Bergeron Dominates For Late Model Win At Devil’s Bowl
Story By: JUSTIN ST. LOUIS / DEVIL’S BOWL SPEEDWAY – WEST HAVEN, VT – There was no doubt about the strength of Chris Bergeron’s racecar at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Saturday, June 3. The former track champion drove a flawless race on the 1/2-mile Asphalt Track at Devil’s Bowl for a dominating victory in NASCAR Whelen All-American Series competition. Also in the winner’s circle during the event were Vince Quenneville Jr., Eric Messier, Brad Bertrand, and Stephanie Roberts.
Bergeron was stellar in the opening 50-lap feature for the five-race Driven Transport Late Model Series. The Claremont, N.H., driver drew the outside pole starting position and immediately jumped past pole sitter Claude Leclerc into the lead. Only one caution flag slowed the race on lap 7, and Bergeron handled the restart easily, cruising to the win for the sixth time in his career at Devil’s Bowl.
Defending track champion Josh Masterson of Bristol, Vt., was the only driver that could even sniff Bergeron, but finished second about 10 car lengths behind in his first start for Barnett Motorsports. Seth Bridge had a solid outing to finish third. Leclerc – the popular 75 year-old “Iron Man” from Quebec – finished fourth with rookie Dylan Payea fifth.
Vince Quenneville Jr. was even better in the 25-lap O’Reilly Auto Parts Sportsman Modified feature and buried the field with a half-lap margin of victory. The Brandon, Vt., racer crashed in qualifying but dodged a bullet with only cosmetic damage and a flat tire; he started on the pole for the main event and left the field in his wake.
Jackie Brown Jr. had a season-best runner-up showing, holding off a race-long charge from Joey Roberts, who took third. Ron Proctor came from the back to finish fourth and Mike Wells rounded out the top five.
The Rosen & Berger Auto Recyclers Super Stocks had the best racing of the night in their 20-lap feature. Rookie Eric “Mongo” Messier of Hinesburg, Vt. – the 2016 Mini Stock champion – had a good lead erased by a caution flag with six laps to go, and was beaten on the subsequent restart by Scott FitzGerald. It looked as though FitzGerald, of West Rutland, Vt., would take the win, but a final caution set up a green-white-checker restart and Messier took the lead back and sailed to the win.
FitzGerald hung on for second place with rookie Brett Wood an impressive third. Austin McKiernan came home in fourth place, while Jared Blake drove from 12th at the start to finish fifth.
Brad Bertrand of Ferrisburgh, Vt., continued his unbeaten streak in the Portland Glass Mini Stock division. The Subaru driver has won every qualifying heat and feature race he has started in 2017, and Saturday’s 15-lap run was no exception. Roo Forrest finished second with rookie Shawn Moquin third. Andrew FitzGerald and rookie Cam Gadue completed the top five.
The Ladies Mini Stock division made its debut as a regular class with a 10-lap feature race. Stephanie Roberts of Fletcher, Vt., took down the win in convincing style. Seventeen year-old Maddy Rabtoy finished second, followed by Lynn Denton and Sami Sargent.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway is scheduled for a Dirt Track event on Sunday, June 4 at 6:00 p.m., with a special event for Sportsman Coupes, as well as Sportsman Modifieds, Super Stocks, Mini Stocks, and the new Catamount Mini Sprint club. General admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, $5 for teenagers, and free for kids age 12 and under. Grandstand gates open at 4:30 p.m. with racing at 6:00 p.m.
The rescheduled “Rutland County Rumble” invades Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Saturday, June 10, with Truck & Tractor Pulls starting at 12:00 noon, followed by a Demolition Derby at approximately 6:00 p.m. The Asphalt Track returns to action on Saturday, June 17.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, Vt., four miles north of U.S. Route 4, Exit 2. For more information, visit www.DevilsBowlSpeedwayVT.com or call (802) 265-3112. Devil’s Bowl Speedway is on Facebook at @DevilsBowlSpeedway and on Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat at @DevilsBowlSpeed; follow the action using the hashtag #DevilsBowl.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
Devil’s Bowl Speedway Asphalt Track – West Haven, VT
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
Saturday, June 3, 2017
Driven Transport Late Model Feature (50 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (2) Chris Bergeron, Claremont, N.H.
2. (4) Josh Masterson, Bristol, Vt.
3. (6) Seth Bridge, Mendon, Vt.
4. (1) Claude Leclerc, Lanoraie, Que.
5. (3) # Dylan Payea, Henniker, N.H.
6. (10) # Jason Durgan, Morrisonville, N.Y.
7. (11) # Evan Hallstrom, Northfield, Vt.
8. (8) Mark Norris, Benson, Vt.
9. (9) Bill Donahue, Rutland, Vt.
10. (5) Brian Tarbell, Springfield, Vt.
11. (7) Robert Bryant Jr., Brooklyn, Conn.
Heat Winners: Josh Masterson, Claude Leclerc
Car Show Winner: Evan Hallstrom
O’Reilly Auto Parts Sportsman Modified Feature (25 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (1) Vince Quenneville Jr., Brandon, Vt.
2. (3) Jackie Brown Jr., Hurley, N.Y.
3. (5) Joey Roberts, Fletcher, Vt.
4. (8) Ron Proctor, Charlton, N.Y.
5. (4) Mike Wells, West Chazy, N.Y.
6. (2) Jason Durgan, Morrisonville, N.Y.
7. (6) Billy Lussier, Fair Haven, Vt.
8. (7) # Chad White, Fort Ann, N.Y.
9. (9) Chuck Bradford, Addison, Vt.
Heat Winners: Jason Durgan, Jackie Brown Jr.
Shiley Fabrication Hard Charger Award: Ron Proctor
Shiley Fabrication Hard Luck Award: Chuck Bradford
Rosen & Berger Auto Recyclers Super Stock Feature (20 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (5) # Eric Messier, Hinesburg, Vt.
2. (6) Scott FitzGerald, West Rutland, Vt.
3. (4) # Brett Wood, Georgia, Vt.
4. (8) Austin McKiernan, Moriah Center, N.Y.
5. (12) Jared Blake, North Hero, Vt.
6. (3) R.J. Germain, Bristol, Vt.
7. (7) Dylan Rabtoy, Swanton, Vt.
8. (10) Jim McKiernan, Moriah Center, N.Y.
9. (2) # Garrett Given Sr., Cornwall, Vt.
10. (9) David Aiken, Claremont, N.H.
11. (11) Bill Burlingame, Gansevoort, N.Y.
12. (1) Tony Salerno, Mineville, N.Y.
Heat Winners: R.J. Germain, Brett Wood
Portland Glass Mini Stock Feature (15 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (8) Brad Bertrand, Ferrisburgh, Vt.
2. (5) Roo Forrest, West Rutland, Vt.
3. (7) # Shawn Moquin, Milton, Vt.
4. (6) Andrew FitzGerald, West Rutland, Vt.
5. (2) # Cam Gadue, Highgate, Vt.
6. (1) Kaleb Shepard, New Haven, Vt.
7. (9) # Mike Preston, Panton, Vt.
8. (3) Garrett Given Sr., Cornwall, Vt.
9. (4) Zach Wood, Georgia, Vt.
10. (11) Kyle Botala, Grand Isle, Vt.
11. (12) Josh Swahn, Pittsford, Vt.
12. (10) # Johnny Bruno, Castleton, Vt.
Did Not Start: # Hunter Given, Orwell, Vt.
Heat Winners: Cam Gadue, Brad Bertrand
Ladies Mini Stock Feature (10 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
1. (1) Stephanie Roberts, Fletcher, Vt.
2. (3) Maddy Rabtoy, Swanton, Vt.
3. (2) Lynn Denton, Milton, Vt.
4. (4) Sami Sargent, Bristol, Vt.a
