Murray hits double digits in Super Stocks
WEST HAVEN, Vt. – Joey Scarborough did it again at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. The second-generation Brandon, Vt., driver dominated Casella Waste Systems Night to take his fourth victory of the season in the 50-lap Leon Gonyo Memorial race. Other winners included Joey Roberts, Chris Murray, Shawn Moquin, Shawn McPhee, and Mary Gardner, in the final event before the blockbuster Interstate All Battery Center Vermont 200 Weekend.
A crisp late summer night threw a curveball into Scarborough’s chassis setup plans, and he struggled through practice, qualifying, and hot laps in the Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modified division of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. Admitting that the setup his team threw at the car for the feature race was a total guess, Scarborough was surprised – and relieved – that it worked.
Veteran racer Ron Proctor held the lead for the first 18 circuits before Scarborough took over and drove away from the field. A huge lead was erased by a caution flag, and the ensuing restart brought Tim LaDuc to Scarborough’s rear bumper. Scarborough survived LaDuc’s challenge, and then outran a charging Adam Pierson in the final 10 laps for the victory.
Pierson and LaDuc completed the podium positions, followed by Jimmy Ryan and Justin Comes. Point leader Kenny Tremont Jr. finished sixth in front of John St. Germain Jr., Vince Quenneville Jr., Proctor, and Billy Lussier. Unofficially, Scarborough trails Tremont by 36 points, 701-665, entering the Interstate All Battery Center Vermont 200 Weekend on September 15-16.
Joey Roberts of Fletcher, Vt., notched his fifth win of the season in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman division. Though it was scheduled to be a 20-lap sprint race, it turned out to be a marathon as several wrecks and spins slowed the pace including a big pileup on the opening lap which destroyed the cars of Mike Ryan and James Hanson. When the smoke cleared, Roberts had the best car and ran away for the win.
Travis Billington finished second with teammate Mike Parodi third. Jesse Edwards finished fourth in just his second Devil’s Bowl start, and point leader Brent Warren raced home fifth. Unofficially, Warren has a narrow 15-point lead on Billington, 845-830, with Roberts third just 21 points behind and Paolo Pascarella only 26 back.
Fair Haven, Vt., driver Chris Murray hit double digit victories in the Super Stocks, winning for the 10th time in 2018. Murray wasn’t a runaway winner, though, with Josh Bussino and Scott FitzGerald hot on his heels the whole way. FitzGerald ended up second with Bussino third, Garrett Given fourth, and Andrew FitzGerald fifth. Murray’s unofficial 81-point lead on Scott FitzGerald (866-785) is nearly unbeatable entering the final two races.
Shawn Moquin of Milton, Vt., was a first-time winner in the 15-lap race for the Portland Glass Mini Stock division. Moquin needed just one lap to drive from sixth starting position into the lead, and he would never relinquish command; Mike Preston reeled Moquin in but could not mount a challenge. Johnny Bruno was third ahead of Craig Kirby and Jake Barrows. Kaleb Shepard has a big 74-point lead on Moquin, 800-726, unofficially.
The 15-lap race for the Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprints ended with a surprise as leader Austin Chaves’ car quit on him three laps from the finish. Chaves’ lead at the time was nearly half of a lap – so big that the next drivers in line could not see his car and, simply, forgot about him. When Chaves coasted into the pits, that left twin 13 year-old brothers Shawn and John McPhee of Rutland, Vt., to duke it out with Kevin Smith. Shawn McPhee led only the last lap after taking the spot away from his brother, for his second win of the year. John McPhee was second with Smith third, point leader Cody O’Brien fourth, and Colby Beinhaur fifth. Another 13 year-old, O’Brien, dodged a bullet and retained the point lead, leading Chaves by 24 markers, 608-584.
Mary Gardner of Granville, N.Y., earned her first win in the Ladies Mini Stock division, taking down an eight-lap race. Gardner held off the hard-charging Morgan Ballard, who was the runner-up, with Jessica Moquin third. Danielle Beckett was fourth with Connor McKee fifth.
The Interstate All Battery Center Vermont 200 Weekend is next on Sept. 15-16, which is shaping up to be the biggest event in Devil’s Bowl Speedway history. Saturday’s program begins at 4:00 p.m. and features a 50-lap Super Stock race, the 500cc Mini Sprints, and the Ron Casey Memorial non-winner’s race for Sportsman Modifieds, followed by an open practice session and the annual pig roast barbeque and bonfire party. Sunday’s event begins at 2:00 p.m. with qualifying for as many as 70 or more Sportsman Modifieds and a 200-lap, $10,000-to-win main event; the King of Dirt Racing Pro Stock Series and the Mini Stocks will also be in action on Sunday.
Admission is $12 on Saturday, $25 on Sunday, or just $30 for the two-day weekend ticket; kids 12 and under will be admitted for free. Pit passes are $40, good for both days. Camping is $25 per campsite, good from Friday at noon to Monday at noon.
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 – Casella Waste Systems Night
Devil’s Bowl Speedway – West Haven, Vt.
Sunday, September 9, 2018
Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modified Feature (50 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (9) Joey Scarborough, Brandon, Vt.
2. (12) Adam Pierson, East Corinth, Vt.
3. (11) Tim LaDuc, Orwell, Vt.
4. (8) Jimmy Ryan, Shoreham, Vt.
5. (14) Justin Comes, Middlebury, Vt.
6. (13) Kenny Tremont Jr., West Sand Lake, N.Y.
7. (2) John St. Germain Jr., West Sand Lake, N.Y.
8. (6) Vince Quenneville Jr., Brandon, Vt.
9. (1) Ron Proctor, Charlton, N.Y.
10. (7) Billy Lussier, Fair Haven, Vt.
11. (15) Walter J. Hammond, Canaan, N.H.
12. (5) Allan Hammond, Orange, N.H.
13. (19) Travis Bruno, Morrisonville, N.Y.
14. (4) Brian Whittemore, Pittsford, Vt.
15. (10) Jake Scarborough, Brandon, Vt.
16. (3) James Fadden, Plainfield, N.H.
17. (16) Josh Sunn, White River Junction, Vt.
18. (18) # Marty Kelly III, North Bennington, Vt.
19. (27) Chris Murray, Fair Haven, Vt.
Heat Winners: Brian Whittemore, Allan Hammond, Jimmy Ryan
Shiley Fabrication Hard Charger Award: Adam Pierson (+10 positions)
Shiley Fabrication Hard Luck Award: Marty Kelly III
O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman Feature (20 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
1. (8) Joey Roberts, Fletcher, Vt.
2. (9) Travis Billington, South Glens Falls, N.Y.
3. (2) Mike Parodi, South Glens Falls, N.Y.
4. (16) Jesse Edwards, Gansevoort, N.Y.
5. (7) Brent Warren, Salisbury, Vt.
6. (6) Adam Piper, Leicester, Vt.
7. (10) Paolo Pascarella, Troy, N.Y.
8. (12) R.J. Germain, Bristol, Vt.
9. (4) Tanner Forbes, Jay, N.Y.
10. (15) Wayland Childs, Chelsea, Vt.
11. (3) Montgomery Tremont, West Sand Lake, N.Y.
12. (17) Bob Schmidt, Gansevoort, N.Y.
13. (1) Larry Gallipo, West Rutland, Vt.
14. (5) Matt Bilodeau, Pittsford, Vt.
15. (18) Dylan Jones, Fair Haven, Vt.
16. (13) Jason Baker, South Glens Falls, N.Y.
17. (11) Mike Ryan, Chelsea, Vt.
18. (14) James Hanson, Orwell, Vt.
Heat Winners: Paolo Pascarella, Brent Warren, Mike Parodi
Shiley Fabrication Hard Charger Award: Jesse Edwards (+12 positions)
Shiley Fabrication Hard Luck Award: Mike Ryan
Super Stock Feature (20 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (8) Chris Murray, Fair Haven, Vt.
2. (7) Scott FitzGerald, West Rutland, Vt.
3. (1) Josh Bussino, Mount Holly, Vt.
4. (4) Garrett Given, Cornwall, Vt.
5. (16) # Andrew FitzGerald, West Rutland, Vt.
6. (3) Matt Mosher, Queensbury, N.Y.
7. (11) Mike Wells, West Chazy, N.Y.
8. (2) Ronnie Alger, Orwell, Vt.
9. (10) Trevor Hurlburt, Bomoseen, Vt.
10. (15) Lou Gancarz, North Adams, Mass.
11. (6) Curtis Condon, Queensbury, N.Y.
12. (9) # Dustin Stevenson, Lake George, N.Y.
13. (12) Justin Severance, Pittsford, Vt.
14. (5) Kevin Elliott, Rutland, Vt.
15. (13) Rowdy Burch, Fort Edward, N.Y.
16. (14) Tyler Irwin, Peru, N.Y.
Did Not Start: Jason Barrett, Queensbury, N.Y.
Heat Winners: Curtis Condon, Scott FitzGerald
Portland Glass Mini Stock Feature (15 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (6) Shawn Moquin, Milton, Vt.
2. (9) Mike Preston, Panton, Vt.
3. (8) Johnny Bruno, Castleton, Vt.
4. (3) # Craig Kirby, Winooski, Vt.
5. (5) Jake Barrows, Cornwall, Vt.
6. (7) Kaleb Shepard, Vergennes, Vt.
7. (4) Mike Lique, West Lebanon, N.H.
8. (2) Willie Rice, Poultney, Vt.
9. (12) Derrick Counter, Leicester, Vt.
10. (14) Cory Plummer, Keene, N.H.
11. (11) Cameron Kennedy, Rochester, Vt.
12. (1) # Lynn Denton, Milton, Vt.
Did Not Start: Dakota Desabrais, Whitehall, N.Y.; # Shawn Rogers, Fair Haven, Vt.; Tim Simonds, Clarendon, Vt.; # Chris Guyette, North Clarendon, Vt.
Heat Winners: Johnny Bruno, Shawn Moquin
Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprint Feature (15 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (5) # Shawn McPhee, Rutland, Vt.
2. (8) # John McPhee Jr., Rutland, Vt.
3. (2) # Kevin Smith, Brandon, Vt.
4. (1) Cody O’Brien, Springfield, Vt.
5. (7) Colby Beinhaur, Shoreham, Vt.
6. (10) Evan Roberts, Fletcher, Vt.
7. (9) Robert Griffin, Newport, N.H.
8. (3) # Joel Belanger, Washington, N.H.
9. (11) # Tye Vaillancourt, New Ipswich, N.H.
10. (13) # Gordon Sheehan, West Rutland, Vt.
11. (4) Austin Chaves, Chester, Vt.
12. (12) # Samantha Mulready, Hoosick Falls, N.Y.
13. (6) # Dakota Green, Eagle Bridge, N.Y.
Did Not Start: Jason Sabourin, Vergennes, Vt.
Heat Winners: Joel Belanger, Kevin Smith
Ladies Mini Stock Feature (8 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
1. (6) Mary Gardner, Granville, N.Y.
2. (2) Morgan Ballard, Fair Haven, Vt.
3. (4) Jessica Moquin, Milton, Vt.
4. (3) Danielle Beckett, Rutland, Vt.
5. (1) Connor McKee, Whitehall, N.Y.
6. (5) Katrina Bean, Benson, Vt.
(Photos by Josh Ryan)