Quenneville Takes Third Win Of 2017 At Devil’s Bowl

Story By: JUSTIN ST. LOUIS / DEVIL’S BOWL SPEEDWAY – WEST HAVEN, VT – Chris Bergeron has been considering retirement from stock car racing, but he may want to reconsider. The veteran racer from Claremont, N.H., scored his third consecutive NASCAR Whelen All-American Series victory at The Asphalt Track at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Friend Construction Night on Saturday, July 22. Other feature winners included Vince Quenneville Jr., Austin McKiernan, Zach Wood, and Evan Roberts.

Bergeron, the 2013 Devil’s Bowl champion, had his work cut out for him in the third 50-lap race of the five-event Driven Transport Late Model Series. As Bergeron made his way through traffic from 10th place at the start, 15 year-old rookie Evan Hallstrom started on the pole position and threatened an upset victory, leading Jamie Aube after 20 laps. Aube poked ahead to lead one lap after a restart, but Hallstrom jumped back in front.

Hallstrom held the lead at the final restart with 30 laps complete, but Bergeron squeezed ahead two laps later and extended his perfect streak to three races. Hallstrom had a career night as the runner-up, while Aube held strong to take third place. Rich Lowrey Jr. finished fourth in his first Devil’s Bowl start of the season, and another strong rookie, Dylan Payea, finished fifth. Matt White, Seth Bridge, Richard Lowrey III, Allen Fellows and Late Model newcomer Peyton Lanphear completed the top 10 in order.

Vince Quenneville Jr. of Brandon, Vt., copped his second-straight win and third of the year in the 25-lap feature race for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Sportsman Modifieds. Quenneville needed only three laps to move from fifth to first, then sailed to the win. Billy Lussier took second place with Joey Roberts third, Ron Proctor fourth, and Jason Durgan fifth.

Sophomore driver Austin McKiernan of Moriah Center, N.Y., scored his third career victory in the 20-lap feature for the Rosen & Berger Auto Recyclers Super Stock division. The 2016 Rookie of the Year started on the pole position, but had to earn his victory after battling with Brett Wood. McKiernan took the lead away from Wood with an exciting last-lap pass and grabbed his first win of the year. Wood settled second with Shawn Duquette a season-best third. Jared Blake equaled his career-best finish in fourth place with Scott FitzGerald fifth.

Zach Wood of Georgia, Vt., finally returned to the winner’s circle in the Portland Glass Mini Stock division, taking a 15-lap feature for his first win of the season. Roo Forrest finished second to continue his strong year, and rookie and championship point leader Shawn Moquin finished third for his seventh consecutive top-four result. Andrew FitzGerald took fourth, followed by Garrett Given.

The Bandit Youth Mini Stock division had a wild race and a first-time winner, as the division’s youngest driver, 11 year-old Evan Roberts of Fletcher, Vt., took the checkered flag in an 8-lap race. Nick Austin-Neil and Connor Watrous collided after an apparent mechanical failure on the Watrous car, sailing off Turn 3 in spectacular fashion. Both drivers walked away uninjured and received a big cheer from the crowd. Tanner Lunt finished second as the only other car left on the track; Austin-Neil was credited with third over Watrous and Harley Rogers.

Devil’s Bowl Speedway is back in action on its 3/10-mile Dirt Track on Sunday, July 23, at 6:00 p.m., as Interstate All Battery Center of Rutland presents the Lucas Oil POWRi Outlaw Midget Series along with the Sportsman Modifieds, Mini Stocks, and the Catamount Mini Sprints. General admission is $12.00 for adults, $10.00 for seniors (62+), $5.00 for teenagers (13-17), and free for kids age 12 and under.

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 – Friend Construction Night

Devil’s Bowl Speedway Asphalt Track – West Haven, VT

NASCAR Whelen All-American Series

Saturday, July 22, 2017

Driven Transport Late Model Feature (50 laps)

Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown

# – denotes rookie

1. (10) Chris Bergeron, Claremont, N.H.

2. (1) # Evan Hallstrom, Northfield, Vt.

3. (5) Jamie Aube, North Ferrisburgh, Vt.

4. (9) Rich Lowrey Jr., Charlotte, Vt.

5. (2) # Dylan Payea, Henniker, N.H.

6. (8) Matt White, Northfield, Vt.

7. (3) Seth Bridge, Mendon, Vt.

8. (11) Richard Lowrey III, Charlotte, Vt.

9. (12) Allen Fellows, Claremont, N.H.

10. (14) Peyton Lanphear, Duxbury, Vt.

11. (7) Aaron Fellows, Croydon, N.H.

12. (6) Steve Miller, Vergennes, Vt.

13. (13) Robert Bryant Jr., Brooklyn, Conn.

14. (4) Robert Hagar, Windsor, Vt.

Did Not Start: Bill Donahue, Rutland, Vt.

Heat Winners: Seth Bridge, Dylan Payea

O’Reilly Auto Parts Sportsman Modified Feature (25 laps)

Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown

1. (5) Vince Quenneville Jr., Brandon, Vt.

2. (1) Billy Lussier, Fair Haven, Vt.

3. (3) Joey Roberts, Fletcher, Vt.

4. (4) Ron Proctor, Charlton, N.Y.

5. (2) Jason Durgan, Morrisonville, N.Y.

Heat Winner: Jason Durgan

Shiley Fabrication Hard Charger Award: Vince Quenneville Jr.

Shiley Fabrication Hard Luck Award: Jason Durgan

Rosen & Berger Auto Recyclers Super Stock Feature (20 laps)

Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown

# – denotes rookie

1. (1) Austin McKiernan, Moriah Center, N.Y.

2. (5) # Brett Wood, Georgia, Vt.

3. (7) Shawn Duquette, Morrisonville, N.Y.

4. (3) Jared Blake, North Hero, Vt.

5. (5) Scott FitzGerald, West Rutland, Vt.

6. (10) # Eric Messier, Hinesburg, Vt.

7. (11) Jim McKiernan, Moriah Center, N.Y.

8. (4) R.J. Germain, Bristol, Vt.

9. (9) # Garrett Given Sr., Cornwall, Vt.

10. (12) Dylan Rabtoy, Swanton, Vt.

11. (8) Kelsea Woodard, Waterbury Center, Vt.

12. (2) Tony Salerno, Mineville, N.Y.

13. (14) Adam Maynard, Milton, Vt.

14. (13) Bill Burlingame, Gansevoort, N.Y.

Did Not Start: Bill Duprey, Hydeville, Vt.

Heat Winners: Scott FitzGerald, Jim McKiernan

Portland Glass Mini Stock Feature (15 laps)

Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown

# – denotes rookie

1. (3) Zach Wood, Georgia, Vt.

2. (9) Roo Forrest, West Rutland, Vt.

3. (8) # Shawn Moquin, Milton, Vt.

4. (5) Andrew FitzGerald, West Rutland, Vt.

5. (7) Garrett Given Sr., Cornwall, Vt.

6. (6) # Cam Gadue, Highgate, Vt.

7. (1) # Johnny Bruno, Castleton, Vt.

8. (2) Kaleb Shepard, New Haven, Vt.

9. (4) # Kyle Botala, Grand Isle, Vt.

Heat Winners: Zach Wood, Roo Forrest

Bandit Youth Mini Stock Feature (8 laps)

Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown

1. (1) Evan Roberts, Fletcher, Vt.

2. (3) Tanner Lunt, Fort Ann, N.Y.

3. (2) Nick Austin-Neil, Salisbury, Vt.

4. (4) Connor Watrous, Bomoseen, Vt.

5. (5) Harley Rogers, Castleton, Vt.