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Handicapping Format Begins, Enduro Racing Returns as Competitors Roar into Week Three at “The Bowl”

WEST HAVEN, Vt. – The third week of racing action at New England’s fastest dirt track is upon us and that means gone are the days of draws, redraws and inverts for starting lineups for regular events. Handicapping is back.

This week, heat race lineups will be set with drivers who have struggled early this season at the front, and those who have enjoyed more Spring success at the back. Only a certain number of cars in each division will earn their “handicap” starting position for the main (typically 1-18 in the Sunoco Modifieds for example) and those who don’t finish high enough in the heats to qualify for that handicap will start in positions 19-last.

In the Sunoco Modifieds, Orwell, Vt’s James Hanson, Leceister, Vt’s Adam Piper and Canaan, Nh’s Walt Hammond, Jr are a few of the drivers who will look to turn their season around this week aided by the potential for an up-front starting position in Saturday’s 30-lap feature. Conversely, point leaders Kevin Chaffee, Justin Comes and Tim LaDuc will be charging through traffic on Saturday, starting closer to the tail. Chaffee will start no better than 18th position as the most recent feature event winner.

This week marks the first of six scheduled Enduro races of the 2023 season. The popular, “wild and crazy” series features 50-100 lap races at the end of race nights with cars right off the street with very little modification required. Sometimes attracting 60 entrants, Enduro races at Devil’s Bowl commonly pay $500 or more to the winner. The most recent Enduro winner is Bristol, Vt’s Kevin Pearsall. Pearsall defeated 28 challengers in a wet-weather affair on the infield track during the final race of 2022 in a race that paid $1,000 to win. Before Pearsall, Andrew Lopes and Eric Leno also picked up wins late in 2022 in Enduro competition.

Mini Sprint drivers and fans will enjoy a special event this week with the return of the “segment race.” Defending segment race champion Gage Provencher will look to win his second overall title in a row as the 2022 winner dominated all three segments, narrowly besting Lane Saville in the overall last Labor Day Weekend. The race will consist of three, 12-lap segments with the finish being inverted to set the starting lineup for the next segment. The driver with the highest average finish at the end of all three segments wins.

During Saturday night’s intermission, the annual Kids’ Poster Contest will be held, so kids—grab those magic markers, colored pencils, crayons and poster boards and bring your best artwork to the track. Drivers will be stopping by during intermission to admire your work!

The Route 22A gate will open at 1 p.m. Saturday with pit pass sales beginning at 2 p.m. The Drivers’ Meeting will commence at 4:30 p.m. with hot laps to follow at 5 p.m. Racing will begin at 6 p.m.

In the event of a rain out, Racing will be held this Sunday, May 21st at 5 p.m.

Grandstand general admission is $15 for adults and free for children aged 12 and under. Infield drive-in parking is also available for $20 for adults and free for kids. Pit area passes are $28 for members and $38 for non-members.

Devil’s Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, Vt., four miles north of U.S. Route 4, Exit 2, and just 20 minutes from Rutland, Vt.  For more information, visit www.DevilsBowlSpeedwayVT.com or call (802) 265-3112. Devil’s Bowl Speedway is on Facebook at facebook.com/DevilsBowlSpeedway, and on Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat at @DevilsBowlSpeed; follow the action using the #DevilsBowl hashtag.

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