Cody Blake Goes Lights Out Over the Thunder Road Late Model Competition

Barre, VT — The month of June ended with the thunderous roar from high atop Quarry Hill in Barre, Vermont on Thursday, June 30th. At the end, it was four triumphant returns to victory lane as Williamstown’s Nate ‘Tater’ Brien, Plainfield’s Patrick Tibbetts, Barre’s Jason Pelkey and Montpelier’s Cody Blake all found victory lane once again, but for the first time in 2022.

The rk Miles Street Stocks started off the night’s festivities after Patrick Tibbetts and Juan ‘Paco’ Marshall took dominant heat wins in the two qualifying rounds. Following Dean Switser’s caution for transmission fluid leaking from his colorful #16 machine, it was all Tibbetts who held an eight-car-length advantage over Pittsfield’s ‘Paco’ Marshall. In the final five circuits, Marshall came within a fender-length of Tibbett’s Dodge Neon but the twin checkereds fell. Patrick Tibbetts took his first Thunder Road win in several years followed by Marshall and Milton’s Trevor Jaques took third.

Alan Ward photo

The always exciting Burnett Scrap Metal Road Warriors made their return after several weeks off. Following the caution for newcomer Kevin Deal’s #21 roughly halfway through their main event. Coming from the 12th starting position, Williamstown’s Nate ‘Tater’ Brien stole the show after pile driving his way through the field in their 20-lap sprint. Tater was followed to victory lane by two former winners in 2022, the #19 of Moretown’s Neal Foster and Graniteville’s #99 of ‘Flyin’ Fred Fleury. Barre’s Nick Copping and Graniteville’s Frank Putney took down qualifying heat wins.

Alan Ward photo

The drama was high in the Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tiger feature event. Going caution free for 27-laps, it all changed in a split-second. While Jacob Roy’s spin in turn-two thankfully slowed the field, third-place runner Kaiden Fisher blew an oil line on the backstretch, scattering cars as his S.D. Ireland #18VT caught fire when the oil made contact with his red-hot exhaust. On the ensuing restart, Barre’s Jason Pelkey and defending champion Michael Martin from Craftsbury Common took the point.

Just ten laps later another unthinkable calamity struck when the front stretch lights went dark, quickly bringing out the yellow with three-to-go. Once illumination was returned, the Tigers went straight to checkered flags with Pelkey claiming the win and Martin just edging Milton’s Robert Gordon for second. East Burke’s Colin Cornell, Shelburne’s Fisher and last week’s feature winner South Hero’s Rich Lowery took qualifying wins.

Alan Ward photo

Last up, the Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models took the main stage for their 50-lap feature on Scout Night. It all went sideways fast for Barre’s Scott Coburn on Lap 7 after striking the front stretch wall and slowing into the tire barrier in turn one to bring out the first caution. After twenty laps of side-by-side racing throughout the field, last week’s winner Cooper Bouchard went sideways the length of the front stretch into the infield for the second caution of the event.

After dominating the event from the start, Montpelier’s Cody Blake had to deal with Wolcott’s Marcel Gravel and Graniteville’s Stephen Donahue breathing down his neck for the first time as the field tightened up for the restart. After the green flag waved, it was once again Blake going lights out on the Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Model field. Blake took down his first win of 2022 followed by podium frequenter Marcel Gravel and Stephen Donahue following his hard charge from 15th. On a rail, both Blake and Donahue also dominated their heat races with Milton’s Eric Chase taking his qualifying race. Gravel took the consolation race.

Alan Ward photo

Next on the schedule, Thunder Road celebrates America’s birthday with the Preston’s KIA Independence Day Spectacular on Sunday, July 3rd. The Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models, Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers, rk Miles Street Stocks and Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors all return to the high banks for the annual Independence Day celebration with the largest fireworks display in Central Vermont courtesy of East Montpelier’s Northstar Fireworks. Post Time is set for 7:00pm with adult tickets on sale for $15, kids 12 and under for $5 with the Family Four Pack available for $30. Full schedule will be available online at www.thunderroadvt.com/schedule.

For more information, contact the Thunder Road offices at (802) 244-6963, media@thunderroadvt.com, or visit www.thunderroadvt.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @ThunderRoadVT.

Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl – Barre, VT

Scout Night plus Kids Rides

Thursday, June 30, 2022

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS

Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models – 50 Laps                                                                                   

1.        99VT            Cody Blake                  Montpelier, VT                                                                       

2.        86VT            Marcel J. Gravel          Wolcott, VT                                                                            

3.        2VT            Stephen Donahue       Graniteville, VT                                                                      

4.        64VT    Chris Pelkey              Graniteville, VT                                                                      

5.        27VT    Kyle Pembroke            Montpelier, VT                                                                       

6.        0VT      Scott Dragon               Milton, VT                                                                              

7.        9VT      Chip Grenier               E. Barre, VT                                                                                

8.        42VT    Matt White                 Northfield, VT                                                                               

9.        04VT    Matt Smith                  Fairfax, VT                                                                              

10.      16VT    Brandon Lanphear      Morrisville, VT                                                                       

11.      38VT    Tyler Cahoon               Danville, VT                                                                            

12.      3VT      Chris Roberts               Washington, VT                                                                     

13.      14VT    Phil Scott                                                                                                                    

14.      17VT    Darrell Morin              Westford, VT                                                                          

15.      01VT    #Stephen Martin         Craftsbury Common, VT                                                        

16.     8VT      Anthony Hill                Waterford, VT                                                                        

17.      7VT            Cooper Bouchard        Hinesburg, VT                                                                        

18.      55VT            #Keegan Lamson         Berlin, VT                                                                               

19.      40VT    Eric Chase              Milton, VT                                                                              

20.      4VT      Scott Coburn               Barre, VT





Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers – 40 Laps                                                                                

1.        64VT            Jason Pelkey                Barre, VT                                                                                

2.        01VT            Michael Martin           Craftsbury, Common, VT                                                       

3.        20VT            Robert Gordon            Milton, VT                                                                              

4.        8NH     Rich Lowrey             South Hero, VT                                                                       

5.        5VT      Tyler Austin                 East Calais, VT                                                                        

6.        3VT      Michael MacAskill            Williamstown, VT                                                                   

7.        8VT      Mike Billado                Grand Isle, VT                                                                         

8.        68NH   Tanner Woodard            Waterbury Ctr., VT                                                                 

9.        44VT    Justin Prescott             Williston, VT                                                                           

10.      90VT    Cameron Ouellette            Barre, VT                                                                                

11.      15VT    Derrick Calkins             Hinesburg, VT                                                                        

12.      67VT    Kevin Streeter             Waitsfield, VT                                                                         

13.      07VT    Sam Caron                   Milton, VT                                                                              

14.      31VT    Logan Powers              Middlesex, VT                                                                        

15.      45VT    Adam Maynard            Milton, VT                                                                              

16.      92VT    Jaden Perry                 Hardwick, VT                                                                          

17.      56VT    Chris Laforest              Barre, VT                                                                                

18.      2VT      Eric Johnson                Randolph Ctr., VT                                                                   

19.      33VT    #Matt Ballard             Williamstown,VT                                                                    

20.      35DG   Colin Cornell               E. Burke, VT                                                                               

21.      11VT    #Jacob Roy                  Danville, VT                                                                                   

22.      18VT    #Kaiden Fisher             Shelburne, VT





rk Miles Street Stocks – 25 Laps                                                                                                        

1.        34            Patrick Tibbetts           Plainfield, VT                                                                         

2.        79        Juan 'Paco' Marshall           Pittsfield, VT                                                                           

3.        57        Trevor Jaques             Milton, VT                                                                              

4.        0          James Dopp                 Northfield, VT                                                                          

5.       68        Kyler Davis                  Berlin, VT                                                                               

6.        26        Luke Peters                 Groton, VT                                                                           

7.        7          Kyle MacAskill             Williamstown, VT                                                                   

8.        74        Tyler Whittemore            Barre, VT                                                                                

9.        17        Justin Blakely              Graniteville, VT                                                                      

10.      8          Jeffery Martin             Barre, VT                                                                                

11.      43        Jamie Davis                 Johnson, VT                                                                            

12.      04        Scott Weston               Berlin, VT                                                                               

13.      9          #Zachary Audet            Morrisville, VT                                                                       

14.      22        Thomas Smith             Williamstown, VT                                                                   

15.      47        William Hennequin            Morrisville, VT                                                                       

16.      29        Gary Mullen                Tunbridge, VT                                                                        

17.      16        Dean Switser, Jr.            Waterford, VT                                                                        
18.      24        Todd Raymo                Swanton, VT                                                                           

19.      54        Josh Lovely                  Williamstown, VT                                                                   

20.      3          Michael Gay                S. Burlington, VT                                                            

21.      96        Thomas Peck               Waterbury, VT                                                                        

22.      6          Eric MacLaughlin        Milton, VT                                                                              

23.      48        Taylor Hoar                 South Hero, VT                                                                       

24.      2          Haidyn Pearce             Chelsea, VT                                                                            

25.      33        Curtis Franks               Williamstown, VT                                                                   

26.      71        Jesse Laquerre             Berlin, VT                                                                               

27.      5          Tyler McRae*              Milton, VT                                                                              

28.            30        #Cameron Powers       E. Montpelier, VT                                                                   

29.      73            #Paige Whittemore     Graniteville, VT                                                                      

*Sub Driver for Kyle Gravel





Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors – 20 Laps                                                                                

1.        16            Nate Brien                   Williamstown, VT                                                                   

2.        19        Neal Foster              Moretown, VT                                                                        

3.        99        Fred Fleury                  Graniteville, VT                                                                      

4.        8          Ryan Foster                 Waterbury, VT                                                                       

5.        95        Taylor Sayers               Barre, VT                                                                                

6.        88        Frank Putney               Graniteville, VT                                                                      

7.        77        Josh Vilbrin                 Northfield, VT                                                                        

8.        94        Ryan Sayers                 Barre, VT                                                                                

9.        44        Chris Couture              Barre, VT                                                                                

10.      10        Rodney Campbell            Worcester, VT                                                                        

11.      50        Nick Copping               Barre, VT                                                                                

12.      03        Robert Catchapaw            Waterbury, VT                                                                       

13.      96        Bill O'Connor               S. Washington, VT                                                                     

14.      9          Kenny St. Louis            Milton, VT                                                                                   

15.      21        Kevin Deal                   Hardwick, VT         

DNS    71        Jason Kirby                  Milton, VT