Rabtoy, Bertrand grab Super Stock, Mini Stock opening night wins
WEST HAVEN – Ron Proctor turned back the clock on Saturday night at Devil’s Bowl Speedway and delivered a performance reminiscent of his championship years.
The Charlton, N.Y. veteran driver dominated the 25-lap O’Reilly Auto Parts Sportsman Modified feature event to earn his 11th career win in Devil’s Bowl asphalt era.
Proctor started in the third spot and moved to the inside of polesitter Mike Well’s inside off of turn two on lap number two to take the lead. From there, Proctor didn’t look back and opened up a commanding lead.
When the checkered flag flew, Proctor had a near half-track lead over the second place finisher of Wells. Wells, of West Chazy, N.Y., led the first lap and then held off multi-time track champion Vince Quenneville Jr. for much of the event. Quenneville, of Brandon, settled for third and bounced back from a heat race incident.
Billy Lussier and Jackie Brown Jr. completed the top-five finishers.
Defending champion Jason Durgan was involved in a heat race incident and was unable to compete in the feature event.
Dylan Rabtoy picked up career win number two in the 20-lap Rosen & Berger Auto Recycler Super Stock feature.
The Swanton driver started on the pole position and pulled out to the lead over defending champion Jim McKiernan after a brief side-by-side battle. A mid-race restart saw Rabtoy pull clear of McKiernan and cruise to the win.
McKiernan, of Moriah Center, N.Y., finished second with Scott FitzGerald of West Rutland third. Freshman campaigner and reigning Mini Stock champion Eric Messier finished fourth and Jared Blake finished fifth.
Brad Bertrand battled back from an early race incident to earn the win in the Portland Glass Mini Stock feature.
The Ferrisburgh driver was involved in a multi-car incident on the first lap of the 15-lap event and was forced to head to pit road. However, he returned and battled through the field to take the lead after a lap eight restart from Roo Forrest.
Forrest, of West Rutland, finished second with freshman driver Shawn Moquin third. Andrew FitzGerland and Zach Wood completed the top-five finishers.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway looks toward a big Memorial Day Weekend with a 50-lap Sportsman Modified event on Saturday, May 27 along with the first Enduro Series event of the season. On Sunday, May 28, the King of Dirt Sportsman Modified Series will open the dirt track season, along with the Sprint Cars of New England.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – Spring Green
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
Devil’s Bowl Speedway, West Haven, Vt.
Saturday, May 20, 2017
Pos.-Driver-Hometown
(# — denotes rookie)
O’Reilly Auto Parts Sportsman Modifieds (25 laps)
1. Ron Proctor, Charlton, N.Y.
2. Mike Wells, West Chazy, N.Y.
3. Vince Quenneville Jr., Brandon
4. Billy Lussier, Fair Haven
5. Jackie Brown Jr., Hurley, N.Y.
Rosen & Berger Auto Recyclers Super Stocks (20 laps)
1. Dylan Rabtoy, Swanton
2. Jim McKiernan, Moriah Center, N.Y.
3. Scott FitzGerald, West Rutland
4. # Eric Messier, Hinesburg
5. Jared Blake, North Hero
Portland Glass Mini Stocks (15 laps)
1. Brad Bertrand, Ferrisburgh
2. Roo Forrest, West Rutland
3. # Shawn Moquin, Milton
4. Andrew FitzGerald, West Rutland
5. Zach Wood, Georgia
PHOTO: Ron Proctor celebrates his Sportsman Modified win on Saturday night at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. (T.J. Ingerson/VMM photo)
