PHOTO: Ron Proctor scored his first win of the 2012 season at Devil’s Bowl Friday night, combining a segment one win with a second place effort in segment two for three points overall. (T.J. Ingerson/VMM photo)

Gonyo scores segment two win; Bushey takes second consecutive Late Model feature

–by T.J. Ingerson

WEST HAVEN — Ron Proctor didn’t forget how to win at Devil’s Bowl Speedway.

The defending Bond Auto Parts Modified champion may have become the forgotten member of the championship battle as all eyes have been on the impressive runs by race winners Vince Quenneville, Jr., and Jessey Mueller. But Friday night was Proctor’s night, as he scored his first win of the 2012 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series season.

Proctor started the first 20-lap segment from the ninth position and quickly worked his way into the top five. Proctor contently rode in the fourth position through the halfway mark before moving into the outside lane. He would then make quick work on the outside, taking the lead on lap 14.

Proctor took the segment one victory and was followed across the line by two-time 2012 winner Quenneville and nephew Jamie Proctor. Cody Sargen and Joey Roberts completed the top five segment one finish.

Proctor, Quenneville, and Mueller would start at the rear of the field for the second segment. Mueller would be involved in a lap five incident and did not return. Quenneville was involved a wreck on the restart that saw his day end.

From there, however, it was all Proctor. Proctor restarted ninth on the lap five restart, and began maneuvering his way through the field to sit in the fourth position on lap 17. Then, Proctor would jump inside of teenager Hunter Bates to take third, continuing that run to take second from Jason Bruno on the next lap. Leon Gonyo would take the segment two victory, followed by Proctor, Bruno, Bates, and Roberts.

When the dust settled, it was Proctor’s three points that stood alone and took the overall People’s United Bank Memorial Day Special win.

“The car has been real quick,” Proctor said. “We just had to bide our time because of all the wrecks, and then we got the toe knocked in. But we were still good. I can’t complain, we got the overall win.”

The Charlton, N.Y., racer had finishes of second, seventh, and third thus far in the young season. Now, Proctor can put a check in the win column, a big achievement in the competition-laden Modified division.

“It’s always weight off your shoulders when you come back and get a victory,” Proctor said. “It’s big. We didn’t have one yet and we have one now. But it’s a long season. We have a long ways to go.”

A pair of fifth place finishes for the Georgia rookie Roberts was good enough for him to earn his first podium finish with second overall. Gonyo, of Chazy, N.Y., was able to rebound from a heat race problem to take third overall with a win and tenth place segment finish. Sargen, of Greenfield Center, N.Y., paired his segment one finish of fourth with a seventh place showing in segment two to take fourth overall, his first top five finish of the 2012 season. Schuylerville, N.Y.’s Jamie Proctor took a third and eighth place finish to take fifth overall.

Alex Bell was sixth with 15 points. Vince Quenneville, Jr., was able to finish seventh overall with 15 points despite his second segment wreck. Bruno, Bates, and rookie Andy Smith completed the overall top ten with 18 points.

Craig Bushey took advantage of a lap 22 restart to win his second consecutive J&S Steel Late Model feature.

Bushey started the 30-lap feature from the 11th position, but was penalized to the rear for his involvement in a lap 2 spin of Kevin Elliott. That didn’t stop the Fairfax native, however. Bushey began to slowly work his way through the field, avoiding incidents that created five more caution periods, before he claimed the lead on lap 23 from Bryan Town on a restart.

Town, of Charlestown, N.H., held on for a career best second place finish, while Rutland’s Elliott was able to rebound to finish third. Northfield’s Norm Andrews finished fourth while Dan Petronis, II, of Mechanicville, N.Y., was fifth.

Ryan Keith of Pittsford held off former champion Frank Monroe to win the 20-lap Renegade feature. Keith was shadowed all race long by Monroe, facing numerous challenges from the Granville, N.Y., racer. Monroe settled for second, while Jeremy Jones of Leicester was third.

Rookie Josh Masterson continued his winning ways in his young career, taking his third career win in four starts in the 20-lap Bomber feature. Masterson, of Bristol, started tenth and quickly moved his way to the front, moving around then-leader Bobby LaVair on lap nine. LaVair, of Gabriels, N.Y., was second across the line, followed by John McCarron of Rennselar, N.Y. Harold LaVair and Ray Germain, Jr., completed the top five.

Devil’s Bowl Speedway continues its Friday night summer schedule next Friday, June 1, for Carrara Masonry & Concrete Night presented by Mobil 1. Post time is set for 7:30pm.

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS — People’s United Bank Memorial Day Special
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series — Devil’s Bowl Speedway, West Haven
Friday, May 25, 2012

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

Bond Auto Parts Modifieds — (2 x 20 laps)
1. Ron Proctor, Charlton, N.Y. — (1 + 2 = 3)
2. # Joey Roberts, Georgia — (5 + 5 = 10)
3. Leon Gonyo, Chazy, N.Y. — (10 + 1 = 11)
4. Cody Sargen, Greenfield Center, N.Y. — (4 + 7 = 11)
5. Jamie Proctor, Schuylerville, N.Y. — (3 + 8 = 11)
6. Alex Bell, Cambridge, N.Y. — (7 + 8 = 15)
7. Vince Quenneville, Jr., Brandon — (2 + 13 = 15)
8. Jason Bruno, Plattsburgh, N.Y. — (15 + 3 = 18)
9. Hunter Bates, Middlebury — (14 + 4 = 18)
10. # Andy Smith, South Glens Falls, N.Y. (9 + 9 = 18)

J&S Steel Late Models (30 laps)
1. Craig Bushey, Fairfax
2. Bryan Town, Charlestown, N.H.
3. Kevin Elliott, Rutland
4. Norm Andrews, Northfield
5. Dan Petronis, II, Mechanicville, N.Y.
6. Dave Wilcox, Swanton
7. # Robert Bryant, Jr., Brooklyn, Conn.
8. Matt White, Northfield
9. # Johnny Chesnut, Grantham, N.H.
10. # Jesse Carris, Rutland

Renegades (20 laps)
1. Ryan Keith, Pittsford
2. Frank Monroe, Granville, N.Y.
3. Jeremy Jones, Leicester
4. Robert Gordon, Milton
5. # Robin Cummings, Milton

Bombers (20 laps)
1. # Josh Masterson, Bristol
2. Bobby LaVair, Grabriels, N.Y.
3. John McCarron, Rennselaer, N.Y.
4. Harold LaVavir, Gabriels, N.Y.
5. Ray Germain, Jr., Bristol