BARRE — A busy stretch of three races in seven days will likely shape the 2017 Thunder Road seasons for all three divisions as they head toward mid-season.
Thunder Road will run on Friday, June 30, Monday, July 3, and again on Thursday, July 6. The Monday, July 3 race will be the track’s July 4th Independence Day celebration and feature fireworks.
The Friday, June 30 event was previously scheduled for Thursday, June 29, but was postponed one day to to forecasted rain.
Defending Late Model champion Scott Dragon sits at the top of the standings in similar fashion to last season — with supreme consistency. The Milton pilot is the lone driver to finish inside the top-ten in all four Thunder Road Late Model events this season. Dragon matches that with three top-five place finishes, again the only driver to do so this season.
Kyle Pembroke sits second in the standings, 13 points back of Dragon, and claimed a win on the first Thursday night of the season. Jason Corliss sits third in the standings, six points back of Pembroke, while Bobby Therrien is fourth in the standings, four points shy of Corliss. Longtime runner Eric Chase sits fifth in the standings, 30 points back of point leader Dragon.
Trampas Demers, Shawn Fleury, Marcel J. Gravel, Darrell Morin, and Matt White sit sixth through tenth in the early season point standings.
Brendan Moodie has pulled himself away from the pack on the back of top-five finishes in all five starts this season as he holds the lead in the Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tiger division.
The Wolcott driver picked up a win at the Memorial Day Classic season opener, but has been been the model of consistency and has had to overcome adversity in many races this season.
Former Milk Bowl winner Dwayne Lanphear sits second in his return Thunder Road season, 16 points shy of Moodie. Former Flying Tiger champion Jason Woodard, who swept the wins one week ago in Flying Tiger action, sits third, but 29 points back of Lanphear. Rookie pilot Jaden Perry is fourth, four points back of Woodard, with Mike Martin fifth, 11 points shy of Woodard.
Trevor Lyman picked up two early season wins and sits sixth in the standings, tied with rookie driver Jamon Perry. Joe Steffen and Mike Billado sit tied for eighth with rookie Kyle Streeter one point ahead of fellow rookie Tyler Austin in tenth.
Brandon Lanphear holds a two point gap over Will Hennequin in the Allen Lumber Street Stock standings.
Lanphear has earned five top-ten place finishes this season with Hennequin earning four top-five place finishes.
Reilly Lanphear picked up her first career win this season and sits third in the standings with veteran driver Al Maynard fourth. Gary Mullen sits fifth in the standings with Cooper Bouchard, Michael Gay, Kelsea Woodard, Tommy Smith, and rookie Stephen Martin sixth through tenth, respectively.
Post time for all three events is set for 7:00pm.
PHOTO: The Thunder Road Flying Tigers put on two exciting races one week ago and will look to do the same in the upcoming three races in seven day stretch. (Alan Ward photo)