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Thunder Road International SpeedBowl

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Thunder Road International Speedbowl, more commonly known as just Thunder Road, is a .25-mile (0.40 km) high-banked, paved short track speedway located in the town of Barre, Vermont. The track was founded by Ken Squier in 1960 [1] and sold by Squier and co-owner Tom Curley in the spring of 2017 to former Thunder Road track champion Cris Michaud and local businessman Pat Malone.[2][3] Currently, Thunder Road hosts three weekly championship divisions: Late Models, Flying Tigers, and Street Stocks along with the non-point Road Warrior class.[1] The track is known for hosting its weekly races on Thursday night and [4] as of April 2020 it was one of three active race tracks in Vermont.[1]

Thunder Road International Speedbowl
Thunder Road, "Nation's Site of Excitement"
Location80 Fisher Rd., Barre, Vermont 05641[1]
Capacity8,000
OwnerCris Michaud and Pat Malone
OpenedJune 30, 1960[1]
Major events
  • Community Bank 150
  • Memorial Day Classic[1]
  • Vermont Governor's Cup[1]
  • Labor Day Classic[1]
  • Vermont Milk Bowl[1] "The Toughest Short Track Stock Car Race in North America"
Websitehttp://www.thunderroadspeedbowl.com
Oval
SurfaceAsphalt
Length0.25 miles (0.40 km)
Turns4
Banking18°

History

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Ken Squier envisioned the need for an asphalt track in the area which had been full of dirt tracks.[1] He worked with pavement contractor Reginald Cooley to build the track.[1] Squier operated the track until selling to local businessman Tommy Kalomiris.[1] Kalomiris operated the track for two years; he faced lawsuits in 1978 and the track only ran six events that year.[1] Squier bought the track back in 1979 along with Tom Curley.[1] After running four events in 1981, the duo was forced to shut the track down again due to a lawsuit.[1] They regained control by 1982 and operated it until April 2017.[1] They sold the track to former track champion Cris Michaud and real estate developer Pat Malone.[1]

In 2009, as part of its 50th Season in operation, Thunder Road was visited by NASCAR legends Richard Petty and Bobby Allison.[citation needed] Current NASCAR drivers Tony Stewart, Clint Bowyer and David Ragan raced there at different events during the season as well.[citation needed]

The track was scheduled to host the second event of the 2023 Superstar Racing Experience season on July 20, 2023, but the event was moved to Stafford Motor Speedway, the site of the first event of the season, due to the 2023 Vermont floods. The track was awarded an SRX race in 2024 as a compromise, but it ultimately didn’t take place due to the cancellation of the 2024 SRX season.[5]

Touring Series

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In the past, Thunder Road had hosted 22 races of NASCAR North Tour between 1979 and 1985.[6] Winners include Chuck Bown, Robbie Crouch, Randy Lajoie, and Kevin Lepage.[6] After the formation of the American-Canadian Tour in 1986, Thunder Road became sanctioned by the organization as well as host to nearly 150 ACT races between the Pro Stock, Late Model and Flying Tiger tours as of September, 2021. ACT winners include Jean-Paul Cyr, Brian Hoar and Phil Scott.[6] It hosted 7 races of the NASCAR Busch North Series, a feeder series of NASCAR, between 1997 and 2003.[6]

Currently, the track hosts regional touring series including the American Canadian Tour, the Pro All Stars Series and the New England Antique Racers. The track has hosted several high profile drivers from the highest level of NASCAR. On June 28, 2007, NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace raced at Thunder Road.[7] Ken Schrader, another NASCAR driver, had raced once at Thunder Road each of the two years prior to Wallace's visit. In 2009, Tony Stewart made an appearance at the track.[8] Clint Bowyer has raced in the track in 2013.[9] Kyle Busch raced in Vermont in 2017.[10] The next year in 2018, Christopher Bell raced at the highbanks.[11] And most recently, Ryan Preece has visited in 2021.[12] All these drivers making an appearance in the Vermont Governor's Cup, which is run on a Thursday night, which coincides with NASCARs visit to the New Hampshire Motor Speedway over the weekend. Phil Scott, current governor of Vermont, is a former track champion in 1996, 1998, and 2002.[4]

Milk Bowl

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Thunder Road has hosted the "Milk Bowl" Late Model race since 1962.[1] It is the season finale each fall, and consists of three 50-lap segments, with cumulative scoring and full-field inversions between segments.[13] The driver with the highest combined total of finishes in the three segments is declared the winner, receives a loving cup full of milk as the trophy, and is expected to kiss a cow in Victory Circle.[1]

Past Track Champions (King of the Road)

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The title of King of the Road is given to the highest points winner of the top weekly division at Thunder Road. While the other divisions have their respective champions, King of the Road is the most coveted title at Thunder Road. There have been fifty-five Kings of the Road; the one female driver who won the track championship, Tracie Bellerose, was christened the 2000 Queen of the Road. Vermont's governor since 2017, Phil Scott, is a longtime participant in Thunder Road's Late Model series, and is a three-time King of the Road (1996, 1998, 2002).

Year Driver Hometown Division
1960 Ronnie Marvin Bethlehem, NH Sportsman Coupe
1961 Roy "Pappy" Forsythe Keene, NH Sportsman Coupe
1962 Lee Ingerson Jefferson, NH Sportsman Coupe
1963 Lee Ingerson Jefferson, NH Sportsman Coupe
1964 Harold "Hardluck" Hanaford Plymouth, NH Sportsman Coupe
1965 Harold "Hardluck" Hanaford Plymouth, NH Sportsman Coupe
1966 Larry Demar Hardwick, VT Flying Tiger
1967 Larry Demar Hardwick, VT Flying Tiger
1968 Tom Tiller Essex Jct., VT Flying Tiger
1969 Clement "Desperate" Despault Waterbury, VT Flying Tiger
1970 Bobby Giroux South Burlington, VT Limited Sportsman
1971 Jean-Paul Cabana Sherrington, QC Late Model Sportsman
1972 Bobby Giroux South Burlington, VT Late Model Sportsman
1973 Bobby Dragon Milton, VT Late Model Sportsman
1974 Joey Kourafas Sharon, MA Late Model Sportsman
1975 Dave Dion Hudson, NH Late Model Sportsman
1976 Bobby Dragon Milton, VT Late Model Sportsman
1977 Dave Dion Hudson, VT Late Model Sportsman
1978 Stanley "Stub" Fadden North Haverhill, NH Late Model Sportsman
1979 Stanley "Stub" Fadden North Haverhill, NH Late Model Sportsman
1980 Jean-Paul Cabana Sherrington, QC Late Model Sportsman
1981 -Track Closed-
1982 Joey Laquerre East Montpelier, VT Flying Tiger
1983 Clement "Desperate" Despault Waterbury, VT Flying Tiger
1984 Larry Caron Williston, VT Flying Tiger
1985 Chuck Beede Williamstown, VT Flying Tiger
1986 Norm Andrews Northfield, VT Flying Tiger
1987 Dan Beede Williamstown, VT Flying Tiger
1988 Ron Lamell, Jr Essex Jct., VT Flying Tiger
1989 Greg "Burger" Blake East Barre, VT Flying Tiger
1990 Joey Laquerre, Jr. East Montpelier, VT Flying Tiger
1991 Dwayne Lanphear Morrisville, VT Flying Tiger
1992 Chuck Beede Williamstown, VT Late Model
1993 Chuck Beede Williamstown, VT Late Model
1994 Chuck Beede Williamstown, VT Late Model
1995 Dave Whitcomb Essex Jct., VT Late Model
1996 Phil Scott Middlesex, VT Late Model
1997 Pete Fecteau Morrisville, VT Late Model
1998 Phil Scott Middlesex, VT Late Model
1999 Brian Hoar Williston, VT Late Model
2000 Tracie Bellerose Gorham, NH Late Model
2001 Cris Michaud Northfield, VT Late Model
2002 Phil Scott Middlesex, VT Late Model
2003 Jamie Fisher Shelburne, VT Late Model
2004 Cris Michaud Williamstown, VT Late Model
2005 Cris Michaud Williamstown, VT Late Model
2006 Chad Wheeler Waterbury Ctr., VT Late Model
2007 Dave Pembroke Montpelier, VT Late Model
2008 Eric Williams Hyde Park, VT Late Model
2009 Jean-Paul Cyr Milton, VT Late Model
2010 Nick Sweet Barre, VT Late Model
2011 Dave Pembroke Montpelier, VT Late Model
2012 Nick Sweet Barre, VT Late Model
2013 Derrick O'Donnell North Haverhill, NH Late Model
2014 Derrick O'Donnell North Haverhill, NH Late Model
2015 Derrick O'Donnell North Haverhill, NH Late Model
2016 Scott Dragon Milton, VT Late Model
2017 Bobby Therrien Hinesburg, VT Late Model
2018 Scott Dragon Milton, VT Late Model
2019 Jason Corliss Barre, VT Late Model
2020 Jason Corliss Barre, VT Late Model
2021 Jason Corliss Barre, VT Late Model
2022 Christopher Pelkey Graniteville, VT Late Model
2023 Stephen Donahue Graniteville, VT Late Model

Sources

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Fenwick, Adam (April 12, 2020). "Track Of The Day: Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl". Speed Sport. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  2. ^ "Pair buy Thunder Road". Times Argus. April 19, 2017. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  3. ^ "THUNDER ROAD". www.catamountstadium.com. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Phil Scott scores wire-to-wire victory". Barre-Montpelier (Vt.) Times-Argus. June 14, 2010. Archived from the original on June 17, 2010. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
  5. ^ "SRX Cancels Thunder Road Visit, Awards 2024 Date". Speed Sport. July 13, 2023. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d "Tracks-Thunder Road International Speedbowl". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  7. ^ "Times Argus Online".
  8. ^ "TONY STEWART COMES TO THUNDER ROAD IN '09 STEWART TO RACE IN VERMONT GOVERNOR'S CUP 150 | New England Racing".
  9. ^ "NASCAR's Clint Bowyer Set to Tackle Thunder Road | the White River Valley Herald". July 4, 2013.
  10. ^ Gallison, Tina (July 3, 2017). "Kyle Busch to Race in Vermont Governor's Cup at Thunder Road". Thunder Road Speedbowl.
  11. ^ "Locals Prepared to Defend Governor's Cup Against NASCAR's Bell".
  12. ^ "Ryan Preece to Enter Vermont Governor's Cup at Thunder Road".
  13. ^ Fitzsimmons, Jack (October 5, 2020). "Corliss Wins 58th Vermont Milk Bowl". WCAX. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
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44°10′47.26″N 72°29′16.63″W / 44.1797944°N 72.4879528°W / 44.1797944; -72.4879528

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