BARRE, VT - The largest crowd in nearly 15 years showed up at Thunder Road Thursday night 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.  Veteran racer Joey Laquerre, who has won a feature race in each of five decades, posted his 11th career win   Laquerre started on the outside of the front row and leapt into the lead at the drop of the green.  He survived five early restarts without a serious challenge.  While the East Montpelier racer was out front, thousands of pairs of eyes were looking further back in the field.
       Schrader started 17th in the 23-car field after easily winning the consolation race.  When the first caution flew on lap nine for Joe Perreault's spin, Schrader had advanced to 14th.  As the race settled into a rhythm, he used both the upper and lower grooves to pass cars.  Approaching the halfway mark Schrader had secured eighth while running in a pack with Thunder Road regulars Trampas Demers, Dave Whitcomb, Dave Pembroke and Dennis Demers.  On the 38th circuit Whitcomb moved past the Fenton, MO racer only to cut a tire after contact with the visiting racer on the front stretch.  Schrader regained eighth only to lose a spot to two-time race winner, Rich Lowrey with two laps remaining.
       Cris Michaud, the track's defending Late Model Champion and current point leader, started 16th and ran the outside line in his usual fashion to finish second to Laquerre.  Cooper MacRitchie, Michaud's Williamstown neighbor was third.  A pair of Lamoille Country drivers, Eric Williams from Hyde Park and Morrisville's Pete Fecteau, completed the top five.  By virtue of his win in Saturday's Casella Waste Systems Trophy Dash, Fecteau started last in Thursday's 23 car main event.  His charge to fifth earned him the Booth Brothers Cream of the Crop Award for the night's outstanding performance.
       Schrader, who is considered among the fraternity as a racer's racer, was making his first appearance at Thunder Road, a track commonly referred to as the "Nation's Site of Excitement".  After the first round of practice, he inquired of the Phil Scott crewmembers that were helping him with his car "What's with turn four?"  They asked, "What do you mean?"  Schrader, who's raced in every state in the country but eight replied, "It scares me to death!"  Regular racers and fans at the track, know the fourth turn wall as the "Widowmaker."
       Completing the top ten were Ryan Nolin of Georgia in sixth, Shelburne's Dennis Demers, Lowrey, Schrader and Waterbury Center's Chad Wheeler.
       The Sportsman winner, in a 35-lap race that went from green to checkers, was Essex Jct's Joe Steffen.  Steffen, a former champion, started fifth and was the event's third leader.  Chris Gendreau of Waterbury Ctr was second and Barre's Josh Lovely, who led laps 8-15, was third.  Completing the top five were Chip Grenier of Northfield and Ray Stearns from E. Corinth.
       Joe Small won his third Allen Lumber Street Stock race of thf season over Eric Badore from Georgia and point leader, Steve Quinneville of Barre in the division's 25-lap feature.
       Erik Steel from Barre won the Power Shift Warrior's main event with Waterbury's Josh Erwin and point leader Mike Martin completing the top three.
       Thunder Road's four divisions are back in action Thursday night with the New England Dodge Dealers VT Governor's Cup, a 100-lap race for the Late Models.  Post time is 6:00 pm.