Auto racing is in the blood in Rutland County, Vt.

RUTLAND — Vermont has a long tradition of auto racing. From dirt tracks around the state in the 1950s to today's modern paved tracks such as Thunder Road, Bear Ridge and Devil's Bowl, the Green Mountain State loves its speed. While there are more defunct tracks in the history books than current, operating ovals in the state, Vermont is among the most enthusiastic of New England states when it comes motorsports. And of 14 Vermont counties, Rutland County is the crown jewel when it comes to auto racing heritage. Case in point is the annual Devil's Bowl award ceremony held in the City of Rutland. Devil's Bowl Speedway, which opened in 1967 and is located on the west side of Rutland County, has evolved from a dirt to a paved track, now one of the state's premiere racing destinations for NASCAR fans. Earlier in this year, a sold-out crowd of more than 370 stock car drivers, team members, race officials, sponsors, fan clubs, and media put the cap on the 2015 Devil's Bowl Speedway racing season at the track's annual Banquet of Champions. The event was hosted by the Holiday Inn Rutland-Killington in Rutland, and officially crowned the season champions in eight different divisions at the speedway located in West Haven on Route 22A. Several special annual awards were also presented, including the track's highest honor, the John Bruno Award. The trophy was shared by Debbie Eddy of Fair Haven, Vt., and posthumously by her longtime partner, Ron White, in recognition of their significant lifetime contributions to racing while maintaining high standards of conduct and respect on and off the track. Other asphalt track champions included Josh Masterson of Bristol, Vt., in the Central Vermont Motorcycles Late Models; Robert Gordon of Milton, Vt., in the Brileya's Chrysler-Jeep Renegades; and Chris LaVair of Gabriels, N.Y., in the Portland Glass Mini Stocks. Masterson and LaVair were each their first-time champs in their respective divisions, while Gordon's title was his third in four years. Rookie of the Year titles went to Bob Kilburn of Fair Haven, Vt., (Modified), Richard Lowrey III of Charlotte, Vt., (Late Model), Matt Monaghan of Colchester, Vt., (Renegade), and Bradley Bertrand of Ferrisburgh, Vt., (Mini Stock). Darrell Older of Ballston Spa, N.Y., and Brian Bishop of Bridport, Vt., also won dirt championships. Older's title was in the Renegade division, while Bishop topped the Mini Stocks. Brett Wood of Georgia, Vt., collected his first title in the MFT Sauce & Rub Co. Enduro Series, which holds races on both track surfaces at Devil's Bowl. The Award of Excellence was given to racing mainstay and Sunoco Race Fuels dealer John Holland of New England Racing Fuels, while the Dedication Award was presented to longtime Devil's Bowl Speedway track official Nick Lussier, a veteran of 45 years at his hometown facility. Sportsmanship Awards were given to drivers from each division on both the asphalt and dirt, as determined by a vote of their peers. On the asphalt side, awards went to Bob Kilburn (Modified), Steve Miller (Late Model), Robert Gordon (Renegade), and Chuck Bradford (Mini Stock), while dirt trophies went to Billy Lussier (Sportsman Modified), Matt Mosher (Renegade), and Chris Cardarelli (Mini Stock). Most Improved Driver laurels, also voted on by drivers, were bestowed upon asphalt racers Billy Lussier (Modified), Seth Bridge (Late Model), Scott FitzGerald (Renegade), and Kyle Sorensen (Mini Stock). Bonus and contingency awards were also presented on behalf of Bond Auto Parts, Central Vermont Motorcycles, Portland Glass, Five Star Race Car Bodies, Shiley Fabrication, Crazy Horse Racing, American Racer Tires, The University of Northwestern Ohio, and NASCAR. Check It Out: Devil's Bowl Speedway is a nearly half-mile auto racing track in West Haven, Vt. It is the longest length of Vermont's Big Three raceways. For a 2016 racing season schedule call 802-265-3112 or visit the website at http://devilsbowlspeedwayvt.com.

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Auto racing is in the blood in Rutland County, Vt.

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