BARRE, Vt. — Perfect weather greeted the race fans and the over 120 teams on hand Sunday afternoon for the 47th EastRise Credit Union Labor Day Classic.
An incredible 37 of those teams were Milton CAT American-Canadian Tour teams, ready to dig deep all day long for a shot at just thirty starting positions.
Thunder Road stars Christopher Pelkey and Jason Corliss, along with current ACT point leader Raphael Lessard and former champion Jimmy Hebert all earned one of four heat race victories to kick off Sunday’s afternoon showcase. Returning for two more qualifying rounds, former winner D.J. Shaw and defending Milk Bowl victor Marcel Gravel split the two consolation events while Stephen Donahue ran away with the B-Feature win.
Nick Sweet’s surprise return to the Thunder Road highbanks netted him a ‘+5’ to earn the pole position and quickly went to war with Marcel Gravel in the opening laps. By lap 17, current Maplefields/Irving Oil Late Model point leader Jason Corliss was leading the show from his fifth-place starting spot. Corliss went on to dominate the remaining circuits, through two lone caution periods to claim his second career Labor Day Classic win for the packed holiday crowd on hand.
Kaiden Fisher, looking to go back-to-back in Milton CAT American-Canadian Tour competition at The Road this season had to settle for second while D.J. Shaw took third as the highest finishing Touring driver of the night.
The Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers took a turn on EastRise Credit Union Labor Day Sunday with Cam Gadue and rookie Karsen Murphy bringing the field to green. Gadue got the early jump but quickly fell under attack from Matt Ballard. Ballard pulled up on the low-side to lead lap nine and never looked back, almost catching the back of the pack twice before the caution flag came out. Ballard nailed down the win over Kevin Streeter and Logan Powers but the story is on point leader Sam Caron after a busted hub relegated him to a 24th-place finish and unofficially has cost him the point lead with just two races remaining.
Rob Richardi Jr. won the New England Pro-4 Modified main event.
Hayden Morris won the street stock feature and Taylor Sayers topped the road warrior class.
