PHOTO: Todd Stone of Middlebury, VT took his second Devil’s Bowl Speedway victory of the season on June 14 and leads the Bond Auto Parts Modified championship standings. (Alan Ward photo)
Stone, Bates riding momentum as summer stretch heats up
WEST HAVEN, VT – A pair of stock car drivers from Middlebury, VT have been bringing trophies home by the truckload at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. With just three race events completed in 2013, veteran Todd Stone and 17 year-old Hunter Bates each have two NASCAR Whelen All-American Series victories apiece and find themselves riding a wave of momentum entering the Carrara Masonry & Concrete “Hometown Heroes” event on Friday, June 21 at 7:00pm.
Stone and Bates split a pair of 25-lap features in the Bond Auto Parts Modified division on Carmody Ford Night on June 14. Stone also opened the season by parking his familiar G. Stone Motors-sponsored No. 1X car in victory lane at the 101.5 “The Fox” Spring Green on May 5.
Bates, who graduated from Middlebury Union High School on June 8, double-dips in both the Modified and Late Model divisions at Devil’s Bowl in cars sponsored by Heritage Family Credit Union. In addition to his Modified score on Carmody Ford Night, Bates also won the Late Model feature on May 31 in a photo finish. Stone and Bates have each also scored in the bonus-points Sunoco Race Fuels Semi-Feature in the Modified division this season.
Stone leads defending champion Ron Proctor of Charlton, NY in both the Devil’s Bowl Speedway championship and in NASCAR’s Vermont State standings. Vince Quenneville, Jr., of Brandon, VT and Bates sit third and fourth, respectively, in both chases; Jessey Mueller of Olmstedville, NY is fifth in Devil’s Bowl track standings, with Scotia, NY’s Joe Williams fifth in NASCAR points.
The Carrara Masonry & Concrete “Hometown Heroes” event welcomes all military and veterans, and all police, fire, and rescue workers to enjoy the races free of charge on Friday, June 21. The event will feature “Twin 25s” for the Bond Auto Parts Modifieds and championship races for the Late Model, Renegade, and Central Vermont Motorcycles Mini Stock divisions. Chris Bergeron of Claremont, NH leads the Late Model point standings, with Richie Turner of Fairfax, VT pacing the Renegades and two-time winner Bobby LaVair of Gabriels, NY on top in the Mini Stocks.
Regular general admission on Friday, June 21 is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, and free for children 12 and under, with racing action scheduled for 7:00pm.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, VT, four miles north of Exit 2 on U.S. Route 4. 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 at @DevilsBowlSpeed.
PHOTO: Hunter Bates (#9) of Middlebury, VT already has victories in both the Bond Auto Parts Modified and Late Model divisions at Devil’s Bowl Speedway this season. (MemorEvents photo)