June 22, 2003

Scarborough dominates feature

WEST HAVEN, VT. – Don Scarborough loves nights like this.

Starting from the front row, Scarborough led from flag-to-flag Sunday night to record his first victory of the season in the 30-lap 358 modified feature at Devil’s Bowl Speedway as the Vermont track held its annual Summer Sendoff.

Scarborough became the third different winner in four weeks of racing at the Bowl, joining Dave Camara and Ray Hoard on the 358 modified winner list. Although Scarborough had been riding a roller-coaster at the Bowl for the last couple of years, having as many downs as he’s had ups, there was no question about his domination Sunday night. He was flying from the start, turning the fastest lap of the night on lap four of the feature, which was slowed by just one caution flag.

When the checkered flag fell, Scarborough had a comfortable 1.132 second margin of victory over Tim Laduc, who had his best ride of the season in the Sput Shaw-owned 57. Scarborough’s only scare of the night came late in the race, when he rear-ended the 10 of Don Mattison, who was about to go a lap down. But Scarborough quickly corrected, and came away with the victory, even though Laduc hung on his rear bumper for much of the race.

The best racing of the night was taking place farther back in the pack, where Vince Quenneville Jr., Ken Tremont Jr. and Camara were coming through the pack together after starting 13th, 14th and 15th. Tremont won that little skirmish, taking sixth place at the finish, with Quenneville and Camara separated by just inches for seventh.

Following Scarborough and Laduc across the finish line were Gene Munger, Hoard and Ron Proctor, who had his best finish of the season. Completing the top 10 were Tremont, Quenneville, Camara, Jim Ryan and Mike Perrotte. Because of the lack of cautions, Tremont, Quenneville and Camara each finished out of the top five for the first time this season, even though they were just as fast as the leaders.

Lori Cary held off Mike Haines to pick up her first victory of the season in the 20-lap pro-street stock feature. Cary has been very impressive this season behind the wheel of the Fred Little-owned machine, which is powered by one of the CVRA Chevy spec engines. She now has wins at both Devil’s Bowl and Albany-Saratoga Speedway.

Cary finished just 0.047 seconds ahead of Haines, who was looking for his second straight win. Carl Vladyka broke out of his two-week slump to finish third, with Jeff Washburn fourth and Cale Kneer fifth.

The hobby stocks put on another whale of a show, with Billy Lussier outrunning Pat Cram to notch his first win of the 2003 campaign. Lussier just couldn’t shake Cram, who was also bidding for his second straight victory. When the checkered flag fell, Lussier was 0.336 seconds ahead of Cram, with Mike Tholin, who had been waiting for a mistake by the leaders, sitting third. Tim Shaw finished fourth, with Don Daniels fifth.

Keith Wright dominated the cruiser feature, easily picking up his first win of the season.

The Central New York Mini-Sprints will be making their only appearance of the season at Devil’s Bowl on Sunday night, adding another action-packed division of racing to the Devil’s Bowl schedule. Racing will begin at 7 p.m.

MODIFIEDS: DON SCARBOROUGH, Tim Laduc, Gene Munger, Ray Hoard, Ron Proctor, Ken Tremont Jr., Vince Quenneville Jr., Dave Camara, Jim Ryan, Mike Perrotte, Randy Howe, Craig Hanson, Frank Hoard Sr., Don Mattison, Brian Whittemore, Stan Lemiesz, Chad Miller, Neal Erickson, Tom Proctor, Terry Hayes, Chris Vernold, Lance Harting, Bull Bushee.

PRO-STREET STOCKS: LORI CARY Mike Haines, Carl Vladyka, Jeff Washburn, Cale Kneer, Robert Langevin, Ed Thompson, Jamie Proctor, Jay Fitzgerald, Randy Brownell, Denny Martin, Steve Williams.

HOBBY STOCKS: BILLY LUSSIER, Pat Cram, Mike Tholin, Tim Shaw, Don Daniels, Shannon Donnelly, Joey Trudeau, Bill Burlingame, Tim Whitney, Tony Condon, Donny Williams, Russ Farr, John Quintana, Nathan Chaves, Keith Norton, Bob Smith, Robert Ross, Scott Fowler, Bill Martindale.

CRUISERS: KEITH WRIGHT, Scott Brace, John Sullivan, Dwight Cram, Harold Clothier, Jason Bishop, Mike Clark.