Pelkey and Switser Claim First Victories
Barre, VT – South Burlington, VT’s Trampas Demers made a return to victory lane in the Late Model Stock Car division on Thursday (June 21) night’s Casella Waste Management event at Barre’s Thunder Road. Demers, who was driving his father’s familiar #86 automobile after a hard wreck in last Sunday’s (June 17) event, had to hold off a hard charging Jamie Fisher and Cody Blake to pick up his first victory of 2012.
Outside pole sitter Dave Whitcomb dominated early, leading all but the final two laps in the caution-free 50-lap event. Demers slid underneath Whitcomb on lap 35, only to engage in a no-holds-barred showdown for the win. Whitcomb seemed to have the race in hand in the outside lane until he slid too high and into the dirt in turn one with less than two laps remaining. Demers took advantage, sliding underneath Whitcomb with Fisher and Blake in tow. Whitcomb recovered to finish fourth, and Mike Bailey came home fifth. Rookie Lance Allen, Eric Chase, Ricky Roberts, John Donahue, and Chip Grenier rounded out the top ten.
Demers was ecstatic to be back in victory lane at The ‘Road. “What a great race with Dave. He gave me all the room I could have asked for. It’s been awhile, but it is so good to be back,” said Demers. “Great news is my car is even better than this one, and it will be back next Thursday,” he finished.
South Barre’s Chris Pelkey emerged in the Bond Auto Tiger Sportsman as the victor after enduring a merciless side-by-side battle with rookie Jason Woodard. Woodard, who led the majority of the 35-lap event, posted his best finish of the 2012 season finishing second, and Tucker Williams recovered from two straight weeks of spins to come home third. Brian Delphia and last week’s winner Jason Corliss rounded out the top five.
Pelkey was breathless in victory lane. “The #68 (Woodard) ran me so clean. We were side by side there, and at the end I just thought to myself: Enough of this, time to go,” explained Pelkey. “Just feels good to be here,” he finished.
The rookies shined in the Allen Lumber Street Stock division for the second week in a row, as Lyndonville’s Dean Switser captured his first career victory at Thunder Road. Elmore’s Dave Whitcomb flew from 13th to capture second-place in the closing laps, and Morrisville’s William Hennequin took third. Former Street Stock Champion Gary Mullen finished fourth, and rookie Kevin Wheatley came home fifth.
Casella night was the first Thursday night event at the “Nation’s Site of Excitement” for 2012. Barre’s Thunder Road continues weekly championship events for all divisions next week, June 28th for Fairpoint Communications night. Post time will be 6:30.
Casella Waste Management Night
Thunder Road – Barre, VT
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Late Model Unofficial Results
Pos. Driver (Car#) Hometown
1. Dennis Demers (86vt) Shelburne, VT
2. Jamie Fisher (18vt) Shelburne, VT
3. Cody Blake (99vt) Barre, VT
4. Dave Whitcomb (25vt) Essex Jct., VT
5. Mike Bailey (00vt) South Barre, VT
6. #Lance Allen (17vt) Barre, VT
7. Eric Chase (40vt) Milton, VT
8. Ricky Roberts (3vt) Washington, VT
9. John Donahue (26vt) Graniteville, VT
10. Chip Grenier (9vt) Graniteville, VT
11. Nick Sweet (88vt) Barre, VT
12. Brooks Clark (68vt) Fayston, VT
13. Phil Scott (14vt) Berlin, VT
14. Dave Pembroke (44vt) Middlesex, VT
15. Brett Wheeler (1vt) Waterbury, VT
16. Jay Laquerre (50vt) Barre, VT
17. Jerry Lesage (74vt) Winooski, VT
18. Scott Payea (89vt) Milton, VT
19. Cris Michaud (6vt) E. Montpelier, VT
20. Jamie Aube (41vt) No. Ferrisburg, VT
21. Joey Becker (16vt) Jeffersonville, VT
22. Grant Folsom (81vt) Waitsfield, VT
23. Jim Morris (13vt) Barre, VT
Bond Auto Tiger Sportsmen Unofficial Results
Pos. Driver (Car#) Hometown
1. Christopher Pelkey (64) S. Barre, VT
2. #Jason Woodard (68) Waterbury Ctr., VT
3. Tucker Williams (11) Hyde Park, VT
4. Brian Delphia (55) Waterbury, VT
5. Jason Corliss (61) Barre, VT
6. #Chris Roberts (9) Washington, VT
7. Mike Martin (01) Craftsbury Comm., VT
8. John Lambert (2) Northfield, VT
9. Kyle Pembroke (27) Montpelier, VT
10. Josh Demers (10) Middlesex, VT
11. Shawn Fleury (31) Middlesex, VT
12. Dylan Payea (07) Henniker, NH
13. Joel Hodgdon (36) Craftsbury, VT
14. Joe Steffen (00) Grand Isle, VT
15. Brendan Moodie (94) Wolcott, VT
16. Eric Badore (04) Milton, VT
17. Mike Ziter (26) Williamstown, VT
18. Jason Allen (29) Barre, VT
19. Scott Coburn (1) Barre, VT
20. Bobby Therrien (4) Hinesburg, VT
21. #Greg Adams Jr. (38) Hardwick, VT
22. David Finck (90) Barre, VT
23. Randy Gonyaw (22) S. Barre, VT
24. Mike Billado (8) Essex, VT
25. Shawn Powell (40) Jericho, VT
Allen Lumber Street Stocks Unofficial Results
Pos. Driver (Car #) Hometown
1. #Dean Switser Jr. (16) Lyndonville, VT
2. Dave Whitcomb (77) Elmore, VT
3. William Hennequin (47) Morrisville, VT
4. Gary Mullen (29) Tunbridge, VT
5. #Kevin Wheatley (33) Brookfield, VT
6. Bunker Hodgdon (83) Hardwick, VT
7. Donny Yates (05) N. Montpelier, VT
8. Tommy Smith (50) Williamstown, VT
9. Nick Pilotte (11) Jefferson, NH
10. Ron Gabaree (9) Barre, VT
11. Ken Christman (4) Cabot, VT
12. Emily Packard (98) E. Montpelier, VT
13. #Justin Town (53) E. Barre, VT
14. Garry Bashaw (92) Lincoln, VT
15. Troy Kingsbury (39) Waitsfield, VT
16. Amanda Habel (09) Roxbury, VT
17. #Brock Parrott (20) Williamstown, VT
18. #Daniel Brassard (32) E. Randolph, VT
19. #Kevin Dodge (8) Barre, VT
20. Jennifer Getty (25) Cambridge, VT
21. Cameron Ouellette (90) Barre, VT
22. Bob Eldred (31) Waterbury, VT
23. Michael Gay (3) So. Burlington, VT
24. #Paul Grant (46) E. Calais, VT
25. #Tommy Elwood (88) Morrisville, VT
26. Jamie Davis (43) Wolcott, VT
27. Alex Perkins (55) Chelsea, VT
28. Keith Fortier (35) Hinesburg, VT
29. Tyler McNally (37) Salisbury, VT