–by T.J. Ingerson (@TJIngerson)
VMM Editor
BARRE — Improbable.
That’s how one will describe how Jason Corliss won the 56th Annual Northfield Savings Bank Vermont Milk Bowl.
The hometown driver snuck past Bobby Therrien through turns three and four on the final lap of the final segment to steal the overall win. Therrien went high to avoid Jimmy Hebert’s car after it had shut down off of turn two on the final lap. Corliss dove to Therrien’s inside once past Hebert and beat Therrien by 0.039 seconds — mere inches.
“It’s hard…it’s hard (to find words),” a speechless Corliss said. “It’s surreal to be standing in victory lane again with another Milk Bowl.
“This race is just so unbelievable and it shows again this year.”
Corliss and Therrien entered the final segment tied at the top of the overall Milk Bowl standings with four points. The two drivers went back-and-forth for much of the segment until the final restart of the race, when Therrien broke free and left Corliss chasing him.
Therrien worked to move past Kyle Pembroke for the fifth spot, which benefited Corliss as he ran the two cars down. Therrien was then able to get out past Corliss, but Corliss began to reel Therrien in.
The two crossed under the white flag with little space between the two, which continued through turns one and two. Therrien stayed high as Hebert’s car drastically slowed, as did Corliss, but Corliss cut down to Therrien’s inside and got beside him.
The duo would make contact off of turn four, which allowed Corliss to sneak ahead as Therrien got sideways.
“I was just going to try to make something on the last lap,” Corliss said. “Coming off of turn two, I saw the 58 slow and about dead. I think (Therrien) kind of took it by surprise and didn’t know which lane to go. He lifted for a second and then decided he was going to the outside.
“By then, I was already on his quarter-panel. I don’t know if it was trying to get to the outside of (Hebert) or also trying to keep me behind him on the last lap. We kind of touched and it got him free and he went up the hill and the bottom opened up. I turned to the bottom and drove it for all it was worth.”
Therrien gave his perspective of what transpired on the final lap.
“I saw (Herbert) had shut down,” Therrien said. “I started to go around the outside of him. I didn’t want to go on the bottom and gave him turn down to get out of people’s way.
“We got into turns three and four and (Corliss) was right up beside me. As Thunder Road goes, it gets real tight out of turn four, regardless, and he beat us to the line.”
Corliss said the contact between the two was regretful, but that the win for the Milk Bowl was on the line.
“It’s racing for the Milk Bowl,” Corliss said. “That opportunity opened up when I didn’t think there would be an opportunity.
“We had to cash in and thankfully we did.”
Therrien, of Hinesburg, finished second while Brooks Clark of Fayston finished third overall. Graniteville’s Stephen Donahue and Milton’s Scott Payea completed the top-five finishers.
Joey Polewarczyk, Trampas Demers, Patrick Laperle, Josh Masterson, and Pembroke finished sixth through tenth overall.
VtMotorMag.com will have more from the 56th Northfield Savings Bank Vermont Milk Bowl soon.
PHOTOS:
1 – Jason Corliss plants a kiss on Aris after his second straight Northfield Savings Bank Milk Bowl win on Sunday afternoon at Thunder Road. (T.J. Ingerson/VMM photo)
2 – Jason Corliss exits his car in disbelief after he made a last lap pass to win the 56th Milk Bowl on Sunday at Thunder Road. (T.J. Ingerson/VMM photo)
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS — 56th Annual Northfield Savings Bank Vermont Milk Bowl
American-Canadian Tour Late Models
Thunder Road Speedbowl, Barre, Vt.
Sunday, September 30, 2018
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown-Score
1. (3) Jason Corliss, Barre, Vt. — (1 + 3 + 4 = 8)
2. (2) Bobby Therrien, Hinesburg, Vt. — (2 + 2 + 5 = 9)
3. (5) Brooks Clark, Fayston, Vt. — (6 + 12 + 7 = 25)
4. (9) Stephen Donahue, Graniteville, Vt. — (8 + 15 + 3 = 26)
5. (4) Scott Payea, Milton, Vt. — (4 + 22 + 1 = 27)
6. (10) Joey Polewarczyk, Hudson, N.H. — (14 + 13 + 2 = 29)
7. (8) Trampas Demers, Shelburne, Vt. — (10 + 7 + 13 = 30)
8. (23) Patrick Laperle, St-Denis, Que. — (22 + 1 + 8 = 31)
9. (11) Josh Masterson, Bristol, Vt. — (9 + 9 + 14 = 32)
10. (14) Kyle Pembroke, Montpelier, Vt. — (11 + 16 + 6 = 33)
11. (6) Scott Dragon, Milton, Vt. — (7 + 11 + 15 = 33)
12. (7) Cody Blake, Barre, Vt. — (5 + 10 + 22 = 37)
13. (1) Jimmy Hebert, Williamstown, Vt. — (3 + 25 + 10 = 38)
14. (22) Evan Hallstrom, Northfield, Vt. — (26 + 5 + 9 = 40)
15. (12) Matt White, Northfield, Vt. — (12 + 17 + 12 = 41)
16. (26) Christopher Pelkey, Barre, Vt. — (20 + 6 + 17 = 43)
17. (17) Darrell Morin, Richmond, Vt. — (21 + 8 + 18 = 47)
18. (21) Marcel Gravel, Wolcott, Vt. — (13 + 14 + 21 = 48)
19. (24) Boomer Morris, Barre, Vt. — (13 + 14 + 21 = 48)
20. (20) Tyler Cahoon, Danville, Vt. — (19 + 20 + 11 = 50)
21. (15) Mike Bailey, South Barre, Vt. — (18 + 24 + 16 = 58)
22. (13) Jonathan Bouvrette, Blainville, Que. — (17 + 18 + 24 = 59)
23. (25) Matthew Smith, Essex Junction, Vt. — (24 + 21 + 19 = 64)
24. (18) Brendan Moodie, Wolcott, Vt. — (16 + 23 + 25 = 64)
25. (19) Steve Cote, Ile-Bizard, Que. — (23 + 19 + 23 = 65)
26. (16) Nick Sweet, Barre, Vt. — (15 + 26 + 26 = 67)
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