A Thunder Road wish granted for Grant Folsom
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Neal Foster of Waterbury (19), John Lambert of Northfield (2) and Christopher Pelkey of South Barre (64) go three-wide into turn 3 during a Tiger Sportsman heat race at Thunder Road on Thursday. JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR/TIMES ARGUS |
Toolbox
BY TOM HERZIG CORRESPONDENT - Published: July 10, 2009
BARRE — Thunder Road's 50th anniversary season is not only celebrating old memories, it's creating new ones on a weekly basis. Grant Folsom, 29 of Waitsfield, who started coming to the Road at age eight, scored his first Late Model career win on Charter Communications Night.
[ See Thunder Road photos at www.timesargus.com/thunderroadphotos ]
Folsom worked his way under Brooks Clark, who was also after his first-ever win, on lap 36 of the 50-lap event, and then kept hard-charging Phil Scott at bay while Jean-Paul Cyr closed in for third. Mike Bailey, in the mix the whole way, wound up fourth just ahead of Dave Pembroke. Pembroke's rally allowed him, unofficially to take over the point lead heading into next week's double-points Mid-Season championships.
Folsom started on the inside of row two. He yielded second place to Bailey at the halfway mark, but Cal Poulin's spin out brought the second of three cautions. The final caution came with six laps left.
"I could have done without that last yellow, but it worked out," Folsom said. "I knew Clark was getting looser and I thought if I was patient, I could get under and I did. If I would have had to go outside to pass him, I'd have tried that too. The car was junk last week. We worked on it every night. I have to thank Phil Scott's team for all the help they've given me."
"The outside really worked well for me, but towards the end the car got tight and I would have pushed up if I didn't stay where I was," Scott said. Reno Gervais, a first-time winner last week, finished sixth. Clark crossed the finish sideways for seventh only to get belted by Nick Sweet, who had no place to go after crossing the finish line.
Eric Badore of Milton kept the first-win story rolling by holding off Jeff French and Cody Blake to take the Tiger Sportsman checkers. Badore, French and Blake forged a three-car breakaway well ahead of the pack. Ray Stearns raced alone in fourth. Mark Barnier, Scott Coburn, Joel Hodgdon and David Finck were next in line.
Tucker Williams of Hyde Park was first to the line in the Allen Lumber Street Stock main. Mike McCaskill finished at William's bumper in second. Gary Mullin and Jason Corliss were third and fourth. Tommy Smith got up for fifth in the final turn. Cabot's Ken Christman won the Junkyard Warrior feature.
Late Model Charter Communications Night Thunder Road
1.Grant Folsom, Waitsfield
2.Phil Scott, Montpelier
3.Jean-Paul Cyr, Milton
4. Mike Bailey, Barre
5.Dave Pembroke, Montpelier
6.Reno Gervais, Island Pond
7.Rich Lowrey, Charlotte
8.Brooks Clark, Fayston
9.Craig Bushey, Cambridge
10.Tony Andrews, Northfield
11.John Donahue, Graniteville
12.Matt White, Northfield
13.Nick Sweet, Barre
14.Trampas Demers, So. Burlington
15. Eric Chase, Milton
16.Dave Whitcomb, Essex Jct
17.Dylan Smith, Randolph
18.Doug Murphy, Tunbridge
19.Jamie Fisher, Shelburne
20.Cal Poulin, Braintree
21. Joey Becker, Jeffersonville
22. Jerry Lesage, Winooski
23.Chris Chambers, Brookfield
24.Cris Michaud, Northfield
25.Dave Paya, Milton
26.Steve Fisher, Shelburne
27.Dwayne Lanphear, Morrisville