Ackner Back at Devil's Bowl

FAIR HAVEN -- They say you never forget how to ride a bike. Apparently, Don Ackner never forgot how to get to victory lane.

The veteran 358 Modified driver snapped a 12-year winless streak at Devil's Bowl Speedway's double-points Spring Championships on Sunday night, benefitting from the misfourtunes of leader Kenny Tremont, Jr. just before the halfway point of the 30-lap main event. Castleton, N.Y. driver Ackner, a multi-time Devil's Bowl champion, has been racing a limited schedule for several years, and held off Middlebury's Todd Stone for his first win at the track since 1997.

Stone led a string of seven Vermonters across the line, with Tim LaDuc, Rob Langevin, Vince Quenneville, Jr., Frank Hoard, Sr., Gardner Stone, and Ray Hoard in tow. Kris Vernold and Alex Bell completed the top ten finishers.

Tim Hartman, Jr. of Schenectady, N.Y. won the 25-lap Budget Sportsman for his first Devil's Bowl win, two days after taking his first-career victory at Albany-Saratoga Speedway in Malta, N.Y. Hartman passed Jack Swinton for the lead on lap 20, then drove to the win; Swinton held on for second. Mark Hughes, Derrick McGrew, and early leader Paul Dunham completed the top five.

Cale Kneer looked to have the 20-lap Pro Street Stock race in hand before Benson's Jeff Washburn stole the lead with two laps reamining and drove to his first win of the year. Kneer was the runner-up ahead of Fred Little, Bobby Schmidt, and Carl Vladyka.

Ripton driver Don Williams won the 20-lap Limited feature in a photo finish over Jason Wood; the official margin of victory was 0.069 seconds. Mike Clark was third.

In the Duke Stock/Mini Stock feature, winners were George Foster (Duke), Kayla Bryant (six-cylinder Mini), and Nathan Woodworth (four-cylinder Mini).

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
Devil's Bowl Speedway, Fair Haven, Vt.
Sunday, May 31, 2009

Pos.-Driver-Hometown

358 Modified Feature
1. Don Ackner, Castelton, N.Y.
2. Todd Stone, Middlebury
3. Tim LaDuc, Orwell
4. Rob Langevin, Londonderry
5. Vince Quenneville, Jr., Brandon

Budget Sportsman Feature
1. Tim Hartman, Jr., Schenectady, N.Y.
2. Jack Swinton, Hudson Falls, N.Y.
3. Mark Hughes, Ballston Spa, N.Y.
4. Derrick McGrew, Ballston Spa, N.Y.
5. Paul Dunham, Indian Lake, N.Y.

Pro Street Stock Feature
1. Jeff Washburn, Benson
2. Cale Kneer, Troy, N.Y.
3. Fred Little, Salisbury
4. Bobby Schmidt, Gansevoort, N.Y.
5. Carl Vladyka, Fair Haven

Limited Feature
1. Don Williams, Ripton
2. Jason Wood, Malta, N.Y.
3. Mike Clark, Brandon
4. Bill Durpey
5. Lou Gancarz, North Adams, Mass.

Duke Stock
1. George Foster

Six-Cylinder Mini Stock
1. Kayla Bryant

Four-Cylinder Mini Stock
1. Nathan Woodworth, Essex Junction