Hebert, Therrien on Milk Bowl Front Row
Williamstown’s Jimmy Hebert and Hinesburg’s Bobby Therrien will lead the 56th Vermont Milk Bowl presented by Northfield Savings Bank to the green flag on Sunday, September 30. The duo beat out a slew of local, regional, and national Late Model talent to earn the front row on Booth Bros./H.P. Hood Milk Bowl Qualifying Day.
Hebert, who currently sits third in American-Canadian Tour (ACT) points, put his Hebert Excavation Chevrolet on the pole for the “Toughest Short Track Race in North America”. His fast time of 12.305 seconds earned him a $1,000 bonus from Booth Bros. Dairy and H.P. Hood. It is the first time Hebert has earned the pole in the biggest event of the year for ACT-type Late Models. Therrien, the 2017 “King of the Road”, was just behind him at 12.323 seconds and will sit to his outside when Segment 1 rolls onto the high banks.
Defending Milk Bowl Champion Jason Corliss of Barre will start third after taking the victory in the first 50-lap qualifying race. Corliss grabbed the lead from Cody Blake on a lap-8 restart and opened up a healthy lead in the event’s middle stages.
Track record holder Marcel J. Gravel of Wolcott worked his way up to second and seemed poised to challenge Corliss following the first and final caution on lap 39 for an incident involving Patrick Laperle and Peyton Lanphear. However, Gravel slowed with a flat tire on the restart and was forced to pit. Corliss then easily held off Brooks Clark for the win.
Clark finished second with Blake, Stephen Donahue, and Josh Masterson rounding out the top-5. Gravel charged back after rejoining the field to cross the line sixth, but was disqualified in post-race technical inspection for using an unapproved spare tire. Jonathan Bouvrette became the new 6th-place finisher followed by Mike Bailey. Darrell Morin inherited the final qualified spot in eighth.
Colchester’s Scott Payea won the second 50-lap qualifier to earn the fourth starting spot on the Milk Bowl grid. The ACT point leader was handed the lead on lap 28 when Therrien pitted after running his required laps. Milton’s Scott Dragon chased down Payea in the closing stages of the caution-free event, but the reigning “King of the Road” was unable to get around him.
South Burlington’s Trampas Demers finished third. Joey Polewarczyk Jr., Matt White, Kyle Pembroke, Nick Sweet and Brendan Moodie finished fourth through eighth and also transferred into the Milk Bowl.
Steve Cote, Tyler Cahoon, Gravel, and Evan Hallstrom fell back on their time trial speeds to fill Milk Bowl starting positions 19-22. Laperle is scheduled to start on the pole of the Last Chance Qualifier on Sunday. The 3-time Milk Bowl winner is one of several notable names in the event along with former ARCA Racing Series Champion Mason Mitchell; fellow former Milk Bowl winner John Donahue; and Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Model winners Jim Morris, Christopher Pelkey, and Eric Chase.
Craftsbury Common’s Joel Hodgdon showed why he’s the reigning Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tiger Champion by taking the win in Segment 1 of their Mini Milk Bowl. Hodgdon grabbed the lead from Waterbury Center’s Jason Woodard, who earned the pole in group time trials, right at the start of the 40-lap event. He then sailed away from the field, with a pair late cautions doing nothing to slow his momentum.
Woodard surrendered second to Hinesburg’s Cooper Bouchard following the first caution on lap 23, but got back underneath him after the second caution on lap 34. Morrisville’s Brandon Lanphear followed Woodard through to finish third. Bouchard, Jaden Perry, Jason Pelkey, Kelsea Woodard, Robert Gordon, Mike Martin, and Tyler Austin rounded out the top-10.
St. Johnsbury’s Kasey Beattie put on a dominating display in day one of action for the Allen Lumber Street Stocks. The youngster blistered the field in Mini Milk Bowl time trials to sit on the pole for Segment 1. After a rough start to the 25-lap event with three cautions in the first 2 laps – including a red flag for Edward Bowen Jr.’s rollover off turn 2 – Beattie motored off from the pack for the win.
Teammate Dean Switser Jr. of Lyndonville closed the gap in the final laps but ran out of time and settled for second. Hardwick’s Will Hennequin held off Nick Pilotte and Jeffrey Martin for third. Bryan P. Wall, Brandon Gray, Gary Mullen, Tyler Pepin, and Jacob Roy also earned top-10 finishes.
Lower Waterford’s Andy Hill made short work of the field in Segment 1 for the New England Dwarf Cars. The polesitter blew the competition away in the caution-free 20-lap event, winning by more than a straightaway over Franconia, NH’s Jason Wyman.
Wyman held off a fierce charge by Bethlehem, NH’s Jarred Ainsworth for second. Ainsworth’s dad Jeff took fourth followed by Ethan Tyrrell, Howie Switzer, Chad Dufour, Tim Sherman, Jason Paquet, and Stephane Caron.
Saturday was just a prelude to the 56th Vermont Milk Bowl presented by Northfield Savings Bank on Sunday, September 30. The Last Chance Qualifier at 12:15pm will set the final four spots in the Milk Bowl starting line-up. Opening ceremonies for the 3-segment Milk Bowl will follow at 1:00pm. The day will also include Segment 2 of the Mini Milk Bowls for the Flying Tigers, Street Stocks, and Dwarf Cars along with the annual Vermont Politician Cow Chip Throwing Contest. Admission is $30 for adults and free for kids ages 12 and under.
BOOTH BROS./H.P. HOOD MILK BOWL QUALIFYING DAY
UNOFFICAL RESULTS
VERMONT MILK BOWL STARTING LINE-UP
Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown
1. ( 58VT ) Jimmy Hebert , Williamstown, VT
2. ( 5VT ) Bobby Therrien , Hinesburg, VT
3. ( 66VT ) Jason Corliss , Barre, VT
4. ( 37VT ) Scott Payea , Colchester, VT
5. ( 68VT ) Brooks Clark , Fayston, VT
6. ( 16VT ) Scott Dragon , Milton, VT
7. ( 99VT ) Cody Blake , Barre, VT
8. ( 85VT ) Trampas Demers , Shelburne, VT
9. ( 2VT ) Stephen Donahue , Graniteville, VT
10. ( 97NH ) Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. , Hudson, NH
11. ( 11NY ) Josh Masterson , Charlotte, VT
12. ( 42VT ) Matt White , Northfield, VT
13. ( 41QC ) Jonathan Bouvrette , Quebec, QC
14. ( 27VT ) Kyle Pembroke , Montpelier, VT
15. ( 00VT ) Mike Bailey , S. Barre, VT
16. ( 88VT ) Nicholas Sweet , Barre, VT
17. ( 17VT ) Darrell Morin , Westford, VT
18. ( 94VT ) #Brendan Moodie , Wolcott, VT
19. ( 1QC ) Steve Cote , Montreal, QC
20. ( 38VT ) Tyler Cahoon , Danville, VT
21. ( 86VT ) Marcel Gravel , Wolcott, VT
22. ( 1VT ) Evan Hallstrom , Northfield, VT
23. B-Feature – 1st place
24. B-Feature – 2nd place
25. B-Feature – 3rd place
26. Thunder Road 100%er provisional
LENNY’S SHOE & APPAREL FLYING TIGER SEGMENT #1
Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown
1. Joel Hodgdon ( 36 ) Craftsbury Common, VT
2. Jason Woodard ( 68 ) Waterbury Ctr., VT
3. #Brandon Lanphear ( 11 ) Morrisville, VT
4. #Cooper Bouchard ( 7 ) Hinesburg, VT
5. Jaden Perry ( 92 ) Hardwick, VT
6. Jason Pelkey ( 64 ) Barre, VT
7. #Kelsea Woodard ( 55 ) Waterbury Ctr., VT
8. Robert Gordon ( 20 ) Milton, VT
9. Michael Martin ( 01 ) Craftsbury Common, VT
10. Tyler Austin ( 5 ) East Calias, VT
11. Matthew Potter ( 23 ) Marshfield, VT
12. Stephen Martin ( 9 ) Craftsbury Common, VT
13. Brett Wood ( 29 ) Georgia, VT
14. Kevin Boutin ( 85 ) Fairfax, VT
15. Brad Bushey ( 95 ) Vergennes, VT
16. Colin Cornell ( 54 ) E. Burke, VT
17. Michael MacAskill ( 33 ) Williamstown, VT
18. Adam Maynard ( 57 ) Milton, VT
19. Joe Steffen ( 00 ) Grand Isle, VT
20. Sid Sweet Jr. ( 51 ) Williamstown, VT
21. Mike Billado ( 8 ) Essex, VT
22. Kevin Dodge ( 88 ) Barre, VT
23. Sam Caron ( 07 ) Milton, VT
24. Jared Plumley ( 71 ) Guildhall, VT
25. #Jeff Murray ( 35 ) Georgia, VT
26. Brian Delphia ( 25 ) Duxbury, VT
ALLEN LUMBER STREET STOCK SEGMENT #1
Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown
1. Kasey Beattie ( 45 ) St. Johnsbury, VT
2. Dean Switser Jr. ( 16 ) Lyndonville, VT
3. William Hennequin ( 47 ) Hardwick, VT
4. Nick Pilotte ( 98 ) Jefferson, NH
5. Jeffrey Martin ( 8 ) Barre, VT
6. #Bryan P. Wall ( 77 ) E. Kingston, NH
7. Brandon Gray ( 00 ) E. Thetford, VT
8. Gary Mullen ( 29 ) Tunbridge, VT
9. #Tyler Pepin ( 78 ) Barre, VT
10. Jacob Roy ( 11 ) Danville, VT
11. Jody Sicard ( 49 ) Gilmanton, NH
12. Kyle MacAskill ( 2 ) Williamstown, VT
13. #Juan Marshall ( 79 ) Pittsfield, VT
14. Tanner Woodard ( 68 ) Waterbury Ctr., VT
15. Justin Blakely ( 17 ) Graniteville, VT
16. #Royce Lussier ( 95 ) Berlin, VT
17. Scott Weston ( 04 ) Berlin, VT
18. Steve LaFountain Sr. ( 61 ) Barre, VT
19. Thomas Peck ( 96 ) Barre, VT
20. Dylan Haskins ( 65 ) Berlin, VT
21. Alan Maynard ( 18 ) Fairfax, VT
22. #Edward Bowen Jr. ( 12 ) Morrisville, VT
23. #J.T. Blanchard ( 66 ) Graniteville, VT
NEW ENGLAND DWARF CARS SEGMENT #1
Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown
1. Andy Hill ( 8 ) Lower Waterford, VT
2. Jason Wyman ( 88 ) Franconia, NH
3. Jarred Ainsworth ( 94 ) Bethlehem, NH
4. Jeff Ainsworth ( 41 ) Bethlehem, NH
5. Ethan Tyrrell ( 23 ) Worcester, VT
6. Howie Switser ( 36 ) Newark, VT
7. Chad Dufour ( 52 ) Littleton, NH
8. Tim Sherman ( 68 ) Berlin Corners, VT
9. Jason Paquet ( 09 ) New Durham, NH
10. Stephane Caron ( 99QC ) Laval, QC
11. Jeremy Lebrecque ( 21 ) Canaan, VT
12. Alexandre Piche ( 46 ) Mont-Tremblant, QC
13. Joanie Lambert ( 48 ) St-Eustache, QC