Barre, VT – Two-time defending “King of the Road” Derrick O’Donnell took a big step in his chase for a three-peat by winning the Times Argus Mid-Season Championship on Thursday, July 23.
N. Haverhill, NH’s O’Donnell took the lead from local driver Mike “Beetle” Bailey with 11 laps to go in the 75-lap Thunder Road Late Model main event. The two bumped and banged as Bailey made a final bid for the double-point win, but O’Donnell held on for his third victory of the season.
“I had to work really hard for this one,” O’Donnell said. “The car got really tight – we got hit in the left front and it folded the nose up on the tire, and I could definitely feel it not wanting to turn. But we still had a pretty good car, and it all worked out.”
O’Donnell unofficially takes a 26-point lead over Barre’s Nick Sweet after also winning his heat race, but knows his team can’t rest in pursuit of a third title.
“I never stop working,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if we win or finish last; we’re always trying to make the car better.”
Barre’s Jason Allen started on the pole and led the first 24 laps before Bailey got around him on the outside. Former Mid-Season Champion Bailey drew out to a big lead as Allen attempted to fend off John Donahue and Matt White for second. Boomer Morris and O’Donnell soon joined the fray after fighting out of the pack.
The battle came apart on lap 49 as Allen, Donahue, and White tangled exiting turn 4. O’Donnell suddenly found himself in third and eventually got by Morris. O’Donnell had his first chance at Bailey on lap 52 after a nine car pile-up in turn 1, but Bailey drove away on the restart.
O’Donnell got a second chance with 14 laps remaining after Dave Whitcomb’s spin on the backstretch. Bailey nosed ahead for two laps on the final restart before O’Donnell finally gained the upper hand.
Bailey finished second followed by Cody Blake in third. Sweet finished fourth after starting 18th due to mechanical problems in the consolation race. Scott Dragon, Morris, Kyle Pembroke, Dave Pembroke, Phil Scott, and Shawn Fleury rounded out the top-10.
Grand Isle’s Joe Steffen earned his second win of the season in the 50-lap Bond Auto Tiger Sportsman feature. The new grandfather assumed the lead after front-row starters Brian Delphia and Derek Barker tangled on the opening lap, then led every step of the way for the victory.
Steffen found himself under attack from Christopher Pelkey for the first half of the event before Pelky tapped the wall, eventually spinning on lap 35. Brendan Moodie then got a chance on the outside, but Steffen was able to drive away.
Dylan Payea got under Moodie for second, while defending Tiger Champion Jason Woodard took third as Moodie faded to fourth. Stephen Donahue, Doug Crowningshield, Barker, Mike Martin, Mike Billado, and Pelkey also earned top-10 finishes.
Point leader Jaden Perry took his first win of the year in the 35-lap Allen Lumber Street Stock feature. Perry grabbed the top spot when leaders Donny Yates and Bunker Hodgdon got together on the final restart with five laps remaining.
Rookie Matthew Smith crossed the finish line second but was disqualified for an illegal manifold, giving Hodgdon the second spot with Yates inheriting third. Kyle Streeter, Jamon Perry, Chris LaForest, Marcel J. Gravel, Jamie Davis, Tyler Austin, and Alan Maynard completed the top-10.
Thunder Road wraps up the month of July next Thursday, July 30 with WDEV/Calkins Portable Toilets Night. The event will see the return of the Triple Crown for the Thunder Road Late Models along with the annual Port-A-Potty Grand Prix. Post time is 6:30pm. Admission is $12 for adults, $3 for kids ages 6-12, and $25 for a family of four (2 adults, 2 kids).
For more information contact the Thunder Road offices at 802.244.6963, media@acttour.com, or visit www.thunderroadspeedbowl.com.
TIMES ARGUS MID-SEASON CHAMPIONSHIPS
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
THUNDER ROAD LATE MODELS
Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown
- Derrick O’Donnell ( 60VT ) N. Haverhill, NH
- Mike Bailey ( 00VT ) S. Barre, VT
- Cody Blake ( 99VT ) Barre, VT
- Nick Sweet ( 88VT ) Barre, VT
- Scott Dragon ( 16VT ) Milton, VT
- Boomer Morris ( 13VT ) Barre, VT
- Kyle Pembroke ( 27VT ) Montpelier, VT
- Dave Pembroke ( 44VT ) Middlesex, VT
- Phil Scott ( 14VT ) Middlesex, VT
- Shawn Fleury ( 1VT ) Middlesex, VT
- Josh Demers ( 10VT ) Montpelier, VT
- John Donahue ( 26VT ) Graniteville, VT
- Eric Badore ( 4VT ) Milton, VT
- #Darrell Morin ( 17VT ) Westford, VT
- #Scott Coburn ( 72VT ) Barre, VT
- Brett Gervais ( 11NH ) Island Pond, VT
- Trampas Demers ( 85VT ) S. Burlington, VT
- Eric Chase ( 40VT ) Milton, VT
- David Whitcomb ( 25VT ) Essex Jct., VT
- Jason Corliss ( 66VT ) Barre, VT
- Matt White ( 42VT ) Northfield, VT
- Jay Laquerre ( 50VT ) Barre, VT
- Jason Allen ( 29VT ) Barre, VT
- Ricky Roberts ( 3VT ) E. Barre, VT
BOND AUTO TIGER SPORTSMEN
Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown
- Joe Steffen ( 00 ) Grand Isle, VT
- Dylan Payea ( 7 ) Milton, VT
- Jason Woodard ( 68 ) Waterbury Ctr., VT
- Brendan Moodie ( 94 ) Wolcott, VT
- Stephen Donahue ( 26 ) Graniteville, VT
- Doug Crowningshield ( 14 ) Barre, VT
- #Derek Barker ( 15 ) Post Mills, VT
- Mike Martin ( 01 ) Craftsbury, VT
- Mike Billado ( 8 ) Essex, VT
- Christopher Pelkey ( 64 ) S. Barre, VT
- Brian Delphia ( 27 ) Duxbury, VT
- Cameron Ouellette ( 90 ) Barre, VT
- Travis Calkins ( 5 ) Danville, VT
- Derrick Calkins ( 4 ) Milton, VT
- Bert Gallison ( 30 ) Graniteville, VT
- Tommy Smith ( 50 ) Williamstown, VT
- Brent Currier ( 1 ) Johnson, VT
ALLEN LUMBER STREET STOCKS
Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown
- Jaden Perry ( 92 ) Hardwick, VT
- Bunker Hodgdon ( 83 ) Hardwick, VT
- Donny Yates ( 05 ) N. Montpelier, VT
- Kyle Streeter ( 37 ) Waitsfield, VT
- Jamon Perry ( 62 ) Hardwick, VT
- #Chris LaForest ( 56 ) Barre, VT
- Marcel J. Gravel ( 86 ) Wolcott, VT
- Jamie Davis ( 43 ) Wolcott, VT
- Tyler Austin ( 5 ) E. Calais, VT
- Alan Maynard ( 10 ) Fairfax, VT
- Scott Maynard ( 59 ) Burlington, VT
- Gary Mullen ( 29 ) Tunbridge, VT
- Thomas Merchant ( 38 ) Eden Mills, VT
- Kyle Gravel ( 98 ) Wolcott, VT
- Scott Weston ( 40 ) Berlin, VT
- Jennifer Getty ( 25 ) Cambridge, VT
- Patrick Tibbetts ( 48 ) Barre, VT
- Will Hennequin ( 47 ) Morrisville, VT
- Justin Town ( 53 ) East Barre, VT
- Garry Bashaw ( 4 ) Lincoln, VT
- Kevin Streeter ( 67 ) Waitsfield, VT
- Richard Gravel ( 68 ) Wolcott, VT
- #Reilly Lanphear ( 21 ) Duxbury, VT
DNS Kelly Miller Jr. ( 0 ) Johnson, VT
DSQ #Matthew Smith ( 04 ) Essex Jct., VT