Title Chases Get Serious at WDEV/Calkins Night While Warriors Double Up

Barre, VT — Barre’s Thunder Road enters the second half of the 2020 season this Thursday, July 30 at 7:00pm with WDEV Radio/Calkins Portable Toilets Night. The summer heat has been beating down at the last few events, and it has warmed up the championship battles as racers jockey for the edge.

A full card of championship action is on tap this week for the Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models, Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers, and Allen Lumber Street Stocks with intriguing stories all around. The Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors also up the ante with twin 25-lap features to make up their Governor’s Cup rain-out from two weeks ago.

With double-points night in the rear-view mirror, the title pictures have shuffled drastically. In some cases, it is still anybody’s guess who wins the championship. The Late Models have seven drivers with 54 points of the lead with several others lurking in the shadows.

Sitting at the top of the hill is Wolcott’s Marcel J. Gravel. Now in his fifth full year of Late Model competition, the low-budget racer is having the season of his life to date. A runner-up up finish last Friday night put him back in the overall lead with a nine-point edge over veteran Trampas Demers of Shelburne. Both are seeking their first “King of the Road” crown.

“I feel the best I’ve ever felt about (my chances),” Gravel recently told The Inside Groove. “We’re not going to do anything different. My guys have been (working hard) for six straight weeks, and we’re not going to change a thing, because we don’t need to right now. Once you start trying to dial yourself right out of it is when you can throw this whole championship deal right in the trash can.”

Not far behind Gravel and Demers are the last three Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Model champions. Barre’s Jason Corliss and Milton’s Scott Dragon each have two wins this year, but twin setbacks on June 25 left both crawling out of a hole. Now that they have made their way out, each has their sights set on another title. Although Therrien is still searching for a win, his consistent speed has produced a perfect record of top-10 finishes to keep him in the hunt.

The Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers are even closer. With three features in three days thanks to a rain-out, things have changed drastically since this time last week. Defending champion Jason Woodard of Waterbury Center found his old self just in time for the Midseason Championships and is back on top of the standings thanks to the double-point win.

Hinesburg’s Derrick Calkins and Barre’s Cameron Ouellette are tied for second 12 points behind Woodard. Calkins entered last Friday’s event a distant 18th in the standings — but finishes of 1st, 3rd, and 4th over the long weekend have him right back in the hunt. Ouellette missed most of the 2019 season with health issues but is now a factor for the championship. Morrisville’s Brandon Lanphear and Hardwick’s Jaden Perry round out the top-5. The top-7 drivers are separated by a mere 27 points.

The Allen Lumber Street Stock championship is Brandon Gray’s to lose. The E. Thetford driver, whose late father Troy won the Street Stock title back in 1987, leads Derby’s Tim Hunt by nearly a full event’s worth of points thanks to five top-5 finishes. From Hunt on back, though, everything is up for grabs. There are just 30 points between Hunt and 10th-place Kaiden “Tropical Storm” Fisher, meaning big swings can still happen on a weekly basis.

The Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors have two chances on Thursday to wow fans with four-cylinder entertainment. Their Vermont Governor’s Cup make-up feature starts the night. The race has been extended to 25 laps, and drivers who were not at the original event may start at the rear. A second 25-lap feature is slated for later in the evening with the finishing order from the first feature flipped to set the starting line-up. Each feature will have separate trophies and separate purse.

Thunder Road sends off the month of July this Thursday, July 30 at 7:00pm with WDEV Radio/Calkins Portable Toilets Night. All four divisions are on the card with double features for the Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors. Admission is $15 for adults and $3 for kids ages 12 and under with limited fan attendance.

Advance tickets are on sale until 10:00am Thursday morning at https://happsnow.com/event/Thunder-Road-Speedbowl. Any remaining tickets will be available at the track on race day. A $15 pay-per-view is also available on the Northeast Sports Network at www.NSNsports.net/sponsors/racing.