Impala
Tim Frederick, Rutland, Vt. – 2002 Dodge Stratus
Hunter Given, Orwell, Vt. – 2002 Chevrolet Prizm
Demolition Derby – Consi Winners
Brad Hathaway, Schuyler Falls, N.Y. – 2005 Hyundai Elantra
Greg Whitney, Brandon, Vt. – 2001 Subaru Outback
Demolition Derby – “Roughest Rumbler” Winner
Mark Billings Jr., Swanton, Vt. – 1995 Toyota Camry Wagon
Altered Farm Tractor – 9,500 lbs.
1. Tim LaDuc, Orwell, Vt. – Orwell Express Unleashed – 324.93 ft.
2. Jordan Bigelow, Hudson Falls, N.Y. – Run It Hot – 270.47 ft.
3. Greg Sebast, Salem, N.Y. – Got Smoke? – 264.78 ft.
4. Tim Van De Weert, Ferrisburgh, Vt. – Struck By Thunder – 256.18 ft.
5. Nate Fleming, Addison, Vt. – Harvest Time – 254.85 ft.
Altered Farm Tractor – 11,000 lbs.
1. Tim LaDuc, Orwell, Vt. – Orwell Express Unleashed – 295.04 ft.
2. Jason Van De Weert, Ferrisburgh, Vt. – Renegade – 271.90 ft.
3. Jordan Bigelow, Hudson Falls, N.Y. – Run It Hot – 250.55 ft.
4. Gary Joy, Troy, N.Y. – Livin’ The Dream – 246.66 ft.
5. Greg Sebast, Salem, N.Y. – Got Smoke? – 242.42 ft.
6. Dierk Mehner, Troy, N.Y. – John Deere 4440 – 198.70
Altered Farm Tractor – 12,000 lbs.
1. Tim LaDuc, Orwell, Vt. – Orwell Express Unleashed – 311.57 ft.
2. Jason Van De Weert, Ferrisburgh, Vt. – Renegade – 292.99 ft.
3. Gary Joy, Troy, N.Y. – Livin’ The Dream – 274.41 ft.
4. Jordan Bigelow, Hudson Falls, N.Y. – Run It Hot – 269.54 ft.
5. Cody Sebast, Salem, N.Y. – Got Smoke? – 266.37 ft.
6. Dierk Mehner, Troy, N.Y. – John Deere 4440 – 224.45 ft.
Super Stock Truck #1 – 6,200 lbs.
1. Kevin Brooks, Brookline, Vt. – Ford F-250 – 293.96 ft.
2. Jacques Cassan, Manchester Center, Vt. – The Shocker – 287.87 ft.
3. Jason Rosick, Hudson Falls, N.Y. – Fatal Attraction – 278.76 ft.
4. Jonathan Zakarauskas, Massena, N.Y. – The Hulk – 272.26 ft.
5. Mike Gebo, Hartford, N.Y. – The Hooker – 263.30 ft.
6. Brian Brockway, Hudson Falls, N.Y. – Un4Given – 261.15 ft.
7. Ashley Boise, New Haven, Vt. – Wicked Green – 255.37
8. Leonard Moore, Fort Ann, N.Y. – GMC 100 – 235.76 ft.
9. Patrick Silver, Mooers Forks, N.Y. – Ma & Pa’s Headache – 184.42 ft.
10. Cherokee Manning, Fort Edward, N.Y. – Last Time – 111.79 ft.
11. Harry Ottens, Queensbury, N.Y. – Ottens Concrete – 24.61 ft.
12. Joe Perreault, Mooers Forks, N.Y. – Mad Dog – scratch
13. Patrick Saunder, Hartford, N.Y. – Wicked Addicted – scratch
14. Dale Rosick, Hudson Falls, N.Y. – Ford Ranger – scratch
Super Stock Truck #2 – 6,200 lbs.
1. Kelly Zakarauskas, Massena, N.Y. – The Hulk – 288.53 ft.
2. David Rosick, Hudson Falls, N.Y. – Fatal Attraction – 281.57 ft.
3. Kevin Brooks, Brookline, Vt. – Ford F-250 – 281.47 ft.
4. Jacques Cassan, Manchester Center, Vt. – The Shocker – 280.45 ft.
5. Joseph Rosick, Hudson Falls, N.Y. – Ford Ranger – 278.45 ft.
6. Leonard Moore, Fort Ann, N.Y. – GMC 100 – 271.85 ft.
7. Ashley Boise, New Haven, Vt. – Wicked Green – 261.51 ft.
8. Brian Brockway, Hudson Falls, N.Y. – Un4Given – 258.85 ft.
9. Mike Gebo, Hartford, N.Y. – The Hooker – 249.99 ft.
2.6 Pro Diesel #1 – 8,500 lbs.
1. Torrence Reed, Sheldon, Vt. – Firecracker – 325.18 ft.
2. Gary Corey, East Fairfield, Vt. – How Sweet It Is – 313.87 ft.
3. Andre Bordeleau, Bridport, Vt. – Dodge Ram – 296.16 ft.
2.6 Pro Diesel #2 – 8,500 lbs.
1. Torrence Reed, Sheldon, Vt. – Firecracker – 345.40 ft.
2. Gary Corey, East Fairfield, Vt. – How Sweet It Is – scratch
2.5 Diesel #1 – 8,500 lbs.
1. Josh Mullholland, Hampton, N.Y. – Smokin’ HD – 274.88 ft.
2. Rick Abare, Ticonderoga, N.Y. – Mad Max – 268.06 ft.
3. Ryan Hall, Bomoseen, Vt. – Misbehaving – scratch
2.5 Diesel #2 – 8,500 lbs.
1. Rick Abare, Ticonderoga, N.Y. – Mad Max – 294.93 ft.
(Photos by Barry Snelling/Devil’s Bowl Speedway)