June 3 2016 June 17 2016 | Page 19

Friday, June 17, 2016 The Colebrook Chronicle Sports CODY SMITH SHINES AT SPEEDWAY 51 After rain all afternoon, Speedway 51 started their C. Bean Transportation night about an hour and a half behind schedule. As the track dried the Schweppes Street Stocks heated up and stole the show. St. Johnsbury, Vt.’s Cody Smith (18) showed he was going to be a force to be reckoned with in his heat race winning flag to flag. In the feature he would pick up right where he left off, leading wire to wire for the victory holding off Bunker Hodgdon (36) on multiple late race restarts. On the final restart with five laps to go Kelly Miller Jr. (0) was able to get by Hodgdon and hold on for a second place finish. Hodgdon the Hardwick, Vt. native got together with point leader Jared Plumley (12) of Guildhall, Vt. on the final lap racing for third, Plumley would cut a tire and send them both towards the front stretch wall allowing Dylan Laleme to sneak by for the final podium spot. Hardwick, Vt.’s Jaden Perry (92) was able to cross the line in fourth Only $10 before Plumley and Hodgdon came across in fifth and sixth. Brendan Moodie (94) didn’t wait long to get into victory lane in 2016 for the Sign Depot Tiger Sportsman division. The defending track champion won both fifteen lap segments to take the overall win and took over the point lead from Craftsbury Common, Vt.’s Joel Hodgdon (36vt). Despite hard contact with the front straightaway wall after contact with Bill Stebbins Jr (07), Craftsbury Common Vt.’s Mike Martin (01) salvaged a third place finish in the second segment to hold on for second place overall. Hodgdon would finish third overall and Colby Bourgois (82) of St. Johnsbury, Vt. would finish fourth. Irasburg, Vt.’s Aaron Smith (91) was an innocent bystander in the dust up between Martin and Stebbins ending his night prematurely and dropping him to a fifth place finish. St. Johnsbury’s Kasey Beattie (45) won his second straight race of the season after passing Northfield, Vt.’s Evan Hallstrom (1vt) midway through the A.B. Excavating Dare Devil feature. Hallstrom would hold on for sec- ond, Garret LaBounty (76) of Orleans, Vt. finished third for the second straight race. Guildhall, Vt.’s Josh Plumley (12) and Kyle LaBounty (80) completed the top 5 finishers. Unfortunately organizers could not completely avoid the weather as the rain came as the North Country Ford Late Models took the track for their feature event and were unable to take the green flag. They will now have a double feature night Saturday June 25. Next week, the speedway will welcome the best of the American Canadian Tour for the Lil’ Joey Generation Next 151 Saturday post time is 5:30. For more info go to www.speedway51int.com. Page 19