The Thunder Road Speedbowl has been in operation since 1960. Since the beginning, some of the best short track racing in the country has happened here. Things have changed a lot since then, but racing is just as tough and exciting now as it was then.
Thunder Road is located in Barre, Vermont. It sits on top of Quarry Hill. On a quiet summer afternoon, you can hear the roar of cars in the city.
On May 4, 2008, the track will open the doors of a new season. The American Canadian Tour Late Models will headline the Merchants Bank 150. The other racing divisions will also begin their points hunt that weekend.
Tom Curley is part owner and race promoter at Thunder Road. Tom promotes the best shows in the northeast. His people from the American Canadian Tour are top notch. Putting on a good show is what it’s all about.
There is so much more that contributes to the excitement that is ‘The Nation’s Thrill Site’.
- The fans. Thousands of racing fans show up at each race. I visit a lot of tracks and none of them have as big or wild a crowd as Thunder Road.
- The cars. Four division race at Thunder Road. At the top of the heap are the latest ACT models. Next up are NAPA’s Flying Tigers. Then we have the Allen Lumber Street stock. The PowerShift Junkyard Warriors are at the end of the barrel. They collide a lot. It’s the rookie racer division and a great way to start.
- Food. Al’s fries are the best fries in the world! I can’t leave the racetrack without having some Al’s fries. You can also get hamburgers, hot dogs, fried dough, and cotton candy.
- racing Racing at Thunder Road is fun to watch and fun to drive. Full car counts in all four divisions is the norm.
The racetrack itself is a quarter-mile paved oval banked 26 degrees at the corners. Thunder Road is affectionately known as “Barre High Banks”. Those high banks allow you to carry a good speed in the curves.
Thunder Road offers the best short track racing in the Northeast, possibly the entire country. If you’re in central Vermont this summer, be sure to plan a stop on Thunder Road, the nation’s hotspot. It is an experience you will remember forever.