PHOTO: Nick Sweet won his second straight Merchants Bank 150 (VMM Photo)
— by T.J. Ingerson
BARRE — Thirty-nine minutes was all it took for Nick Sweet to win back-to-back Merchants Bank 150s at Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl. Sweet, of Barre, started in the eighth position and took advantage of lapped traffic, catching and passing Joey Polewarczyk on lap 92 to win.
Polewarczyk, of Hudson, N.H., jumped to a huge lead after taking it on lap 5, but Sweet slowly reeled him in after the one and only caution on lap 9.
“It’s kind of a blur, it felt like it went so quick,” said Sweet. “I remember when we got past Joey I knew we had a really good car at that point. I wanted to get the lead for reassurance for myself. Guys were telling me to ‘save it, save it’, and I think it was going in one ear and right out the other, because I just kept driving the wheels off it until the checkered flag came.”
Polewarczyk finished second, 3.6 seconds behind Sweet, despite pressure from Graniteville’s John Donahue in the closing laps. St-Denis, Que., driver Patrick Laperle and Williston’s Brian Hoar –the only other drives remaining on the lead lap — battled to the line, with Laperle getting the edge.
Jonathan Urlin, Randy Potter, rookie Ben Ashline, Quinny Welch, and Mark Lamberton rounded out the top 10, each one lap down.
Vermont Motorsports Magazine will have more coverage from the Merchants Bank 150 soon.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS — Merchants Bank 150
American-Canadian Tour — Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl, Barre, Vt.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown-Car
1. (8) Nick Sweet, Barre, Vt. — St. J Auto/Packard Fuels Pontiac
2. (4) Joey Polewarczyk, Jr, Hudson, N.H. — Pole’s Automotive Ford
3. (2) John Donahue, Graniteville, Vt. — National Guard Ford
4. (10) Patrick Laperle, St-Denis, Que. — Gestion MN/Patriote Auto/Lasalle Ford
5. (1) Brian Hoar, Williston, Vt — Goss Dodge Chrysler/RPM Racing Engines Dodge
6. (21) Jonathan Urlin, London, On. — McColl Racing Enterprises/SISKINDS Chevrolet
7. (11) Randy Potter, Groveton, N.H. — Speedway Sports Park/vtmotormag.com Chevrolet
8. (13) #Ben Ashline, Pittson, Me. — DS Norton Construction/Berubes Auto Care Chevrolet
9. (19) Quinny Welch, Lancaster, N.H. — Local Lineman 104/M.A. Bean Associates Chevrolet
10. (17) Mark Lamberton, Moores Forks, N.Y. — Richard Green Trucking/Green’s ACE Hardware Chevrolet
11. (9) Eric Chase, Milton, Vt. — Mansfield Heliflight/Gary Clay Builders Chevrolet
12. (3) Glen Luce, Turner Me. — Stevens Pumps and Electric Ford Fusion
13. (23) Dave Pembroke, Middlesex, Vt. — VSECU/Lamoille Valley Ford Ford
14. (14) Matt White, Northfield, Vt. — White’s Heating Inc./Bethel Central Toyota
15. (6) Brent Dragon, Milton, Vt. — Beverage Mart/Furniture World Chevrolet
16. (5) Phil Scott, Berlin, Vt. — Casella/Lamberton Electric Chevrolet
17. (16) Wayne Helliwell, Jr, Dover, N.H. — E-Keys 4 Cars/Unique Ford
18. (7) Scott Payea, Milton, Vt. — Leahy Press/Quintin Bros. Auto Chevrolet
19. (15) Pete Yetman, Peru, Ma. — Yetman Motorsports Chevrolet
20. (26) Chip Grenier, Graniteville, Vt. — My Wallet/Last Call Racing Toyota
21. (25) Dave Whitcomb, Essex Jct., Vt. — Ferguson Chevrolet
22. (18) Cody Blake, Barre, Vt. — North Country Federal Credit Union/Cody Chevrolet Chevrolet
23. (12) Scott Luce, Turner, Me. — Pitcher Perfect Tires/C-Prime Chevrolet
24. (20) Tom Carey, Jr., New Salem, Ma. — Summit Ice Ford
25. (22) Jamie Aube, Bow, N.H. — Marcotte & Sons/American Legion Post 14/Acustatherm Chevrolet
26. (27) Joey Becker, Jeffersonville, Vt. — Richard Green Trucking/Green’s ACE Hardware Chevrolet
27. (29) Jean-Paul Cyr, Milton, Vt. — Harrison Redi-mix Chevrolet
28. (28) Brett Wheeler, Waterbury, Vt. — Spherion/Army ROTC/Texas Roadhouse/EA Grandfield Chevrolet
29. (24) Jimmy Hebert, Williamstown, Vt. — Hebert Excavation Corporation Chevrolet
30. (30) Dave Farrington, Jr., Jay Me. — Atlantic Contracting & Specialities/D.M.D Racing Ford
