Epic battle between Payea and Pembroke opens Thunder Road’s 49th Season

in Merchants Bank 150

By Phil Whipple

  BARRE, VT — In one of the closest short track battles seen in a long while, Scott Payea and Dave Pembroke gave the hearty fans at Thunder Road a terrific show Sunday afternoon in the 10^th Annual Merchants Bank 150.

  Since Oxford was rained out on Saturday night, I decided to head for the Green Mountain State to see my father and take in Round 3 on the 2008 ACT Late Model Tour schedule. After driving through heavy rain in northern New Hampshire, I wondered about the chances of even seeing cars on the track.

  When I arrived at the track, it was chilly and damp but cars were out for practice and fans were starting to file in. Encouraging, to say the least!  Fortunately for all of us who attended, weather conditions slowly improved throughout the day and the entire program was completed.

  By this point, most of you who care already know that Payea finally got by Pembroke late in the going and hung on to win, and that Canadian sensation Patrick Laperle snuck by Pembroke for second at the finish.

  It’s almost as if finishing second just wasn’t an option for the Milton, VT, racer, as he worked on Pembroke lap after lap. He had to fight pretty hard for his third career ACT victory and second straight in this race, and it sure was thrilling to watch.

  Allow me if you will to make a few observations about what I witnessed Sunday at “The Nation’s Site Of Excitement.” First and foremost, the “changing of the guard” was never more evident. Gone are the days when Dave Dion, Bobby Dragon, Robbie Crouch and Dick McCabe ruled the major races on the Barre high-banks. Today, it’s bright young stars like Payea, Pembroke, Eric Williams and Scott Dragon that draw cheers from the fans. Today’s races are  every bit as exciting as the ones we watched in the 1980s and early 1990s, they’re just played out among different drivers piloting a whole new breed of automobile.

  And speaking of automobiles, I feel that today’s 350-hp crate engines, cost-effective Koni shocks and eight-inch Goodyear slicks sure do equate to a level playing field and PERFECT combination for competitive, side-by-side racing on a high-banked 1/4-mile bullring. Nobody in attendance at T-Road yesterday would even attempt to argue that point.

  With current economic conditions the way they are, every track promoter and tour operator this side of the Mississippi was sweating bullets as the season opened this year wondering about car counts and spectator attendance. I’ve had this conversation with several people already, but it’s a real good sign when you draw 51 cars at Lee, 50 at Oxford, then 42 at T-Road for your first three Tour shows. Okay, so I had heard they were expecting 60 cars Sunday at Thunder Road, but the 42 teams who did show were all rock-solid with decent equipment and ready to roll.

  One of the surprises for me Sunday was the smaller-than-usual crowd. Most years, opening day at “The Road” drew 10,000-plus fans and a few dozen campers down back in the field. I’m not the best at estimating attendance, but it sure looked to me like a much smaller crowd and only five campers out back. I’m sure gas prices and chilly, damp weather conditions early in the day played a big role in that outcome.

  Regardless, Sunday’s Merchant’s Bank 150 was one of the best Late Model races I’ve witnessed in a long time. My compliments to Ken Squire, Tom Curley and the entire staff for a successful kickoff to your 49^th year of competition. I believe there are some special things being planned for the old girl’s 50^th anniversary season next year, and I for one can’t wait to see them. It’s going to be another fantastic season of racing at Thunder Road in 2008.