Countdown: Vermont

The French words for "green mountain" are "verts monts" -- an apt description of a place where trees seemingly spring up everywhere.

Many of those trees produce Vermont's signature crop: maple syrup. The Green Mountain State is also well-known for furniture making, paper and publishing. The wood from those trees also comes in handy in the winter, as some of the east's best ski slopes are located in Vermont.

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Milk production is another of Vermont's assets. Two guys from Brooklyn named Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield have done pretty well with a little ice cream plant in Burlington.

Vermont was the birthplace of two U.S. presidents: Chester A. Arthur and Calvin Coolidge. John Deere's tractors and E.G. Otis' elevators can claim a connection to the state, as their inventors are natives.

Other famous Vermonters include admiral George Dewey, politican Stephen Douglas, singer Rudy Vallee and religious leader Brigham Young.

Vermont's racing heritage centers around a broadcaster named Ken Squier, a pair of tracks and a native of Shelburne.

Best behind the wheel

• Kevin Lepage, Shelburne

Success came quickly for Kevin Lepage. Driving the No. 17 car -- which matched his age at the time -- Lepage won in his debut at Catamount Stadium. For the next few years, Lepage raced at Catamount and Barre's Thunder Road.

In 1987, Lepage moved to the American-Canadian Tour -- scoring a total of 11 Pro Stock victories. Lepage added 1989 and 1993 Milk Bowl wins at Thunder Road.

Following the 1993 season, Lepage decided to move south and try his hand at the Busch Series. Running his own team, Lepage scored a ninth at New Hampshire but failed to finish eight of his 21 starts.

Things went much better in 1995, as Lepage led three races and collected five top-10s, placing him 18th in the final standings.

Lepage nearly won at Michigan in 1996, finishing second to Jeff Purvis, then broke into the victory column seven races later at Homestead. With 10 top-10s in 26 races, Lepage finished eighth overall, which earned him a late-season deal in Joe Falk's Chevrolet at the end of the 1997 season.

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Lepage crashed in his Cup debut at Charlotte, but stayed on the lead lap at Talladega and finished strong at Atlanta, earning him a shot to run 13 more races in 1998. Lepage didn't crack the top-10, but when Jack Roush released Ted Musgrave midway through the season, Lepage got the call to drive the No. 16 Ford -- and he responded with a pair of top-10 finishes, including a sixth at Charlotte. Lepage also added a Busch Series win at Bristol that season.

Over the next two seasons, Lepage would win a pole at Atlanta and add four more top-10s to his stats but failed to win a race. After driving the 2002 season for Larry McClure, Lepage has struggled to find a full-time ride -- although his ninth-place finish in the 2005 Daytona 500 showed that Lepage cannot be counted out just yet.

Other noteworthy drivers from Vermont

• Jamie Aube, North Ferrisburg: Three-time Busch North champ won the 1987 Busch Series race at Oxford, Maine

• Joe Fields, Montpelier: 15 career starts between 1981 and 1986, including a 14th at Dover in 1983

We wish ...

Alpine skier Billy Kidd had become a NASCAR driver.

Kidd, a native of Stowe was the first American to win an Olympic skiing medal, taking a silver in the slalom in 1964. He added a gold medal in the Alpine combined in the 1970 world championships.

Keeping it on track

• Thunder Road International Speedbowl, Barre

This high-banked quarter-mile oval hosted Busch North events beginning in 1997. The track, opened in 1960 and originally co-owned by radio announcer Ken Squier, continues to operate on a weekly basis.

Gone but not forgotten

• Catamount Stadium, Milton: In operation from 1965 until 1987, Jean-Paul Cabana won the first -- and last -- feature at this paved third-mile.

A word from our sponsor

• International Business Machines, Essex Junction

A world-wide leader in the creation, development and manufacture of the industry's most advanced information technologies, including computer systems, software, networking systems, storage devices and microelectronics, IBM is the largest employer in Vermont, with some 6,000 employees.