A hot night awaited the Thunder Road faithful for a jam-packed Fourth of July tradition on Quarry Hill. The Preston’s Kia Independence Day Spectacular was just that, some of the best racing of the season so far capped off by the huge annual Northstar Fireworks display under the stars!
Mike Billado and Luke Peters led the Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers to the line with a full head of steam to start feature racing in the Preston’s Kia Independence Day Spectacular! Peters’ growing confidence found him in the lead around Billado until lap 14 with Cameron Ouellette beating him by a bumper-cover at the line. The two-by-two field continued to battle over inches gained and lost with defending champion Kyle Streeter also working around Peters to begin pursuit of Ouellette.
Deeper in the pack, stacked up with no room to run saw title hopefuls Brandon Gray and Sam Caron mired in traffic. Streeter would nab the lead on lap 21 and never looked back, going from last place one week ago to the winner’s circle followed by Ouellette and Cooper French in a 0.018-seconds over Cam Gadue at the line for third. French’s finish would later be disqualified in post-race technical inspection for an unapproved pitman arm in his steering system, giving Gadue the official third-place finish.
The rk Miles Street Stocks charged onto the field for their 25-lap main event led by ‘The Biffer’ Mike Gay and Derek Farnham under the green flag. While Biffer got the jump, Farnham patiently gained on the outside before overtaking the lead with ‘The Mailman’ Patrick Tibbetts also working around to take second. Tibbetts would lose his momentum on the frontstretch, leading to a mid-pack melee resulting in the first caution flag of the evening. The bad luck continued on lap 16 with Juan ‘Paco’ Marshall going for the spin cycle off turn two collecting Todd Raymo, Dean Switser and Jamie Davis among the casualties. With Josh Lovely in command at the front of the field he would remain so for his second consecutive win. Apparent second-place finisher Derek Farnham was also relieved of his finish in post-race inspection for an unapproved lower control arm, giving Mike Gay second and Trevor Jaques third.
After mechanical woes continued for outside polesitter Chris Roberts, Cooper Bouchard and Kyle Pembroke brought the Maplefield/Irving Oil Late Model field to the line. The ‘Thunder and Lightning’ of Barre’s Thunder Road saw another incredible run of side-by-side racing throughout the early circuits. After the Bouchard/Pembroke battle lost steam, Justin Prescott and multi-time track champion Nick Sweet made the jump to the top spot before Sweet’s flat right front ended his bid for the lead. Justin Prescott led on the restart and never looked back, powering all the way through to his first career Maplefield/Irving Late Model victory in front of the packed July Fourth crowd with Chip Grenier and Cooper Bouchard rounding out the podium.
The Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors finished the evening’s racing activities just prior to the Northstar Fireworks display. Benjamin Bushey stole the lead away from polesitter Brayden Murphy on lap one to face mounting pressure from the Bobby Dragon-themed ride of Jason Kirby. Fighting Anderson Boyd for third, Neal Foster wheel-hopped the lap car of Steven Corbett and went careening into the turn one wall to end his night. Bushey and Kirby faced off on the restart with Ben Bushey putting the hammer down, taking the win over Nate ‘Tater’ Brien and Tyler Wheatley.
Thunder Road continues a busy holiday stretch in just three days with the Jack Daniels Ready to Drink Cocktails 100 this Sunday, July 7. The 100-lap showdown for the Maplefield/Irving Oil Late Models also serves as Round #2 in the inaugural Squier Cup Late Model Triple Crown plus continued action from the Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers, rk Miles Street Stocks and Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors. Sunday’s Post Time is set for 5:00pm with grandstands opening at 3:00pm. Adult General Admission is $15, kids 12-6 for $5 with children 5 and under free plus the Family Four Pack (Two Adults, Two Kids) for $30.
For more information, contact the Thunder Road offices at (802) 244-6963, media@thunderroadvt.com, or visit www.thunderroadvt.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @ThunderRoadVT.
-Thunder Road International Speedbowl Release
-Photo credit: Alan Ward
Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl – Barre, VT
Thursday, July 4, 2024
Preston’s Kia Independence Day Spectacular
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
Maplefield/Irving Late Models – (50 Laps)
1. 04VT Justin Prescott Williston, VT
2. 9VT Chip Grenier E. Barre, VT
3. 7VT Cooper Bouchard Hinesburg, VT
4. 18VT Kaiden Fisher Shelburne, VT
5. 64VT Christopher Pelkey S. Barre, VT
6. 55VT Keegan Lamson Berlin, VT
7. 66VT Jason Corliss Barre, VT
8. 01VT Stephen Martin Craftsbury Common, VT
9. 27VT Kyle Pembroke Montpelier, VT
10. 16VT Brandon Lanphear Morrisville, VT
11. 0VT Scott Dragon Milton, VT
12. 40VT Nick Sweet Williamstown, VT
13. 17VT Darrell Morin Westford, VT
14. 99VT Cody Blake Barre, VT
15. 31VT Stephen Donahue Graniteville, VT
16. 71VT #Jesse Laquerre E. Montpelier, VT
17. 86VT Marcel J. Gravel Wolcott, VT
18. 15VT John Donahue Graniteville, VT
19. 14VT Phil Scott Montpelier, VT
20. 48VT #Taylor Hoar South Hero, VT
21. 21VT Reilly Lanphear Waterbury, VT
22. 8VT Chris Roberts Washington, VT
Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers – (40 Laps)
1. 37VT Kyle Streeter Waterbury Ctr., VT
2. 90VT Cameron Ouellette Barre, VT
3. 23NY Cam Gadue Highgate, VT
4. 45VT Adam Maynard Milton, VT
5. 15NH Brendan Moodie Wolcott, VT
6. 00VT Brandon Gray E. Thetford, VT
7. 31VT Logan Powers Middlesex, VT
8. 67VT Kevin Streeter Waitsfield, VT
9. 20VT Robert Gordon Milton, VT
10. 07VT Sam Caron Milton, VT
11. 3VT Michael MacAskill Williamstown, VT
12. 26VT Luke Peters Groton, VT
13. 8VT Mike Billado Grand Isle, VT
14. 64VT Jason Pelkey Barre, VT
15. 9VT #Logan Farrell Barre, VT
16. 33VT Matt Ballard Williamstown, VT
17. 56VT Chris Laforest Barre, VT
18. 13VT Ty Delphia Waterbury, VT
19. 22VT Travis Patnoe Wolcott, VT
20. 82NH Frank Sweeney Belmont, NH
DSQ* 4VT Cooper French Northfield, VT
*Unapproved Pitman Arm
rk Miles Street Stocks – (25 Laps)
1. 54 Josh Lovely Williamstown, VT
2. 3 Michael Gay S. Burlington, VT
3. 57 Trevor Jaques Milton, VT
4. 8 Paul Rocheleau Georgia, VT
5. 55 Parker Gagne Fairfax, VT
6. 7 Kyle MacAskill Williamstown, VT
7. 9 Zach Audet Johnson, VT
8. 74 Tyler Whittemore Barre, VT
9. 98 Kasey Collins Berlin, VT
10. 33 Curtis Franks Waitsfield, VT
11. 57NH Todd Derrington Littleton, NH
12. 73 Paige Whittemore Graniteville, VT
13. 50 Eric MacLaughlin Milton, VT
14. 16 Dean Switser, Jr. Waterford, VT
15. 29 Gary Mullen Tunbridge, VT
16. 08 Ryan Foster Waterbury, VT
17. 2 Haidyn Pearce Chelsea, VT
18. 18x #Walker Fitch Marshfield, VT
19. 43 Jamie Davis Johnson, VT
20. 99 #Fred Fleury Graniteville, VT
21. 32 #Kylee Potter Marshfield, VT
22. 04 Scott Weston Berlin, VT
23. 96 Thomas Peck Waterbury, VT
24. 34 Patrick Tibbetts Plainfield, VT
25. 79 Juan Marshall Pittsfield, VT
26. 24 Todd Raymo Swanton, VT
27. 92 Jason Goodbout, Jr. Lincoln, NH
28. 6 Terry Pearce Jr Chelsea, VT
29. 13 Travis Gay S. Burlington, VT
DSQ* 39 Derek Farnham Bethel, VT
*Unapproved Lower Control Arm
Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors – (20 Laps)
1. 07 Benjamin Bushey Springfield, VT
2. 16 Nate Brien Williamstown, VT
3. 31 Tyler Wheatley Brookfield, VT
4. 43 Anderson Boyd Berlin, VT
5. 54 Dan Garrett, Jr. Berlin, VT
6. 77 Zachary Garvey Milton, VT
7. 8 Jaiden Del Toro Barre Town, VT
8. 95 Taylor Sayers Barre, VT
9. 27 Derrick Mann Graniteville, VT
10. 97 Eddie Thompson Colchester, VT
11. 71 Jason Kirby Milton, VT
12. 33 Brayden Murphy Barre, VT
13. 14 Jed Whitcomb Williamstown, VT
14. 26 Corey Martin Northfield, VT
15. 34 Steven Corbett Berlin, VT
16. 05 Brandon Premont Johnson, VT
17. 19 Neal Foster Moretown, VT
DNS 50 Nick Copping Barre, VT
DNS 15 Ryan Deuso Barre, VT
