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Alan Ward photo
Barre, VT – It was an action-packed afternoon of racing at Thunder Road Sunday, starting with two rained out NBT Bank features from Thursday. The Maplefields/Irving Late Models made history to start Sunday’s showcase with a long green flag run setting up a fan-favorite finish. Early polesitters Stephen Donahue and Darrell Morin slipped back after lap 20, setting up a four-car, side-by-side battle between Stephen Martin, Chris Pelkey, Taylor Hoar and Marcel Gravel. As Pelkey began to drive away, Hoar broke past the boys to chase down the #64 on the highside.
The lap 54 caution saw Stephen Donahue and Scott Coburn spin in turn three to end both their days ahead of the Five Star Roofing feature later on leaving one final restart. Pelkey picked the high groove with Hoar down low as the EastRise Credit Union Dodge Charger came to life and drove off with the win. Taylor Hoar joins Tracie Bellerose as the only female winners in the Maplefields/Irving Late Models and the first since July 31, 2003. Chris Pelkey took second-place with Stephen Martin coming home third.
The Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors also wowed the crowd with their rain-delayed NBT Bank 50-lap Challenge. The field ballooned to include several late arrivals and some quickly repaired Bolduc Metal Recycling Enduro teams. After a relatively clean run for the Road Warriors, Eddie Thompson reigned supreme with Branden Premont and Nick Copping following him across the line.
The Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers dove into the first Five Star Roofing trophy dash of the afternoon. Karsen Murphy led from the drop of the green flag while a pair of big-time run ins with the turn one wall ruined the day for Travis Patnoe and Mike Billado as the Tigers approached the halfway point. Murphy and Ty Delphia kept a spirited side-by-side battle at the front as Eric Messier, Logan Powers and Chris LaForest kept their noses in the fight as well. In the end they had nothing for the Northfield kid with Karsen Murphy nailing down his second win of the season, Eric Messier took home second with Ty Delphia rounding out the podium.
The rk Miles Street Stocks were next on track with 50 laps to round out the Alera Group Triple Crown on Five Star Roofing night. ‘Flyin’ Fred Fleury quickly took over the lead with Logan Farnsworth and Jason P. Kirby in hot pursuit with Alera Group Triple Crown point leader Hayden Morris mired in traffic back in 23rd. Farnsworth nabbed the lead using the outside groove on lap 16 as Morris followed Paul Rocheleau in the same groove slowly but surely making up valuable points.
The lap 33 caution for fluid re-racked the field with Scott Weston taking the restart lead away from Farnsworth as the field stayed stacked two-by-two behind them. It looked like Hayden Morris had it all wrapped up until both his white #13VT and the #99VT of Fleury spun into the infield off turn one in the final lap. Scott Weston beat Logan Farnsworth back to the line under the checkered flags with Connor Rueda coming home third. Rueda’s third-place finish was enough to seal the deal, earning the East Barre teenager the 2026 Alera Group Triple Crown championship!
The Maplefields/Irving Late Models returned for the Five Star Roofing feature, their second 60-lap sprint around the Barre highbanks. Once Bobby Therrien got out around Darrell Morin he was lights-out on the field in the caution-free event. The former King of the Road took down his first win of the season over Scott Dragon and Jason Corliss at the line.
The Burnett Scrap Metals rounded out Five Star Roofing night with Caleb Cramer and Jacob Hall-Larson bringing the field to green. 20 laps on the board and Cramer led the early goings until Brayden Murphy fired up the inside groove to lead lap 5. From then on it was the thirty-three show out front with Murphy nabbing his first career win over Bill O’Connor and Trevor Jaques.
Thunder Road is back to Thursday night action this Thursday, August 13 for Vermont Tire & Service Night! The Maplefields/Irving Late Models headline Vermont Tire & Service Night with a 100 lap special in Round #2 of the Squier Cup Triple Crown presented by Milton CAT. The Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers, rk Miles Street Stocks and the Dads 4 By Tool & Supply Kids Division join the card plus the Kids Poster Contest and all Vermont Black Bears youth hockey players in uniform are admitted free!
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.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
Sunday, August 9, 2026
Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl – Barre, VT
Five Star Roofing Twilight Special
rk Miles Street Stocks – Alera Group Triple Crown Round #3 (50 Laps)
Alera Group Triple Crown Champion – Connor Rueda 17VT
1. 04VT Scott Weston Berlin, VT
2. 22NH Logan Farnsworth St. Johnsbury, VT
3. 17VT Connor Rueda Barre, VT
4. 71VT Jason Kirby Milton, VT
5. 32HD Erik Steel Colchester, VT
6. 74VT Tyler Whittemore Barre, VT
7. 75VT TJ Haggett Waterford, VT
8. 31VT Tyler Wheatley Brookfield, VT
9. 13ME Riley Morris Barre, VT
10. 27VT #Derrick Mann Graniteville, VT
11. 7VT Kyle MacAskill Williamstown, VT
12. 15VT Hayden Bushey Fairfax, VT
13. 43VT Jamie Davis Johnson, VT
14. 39VT Derek Farnham Bethel, VT
15. 93VT Jackson Hunt Derby Line, VT
16. 77VT #Zachary Garvey Milton, VT
17. 08VT Zach Audet Morrisville, VT
18. 06VT Donat Premont Johnson, VT
19. 18VT Walker Fitch Marshfield, VT
20. 13VT Hayden Morris Barre, VT
21. 76VT #Braden LaRose Essex, VT
22. 96VT Thomas Peck Waterbury, VT
23. 99VT Fred Fleury Graniteville, VT
24. 25VT Jennifer Getty E. Fairfield, VT
25. 00VT Howard Stockwell Randolph, VT
26. 8VT Paul Rocheleau Georgia, VT
27. 16VT Nate Brien Williamstown, VT
28. 48VT #Owen Dupuis Washington, VT
29. 47NH Paige Whittemore Graniteville, VT
30. 34VT Patrick Tibbetts Plainfield, VT
DNS 22VT Thomas Smith Williamstown, VT
DNS 33VT Curtis Franks Topsham, VT
Maplefields/Irving Late Models – (60 Laps)
1. 5VT Bobby Therrien Hinesburg, VT
2. 0VT Scott Dragon Milton, VT
3. 66VT Jason Corliss Barre, VT
4. 64VT Christopher Pelkey S. Barre, VT
5. 00VT Brandon Gray E. Thetford, VT
6. 17VT Darrell Morin Westford, VT
7. 01VT Stephen Martin Craftsbury Common, VT
8. 16VT Brandon Lanphear Morrisville, VT
9. 86VT Marcel J. Gravel Wolcott, VT
10. 48VT Taylor Hoar South Hero, VT
11. 04VT Justin Prescott Fairfax, VT
12. 26VT *Kolby Picard Hyde Park, VT
13. 25VT Mike Rubalcaba Barre, VT
DNS 11x Austin Jacobs Barre, VT
DNS 4VT Scott Coburn Barre, VT
*Substitute Driver for Stephen Donahue
Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers – (50 Laps)
1. 42VT Karsen Murphy Northfield, VT
2. 19VT Eric Messier Hinesburg, VT
3. 13VT Ty Delphia Waterbury, VT
4. 56VT Chris Laforest Barre, VT
5. 94VT Brendan Moodie Wolcott, VT
6. 31VT Logan Powers Middlesex, VT
7. 15VT Derrick Calkins Hinesburg, VT
8. 26VT Luke Peters Groton, VT
9. 4VT Cooper French Northfield, VT
10. 64VT *Kevin Streeter Waitsfield, VT
11. 3VT Michael MacAskill Williamstown, VT
12. 20VT Robert Gordon Milton, VT
13. 40VT Eric Chase Milton, VT
14. 8NH #Jaiden Del Toro Graniteville, VT
15. 5VT Kyle Gravel Wolcott, VT
16. 5NH Erin Beaudry Claremont, NH
17. 16VT #Dean Switser, Jr. Waterford, VT
18. 55VT Parker Gagne Fairfax, VT
19. 33VT Matt Ballard Williamstown, VT
20. 22VT Travis Patnoe Wolcott, VT
21. 8VT Mike Billado Grand Isle, VT
*Substitute Driver for Jason Pelkey
Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors – (20 Laps)
1. 33 Brayden Murphy Barre, VT
2. 96 Bill O’Connor S. Washington, VT
3. 57 Trevor Jaques Milton, VT
4. 97 Eddie Thompson Colchester, VT
5. 51 Caleb Cramer Georgia, VT
6. 42 Jacob Hall-Larson Northfield, VT
7. 05 Brandon Premont Johnson, VT
8. 77 Blake Normand St. Johnsbury, VT
9. 70 Mason Frazier E. Montpelier, VT
10. 57x Andrew Lopes Swanton, VT
11. 50 Nick Copping Barre, VT
12. 18 Cayden Green Marshfield, VT
13. 81 Mike Slingerland Milton, VT
14. 14 Justin Blakely Graniteville, VT
15. 0 Eric MacLaughlin Milton, VT
16. 2 Eugene Quintin Barre, VT
17. 5 Sierra Wilds W. Topsham, VT
Maplefields/Irving Late Models – NBT Bank Feature (60 Laps)
Rain Delayed from Thurs., Aug. 6
1. 48VT Taylor Hoar South Hero, VT
2. 64VT Christopher Pelkey S. Barre, VT
3. 01VT Stephen Martin Craftsbury Common, VT
4. 66VT Jason Corliss Barre, VT
5. 86VT Marcel J. Gravel Wolcott, VT
6. 0VT Scott Dragon Milton, VT
7. 00VT Brandon Gray E. Thetford, VT
8. 17VT Darrell Morin Westford, VT
9. 5VT Bobby Therrien Hinesburg, VT
10. 04VT Justin Prescott Fairfax, VT
11. 16VT Brandon Lanphear Morrisville, VT
12. 25VT Mike Rubalcaba Barre, VT
13. 23VT Kolby Picard Hyde Park, VT
14. 26VT Stephen Donahue Graniteville, VT
15. 4VT Scott Coburn Barre, VT
16. 11x Austin Jacobs Barre, VT
DNS 71VT Jesse Laquerre E. Montpelier, VT
DNS 99VT Cody Blake Barre, VT
DNS 33VT #Matt Sonnhalter Randolph, VT
Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors – NBT Bank Challenge (50 Laps)
Rain Delayed from Thurs., Aug. 6
1. 97 Eddie Thompson Colchester, VT
2. 05 Brandon Premont Johnson, VT
3. 50 Nick Copping Barre, VT
4. 96 Bill O’Connor S. Washington, VT
5. 33 Brayden Murphy Barre, VT
6. 51 Caleb Cramer Georgia, VT
7. 42 Jacob Hall-Larson Northfield, VT
8. 70 Mason Frazier E. Montpelier, VT
9. 57x Andrew Lopes Swanton, VT
10. 5 Sierra Wilds W. Topsham, VT
11. 77 Blake Normand St. Johnsbury, VT
12. 18 Cayden Green Marshfield, VT
13. 57 Trevor Jaques Milton, VT
14. 43 Anderson Boyd Berlin, VT
15. 2 Eugene Quintin Barre, VT
16. 0 Eric MacLaughlin Milton, VT
17. 14 Justin Blakely Graniteville, VT
18. 88 Frank Putney Graniteville, VT
19. 95 Taylor Sayers Barre, VT
