Driver Profile

Name: Archie “Bunker” Hodgdon

Hometown: Hardwick, VT

2010 Points Finish: 12th Place Overall

Bunker Hodgdon is one of the most well known drivers in the Allen Lumber Street Stocks at Thunder Road.  With a checkered past, and a brighter future ahead of the young Hardwick native, you can’t talk about the 2011 Street Stock championship without mentioning his name.

In 2010, Hodgdon started off in a Hess Racing mustang with a strong third-place finish in the Merchants Bank 150, but struggled with the mustang in later races, until switching to a Dodge Daytona around midseason.  From there he picked up speed, figuring out the new car, and notching several top tens and heat victories.  By the end of the season, he was consistently one of the fastest cars on the track.  Bunker rolls into 2011 on that hot streak, but that won’t be enough for him.  He’ll be sporting a brand new -bolt for bolt- Daytona this year, and with the new rules package, he will be tough to beat.

Bunker’s winning history started in the early nineties when his Uncles Henry and Randy Cleveland drove in the Tiger division at Thunder Road.  They were also Hess sponsored cars.  From 1994-1997 Bunker served as his father’s crew chief on a mustang in the Street Stock division – a time frame in which he never finished outside of the top ten in points.  From there Bunker started out running a few Enduros, and then ran his first full season in a Junkyard Warrior at Thunder Road in 2006.

From there, he went pedal to the metal and never looked back.  Notching a staggering nine podium finishes – not to mention finishing second overall – in 2006 turned the heads of many in his first full season, but his real reputation would begin the next year.  In 2007, Bunker and his #20 team burned an orange blur into the memories of Thunder Road fans when they took the division by storm, and hoisted the championship trophy at the Milkbowl.  It was Bunker’s second year of racing, and he already had notched a championship in his young career.

In 2008, it was time to move the young talent to the Allen Lumber Street Stocks.  Although he was edged out of Rookie of the Year by 2010 SS Champion Mike MacAskill, he still notched not one, but two wins in his first full year in a Street Stock.

In short, Hodgdon and his team have shown they have the history, the mechanics, and the driver talent to win championships.  They will give the SS championship another go in a brand new Dodge Daytona, along with teammate and brother-in-law Greg Adams.  Watch out for the #83 car in 2011.

More Info About Bunker:

Bunker works as an auto technician at Vianor Tire in Montpelier, VT.  In the offseason he loves to turkey and deer hunt, His favorite foods are Tacos (a theme with racecar drivers?), and lasagna.  He sends out special thanks to his wife for constantly supporting him on and off the track, Brian Shatney, Dennis (his crew chief), Donny Yates, his parents and parents in law, Kyle and Chuck Hess, and his teammate Greg Adams.

Name: Tommy Elwood

Hometown: Morrisville, VT

2010 Sponsors: Century 21, American Flatbread, Efusjon, TJ’s Dog House, Comfort Cookies, PromoteVT.com, TastyPersuasion Catering

2010 Points Finish: 4th Overall

Tommy Elwood came off of a tough year in the Junkyard Warriors in his rookie season with car troubles, to starting with his own Volkswagon Jetta to kick off the 2010 season.  His car troubles and bad-luck wrecks continued, but a switch to a Hess Racing Cavalier was all he needed to change his luck around.

From there, he posted his first podium finish, backed up by two more before the year was out.  He broke into the top five in points later in the year to settle for fourth-place overall.  Elwood will be returning to the Junkyard Warrior division, as one of the favorites to win the title with 2010 Champion Ken Christman and runner-up Kevin Dodge heading to the Allen Lumber Street Stock division.  Tommy plans to continue his success in 2011 in the Hess owned #88 Chevy Cavalier.  Sponsors have already started to come his way, namely Demars Properties LLC, as well as Sweet Clover Market.  With some financial backing, and a little good luck, Tommy looks to hoist the Warrior Championship trophy for the first time since his teammate Bunker Hodgdon did it in 2007.

More about Tommy: Tommy’s favorite food is Tacos, although he said it was hard to pick as there are so many good foods.  In the summer he is a painter, he loves working on cars and being in the outdoors.  He also works at a ski resort in the winter, and loves snowboarding and football.

Tommy has three favorite moments from 2010.  One was his time spent in the Jake Mcdowell 100 Lapper at Riverside Speedway in Groveton, NH.  Tommy ran the whole race virtually unscathed, at his first time at the track, and finished a solid 14th out of almost 35 cars that attempted to qualify.  Not to mention the fact that these cars were mostly Street Stock, he also had to stop midway through for more gas and still managed to pull off a top 15 finish.

Another favorite moment of Tommy’s was his first heat win.  Nothing quite tops the first time you get to hang the checkered flag out of the window, and it kicked off a blazing finish to Tommy’s season vaulting him into the Top Five in overall points.

Tommy’s third favorite moment was the night he finished second place.  A thrilling battle between himself and friend, and eventual champion, Ken Christman for second and third marked his second podium finish of the year.

In 2011, Tommy says his biggest goals are to notch his first win, contend for the championship and most importantly have fun.  Look for the #88 Junkyard Warrior to be running up front this year.

Very Impressive!  Let’s hope to continue the Hess Racing success for the rest of the season!

David Whitcomb – Rallied from mid pack and finished 6th place.

Kyle Hess – failed to qualify, with car troubles.

Joe Blais finished 18th in the feature, after a great rally out of the back in the reserve.

Alex Whitcomb finished 28th, after a fourth place finish in the reserve, and getting black flagged in the feature due to smoke.

Jennifer Getty struggled with the car and failed to qualify

Tommy Smith finished 14th in the feature.

Sid Sweet Jr finished 17

Thomas Placey continued his hot streak and finished ninth

Tommy Elwood failed to qualify with an overheating car

Greg Adams finished 10th in the feature.

Bunker Hodgdon qualified but the car did not fire for the feature.

Tommy Thunder once again had engine troubles, and failed to qualify.

Dave Whitcomb qualified in his heat, but ended up with a flat tire in the feature and finished 29th.

Alex Whitcomb led the first ten laps of his heat, settling for second.  In the feature, his car overheated and he finished a dismal 25th.

Tommy Elwood also struggled with overheating problems, not qualifying for the feature.

Rookie Thomas Placey posted an incredible 10th place finish in the feature!  What a run for him!

Bunker Hodgdon won his heat and ended up 9th.

Joe Blais had a solid finish in 14th place.

Greg Adams posted another top ten finish with 8th.

Dan Lathrop finished a solid 13th after starting way out back

Jennifer Getty started on the pole for the feature, but ended up finished 26th.

Matt Potter ended up 17th in the Tiger feature.

Dan Lathrop claimed his first podium finish, with a third place overall in the feature!  Congratulations to him!

Kyle Hess ended up with engine trouble, and couldn’t start the feature.

Tommy Elwood also had engine troubles, but still managed a top ten finish among the warriors.

Tommy Thunder had transmission problems, and did not qualify for the feature.

Mike Gay wrecked in the reserve feature.

Dave Whitcomb survived a mayhem-filled Street Stock feature and claimed an 8th place finish.

Bunker Hodgdon flipped end over end down the front stretch, and was back on the track just a few minutes after!

Greg Adams finished 6th overall.

Joe Blais blew a motor early in the day.

Thomas Placey finished a respectable 15th in the feature.

Alex Whitcomb and Jennifer Getty failed to qualify.

Here are the updates, and highlights!

Jennifer Getty won the car show with Tommy Thunder placing as well!

Kyle Hess had engine trouble for most of the day, and ended up exiting the feature Early.

Matt Potter started off the year with a solid 13th place finish.

Greg Adams came within a few feet of winning a thrilling feature with Timmy Campbell

Tommy Thunder also had car problems, as Jennifer Getty did early in her feature.

Bunker Hodgdon got a podium finish in third place, and Dave Whitcomb finished a solid 6th

Alex Whitcomb had engine trouble, and finished the race 18th

Dan Lathrop was running in the front until he was spun into the infield, but recovered to finish 8th

Tommy Elwood had a scary wreck early in his feature, almost rolling onto upside down on the track, but thankfully was okay and even ended up with a third place finish among the warriors!

Jayme Lee and Thomas Placey lead the Rookie of the Year standings with finishes of 9th and 12th respectively, The top 4 Rookies in the Street Stocks are all Hess Drivers! (Jayme Lee, Thomas Placey, Sid Sweet, AlexWhitcomb)

Mike Gay broke the rear end in practice and ended up not starting the feature.

That’s all the highlights for the Hess Driver’s for now, See you on the 31st!