Laquerre Dominates WDEV 100 at Thunder Road

For Immediate Release                            TR-062107-1

    BARRE, VT Veteran stock car racer Joey Laquerre of East Montpelier has been taking the young
drivers at Barres Thunder Road to school for five decades, and Thursdays WDEV 100 was no different.  The
63 year-old won the NAPA Tiger Sportsman divisions second long-distance event of the season, making it a
clean sweep of the 100-lap features in 2007.
    Laquerre, who also won the Casella Waste Management Mothers Day 100 in May, made an aggressive
pass underneath leader Matt White of Northfield to take command on lap 21, then held off Whites repeated
challenges throughout the final 25 laps to take the victory.
    Second-generation driver White, who is half Laquerres age, tried to repay the favor of Laquerres
lap 21 bump on lap 80, but was unsuccessful in his attempt to re-take the lead.  The Northfield driver
settled for second place ahead of Williamstowns Chuck Beede, Nick Sweet of Barre, and Craftsbury rookie
Joel Hodgdon.
    These kids can drive, theyre good, said Laquerre in victory lane.  I love to run against them,
they race so hard but are so respectful.  Matt did a good job tonight.
    The unofficial top ten finish was rounded out by Scott Coburn of Barre, Craig Bushey of Cambridge,
Duxburys Brian Delphia, Joe Steffen of Essex Junction, and rookie Eric Badore of Milton.  White started on
the pole position for the WDEV 100 by passing seven cars in his heat race to earn a +7 handicap
in plus/minus qualifying.
    North Wolcotts Brendan Moodie walked away uninjured from a lap 76 fire in the WDEV 100.
    Sophomore racer Marcel Gravel of Wolcott passed former Vermont Milk Bowl champion Dwayne Lanphear
to take the lead in the WDEV 50 for the Late Model division, then held off a fast-closing Jamie Fisher of
Shelburne to take his first career victory.  Gravel, a low-buck racer with an all-volunteer team, was
seemingly in awe of his accomplishment.
    It means so much to me to haul this car into the pits on an open trailer and have almost no
budget, and to beat the cars we beat tonight, he said.  My crew gave me an even better car last week than
we had tonight, but I wrecked it.  We came back tonight and got it done.  This win is for them.
Fisher was behind by as much as a half-straightaway at times and was steadily narrowing the gap, but closed
quickly as a lapped car crossed Gravels path in final corner.  As Gravel slowed, Fisher pulled to within
ten feet of the victory, but settled for second place.  Rich Lowrey of Charlotte recovered from an early
spin to finish in third place, ahead of Granitevilles John Donahue and Barres Mike Bailey.
Rookie Bobby Therrien of Hinesburg took his second feature win of the season in the Allen Lumber Street
Stock division, unofficially beating out fellow rookie Maynard Bartlett, Jr. of Hardwick and David Allen of
North Troy.
James Dopp of Montpelier took his second-straight Power Shift Junkyard Warrior main event win.  Mike Ducey
of Williamstown finished second ahead of Waterburys Neal Foster.
Thunder Roads 48th season of stock car racing continues on Thursday, June 28 with Sanel Parts Plus Night,
as NASCAR Nextel Cup driver Kenny Wallace takes on the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Late Model division. 
NAPA Tiger Sportsmen, Allen Lumber Street Stocks, and Power Shift Junkyard Warriors will also be in
action.  Post time is scheduled for 6:30pm.  Call (802) 244-6963 or visit www.thunderroadspeedbowl.com for
more information.

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS: WDEV Radio Night
Thunder Road Intl Speedbowl, Barre, VT Thursday, June 21, 2007

NAPA Tiger Sportsmen (100 laps)
1. Joey Laquerre, East Montpelier
2. Matt White, Northfield
3. Chuck Beede, Williamstown
4. Nick Sweet, Barre
5. Joel Hodgdon, Craftsbury
6. Scott Coburn, Barre
7. Craig Bushey, Cambridge
8. Brian Delphia, Duxbury
9. Joe Steffen, Essex Jct.
10. Eric Badore, Milton

Late Models (50 laps)
1. Marcel Gravel, Wolcott
2. Jamie Fisher, Shelburne
3. Rich Lowrey, Charlotte
4. John Donahue, Graniteville
5. Mike Bailey, Barre
6. Cris Michaud, Northfield
7. Dwayne Lanphear, Morrisville
8. Trampas Demers, South Burlington
9. Rusty Berger, Williston
10. Gary Caron, Colchester

Allen Lumber Street Stocks (25 laps)
1. Bobby Therrien, Hinesburg
2. Maynard Bartlett, Jr., Hardwick
3. David Allen, North Troy

Power Shift Junkyard Warriors (20 laps)
1. James Dopp, Montpelier
2. Mike Ducey, Williamstown
3. Neal Foster, Waterbury
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Contact: Justin St. Louis                    Phone: (802) 244-6963
Email: media@acttour.com                    Fax: (802) 244-1616