Moodie grabs Tiger point lead with win; Perry claims Street Stock triumph
–by T.J. Ingerson (@TJIngerson)
VMM Editor
BARRE – Jason Allen shook off all the gremlins of the current season to capture his first win of the season on the final Thursday night event at Thunder Road.
The Barre driver worked past polesitter Dave Whitcomb midway through the 50-lap feature race to score the win.
“We needed this,” Allen said. “At one point, the team was getting down, and me included. Thanks to the sponsors for sticking with us. They know we’re good, and they know we go through slumps.
“We kind of pulled together as a team. We showed up tonight and we were off, but we kept our heads right in the grindstone tonight and we knew we had to win – it’s the last Thursday night. And we were able to go out there and do that.”
Whitcomb grabbed the lead from the first lap and opened up a comfortable gap to the second place car, but when Allen took hold of the runner-up spot, he slowly began to reel in the lead car. Allen would pull to the outside of Whitcomb at the midway point of the event and complete the pass as the cars completed lap 26.
“I knew as long as my car didn’t fall off, I knew we (would have a chance to win),” Allen said. “I was watching Dave and I could see he was spinning his tires and we weren’t. I knew that was a good sign and the spotter was in my ear saying ‘keep doing what you’re doing’ and he kept getting bigger and bigger in my windshield.
“It is pretty cool to race with a veteran like Dave Whitcomb for the win. I remember I was ten-years-old watching him win his championship. I think I still have his picture signed when I was a kid. It was cool to be able to race with him and beat him for the win.”
Whitcomb, of Essex Junction, settle for second with rookie Marcel J. Gravel of Wolcott third. Tyler Cahoon of St. Johnsbury finished fourth while hometown driver Cody Blake completed the top-five finishers.
Kyle Pembroke and Matt White finished sixth and seventh, respectively. Nick Sweet was able to reduce his deficit by 12 points on the night to sit just eight points behind Dragon after an eighth place finish. Dragon kept Sweet close with a ninth place finish with Jason Corliss completing the top-ten finishers.
Sweet was able to cut the 20-point Dragon advantage after he gained three points in his heat race, seven points in the bonus point semi-feature, which Dragon missed qualifying for, and two points in the feature event.
Brendan Moodie used a segment one win to propel to the overall win in the three-segment Bond Auto Tiger Sportsman event.
The Wolcott driver finished second and sixth in the final two segments to post the low overall score of nine, which was one point better than second place overall finisher Mike Martin, who posted finishes of fifth, first, and fourth, respectively.
Point leader Stephen Donahue of Graniteville finished third overall with Cameron Ouellette of Barre fourth. Veteran driver Mark Barnier of Grand Isle completed the top-five finish overall. Mike Billado, Jason Woodard, Eric Johnson, Joe Steffen, and Tommy Smith finished sixth through tenth, unofficially.
Moodie, unofficially, takes the point lead in the season-long standings by one point over Donahue with one event remaining. Martin sits 11 points back of Moodie with Ouellette 21 points back. Woodard sits 30 points back of the point leader in fifth.
Jaden Perry made a pass coming to the white flag to claim the win in the 25-lap Allen Lumber Street Stock feature.
The Hardwick driver moved his way from a 12th place starting spot and moved to the outside of Cooper Bouchard on lap 23 to grab his fourth career win.
Rookie driver Bouchard of Hinesburg settled for second after he took the lead following a lap 11 caution flag for a tangle involving leaders Jennifer Getty and Peyton Lanphear.
Street Stock point leader Jamon Perry finished third with Thomas Merchant of Eden Mills fourth. Rookie Brandon Lanphear completed the top-five finishers.
Alan Maynard, Kelly Miller Jr., Garry Bashaw, Reilly Lanphear, and Greg Collette finished sixth through tenth, unofficially.
Thunder Road will complete its weekly championship season for all three divisions on Sunday, September 4 with the Coca-Cola Labor Day Classic.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – Jet Service Envelope/Accura Printing Night
Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl, Barre, Vt.
Thursday, August 25, 2016
Pos.-Driver-Hometown
(# — denotes rookie)
ACT Late Models (50 laps)
1. Jason Allen, Barre
2. Dave Whitcomb, Essex Junction
3. Marcel Gravel, Wolcott
4. Tyler Cahoon, St. Johnsbury
5. Cody Blake, Barre
6. Kyle Pembroke, Montpelier
7. Matt White, Northfield
8. Nick Sweet, Barre
9. Scott Dragon, Milton
10. Jason Corliss, Barre
Bond Auto Tiger Sportsman (3 x 20 laps)
1. Brendan Moodie, Wolcott – 9 pts
2. Mike Martin, Craftsbury – 10 pts
3. Stephen Donahue, Graniteville – 12 pts
4. Cameron Ouellette, Barre – 15 pts
5. Mark Barnier, Essex Junction – 17 pts
6. Mike Billado, Essex – 19 pts
7. Jason Woodard, Waterbury Center – 21 pts
8. Joe Steffen, Grand Isle – 22 pts
9. Eric Johnson, Randolph Center – 22 pts
10. Tommy Smith, Williamstown – 24 pts
Allen Lumber Street Stocks (25 laps)
1. Jaden Perry, Hardwick
2. # Cooper Bouchard, Hinesburg
3. Jamon Perry, Hardwick
4. Thomas Merchants, Eden Mills
5. # Brandon Lanphear, Morrisville
6. Alan Maynard, Fairfax
7. Kelly Miller Jr., Johnson
8. Garry Bashaw, Lincoln
9. Reilly Lanphear, Duxbury
10. Greg Collette, Milton
PHOTO: Jason Allen celebrates his Thunder Road Late Model win on Thursday night with his crew members. (T.J. Ingerson/VMM photo)
