Finish-(Start)-Car No.-Driver-Hometown
1. (5) 03 Travis Adams, Canton, ME
2. (7) 99 Roger Brown, Lancaster, NH
3. (3) 80 Donald Theetge, Boischatel, QC
4. (6) 55 Brent Dragon, Milton, VT
5. (10) 17 Eddie MacDonald, Rowley, MA

Pos Car# Driver Seg 1+Seg 2+Seg 3=Total
1 91 Patrick Laperle 2+7+4=13
2 4ME Ben Rowe 3+13+6=22
3 25 Dave Whitcomb 5+18+6=26
4 45 Brian Hoar 10+15+2=27
5 24ME Mike Rowe 13+4+10=27
6 55VT Brent Dragon 11+3+13=27
7 6 Cris Michaud 12+10+9=31
8 99 Roger Brown 9+11+11=31
9 32 Jean-Paul Cyr 15+1+17=33
10 89 Scott Payea 8+12+14=34

3 Segments of 50 laps - points assigned for positions - 1 or 1st, 2 for 2nd, etc. - lowest score wins. Field inverted for next seg.

(ACTtour.com Prerace Story)
Vermont stock car racer Brent Dragon will attempt to become only the third driver in 44 years to successfully defend his Chittenden Milk Bowl Championship at Barre’s Thunder Road International Speedbowl on Sat./Sun., September 29/30.  The American-Canadian Tour (ACT) veteran is one of three Dragon family members to have won the nationally respected event.  He has joined his father Harmon “Beaver” Dragon (winner in 1978) and uncle Bob Dragon (1972).

“I was reading the names of the past champions, and I noticed that there’s only been a back-to-back Milk Bowl winner twice in history,” said the younger Dragon.  “It would really be something to be the next one to pull it off.”

Should he win consecutive Chittenden Milk Bowl titles, the Milton, VT native would be the first driver since Williston, VT’s Brian Hoar in 1998-99 to do so.  Dave Whitlock of Wyoming, Ontario was the first in 1994-95.  Dragon is particularly looking forward to the traditional pre-race ceremonies on Milk Bowl Sunday at Thunder Road.

“It’s going to be a real honor to stand in front of all those Thunder Road fans with my father and Bobby,” he said.  “I look up to every one of the past winners, but carrying our family’s tradition is very important to me.”

The Chittenden Milk Bowl was voted by American race promoters and National Speed Sport News as the nation’s “Outstanding Annual Short Track Event” in 2006, the highest honor for a single race in the United States.  The Milk Bowl’s unique race format, with three 50-lap segments and a special cumulative point system to determine the overall winner, plus its traditional victory lane complete with a genuine Vermont beauty as the trophy queen (this year an Ayrshire cow), have given it a distinct place in the national short track racing spotlight.  Dragon also collected nearly $12,000 in purse money and bonuses last year.

A talented and diverse mix of drivers will challenge Dragon for his Chittenden Milk Bowl title, including Dragon’s cross-town Milton rivals Jean-Paul Cyr and Scott Payea, currently 1-2 in the ACT championship standings.  Cyr was the 1996 Chittenden Milk Bowl Champion, while Payea has a pair of fourth-place finishes in the event to his credit.

Also expected to take a run at Dragon are Patrick Laperle of Montreal, the 2005 winner; four-time winner Robbie Crouch of Tampa, FL; 2007 “King of the Road” Dave Pembroke of Montpelier, VT; Maine champions Mike and Ben Rowe; and New Hampshire stars Randy Potter, “Rocket” Roger Brown, and young Joey “Pole” Polewarczyk, the 2006 Booth Bros./H.P. Hood Milk Bowl Pole Award winner.

Thunder Road’s weekly NAPA Tiger Sportsman, Allen Lumber Street Stock, and Power Shift Online Warrior divisions will crown their 2007 Champions on Chittenden Milk Bowl weekend as well.  General admission for Booth Bros./H.P. Hood Qualifying Day on Saturday, including the Warrior season finale, is $10 for adults and free for children under 12.  Two-day general admission is only $25 for adults and just $5 for children.  Racing and pre-race ceremonies begin at 1:30pm on Sat., Sept. 29, and at 1:00pm on Sun., Sept. 30.  Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl is located on Quarry Hill in Barre, VT.  For more information, call (802) 244-6963, or visit www.thunderroadspeedbowl.com or www.acttour.com.

Completing only 195 laps of the 200 lap distance, Brent was scored in 21st.

Brent had to win the "B" feature to get in
the race and started 25th.

Kinney Drugs will present the final Thursday night stock car racing program of the summer at Barre’s Thunder Road this Thursday, August 23 at 6:30pm.  With only two championship events remaining for the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Late Model division, the 2007 “King of the Road” title chase is the closest in Thunder Road’s storied 48-year history.

Finish-(Start)-Car No.-Driver-Hometown-Laps Complete
1. (5) 89 Scott Payea, Milton, VT, 100
2. (6) 99 Roger Brown, Lancaster, NH, 100
3. (2) 55VT Brent Dragon, Milton, VT, 100
4. (1) 32 Jean-Paul Cyr, Milton, VT, 100
5. (21) 26 John Donahue, Graniteville, VT, 100

Dragon, Pole Head List of Contenders at White Mountain on August 18th

American-Canadian Tour (ACT) stock car drivers Brent Dragon and Joey “Pole” Polewarczyk, Jr. enter Saturday’s Kancamaugus 100 at White Mountain Motorsports Park at the top of the list of potential race winners.  The pair finished 1-2 in their most recent appearance at the picturesque ¼-mile facility in June.

“We’re looking forward to getting back to White Mountain,” said Dragon, a veteran racer from Milton, VT.  “Jean-Paul Cyr has won a race here every year since 2003, and I don’t believe anyone has ever swept both ACT races at White Mountain in the same season.  It would be nice to stop Jean’s streak and set our own record at the same time with a win.”

Dragon won the White Mountain 150 in June after an exciting battle for the top spot with Polewarczyk, Randy Potter, and Ryan Vanasse.  He currently ranks fourth overall in ACT Late Model Tour point standings.

Outlaw stock car racer Eddie MacDonald of Rowley, MA made his first American-Canadian Tour (ACT) main event start of the season a good one on Saturday night at Maine’s Oxford Plains Speedway, taking his first career ACT Late Model Tour win in an exciting caution-free Time Warner Cable 100 that was completed in under 29 minutes.  MacDonald made a daring inside move underneath recent TD Banknorth 250 Champion “Rocket” Roger Brown of Lancaster, NH to take the lead with ten circuits remaining, then held off a fast-closing Ricky Rolfe in heavy lapped traffic for the victory.

Brent ran to a 16th place finish.

Eighteen year-old Joey Pole of Hudson, NH earned his first career victory in the Phil’s Propane Bay State 100 for the visiting American-Canadian Tour.  Six-time series champion Jean-Paul Cyr led the first 61 laps from the pole with David Avery and Scott Payea following closely through the first half of the race.  Pole, who started fifth in the 24-car event, pulled alongside Payea at lap 44 and worked the high groove all the way to the front, passing Avery for second on lap 52 and going around Cyr 10 circuits later.

Five cautions peppered the event, which was completed in just 31 minutes.  Avery and Brent Dragon tangled while battling for fourth on lap 66, two laps before A. J. Begin and Jamie Fisher crashed into the frontstretch wall.

Mechanical woes and minor scrapes sidelined front-runner Brian Hoar, former Bay State 100 victor Jamie Aube, and Seekonk alumnus Ryan Vanasse, while Patrick Laperle, Randy Potter, and Seekonk Late Model standout Kevin Casper raced their way from the back to the front. 

As the race wore on, however, Pole simply got stronger, pulling away in convincing fashion to earn the $2,000 first place paycheck.  Cyr, Payea, defending race winner Roger Brown, Kip Stockwell, Laperle, and Potter rounded out the top seven.  Kevin Casper finished eighth, earning a $1,000 bonus posted by sponsor Phil’s Propane as the only Seekonk-legal Late Model to qualify.  Donald Theetge and Avery comprised the balance of the top ten. Brent finished in 11th.
 

Brent took a 2nd in heat six to start 22nd.
After a spin around lap 70 that put the
#55 off the lead lap, Brent battled back
to a 10th place finish. 


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Stock car driver Brent Dragon of Milton, VT took a hard-fought and emotional victory in the American-Canadian Tour “White Mountain 150” at White Mountain Motorsports Park on Saturday night. Dragon, who dedicated his victory to fallen team member Mark Arsenault, battled a host of drivers during the entire distance before nailing down the eighth ACT win of his career.

Dragon’s Beverage Mart/Furniture World of Vermont Chevrolet started on the outside of the front row next to polesitter Ryan Vanasse of Warwick, RI. Both drivers worked from the rear of their qualifying heat races to earn a “+7” value in the ACT Late Model Tour’s unique “plus/minus” handicap qualifying system. Vanasse lead the first 94 laps, but faced strong challenges from Dragon, Eric Williams, Quinny Welch, Randy Potter, Scott Dragon, and point leader and defending ACT Late Model Tour Champion Jean-Paul Cyr.

Heavy lapped traffic forced Vanasse to work the outside lane, where his car began to slip sideways. Potter dove underneath Vanasse to take the lead on lap 95, but met a similar fate as Brent Dragon drove by to take over on lap 100. Dragon then fended off Potter, Cyr, and Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. to grab the victory.

TOP TEN OFFICIAL FINISH
Pos., Driver, Hometown, Laps Complete
1. Brent Dragon, Milton, VT, 150
2. Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., Hudson, NH, 150
3. Jean-Paul Cyr, Milton, VT, 150
4. Randy Potter, Groveton, NH, 150
5. Scott Dragon, Milton, VT, 150
6. Scott Payea, Milton, VT, 150
7. Quinny Welch, Lancaster, NH, 150
8. Ryan Vanasse, Warwick, RI, 150
9. Kip Stockwell, Braintree, VT, 150
10. Eric Williams, Hyde Park, VT, 150

Theetge Sticks to Plan, Defeats American Challengers at Home in Ste-Croix

Contributed by: ACT Staff

Donald Theetge of Boischatel, QC made good on a prediction that he would win the Challenge ACT 100 at Circuit Ste-Croix (Ste-Croix, QC) on Saturday night, the fourth round of the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) stock car series. Theetge, who lives just minutes from the fast 5/8-mile oval located on the banks of the St. Lawrence River, scored a popular victory after passing leader and perennial ACT Late Model Tour Champion Jean-Paul Cyr of Milton, VT with just 14 laps remaining.

“Our plan was to win the race,” said an elated Theetge. “I have a very good car and a great team. Karl Allard gave me a strong challenge, but once I pulled away from him I focused on Jean-Paul. When my crew chief told me there were 20 laps left, it was time to move. I could tell (Cyr) was loose coming out of the corners, but he did a good job protecting the bottom lane. He’s a very good driver, and he’s very tough to beat. My next goal is to beat him on the other side of the border.”

Theetge started fifth in the 28-car field, and held off a determined challenge by Allard for over 60 laps before setting to work on Cyr and the race lead. Theetge dogged Cyr’s every move as the laps wound down, making several attempts to pass in both the high and low grooves. Theetge caught a break as Cyr negotiated lapped traffic on lap 85, and pulled even with him in the outside lane for the top spot. He assumed control one lap later, then held off last-effort charges by Cyr and Brent Dragon to take the victory, the second of his ACT Late Model Tour career. He also won at Circuit Ste-Croix last year.

Dragon, of Milton, VT, ran in fourth position for most of the Challenge ACT 100, but was able to poke ahead of Allard for third place as Theetge took the lead from Cyr. With brake rotors glowing red-hot from heavy use in the corners, Dragon was able to drive past Cyr on the outside with 10 laps remaining and take over the runner-up position. Dragon made two attempts to pass Theetge during the final laps, but had to settle for his second-consecutive runner-up finish in ACT Late Model Tour competition. He was the runner-up at ACT’s last event at Airborne Speedway in Plattsburgh, NY three weeks ago.

Cyr also battled overheated brakes, but was able to finish third for his fourth-straight podium finish to start the 2007 racing season. Brian Hoar of Willison, VT ran quietly among the leaders during the entire event before finishing in fourth place. Ryan Nolin of Georgia, VT backed up his Airborne Speedway victory with a fifth-place finish after passing Allard with four laps left. Allard came home in sixth place, with Scott Payea, Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., Randy Potter, and Patrick Laperle completing the unofficial top-ten finishers in order.

Allard, Payea, and Cyr were qualifying heat race winners. The Challenge ACT 100 was slowed by just a single caution flag on lap 6, and was completed at a brisk pace of just under 47 minutes. For more information, including event schedules, race results, and point standings, call (802) 244-6963 or visit www.acttour.com.

TOP TEN OFFICIAL FINISH
Challenge ACT 100, ACT Late Model Tour Event #4

Fin.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
1. (5) Donald Theetge, Boischatel, QC
2. (6) Brent Dragon, Milton, VT
3. (1) Jean-Paul Cyr, Milton, VT
4. (3) Brian Hoar, Williston, VT
5. (7) Ryan Nolin, Georgia, VT
6. (4) Karl Allard, St-Felicien, QC
7. (9) Scott Payea, Milton, VT
8. (8) Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., Hudson, NH
9. (18) Randy Potter, Groveton, NH
10. (17) Patrick Laperle, St-Denis, QC
 

Thunder Road’s Late Model stock car competitors are ready to defend their home turf. With a challenge expected from the stars of the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) at the 45th Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic 100, the 2007 edition of the traditional holiday weekend event is the “rubber match” between the weekly warriors and the ACT big guns.

The Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic 100 became a stand-alone event in 2005 after spending over two decades as a stop on the ACT schedule. Trampas Demers of South Burlington fended off the invaders to claim the victory for Thunder Road’s home crowd that season, while perennial ACT championship contender Brent Dragon of Milton evened the score with his win last year.

“As far as our season goes at Thunder Road, it’s one of the key races you really want to win,” said Demers. “And my car is as good or better this year than it was when I won in 2005.”The Jiffy Mart Chevrolet driver proved his worth against the ACT teams at the Merchants Bank 150 earlier this month, and carried the Thunder Road torch by finishing a solid fourth and leading 50 laps.

“Any time you can beat drivers like Brent and (six-time ACT Champion) Jean-Paul Cyr, you’ve had a good day.”

Dragon feels that although there is a rivalry between Thunder Road and ACT teams, there is some comfort in knowing who he’s racing against.

“There is a sense of trust racing with them (Thunder Road regulars). A lot of us grew up at Thunder Road, and since we race there more often than places like Seekonk (in Massachusetts), we know the drivers better. They’re all a good bunch, and it’s fun to go in there and beat them on the track, but it’s nice to know you can race hard against people that will give you respect.”

A unique twist to this year’s Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic 100 is the random draw for starting
positions in qualifying events. “I’m looking forward to the draw,” Dragon said. “It will even things up for everybody – Tour regulars and Thunder Road regulars.”

Demers agreed, adding, “I’m still getting used to the new handicap system at Thunder Road this year, but like the draw for this race, it’s a nice change for me. It should make things interesting, that’s for sure.”

Demers and the weekly warriors will square off against Dragon and the ACT invaders at “The Nation’s Site of Excitement,” Barre’s Thunder Road, on Sunday, May 27. The NAPA Tiger Sportsman, Allen Lumber Street Stock, and Power Shift Junkyard Warrior divisions will be in action along with the Late Model division’s Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic 100. General admission is $12 for adults, $5 for children, and $25 for a family of four. Green flag racing action is scheduled to begin at 1:30pm. For more information, call (802) 244-6963 or visit www.thunderroadspeedbowl.com

Young stock car racer Ryan Nolin survived eight restarts and the challenges of Milton, VT drivers Brent Dragon and Jean-Paul Cyr to score an upset first career victory in the 33rd annual Furniture World of VT Spring Green 100 at Airborne Speedway on Saturday night.  Nolin, of Georgia,VT, became the third driver in as many events this season to score his first American-Canadian Tour (ACT) win. 

Brent is seventh in points with 227 versus Cyr at 285.

TOP TEN OFFICIAL FINISH
Pos.-(Start)-Car#-Driver-Hometown-(Laps Complete)
1. (2) 78 Ryan Nolin, Georgia, VT (100)
2. (4) 55 Brent Dragon, Milton, VT (100)
3. (5) 32 Jean-Paul Cyr, Milton, VT (100)
4. (15) 45 Brian Hoar, Williston, VT (100)
5. (21) 02NH Randy Potter, Groveton, NH (100)
6. (10) 89 Scott Payea, Milton, VT (100)
7. (9) 99 Roger Brown, Lancaster, NH (100)
8. (1) 80 Donald Theetge, Boischatel, QC (100)
9. (19) 24VT Steve Fisher, Shelburne, VT (100)
10. (6) 26 John Donahue, Graniteville, VT (100)

TOP TEN OFFICIAL FINISH
Pos.-Start-Driver-Hometown-Laps Completed
1. (7) Scott Payea, Milton, VT, 150
2. (15) Ron Henry, New Gloucester, ME, 150
3. (5) Jean-Paul Cyr, Milton, VT, 150
4. (1) Trampas Demers, S. Burlington, VT, 150
5. (11) Brian Hoar, Williston, VT, 150
6. (19) Brent Dragon, Milton, VT, 150
7. (22) Cris Michaud, Williamstown, VT, 150
8. (8) David Avery, Lincoln, NH, 150
9. (9) Pete Fecteau, Morrisville, VT, 150
10. (26) Scott Dragon, Milton, VT, 150

In the practice sessions the #55 was running the same lap times as the fastest top cars. But luck of the draw placed Brent at the back of Heat 2. A poor heat finish led to running in back of the consi and then the back of the last chance "B." Brent just couldn't move up far enough and did not make it into the feature.

ACT Late Model Opener Promises
to Be an Oxford Turf War
If a Tour Star, a Track Regular, a Canadian and a Rowe Towed into a Racetrack, Who Would Win?     by Mike Twist

Picture this Saturday’s (4/28) ACT Late Model Tour opener at Oxford Plains Speedway as a big wrestling match. At the end of it all, there is going to be one competitor who stands alone in victory lane. But before that happens, there is going to be plenty of down and dirty action. As the event draws nearer though, there is one question – from which corner is the victor going to come from?   FULL STORY