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Young Donahue Tops Tiger Field at Thunder Road

Posted By Tj Ingerson On September 7, 2015

Categories: Thunder Road

Stephen Donahue carries the checkered flag following his win in the Tiger Sportsman 35-lap feature on Sunday afternoon at Thunder Road. (Alan Ward photo)PHOTO: Stephen Donahue carries the checkered flag following his win in the Tiger Sportsman 35-lap feature on Sunday afternoon at Thunder Road. (Alan Ward photo)

Moodie, Davis claim first career Division championships; Gray earns Street Stock win

--by T.J. Ingerson
(@TJIngerson)
VMM Editor

BARRE --
Stephen Donahue came out on top of a side-by-side battle with Cameron Ouellette to earn his third Bond Auto Tiger Sportsman win of the season on Sunday afternoon at Thunder Road.

The Graniteville driver started fifth in the 35-lap feature and used a lap six restart to first grab the lead from Oulette. A lap 15 restart handed the lead back to Ouellette, but Donahue fought back on the inside.

The two would then trade the lead back and forth, including through a lap 23 restart, before Donahue took the lead for keeps with just four laps to go.

“I had a lot of fun (racing) Cameron,” Donahue said in victory lane. “I’ve known Cameron for a couple of years now and we’ve always raced each other clean. I had a lot more fun running side-by-side with him than I’ve had most of the year.”

Ouellette, of Barre, finished second with Dylan Payea of Milton third. Jason Woodard of Waterbury Center finished fourth with three-time Tiger champion Shawn Fleury of Middlesex fifth.

Brendan Moodie of Wolcott, VT celebrates his first career Tiger Sportsman championship on Sunday at Thunder Road. (Alan Ward photo)Brendan Moodie of Wolcott earned his first Tiger Sportsman championship with a sixth place finish. Moodie, who carried a 14 point lead into the feature event over Woodard, suffered a flat right front tire with just 12 laps to go and was forced to pit. However, he fought his way back through the field to secure the championship after many runner-up finishes.

“We’ve gotten quite a few second (place finishes),” Moodie said in victory lane. “We’ve always been close.

“I have to thank Frank Keene; he bought (us) a motor and bought tires this year. If it wasn’t for him we wouldn’t be here.”

Moodie’s four wins this season put him in a tie for third on the all-times win list with former Tiger Sportsman champion Joe Steffen.

Mike Billado, Mike Martin, Tommy Smith, and Chris Pelkey completed the top-ten finishers.

Brandon Gray celebrates his first career Allen Lumber Street Stock win on Sunday at Thunder Road. (Alan Ward photo)East Thetford’s Brandon Gray used a lap 14 restart to zoom past leader Thomas Merchants and claim his first career win in the entry level Allen Lumber Street Stock feature in their 25-lap event.

“I’ve had this car for two weeks now,” Gray said in victory lane. “It’s been a dream of mine to win here since I was a little kid. We can mark another one off the list with the tracks we’ve won at.”

Richard Gravel of Wolcott finished second with Cambridge’s Jennifer Getty third for her third straight podium finish. Rookie driver Matthew Smith of Essex Junction and Hardwick’s Jaden Perry completed the top-five finishers.

Donny Yates, Jamon Perry, Kevin Streeter, Alan Maynard, and Kyle Streeter finished sixth through tenth, respectively.

Jamie Davis of Wolcott, VT celebrates his first career Allen Lumber Street Stock championship at Thunder Road. (Alan Ward photo)Jamie Davis of Wolcott finished 11th to secure his first career Street Stock championship and remembered a close friend while he accepted his championship trophy.

“There’s been a lot of people who’ve been behind me,” Davis said in victory lane. “A dear friend of mine, Joe Fecteau, passed away and he did a lot for me. After he passed, the rest of the year was all about him.”

Thunder Road’s final event of the 2015 season will come on Saturday, October 10 and Sunday, October 11 with the 53rd running of the Northfield Savings Bank Vermont Milk Bowl.

Vermont Motorsports Magazine will have more from the Coca-Cola Labor Day Classic soon.

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – Coca-Cola Labor Day Classic
Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl, Barre, Vt.
Sunday, September 6, 2015

Pos.-Driver-Hometown
(# -- denotes rookie)

Bond Auto Tiger Sportsman (35 laps)
1. Stephen Donahue, Graniteville
2. Cameron Ouellette, Barre
3. Dylan Payea, Milton
4. Jason Woodard, Waterbury Center
5. Shawn Fleury, Middlesex
6. Brendan Moodie, Wolcott
7. Mike Martin, Craftsbury
8. Mike Billado, Essex
9. Tommy Smith, Williamstown
10. Chris Pelkey, South Barre

Allen Lumber Street Stocks (25 laps)
1. Brandon Gray, East Thetford
2. Richard Gravel, Wolcott
3. Jennifer Getty, Cambridge
4. # Matthew Smith, Essex Junction
5. Jaden Perry, Hardwick
6. Donny Yates, North Montpelier
7. Jamon Perry, Hardwick
8. Kevin Streeter, Waitsfield
9. Alan Maynard, Fairfax
10. Kyle Streeter, Waitsfield

PHOTOS:
1. Stephen Donahue carries the checkered flag following his win in the Tiger Sportsman 35-lap feature on Sunday afternoon at Thunder Road. (Alan Ward photo)
2. Brendan Moodie of Wolcott, VT celebrates his first career Tiger Sportsman championship on Sunday at Thunder Road. (Alan Ward photo)
3. Brandon Gray celebrates his first career Allen Lumber Street Stock win on Sunday at Thunder Road. (Alan Ward photo)
4. Jamie Davis of Wolcott, VT celebrates his first career Allen Lumber Street Stock championship at Thunder Road. (Alan Ward photo)