Archive for the 'ACT LM Tour' Category

ACT Announces First Invitees to NHMS Invitational II

The American Canadian Tour (ACT) has announced the first group of invitees to the second annual ACT Invitational to be held Saturday, September 18, 2010. The region’s greatest triple header of the year at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway will have the ACT Invitational joining the NASCAR Whelen Modified division and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in an event with added laps and additional teams for the 2010 version.

“The second ACT Invitational is one of the most anticipated events of the year for short track teams from throughout New England and the provinces of Quebec and Ontario. We had two great days of testing this month, with over 70 teams spending two days at the ‘Magic Mile’. Now the hard part of determining who will make up the 43-team roster begins. This first group is mostly made up of those that have gotten invited by winning races in 2010 or a few ‘at large’ bids for those that are having outstanding seasons and have been supporters of ACT racing,” said Tom Curley, President of the American Canadian Tour.

The following is a list of the first 20 teams that have been invited to participate in the second ACT Invitational at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday, September 18, 2010. The additional 23 teams will be announced on Tuesday, September 06, 2010 and the final few on Monday, September 13, 2010:

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Laperle Dominates Showdown at Chaudiere

U.S. Team Takes Team Bonus

St-Denis, Quebec’s Patrick Laperle dominated the third annual American-Canadian Tour (ACT) “Showdown at Chaudiere” at Autodrome Chaudiere in Vallee-Jonction, Quebec on Saturday, August 28. The special all-star race featured 12 of the top drivers from the Quebec-based Série ACT Castrol Edge against 12 of the top drivers from the American-based ACT Late Model Tour.

Laperle started on the pole position after earning a +5 handicap in ACT’s plus-minus handicap system. The U.S. team earned the outside pole thanks to six-time ACT Late Model Tour Champion Brian Hoar of Williston, Vermont, who would lead the first 32 laps. Laperle would take the lead from Hoar on a lap 32 restart and would proceed to lap all but the top three while leading the last 167 laps.

Fellow Quebecer Donald Theetge earned the runner-up position after battling the majority of the event with Hoar. Hoar would earn third while Groveton, New Hampshire’s Randy Potter finished fourth after going down a lap with under 10 laps remaining. ACT Late Model Tour Rookie Austin Theriault of Fort Kent, Maine completed the top five.

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Allard and Hoar Lead Teams into “Showdown at Chaudiere”

Over $35,000 Up For Grabs

The third annual “Showdown at Chaudiere” at Autodrome Chaudiere in Vallee-Jonction, Quebec will feature 12 drivers from the Quebec-based Série ACT Castrol Edge versus 12 drivers from the American-based ACT Late Model Tour this Saturday, August 28. The 24 car field will battle for a purse of over $35,000 including a $500 per driver bonus for the winning team and $5,000 to the winner.

The Canadian team will be led by current point leader Karl Allard of St-Felicien, Quebec who has won five Série ACT Castrol Edge features already in 2010 including two 150 lap events at Autodrome Chaudiere. He will be joined by the 2008 Showdown winner Patrick Laperle, Jean-François Déry, rookie Jimmy Cormier, Gaëtan Lauzier, rookie Alex Labbe, Claude Leclerc, Jonathan Desbiens, Patrick Cliche, Jacques Poulin, Patrick Hamel and 2009 Série ACT Castrol Champion Donald Theetge.

Six-time and defending ACT Late Model Tour Champion Brian Hoar of Williston, Vermont will lead the American-based team. The current point leader has three wins this season including a victory in the combination Série ACT Castrol Edge and ACT Late Model Tour Riverside Can-Am at Circuit Riverside Speedway in St-Croix, Quebec. The remainder of the US team includes Vermonter’s Joey Becker, defending Showdown Champion Brent Dragon, Joey Laquerre, Pete Potvin, Nick Sweet, and Chip Grenier, as well as New Hampshire natives Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., Randy Potter, and Maine drivers Brad Babb, Austin Theriault, and TJ Watson.

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Chadwick wins second SK Mod race of season while Joey Pole wins Nutmeg State 100 ACT race; Stone, Moran and Rocco other winners on night

Waterford, CT — Waterford Speedbowl hosted competitors from across New England and New York for the Nutmeg State 100 ACT Late Model Tour on Saturday night. In addition four divisions of NASCAR Whelen All-American Series were in action. Joey Polewarczyk Jr. of Hudson, New Hampshire won an exciting ACT Tour race, beating out Brian Hoar over an exciting final five laps. Tyler Chadwick of Ledyard won his second SK Modified® race of the year surviving multiple restarts on his way to victory. Al Stone III of New Haven came out on top of a wild conclusion to the Street Stock race, and Keith Rocco of Wallingford took the checkered flag in an equally exciting finish in the A.B. CDL Driver Training Center Truck event. Preston’s Greg Moran Sr. won his first Norwich Bulletin Mini Stock race of the year to round out the night’s racing.

The 35-lap SK Modified® race saw Jeff Paul bolt from third to first by turn three on the opening lap. Trouble behind the leaders saw Tucker Reynolds Jr., Diego Monahan, Glenn Pressell, Todd Ceravolo, Adam Gada and Joe Gada all get out of shape into turn one to draw the first caution flag with just a lap in the books.

Paul was back out front when the green flag returned with Chadwick coming up to second. Another caution waved on lap 4 for a spin in turn one involving Jeff Gallup and Mike Sweeney. Chadwick challenged the outside of Paul after the restart, trying to hang with the leader. Ron Yuhas Jr., Keith Rocco and Jeff Pearl raced their way into the top five to join the top two. Chadwick was able to edge ahead into the lead over Paul on lap 7.

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Local Speedbowl drivers look to shine on Saturday

Nutmeg State 100 on tap for American-Canadian Late Model Tour

Waterford, CT — Saturday, August 21st marks the first of two appearances in 2010 for the American-Canadian Late Model Tour (ACT) at the Waterford Speedbowl. Local drivers in the Speedbowl’s own Late Model division, sponsored by Bob Valenti Auto Mall, will have the chance to qualify for the 100-lap Tour race and show off their hometown talent.

The top two in the Speedbowl’s championship standings in the Late Model ranks, Tim Jordan and Jeff Smith, plan to compete. In addition recent feature event winner Jeff Paul and another local racer, Joe Curioso, figure to be in the mix on Saturday.

For Jordan, of Plainfield, it’s another goal and milestone to reach. “I’m looking to better my finish from last year (5th place)” says Jordan. A year ago in the event Jordan, the 2006 Speedbowl track champion, steadily made his way to third place in the race in the closing laps. He sat behind a spirited battle for the event win between veterans Brian Hoar of Vermont and Brad Leighton of New Hampshire. A wild finish among those two and a lapped car cost Jordan a podium finish and chance at the win. According to Jordan, the current Speedbowl point leader, “I really want to win (Saturday’s) race.”

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Laquerre Tops ACT Test and Tune at NHMS Day 2

Montpelier, Vermont’s Joey Laquerre topped the speed charts of day number 2 of the ACT Test and Tune session at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) on Wednesday. Laquerre averaged 119 miles per hour on his fast lap of 32 seconds flat. He came up just hundredths of a second behind yesterday’s fast time set by Brian Hoar.

Turner, Maine’s Ben Rowe, Hudson, New Hampshire’s Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. and Patrick Laperle of Montreal, Quebec were the only other competitors of the day to break into the 32.0 range.

Another 31 teams from around the Northeast and Quebec took to the Magic Mile looking to earn an invite and preparing for the second annual ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday, September 18. The teams received seven hours of on track time including two 12 lap simulated races. The races, much like Tuesday’s, were reminiscent of the competitiveness seen in last fall’s Inaugural ACT Invitational. Former NHMS track champion Brad Leighton claimed the win in the first race while Laquerre took the honors in the second.

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American-Canadian Tour Test and Tune Session Day Two is Underway

Loudon, NH — The cars and stars of the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) are back in action at “The Magic Mile” today for round two of testing for the upcoming ACT Invitational in September.

Thirty-three teams are expected to take on the 1.058-mile oval throughout the day hoping to grab a spot in the ACT Invitational on September 18. Drivers on track include last September’s ACT Invitational and K&N Pro Series East winner Eddie MacDonald, and New Hampshire’s own Brad Leighton, who has an astounding eight top-five’s and 27 top-10′s at NHMS.

“This is just a great couple of days for our teams. For veterans it is a chance to race a great facility that has been the heartbeat of stockcar racing for the past 20 years, and for our younger teams it is really a dream come true. The hard part is sorting out who gets the invites for the September race after the practice sessions end,” said Tom Curley, President of the American Canadian Tour.

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Hoar Leads ACT in NHMS Test and Tune Day 1

Six-time and defending ACT Late Model Tour Champion Brian Hoar of Williston, Vermont set the pace in Tuesday’s Test and Tune session at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS). Hoar set a fast time of 32 seconds flat, which is an average of 119 miles per hour around the Magic Mile.

A total of forty cars showed up for the first of the two day session in preparation for the second annual ACT Invitational at NHMS on Saturday, September 18. Late Model teams from around the Northeast, Ontario and Quebec received a full seven hours of practice including two 12-lap simulated races.

The simulated races in the afternoon session of practice were competitive as teams were comfortable after the morning tests. Both races were won by Ford Blue Oval Cup competitors as Turner, Maine’s Glen Luce took the checkers in the first and Graniteville, Vermont’s John Donahue earned the win in the second. Both races saw several teams working their way from the back using all three racing grooves.

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Brian Hoar Wins Riverside Can-Am

Williston, Vermont’s Brian Hoar won the Circuit Riverside Speedway Can-Am combination Série ACT Castrol Edge and ACT Late Model Tour event on Saturday, August 14. Hoar, the current ACT Late Model Tour point leader, fought his way by current Série ACT Castrol Edge point leader Karl Allard on lap 94 and led the remainder of the event. The scheduled 200 lap event had to be cut back to 171 due to a curfew.

Patrick Laperle took second followed by Donald Theetge while Allard fell back to fourth and Brent Dragon rounded out the top five. Rookie Austin Theriault finished sixth followed by Sylvain Lacombe, Patrick Hamel, John Donahue and Daniel Descoste completing the top ten.

A total of 42 cars started the event representing the Quebec-based Série ACT Castrol Edge and the American-based ACT Late Model Tour. The event which was completed under yellow on lap 171 due to a curfew was completed with 11 cautions in two hours, and twenty-six minutes including an 18 minute red flag on lap 38.

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78 ACT Teams Head for NHMS Test & Tune

The American Canadian Tour (ACT) has confirmation from seventy eight (78) Late Model teams that are scheduled to test and tune at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) Tuesday, August 17 and Wednesday, August 18 in hopes of getting an invitation back for the second annual ACT Invitational to be held September 18, 2010.

The test and tune session will have representatives from all six New England states, New York State and the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario. Leading the count will be teams from Thunder Road and the US ACT in Vermont with 20; Maine, with a strong Oxford Plains Speedway contingent, is not far behind with 16 teams; New Hampshire will have 13 teams representing White Mountain Motorsports Park, Lee USA Speedway and Twin State Speedway; Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island will send 12 teams with ACT affiliate tracks Waterford Speedbowl and Seekonk Speedway represented; the Quebec ACT Castrol Serie will send 10 of its stars to the test and tune from tracks in the Montreal and Quebec City regions; veteran Mark Lamberton will represent New York State; and Ontario, with representation from Kawartha Speedway and Capital City in Ottawa, will send 5 teams to the session.

The goal will be to capture one of the coveted ‘at large’ bids for the second annual ACT Invitational which is held as part of a triple header with the NASCAR Whelan Modified Tour, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and the regions finest short track teams in the second annual ACT Invitational. There will also be Sprint Cup qualifying on Saturday in what has become one of the most anticipated events of the stock car season.

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Hayward Claims First ACT Tour Win at Twin State

Newport, NH’s Mark Hayward earned his first career ACT Late Model Tour win at Twin State Speedway in Claremont, NH on Friday, July 30. Hayward took the lead from Twin State regular Aaron Fellows, who led the first 52 laps of the 100 lap event. Hayward held off the likes of Ben Rowe, current ACT Tour point leader Brian Hoar and Randy Potter over the remaining 48 laps to take the win.

Rowe took second while Fellows finished third. Potter and Jeff Zuidema rounded out the top five. TJ Watson worked his way from his 20th starting position to take sixth followed by John Donahue, Hoar, last week’s Beech Ridge winner Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. and rookie Austin Theriault completing the top ten.

The 100 lap event was the eighth on the 13 race 2010 ACT Late Model Tour schedule. It was completed in just over one hour and eight minutes and had eight cautions including a 13 minute and 14 second red flag after rookie Chris Riendeau had a hard hit into the front stretch wall on lap 90. Riendeau was ok.

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ACT Announces Final List for NHMS Invitational

The American Canadian Tour (ACT) announced today another list of potential race teams that may be invited to compete in the second annual ACT Invitational at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway over the opening weekend for the NASCAR Chase weekend on September 17-19, 2010.

Two full days of practice at NHMS will be divided between over 70 invited attendees. With just eight (8) teams guaranteed spots in the expanded field of 43 starters, the test sessions will go a long way in deciding who will get the ‘at large’ invitations to what has become one of the most anticipated events of the year for short track fans and teams in the Northeast and eastern Canada.

“There is a limit to how many teams we can invite in a season, and this year has been particularly difficult as we try to expand into the weekly tracks more than we did a year ago,” said Tom Curley, President of the American Canadian Tour. “There were several teams on the ‘bubble’ last year after the practice sessions, and in fact, two of the top three finishers from last year’s events were so impressive that we invited them as a result of the practice sessions.” Ontario’s 16 year-old star Brandon Watson and Barre, Vermont’s Nick Sweet used the practice sessions as a way to get invited to the Invitational and certainly proved they were assets to the inaugural event.

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Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. Earns Ford First ACT Tour Win

Hudson, NH’s Joey “Pole” Polewarczyk, Jr. earned Ford its first ACT Late Model Tour win at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough, ME on Saturday, July 24. Pole moved from his fourth starting position to take the lead on lap 14. He held the lead and lapped the majority of the field until lap 83.

On the lap 83 restart Pole lost the lead to Farmington, ME’s Jeff Taylor, who also competes with a Ford crate engine. Taylor held onto the lead for 13 laps before Pole took back over for good. Taylor remained in second until he blew a tire with just under 20 laps remaining.

Pole held off rookie, and fellow Ford crate motor competitor, Austin Theriault who picked up his best career ACT finish with a second. Tim Brackett took third, Corey Morgan fourth and John Donahue with another Ford earned fifth.

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ACT Invitational Practice Set for NHMS

The American Canadian Tour (ACT) and the New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) have announced that a two-day test and tune session has been scheduled for Tuesday, August 17 and Wednesday, August 18, 2010 in preparation for the second ACT Invitational to be held as part of the classic triple header at NHMS on Saturday, September 18, 2010.

The practice sessions, which give invited teams nearly eight hours of practice each day at the famous ‘Magic Mile’, were a racing highlight for many teams last season in preparation for the inaugural running of the ACT Invitational in 2009. Because of the time constraints with the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Whelen Modified Tour, and NASCAR Truck Series participating at NHMS over the weekend of September 18th, this becomes the only time for the ACT teams to get quality seat time at the region’s only super speedway.

“We expect a totally different practice session this season having now experienced one Invitational”, said Tom Curley, President of ACT. “There was a lot of anxiety going into NHMS last season, but this year teams know what to prepare for and what to expect. Certainly for the many new teams we are inviting for the practice sessions, this will be a race experience many have dreamed about, but the goal is to get teams comfortable for the September event, which was a highlight of the ACT race season and for short track fans throughout the region in 2009.”

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Brad Babb Leads ACT Rookie Points Heading To Hometrack Beech Ridge

Windham, Maine’s Brad Babb currently sits atop the ACT Late Model Tour Rookie Standings and will look to stretch his lead with a solid finish this Saturday, July 24 at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, the track where he cut his racing teeth. The seventeen year old holds a slim five point lead over fellow Maine youngster Austin Theriault of Fort Kent.

Babb has had a solid first half to his rookie season by qualifying for five of the first six races on the ACT Tour which is no small feat considering the Tour has been averaging well over 40 cars for each event. He has finished on the lead lap in four of these events with his only DNF (Did Not Finish) occurring at White Mountain Motorsports Park due to mechanical problems.

Babb has picked up a couple top 15 place finishes to help his Sallie Bolduc team lead the Rookie chase at the halfway mark. It has been his first time visiting most of the tracks. In his first career ACT Late Model Tour start in last season’s Oxford Plains Speedway finale in October he earned a sixth place finish.

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MacDonald Wins Second Straight TD Bank 250

ACT Competitors Take Six of Top Ten Spots

941016613 Y8bhc S MacDonald Wins Second Straight TD Bank 250Rowley, MA’s Eddie MacDonald earned his second straight TD Bank 250 at Oxford Plains Speedway on Sunday, July 18. MacDonald inherited the lead from Center Harbor, NH’s Brad Leighton who had a flat tire on lap 203. MacDonald was uncontested for the remaining 47 laps to earn the $29,800 pay day, which included lap money.

Leighton climbed his way from his 5th starting position to take the lead from pole sitter Brian Hoar on lap 13. He would then proceed to lap all but the top five cars on the racetrack before a lap 140 caution (the second of the race). The majority of the field used the lap 140 caution to make pit stops for fresh tires. Hoar used a unique strategy and just took one tire on the pit stop and beat Leighton back onto the racetrack.

With fresh tires Leighton again jumped out to the lead and was for the most part uncontested until a flat tire on lap 203 sent him spinning off the top of turns 1 and 2, bringing out the fifth and final caution of the 250. Leighton was able to remain on the lead lap and returned to the track after changing his tire as the sixth and final car on the lead lap.

[Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto

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American-Canadian Tour Competitors Take on the TD Bank 250

The American-Canadian Tour and the Série ACT Castrol Edge will both take a break from their 2010 season schedules this weekend to allow competitors the chance to race in the TD Bank 250, one of the biggest Late Model races in New England. The $25,000 to win event at Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, Maine has long been one of the favorite events for stock car racers, and, since 2007, Late Model drivers.

Ever since the TD Bank 250 made the change from Pro Stock/Super Late Model rides to ACT Late Model type cars in 2007, the American-Canadian Tour has been well represented by its regular competitors on the ACT Late Model Tour, Série ACT Castrol Edge and Thunder Road Late Models. ACT regulars have filled at least half of the top ten spots in each of the past three 250s including the 2007 winner Roger Brown and three of the top five in the 2009 event with Patrick Laperle second, John Donahue third, and 2009 ACT Late Model Tour Champion Brian Hoar fourth.

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Hoar Holds off Leighton Wins Airborne Spring Green

Brian Hoar of Williston, VT led all 100 laps of the 36th Furniture World of VT Spring Green 100 at Airborne Speedway Saturday, but his second straight ACT LateModel Tour win was no romp. The defending champion and current point leader was closely pursued by Brent Dragon for the first half of the race and Brad Leighton of Center Harbor, NH over the final 50 laps.

Leighton got the jump on Hoar on a restart with 22 laps remaining and led nearly all the way around the Plattsburgh half mile before Hoar got a nose underneath at the line. The pair swapped the lead again navigating turns one and two before Hoar took the lead back for keeps.

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Eddie MacDonald Wins Second ACT Tour at OPS

Oxford, ME — Rowley MA’s Eddie MacDonald took the checkers in the second ACT Late Model Tour event at Oxford Plains Speedway on Saturday, June 19. MacDonald led the last 43 laps of the 150 lap event after taking the lead from current ACT Late Model Tour point leader Brian Hoar.

Ricky Rolfe would claim second, TJ Brackett third, Corey Morgan fourth and Hoar would hold on to fifth. Tommy Ricker, Brent Dragon, Tim Brackett, Jeff White and Austin Theriault completed the top ten.

The 150 lap event was completed with just four cautions and took one hour and four minutes. A total of 50 cars attempted to qualify with 33 making the starting grid. All but two were on the track for the checkered flag.

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Miles Chipman Wins NH Gov. Cup 150 at Lee USA

Lee USA Speedway regular Miles Chipman earned his first career ACT Late Model Tour win in the NH Governor’s Cup 150 on his hometrack on Friday, June 11. Chipman battled with fellow Lee competitor Wayne Helliwell for the majority of the event before taking over for good on lap 105.

The race was completed in 56 minutes and 41 seconds with just two caution periods. Forty cars attempted to qualify for the event which was previously scheduled to be the season opener back in April before being postponed due to rain.

Chipman is now the fifth driver to earn an invitation to the second running of the ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday, September 18. Other invitations belong to Nick Sweet, Eddie MacDonald, Patrick Laperle and Dave Pembroke.

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