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LaDuc, Quenneville prepare for throwback title fight; English searching for limited title, all divisions up for grabs Saturday

WEST HAVEN, Vt.-- An entire season of racing has come down to this. Two Vermont racing legends with famous families and roots dating back to the Fairmont Speedway in Fair Haven, before Devil’s Bowl was even built in 1967. Two names synonymous with dirt track racing in the state of Vermont. Tim LaDuc and Vince Quenneville, Jr., will go head-to-head Saturday at Devil’s Bowl Speedway seeking the prestigious, headline Sunoco Sportsman Modified Championship, worth $5,000.

Devil’s Bowl’s modern era (2018 - present) has been a very different experience for both drivers, but not entirely dissimilar.

LaDuc and Quenneville both had solid seasons in 2018, finishing 2nd and 5th in the points, respectively, while Kenny Tremont Jr., dominated the ½ mile with three wins and 15 top 10 runs. LaDuc captured two wins of his own. Quenneville did not touch victory lane but finished with five top-five and 10 top-10s.

In 2019, neither driver won a feature. Quenneville was 10th in points and LaDuc was 11th. In 2020, neither driver managed to win again.

The 2021 season marked the beginning of a career renaissance for both men. LaDuc won two races and the title, Quenneville won the second-biggest race of the year, the 100-lap, $5,000-to-win crate nationals on Memorial Day and was 3rd in points.

Quenneville was held out of the winner’s circle in 2022 while LaDuc earned four wins. Both drivers were solidly top 10 in points. In 2023, LaDuc won the title with no wins and Quenneville was a winner in September and finished 7th in points.

This year, Quenneville has been hot, with three wins, seven top five runs and 13 top-10s. LaDuc, the title fight leader by six points, has one win, eight top-five runs and also 13 top-10s.

So, the stage is set. Saturday night at 5PM in West Haven, these two giants of the historic Vermont dirt modified racing scene will clash again for the championship on Heritage Family Credit Union Night. LaDuc and Quenneville, old rivals at it again. Driver No. 54 is seeking his third title in the last four years. Quenneville hasn’t won a championship since 2017 on the pavement. In the event of a tie, the driver with more wins in the 2024 season will be crowned the champion, giving it to Quenneville for 2024.

Travis Green (-22), Dave Camara (-29) and Joey Scarborough (-36) are all mathematically within reach of the title Saturday. Heat races pay five points to win, four for 2nd, three for 3rd, two for 4th and one to all other starters. The feature pays 50 points to the winner, 48 for 2nd, 46 for 3rd, two points per spot all the way down to 21st, which earns 10 points, along with all other starters.

The O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman have their own title fight going on with Salisbury’s Gary English, Jr., in control by 10 points over New Haven’s Alex Layn. Scott Towslee is 3rd in the standings, 20 points back. Billy Duprey (-33) is also in contention for the title. English has one win and began the season running away with the title, but his recent struggles have been hard to hide. A 50-some-odd point lead in July has vanished to only 10 markers now.

Whiting’s Logan Denis has a comfortable grip on the championship trophy for the Hoosier Racing Tire Novice Sportsman. With a 46-point lead over Matt Wade, the rookie would have to not start either the heat or the feature in order to lose the title. Josh Bussino is 3rd in the points, more than 100 markers back.

The Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprint Championship is between two drivers. Ray Hanson and Gage Provencher, separated by one, single point heading into this Saturday. Hanson has the hot hand with the win last week, but Provencher has more wins this season than Hanson, including individual segments of races. Quinn Quenneville’s season has been admirable with four wins, but the Brandon driver is 88 points out of the title fight and thus, eliminated.

Brian Blake, of Cornwall and Griff Mahoney of Benson are separated by only 12 points in the Fisher Auto Parts Mini Stock standings. Blake has one win this year and is attempting to repeat as the champ in 2023 and 2024. Mahoney has improved his program dramatically this year, after finishing 15th in points last year and 18th in 2022.

Bomoseen’s Rob Steele has sewn up the 2024 9th State Cannabis Crown Vic Title for the second year in a row, provided he can start the feature on Saturday. Rookie Brad Cram is 49 points behind Steele with fellow rookie Eric Friend 3rd, 60 points back.

Don’t miss Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s FINAL race of 2024! Heritage Family Credit Union Night this Saturday at 5PM! Heritage Family members get in for free (general admission only). General admission is $15, kids 12 and under are FREE! Infield tailgating is $20. Pit passes are $28 for members and $38 for non-members. Pits open at 2PM with the stands open at 3:30. Pit meeting will commence at 3:45 with hot laps at 4:00 and racing at 5:00!

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