Hebert Makes Final Crossover Count for Win in Autosaver Group 150
N. Woodstock, NH – Williamstown, VT’s Jimmy Hebert came out on top of Colchester, VT’s Scott Payea in one of the most breathtaking American-Canadian Tour duels in recent memory to win the Autosaver Group 150 at White Mountain Motorsports Park on Sunday, August 5.
Hebert held the lead over Payea before the event’s final caution came out on lap 141 when Rich Dubeau lost power on the front stretch. The restart put the two ACT top dogs door-to-door, and they proceeded to exchange crossover moves on four straight circuits. Time after time, one would have the lead at the start/finish line, only for the other to dive back underneath coming off turn 2.
It was Hebert who would get the last laugh, making the final crossover to secure the lead for good with five laps remaining. Once he was finally clear, Hebert pulled away to take his second straight ACT Late Model Tour victory.
Lebanon, NH’s Dubeau grabbed the lead on the initial start from polesitter Josh Masterson. Dubeau would pull away at the start before being run down by Barre, VT’s Cody Blake in lapped traffic. As the two came up behind a pair of slower cars on the 39th circuit, Dubeau guessed wronged about which lane would go, and Blake dove underneath him to take the lead.
Blake would draw out to a sizeable advantage following the event’s first caution a few laps later. But as lapped traffic kept allowing Dubeau and Corey Mason to close back in, Hebert and Payea were working their way through the field from the 12th and 11th starting positions, respectively.
The second caution on lap 101 bunched up the frontrunners, and Hebert would get around Dubeau for second on the restart. When another caution flew on lap 110 for Jimmy Linardy’s spin, Hebert got the run off the outside and eventually secured the top spot.
Hebert would then do what Blake did earlier, pulling away from the pack only to get hung up in traffic. As he picked his way through, Payea eventually won the battle with Blake and Stephen Donahue for second. Dubeau’s misfortune with nine laps to go set up the incredible finish between the two ACT championship contenders.
While the drama played out at the front, Rowley, MA’s Eddie MacDonald snuck around Blake to take the final podium spot. Mason rounded out the top-5. Quinny Welch, Donahue, Masterson, Oren Remick, and Ryan Kuhn completed the top-10.
The ACT Late Model Tour makes its next stop at Maine’s Oxford Plains Speedway on Saturday, August 25. The Oxford Plains 150 will be part of Oxford 250 weekend. Post time is 5:00pm.
For more information, contact the ACT offices at (802) 244-6963, media@acttour.com, or visit www.acttour.com.
AUTOSAVER GROUP 150
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
Pos., Start Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown, Laps
1. ( 12 ) Jimmy Hebert ( 58VT ) , Williamstown, VT , 150 Laps
2. ( 11 ) Scott Payea ( 37VT ) , Colchester, VT , 150 Laps
3. ( 10 ) Eddie MacDonald ( 17MA ) , Rowley, MA , 150 Laps
4. ( 4 ) Cody Blake ( 99VT ) , Barre, VT , 150 Laps
5. ( 6 ) Corey Mason ( 1NH ) , Groveton, NH , 150 Laps
6. ( 8 ) Quinten Welch ( 78NH ) , Groveton, NH , 150 Laps
7. ( 15 ) Stephen Donahue ( 2VT ) , Graniteville, VT , 150 Laps
8. ( 1 ) Josh Masterson ( 11NY ) , Bristol, VT , 150 Laps
9. ( 18 ) Oren Remick ( 21NH ) , Monroe, NH , 150 Laps
10. ( 5 ) Ryan Kuhn ( 72MA ) , East Bridgewater, MA , 150 Laps
11. ( 21 ) Craig Bushey ( 15VT ) , Fairfax, VT , 149 Laps
12. ( 26 ) Bryan Mason ( 10NH ) , Stark, NH , 149 Laps
13. ( 7 ) Mike Kension ( 3NH ) , Lancaster, NH , 149 Laps
14. ( 9 ) #Dylan Payea ( 7NH ) , Milton, VT , 149 Laps
15. ( 13 ) Scott Corey ( 22NH ) , Lyndonville, VT , 149 Laps
16. ( 19 ) Jerry Lesage ( 74VT ) , Winooski, VT , 148 Laps
17. ( 23 ) Claude Leclerc ( 11QC ) , Lanoraie, QC , 148 Laps
18. ( 29 ) Paul Newcomb Jr. ( 7MA ) , Plymouth, MA , 147 Laps
19. ( 22 ) Brian Tagg ( 9MA ) , Oxford, MA , 147 Laps
20. ( 30 ) John Donahue ( 26VT ) , Graniteville, VT , 146 Laps
21. ( 24 ) James Linardy ( 77MA ) , Somerville, MA , 146 Laps
22. ( 2 ) Rich Dubeau ( 30NH ) , Lebanon, NH , 141 Laps
23. ( 27 ) Shawn Swallow ( 04NH ) , Lancaster, NH , 115 Laps
24. ( 17 ) Stacy Cahoon ( 83VT ) , St. Johnsbury, VT , 112 Laps
25. ( 16 ) Ryan Olsen ( 61NH ) , Woodsville, NH , 101 Laps
26. ( 25 ) Chip Grenier ( 9VT ) , Graniteville, VT , 87 Laps
27. ( 3 ) Mark Jenison ( 22RI ) , Warwick, RI , 73 Laps
28. ( 20 ) Matt Morrill ( 9NH ) , Moultonboro, NH , 48 Laps
29. ( 14 ) Jesse Switser ( 10ME ) , West Burke, VT , 47 Laps
30. ( 28 ) #Peyton Lanphear ( 22VT ) , Duxbury, VT , 45 Laps
Lap Leaders: Josh Masterston pole, Rich Dubeau 1-38, Cody Blake 39-110, Jimmy Hebert 111-142, Scott Payea 143, Hebert 144, Payea 145, Hebert 146-150. (7 lead changes among 5 drivers)
Time of Race: 49:57 Margin of Victory: 0.501 seconds
Cautions: 4 (laps 47, 101, 110, 141)
Heat Winners: Cody Blake, Ryan Kuhn, Corey Mason, Eddie MacDonald
Consi Winners: Jerry Lesage, Ryan Olsen
B-Feature Winner: Bryan Mason
Sources: Michael R. Stridsberg/American-Canadian Tour PR
Daniel Holben photo