The month of June ended with the thunderous roar from high atop Quarry Hill in Barre, Vermont on Thursday, June 30th. At the end, it was four triumphant returns to victory lane as Williamstown’s Nate ‘Tater’ Brien, Plainfield’s Patrick Tibbetts, Barre’s Jason Pelkey and Montpelier’s Cody Blake all found victory lane once again, but for the first time in 2022.
The rk Miles Street Stocks started off the night’s festivities after Patrick Tibbetts and Juan ‘Paco’ Marshall took dominant heat wins in the two qualifying rounds. Following Dean Switser’s caution for transmission fluid leaking from his colorful #16 machine, it was all Tibbetts who held an eight-car-length advantage over Pittsfield’s ‘Paco’ Marshall. In the final five circuits, Marshall came within a fender-length of Tibbett’s Dodge Neon but the twin checkereds fell. Patrick Tibbetts took his first Thunder Road win in several years followed by Marshall and Milton’s Trevor Jaques took third.
The always exciting Burnett Scrap Metal Road Warriors made their return after several weeks off. Following the caution for newcomer Kevin Deal’s #21 roughly halfway through their main event. Coming from the 12th starting position, Williamstown’s Nate ‘Tater’ Brien stole the show after pile driving his way through the field in their 20-lap sprint. Tater was followed to victory lane by two former winners in 2022, the #19 of Moretown’s Neal Foster and Graniteville’s #99 of ‘Flyin’ Fred Fleury. Worcester’s Rodney Campbell and Graniteville’s Frank Putney took down qualifying heat wins.
The drama was high in the Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tiger feature event. Going caution free for 27-laps, it all changed in a split-second. While Jacob Roy’s spin in turn-two thankfully slowed the field, third-place runner Kaiden Fisher blew an oil line on the backstretch, scattering cars as his S.D. Ireland #18VT caught fire when the oil made contact with his red-hot exhaust. On the ensuing restart, Barre’s Jason Pelkey and defending champion Michael Martin from Craftsbury Common took the point.
Just ten laps later another unthinkable calamity struck when the front stretch lights went dark, quickly bringing out the yellow with three-to-go. Once illumination was returned, the Tigers went straight to checkered flags with Pelkey claiming the win and Martin just edging Milton’s Robert Gordon for second. East Burke’s Colin Cornell, Shelburne’s Fisher and last week’s feature winner South Hero’s Rich Lowery took qualifying wins.
Last up, the Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models took the main stage for their 50-lap feature on Scout Night. It all went sideways fast for Barre’s Scott Coburn on Lap 7 after striking the front stretch wall and slowing into the tire barrier in turn one to bring out the first caution. After twenty laps of side-by-side racing throughout the field, last week’s winner Cooper Bouchard went sideways the length of the front stretch into the infield for the second caution of the event.
After dominating the event from the start, Montpelier’s Cody Blake had to deal with Wolcott’s Marcel Gravel and Graniteville’s Stephen Donahue breathing down his neck for the first time as the field tightened up for the restart. After the green flag waved, it was once again Blake going lights out on the Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Model field. Blake took down his first win of 2022 followed by podium frequenter Marcel Gravel and Stephen Donahue following his hard charge from 15th. On a rail, both Blake and Donahue also dominated their heat races with Milton’s Eric Chase taking his qualifying race. Gravel took the consolation race.
Next on the schedule, Thunder Road celebrates America’s birthday with the Preston’s KIA Independence Day Spectacular on Sunday, July 3rd. The Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models, Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers, rk Miles Street Stocks and Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors all return to the high banks for the annual Independence Day celebration with the largest fireworks display in Central Vermont courtesy of East Montpelier’s Northstar Fireworks. Post Time is set for 7:00pm with adult tickets on sale for $15, kids 12 and under for $5 with the Family Four Pack available for $30. Full schedule will be available online at www.thunderroadvt.com/schedule.
For more information, contact the Thunder Road offices at (802) 244-6963, media@thunderroadvt.com, or visit www.thunderroadvt.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @ThunderRoadVT.
Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl – Barre, VT
Scout Night plus Kids Rides (Thursday, June 30, 2022)
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models – 50 Laps
1. 99VT Cody Blake Montpelier, VT 2. 86VT Marcel J. Gravel Wolcott, VT 3. 2VT Stephen Donahue Graniteville, VT 4. 64VT Chris Pelkey Graniteville, VT 5. 27VT Kyle Pembroke Montpelier, VT 6. 0VT Scott Dragon Milton, VT 7. 9VT Chip Grenier E. Barre, VT 8. 42VT Matt White Northfield, VT 9. 04VT Matt Smith Fairfax, VT 10. 16VT Brandon Lanphear Morrisville, VT 11. 38VT Tyler Cahoon Danville, VT 12. 3VT Chris Roberts Washington, VT 13. 14VT Phil Scott 14. 17VT Darrell Morin Westford, VT 15. 01VT #Stephen Martin Craftsbury Common, VT 16. 8VT Anthony Hill Waterford, VT 17. 7VT Cooper Bouchard Hinesburg, VT 18. 55VT #Keegan Lamson Berlin, VT 19. 40VT Eric Chase Milton, VT 20. 4VT Scott Coburn Barre, VT
Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers – 40 Laps
1. 64VT Jason Pelkey Barre, VT 2. 01VT Michael Martin Craftsbury, Common, VT 3. 20VT Robert Gordon Milton, VT 4. 8NH Rich Lowrey South Hero, VT 5. 5VT Tyler Austin East Calais, VT 6. 3VT Michael MacAskill Williamstown, VT 7. 8VT Mike Billado Grand Isle, VT 8. 68NH Tanner Woodard Waterbury Ctr., VT 9. 44VT Justin Prescott Williston, VT 10. 90VT Cameron Ouellette Barre, VT 11. 15VT Derrick Calkins Hinesburg, VT 12. 67VT Kevin Streeter Waitsfield, VT 13. 07VT Sam Caron Milton, VT 14. 31VT Logan Powers Middlesex, VT 15. 45VT Adam Maynard Milton, VT 16. 92VT Jaden Perry Hardwick, VT 17. 56VT Chris Laforest Barre, VT 18. 2VT Eric Johnson Randolph Ctr., VT 19. 33VT #Matt Ballard Williamstown,VT 20. 35DG Colin Cornell E. Burke, VT 21. 11VT #Jacob Roy Danville, VT 22. 18VT #Kaiden Fisher Shelburne, VT
rk Miles Street Stocks – 25 Laps
1. 34 Patrick Tibbetts Plainfield, VT 2. 79 Juan ‘Paco’ Marshall Pittsfield, VT 3. 57 Trevor Jaques Milton, VT 4. 0 James Dopp Northfield, VT 5. 68 Kyler Davis Berlin, VT 6. 26 Luke Peters Groton, VT 7. 7 Kyle MacAskill Williamstown, VT 8. 74 Tyler Whittemore Barre, VT 9. 17 Justin Blakely Graniteville, VT 10. 8 Jeffery Martin Barre, VT 11. 43 Jamie Davis Johnson, VT 12. 04 Scott Weston Berlin, VT 13. 9 #Zachary Audet Morrisville, VT 14. 22 Thomas Smith Williamstown, VT 15. 47 William Hennequin Morrisville, VT 16. 29 Gary Mullen Tunbridge, VT 17. 16 Dean Switser, Jr. Waterford, VT 18. 24 Todd Raymo Swanton, VT 19. 54 Josh Lovely Williamstown, VT 20. 3 Michael Gay S. Burlington, VT 21. 96 Thomas Peck Waterbury, VT 22. 6 Eric MacLaughlin Milton, VT 23. 48 Taylor Hoar South Hero, VT 24. 2 Haidyn Pearce Chelsea, VT 25. 33 Curtis Franks Williamstown, VT 26. 71 Jesse Laquerre Berlin, VT 27. 5 Tyler McRae* Milton, VT 28. 30 #Cameron Powers E. Montpelier, VT 29. 73 #Paige Whittemore Graniteville, VT *Sub Driver for Kyle Gravel
Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors – 20 Laps
1. 16 Nate Brien Williamstown, VT 2. 19 Neal Foster Moretown, VT 3. 99 Fred Fleury Graniteville, VT 4. 8 Ryan Foster Waterbury, VT 5. 95 Taylor Sayers Barre, VT 6. 88 Frank Putney Graniteville, VT 7. 77 Josh Vilbrin Northfield, VT 8. 94 Ryan Sayers Barre, VT 9. 44 Chris Couture Barre, VT 10. 10 Rodney Campbell Worcester, VT 11. 50 Nick Copping Barre, VT 12. 03 Robert Catchapaw Waterbury, VT 13. 96 Bill O’Connor S. Washington, VT 14. 9 Kenny St. Louis Milton, VT
15. 21 Kevin Deal Hardwick, VT
DNS 71 Jason Kirby Milton, VT
