Moran’s recovery nets runner-up finish
WEST HAVEN, Vt. (May 13, 2024) – Matt Tanner winning at Devil’s Bowl Speedway is nothing new, but the fashion in which he did it on Saturday, May 11, was enough to drop the jaw of every fan in the grandstands. A pair of rain showers interrupted the McGee Automotive Family Sprint Cars of New England (SCoNE) Tour season opener at the Vermont track, but the wait was worth it as the track surface became incredibly fast and competitive.
Tanner, from Stephentown, N.Y., missed the setup in his qualifying heat race which left him 10th at the start of the 25-lap A-Main feature race, but his Rifenburg Contracting/Westward Painting No. 90 team successfully made wholesale changes before the green flag. While he worked through traffic, former SCoNE champion Will Hull set the pace out front with Caleb Lamson, Matt Hoyt, and pole starter Tyler Chartrand in close formation behind him.
The yellow caution flag waved on lap 6 after Chase Moran’s car left the racing surface and got stuck in the mud off Turn 3. Tanner was a jackrabbit on the restart, immediately gaining four positions and entering the battle for the podium. Hull began slowing just as the first of four more yellows occurred on laps 18 and 19, and his car eventually had a mechanical failure that forced him to retire from the race and surrender the lead.
Tanner created some impressive late-race theatrics as he swept around the outside of both Lamson and Hoyt three-wide for second place, and then he drove away once he inherited Hull’s lead. The track surface got faster as the night progressed, and seven drivers turned their fastest lap time in the final three circuits of the race; Tanner, whose time of 14.596 seconds at an average speed of 123.321 mph is believed to be an all-time Devil’s Bowl record.
Lamson held second for much of the race, but a resurgent drive from Moran resulted in him scoring a career-best runner-up finish. Following his earlier incident, Moran drove from 18th place to grab second; he was in his first start with a new racecar after a devastating wreck at Fulton (N.Y.) Speedway in April. Lamson held on for third place ahead of defending champion Chris Donnelly in fourth and Hoyt in fifth. The balance of the Top 10 was completed in order by Scott Holcomb, rookie Caiden Herbert, Jake Williams, Chartrand, and Troy Comeau.
RACE NOTES:
• A strong field of 23 cars attended the event despite the rainy weather. Four drivers – Tyler Chartrand, Kyle Smith, Michael Hart, and Danny Varin – each made their first-ever SCoNE appearance.
• Chartrand drove a CRSA-legal car with a 305-cubic-inch engine, taking on the SCoNE 360s; despite being at a 200-horsepower disadvantage, Chartrand was a top runner throughout the event.
• Matt Tanner’s victory was the ninth of his SCoNE career, and his eighth at Devil’s Bowl Speedway.
• The three qualifying heat races were won by Caleb Lamson, Will Hull, and Jake Williams, with each grabbing a $100 bonus from CK & Sons Trucking of Barnstead, New Hampshire.
• Karen’s Shirt Barn of Barnstead, N.H., presented the Hard Charger Award, with a $50 bonus going to Chase Moran, who originally started 13th and finished second to gain 11 positions. Chris Donnelly also gained 11 positions, driving from 15th to fourth, but Moran was given the award based on his better finish. Rookie Caiden Herbert drove from 17th to seventh for a gain of 10 positions.
The McGee Automotive Family Sprint Cars of New England Tour returns to action on Saturday, May 25, at Bear Ridge Speedway in Bradford, Vt., to kick off the new Green Mountain Gear-Heads Championship Series presented by Hull Motorsports. To learn more about the Sprint Cars of New England, visit www.nesprintcars.com or find the “SCoNE – Sprint Cars of New England” page on Facebook.
OFFICIAL RESULTS – McGee Automotive Family Sprint Cars of New England
Devil’s Bowl Speedway – West Haven, Vt.
Mother’s Day Special
Saturday, May 11, 2024
A-Main Feature (25 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
(#) - denotes rookie
- (10) Matt Tanner, Stephentown, N.Y.
- (13) Chase Moran, Fultonville, N.Y.
- (4) Caleb Lamson, Moretown, Vt.
- (15) Chris Donnelly, Piermont, N.H.
- (7) Matt Hoyt, Campton, N.H.
- (11) Scott Holcomb, Granby, Conn.
- (17) # Caiden Herbert, New Hampton, N.H.
- (5) Jake Williams, Tuftonboro, N.H.
- (1) Tyler Chartrand, Johnsonville, N.Y.
- (3) Troy Comeau, Wentworth, N.H.
- (14) Floyd Billington, South Glens Falls, N.Y.
- (9) Kadyn Berry, Goffstown, N.H.
- (2) Will Hull, Plainfield, Vt.
- (8) Kyle Smith, South Egremont, Mass.
- (12) Nick Comeau, Hebron, N.H.
- (6) Mark Cole, Lebanon, N.H.
- (19) # Donnie Ottati, Rumney, N.H.
- (16) # Nick Kruger, Rupert, Vt.
- (18) # Michael Hart, Nassau, N.Y.
Did Not Start: Jason Goff, Preston Hollow, N.Y.; Dylan Menditto, Brooklyn, Conn., Doug McPhail, Tilton, N.H.; Danny Varin, Fonda, N.Y.
Lap Leaders (2 lead changes among 3 drivers): Tyler Chartrand, grid; Will Hull, 1-18; Matt Tanner, 19-25.
Cautions (5): Laps 6, 18, 18, 19, 19.
Contingency Award Winners:
• CK & Sons Trucking Heat Winners: Caleb Lamson, Will Hull, Jake Williams
• Karen’s Shirt Barn “Hard Charger” Award: Chase Moran (+11 positions)
• 802 Print Award: Caleb Lamson (3rd)
• VT Fire Award: Chris Donnelly (4th)
• Bill McGaffin Photos/Showstopper Photos Award: Scott Holcomb (6th)
• Waddell Communications & Repairs Award: Caiden Herbert (7th)
• 87Speed Award: Jake Williams (8th)
Upcoming Events:
• Saturday, May 25 – Bear Ridge Speedway – Bradford, Vt.
• Friday, June 14 – Unity Raceway – Unity, Maine
(All photos by Bill McGaffin)