ACT Posts Nearly $50,000 Worth of Season-Ending Awards
Championship Chase Begins at Northeast Classic on April 17
Waterbury, VT — The 30th season of the ACT Late Model Tour will be one of the most lucrative in the series’ history. American-Canadian Tour (ACT) officials and its contingency partners have to post just under $50,000 in point fund money, free product, and merchandise certificates to be handed out at the conclusion of the 12-event point-counting schedule. The chase for these awards begins at the inaugural $5,000-to-win Northeast Classic on Saturday, April 17 at Loudon’s New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
The total number includes $40,750 from the point fund plus approximately $9,000 in contingency awards. More than a dozen companies have provided products and/or certificates with several others making a point-fund contribution. In many cases, the season-ending awards are on top of prizes these companies hand out at each ACT event.
This year’s ACT champion is guaranteed nearly $12,000 worth in end-of-season money and prizes. This in addition to the purse money from each event. For 2020, champion Jimmy Hebert took home nearly $30,000 worth of cash and awards over a nine-event schedule.
With 12 events on this year’s calendar and four that pay at least $5,000 to win, whomever wins the 30th ACT Late Model Tour championship is set up for an even bigger payday. Hebert is ready to begin his title defense at NHMS, but top runners such as Ben Rowe, D.J. Shaw, Tom Carey III, Dylan Payea, Derek Gluchacki, and Stephen Donahue will be standing in his way.
The early-entry deadline for the ACT season is Friday, March 19. Teams whose entries are postmarked by this date receive nearly a 30% discount versus filing individual event entries.
The season-ending haul begins with the $10,000 point fund check for the title-winner. Second place in points receives $6,000 with a $4,500 prize going to third overall. Everyone who finishes in the top-15 in points and attends 100% of the point-counting events will get at least $1,000 in point fund money.
A $1,000 award also goes to the ACT Rookie of the Year with payouts to the top-5 registered rookies. Like with the main point fund, rookies must attempt to qualify for 100% of the events to receive a payout.
Many of the top point finishers will walk away with at least one contingency prize thanks to positional awards and raffles. Both ARBodies and Five Star Bodies have posted a body package that will be raffled off at the 2021 ACT Banquet of Champions. One lucky racer will win an ARBodies Late Model “A” Body Package (approx. value $1,899). Another driver receives a Five Star Bodies ABC NextGen Body packages minus windows and spoiler (approx. value $2,069). Teams must attend at least 75% of the point-counting events to be eligible for the raffle.
Bassett Racing Wheels has also done a banquet raffle for many years. A set of four powder-coated steel wheels (approx. value $384) will go to one team that attends 100% of the events. In addition, Bassett has posted certificates for the top-3 point finishers, too. The champion gets $100 off the purchase of four wheels, the runner-up gets $60 off the purchase of four wheels, and the third-place racer gets $30 off the purchase of two wheels.
One of the biggest season-ending prizes comes courtesy of New England Racing Fuel and Sunoco Race Fuels. The 2021 ACT Champion receives certificates for three 54-gallon drums of Sunoco 110 spec fuel (approx. value $454 each). A certificate for one other drum will be raffled off via blind draw, totaling more than $1,800 worth of free fuel.
Both KONI North America and QA1 are raffling off a set of shocks among ACT 100%ers. One driver will get a set of four KONI 30-series shocks (approx. value $660). Another receives four QA1 63-series shocks (approx. value $806). Both shock types are specifically approved for ACT competition.
Several other season-ending contingency awards are based on the final point standings. Kirkey Racing Fabrication has posted $250 in merchandise certificates dividing among the top-3 in final points ($125/$75/$50). The champion also gets a $50 Allstar Performance certificate, a $100 certificate from KRC Power Steering, and a case of Driven Racing Oil.
The third-place team in final points will take home a $200 product certificate from Edelbrock Racing and a $100 certificate from Tilton Racing. Fifth place gets a $100 certificate from DRP Performance Products. Cases of Driven Race Wax and Speed Clean will be divided up among the top-10 points finishers. Add it all up and you have nearly 50 grand in prizes for teams that support the ACT Late Model Tour for the full season.
The 2021 ACT title chase gets underway at Loudon’s New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday, April 17. More than 30 ACT Late Model teams are already entered for the 50-lap, $5,000-to-win event. A six-division card also includes the Pro All Stars Series Super Late Models, a Tour-Type Modified Open, an 8-Cylinder Street Stock Open, The EXIT Realty Pro Truck Series, and the North East Mini Stock Tour. Qualifying begins at 11:00am. An optional practice day is slated for Friday, April 16.
Many ACT regulars are getting a head start to the season at North Carolina’s Hickory Motor Speedway on Friday, April 2 and Saturday, April 3. ACT will hold the Hickory 125 on Friday and the Easter Bunny 125 on Saturday. The PASS Super Late Models go 150 laps both days as part of their National Championship opener. Post time is 5:00pm for each day of racing. A live pay-per-view broadcast is available on Speed51.TV. Sign up now at www.speed51.tv/products/ppv-easter-bunny-weekend-pass.
For more information, contact the ACT offices at (802) 244-6963, media@acttour.com, or visit www.acttour.com. You can also get updates on Facebook and Twitter at @ACTTour.
Sources: ACT PR
(IMG_9207.JPG): This year’s ACT champion will take home nearly $12,000 in guaranteed cash and awards just like Jimmy Hebert (#58VT) did in 2020. (Daniel Holben photo)
(nhms09122025.JPG): The ACT Late Model Tour championship season begins at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with the inaugural Northeast Classic on Saturday, April 17. (Alan Ward photo)