Polewarczyk Has “Dream Ride” Late for Star Speedway Win

By admin June 30, 2019 ACT, ACT LM Tour, Star

Epping, NH – Hudson, NH’s Joey Polewarczyk Jr. put on a clinic in the second half of the Dream Ride 150 to capture his 20th ACT Late Model Tour win at Epping, NH’s Star Speedway on Saturday, June 29. “Joey Pole” took the lead from Plainfield, NH’s Rich Dubeau on lap 91 and smoked the field down the stretch to take the $5,000 top prize in the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Summer Kickoff Series finale.

The win was notable on several levels beyond the prize money. Polewarzcyk broke a tie with Jean-Paul Cyr and Patrick Laperle to move into sole possession of second on the all-time ACT Late Model Tour winner’s list. He also became the sixth different winner in six point-counting events this year.

Polewarczyk started on the outside pole alongside Dover, NH’s Wayne Helliwell Jr., but soon surrendered that spot to E. Bridgewater, MA’s Ryan Kuhn as Helliwell set the pace. A lap-7 incident where Christopher Pelkey and Jonathan Bouvrette got together battling for the fourth spot – and Claude Leclerc paid the price – scrambled the running order early and allowed Plainfield, NH’s Rich Dubeau to quickly move up from the 10th starting spot.

Dubeau was up to third when the third caution flew on lap 19 for Bouvrette’s second incident and took the runner-up spot on the restart. He was starting to put the pressure on for the lead when Helliwell’s rear end failed on the 31st circuit, handing the lead to Dubeau and the number-two spot back to Polewarczyk.

The fourth and ultimately final caution came out two laps later for Reilly Lanphear’s spin. Dubeau pulled away initially following the restart. But the longer the green-flag run went, the stronger Polewarczyk got. The 2014 champion began stalking Dubeau in earnest as the duo worked lapped traffic near the halfway mark. After 20 laps of testing the waters, Polewarczyk swung to the high line and took the lead from Dubeau as they completed the 91st lap.

It was game-on for Polewarczyk from there. As the rest of the field began to slip and slide on worn tires, Polewarczyk stayed true, eventually drawing out to nearly a half-track lead. Despite needing to ease up some in slower traffic over the final circuits, Polewarczyk cruised to the win. He became the first repeat ACT winner at Star Speedway after also winning at the Tour’s last visit in 2013.

Dubeau finished second to unofficially retake the American-Canadian Tour points lead. Kuhn, a Tour rookie, was strong all night and earned his first ACT podium finish with a third-place result. Blainville, QC’s Bouvrette charged through the field after his early incidents to take fourth. Newmarket, NH’s Bryan Kruczek rounded out the top-5.

Another rookie, Carver, MA’s Trent Goodrow, had by far his best career ACT effort and finished sixth. Two-time defending ACT Champion Scott Payea of Colchester, VT was the last driver on the lead lap in seventh. Hampstead, NH’s Erick Sands was the highest-finishing local in eighth. Williamstown, VT’s Jimmy Hebert, and Blainville, QC’s Mathieu Kingsbury completed the top-10.

The ACT Late Model Tour now heads into its summer break. The cars and stars of the Northeast will heat up once again for the $10,000-to-win Midsummer 250 at N. Woodstock, NH’s White Mountain Motorsports Park on Saturday, August 3. Post time is 6:00 pm.

For more information, contact the ACT offices at (802) 244-6963, media@acttour.com, or visit www.acttour.com.

ACT LATE MODEL TOUR
DREAM RIDE 150
STAR SPEEDWAY
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
Pos., Start Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown, Laps

  1. ( 2 ) Joey Polewarczyk ( 97NH ) , Hudson, NH , 150 Laps
  2. ( 10 ) Rich Dubeau ( 30NH ) , Plainfield, NH , 150 Laps
  3. ( 3 ) #Ryan Kuhn ( 72MA ) , E. Bridgewater, MA , 150 Laps
  4. ( 5 ) Jonathan Bouvrette ( 41QC ) , Blainville, QC , 150 Laps
  5. ( 13 ) Bryan Kruczek ( 19NH ) , Newmarket, NH , 150 Laps
  6. ( 8 ) #Trent Goodrow ( 31MA ) , Carver, MA , 150 Laps
  7. ( 12 ) Scott Payea ( 37VT ) , Colchester, VT , 150 Laps
  8. ( 16 ) Erick J. Sands ( 36NH ) , Hampstead, NH , 149 Laps
  9. ( 11 ) Jimmy Hebert ( 58VT ) , Williamstown, VT , 149 Laps
  10. ( 9 ) Mathieu Kingsbury ( 9QC ) , Blainville, QC , 149 Laps
  11. ( 23 ) Dylan Payea ( 7NH ) , Milton, VT , 149 Laps
  12. ( 4 ) Christopher Pelkey ( 64VT ) , Graniteville, VT , 148 Laps
  13. ( 7 ) Shawn Swallow ( 04NH ) , Lancaster, NH , 147 Laps
  14. ( 18 ) Jason Larivee Jr. ( 70RI ) , West Greenwich, RI , 147 Laps
  15. ( 20 ) Michael Toner ( 56RI ) , Portsmouth, RI , 147 Laps
  16. ( 15 ) Michael Wray ( 42CT ) , Northford, CT , 146 Laps
  17. ( 17 ) Reilly Lanphear ( 21VT ) , Waterbury, VT , 146 Laps
  18. ( 21 ) Randy Cole Jr. ( 55MA ) , Middleton, MA , 144 Laps
  19. ( 22 ) Scott Coburn ( 72VT ) , Barre, VT , 138 Laps
  20. ( 19 ) Peyton Lanphear ( 22VT ) , Waterbury, VT , 32 Laps
  21. ( 1 ) Wayne Helliwell Jr. ( 27NH ) , Dover, NH , 30 Laps
  22. ( 14 ) Tom Mackey ( 51MA ) , Gloucester, MA , 19 Laps
  23. ( 6 ) Claude Leclerc ( 11QC ) , Lanoraie, QC , 7 Laps

Lap Leaders: Wayne Hellwell Jr. 1-30; Rich Dubeau 31-90; Joey Polewarzyck 91-150. (2 lead changes among 2 drivers)

Time of Race: 49:59   Margin of Victory: 4.674 seconds

Cautions: 4 (laps 7, 7, 19, 32)

Heat Winners: Ryan Kuhn, Christopher Pelkey, Scott Payea

Consi Winner: Joey Polewarczyk

Sources: Michael R. Stridsberg/American-Canadian Tour PR
(VLF_7071.JPG): Former ACT Champion Joey Polewarczyk (#97NH) leads current point leader Rich Dubeau (#30NH) en route to his win in the Dream Ride 150 at Star Speedway. (Eric LaFleche/laflechephotos.com)