Scott Dragon Takes Father’s Throwback to Podium Before Winning Late Model Feature on Casella Night

Barre, VT — The annual Thursday Night opener at Thunder Road presented by Casella Waste Management brought fans to the edge of their seats with hard-nosed racing already becoming the definition of the 2023 season. Side-by-side battles were commonplace across the board as the season-long points chase came to the forefront of every driver’s mind with fans getting to experience old and new all together in year 64 high atop Quarry Hill. One particular driver got to step in both worlds with success in each outing.

The New England Antique Racers (NEAR) kicked off the Casella Night activities with the first of twin-15 lap feature events. Starting with the Sportsman class it was all ‘Dynamite’ Dave Manning in the Dave Dion-inspired #29 machine. A former Jim Cilley ride, Manning made it look like child’s play, a trait Dion once also had on the Thunder Road highbanks. Not to be overshadowed, Scott Dragon joined the Sportsman field behind the wheel of a throwback Bobby Dragon masterpiece, bringing his father’s number back into the winner’s circle with a third-place finish.

In the NEAR Modifieds, Art Merchant also took off from the pole but the real race was coming from the back with Bruce ‘Gomer’ Taylor. Gomer cross cutted the field again and again on his way up from a ninth-place starting position in an old Len Bochler Modified but it wasn’t enough in the end. Art Merchant would take the win on Casella Night to round out the NEAR nostalgia program.

The 25-lap rk Miles Street Stock feature was led to green by Paige Whittemore and Scott Weston. After the first twelve rows drove side-by-side from the onset, Patrick Tibbets shot the gap between Weston and Todd Raymo but went swirly on the frontstretch, coming to a stop broadside to the field on lap 10. Whittemore and Cam Powers would fight on the restart with Powers coming out on top by just a bumper cover on lap 11 before Paige took back the lead by an equal amount on laps 12 and 13.

Another major frontstretch caution would come on lap 18 with Christopher Davis slamming his right rear into the widowmaker and collecting Josh Lovely to add to a disastrous day for the Williamstown driver. In the final moments, Powers held a lead ahead of a trifecta of track champions; Jamie Davis, Jeffrey Martin and Tommy Smith before becoming a first-time winner in the fan favorite division. Davis would come home second with Martin rounding out the podium.

Alan Ward photo

The Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers were next to take the field with Matt Ballard and Cam Gadue showing the way under the initial green flag. Gadue would quickly take the lead and make distance his tool of the trade. Unknown to him, Rich Lowrey was making moves to escape the pack and closing in on Gadue’s bumper by the halfway point. Lowrey would take the lead on lap 24 before the first caution for Cooper French stopped on the field go-kart track. Lowrey would lead on the restart while the battle for third went white-hot between Kevin Streeter, Sam Caron and Jason Pelkey. With just inches to spare Kevin Streeter would get the fender ahead for third following Colin Cornell and Rich Lowrey to victory lane.

Alan WArd photo

The Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models closed out the night with their first 50-lap main event of the Thursday night season. All-time wins leader Phil Scott led Tyler Cahoon and the rest of the field to green with Scott Dragon and Chris Roberts hot on his tail. Dragon would take the lead on lap 10 while defending champion Chris Pelkey powered along the outside groove as he moved through the top-10 leaving point leader Cody Blake mired in traffic. The only yellow flag would wave on lap 27 with the #27VT of Kyle Pembroke and Cooper Bouchard going in the spin-cycle off turn two.

Dragon would lead the restart over Roberts with Marcel Gravel attempting to bonsai his way into second to no avail. In the final circuits it came down to a bitter side-by-side battle between Gravel and Pelkey with a last-second dash at the line deciding their fate. Scott Dragon would take a dominant win on Casella Waste Management night to claim his first of the 2023 season followed by Chris Roberts and Marcel Gravel by just 0.040-seconds over Chris Pelkey to join the podium.

Alan Ward photo

Action returns to the Thunder Road highbanks on Thursday, June 22nd for Community College of Vermont Night. Along with the Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models, Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers and rk Miles Street Stocks, the 9th annual Marvin Johnson Memorial Race for Street Stock first-time winners will also return to Thunder Road!

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

Casella Waste Management Night

Thursday, June 15, 2023

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS

Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models - (50 Laps)

1 0VT Scott Dragon Milton, VT

2 8VT Chris Roberts Washington, VT

3 86VT Marcel J. Gravel Wolcott, VT

4 64VT Chris Pelkey Graniteville, VT

5 31VT Stephen Donahue Graniteville, VT

6 16VT Brandon Lanphear Morrisville, VT

7 99VT Cody Blake Barre, VT

8 17VT Darrell Morin Westford, VT

9 38VT Tyler Cahoon Danville, VT

10 68VT Brooks Clark Fayston, VT

11 9VT Chip Grenier Orange, VT

12 88VT Nick Sweet Williamstown, VT

13 27VT Kyle Pembroke Montpelier, VT

14 04VT #Justin Prescott Milton, VT

15 31KS #Cody Schoolcraft Claremont, NH

16 5VT Bobby Therrien Hinesburg, VT

17 18VT #Kaiden Fisher Shelburne, VT

18 4VT Scott Coburn Barre, VT

19 01VT Stephen Martin Craftsbury Common, VT

20 7VT Cooper Bouchard Hinesburg, VT

21 14VT Phil Scott Berlin, VT

22 69VT Blair Bessett Barnet, VT

Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers - (40 Laps)

1 8NH Rich Lowrey South Hero, VT

2 54VT Colin Cornell E. Burke, VT

3 67VT Kevin Streeter Waitsfield, VT

4 64VT Jason Pelkey Barre, VT

5 07VT Sam Caron Milton, VT

6 56VT Chris Laforest Barre, VT

7 37VT Kyle Streeter Waterbury Ctr., VT

8 68VT Jason Woodard Waterbury Ctr., VT

9 00VT Brandon Gray E. Thetford, VT

10 33VT Matt Ballard Williamstown,VT

11 3VT Michael MacAskill Williamstown, VT

12 31VT Logan Powers Middlesex, VT

13 8VT Mike Billado Grand Isle, VT

14 23NY Cam Gadue Highgate, VT

15 20VT Robert Gordon Milton, VT

16 08VT Phil Potvin Underhill, VT

17 90VT Cameron Ouellette Barre, VT

18 23ME Ethan Tyrell Worcester, VT

19 45VT Adam Maynard Milton, VT

20 5VT Tyler Austin East Calais, VT

21 4ME Cooper French Northfield, VT

22 13VT Ty Delphia Duxbury, VT

23 78VT #Tyler Pepin Barre, VT

24 26VT #Luke Peters Groton, VT

25 9VT #Zach Audet Morrisville, VT

26 22VT Travis Patnoe Wolcott, VT

DNS 93FL Jeff Oeschger Dover, FL

rk Miles Street Stocks - (25 Laps)

1. 30 Cameron Powers E. Montpelier, VT

2. 43 Jamie Davis Johnson, VT

3. 8 Jeffery Martin Barre, VT

4. 22 Thomas Smith Williamstown, VT

5. 73 Paige Whittemore Graniteville, VT

6. 08 #Ryan Foster Waterbury, VT

7. 0 James Dopp Northfield, VT

8. 24 Todd Raymo Swanton, VT

9. 79 Juan 'Paco' Marshall Pittsfield, VT

10. 74 Tyler Whittemore Barre, VT

11. 2 Haidyn Pearce Chelsea, VT

12. 71 Jesse Laquerre Berlin, VT

13. 54 Josh Lovely Williamstown, VT

14. 39 Derek Farnham Bethel, VT

15. 34 Patrick Tibbetts Plainfield, VT

16. 55 Parker Gagne Fairfax, VT

17. 04 Scott Weston Berlin, VT

18. 50 Eric MacLaughlin Milton, VT

19. 48 Taylor Hoar South Hero, VT

20. 9 #Logan Farrell Barre, VT

21. 7 Kyle MacAskill Williamstown, VT

22. 88 #Paul Rocheleau Georgia, VT

23. 13 #Travis Gay S. Burlington, VT

24. 3 Michael Gay S. Burlington, VT

25. 5 Kyle Gravel Wolcott, VT

26. 69 Christopher Davis Berlin, VT

27. 96 Thomas Peck Waterbury, VT

28. 16 Dean Switser, Jr. Waterford, VT

29. 57 Trevor Jaques Milton, VT

30 33 Curtis Franks Topsham, VT

31 98 Kasey Collins Berlin, VT

32 47 William Hennequin Morrisville, VT

DNS 1 #Shea Wheeler Waterbury, VT

New England Antique Racers (NEAR) Sportsman - (15 Laps)

1. 29 Dave Manning Berlin, VT

2. 77 Craig Hood Dummer, NH

3. 71 Scott Dragon Milton, VT

New England Antique Racers (NEAR) Modifieds - (15 Laps)

1. 64 Art Merchant Rutland, MA

2. 110 Curt Snow W. Warren, MA

3. 17 Henry Stampl Plainville, MA