Racing: Corliss Dominates for Win in 150 at Thunder Road

Courtesy American Canadian Tour

BARRE – Hometown driver Jason Corliss showed why he’s considered one of the top drivers at Barre, VT’s Thunder Road on Sunday, May 6 with a dominating win in the 20th Community Bank 150. It was the first American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Late Model Tour win of his career, but his ninth Late Model win at the “Nation’s Site of Excitement” in his young career.

Corliss started on the pole after earning a +5 in his qualifying heat under ACT’s plus-minus system. But while he eventually led 142 laps, he had to head off several challenges along the way. The first was a rain delay that halted the event during a lap-two caution. Once the race resumed, he then had to contend with Williamstown, VT’s Jimmy Hebert, who was looking for a home track win of his own.

Hebert was able to put the nose up following a lap-80 restart, and the two then went back and forth for the next 10 circuits. Coming off turn four to complete lap 90, the two made contact, and only a great save by Hebert prevented catastrophe for either driver.

Corliss darted back into the lead once the go under control, while Hebert eventually went sailing off turn two on lap 110 with a flat right front tire. With his closest challenger now out of the picture, Corliss easily held off defending ACT Champion Scott Payea over the stretch run for the victory.

Milton, VT’s Payea took second with Barre, VT’s Cody Blake completing the podium. Sophomore competitor Stephen Donahue had a strong outing to finish fourth followed by Trampas Demers in fifth. Nick Sweet, Hebert, Brooks Clark, Matt White, and Eddie MacDonald completed the top-10. The race was slowed by nine cautions plus the aforementioned weather delay.

Morrisville, VT’s Dwayne Lanphear made it three straight wins in the Lenny’s Shoe and Apparel Flying Tigers by scoring the victory in their 40-lap feature. Lanphear, who won the final two events of the 2017 season, made his way up from the 11th starting position and was battling Craftsbury Common’s Mike Martin for the lead just past the halfway point when Martin cut a tire after contact. He then easily held off Fairfax’s Craig Bushey after the final caution on lap 33 for the win.

Craftsbury Common’s Joel Hodgdon inherited second after Bushey was disqualified for a suspension infraction. Marshfield’s Matt Potter took third. Mike Billado, Joe Steffen, Tyler Austin, rookie Cooper Bouchard, Jason Pelkey, Cameron Ouellette, and Martin rounded out the top-10.

Essex Jct.’s Matthew Smith was in the right place at the right time to score the win in the 25-lap Allen Lumber Street Stock feature. Smith was running fourth with three laps to go when Stephen Martin and Logan Powers tangled while fighting for the lead in lapped traffic. On the restart, new leader Dean Switser Jr was slow with problems of his own, and Smith darted to the point and eventual win.

Barre, VT’s Jeffrey Martin took second while Jefferson, NH’s Nick Pilotte finished third in a sub driver role for Kasey Beattie. Gary Mullen, Justin Town, Jamie Davis, Tommy Smith, Martin, Switser, and Tim Hunt also earned top-10 finishes.

The Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors ended the day with a thrilling dash to the checkered flag. South Royalton, VT’s Derek Farnham appeared to have made the winning move when he used a lapped car as a pick to get around Northfield’s James Dopp with five laps remaining in the 20 laps feature. But Dopp pulled a similar move just two laps leader, motoring around him in traffic to take the win.

Farnham ended up second with Frank Putney in third. Jayme Lee, Eric Chase, Michael Stearns, Chris Davis, Kendal Zeno, Haidyn Pearce, and Todd Raymo finished fourth through 10th.

The American-Canadian Tour heads to Lee USA Speedway for the New Hampshire Governor’s Cup 150 this Saturday, May 12 at 2:00pm. Thunder Road will be back in action with the 56th Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic on Sunday, May 27 at 1:30pm featuring the Pro All Stars Series Super Late Models.

For more information, contact the ACT/Thunder Road offices at (802) 244-6963, media@acttour.com, media@thunderroadvt.com, or visit www.acttour.com or www.thunderroadvt.com.

20th COMMUNITY BANK 150
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS

ACT LATE MODEL TOUR
Pos Start Pos Driver Car # Hometown Laps
1. ( 1 ) Jason Corliss ( 66VT ) , Barre, VT , 150 Laps
2. ( 12 ) Scott Payea ( 37VT ) , Colchester, VT , 150 Laps
3. ( 4 ) Cody Blake ( 99VT ) , Barre, VT , 150 Laps
4. ( 10 ) Stephen Donahue ( 2VT ) , Graniteville, VT , 150 Laps
5. ( 11 ) Trampas Demers ( 85VT ) , Shelburne, VT , 150 Laps
6. ( 15 ) Nick Sweet ( 40VT ) , Barre, VT , 150 Laps
7. ( 3 ) Jimmy Hebert ( 58VT ) , Williamstown, VT , 150 Laps
8. ( 7 ) Brooks Clark ( 68VT ) , Waitsfield, VT , 150 Laps
9. ( 9 ) Matt White ( 42VT ) , Northfield, VT , 150 Laps
10. ( 18 ) Eddie MacDonald ( 17MA ) , Rowley, MA , 150 Laps
11. ( 13 ) Brandon Atkins ( 4NY ) , Au Sable Forks, NY , 150 Laps
12. ( 8 ) Kyle Pembroke ( 27VT ) , Montpelier, VT , 149 Laps
13. ( 22 ) Scott Dragon ( 16VT ) , Milton, VT , 149 Laps
14. ( 28 ) Marcel Gravel ( 86VT ) , Wolcott, VT , 149 Laps
15. ( 17 ) Tyler Cahoon ( 38VT ) , Danville, VT , 149 Laps
16. ( 29 ) Dylan Payea ( 7NH ) , Milton, VT , 149 Laps
17. ( 20 ) Jonathan Bouvrette ( 41QC ) , Quebec, QC , 148 Laps
18. ( 30 ) Mathieu Kingsbury ( 9QC ) , Blainville, QC , 148 Laps
19. ( 5 ) #Evan Hallstrom ( 1VT ) , Northfield, VT , 148 Laps
20. ( 21 ) Miles Chipman ( 0NH ) , Nottingham, NH , 148 Laps
21. ( 26 ) #Christopher Pelkey ( 41VT ) , South Barre, VT , 146 Laps
22. ( 25 ) Claude Leclerc ( 11QC ) , Lanoraie, QC , 118 Laps
23. ( 6 ) Bobby Therrien ( 5VT ) , Hinesburg, VT , 94 Laps
24. ( 23 ) Rich Dubeau ( 30NH ) , Lebanon, NH , 77 Laps
25. ( 19 ) Patrick Laperle ( 91QC ) , St-Denis, QC , 75 Laps
26. ( 2 ) Walter Sutcliffe ( 78CT ) , East Haven, CT , 73 Laps
27. ( 16 ) Tom Carey III ( 5MA ) , Salem, MA , 41 Laps
28. ( 14 ) Bryan Mason ( 10NH ) , Stark, NH , 38 Laps
29. ( 27 ) Corey Mason ( 1NH ) , Groveton, NH , 14 Laps
30. ( 24 ) Darrell Morin ( 17VT ) , Richmond, VT , 2 Laps
Lap Leaders: Jason Corliss 1-40, Jimmy Hebert 41, Corliss 42-81, Hebert 82-87, Corliss 88, Hebert 89-90, 91-150. (6 lead changes among 2 drivers)
Time of Race: 1:19:23 Margin of Victory: 0.385 seconds
Cautions: (laps 2 [plus red flag for rain], 39, 40, 75, 76, 80, 94, 110, 112)
Heat Winners: Kyle Pembroke, Trampas Demers, Scott Payea, Brandon Atkins
Consi Winners: Scott Dragon, Brooks Clark
B-Feature Winner: Corey Mason

LENNY’S SHOE & APPAREL FLYING TIGERS
Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown
1. Dwayne Lanphear ( 40 ) Morrisville, VT
2. Joel Hodgdon ( 36 ) Craftsbury Common, VT
3. Matthew Potter ( 23 ) Marshfield, VT
4. Mike Billado ( 8 ) Essex, VT
5. Joe Steffen ( 00 ) Grand Isle, VT
6. Tyler Austin ( 5 ) East Calias, VT
7. #Cooper Bouchard ( 7 ) Hinesburg, VT
8. Jason Pelkey ( 64 ) Barre, VT
9. Cameron Ouellette ( 90 ) Barre, VT
10. Michael Martin ( 01 ) Craftsbury Common, VT
11. #Brandon Lanphear ( 11 ) Morrisville, VT
12. Robert Gordon ( 20 ) Milton, VT
13. Sam Caron ( 07 ) Milton, VT
14. Colin Cornell ( 54 ) E. Burke, VT
15. Trevor Lyman ( 17 ) Hinesburg, VT
16. Kevin Dodge ( 88 ) Barre, VT
17. Chris Chambers ( 14 ) Brookfield, VT
18. #Kelsea Woodard ( 55 ) Waterbury Ctr., VT
19. Eric Messier ( 3 ) Hinesburg, VT
20. Sid Sweet Jr. ( 51 ) Williamstown, VT
21. Derrick Calkins ( 15 ) Hinesburg, VT
22. Burton Spooner III ( 4 ) E. Montpelier, VT
23. Kyle Streeter ( 37 ) Waterbury Ctr., VT
24. Michael MacAskill ( 33 ) Williamstown, VT
25. Brian Delphia ( 25 ) Duxbury, VT
DSQ Craig Bushey ( 05 ) Fairfax, VT

ALLEN LUMBER STREET STOCKS
Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown
1. Matthew Smith ( 44 ) Essex Jct., VT
2. Jeffrey Martin ( 8 ) Barre, VT
3. Nick Pilotte ( 45 ) Jefferson, NH
4. Gary Mullen ( 29 ) Tunbridge, VT
5. Justin Town ( 53 ) Barre, VT
6. Jamie Davis ( 43 ) Wolcott, VT
7. Tom Smith ( 50 ) Williamstown, VT
8. Stephen Martin ( 01 ) Craftsbury Common, VT
9. Dean Switser Jr. ( 16 ) Lyndonville, VT
10. Tim Hunt ( 93 ) Derby, VT
11. #Bryan P. Wall ( 77 ) E. Kingston, NH
12. Troy Kingsbury ( 39 ) Waitsfield, VT
13. Scott Weston ( 04 ) Berlin, VT
14. Michael Gay ( 3 ) So. Burlington, VT
15. Edward Bowen Jr. ( 12 ) Morrisville, VT
16. Patrick Tibbetts ( 48 ) Barre, VT
17. #Juan Marshall ( 79 ) Pittsfield, VT
18. Thomas Peck ( 96 ) Barre, VT

BURNETT SCRAP METALS ROAD WARRIORS
Pos. Driver, Car #, Hometown
1. James Dopp ( 0 ) Northfield, VT
2. Derek Farnham ( 5 ) S. Royalton, VT
3. Frank Putney ( 88 ) Graniteville, VT
4. Jayme Lee ( 18 ) Williamstown, VT
5. Eric Chase ( 13 ) Berlin, VT
6. Michael Stearns ( 3 ) Johnson, VT
7. Chris Davis ( 69 ) Berlin, VT
8. Kendal Zeno ( 44 ) Middlesex, VT
9. Haidyn Pearce ( 4 ) Berlin, VT
10. Todd Raymo ( 26 ) Swanton, VT
11. Sean McCarthy ( 86 ) Williamstown, VT
12. Rodney Campbell ( 10 ) Worcester, VT
13. Fred Fleury ( 98 ) Graniteville, VT
14. Brodie Frazier ( 17 ) E. Montpelier, VT
15. Andrew Casavant ( 64 ) E. Hardwick, VT
16. Jesse Gerrow ( 01 ) Craftsbury Common, VT
17. Brad Kelley ( 55 ) Barre, VT
18. Ethan Howes ( 24 ) Fayston, VT
19. Mindy Bartlett ( 8 ) Barre, VT