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Aubuchon Hardware Late Model Championship Night

Three Man Race for 2010 “King of the Road” Title

Special 75-lap Late Model Feature on Final Thursday

 

This Thursday, August 26 will be the final Thursday Night event on the 2010 Thunder Road International Speedbowl schedule and the deciding event in the Late Model “King of the Road” battle. Three Late Model drivers have separated themselves from the field and will tackle the Barre highbanks one last time in a special 75 lap Late Model feature presented by Aubuchon Hardware to conclude the 2010 championship hunt.

Current point leader Dave Pembroke of Montpelier has held the points lead since the third event of the season but has never seen his lead grow to more than 22 points. The 2007 Thunder Road track champion now has a 2 point lead going into the final race for the championship.

Pembroke’s closest competitor for the majority of the season has been Barre’s Nick Sweet. The hometown favorite claimed a big win in the Carquest Governor’s Cup in June. Sweet has also finished inside the top ten in all 14 point awarding events, and has been within eight points of the lead for the past six weeks. After his sixth place effort in last Thursday’s ACE Hardware night he is just two points behind Pembroke. It would be Sweet’s first “King of the Road” crown in just his third year of Late Model competition.

VT ACE Hardware Night

Donahue Makes It Back to Back on ACE Hardware Night

Graniteville’s “Irish” John Donahue took his second straight Late Model feature win on Vermont ACE Hardware night at Thunder Road International Speedbowl in Barre, VT on Thursday, August 19. Donahue took the green flag from the tenth position and worked his way through heavy traffic after the only caution of the event came on lap one. He battled his way by Shelburne’s Jamie Fisher to take the lead on lap 32 and went uncontested for the remainder of the 50 lap race.

Fisher held on for second followed by Mike Bailey, Rich Lowrey and Senator Phil Scott who made up some ground in the 2010 “King of the Road” title hunt. Nick Sweet’s sixth place finish unofficially brought him within two points of the point lead going into next Thursday’s final point counting event. Matt White took seventh, current point leader Dave Pembroke took eighth followed by Cris Michaud and Cody Blake rounding out the top ten.

Rookie driver Jason Corliss of Danville earned his first career Bond Auto Tiger Sportsmen feature win by holding off fellow rookie competitor Mike Martin who finished a career best second. The 35 lap event was completed with just one caution. Martin was followed by Eric Badore, Brendan Moodie and point leader David Finck completing the top five. Troy Gray, Tony Rossi, Shawn Fleury, Bobby Therrien and Lance Allen rounded out the top ten.

Aaron's Sales and Lease Night

John Donahue Takes Second Thunder Road Win in Aaron’s 55

Graniteville’s John Donahue earned his second Thunder Road Late Model feature win of the 2010 in the Aaron’s Sales and Lease special 55 lap event on Thursday, August 12. Donahue started from the sixth position and worked his way around Dave Whitcomb for the lead. He then built a commanding lead as the event saw just one caution on lap 4.

Senator Phil Scott came home second followed by Nick Sweet, current point leader Dave Pembroke and Matt White completing the top five. Mike Bailey, Jamie Fisher, Joey Becker, Cody Blake, and Reno Gervais rounded out the top ten.

Barre’s Lance Allen earned his second career and first Bond Auto Tiger Sportsmen feature win of the season. He battled door handle to door handle with George May for 20 laps before the final caution of the 35 lap event setup a seven lap shootout. May faded on the restart opening the door for Derrick O’Donnell to race from third narrowly missing the win in the final two laps.