Williamstown's Cooper MacRitchie claimed the 19th New England Dodge Dealers VT Governor's Cup Thursday night at Barre's Thunder Road, his first Late Model victory of the season and eighth of his career and accepted the event's rotating trophy from the state's chief executive, Jim Douglas. For most of the event's 100 laps, the veteran racer was locked in a battle with Shelburne's Dennis Demers who eventually finished second. The pair officially traded the lead back and forth 12 times in a 62 lap period before MacRitchie, running the high-banked quarter-mile oval's tough outside groove, sealed the advantage on the 78th circuit.

Thunder Road General Manager Tom Curley announced Thursday night at the track's driver meeting, that the high banked, quarter-mile oval has raised the "Triple Crown Sweep" bonus to $20,000 for the driver who can win all three of the previously announced ACTion Super Series races. The most recent revelation increases the excitement surrounding the year-end events.

Veteran racer Joey Laquerre posted his 11th career Late Model win before the largest crowd in nearly 15 years Thursday night at Barre, Vermont's Thunder Road International Speedbowl. The throng had turned out to watch NEXTEL Cup super star take on the ACT Late Models in the 50-lap Fisher/Federated Auto Parts Dash and they weren't disappointed. Laquerre, who has won a feature race in each of five decades, started on the outside of the front row and leapt into the lead at the drop of the green. He then survived five early restarts, all within the first half of the race, without a serious challenge.