WEST HAVEN — John Gosselin stole the show at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Saturday, September 3, capturing the Limited Sportsman “Win & You’re In” race to earn a guaranteed starting berth in Sunday’s Fabian Earth Moving Vermont 200.
Other feature winners in the Saturday portion of the weekend event included Elmo Reckner, Daryl Gebo, Allen Hewitt, and Griff Mahoney.
Gosselin’s win was anything but a runaway, as he was one of four drivers dicing for the lead throughout the 40-lap race for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman division.
Anthony Ryan led almost the entire race, with Gosselin, Alex Layn, and Evan Roberts breathing down his neck. Ryan was strong on the outside while Gosselin and Layn took runs on the bottom groove, with each of them nosing ahead briefly only to have Ryan hold them off. Shoreham’s Gosselin made a big move entering Turn 1 on lap 38, though, and it stuck as he was able to grab the lead at the white flag and held off the field for the win.
Gosselin is the 14th different feature winner in the Limited Sportsman division in 2022. Ryan settled for the runner-up finish with Layn third, Roberts fourth, and Steve Miller fifth. Katrina Bean was next in line, followed by Timmy Aldrighetti, Billy Duprey, Josh LeClaire, and Hunter Nutter. Qualifying heats were won by Gary English, Aldrighetti, and Roberts.
Ballston Lake, NY’s Elmo Reckner kicked off his weekend in the Sunoco Sportsman Modified division with a victory in the annual Non-Winners Shootout.
Anthony Warren had a comfortable lead evaporate with a broken driveshaft on lap 14 of the 25-lapper, handing the lead to Reckner. After that, the veteran driver held off Josh Masterson and collected the bragging rights heading into Sunday’s $10,000 prize at the Vermont 200.
Jimmy Ryan finished third with Neil Stratton and Kevin Chaffee in tow. The top finishers were completed by Alex Bell, Derrick McGrew Jr., Shawn McPhee, Gary Edwards III, and Bryce Breault. Heat winners were Ryan, Bell, and Reckner.
Orwell’s Daryl Gebo went to victory lane for the fourth time in the Hoosier Daddy Racing Rookie Sportsman division. Gebo was virtually untouchable in the 20-lap run, outpacing William Lussier Jr. and Randy Edson. Josh Bussino was fourth, with Tyler Travis completing the top five. Robert Gauthier was sixth ahead of Aaron Clark, Adam LaFountain, Nick Austin-Neil, and Michael Clark. Heats were won by Bussino and Gebo.
Rutland rookie Allen Hewitt scored a big victory in the Mini Stock division, winning a special 20-lap, $500-to-win feature for the four-cylinder class.
Hewitt passed Levi Cram for the lead and kept championship point leader Chris Sumner at bay in the final circuits for his second feature win.
Cram held on for his best career finish in third ahead of Austin McKirryher and Chase Allen. Brian Blake was sixth, followed by Cody Dion, Adam Mahoney, Mark Mahoney, and Damian Olden. Heats were won by Ronnie Alger, Hewitt, and Blake.
Bristol’s Griff Mahoney won the 10-lap B-Feature for the Mini Stocks. Carl LaPoint finished second, with Jakobee Alger third. Mary Gardner spun out in the final corner after battling Mahoney for much of the race but registered a fourth-place finish ahead of Brian Barrows.
The Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprint division ran its first leg of a two-day, three-segment race with cumulative scoring and full-field inversions. The driver with the lowest combined point tally after the third segment on Sunday will be named the overall winner.
Bridport’s Gage Provencher—a few days shy of his 13 th birthday—dominated the first 10-lap round, running from the sixth starting position into the lead to score one point toward the total. Lane Saville finished second for two points ahead of Logan Denis with three points, Kevin Smith with four, and Vern Woodard with five.
Qualifying and the main event for the $10,000-to-win Fabian Earth Moving Vermont 200 for Sportsman Modifieds begin at 5 p.m. on Sunday, September 4.
The Sprint Cars of New England tour will also be on the card along with the second and third segments for the 500cc Mini Sprints.
Adult general admission for Sunday is just $20 in the grandstands and $40 in the infield drive-in. Kids aged 12 and under get in for free.
