Thunder Road International SpeedBowl

Thunder Road International Speedbowl
Thunder Road, "Nation's Site of Excitement"
Location Quarry Hill, Barre, Vermont
Capacity 8,000
Owner Chris Michaud and Pat Malone
Opened June 1960
Major events
  • Community Bank 150
  • Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic
  • Vermont Governor's Cup
  • Coca-Cola Labor Day Classic
  • Vermont Milk Bowl "The Toughest Short Track Stock Car Race in North America"
Oval
Surface Asphalt
Length 0.25 mi (0.40 km)
Turns 4
Banking 18°
Website www.thunderroadspeedbowl.com

Thunder Road International Speedbowl, more commonly known as Thunder Road, is a .25-mile (0.40 km) high-banked, paved short track speedway located just outside the limits of the city of Barre. The track was founded by Ken Squier 1960 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.[1][2] Currently, Thunder Road hosts four weekly divisions: Late Models, Tiger Sportsman, Street Stocks, and Road Warriors. The track is known for hosting its weekly races on Thursday night, rather than Saturday, as nearly all other short tracks do.

In the past, Thunder Road had hosted the Busch North Series, a subsidiary of NASCAR, and currently hosts regional touring series including the American Canadian Tour, the Pro All Stars Series and the New England Antique Racers. On June 28, 2007, NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace raced at Thunder Road.[3] Ken Schrader, another NASCAR driver, had raced once at Thunder Road each of the two years prior to Wallace's visit.

Thunder Road has hosted the "Milk Bowl" Late Model race for 50 years. It is the season finale for racing at the track, held each fall. This race of three 50-lap segments, with cumulative scoring and full-field inversions between segments. The driver with the lowest combined total of finishes in the three segments is declared the winner. The winner of the event is expected to kiss a cow in Victory Circle.

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

Past track champions (King of the Road)

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 and in the State of Vermont. There have been fifty-five Kings of the Road, the one female Queen of the Road being Tracie Bellerose, the 2000 track champion.

YearDriverHometownDivision
1960Ronnie MarvinBethlehem, NHSportsman Coupe
1961Roy "Pappy" ForsytheKeene, NHSportsman Coupe
1962Lee IngersonJefferson, NHSportsman Coupe
1963Lee IngersonJefferson, NHSportsman Coupe
1964Harold "Hardluck" HanafordPlymouth, NHSportsman Coupe
1965Harold "Hardluck" HanafordPlymouth, NHSportsman Coupe
1966Larry DemarHarwick, VTFlying Tiger
1967Larry DemarHarwick, VTFlying Tiger
1968Tom TillerEssex Jct., VTFlying Tiger
1969Clement "Desperate" DespaultWaterbury, VTFlying Tiger
1970Bobby GirouxSouth Burlington, VTLimited Sportsman
1971Jean-Paul CabanaSherrington, QCLate Model Sportsman
1972Bobby GirouxSouth Burlington, VTLate Model Sportsman
1973Bobby DragonMilton, VTLate Model Sportsman
1974Joey KourafasSharon, MALate Model Sportsman
1975Dave DionHudson, NHLate Model Sportsman
1976Bobby DragonMilton, VTLate Model Sportsman
1977Dave DionHudson, VTLate Model Sportsman
1978Stanley "Stub" FaddenNorth Haverhill, NHLate Model Sportsman
1979Stanley "Stub" FaddenNorth Haverhill, NHLate Model Sportsman
1980Jean-Paul CabanaSherrington, QCLate Model Sportsman
1981-Track Closed-
1982Joey LaquerreEast Montpelier, VTFlying Tiger
1983Clement "Desperate" DespaultWaterbury, VTFlying Tiger
1984Larry CaronWilliston, VTFlying Tiger
1985Chuck BeedeWilliamstown, VTFlying Tiger
1986Norm AndrewsNorthfield, VTFlying Tiger
1987Dan BeedeWilliamstown, VTFlying Tiger
1988Ron Lamell, JrEssex Jct., VTFlying Tiger
1989Greg "Burger" BlakeEast Barre, VTFlying Tiger
1990Joey Laquerre, Jr.East Montpelier, VTFlying Tiger
1991Dwayne LanphearMorrisville, VTFlying Tiger
1992Chuck BeedeWilliamstown, VTLate Model
1993Chuck BeedeWilliamstown, VTLate Model
1994Chuck BeedeWilliamstown, VTLate Model
1995Dave WhitcombEssex Jct., VTLate Model
1996Phil ScottMiddlesex, VTLate Model
1997Pete FecteauMorrisville, VTLate Model
1998Phil ScottMiddlesex, VTLate Model
1999Brian HoarWilliston, VTLate Model
2000Tracie BelleroseGorham, NHLate Model
2001Cris MichaudNorthfield, VTLate Model
2002Phil ScottMiddlesex, VTLate Model
2003Jamie FisherShelburne, VTLate Model
2004Cris MichaudWilliamstown, VTLate Model
2005Cris MichaudWilliamstown, VTLate Model
2006Chad WheelerWaterbury Ctr., VTLate Model
2007Dave PembrokeMontpelier, VTLate Model
2008Eric WilliamsHyde Park, VTLate Model
2009Jean-Paul CyrMilton, VTLate Model
2010Nick SweetBarre, VTLate Model
2011Dave PembrokeMontpelier, VTLate Model
2012Nick SweetBarre, VTLate Model
2013Derrick O'DonnellNorth Haverhill, NHLate Model
2014Derrick O'DonnellNorth Haverhill, NHLate Model
2015Derrick O'DonnellNorth Haverhill, NHLate Model
2016Scott DragonMilton, VTLate Model
2017Bobby TherrienHinesburg, VTLate Model
2018Scott DragonMilton, VTLate Model

Sources

  1. ↑ "Pair buy Thunder Road | Times Argus". Times Argus. 2017-04-19. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  2. ↑ "THUNDER ROAD". www.catamountstadium.com. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  3. ↑ Times Argus Online

Coordinates: 44°10′47.26″N 72°29′16.63″W / 44.1797944°N 72.4879528°W / 44.1797944; -72.4879528


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