Racing: Dragon, Scott Add to Thunder Road Legacies

Posted on , updated on by George Commo

Courtesy Thunder Road

Barre –– Two of the most decorated Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Model drivers in Thunder Road history, Milton’s Scott Dragon and Middlesex’s Phil Scott, put another notch in their belts at Community College of Vermont Night on Thursday, June 27. Two-time “King of the Road” Dragon earned his second straight win in the Casella Waste Systems make-up feature to start the evening while Vermont Governor Scott captured his 31st career Late Model victory at the track in the nightcap.

Dragon began the double-feature event by dominating the 50-lap Casella feature that had been rained out June 14. Starting third after qualifying held two weeks before, Dragon lay back early while Montpelier’s Josh Demers set the early pace. But it wasn’t long before the “Dragon Wagon” was closing the gap, and Dragon swept around the outside of Demers for the lead just before the halfway point.

The defending champion began pulling away following a lap-27 caution for Chris Pelkey’s spin while Demers faded in the high lane. Dragon had a straightaway-plus lead over a multi-way battle for second when another yellow flew for Trevor Lyman’s spin with just five laps to go. The pause was no problem for Dragon has he marched back away in the final sprint for his eighth career Late Model victory at Thunder Road.

Polesitter Tyler Cahoon of St. Johnsbury ran up front the whole race and finished second. Fayston’s Brooks Clark completed the podium while Trampas Demers nosed out Cody Blake for fourth. Kyle Pembroke, Matt White, Jason Corliss, Josh Demers, and Josh Masterson rounded out the top-10.

In the second 50-lap feature, Phil Scott rebounded from late problems in the first main event to make a late charge for the win. Scott started sixth and rode in fourth for much of the race’s first half as Darrell Morin, Eric Chase, and Christopher Pelkey went nose-to-tail at the front. As time began to wind down, Scott wound it up on the outside groove, eventually snatching the lead from Morin on lap 35.

Chase eventually followed Scott’s lead to take second and began closing on the three-time “King of the Road” in the closing circuits. But it was too little, too late as Scott earned his second victory at Thunder Road since being elected Governor of Vermont.

Pelkey ended up grabbing third in the late going while Morin barely held off Trampas Demers for fourth. Brooks Clark, Josh Demers, Matt White, Kyle Pembroke, and Cody Blake finished sixth through 10th.

Milton Sam Caron finally earned his first career Thunder Road victory by taking the win in the 40-lap Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tiger feature. Caron, who spent many years in the Late Model ranks before joining the Tigers last year, inherited the top spot when Brandon Lanphear and Kevin Dodge had simultaneous tire problems while battling for the lead entering turn three on the 24th circuit.

The duo both ended up in the wall while Caron ended up in the lead. The veteran then had to survive a five-lap dash to the checkered flag after Brett Wood brought out the third caution with his own tire issues. But Caron held off fierce challenges from Kyle Streeter and Matt Potter for the long-awaited victory.

Waitsfield’s Streeter snuck back around Marshfield’s Potter when the two encountered a slow car on the final lap. Williamstown’s Micheal MacAskill beat point leader Stephen Martin of Craftsbury by a paint job for fourth. Jason Pelkey, Kevin Streeter, Logan Powers, Kelsea Woodard, and Tyler Austin also earned top-10 finishes.

Wolcott’s Jamie Davis was in the right place at the right time to get his first Allen Lumber Street Stock win of the season. The two-time champion was running third when S. Royalton’s Derek Farnham and Barre’s Tyler Pepin got together fighting for the lead with four laps to go in the 25-lap feature. Davis then held off Derby’s Tim Hunt through two more cautions, including one that triggered a green-white-checkered, to grab his 12th career victory. The result gives him sole possession of third place on the all-time Street Stock win list.

Hunt came under fire from St. Johnsbury’s Kasey Beattie on the final lap but managed to edge him out for second. Kasey Collons, Gary Mullen, point leader Jeffrey Martin, Dean Switser Jr., Tommy Smith, Scott Weston, and rookie Frank Putney completed the top-10.

Thunder Road celebrates Independence Day next Thursday, July 4 at 7:00pm with the Aubuchon Hardware Holiday Spectacular. A full card of action is on tap for the Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models, Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers, Allen Lumber Street Stocks, and Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors. A fantastical fireworks display by Northstar Fireworks will cap the night’s action. Admission is just $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@thunderroadvt.com, or visit www.thunderroadvt.com.

COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF VERMONT NIGHT
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS

MAPLEWOOD/IRVING OIL LATE MODELS
Casella Waste Systems Make-up Feature
Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown
1. Scott Dragon ( 16VT ) Milton, VT
2. Tyler Cahoon ( 38VT ) Danville, VT
3. Brooks Clark ( 68VT ) Waitsfield, VT
4. Trampas Demers ( 85VT ) Shelburne, VT
5. Cody Blake ( 99VT ) Barre, VT
6. Kyle Pembroke ( 27VT ) Montpelier, VT
7. Matt White ( 42VT ) Northfield, VT
8. Jason Corliss ( 66VT ) Barre, VT
9. Josh Demers ( 10VT ) Montpelier, VT
10. Josh Masterson ( 11VT ) Bristol, VT
11. Marcel J. Gravel ( 86VT ) Wolcott, VT
12. Brendan Moodie ( 94VT ) Wolcott, VT
13. Christopher Pelkey ( 64VT ) Graniteville, VT
14. Eric Chase ( 40VT ) Milton, VT
15. John Donahue ( 2VT ) Graniteville, VT
16. Darrell Morin ( 17VT ) Westford, VT
17. Trevor Lyman ( 25VT ) Hinesburg, VT
18. Boomer Morris ( 13VT ) Barre, VT
19. Ricky Roberts ( 3VT ) Washington, VT
20. Phil Scott ( 14VT ) Middlesex, VT

MAPLEWOOD/IRVING OIL LATE MODELS
CCV Feature
Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown
1. Phil Scott ( 14VT ) Middlesex, VT
2. Eric Chase ( 40VT ) Milton, VT
3. Christopher Pelkey ( 64VT ) Graniteville, VT
4. Darrell Morin ( 17VT ) Westford, VT
5. Trampas Demers ( 85VT ) Shelburne, VT
6. Brooks Clark ( 68VT ) Waitsfield, VT
7. Josh Demers ( 10VT ) Montpelier, VT
8. Matt White ( 42VT ) Northfield, VT
9. Kyle Pembroke ( 27VT ) Montpelier, VT
10. Cody Blake ( 99VT ) Barre, VT
11. Jason Corliss ( 66VT ) Barre, VT
12. Marcel J. Gravel ( 86VT ) Wolcott, VT
13. Josh Masterson ( 11VT ) Bristol, VT
14. Brendan Moodie ( 94VT ) Wolcott, VT
15. Scott Dragon ( 16VT ) Milton, VT
16. Tyler Cahoon ( 38VT ) Danville, VT
17. Boomer Morris ( 13VT ) Barre, VT
18. Brandon Lanphear ( 86NH ) Morrisville, VT
19. Trevor Lyman ( 25VT ) Hinesburg, VT
20. John Donahue ( 2VT ) Graniteville, VT
21. Ricky Roberts ( 3VT ) Washington, VT

LENNY’S SHOE & APPAREL FLYING TIGERS
Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown
1. Sam Caron ( 07VT ) Milton, VT
2. Kyle Streeter ( 37VT ) Waterbury Ctr., VT
3. Matthew Potter ( 23VT ) Marshfield, VT
4. Micheal MacAskill ( 33VT ) Williamstown, VT
5. #Stephen Martin ( 9VT ) Craftsbury Common, VT
6. Jason Pelkey ( 64VT ) Barre, VT
7. Kevin Streeter ( 67VT ) Waitsfield, VT
8. #Logan Powers ( 31VT ) Middlesex, VT
9. Kelsea Woodard ( 55VT ) Waterbury Ctr., VT
10. Tyler Austin ( 5VT ) East Calias, VT
11. Brandon Lanphear ( 11VT ) Morrisville, VT
12. Robert Gordon ( 20VT ) Milton, VT
13. Sid Sweet Jr. ( 93VT ) Williamstown, VT
14. Mike Billado ( 8VT ) Grand Isle, VT
15. Colin Cornell ( 54VT ) E. Burke, VT
16. Michael Martin ( 01VT ) Craftsbury Common, VT
17. Jason Woodard ( 68VT ) Waterbury Ctr., VT
18. Chris Chambers ( 14VT ) Brookfield, VT
19. Jeff Murray ( 35VT ) Georgia, VT
20. Bunker Hodgdon ( 83VT ) Wolcott, VT
21. Cooper Bouchard ( 7VT ) Hinesburg, VT
22. Adam Maynard ( 57VT ) Milton, VT
23. Brett Wood ( 29VT ) Georgia, VT
24. Joe Steffen ( 00VT ) Grand Isle, VT
25. Kevin Dodge ( 88VT ) Barre, VT
26. Danny Doyle ( 51VT ) Chelsea, VT

ALLEN LUMBER STREET STOCKS
Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown
1. Jamie Davis ( 43 ) Wolcott, VT
2. Tim Hunt ( 93 ) Derby, VT
3. Kasey Beattie ( 45 ) St. Johnsbury, VT
4. Kasey Collins ( 98 ) Berlin, VT
5. Gary Mullen ( 29 ) Tunbridge, VT
6. Jeffrey Martin ( 8 ) Barre, VT
7. Dean Switser Jr. ( 16 ) Lyndonville, VT
8. Thomas Smith ( 22 ) Williamstown, VT
9. Scott Weston ( 04 ) Berlin, VT
10. Frank Putney ( 88 ) Graniteville, VT
11. Juan Marshall ( 79 ) Pittsfield, VT
12. #Cooper French ( 4 ) Northfield, VT
13. #Keegan Lamson ( 55 ) Berlin, VT
14. Tyler Pepin ( 78 ) Barre, VT
15. #Tanner Woodard ( 68 ) Waterbury Ctr., VT
16. #Kyle MacAskill ( 7 ) Williamstown, VT
17. Hunter King ( 64 ) E. Calais, VT
18. #Derek Farnham ( 5 ) S. Royalton, VT
19. Royce Lussier ( 95 ) Berlin, VT
20. Eric MacLaughlin ( 6 ) Milton, VT
21. Thomas Peck ( 96 ) Barre, VT
22. Justin Blakely ( 17 ) Barre, VT
23. Michael Gay ( 3 ) So. Burlington, VT
DNS Bryan P. Wall ( 77 ) E. Kingston, NH
DNS J.T. Blanchard ( 66 ) Graniteville, VT
DNS Jacob Roy ( 11 ) Danville, VT
DNS Kelly Miller Jr. ( 0 ) Johnson, VT