Thunder Road Late Models to Open New Era at Devil's Bowl

From Thunder Road press release

WEST HAVEN -- The American-Canadian Tour Late Models from Thunder Road will open the newly paved Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven on Sunday, May 23, 2010. Track promoter Jerry Richards said, “This is going to be a great way to bring the new asphalt to life at Devil’s Bowl. It has been over 30 years since the track was asphalt, but we think having Thunder Road’s Late Models on the ½-mile will certainly give our fans at 'The Bowl' a great opening event.”

Thunder Road Late Models will be joined by some of the regular ACT Late Model Tour teams for this grand opening of the original Champlain Valley Racing Association track, which was founded by legendary promoter C.J. Richards.

“When we learned that 'The Bowl' was being returned to asphalt we really wanted our teams to be a part of it," said Tom Curley, the President of ACT and managing partner of Thunder Road. "Most of the Thunder Road Late Models have raced various tracks on the ACT, and this just seemed like a great fit. We have no races scheduled at Thunder Road from May 2 until Memorial Day weekend, so I am sure there will be great support from the Late Model teams.

“I am sure there will be a number of teams from Chittenden County and central Vermont who will want to give Devil’s Bowl a try, and this change the CVRA is going through is something ACT wants to support.” The sister track of Devil’s Bowl, Albany-Saratoga Speedway in Malta, N.Y., will host an ACT Late Model Tour event on April 25th at the newly paved 4/10-mile speedplant.

Some of the expected entrants to the Devil's Bowl event include reigning Thunder Road champion Jean-Paul Cyr, a former champion at Devil’s Bowl, three-time Thunder Road champion Cris Michaud, and ACT star Brent Dragon.

“I think this is really great,” Dragon said. “My father and uncle were both a part of the five-track Northern NASCAR circuit back in the mid-‘70s, and I am really excited that we have a 'long track' back in Vermont."