Bublak Makes Small-Block Score, Towslee Defies Odds

WEST HAVEN, VT.— Robert Bublak won Saturday’s 358 Modified Special at Devil’s Bowl over Matt Woodruff and Mike Mahaney, leading all 30 laps and kicking off a huge weekend of racing at New England’s Fastest Dirt Track.

Bublak was one of 12 358 Modifieds to sign in for competition Saturday, May 25 at Devil’s Bowl. He went from 3^rd to 2^nd in his heat race and redrew the pole position for the feature, splitting the front row with Bloomingdale, N.Y.’s Matt Woodruff. While they raced out front, heat winners Matt Delorenzo and Mike Mahaney were busy coming from the third row on the fast track, hustling to get around Troy Audet and Joey Scarborough, two drivers with a wealth of experience around the half-mile.

In the end, Bublak went untouched, bringing home the victory, his first with the 358 power under the hood since moving up from sportsman in the last few seasons. Woodruff, an Airborne Park regular this season, was 2^nd with Mahaney, Delorenzo and Troy Audet rounding out the top-five.

Saturday also included a full program for the Hoosier Racing Tire Novice Sportsman and the 9^th State Cannabis Crown Vics. Nick Austin-Neil doubled up in the Novice class, winning his second main in as many weeks. Logan Denis was 2^nd with Matt Wade 3^rd, Russ Farr 4^th and Bobbi Hults running 5^th.

Rob Steele also went for two, earning his second-straight victory, this time over Eric Friend, Bradford Cram, Elisabeth Dupont and Scott Cram. The mechanics’ race was won by Autumn Morill in Dupont’s car.

Austin McKirryher won Saturday’s Fisher Auto Parts Mini Stock B Main, earning himself a transfer into Sunday’s A. Anthony Johnson and Richard Fleury stood with him on the podium.

On Sunday, Jarrod Colburn won the A-main for the Fisher Auto Parts Mini Stocks. Jakobee Alger crossed the line 1^st, but was disqualified for a technical infraction in post-race tech. Colburn passed 11 cars en route to victory lane. Brian Blake went 15^th to 2^nd and Chase Allen also had a day, driving from 11^th to 3^rd. Chris Charbonneau and Adam Mahoney completed the top-five. Rusty Bishop won the mechanic’s race aboard Quinton Bishop’s No. 22.

The Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprints ran their two final segments on Sunday, after Ray Hanson won the first segment Saturday. Hanson was coming off a win in the previous week’s two-segment feature, but was unable to start Sunday’s final segment. Quinn Quenneville was the overall winner. Chris Lennox kept up his success with a 2^nd place run over Vern Woodard, Gage Provencher and Brandon Emerson.

Sunday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman Feature got off to a rocky start. Manchester’s Scott Towslee spun on the opening circuit from his 10^th starting position and roared into the pits for a check-up by his crew. Upon his return to the track, Towslee saddled up and rode the top lane from 21^st, to win, needing only 18 laps to secure the lead, taking it from Steve Miller with 11 laps remaining and taking the $500 prize.

Devil’s Bowl Speedway is back in action on Satuday, June 1, at 6PM with the return of the inside track! The Granite State 600cc Mini Sprints will be in town, taking on Devil’s Bowl’s little inside track, which is being officially resurrected for the first time since 2017, with the exception of a wild and wet endure at the end of 2022. The Granite State Mini Sprints will be joined by the Fisher Auto Parts Mini Stocks and Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprints on the little track. The Sunoco Sportsman Modifieds, O’Reilly Auto Parts Limiteds and Hoosier Racing Tire Novice Sportsman will stay on the big track.

Grandstand general admission is $15 for adults and free for children aged 12 and under. Pit area passes are $28 for members and $38 for non-members.

Devil’s Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, Vt., four miles north of U.S. Route 4, Exit 2, 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 Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat at @DevilsBowlSpeed; follow the action using the #DevilsBowl hashtag.

OFFICIAL RESULTS

358 Modified Feature (30 laps)

Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown

(1) Robert Bublak, Ballston Spa, N.Y.
(2) Matt Woodruff, Bloomingdale, N.Y.
(5) Mike Mahaney, Elizabethtown, N.Y.
(6) Matt Delorenzo, Cropseyville, N.Y.
(3) Troy Audet, Bridport, Vt.
(4) Joey Scarborough, Brandon, Vt.
(7) Tanner Siemons, Orford, N.H.
(12) Walter Hammond, Jr., Canaan, N.H.
(10) George Foley, Saranac Lake, N.Y.
(9) Wayne Stearns, Bradford, Vt.
(11) Jim Introne, Jr., Hartford, N.Y.
(8) Jeff Reis, Bennington, Vt.

O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman Feature (30 laps)

Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown

(10) Scott Towslee, Machester, Vt.
(2) Steve Miller, Vergennes, Vt.
(1) John Gosselin, Shoreham, Vt.
(11) Gary English, Jr., Salisbury, Vt.
(7) Bill Durpey, Hydeville, Vt.
(8) Alex Layn, New Haven, Vt.
(12) Jason Quenneville, Queechee, Vt.
(4) Marty Hutchins, Poultney, Vt.
(3) Kamden Duffy, Richmond, N.H.
(9) Mike Clark, Jr., Salisbury, Vt.
(15) Steve Pope, Shoreham, Vt.
(14) Tyler Travis, Hartland, Vt.
(16) Bob Kilburn, Fair Haven, Vt.
(6) Cody O’Brien, Springfield, Vt.
(18) Ed Bell, Queensbury, N.Y.
(5) William Lussier, Jr., Fair Haven, Vt.
(20) Adam Lafountain, Starksboro, Vt.
(17) Boomer Patterson, Milton, Vt.
(21) Derrick Counter, Leicester, Vt.
(13) Don Williams, Ripton, Vt.
(19) Eric Shaw, Fair Haven, Vt.

Did not start: Kyle Kerr

Novice Sportsman Feature (20 laps)

Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown

(7) Nick Austin-Neil, Salisbury, Vt.
(12) Logan Denis, Whiting, Vt.
(6) Matt Wade, Fair Haven, Vt.
(3) Russ Farr, Middle Granville, N.Y.
(5) Bobbi Hults, Castleton, Vt.
(4) Josh Bussino, Fair Haven, Vt.
(10) Aiden Benoure, Salisbury, Vt.
(9) Raelin Dunham, Queensbury, N.Y.
(8) Matt Cram, Leicester, Vt.
(2) Jason Kerr, Shoreham, Vt.
(1) Randy Edson, Orwell, Vt.
(13) Allen Hewitt, Rutland, Vt.
(11) Winston Forbes, Brandon, Vt.

Fisher Auto Parts Mini Stock Feature (20 laps)

Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown

(12) Jarrod Colburn, Rutland, Vt.
(15) Brian Blake, Cornwall, Vt.
(11) Chase Allen, Fair Haven, Vt.
(8) Chris Charbonneau, Rutland, Vt.
(3) Adam Mahoney, Whitehall, N.Y.
(10) Mark Mahoney, Brandon, Vt.
(16) Craig Kirby, St, Albans, vt.
(14) Ryan Patch, Rutland, Vt.
(13) Ron Alger, Orwell, Vt.
(17) Griff Mahoney, Benson, Vt.
(19) Jeremy Brownell, Greenwich, N.Y.
(6) Damian Olden, Rutland, Vt.
(21) Austin McKirryher, Proctor, Vt.
(7) Adam Stewart, Benson, Vt.
(5) Nick Melotti, Mendon, Vt.
(9) Robert Steves, Castleton, Vt.
(1) Chris Hewitt, Pittsford, Vt.
(20) Tim Robinson, Center Rutland, Vt.
(14) Luke Marchesky, Quincy, M.A.
(18) Chris Sumner, East Middlebury, Vt.

Did not start: Nick Stark

Disqualified: Jakobee Alger

Fisher Auto Parts Mini Stock B-Feature

Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown

(3) Austin McKirryher
(2) Anthony Johnson Sangdgate, Vt.
(6) Richard Fleury, Poultney, Vt.
(4) Cody Vanguilder, Rutland, Vt.
(5) Quinton Bishop, Whiting, Vt.
(1) Jake Mallory, Granville, N.Y.

Did not start: Carl Lapoint

Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprint Overall

Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown

Quinn Quenneville, Brandon, Vt.
Chris Lenox, Eagle Bridge, N.Y.
Vern Woodard, Fair Haven, Vt.
Gage Provencher, Bridport, Vt.
Brandon Emerson, Williamstown, Vt.
Kevin Smith, Brandon, Vt.
Chris Pierce, Orford, N.H.
Tucker Jones, Fort Plain, N.Y.
Destin St. Clair, Peru, N.Y.
Ray Hanson, Orwell, Vt.
Tommy Kasuba, Castleton, Vt.
Jenna Zakrewski, Schuylerville, N.Y.
Ashleigh Kulzer, Johnstown, N.Y.
Alex Reed, Proctor, Vt.
John Smith, Poultney, Vt.
John Carleton, Chittenden, Vt.

9^th State Cannabis Crown Vic Feature (15 laps)

Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown

(3) Rob Steele, Bomoseen, Vt.
(7) Eric Friend, Bristol, Vt.
(8) Bradford Cram, Rutland, Vt.
(1) Elisabeth Dupont, Monkton, Vt.
(6) Scott Cram, Rutland, Vt.
(2) Norm Morrill, North Ferrisburgh, Vt.
(9) Matt Decker, Castleton, Vt.
(5) Helen Steele, Bomoseen, Vt.
(4) Albert Laplante, Milton, Vt.