Camara returns to victory lane at Devil’s Bowl after 14 years away

WEST HAVEN, Vt.— Poultney, Vt.’s Dave Camara, a Vermont racing icon from the 1990’s and 2000’s began 2024 under the radar, with little talk of what – if any – his racing plans would be, until just before Devil’s Bowl’s 58th season opener, when it was announced Camara would come back to race in West Haven all year.

And Camara fired off well, jumping into the points lead early, holding it for nearly the entire first half of the 2024 season, running in the top-five and grabbing numerous Elmo’s Pit Stop Hard Charger awards.

But the Mid-Season Championships didn’t go his way, and his lead was lost. Bringing him to Hometown Heroes Night this past Saturday, July 13.

Camara finished 2nd in his heat race and started 4th in the 30-lap feature. It only took Camara six laps to seize the lead from Brian Whittemore, and from there he went unchallenged, collecting his first win in 14 years at Devil’s Bowl after some time away from racing.

Tanner Siemons and Tim LaDuc joined Camara on the podium. Joey Scarborough was 4th and Whittemore finished 5th. LaDuc was the Elmo’s Pit Stop Hard Charger, racing from 14th to 3rd.

Camara wasn’t the only driver to break the mold of winners this past weekend. Mike Clark, Jr., won his first O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited feature on Saturday night, after moving up from the novice class for 2024. Clark passed Hartland, Vt.’s Tyler Travis with a few laps to go to claim the victory. Travis finished as the runner-up with Eric Shaw claiming 3rd. Kamden Duffy continued turning his season around with a 4th place run. Gary English was 5th. Duprey made the Amsoil/Clean Engine Hard Charger by going from 16th to 6th.

Race fans couldn’t lose with the Hoosier Racing Tire Novice Sportsman Feature, as underdog favorite Russ Farr and young Raelin Dunham squared off to see which driver would win their first open-wheel “big car” feature. Dunham started on the pole but Farr took the lead on lap two, pacing the field for the vast majority of the race. Dunham never let him get too far ahead, keeping him in her sights the entire race. She passed him with two laps to go to score her first win in a sportsman modified-type car. Dunham was a winner in the mini sprint ranks before moving up to the novice class at the end of 2023.

Speaking of those mini sprints, Orford, N.H.’s Chris Pierce made his first appearance in Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s victory lane in the Friend Construction sponsored division, breaking the streak of Ray Hanson, Quinn Quenneville and  Gage Provencher’s domination. Pierce started on the outside of the front row with Tommy Kasuba to his inside. Pierce dominated, and would not allow 2nd place finisher Hanson to pass him, taking his first win. John Smith ran well in 3rd, charging from the back. Kasuba was 4th and Provencher was 5th.

The Fisher Auto Parts Mini Stocks initially saw Jason Porter take the checkered flag and enjoy the spoils of victory. Porter was a big-time winner in the class in 2018 and 2019, but took some time away from Devil’s Bowl, only recently returning for enduro events. Saturday was his first mini-stock feature in some time. Ron Alger was 2nd, netting his best result of the year. Griff Mahoney was 3rd after a midweek engine change and Chase Allen followed up his back-to-back wins with a 4th place effort. Jarrod Colburn’s hot streak continued with a 5th.

The enduro was won by Tim LaDuc. Starring dead last, LaDuc surged through the field, topping the usual suspects of Devil’s Bowl Enduro juggernauts

 like Andrew Lopes, the Wanners, Brent Wilbur, and Porter. Airborne Park Speedway Renegade driver Richie Turner was 2nd with Wilbur 3rd.

Racing returns to Devil’s Bowl Speedway Saturday, Jul 20 for Legends Night, featuring all regular divisions, plus the 9th State Cannabis Crown Vics and the Mohawk Valley Vintage Dirt Modified Series! It is also the return of the Vince Quenneville, Sr. Memorial race, a 38-lap, $2,00-to-win Sunoco Sportsman Modified Feature! General admission is $15, kids 12 and under are always FREE! Infield tailgating is $20. Pit prices are $28 for members and $38 for non-members. Dry camping is FREE! Racing starts at 7PM.

Official Results – Rutland Regional Medical Center Hometown Heroes Night

Sunoco Sportsman Modified Feature (30 laps)

Pos. (start) driver, hometown

  1. (4) Dave Camara, Poultney, Vt.
  2. (10) Tanner Siemons, Claremont, N.H.
  3. (14) Tim LaDuc, Orwell, Vt.
  4. (8) Joey Scarborough, Brandon, Vt.
  5. (1) Brian Whittemore, Pittsford, Vt.
  6. (3) Jimmy Ryan, Whiting, Vt.
  7. (5) James Hanson, Orwell, Vt.
  8. (7) Adam Piper, Leicester, Vt.
  9. (16) Vince Quenneville, Jr., Brandon, Vt.
  10. (12) Frankie Hoard, III., Manchester, Vt.
  11. (6) Randy Ryan, Orwell, Vt.
  12. (21) Johnny Bruno, West Haven, Vt.
  13. (15) Troy Audet, Bridport, Vt.
  14. (9) Billy Lussier, Fair Haven, Vt.
  15. (18) Bubba McPhee, Rutland, Vt.
  16. (20) Bruce Loomis, Salem, N.Y.
  17. (19) Josh Leclaire, Bomoseen, Vt.
  18. (22) Travis Green, Wallkill, N.Y.
  19. (25) Justin Comes, Fair Haven, Vt.
  20. (24) Brent Warren, Salisbury, Vt.
  21. (26) Kevin Chaffee, Bradford, Vt.
  22. (2) AJ Munger, Benson, Vt.
  23. (23) Pat Miner, Monkton, Vt.
  24. (11) Anthony Warren, Shoreham, Vt.
  25. (13) Marty Kelly, III, North Bennington, Vt.
  26. (17) Josh Masterson, Bristol, Vt.

O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman Feature (25 laps)

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

Hoosier Racing Tire Novice Sportsman Feature (20 laps)

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

Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprint Feature (15 laps)

  1. (2) Chris Pierce, Orford, N.H.
  2. (7) Ray Hanson, Orwell, Vt.
  3. (5) John Smith, Poultney, Vt.
  4. (1) Tommy Kasuba, Castleton, Vt.
  5. (9) Gage Provencher, Bridport, Vt.
  6. (4) Chris Lennox, Eagle Bridge, N.Y.
  7. (13) Jenna Zakrzewski, Schuylerville, N.Y.
  8. (10) Quinn Quenneville, Brandon, Vt.
  9. (11) Destin St. Clair, Peru, N.Y.
  10. (3) Kevin Smith, Brandon, Vt.
  11. (8) Vern Woodard, Fair Haven, Vt.
  12. (6) Alex Reed, Proctor, Vt.
  13. (12) Tucker Jones, Fort Plain, N.Y.

Did not start: Ashleigh Kulzer

Fisher Auto Parts Mini Stock Feature (15 laps)

  1. (21) Jason Porter, Freeport, M.E.
  2.   (5) Ronnie Alger, Orwell, Vt.
  3. (15) Griff Mahoney
  4. (18) Chase Allen, Fair Haven, Vt.
  5. (16) Jarrod Colburn, Rutland, Vt.
  6. (17) Chris Charbonneau, Rutland, Vt.
  7. (8) Ryan Patch, Rutland, Vt.
  8. (7) Jeremy Brownell, Greenwich, N.Y.
  9. (4) Cody Vanguilder, Rutland, Vt.
  10. (19) Quinton Bishop, Whiting, Vt.
  11. (6) Damian Olden, Rutland, Vt.
  12. (2) Richard Fleury, Poultney, Vt.
  13. (11) Jakobee Alger, Orwell, Vt.
  14. (1) Chris Hewitt, Pittsford, Vt.
  15. (3) Luke Marcheski, Quincy, M.A.
  16. (10) Adam Mahoney, Whitehall, N.Y.
  17. (13) Brian Blake, Cornwall, Vt.
  18. (12) Mark Mahaney, Brandon, Vt.
  19. (14) Dawson Thompson, Hoosick Falls, N.Y.
  20. (20) Willie Rice, Poultney, Vt.

Did not start: Chris Sumner

Fisher Auto Parts Mini Stock B Feature (6 laps)

  1. (8) Eric Messier, Hinesburg, Vt.
  2. (2) Adam Stewart, Benson, Vt.
  3. (3) Mike Bussino, Mt. Holly, Vt.
  4. (4) James Murray, Proctor, Vt.
  5. (1) Jake Mallory, Granville, N.Y.
  6. (5) Carl LaPoint, Wells, Vt.
  7. (6) Mary Gardner, Granville, N.Y.
  8. (7) Cody Dion, Rutland, Vt.

               Did not start: Tom Severance

Enduro (50 laps)

  1. #54 Tim LaDuc
  2. #17 Richie Turner
  3. #00B Brent Wilbur
  4. #231 Jay Lanza
  5. #80x Ian Sweeney
  6. #94T Cody Vermilyea
  7. #71 Jacob Laroque
  8. #11 Andy Botala
  9. #00 Corey Oulette
  10. #13 Jason Porter
  11. #88x Eric Messier
  12. #11x Dakota Sweet
  13. #319 Jeritt Patch
  14. #24 Colby Delage
  15. #45J Jeremiah Colomb
  16. #33x Andrew Lopes
  17. #331 George Wanner
  18. #14 Caleb Sprague
  19. #179 Jeremy Brownell, Jr.
  20. #18 Bob Bathalon
  21. #13x Tim Dunster
  22. #73 Chuck Wanner
  23. #827 Bruce Poirier
  24. #88J Justin Cyr
  25. #MPW Ryan Custonguay
  26. #30x Dan Desforges

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