Warren is sixth first-time winner in Limiteds
WEST HAVEN, Vt. – Bobby Hackel reignited his championship flame with a big win at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Sunday, July 21, taking the Community College of Vermont “Vince Quenneville Sr. Memorial” event. With double points on the line for the Mid-Season Championships, Hackel put himself back into title contention with a hard-fought win. Also visiting Victory Lane during the event were Anthony Warren, Chris Murray, P.J. Bleau, and Evan Roberts.
Hackel won the 38-lap Quenneville tribute for the Pepsi Sportsman Modified division after an incredible duel with Walter J. Hammond for the lead. Canaan, N.H.’s Hammond – a bad luck magnet recently – turned things around by bolting to the lead early and building a big advantage in the first two-thirds of the race. As Hammond ran away, Rensselaer, N.Y.’s Hackel whittled his way through traffic from 17th starting position to reach second place.
Two late crashes changed the race, though, and erased Hammond’s sizable lead. He was able to beat Hackel at the first restart, but then the pair began exchanging Sprint Car-style “slide jobs” in the corners, trading the lead twice per lap. With the vocal grandstand crowd cheering the action, Hackel cleared Hammond at lap 30. They had to face off again at the final restart two circuits later and Hackel prevailed, driving to his second win of the season.
Hackel, representing the fourth generation of his family to compete, skipped a party celebrating his parents’ 50th birthdays and his grandmother’s 75th birthday in order to race.
“I’m sorry I missed the party, but we’re a racing family and I think this trophy might help make up for it,” Hackel said in Victory Lane while accepting his award from Community College of Vermont President Joyce Judy.
Hammond’s runner-up showing was just his second top-10 result of the year, despite leading more than 50 laps during the season. Point leader Kenny Tremont Jr. – who started last on the 26-car field after failing to qualify for a handicapped position in his heat race – made big moves in every lane to drive his way into third place. Jimmy Ryan finished fourth with Cody Ochs scoring his first top-five of the year. Tanner Siemons drove from 22nd to sixth, ahead of Tim LaDuc, rookie Joey Roberts, Marty Kelly III, and Frank Hoard III.
The win helped Hackel vault from sixth to second in the championship standings. Unofficially, Tremont’s point lead grew to 47 markers (408-361), with Hoard (354), Siemons (341), and Ryan (321) in tow behind Hackel. Previous title contenders Adam Pierson and Justin Comes each had tough outings for the second week in a row, dropping to sixth and eighth in the standings, respectively.
Shoreham, Vt.’s Anthony Warren became the O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman division’s sixth first-time winner of 2019. Using the outside lane with a flashy, hard-charging style that has become his signature, Warren’s power move around leader Adam Piper came with two laps left in the scheduled 20-lap distance.
A last-minute caution re-racked the field for a green-white-checkered finish, but Warren drove off into the sunset. Piper settled for second with point leader James Hanson third. Austin Comes scored his first top-five in fourth place and Johnny Bruno was fifth. Hanson’s lead, unofficially, is now 19 points over Piper, 416-397.
Chris Murray finally had some good news come his way in the Super Stock division, winning the 25-lap feature and getting his season back on track. The Fair Haven, Vt., driver sustained suspension and body damage to his car in a multi-car wreck early in the race, but he soldiered on and took the lead from Mark Norris nine laps into the race. He able to stay in front from there on, picking up his second win of the year.
Garrett Given was the runner-up with Norris a career-best third and point leader Scott FitzGerald fourth. Curtis Condon crossed the finish line fifth but was disqualified in post-race inspection for an unapproved flywheel; that moved Matt Mosher up to fifth place. FitzGerald now has a massive 77-point edge, leading his son, Andrew.
P.J. Bleau is still making the most of his part-time campaign in the Mini Stock division, winning for the third time in just four appearances at Devil’s Bowl. The Latham, N.Y., runner dominated the 15-lap race before holding off the field in three attempts at a green-white-checkered finish.
Rookie David Sartwell-Cornell had a strong runner-up effort, and Shawn Moquin took third. Craig Kirby was fourth, and Jake Barrows came back from a flat tire to finish fifth. Moquin has a 17-point lead on Barrows.
The kids ruled the roost in the Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprints, and 13-year-old Evan Roberts of Fletcher, Vt., grabbed his fourth win in a photo finish. Roberts started 11th on the field and picked his way through traffic in the non-stop, 15-lap race, finally reaching leader Kamden Duffy with two laps to go. Duffy, who is just 11, engaged Roberts in a back-and-forth battle for the win, and Roberts beat Duffy to the line by less than a car length.
Cody O’Brien, Joel Belanger, and twin brothers Shawn and John McPhee were next in line. Rookie Jack Koponen, 49, was the first driver over the age of 14 across the finish line in seventh. Previous point leader Samantha Mulready struggled, allowing Roberts to take over the top spot; he leads Shawn McPhee by 17 points.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway is back in action on Sunday, July 28 at 7:00 p.m., as Carrara Masonry & Concrete presents the C.J. Richards Memorial 100 for the Sportsman Modifieds. Special event general admission is $15 for adults, $13 for seniors (62+), and free for kids 12 and under.
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 Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat at @DevilsBowlSpeed; follow the action using the #DevilsBowl hashtag.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – Community College of Vermont Mid-Season Championships
Devil’s Bowl Speedway – West Haven, Vt.
Sunday, July 21, 2019
Pepsi Sportsman Modified Feature – Vince Quenneville Sr. Memorial (38 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (17) Bobby Hackel, Rensselaer, N.Y.
2. (1) Walter J. Hammond, Canaan, N.H.
3. (26) Kenny Tremont Jr., West Sand Lake, N.Y.
4. (8) Jimmy Ryan, Shoreham, Vt.
5. (5) Cody Ochs, East Greenbush, N.Y.
6. (22) Tanner Siemons, Orford, N.H.
7. (20) Tim LaDuc, Orwell, Vt.
8. (25) # Joey Roberts, Fletcher, Vt.
9. (23) Marty Kelly III, North Bennington, Vt.
10. (24) Frank Hoard III, Manchester Center, Vt.
11. (4) Wayne Stearns, Bradford, Vt.
12. (14) Allan Hammond, Orange, N.H.
13. (12) Mike Palmer, Salisbury, Vt.
14. (3) Brian Whittemore, Pittsford, Vt.
15. (6) # Brent Warren, Salisbury, Vt.
16. (13) Bruce Loomis, Queensbury, N.Y.
17. (15) Alex Bell, Cambridge, N.Y.
18. (16) Adam Pierson, East Corinth, Vt.
19. (21) Billy Lussier, Fair Haven, Vt.
20. (2) Walt Hammond Jr., Canaan, N.H.
21. (7) Mike Fisher, Castleton, Vt.
22. (10) Vince Quenneville, Brandon, Vt.
23. (9) Justin Comes, Middlebury, Vt.
24. (11) Jeff Washburn, Benson, Vt.
25. (18) # Michael Wagner-Fitzgerald, Gansevoort, N.Y.
26. (19) Joey Scarborough, Brandon, Vt.
Heat Winners: Walter J. Hammond, Cody Ochs, Brent Warren
Shiley Fabrication Hard Charger Award: Kenny Tremont Jr. (+23 positions)
Shiley Fabrication Hard Luck Award: Vince Quenneville
AMSOIL Award: Bobby Hackel
O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman Feature (20 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
1. (7) Anthony Warren, Shoreham, Vt.
2. (3) Adam Piper, Leicester, Vt.
3. (8) James Hanson, Orwell, Vt.
4. (1) Austin Comes, Middlebury, Vt.
5. (11) Johnny Bruno, Castleton, Vt.
6. (6) Dave Snow, Brandon, Vt.
7. (5) David Boisclair, Watervliet, N.Y.
8. (16) Mike Ryan, Chelsea, Vt.
9. (4) Matt Bilodeau, Brandon, Vt.
10. (14) Austin Chaves, Chester, Vt.
11. (10) Larry Gallipo, West Rutland, Vt.
12. (15) Shawn Phelps, Richmond, Vt.
13. (2) Mike McGinn, Elizabethtown, N.Y.
14. (12) Anthony Ryan, Benson, Vt.
15. (13) Bobby Schmidt, Gansevoort, N.Y.
16. (9) Marty Hutchins, Poultney, Vt.
Heat Winners: Austin Comes, Adam Piper
Shiley Fabrication Hard Charger Award: Mike Ryan (+8 positions)
Shiley Fabrication Hard Luck Award: Marty Hutchins
Super Stock Feature (20 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (11) Chris Murray, Fair Haven, Vt.
2. (13) Garrett Given, Orwell, Vt.
3. (2) # Mark Norris, Benson, Vt.
4. (10) Scott FitzGerald, West Rutland, Vt.
5. (6) Matt Mosher, Queensbury, N.Y.
6. (3) # Cam Gadue, Highgate, Vt.
7. (14) Trevor Hurlburt, Bomoseen, Vt.
8. (5) # Kaleb Shepard, Vergennes, Vt.
9. (7) Bill Duprey, Hydeville, Vt.
10. (4) Ronnie Alger, Orwell, Vt.
11. (1) # Roo Forrest, West Rutland, Vt.
12. (9) Andrew FitzGerald, West Rutland, Vt.
13. (8) Josh Bussino, Belmont, Vt.
Disqualified: (12) Curtis Condon, Queensbury, N.Y. (flywheel)
Heat Winners: None
Mini Stock Feature (15 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (15) P.J. Bleau, Latham, N.Y.
2. (3) # David Sartwell-Cornell, Highgate Springs, Vt.
3. (10) Shawn Moquin, Milton, Vt.
4. (8) Craig Kirby, Winooski, Vt.
5. (9) Jake Barrows, Middlebury, Vt.
6. (6) Tim Simonds, Clarendon, Vt.
7. (4) # Scott Cowdrey, Leicester, Vt.
8. (2) # Mary Gardner, Granville, N.Y.
9. (14) Joe Malzac, East Middlebury, Vt.
10. (5) Willie Rice, Poultney, Vt.
11. (1) # Kendra Walden, Poultney, Vt.
12. (7) # T.J. Knight, Fair Haven, Vt.
13. (17) Dakota Desabrais, Whitehall, N.Y.
14. (16) # Katrina Bean, Benson, Vt.
15. (13) # Cody Groesbeck, Fair Haven, Vt.
16. (12) Shawn Rogers, Fair Haven, Vt.
17. (11) Adam Stickle, Schuyler Falls, N.Y.
Did Not Start: Kevin Withington, West Rutland, Vt.
Heat Winners: Shawn Moquin, Jake Barrows
Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprint Feature (15 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (11) # Evan Roberts, Fletcher, Vt.
2. (2) # Kamden Duffy, Richmond, N.H.
3. (6) Cody O’Brien, Springfield, Vt.
4. (5) Joel Belanger, Washington, N.H.
5. (9) Shawn McPhee, Rutland, Vt.
6. (8) John McPhee Jr., Rutland, Vt.
7. (3) # Jack Koponen, Mount Holly, Vt.
8. (1) # Eric Wade, Rutland, Vt.
9. (4) Kevin Smith, Brandon, Vt.
10. (7) Dakota Green, Cambridge, N.Y.
11. (10) Samantha Mulready, Cambridge, N.Y.
12. (13) # Alyza McKeighan, Brandon, Vt.
13. (12) Gordon Sheehan, West Rutland, Vt.
14. (14) # Mia Koponen, Ludlow, Vt.
Heat Winners: Shawn McPhee, Evan Roberts
(Photos by Bill McGaffin)