All of us with Thunder Road Speedbowl wish to express our condolences to the Blake Family following the passing of patriarch Dick Blake on Sunday at the age of 95.

Dick Blake operated the tow truck at the Nation's Site of Excitement from Day 1 back in 1960 until his retirement in 2022. That same Blake's Southern Used Cars wrecker is still pulling cars off the track today, sporting a fresh coat of Sunoco Blue paint with the Paul's Sunoco team.

Dick Blake and his dedicated team picked up cars from every inch of Thunder Road in those sixty-two years. He also owned cars during the early coupe days and sponsored George Horne's Late Models over the years. The Blake family is no stranger behind the wheel either; his nephew Greg 'Burger' Blake earned the 1989 King of the Road track championship! 

Dick Blake earned the Ken Squier Award in 1988 and the Thomas M. Curley Memorial Award in 2020 for his contributions to Thunder Road and Vermont stock car racing.

The Blake Family will release more information on calling hours and/or funeral arrangements in the coming days.

Alan Ward photo