Three drivers continue dirt track dominance; Hackel unofficially clinches championship
–by T.J. Ingerson (@TJIngerson)
VMM Editor
WEST HAVEN – Bobby Hackel used a late race restart to win his seventh Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modified win of the season on Sunday night at the Devil’s Bowl Speedway Dirt Track.
The Rensselaer, N.Y. driver was inside the top-five – but away from a victory – until a lap 31 caution flag put Hackel on race leader Justin Comes’ rear bumper.
On the restart, Hackel would pull even with Comes after the green flag and the two went door-to-door until the white flag lap when Hackel pulled away and claimed the win.
Comes, of Middlebury, finished second after he led the event from lap 16 until he surrendered it to Hackel. Newcomer Lenny Pillsbury of Cornish, N.H. finished third after he led the first 15 laps from the pole position.
East Thetford’s Louie Cadwell and Canaan, N.H. driver Allan Hammond finished fourth and fifth. NASCAR Vermont State champion Vince Quenneville Jr., rookie Justin Severance, Billy Lussier, Tim LaDuc, and Cody Ochs completed the top-five finishers.
With the win, Hackel unofficially sewed up the track’s Sportsman Modified championship. He will take an 87-point advantage into the final race of the season next Saturday night – an insurmountable margin under Devil’s Bowl’s point structure – and will be crowned champion barring an unforeseen circumstance.
Billy Duprey of Hydeville claimed his seventh win in eight starts in the 15-lap Rosen & Berger Auto Recyclers Renegade feature.
Asphalt Renegade runner-up Scott FitzGerald of West Rutland ran close to Duprey for much of the event and finished second while Matt Mosher of Queensbury, N.Y. completed the podium. Josh Bussino and Curtis Condon completed the top-five finishers.
The win for Duprey cut his 20-point deficit down to just 12 points from Condon entering the final event of the season.
Mike Ryan of Vershire put a statement on the championship battle as he claimed his sixth win of the season in the 20-lap Portland Glass Mini Stock feature.
Jason Porter of Freeport, Maine chased Ryan during the late stages of the race as he seeked his second straight win, but settled for second. Zach Wood finished third in his first dirt Mini Stock race after he was an asphalt track regular this season. Legion Speedway Mini Stock champion Matt Boucher of Andover, N.H. and Andrew FitzGerald of West Rutland finished fourth and fifth.
Sixth through tenth went to Chris Conroy, asphalt Mini Stock champion Eric Messier, Cameron Kennedy, Chris Cardarelli, and Johnny Bruno.
Unofficially, Ryan made a 31-point swing in the Mini Stock championship standings as he entered the night down 10 points to Wayland Childs and now holds a 21-point advantage. Childs finished 17th after being involved in an incident.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway will lose their 2016 season on Saturday, October 1 with the Stove Depot King of the Clay 100-lap Sportsman Modified event. Post time is set for 5:00pm
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – Fabian Earthmoving Night
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
Devil’s Bowl Speedway Dirt Track, West Haven, Vt.
Sunday, September 25, 2016
Pos.-Driver-Hometown
(# — denotes rookie)
Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modifieds (35 laps)
1. Bobby Hackel, Rensselaer, N.Y.
2. Justin Comes, Middlebury
3. Lenny Pillsbury, Cornish, N.H.
4. Louie Cadwell, East Thetford
5. Allan Hammond, Canaan, N.H.
6. Vince Quenneville Jr., Brandon
7. # Justin Severance, Pittsford
8. Billy Lussier, Fair Haven
9. Tim LaDuc, Orwell
10. Cody Ochs, Rensselaer, N.Y.
Rosen & Berger Auto Recyclers Renegades (15 laps)
1. Bill Duprey, Hydeville
2. Scott FitzGerald, West Rutland
3. Matt Mosher, Queensbury, N.Y.
4. # Josh Bussino, Mount Holly
5. Curtis Condon, Queensbury, N.Y.
Portland Glass Mini Stocks (20 laps)
1. Mike Ryan, Vershire
2. Jason Porter, Freeport, Maine
3. # Zach Wood, Georgia
4. Matt Boucher, Andover, N.H.
5. Andrew FitzGerald, West Rutland
6. Chris Conroy, Newport, N.H.
7. # Eric Messier, Hinesburg
8. # Cameron Kennedy, Rochester
9. Chris Cardarelli, Milton
10. Johnny Bruno, Castleton
PHOTO: Bobby Hackel (97) races to the outside of Justin Comes (51) for the Sportsman Modified feature race win on Sunday night at Devil’s Bowl Speedway Dirt Track. (Alan Ward photo)
