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Tommy Smith (Alan Ward photo)

Williamson & Rain Rule Thunder Road

BARRE, Vt. — When the rain came, it came hard. Following constant threat and misty annoyances throughout the night, monsoon rains finally descended on Thunder Road just after lap 35 of the Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers event on Casella Waste Management Night. 

The New England Antique Racers started the night off early in attempt to outrun the threating clouds with 15 coupes, early modifieds and outdated late models made two fields for their annual visit for two caution free events.

The Street Stocks led the feature list for their 25-lap main event on Casella Night. After being pulled off the track twice when rains deemed too dangerous for racing came down, everyone held their breath. With successful track drying, the Street Stocks returned to the track once again, making it through halfway point. At lap 21, rain returned and the race was deemed official. 

Tommy Smith added to his Street Stock all-time wins list followed by Justin Blakey in second and Taylor Hoar with her second consecutive third-place finish.

The Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers then took the field with rains again subsiding and after another successful round of track-drying. With dark threatening clouds still filling the skies above, the halfway mark was once again on everyone’s mind. Charging from a fourth-place start, Michael MacAskill battled hard against polesitter Kevin Streeter. The two battled it out for 35 laps, MacAskill hard charging on the outside of Streeter nearly the entire time.

In the blink of an eye heavy monsoon rains poured over the track as the drivers came out of four and were promptly greeted by the yellow flag, ending the night. MacAskill made it two wins in 2022 followed closely by Streeter and sophomore Tanner Woodard.

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