PHOTO: Jamie Fisher (#18) gets loose on the inside of Jay Laquerre (#50). Laquerre had the benefit of “the goop” that was applied to the outside line at Thunder Road and has been a topic of hot conversation since. (Leif Tillotson photo)

–by T.J. Ingerson
VMM Editor

The traction adhesion sealer, or known as “the goop”, has been applied at Thunder Road. So what’s the verdict?

We still don’t know.

Did the outside lane improve? Tremendously. But, many drivers said the bottom lane was too loose, and were unsure if it was due to the sealer, or Thunder Road’s natural characteristic to get greasy on hot days.

The true test, in my opinion, won’t come until June 21, the first Thursday night race. The lower temperatures will make the race track have more natural grip, and how the race plays out will be the ultimate test.

If the outside is still the dominate lane, then my uneducated opinion would be to extend the “goop”down another foot or two to allow the inside car’s right side tires to have that additional grip.

One thing that is a positive, though — Thunder Road officials not sitting on their hands and resting on their laurels.

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I have to applaud Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s decision to allow fans and pit people to use last week’s tickets and wristbands to enter the speedway for the rescheduled “I Am Vermont Strong 100” for this week.

Not many tracks would have done what they doing — most would have recharged fans. It’s a decision that, in my eyes, goes a long way for showing that they have the fans in mind, first and foremost.

If you didn’t attend last week and want to this week, bring a buddy. Devil’s Bowl is offering a buy-one get-one free offer for new ticket purchases. It’s a heck of a deal.

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Wayne Helliwell, Jr., made it into the top ten for the month of June in NASCAR’s Hunter Index, which is named after the late Jim Hunter and was “was designed as an opportunity to compare the top drivers from the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series all the way up to the NASCAR K&N Pro Series. It will also encompass drivers from the NASCAR Mexico Series, NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour, and Euro-Racecar.”

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The Modified Racing Series threw off one of the better races I have seen from them in some time at Seekonk on Saturday night. Yes, Mechalides led every lap, but Les Hinckley and Jon McKennedy were all over his back bumper on every lap he led. The run by Tommy Barrett, Jr., at the end to finish third after pitting on lap 40 came out of nowhere. Many people were shocked as Barrett passed Hinckley and were left wondering “where did he come from?”

And after attending Seekonk for the first time, I wished the American-Canadian Tour went back there and Waterford Speedbowl. I sure they threw off as good of races as I’ve seen from both tracks.

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Spencer MacPherson is either crazy or he loves racing. Or both.

MacPherson raced Friday night at Devil’s Bowl Speedway before the “I Am Vermont Strong 100” was rained out. MacPherson loaded up and headed six hours north to race in the rescheduled ACT Castrol Series event at Autodrome Chaudiere. After a 16th place finish, MacPherson headed back down to Thunder Road for Sunday’s 50-lap Late Model race.

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