4/29/2014
Wayne Helliwell Jr
Victory at Thunder Road
From the outhouse to the penthouse; so the saying goes. In 2011 Wayne Helliwell Jr. failed to qualify for the 49th running of the Milk Bowl at Thunder Road Speedbowl. The one and only event Helliwell has entered but not qualified for since starting on the American Canadian Tour. Fast forward to 2014 and Helliwell left the Vermont oval with trophy in hand at the Merchant Bank 150.
While Helliwell feels his program has not been up to par at Thunder Raod the the stats since 2012 show nothing but consistency; with a worst finish of 4th in his last five starts at the famed track.
“Bad tracks…. Oxford [Plains Speedway] and Thunder Road”, stated Helliwell. “I know we have been close and had a couple of seconds at Thunder Road but I never seem to be comfortable there. We never have a good short run car. Even Sunday I wasn't happy with how the car was.”
Whether Helliwell was happy or not he used strategy of trying to place himself to get the most out of each caution flag; opting to not advance his position at times on purpose to get the lane he wanted on each restart.
“I was just riding… those guys were really going at it up front”, stated Helliwell. It was too early to be racing that hard. With it being so hard to maintain speed on the outside lane it was better to just roll the bottom of the turns and not use the tires.”
Hellliwell would ride between 4th and 6th position for more than 130-laps. When caution waved on lap-132 for an incident involved 2nd and 3rd place running Nick Sweet and Derrick O’Donnell it opened the door for Helliwell; as he would restart to the outside of race long leader Jimmy Hebert.
Helliwell tried for two laps to make the outside lane work to his advantage before entering the turn high and cutting across the nose of third place running Emily Packard; sling shooting to inside of Hebert and making the pass for lead as the duo took to the back stretch. It was lead he would not give up; taking his first victory at the historic Barre, VT track.
Helliwell’s crossover on Hebert in the Ekeys-4-Cars Butler Macmaster Ford Fusion was somewhat preconceived.
“I told myself I would just barrel it off in there and see what happens on the outside”, stated Helliwell. “I knew if I couldn't pass him [Herbert] in two-laps than that’s all there was out there. We were two high on the track, the tires just won’t let you run out there much longer... Jimmy was tight and I could see that following him. So I gave it shoot and cut across; it worked out... I’m just glad there was enough room because I would have taken some cars with me if there wasn't.”
The win marked the 7th for the Bruce Bernhardt owned Team and put Helliwell 6th on all-time series victories list. The win also came in a car the Team had never run at Thunder Road.
“This is the first time we brought this car here. We've always run the other car because we felt it was better; but we sold that one so we had no choice. I guess we've been screwing up…”
Helliwell will lead the ACT tour into Devils Bowl Speedway this coming weekend as he will try and make history becoming the first driver win 4-straight races at one track with the series; after winning back-to-back Spring Green events and the St. Jude 150 last July.
“Devils Bowl was the top of the list for our 2014 plans”, stated Helliwell. It’s become one my favorite tracks. I’m looking forward to trying these new tires and shocks there. It’s great to carry this momentum from thunder Road there, but we know it will be tough to win four-in-a row."
Next Race
What: The Spring Green 114
Where: Devils Bowl Speedway – New Haven, VT
When: Sunday May 4th 2014 – 1:30PM
Wayne Helliwell Jr. and Bernhardt Motorsport's would like to thank their proud partners for their support in 2014: EKeys-4-Cars • Unique Ford • Bernhardt Automotive • Pro-Turf Landscaping • DTB Tax • C&M Distributing • Butler MacMaster Performance Racing • Carbonneau Insulation Co • IICCEEE • Ford Racing • Schoenfeld Headers • Sunoco Race Fuels • Bassett Wheels • Joes Racing Products • Quarter Master • ARP Bodies • Welded Media • Mangus Transmissions • Coastal Candle Company
Leif Tillotson Photography - http://leiftillotsonphotography.smugmug.com/Auto-Racing/Thunder-Road-Opener-2014/38816226_XL2NBS
Article Credit: Jason Lubin / Welded Media
Submitted By: Jason Lubin
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