Fayston’s Brooks Clark roared from deep in the field to get his first American-Canadian Tour (ACT) victory in the Community Bank N.A. 150 at Barre’s Thunder Road on Sunday, May 2. Clark took the lead for good from Trampas Demers, Shelburne, with 21 laps to go and held him off for the victory after starting 21st on the grid.
The biggest victory of Clark’s career came in an event with twists and turns. Several early contenders were sidelined by a spate of midrace carnage before Clark and Demers, two accomplished locals, put on a show down the stretch for both the Barre crowd and a worldwide audience on FloRacing.
Montpelier’s Kyle Pembroke started on the pole and led the first 54 laps. Behind him, the field shuffled early and often. The first major surprise came on lap 22 as reigning ACT champion Jimmy Hebert went to the pits and did not return. Six circuits later, Matt White’s car abruptly shut down while challenging Pembroke. Bobby Therrien assumed second on the restart, but couldn’t keep up on the outside, as D.J. Shaw and Scott Dragon both rolled past underneath.
Milton’s Dragon then took the high lane around Shaw for second shortly before the third yellow on lap 53 for Tyler Cahoon’s stalled automobile. The next two laps would completely change the complexion of the race. Pembroke led on the initial restart, but Dragon put his nose out front for lap 55.
