Frank Hoard III Celebrates Sportsman Mod Win Saturday At Devil’s Bowl Speedway

Information By: JUSTIN ST. LOUIS / DEVIL’S BOWL SPEEDWAY – WEST HAVEN, VT – Frank Hoard III earned his first win in two years by leading every lap of the 30-lap Sportsman Modified feature.

Marty Kelly III closely trailed Hoard in heavy lapped traffic until the lone caution flag on lap 21.

Hoard pulled away after the restart for the win. Hoard was involved in a major accident on opening night, May 1 (and has been rehabbing a back injury since), and drove his team’s backup car to the win.

Sportsman Modified – 30 laps
1. 13 Frank Hoard III – Manchester Center, VT
2. 357 Marty Kelly III – North Bennington, VT
3. 60W Anthony Warren – Shoreham, VT
4. 5J Pat Jones – Altamont, NY
5. 85P Mike Palmer – Salisbury, VT

Limited Sportsman – 25 laps
1. 33 Melvin Pierson – East Corinth, VT
2. 13 Troy Audet – Bridport, VT
3. 51 Austin Comes – Middlebury, VT
4. 50X Evan Roberts – Fletcher, VT
5. 60 Randy Ryan – Orwell, VT
SUMMARY: Multi-time Bear Ridge Speedway champion Melvin Pierson won at Devil’s Bowl Speedway for the first time in his long career, and in just his fourth Modified race. Pierson held off freshman driver Troy Audet’s strong challenge in the final laps.

Super Stock – 20 laps (UNOFFICIAL PENDING INSPECTION)
1. 55 Andrew FitzGerald – West Rutland, VT
2. M7 Chris Murray – Fair Haven, VT
3. 3B Paul Braymer – Granville, NY
4. 2X Josh Bussino – Fair Haven, VT
5. 22 Mark Norris – Benson, VT
SUMMARY: Andrew FitzGerald outdueled Chris Murray in a thrilling two-lap sprint to the finish, which happened following a restart on lap 18. Josh LeClaire was in an intense battle with Murray for much of the race, but spun into the backstretch wall and flipped his car with two laps left; he was uninjured. FitzGerald’s win is unofficial, pending the results of an engine inspection.

Mini Stock – 20 laps
1. 19 Chris Sumner – Ripton, VT
2. 7 Tim Simonds – Clarendon, VT
3. 78 Chris Conroy – Newport, NH
4. 27X Brian Blake – Cornwall, VT
5. 75 Derrick Counter – Leicester, VT
SUMMARY: Chris Sumner made it two-straight wins after a wildly entertaining race that saw one multi-car pileup and another rollover – both crashes involving Freddy Burch, who was uninjured in each case. Sumner fought hard for the lead with Simonds and Conroy in a well-driven battle.

500cc Mini Sprint – 15 laps
1. 723 Ray Hanson – Orwell, VT
2. 42JR Kamden Duffy – Richmond, NH
3. 11A Gage Provencher – Bridport, VT
4. 17 Kaidin White – Monkton, VT
5. 23 Austin Chaves – Chester, VT
SUMMARY: Ray Hanson made an incredible four-wide move for the lead in lapped traffic with two laps remaining for his third win in four races in 2021. Eleven-year-old rookie Gage Provencher and 12-year-old Kamden Duffy had a tight battle for the lead when Hanson – running third at the time – saw the opening in Turn 1 as the leaders navigated a lapped car..