BARRE, Vt. – Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl has unveiled its schedule of events for the upcoming racing season.
The 19-event schedule goes from early May until early October and includes the 1,000th event in the history of the high banks.
The season opens on Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3. Saturday features the annual Downtown Barre Car Show followed by open practice for all divisions. The first green flag flies Sunday at 1:30 p.m. for the 22ndannual Community Bank N.A. 150 featuring the American-Canadian Tour.
The 58th Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic will follow on Sunday, May 24. The event will see a new format this year with the Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models and Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers taking center stage. The Memorial Day Classic for the Late Models has been extended to 125 laps and will open the King of the Road chase. Meanwhile, the Flying Tigers will go 100 laps on Memorial Day.
The Flying Tiger 100-lapper is also the first event of the Myers Container Service Triple Crown Series. They will also run 75-lap events at Efficiency Vermont Night on Thursday, July 9 and Cody Chevrolet Cadillac Night on Thursday, Aug. 6.
As has been customary in recent years, night racing begins with a special Friday show on June 12. Capitol City Auto Mart Night will include the New England Antique Racers and is also Scout Night. The Thursday season begins the following week on June 18 with Casella Waste Management Night and the annual Kids Rides.
Thursday racing continues through the end of August. Along the way, Thunder Road will run its 1,000th event on Thursday, July 2 at the Aubuchon Hardware Holiday Spectacular. The event will feature the annual holiday fireworks plus other to-be-announced festivities.
All the summer events Thunder Road fans know and love will once again return in 2020. This includes the 41st VP Fuels Vermont Governor’s Cup 150 on July 16; the Country Camper Midseason Championship on July 23; the 36th Bolduc Metal Recycling Enduro 200 and Street Stock Special on Sunday, Aug. 2; and the Run-What-U-Brung at the Thursday finale on Aug. 27. The Road Warrior Challenge that debuted in 2019 will also return on Thursday, Aug. 13 as part of Community College of Vermont Night.
The action continues hot and heavy once September rolls around. The 42nd Labor Day Classic 200 on Sunday, Sept. 6 marks the second visit of the year for the American-Canadian Tour. All track champions will then be crowned at Barre Granite Association Championship Night on Friday, Sept. 18.
The season-ending Vermont Milk Bowl presented by Northfield Savings Bank is scheduled for the first weekend of October and will be a three-day event as it was in 2017. Milk Bowl Friday on Oct. 2 consists of the Pro All Stars Series Super Late Models, PASS Modifieds, North East Mini Stock Tour, and Honey Badger Bar & Grill Street Stock Series. Saturday, Oct. 3 will be Booth Bros./H.P. Hood Qualifying Day with the 58th Vermont Milk Bowl on Sunday, Oct. 4.