Elms Takes Upset Win at Devil's Bowl

From CVRA Press Release

FAIR HAVEN -- Add C.V. "Butch" Elms, III to the list of surprise winners in 2009. On a night when the headlining 358 Modifieds were off the card at Devil's Bowl Speedway to make room for the Budget Sportsman division's 50-lap Ridge Runner Series event, it was Elms taking center stage for his first career Devil's Bowl victory.

Elms, of North Haverhill, N.H., a seven-time Bear Ridge Speedway champion and now the owner and promoter of the Bradford track, shocked the Devil's Bowl crowd on Sunday night with his first win there, beating out Dorset's Willy Knight and Jared McMahon of Hydeville for the win. Three-time Albany-Saratoga winner Jack Gentile of Ballston Lake, N.Y. and Thetford's Wayne Stearns, who won at Bear Ridge on Saturday night, completed the top five finishers.

Prior to Sunday's feature, Elms' best finish of the year was sixth in three starts, and he, Knight, and McMahon all ranked outside the top-30 in point standings. Elms steadily worked his way from the ninth-place starting position to take the lead from Knight on lap 46 following the early departure of defending track champion Cullen Howe on lap 35, who was pressuring Knight for the lead.

The Ridge Runner Series is a special event mini-series open for Budget Sportsman and Modified drivers from the Champlain Valley Racing Association's Devil's Bowl and Albany-Saratoga Speedways, New York's Glen Ridge Motorsports Park, and Bear Ridge.

Cale Kneer of Troy, N.Y. passed veteran Carl Vladyka of Fair Haven on the final circuit to steal the 20-lap Pro Street Stock victory. Jeff Washburn of Benson finished third over Salisbury's Fred Little and Lori Langevin of Londonderry.

Bill Durpey of Hydeville picked up his second Limited win of the year over Brandon's Mike Clark and Lou Gancarz of North Adams, Mass. Kayla Bryant of Rutland won the Mini Stock feature with Fair Haven's Chris Murray taking top Duke Stock honors.