troadBarre, VT – Race driver Clint Bowyer, whose next event is Thursday night at Barre, Vermont’s Thunder Road, was part of a last lap charge this past weekend to win the Daytona 400. He wound up 4th in the 200 mph chase. But that charge has projected him to 2nd place in the NASCAR National Sprint Cup standings behind 5-time National Champion Jimmy Johnson.

This Thursday night’s 150 lap battle for the Vermont Lottery Commission Governor’s Cup on the Barre high banks won’t see the Daytona speeds, but promises to be just as great a challenge for Bowyer, with regional stock car stars eager to prove they can race with one of the nations very best. Barre’s Nick Sweet, Montpelier’s Dave Pembroke, and the three-time T-Road Track Champion Lt. Governor Phil Scott will be joined by Burlington’s Trampas Demers, Chip Grenier, Brooks Clark and 16-year old Emily Packard. Some 30 ACT Championship Late Model cars are expected.

“You hear a lot about the quarter mile oval up in Vermont and it sure sounds like my kind of short track. But this is “bragging” rights for the home towners and I’m sure they won’t cut me any slack,” says the Emporia, Kansas speedster whose last major win was the 500 at Charlotte, North Carolina last fall.

Perhaps Bowyer’s toughest challenger will be 6-time American Canadian Tour Champion Jean-Paul Cyr of Milton, who signed on to run the full Thunder Road 2013 schedule. “I have the experience and the team has given me a great number 32, just hope I have some luck cause you need a lot of that at the Road,” said Cyr.

“One thing for sure,” concluded Bowyer, “if we win at Barre’s quarter mile oval I won’t have far to walk to victory lane. Last year at the Charlotte 500 I ran out of gas crossing the finish line and that’s a hike at a mile and a half track to find your trophy.”

Thunder Road gates open at 3:00pm Thursday, July 11. Qualifying commences at 6:00pm.