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Beverage Mart

FurnitureWorldOfVermont.com

www.RRCharlebois.com

www.KenyonRacing.com

www.PortCityRaceCars.com

www.VTShifterKarts.com

Newton Construction

www.NewtonPellet.com

Vermont
Fire Extinguisher
Dwight's Auto Repair
13 Landfill Rd
Milton,
VT 05468

195
South Main St.
Barre, VT 05641
(802) 479-9505
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For
more Info on our

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www.ACTtour.com

www.Speed51.com
Short track racing
coverage including ACT




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The White
Mountain 150
White Mnt'n Motorsports Park
N. Woodstock, NH - 6/27 |
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Brent Second at White
Mountain |
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John Donahue of
Graniteville, VT dominated the White Mountain 150 American-Canadian stock
car race at White Mountain Motorsports Park in North Woodstock, NH. Donahue
earned the pole starting position after receiving a plus 7 in the ACT Tour’s
plus-minus handicap system. No one could keep up with the blistering pace he
set as he led every lap of the event and lapped all but the top ten.
Brent Dragon earned the runner-up position after
starting sixth, followed by Nick Sweet, Eric Williams, and Ben Rowe
rounding out the top five. Scott Payea came home sixth, Cris Michaud
seventh, Tyler Cahoon eighth, Brad Leighton ninth and Pete Potvin was the
last car on the lead lap and finished tenth.
Donahue becomes the sixth different winner in six completed tour events. He
becomes the eleventh different driver to earn his way to New Hampshire Motor
Speedway for the ACT Invitational on September 19th.
The American-Canadian Tour has next weekend off before making its next stop
north of the border in Fraserville, ON at Kawartha Speedway for the Summer
Sizzler 200 on Sunday, July 12th. |
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Unofficial White
Mountain 150 Results
Pos - Car # - Driver
1 - 26VT - John Donahue
2 - 55VT - Brent Dragon
3 - 88 - Nicholas Sweet
4 - 7VT - Eric Williams
5 - 10NH - Ben Rowe
6 - 89 - Scott Payea
7 - 6 - Cris Michaud
8 - 38VT - Tyler Cahoon
9 - 55NH Brad Leighton
10 - 41 - Pete Potvin, III |
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The Governor's Cup
Thunder Road - Barre, VT - 6/25 |
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Young Joey “Pole”
Polewarczyk, Jr. of Hudson, NH scored his first career win at Thunder Road
International Speedbowl in the CARQUEST Governor’s Cup 150. Pole got by
Jamie Fisher to take the lead shortly after a restart with just under 100
laps to go. |
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Unofficial
CARQUEST Governor’s Cup Results
Fin Pos Car # Driver
1 - 97NH - Joey Polewarczyk, Jr.
2 - 6 - Cris Michaud
3 - 88 - Nicholas Sweet
4 - 18 - Jamie Fisher
5 - 26VT - John Donahue
6 - 44 - Dave Pembroke
7 - 85 - Trampas Demers
8 - 14VT - Phil Scott
9 - 15VT - Joey Laquerre
10 - 7VT - Eric Williams
11 - 8VT - Rich Lowrey
12 - 55VT - Brent Dragon |
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The Riverside
100
Riverside Speedway - St. Croix, QC - 6/20
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BRENT WINS Series ACT
Castrol Riverside 100 |
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Milton, Vermont’s Brent
Dragon dominated the Series ACT Castrol Riverside 100 stock car race at
Riverside Speedway in St-Croix, QC. Dragon made the trek up north after
finding out the Nutmeg State make-up scheduled at Waterford Speedbowl was
cancelled. After taking the initial green in the 12th position, Dragon
worked his way through the field to take the lead from Daniel Descoste on
lap 23. Donald Theetge and Sylvain Lacombe both pressured Dragon late in the
race but to no avail.
Patrick Hamel came from the ninth starting position to finish in the
runner-up position followed by Martin Lacombe, Sylvain Lacombe and Eric St-Gelais
rounding out the top five. Trampas Demers finished sixth and was chased to
the line by Jean-François Déry, Patrick Laperle, Donald Theetge and Pier-Luc
Ouellette rounding out the top ten.
Dragon is the tenth driver to qualify for the
American-Canadian Tour Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on
September 19th.
Five have qualified by winning Series ACT Castrol events and five have
qualified by winning ACT Tour events.
The race was slowed by nine cautions, one caused by a brief rain shower, and
17 cars finished on the lead lap. The Series ACT Castrol have next weekend
off and will be back at Autodrome Montmagny on July 4th.
In the last
five trips to the St-Croix facility, Brent has recorded 3 wins and 2 seconds
at one of his favorite tracks.
A day of testing at White Mountain Motorsports
Park to work on suspension tuning seems to have paid off, since the #55 has
had great speed at both St. Croix and the rain-postponed Waterford events. |
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Unofficial Top 10
- Riverside 100
Pos - Car # - Driver
1 - 55VT - Brent Dragon
2 - 51PQ - Patrick Hamel
3 - 03 - Martin Lacombe
4 - 3 - Sylvain Lacombe
5 - 42 - Eric St-Gelais
6 - 85 - Trampas Demers
7 - 21QC - Jean-François Déry
8 - 91 - Patrick Laperle
9 - 80 - Donald Theetge
10 - 8QC - Pier-Luc Ouellete |
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The Story of Beaver
Dragon |

"To Beat The Beaver" is the
highly detailed and personal biography of Harmon “Beaver” Dragon, a
New England Hall of Fame driver.
One of the best ever out of Vermont, Dragon was NASCAR North champ
in 1979 and ’80 and made numerous Grand National starts.
Teacher, motorsports journalist, and a racing history buff, author
Bill Ladabouche packs the 400-plus pages with photography from coupe
and coach days, through NASCAR North, and up to the current
American-Canadian Tour.
420 pages, black and white photos.
(Courtesy of Coastal 181) |
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The price per
book is:
VT Resident is $24.00 includes 6% sales tax.
VT Resident $29.83 includes shipping and tax.
Non-resident is $28.45 with shipping.
Canadian resident $34.00 includes shipping.
Questions please email:
Imadragn@together.net
To order, please send a check or money order to:
To Beat the Beaver
7 Algonquin Reef Road
Milton, VT. 05468 |
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Brent in
the Dirt at Bear Ridge Speedway |
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On Saturday, May 30th, Brent, Dad Beaver (above left), and Uncle Bobby
(above right) took a run down to Bradford, VT for a fun night of dirt racing
at Bear Ridge Speedway. |
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Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day
Classic
Thunder Road - Barre, VT - 5/23 |
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Fin. Pos.
Start Pos. Car # Driver
1 - 5 - 44 - Dave Pembroke
2 - 6 - 37 - Brian Hoar
3 - 2 - 89 - Scott Payea
4 - 26 - 6 - Cris Michaud
5 - 9 - 02NH - Randy Potter
6 - 3 - 11VT - Jean-Paul Cyr
7 - 11 - 7VT - Eric Williams
8 - 21 - 26VT - John Donahue
9 - 23 - 16 - Joe Becker
10 - 4 - 9VT - Chip Grenier
11 - 16 - 55VT - Brent Dragon
12 - 25 - 7ME - Glen Luce |
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After requiring a provisional to
start the Oxford ACT race, Brent suffered mechanical problems immediately
and spent the entire race in and out of the pits, posting a 30th place
finish. |
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Furniture World of Vermont
Spring Green 100
Airborne
Speedway - Plattsburg, NY - 5/10 |
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Photos by Leif Tillotson |
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Brent Scores a Fifth in the
Spring Green 100
Scott Payea of Milton, VT steals the victory after a
race long battle between Randy Potter of Groveton, NH and Brad Leighton of
Center Harbor, NH. Potter and Leighton fought for the first 90 laps,
swapping the lead back and forth. Potter appeared to gain the upper hand
until Payea took the lead with less than ten laps remaining. Payea held off
Potter during the final shootout setup by a caution with three to go.
Former Castrol Series
champion Donald Theetge was fourth, while Brent posted his best finish of
the year in fifth.
All 34 cars that stayed
over after rain on Saturday moved the show to Sunday afternoon started the
race.
Payea
becomes the third different winner in the first three races of the 2009 ACT
Tour season. He also becomes the third driver to stamp his ticket to the ACT
Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 19th.
The 2009 Spring Green 100 was one of the most exciting in
recent ACT Tour history thanks to the newly redesigned Airborne Speedway.
Drivers took advantage of the multiple racing grooves that Airborne has to
offer to put on a great show for the fans. |
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Fin - Start - Car # - Driver
1 - 9 - 89 - Scott Payea
2 - 1 - 02NH - Randy Potter
3 - 2 - 55NH - Brad Leighton
4 - 14 - 80 - Donald Theetge
5 - 5 - 55VT - Brent Dragon
6 - 15 - 37 - Brian
Hoar
7 - 16 - 7ME - Glen Luce
8 - 6 - 78VT - Ryan Nolin
9 - 28 - 32 - Mike Olsen
10 - 8 - 18 - Jamie Fisher |
UnOfficial Points
after Airborne - 5/10
1. Scott Payea - 287
2. Brian Hoar - 253
3. Joey Pole - 252
4. Randy Potter - 249
5. Brent Dragon - 232
6. Mike Olsen - 229
7. Glen Luce - 212
8. Brad Leighton - 200
9. John Donahue - 196
10. Jamie Fisher - 181 |
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Merchants Bank 150
Thunder Road - Barre, VT - 5/3 |

Photos by Leif Tillotson |
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Fin - Start - Car # - Driver - Hometown
1 - 5 - 7VT - Eric Williams - Hyde Park, VT
2 - 23 - 91 - Patrick Laperle - St-Denis-sur-Richelieu
3 - 7 - 89 - Scott Payea - Milton, VT
4 - 4 - 44 - Dave Pembroke - Montpelier, VT
5 - 13 - 37 - Brian Hoar - Williston, VT
6 - 11 - 88 - Nick Sweet - Barre, VT
7 - 6 - 55VT - Brent Dragon - Milton, VT
8 - 16 - 02NH - Randy Potter - Groveton, NH
9 - 12 - 97 - Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. - Hudson, NH
10 - 8 - 7ME - Glen Luce - Turner, ME |
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2009 ACT
Tour Season Preview: Brent Dragon By Matt Wiernasz |
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Brent Dragon out of Milton,
VT is ready for the 2009 ACT Tour Season. His goals are to win a couple
races, the championship and to go to the Invitational at New Hampshire Motor
Speedway in September. For Dragon it was a big shock for the ACT Tour to run
at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. “ We’ve heard talk about it for the last
couple years. Tom (Curley) would like to go there before he gets out of
racing.” Dragon stated.
He didn’t think it would be possible for the ACT Tour to run at New
Hampshire Motor Speedway. The announcement was made in November where the
ACT Tour drivers from the Northeast and Canada would showcase their talent
in a 50 lap showdown with 36 cars starting in the event. The race will be
held on September 19th.
The Dragon family does have experience to running race cars at New Hampshire
Motor Speedway. Brent’s father Beaver ran at Bryar Motorsports Park which
was a road course before Bob Bahre turned it into New Hampshire Motor
Speedway. Beaver ran the old NASCAR North and the NASCAR Busch North Series.
A track the ACT Tour has ran that is like Loudon is Sanair up in Canada.
Sanair is a 7/8 mile track. The tour last’s visit at Sanair was in 2006
where Ben Rowe took down the win.
Dragon’s strong tracks were Airborne and Oxford in 2008. The way ACT Tour
qualifying works is a driver would draw for his heat position. Oxford was
the strongest track for Dragon in 2008 “ We drew absotuley terrible in our
heat. We would start in the rear every time and finish in the top 10 in
every race. Those were pretty good races.” Dragon would like to improve his
performance at Thunder Road this season. Dragon had troubles there last year
where he is use to finishing in the top 5. “ This year I don’t think we
finished in the top 10.” Dragon stated.
For race setups, an ACT driver cannot go to a NASCAR Camping World East
driver for those because the cars are setup differently. For an ACT driver
to help setup a car for the Loudon race, they can go back to their notes
from Sanair where the race happened two years ago. An ACT Tour team for an
entire season can spend $50,000 to do the whole season according to Dragon.
The ACT Tour has been using crate motors. Dragon has been in big favor of
using the crate motors. Instead of running a $40,000-$50,000 motor, he can
pay $7,000 for his motor. Dragon also used the same model crate in his Pro
Tour Truck. With the economy tough for race teams to make ends meet. Dragon
used to have two cars at the shop but sold one to a guy out of Canada. A
gentlemen out of Ottawa purchased the car from Dragon. “ I raced up there
one this summer. The guy was pretty happy the way it went. He came down a
couple months ago and bought it.” If the economy got worse, Dragon would cut
back his ACT Schedule.
Dragon for 2009 went with a yellow paint scheme for this season. Dragon
likes the color yellow and has always wanted a yellow race car. Dragon
started the ACT Season at Lee USA Speedway this past Sunday (April 19th).
Dragon started 23rd and finished 14th one lap down. |
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Photos by Leif Tillotson |
Brent
is 14th at the Governor's Cup 150
Trackside Race Report at
Speed51 HERE |
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PRACTICE on 4/18 at
LEE USA SPEEDWAY

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Photos by NormMarx.com |
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ACT TOUR to OPEN SEASON
with
GOVERNOR'S CUP 150
at LEE USA SPEEDWAY on 4/19 |
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Waterbury, VT - The
American Canadian Tour (ACT) Late Model teams
will open the most ambitious schedule ever with the New Hampshire Governor's
Cup 150 lap championship event on April 19, 2009 at the Lee USA Speedway in
Lee, New Hampshire.
The excitement for the 2009 lid-lifter has reached an all-time high. Besides
capturing an opening day victory, the winner of the New Hampshire Governor's
Cup 150 will become the first of thirty-six qualifiers for the inaugural ACT
INVITATIONAL to be held at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 19,
2009. It has brought out the most competitive field of racers to an ACT
opening event in many years.
A record number of entries are expected for what has become a favorite stop
for the touring regulars. ACT Tour Championship contenders, including
Vermonters Brent Dragon, John Donahue, five-time ACT Champion Brian Hoar,
3-time Thunder Road Champion Cris Michaud, and former ACT and Thunder Road
Champion Phil Scott have all entered the event. Former Lee USA competitor
Ricky Wolf joins a strong group of Lee regulars with home track advantage
including Wayne Helliwell, Jr., Bryan Kruczek and Jeremy Harclerode who have
entered the opening event. The Lee regulars have tested the ACT Tour
regulars at their home track in the past; they are expected to do the same
on April 19th.
Cris Michaud finished third in the New Hampshire Governor's Cup last year
and said, "Our team has always competed well at Lee, in fact, over the years
we have been fortunate to finish in the top five nearly every time we have
raced there. This year it would be special to win early and get the pressure
off our team by securing a qualified spot the ACT INVITATIONAL. We are very
excited about opening at Lee, it has become one of my favorite tracks, away
from Thunder Road."
There are a number of 'outlaws' who have entered the opening event at Lee.
Donald Theetge from Quebec City, QC has entered the opener. Theetge, who ran
the ACT Tour for the past two years will return to challenge for the ACT
Serie Castrol Championship in Quebec in 2009. Theetge is a two-time former
Champion of the Quebec series. The 'King of the Outlaws', Eddie MacDonald
from Rowley, MA has also entered. MacDonald has made it clear that he is
interested in winning one of the ACT Tour Qualifiers which will get him an
invitation to the New Hampshire Motor Speedway event. MacDonald swept both
legs of the Loudon weekend in 2008 while competing in the NASCAR Camping
World East Series at the 'magic mile'. The 'outlaw' also closed late in the
2008 edition of the 100-lap event to challenge eventual winner, Hudson, NH's
Joey Polewarczyk. This year the event will cover a distance of 150 laps.
That should fit right into the strategy of the versatile star from Rowley,
MA very well.
Opening day action at Lee USA has been a long tradition for the American
Canadian Tour. When owners Red and Judy MacDonald first opened Lee back in
1987, it was the ACT Pro Stock Tour that thrilled opening day crowds. ACT
brought the most competitive exciting short track racing in the region to
area short tracks back then. Not much has changed since those opening years,
and with the return of the ACT Late Model Tour Sunday, April 19, 2009, a new
season of short track excitement will start their engines one more time.
Post time for the New Hampshire Governor's Cup is 1:00 pm. For additional
information contact Lee USA Speedway at 987.462.4252.
www.LeeUSASpeedway. com
www.ACTtour.com |
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Dragon and Polewarzcyk
First to File for 2009 Full ACT Season |
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Waterbury, VT - Milton,
Vermont's veteran race driver, Brent Dragon
and Hudson, New Hampshire's young star Joey Polewarzcyk ('Pole') were the
first to file full season entries to race for the American Canadian Tour
(ACT) Championship during the 2009 thirteen race campaign. Dragon has
finished either 2nd or 3rd during half the dozen years he has raced on the
TOUR. Joey "Pole" has finished in the top 10 in points since joining the
TOUR full time in 2005, at the age of sixteen.
Dragon, a multi-time Airborne Speedway Champion considers the addition of a
300-lap race at Airborne this September a favorable windfall for his 2009
effort to capture the ACT Championship. Dragon said, "I think it is about
time we finally get a championship on the American Canadian TOUR. Having a
second race at my favorite track (Airborne) hopefully will work in our
favor. Dragon went on the say, "We were so proud to win the prestigious
MacTavish Award at this year's banquet, I can't think of a better way to
back it up than by winning the ACT title in 2009." Dragon knows that it
won't be easy. The competition at ACT seems to get deeper and deeper each
season. Maine veterans Glen Luce and former Oxford champion Ricky Rolf,
along with 5-time ACT champion Brian Hoar from So. Burlington, VT, as well
as the veteran team of Randy Potter from New Hampshire have all thrown their
hats in the ring as title contenders to spoil Dragon's bid.
Young sensation, Joey Pole will certainly have something to say about who
wins the title in 2009. Pole was a two-time winner on the TOUR in 2008, sat
on the pole for the 45th running of the Chittenden Milk Bowl at Thunder
Road, and is focused on winning the 2009 ACT Championship. Pole said, "There
are so many good veteran teams and such a variety of different tracks that
we will be going to in 2009, it will be tougher than ever, but our team is
very focused as we get ready to take on the challenge. I think the past few
years have taught me a lot about how to compete for the title. I guess it is
time to see if I can take advantage of all the things I've learned. I sure
am excited about the coming season and can't wait to get started."
The 2009 ACT TOUR will open at Lee USA Speedway, Lee, New Hampshire on
Sunday, April 19. The 150-lap event will also be the first qualifier for the
ACT Invitational to be held on September 19th at the New Hampshire Motor
Speedway during the NASCAR Chase weekend. The Lee event will award a $500
bonus and starting spot in the highly anticipated ACT Invitational.
www.ACTtour.com |
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Casino Night |
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Photos by Leif Tillotson |
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The 2009 Season |
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Dragon
Motorsports is excited to announce that
Beverage Mart, Furniture World, R.R. Charlebois,
Kenyon Racing, Newton Construction, and
Dwight's Auto will be returning as our sponsors for
the 2009 season. We would also like to welcome
Vermont Shifter Karts, Vermont Fire Extinguishers,
and Newton Pellets to our race team. Thanks to all
for your support!
We are
really looking forward to the season with our new Port City Race Car and a
new paint scheme.
The highlights for 2009 will surely be the ACT Invitational at New Hampshire
Motor Speedway,
our return to Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, and the second extra-distance race
at Airborne. |
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Brent, June, and the #55 were in the
New
Hampshire International Motor Speedway booth at the SpeedwayEXPO down in
Springfield, MA from
Fri., February 27th to Sun., March 1st.
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BANQUET OF CHAMPIONS
Saturday, January 10th, 2009 |

Photos by Leif Tillotson
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Dragon Honored
at ACT/Thunder Road
Banquet of Champions |
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Vermont’s Brent Dragon
become the 40th winner of the prestigious MacTavish Award at the annual
Banquet of Champions on Saturday night, January the 10th, at the
Sheraton-Burlington Hotel & Conference Center in South Burlington, VT.
The award named for legendary New England racer Don MacTavish, who lost his
life racing at the Daytona Int’l Speedway in 1969, made Dragon the third
member of the first family of racing in Vermont to be honored with receiving
the MacTavish, following wins by his father Harmon “Beaver’ Dragon in 1979,
and uncle Bobby Dragon in 1983.
The top teams from all ACT
and Thunder Road divisions were awarded trophies and year-end bonus checks
totaling over $60,000.00 for their 2008 racing contributions. Over 500 team
members and fans celebrated with the award winners.
Brent received the award
for 5th place in the ACT points battle.
The 2009 season for the
American Canadian Tour kicks off at the Lee USA Speedway in Lee New
Hampshire on Sunday April 19, 2009. Thunder Road celebrates its 50th
season with the 11th annual Merchants Bank 150 over the weekend
of May 03, 2009. For information call 802.244.6963 or visit
www.acttour.com
or
www.thunderroadspeedbowl.com |
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American-Canadian Tour 2009 Schedule to Test Race Teams |
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Exciting changes have been
announced for the 2009 American-Canadian Tour Late Model Championship stock
car racing schedule. The 12-event calendar will put
the Northeast’s premier Late Model touring series race teams to the test,
bringing them to championship races at nine vastly different tracks in the
United States and Canada, with an additional five “bonus” events at four
tracks, including the division’s first superspeedway race at the 1-mile New
Hampshire Motor Speedway.
The series begins its 18th
season at the 3/8-mile Lee USA Speedway in Lee, NH on Sunday, April 19, with
the race distance increased from 100 laps in 2008 to 150 for 2009. The
second event is the Merchants Bank 150 at the 1/4-mile Thunder Road Int’l
Speedbowl bullring in Barre, VT on Sunday, May 3. The Airborne Speedway
half-mile in Plattsburgh, NY hosts the 35th Annual Spring Green 100 on
Saturday, May 9, with Maine’s Oxford Plains Speedway holding the first of
its two 150-lap races on Sunday, May 17. The ACT Late Model Tour returns to
Thunder Road on Sunday, May 24 for the 47th Annual Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day
Classic, a Twin 100 doubleheader with the open-wheel True Value Modified
Racing Series.
The historic, 3/8-mile
Waterford Speedbowl on the Connecticut shoreline will return to the ACT
schedule on Saturday, June 13 for a 100-lap event, and the scenic White
Mountain Motorsports Park 1/4-mile in North Woodstock, NH will hold its
annual 150-lap race on Saturday, June 27. Ontario’s Kawartha Speedway, a
state-of-the-art, 4/10-mile oval near the city of Peterborough, will host
the Summer Sizzler 200 on Sunday, July 12.
ACT racing makes its
much-anticipated return to the 1/3-mile Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in
Scarborough, ME, just outside Portland, on Saturday, July 25. Also making a
return to the ACT schedule is the 1/3-mile Twin State Speedway in Claremont,
NH, on Friday, July 31. The ACT Late Model Tour last visited Beech Ridge in
1993, while Twin State last hosted the Tour in 2004.
Thunder Road will host the
31st running of the Bond Auto Labor Day Classic 200 on Sunday, September 6,
with the championship season drawing to a close at the Oxford Plains
Speedway 3/8-mile on Sunday, October 11.
Five
dates have been held open for a series of non-points events,
beginning with the CARQUEST Vermont Governor’s Cup 150 at Thunder Road on
Thursday, June 25, and followed by the 36th Annual TD Banknorth 250 at
Oxford Plains Speedway, on Sunday, July 19 and the 2nd Annual Coors Light
200 “Showdown at Chaudière” at the high-banked Autodrome Chaudière in
Vallée-Jonction, QC on Saturday, August 29. Each of these races will award
the winner a guaranteed starting spot in the first-ever ACT Invitational at
New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, NH. The ACT Invitational will be
held on the weekend of Sept. 18-20 as part of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’
Sylvania 300 weekend. The winners of each ACT Late Model Tour and Série
ACT-Castrol event to the date of the ACT Invitational will also receive
guaranteed starting berths at NHMS. The final “bonus” event is the 46th
Annual Chittenden Bank Milk Bowl at Thunder Road on Sat./Sun., Sept. 26/27.
Many local Late Model
competitors are expected at their home tracks to challenge the ACT Late
Model Tour championship contenders, attempting to win a qualifying position
for the NHMS event. Weekly Late Model competitors at nine Northeastern
speedways compete under ACT-compliant rulebooks. Ricky Rolfe of Oxford
Plains and Thunder Road’s John Donahue were each victorious in ACT events at
their home tracks in 2008, while Waterford Speedbowl’s Bruce Thomas, Jr. led
50 laps and finished second in the Nutmeg State 100. |
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Event No. – Day/Date – Track – Location – Laps
1. Sun., Apr 19 – Lee USA Speedway – Lee, NH – 150 laps
2. Sun., May 03 – Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl – Barre, VT – 150 laps
3. Sat., May 09 – Airborne Speedway – Plattsburgh, NY – 100 laps
4. Sun., May 17 – Oxford Plains Speedway – Oxford, ME – 150 laps
5. Sun., May 24 – Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl – Barre, VT – 100 laps
6. Sat., Jun 13 – Waterford Speedbowl – Waterford, CT – 100 laps
*** Thu., Jun 25 – Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl
– Barre, VT – 150 laps
7. Sat., Jun 27 – White Mnt'n Motorsports Park – N. Woodstock, NH –150
8. Sun., Jul 12 – Kawartha Speedway – Fraserville, ON – 200 laps
*** Sun., Jul 19 – Oxford Plains Speedway –
Oxford, ME – 250 laps
9. Sat., Jul 25 – Beech Ridge Motor Speedway – Scarborough, ME –150
10. Fri., Jul 31 – Twin State Speedway – Claremont, NH – 100 laps
*** Sat., Aug 29 – Autodrome Chaudière –
Vallée-Jonction, QC – 200
11. Sun., Sep 06 – Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl – Barre, VT – 200 laps
12. Sun., Sep 13 - Airborne Speedway - Plattsburgh, NY - 300 laps
*** TBA, Sep 18-20 – New Hampshire Motor
Speedway – Loudon, NH–50
*** Sat./Sun., Sep 26/27 – Thunder Road Int’l
Speedbowl–Barre, VT–150
13. Sun., Oct 11 – Oxford Plains Speedway – Oxford, ME – 150 laps
*** – denotes non-championship (non-points)
events
Schedule subject to
change |
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New Hampshire Motor
Speedway
to Host ACT Invitational in 2009 |
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To Be Part of September Cup Weekend |
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Late Model stock car
drivers will get their first super-speedway experience next year, as the
1-mile New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, NH hosts the inaugural
American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Invitational on NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series Sylvania 300 weekend, September 18-20, 2009. The
ACT/NHMS event will have a purse of more than $65,000 for invited and
approved teams that attend the historic, groundbreaking event for Late Model
stock car racing.
“New Hampshire Motor Speedway has been looking for a way to support the
short track industry throughout the Northeast and Québec/Ontario markets.
ACT offers the perfect conduit to help us meet our marketing goal,” said
NHMS Vice President and General Manager Jerry Gappens.
“New Hampshire Motor Speedway is giving short track fans and teams
throughout the Northeast and Canada a wonderful opportunity,” said ACT
President Tom Curley.
The ACT Invitational race will be a 50-lap all-star event with 36 starters.
Each 2009 race winner on the U.S.-based ACT Late Model Tour and the
Québec/Ontario-based Série ACT-Castrol as of Sept. 18, 2009 will be awarded
a guaranteed starting spot at NHMS, along with a $500 bonus for each win,
contingent upon participation at the NHMS event.
Three non-championship events will also be NHMS qualifying races with a $500
NHMS bonus: the CARQUEST Vermont Governor’s Cup 100 at Thunder Road Int’l
Speedbowl in Barre, VT, the TD Banknorth 250 at Oxford Plains Speedway in
Oxford, ME, and the Coors Light 200 “Showdown at Chaudière” all-star race at
Autodrome Chaudière in Vallée-Jonction, QC on Sat., August 29.
Other invitees will be 2009 champions and/or point leaders as of Sept. 18,
2009 on the ACT Late Model Tour and Série ACT-Castrol, as well as at the
following ACT-affiliated short tracks: Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl, Oxford
Plains Speedway, Lee USA (NH) Speedway, Twin State Speedway (Claremont, NH),
White Mountain Motorsports Park (N. Woodstock, NH), Seekonk (MA) Speedway,
Waterford (CT) Speedbowl, Capital City Speedway (Ottawa, ON), and Kawartha
Speedway (Peterborough, ON). Provisional starting spots will be awarded to
fill the field to 36 cars, if needed.
“Short track racing is grass roots racing, and is the engine that drives the
entire stock car industry,” said Curley. “Jerry Gappens and his NHMS team
are to be commended during these challenging times with their proactive,
innovative ideas to be inclusive of the region’s short tracks. Obviously,
the American-Canadian Tour teams and fans, along with their affiliate Late
Model tracks, are very excited and appreciative about this opportunity.”
“This is great news for Late Model racing as a whole,”
said ACT Late Model Tour veteran Brent Dragon of Milton, VT. “Racing at
Loudon is something I think all drivers in this region want to do, and now
we’ve all got even more motivation to win races. Being at New Hampshire
Motor Speedway brings this group to a whole new level.”
“I’m very proud of the fact that ACT is going to New Hampshire,” said Donald
Theetge of Québec City, the 2006 Série ACT-Castrol champion. “It will be
great for our drivers, our fans, and it would be a great thing to win a race
in front of those Sprint Cup teams. I know I’m going to try everything I can
to get in that race and win it.”
A strategic marketing plan will be created for race fans throughout the
northeastern U.S. and Canada to make attending the event affordable and give
fans more action and value for their ticket money. Promotions will be held
in all major markets of the region, including the Canadian metro areas of
Montréal, Ottawa, Québec City, and eastern Toronto, and U.S. metro areas
including Providence, Portland, Boston, Hartford, Burlington, VT,
Manchester, NH, Plattsburgh, NY, and more.
“It’s our intention to give the best short track teams in the region a
chance to compete at the premier super-speedway in the northeast,” said
Gappens. “In addition, it will also help to encourage more passionate short
track race fans to visit our speedway during our mega-event NASCAR race
weekends.”
The Série ACT-Castrol 2009 schedule was released at the annual Banquet of
Champions in Drummondville, QC last Saturday night. The 2009 ACT Late Model
Tour schedule will be released in the coming days. For more information,
call ACT at (802) 244-6963 or visit
www.acttour.com, or call New Hampshire Motor Speedway at (603) 783-4931
or visit www.nhms.com. |
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