Barre, VT — Graniteville’s Christopher Pelkey used the outside groove at Thunder Road on Thursday to take down his second consecutive Times Argus Midseason Championship. In all, Pelkey doubled down on the iconic race win along with double the points and double the cash, courtesy of our Streaming Partners at FloRacing. Rookie Kaiden Fisher and veteran four-cylinder aces Josh Lovely and Frank Putney also doubled down on Times Argus Midseason Championships night.

The rk Miles Street Stocks led the way in feature action as Todd Raymo and Haidyn Pearce took the green, Pearce immediately took the top spot and was off like a rocket in his purple Cavalier. With Taylor Hoar and Thomas Peck on his tail, Pearce was in the hot seat, especially with the first caution on lap 15 for the spinning Peck on the backstretch. On the restart a pileup catastrophe occurred on the front stretch, ending the day of Kyle MacAskill and Justin ‘El Chopo’ Blakely. The big story of the night, after injury sat Jeffrey Martin out for the night, former track champion Nick Pilotte sat in the driver seat. After coming from 20th to 6th, the Martin car powered down and didn’t come back to life.

Following the restart, Dean Switser Jr. got around Taylor Hoar to take the lead while both would soon succumb to Josh Lovely’s #54 machine as he rim-rode the outside line to take the lead. Lovely would win his third race of the season followed by a solid point night for the leader Dean Switser Jr. and Taylor Hoar earned another podium finish in her solid sophomore season.

The Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers took off for their 50 Lap main event next. Led to point by Chris Laforest and Logan Powers, a Tropical Storm moved in and quickly overtook them. Rookie leader Kaiden Fisher took the lead and never looked back. Following the lap 23 caution for the spinning Tyler Austin, Fisher’s outside had a whole lot of Cameron Ouellette. While Fisher powered away, Ouellette didn’t give in, staying within a car length from the S.D. Ireland machine of Fisher.

By lap 40, a new character arrived on the scene as Sam Caron charged hard on the outside to overtake Ouellette for second. As the final laps clicked away, Caron gained inches in each corner, but Fisher held his own. Getting to within one foot of Fisher’s rear bumper in the trip around the high banks, it still wasn’t enough for Caron. Shelburne’s Kaiden Fisher took down his second win of his rookie season in the Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers followed by Milton’s Sam Caron and Barre’s Cameron Ouellette.

It was rookie versus the all time winner starting the front row of the Midseason Championship event for the Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models. While multi-time track champion Phil Scott held his own against rookie Keegan Lamson at the beginning, he would eventually fade to the youth movement. Lamson would lead the early portions of the 75-lap main event followed by Chris Roberts and fellow rookie Stephen Martin. As this three-way battle for the podium commenced, Chip Grenier, Christopher Pelkey and Brandon Lanphear all gained real estate behind them, inching ever closer.

Following a lap 40 caution for the spinning Eric Chase, the two rookies were side by side, each splitting the lead on the next five laps until Lamson was back leading the race. Taking advantage of the slowing Martin, Pelkey made a daring move to the outside lane. As the field slowed for Lanphear’s spin in turn three, the restart allowed Pelkey to take advantage of the outside and power by the rookie with Grenier and Stephen Donahue in tow. With 15-to-go it was Pelkey leading Grenier, Donahue, Cooper Bouchard, Lamson and Scott Dragon moving into position.

Up front, Donahue began edging Grenier for second on the outside but the veteran didn’t give in, the constant two wide battle for second only allowing Pelkey to run farther away. Under the checkered flags Christopher Pelkey became the Times Argus Midseason Champion for the second consecutive season followed by Chip Grenier and Stephen Donahue. Dragon and Bouchard would round out the top five.

Rounding out the Times Argus Midseason Championships came the always entertaining Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors. From the get-go it was a hard nosed battle between veterans Frank Putney and Josh Vilbrin. The side-by-side battle allowed Ryan Foster to swoop in for third before taking second away from Vilbrin while half a track away Taylor Sayers nearly went for the spin cycle with an ill-handling car. With Putney having a straightaway lead, the first caution came out on Lap 15 with the Race-2-Read car getting mixed up with Rodney Campbell and Jason Kirby coming out of turn four. On the restart it was nothing but pink. Frank Putney took down the double purse win followed by Ryan Foster and the returning Jamie York.

The Nation’s Site of Excitement returns Thursday, July 28th with WDEV/Calkins Toilets Night at Thunder Road. The Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models, Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers and rk Miles Street Stocks and Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors will all be in attendance along with the annual Port-a-Potty Grand Prix. Post Time is set for 7:00pm with full race day schedule and pricing information available in the near future.

Since 1897, the Times Argus has served Central Vermont as the independent and trusted voice of the people of Vermont. Let the Times Argus be your source for local news on your smartphone, computer and in-print. Keeping up with changing times doesn’t mean giving up on tradition. Call the Times Argus to hear about our e-paper and print home delivery or keep up on the latest news on Facebook and Twitter.

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

Times Argus Midseason Championships

Thursday, July 21, 2022

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS

Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models – 75 Laps

1 64VT Chris Pelkey Graniteville, VT

2 9VT Chip Grenier Orange, VT

3 2VT Stephen Donahue Graniteville, VT

4 0VT Scott Dragon Milton, VT

5 7VT Cooper Bouchard Hinesburg, VT

6 27VT Kyle Pembroke Montpelier, VT

7 55VT #Keegan Lamson Berlin, VT

8 17VT Darrell Morin Westford, VT

9 3VT Chris Roberts Washington, VT

10 86VT Marcel J. Gravel Wolcott, VT

11 01VT #Stephen Martin Craftsbury Common, VT

12 40VT Eric Chase Milton, VT

13 14VT Phil Scott

14 16VT Brandon Lanphear Morrisville, VT

15 8VT Anthony Hill Waterford, VT

16 38VT Tyler Cahoon Danville, VT

17 04VT Scott Coburn Barre, VT*

18 55NH Laci Potter Danville, VT

19 55TL Blair Bessett Barnet, VT

* Sub Driver for Matt Smith

Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers – 50 Laps

1. 18VT #Kaiden Fisher Shelburne, VT

2. 07VT Sam Caron Milton, VT

3. 90VT Cameron Ouellette Barre, VT

4. 56VT Chris Laforest Barre, VT

5. 44VT Justin Prescott Williston, VT

6. 67VT Kevin Streeter Waitsfield, VT

7. 8NH Rich Lowrey South Hero, VT

8. 08VT Phil Potvin Underhill, VT

9. 01VT Michael Martin Craftsbury, Common, VT

10. 31VT Logan Powers Middlesex, VT

11. 15VT Derrick Calkins Hinesburg, VT

12. 35DG Colin Cornell E. Burke, VT

13. 68NH Tanner Woodard Waterbury Ctr., VT

14. 2VT Eric Johnson Randolph Ctr., VT

15. 64VT Jason Pelkey Barre, VT

16. 20VT Robert Gordon Milton, VT

17. 3VT Michael MacAskill Williamstown, VT

18. 8VT Mike Billado Grand Isle, VT

19. 33VT #Matt Ballard Williamstown, VT

20. 22VT Travis Patnoe Wolcott, VT

21. 5VT Tyler Austin East Calais, VT

DNS 11VT #Jacob Roy Danville, VT

rk Miles Street Stocks – 35 Laps

1. 54 Josh Lovely Williamstown, VT

2. 16 Dean Switser, Jr. Waterford, VT

3. 48 Taylor Hoar South Hero, VT

4. 47 William Hennequin Morrisville, VT

5. 68 Kyler Davis Berlin, VT

6. 2 Haidyn Pearce Chelsea, VT

7. 79 Juan 'Paco' Marshall Pittsfield, VT

8. 26 Luke Peters Groton, VT

9. 71 Jesse Laquerre Berlin, VT

10. 0 James Dopp Northfield, VT

11. 98 Kasey Collins Berlin, VT

12. 04 Scott Weston Berlin, VT

13. 43 Jamie Davis Johnson, VT

14. 5VT Derek Farnham Bethel, VT

15. 29 Gary Mullen Tunbridge, VT

16. 3 Michael Gay S. Burlington, VT

17. 33 #Curtis Franks Topsham, VT

18. 24 Todd Raymo Swanton, VT

19. 30 #Cameron Powers E. Montpelier, VT

20. 74 Tyler Whittemore Barre, VT

21. 6 Eric MacLaughlin Milton, VT

22. 8 Jeffery Martin Barre, VT

23. 17 Justin Blakely Graniteville, VT

24. 34 Patrick Tibbetts Plainfield, VT

25. 7 Kyle MacAskill Williamstown, VT

26. 96 Thomas Peck Waterbury, VT

27. 73 #Paige Whittemore Graniteville, VT

28. 9 #Zachary Audet Morrisville, VT

Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors – 25 Laps

1. 88 Frank Putney Graniteville, VT

2. 8 Ryan Foster Waterbury, VT

3. 68 Jamie York Graniteville, VT

4. 19 Neal Foster Moretown, VT

5. 95 Taylor Sayers Barre, VT

6. 07 Benjamin Bushey Springfield, VT

7. 16 Nate Brien Williamstown, VT

8. 99 Fred Fleury Graniteville, VT

9. 44 Chris Couture Barre, VT

10. 50 Nick Copping Barre, VT

11. 94 Ryan Sayers Barre, VT

12. 77 Josh Vilbrin Northfield, VT

13. 10 Rodney Campbell Worcester, VT

14. 71 Jason Kirby Milton, VT

DNS 03 Robert Catchapaw Waterbury, VT

DNS 14 Brian Preston Montpelier, VT

Thunder Road

Pelkey Doubles Up with Consecutive Times Argus Midseason Championships

Thunder Road Speedbowl

THUNDER ROAD LIVE STREAMING BROADCASTS