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Alan Ward photo
Barre, VT — As if the battle between Derek Griffith, D.J. Shaw and Evan Hallstrom on Saturday night wasn’t enough, the 25th Community Bank N.A. 150 blasted as the bookend of the 64th season opener weekend for Thunder Road. Hometown boy Jason Corliss was able to overcome mechanical woes to tie Nick Sweet as four-time winners of the American-Canadian Tour Community Bank 150 while the Thunder Road weekly divisions jump-started their 2023 season.
The rk Miles Street Stocks continued to impress at the start of the 2023 season with thirty-four cars flooding the pit area to continue their 2022 season average of 30+ cars per event! Fan favorite Juan ‘Paco’ Marshall led the early goings from the pole starting position, but it was former winner James Dopp who got the advantage. Slowed by just one caution period, sophomore campaigner Cam Powers used the restart to track down Dopp with Tyler Whittemore also using the slow-down to jump up top. In the end, James Dopp would take down the Street Stock victory followed by Powers and Whittemore to round out the podium.
The Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers began the year thirty-one strong to put on a show for the swelled opening day crowd. After two rounds of qualifying, Kyle Streeter and Phil Potvin led the field down to start the season two-by-two. In a similar story, the Flying Tigers put on a barn-burner with Streeter and third-place starter Jason Pelkey setting the tone up front for much of the race. The two ran nose-to-tail in and around lapped traffic before defending Tiger champion Sam Caron entered the mix. With five-to-go, Caron made his way into second and set his sights on the lead. Growing ever closer with each pass over the start/finish line, Kyle Streeter would take the win and the Community Bank bonus by just a fender over Sam Caron with Logan Powers powering up to take third.
The crowd of weekly Maplewood/Irving Late Models racers who took on the American-Canadian Tour travel teams made their presence known with every full-time Late Model driver from 2022, who entered the event, qualifying into the main event. Former Flying Tiger winner Bryan Wall Jr. paced the thirty-car field to start alongside former Flying Tiger track champion Jimmy Hebert to start the 150-lap event. Wall, Hebert and former King of the Road Bobby Therrien drove the doors off their rigs at the front of the field.
An all-Thunder Road front row saw Hebert and Therrien take heat from Cody Blake and defending King of the Road Christopher Pelkey all over their rear bumper. A rough and tumble race would ensue but through and through it was a hometown driver at the helm of the touring stars. With a completely dislodged power steering pump and a flat tire that forced him to drive through the field twice, former three-peat track champion Jason Corliss powered through in the final restart against Cody Blake to take his fourth Community Bank 150, matching Nick Sweet’s four-win-record. Williamstown’s Jimmy Hebert held on for second while a charging Marcel Gravel took third.
The Burnett Scrap Metal Road Warriors may have ended the afternoon’s festivities, but it was far from quiet. ‘Flyin’ Fred Fleury led the field to green as a collection of fan-favorites and new faces dotted the novice four-cylinder division. Lap traffic became a factor early, but it wasn’t enough to slow Flyin Fred. He weaved in and out of lap cars all while defending Mini Milk Bowl winner Taylor Sayers chased him down through the traffic. In the end it was too little, too late with Fred Fleury taking down his first win of the season followed by Taylor Sayers and Car Show winner Ben Bushey rounding out the podium.
Thunder Road comes back to life in three weeks with the 60th Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic. Opening the points season for the Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models with their 125-lap Memorial Day Classic, the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series returns with the Granite City 100 for the Tour-type Modifieds to open their 2023 campaign. The Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers, rk Miles Street Stocks and Burnett Scrap Metal Road Warriors join the line-up for the fan-favorite event on Sunday, May 28th.
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
25th Annual Community Bank 150
Sunday, May 7, 2023
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
American-Canadian Tour – 25th Community Bank N.A. (150 Laps)
1. 66VT Jason Corliss Barre, VT
2. 58VT Jimmy Hebert Williamstown, VT
3. 86VT Marcel J. Gravel Wolcott, VT
4. 04NH Shawn Swallow Groveton, NH
5. 99VT Cody Blake Barre, VT
6. 64VT Chris Pelkey Graniteville, VT
7. 60ME Gabe Brown Center Conway, NH
8. 16VT Brandon Lanphear Morrisville, VT
9. 9VT Chip Grenier Orange, VT
10. 04VT D.J. Shaw Center Conway, NH
11. 5VT Bobby Therrien Hinesburg, VT
12. 36NH Erick Sands Derry, NH
13. 41QC Jonathan Bouvrette Blainville, QC
14. 27NH Cam Huntress Rochester, NH
15. 68VT Brooks Clark Fayston, VT
16. 94VT Brendan Moodie Wolcott, VT
17. 00NH Jimmy Renfrew Jr. Candia, NH
18. 31CT #Andrew Molleur Woodbridge, CT
19. 18VT #Kaiden Fisher Shelburne, VT
20. 4NH Jamie Swallow Jr. Stark, NH
21. 03MA Derek Gluchacki North Dartmouth, MA
22. 55VT Keegan Lamson Berlin, VT
23. 68NH #Tanner Woodard Waterbury Ctr., VT
24. 0NH Quinten Welch Groveton, NH
25. 77NH #Bryan Wall Jr. E. Kingston, NH
26. 27VT Kyle Pembroke Montpelier, VT
27. 0VT Scott Dragon Milton, VT
28. 01VT Stephen Martin Craftsbury Common, VT
29. 38VT Tyler Cahoon Danville, VT
30. 48VT Jean-Paul Cyr Milton, VT
DNQ 92VT Jaden Perry Hardwick, VT
DNQ 28NH Ricky Bly Sunapee, NH
DNQ 31KS #Cody Schoolcraft Claremont, NH
DNQ 12CT #PJ Evans Uncasville, CT
DNQ 25NH Jesse Switser W. Burke, VT
DNQ 4CT #Reese Bogue Groton, CT
DNQ 60NH Derrick O’Donnell N. Haverhill, NH
Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers (40 Laps)
1 37VT Kyle Streeter Waterbury Ctr., VT
2 07VT Sam Caron Milton, VT
3 31VT Logan Powers Middlesex, VT
4 67VT Kevin Streeter Waitsfield, VT
5 00VT Brandon Gray E. Thetford, VT
6 44VT Justin Prescott Williston, VT
7 64VT Jason Pelkey Barre, VT
8 15VT Derrick Calkins Hinesburg, VT
9 45VT Adam Maynard Milton, VT
10 8NH Rich Lowrey South Hero, VT
11 3VT Michael MacAskill Williamstown,VT
12 90VT Cameron Ouellette Barre, VT
13 68VT Jason Woodard Waterbury Ctr., VT
14 08VT Phil Potvin Underhill, VT
15 8VT Mike Billado Grand Isle, VT
16 54VT Colin Cornell E. Burke, VT
17 20VT Robert Gordon Milton, VT
18 23VT Matthew Potter Marshfield, VT
19 5VT Tyler Austin East Calais
20 23NY Cam Gadue Highgate, VT
21 26VT #Luke Peters Groton, VT
22 78VT #Tyler Pepin Barre, VT
23 22VT Travis Patnoe Wolcott, VT
24 9VT #Zach Audet Morrisville, VT
25 93FL Jeff Oeschger Dover, FL
26 23ME Ethan Tyrell Worcester, VT
27 56VT Chris Laforest Barre, VT
28 33VT Matt Ballard Williamstown,VT
29 34VT #Jim Paquette Alburgh, VT
30 4ME Cooper French Northfield, VT
DNS 13VT Ty Delphia Duxbury, VT
rk Miles Street Stocks (25 Laps)
1. 0 James Dopp Northfield, VT
2. 30 Cameron Powers E. Montpelier, VT
3. 74 Tyler Whittemore Barre, VT
4. 79 Juan ‘Paco’ Marshall Pittsfield, VT
5. 2 Haidyn Pearce Chelsea, VT
6. 8 Jeffery Martin Barre, VT
7. 3 Michael Gay S. Burlington, VT
8. 16 Dean Switser, Jr. Waterford, VT
9. 47 William Hennequin Morrisville, VT
10. 48 Taylor Hoar South Hero, VT
11. 7 Kyle MacAskill Williamstown, VT
12. 5 Kyle Gravel Wolcott, VT
13. 57 Trevor Jaques Milton, VT
14. 98 Kasey Collins Berlin, VT
15. 69 Christopher Davis Berlin, VT
16. 08 #Ryan Foster Waterbury, VT
17. 9 #Logan Farrell Barre, VT
18. 39 Derek Farnham Bethel, VT
19. 73 Paige Whittemore Graniteville, VT
20. 24 Todd Raymo Swanton, VT
21. 55 Parker Gagne Fairfax, VT
22. 33 Curtis Franks Topsham, VT
23. 88 #Paul Rocheleau Georgia, VT
24. 66 Robert Audet Morrisville, VT
25. 04 Scott Weston Berlin, VT
26. 71 Jesse Laquerre Berlin, VT
27. 1 #Shea Wheeler Waterbury, VT
28. 54 Josh Lovely Williamstown, VT
29. 12 Mekaylah Bowen Morrisville, VT
30. 43 Jamie Davis Johnson, VT
31. 34 Patrick Tibbetts Plainfield, VT
32. 22 Thomas Smith Williamstown, VT
33. 50 Eric MacLaughlin Milton, VT
DNS 13 Travis Gay S. Burlington, VT
Burnett Scrap Metal Road Warriors (20 Laps)
1. 99 Fred Fleury Graniteville, VT
2. 95 Taylor Sayers Barre, VT
3. 07 Benjamin Bushey Springfield, VT
4. 54 Dan Garrett, Jr. Berlin, VT
5. 16 Nate Brien Williamstown, VT
6. 71 Jason Kirby Milton, VT
7. 19 Neal Foster Moretown, VT
8. 88 Frank Putney Graniteville, VT
9. 50 Nick Copping Barre, VT
10. 18 David Wilder Barre, VT
11. 74 Bert Duffy Milton, VT
12. 28 Windsor Hodgdon Granby, VT
13. 31 Tyler Wheatley Brookfield, VT
14. 86 Sean McCarthy Williamstown, VT
15. 17 Brodie Frazier E. Montpelier, VT
16. 69 Anderson Boyd Berlin, VT
17. 33 Brayden Murphy Barre, VT
18. 35 Kris Russell St. Johnsbury, VT
19. 23 Jennesta Garret Middlesex, VT
DNS 94 Ryan Sayers Barre, VT
