Jim Ryan Leads The Way At Devil's Bowl

WEST HAVEN, VT. - For most of the Champlain Valley Racing Association

season, on both Friday and Sunday nights, Jim Ryan has been chasing Dave

Camara. But on Sunday night, Ryan gave Camara a taste of his own medicine

at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. Ryan used a string of early restarts to get the

lead, and then held off a late challenge from Camara to record his first win

of the season in the 30-lap 358 modified feature at the Bowl.

The win was no fluke, either, as Ryan has been tough since opening day

at the Bowl, when he drove to a fourth-place finish. Since that time, he’s

recorded four other top-five finishes, and on Sunday night, he put it all

together and finally found his way to victory lane.

Because of three early cautions, Ryan was able to move from his14th

starting position into third, behind Brian Whittemore and John Harrison,

after just five laps. Harrison moved past Whittemore into the lead on the

sixth lap, but he gave up the top spot to Ron Proctor the next time around.

Proctor had been fourth on lap six, but used yet another restart to make a

big move to the front. But Ryan only needed a couple of more laps to

overtake Proctor, putting his No. 60 modified into the lead on the ninth

lap.

Ryan began to open up a little breathing room, forcing Proctor and

Harrison to battle for second, but once some green flag laps were put

together, Camara, who had started16th, quickly joined the battle. Camara

took the third spot away from Proctor on the 19th lap and three laps later,

had moved up to second.

The final caution of the race came out with two laps to go, setting up a

final shootout, but Ryan was able to get a good jump on the restart and held

off Camara to get the win. Tim LaDuc, driving the Sput Shaw 57, made a late

run and got up for third, with Don Scarborough fourth and Harrison fifth.

Completing the top 10 were Wayne Jelley, Paul Parker, Proctor, Randy Howe

and Gene Munger, who started scratch in Kevin Perry’s car after mechanical

problems sidelined his own Richardsdale Farms ride.

Another first-time winner emerged in the 20-lap pro-street stock

feature, as Mike Bussino took advantage of a good starting position to

record his first victory of the season. Bussino, who started in the second

row, jumped right to the lead and went flag-to-flag in the caution-plagued

feature. Fred Little, who had started seventh, was the biggest threat to

Bussino’s good ride, but Little had to settle for second. Joe Santoro came

across the line third, with Mike Paquin fourth and Pete Kimball fifth.

Curtis Condon picked up his second straight victory in the hobby stock

division while Kevin Koval overcame a last-row starting position to win the

cruiser division feature.

Devil’s Bowl will be back in action Sunday night, with all Champlain

Valley Racing Association divisions in action. In addition, the hobby stock

class will be running a 30-lap feature. Racing will begin at 7 p.m.

MODIFIEDS: JIM RYAN, Dave Camara, Tim LaDuc, Don Scarborough, John Harrison,

Wayne Jelley, Paul Parker, Ron Proctor, Randy Howe, Gene Munger, Don

Mattison, Dan Ryan, Chris Donnelly, Brian Whittemore, Ray Hoard, Richard

Stromberg, Jim Introne, Bill Bushee, Vince Quenneville Jr., Bob Savoie, Jeff

Betit, C.V. Elms, Tom Proctor.

PRO-STREET STOCKS: MIKE BUSSINO, Fred Little, Joe Santoro, Mike Paquin, Pete

Kimball, Carl Vladyka, Mike Haines, Johan Rule, Carol Parker, Ray Salisbury,

Jack Swinton, D.J. Mabb, Phil Sherman, John Mashak.

HOBBY STOCKS: CURTIS CONDON, Richard Stone, Larry Bristol Jr., Joe Ladd, Ken

Town, Robert Cox, Arnie Trudeau, Matt Greenier, Randy Alger, Pat Cram,

Daniel Lee, Andy Bentley, John Donnelly, Davis Patrick.

CRUISERS: KEVIN KOVAL, Roy Fifield, Chris Busta, Tim Whitney, Ben Ladd,

Robert Cole, Mike Morrison, Billy Lussier, Trudy Booska, Mike Clark, John

Sweet.