Tremont Family Collects Top Honors At Devil’s Bowl Speedway Banquet Of Champions

Story By: JUSTIN ST. LOUIS / DEVIL’S BOWL SPEEDWAY – WEST HAVEN, VT – Devil’s Bowl Speedway celebrated its champions and top performers from the 2018 stock car racing season on Saturday, January 26, at the annual Banquet of Champions. A crowd of well over 300 guests honored more than 80 drivers and special award winners during the event, which was held at the Holiday Inn Rutland-Killington in Rutland, Vermont.

The Tremont family of West Sand Lake, New York, received the biggest cheers during the evening; driver Kenny Tremont Jr., was officially crowned for the ninth time in his career as the Devil’s Bowl Speedway track champion, while his father and car owner, Ken Tremont Sr., was the recipient of the seventh annual John Bruno Award – the track’s highest honor.

Tremont Sr.’s award – given in memory of the late driver and car owner John Bruno – recognized his lifelong commitment to local racing while maintaining high standards of conduct. At age 80, Tremont won his 11th Devil’s Bowl Speedway track championship as a car owner in 2018; along with the titles won with his son driving, he also won championships in 1970 with Joe Messina and in 1977 with Chuck Ely.

Tremont Jr. had a three-win season to capture the Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modified division championship and the final Vermont State Championship under the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series banner. Tim LaDuc collected runner-up honors ahead of Joey Scarborough, Justin Comes, and Vince Quenneville.

First-year Modified racer Brent Warren of Salisbury, Vermont, collected the championship trophy in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman division. A three-time race winner, Warren defeated Travis Billington, Paolo Pascarella, Joey Roberts, and Adam Piper.

Chris Murray of Fair Haven, Vermont, took his second consecutive title with a dominant, 10-win season in the Super Stock division, topping Scott FitzGerald, Curtis Condon, Lou Gancarz, and Josh Bussino.

Kaleb Shepard of Vergennes, Vermont, won the Portland Glass Mini Stock crown on the strength of five wins and was followed in the standings by Shawn Moquin, Mike Preston, Johnny Bruno, and Craig Kirby.

Cody O’Brien of Springfield, Vermont, was recognized as the youngest champion in Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s 52-year history, taking the Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprint title at age 13. Austin Chaves, Shawn McPhee, Dakota Green, and Joel Belanger were next in line.

Will Hull of Plainfield, Vermont, was crowned the champion of the five-race Sprint Car series, while Demetrios Drellos of Queensbury, New York, earned the four-race 358 Modified title. Brian Whittemore of Pittsford, Vermont, collected his first career championship in the five-race Central Vermont Motorcycles Challenger Series.

Several special awards were also given during the evening including Rookie of the Year, Sportsmanship, and Most Improved Driver laurels. Marty Kelly III took the rookie title in the Sportsman Modified class with similar honors going to Andrew FitzGerald in the Super Stocks, Craig Kirby in the Mini Stocks, and Shawn McPhee in the 500cc Mini Sprints.

Sportsmanship awards – which are determined by a vote of drivers – went to Billy Lussier (Sportsman Modified), Brent Warren (Limited Sportsman), Scott FitzGerald (Super Stock), Johnny Bruno (Mini Stock), and Samantha Mulready (500cc Mini Sprint).

Most Improved Driver plaques – also determined by vote – were presented to Joey Scarborough (Sportsman Modified), Joey Roberts (Limited Sportsman), Andrew FitzGerald (Super Stock), Lynn Denton (Mini Stock), and Cody O’Brien (500cc Mini Sprint).

Also presented during the evening were two special annual honors; the Vergennes Area Rescue Squad received the Award of Excellence for its commitment to the immediate and future success of Devil’s Bowl Speedway, and Chief Scorer Charlotte McGinn was given the Dedication Award for her years of effort at the speedway.

Certificates were presented to many drivers on behalf of O’Reilly Auto Parts, Shiley Fabrication, and Central Vermont Motorcycles, and special plaques were also presented on behalf of NASCAR. Bobco Racing Video and Big Al’s Photos provided videography and photography, and Heartbeat Entertainment provided sound and lighting.

Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s 2019 season will open on Sunday night, May 19. Membership licenses and season passes are available now.

DEVIL’ S BOWL SPEEDWAY – BANQUET OF CHAMPIONS AWARD WINNERS

Saturday, January 26, 2019 – Holiday Inn Rutland-Killington, Rutland, Vt.

John Bruno Award:

Ken Tremont Sr., West Sand Lake, N.Y.

Award of Excellence:

Vergennes Area Rescue Squad, Vergennes, Vt.

Dedication Award:

Charlotte McGinn, Elizabethtown, N.Y.

Track Champions:

Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modified – Ken Tremont Jr., West Sand Lake, N.Y.
O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman – Brent Warren, Salisbury, Vt.
Super Stock – Chris Murray, Fair Haven, Vt.
Portland Glass Mini Stock – Kaleb Shepard, Vergennes, Vt.
Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprint – Cody O’Brien, Springfield, Vt.
360 Sprint Car – Will Hull, Plainfield, Vt.
358 Modified – Demetrios Drellos, Queensbury, N.Y.
Central Vermont Motorcycles Challenger Series – Brian Whittemore, Pittsford, Vt.

Rookies of the Year:

Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modified – Marty Kelly III, North Bennington, Vt.
Super Stock – Andrew FitzGerald, West Rutland, Vt.
Portland Glass Mini Stock – Craig Kirby, Winooski, Vt.
Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprint – Shawn McPhee, Rutland, Vt.

Sportsmanship Awards: