Two Drivers Set to Represent the ACT Sanctioning Body in the National Kulwicki Driver Development Program
Barre, VT — After plenty of nail biting by American-Canadian Tour officials last week, two of four semi-finalists from the ACT fold of touring series and tracks were fully integrated as one of the five finalists in the nationally renowned Kulwicki Driver Development Program by Friday afternoon. Dartmouth, Massachusetts star Derek Gluchacki will get another run at the Kulwicki Cup while South Hero, Vermont’s Taylor Hoar will compete for the first time in 2025!
The Kulwicki Driver Development Pro gram (KDDP) was created in memory of 1992 NASCAR Cup Series champion Alan Kulwicki, the fan-favorite independent driver who earned his championship the hard way. Armed with nothing but determination, grit and mechanical know-how, Kulwicki earned himself the ‘Underbird’ moniker while driving the Ford Thunderbird chassis of the era during his championship run. Alan’s light was tragically cut short less than a year after his history-making campaign and his memory lives on with the Driver Development Program established by his family, friends and former crew members in 2014.
KDDP started the 2025 season by naming thirteen semi-finalists, with an incredible 31% of those drivers under the American-Canadian Tour fold! 2023 White Mountain Motorsports Park track champion Kasey Beattie, 2024 Thunder Road Speedbowl champion Kaiden Fisher, third-generation Thunder Road pilot Taylor Hoar and perennial American-Canadian Tour championship contender Derek Gluchacki were named as semi-finalists, leaving ACT officials to see who would be chosen as finalists in the nationally contested program.
With the ‘Underbird’ finalists named in piece-meal throughout last week, both Gluchacki and Hoar joined Georgia’s Seth Christensen, Illinois driver Noah Eisenhower and Wisconsin’s Bryce Miller as the five finalists to chase the 2025 Kulwicki Cup. Each received a stipend of $7,000 in sponsorship from the program and will receive coaching on fitness, interviews, media presentation and social media with $30,000 set to be split among the top three in the Kulwicki standings at season’s end.
As part of the KDDP program, all finalists choose a charitable organization to work with and support throughout the season. Derek Gluchacki Racing has partnered with Make-A-Wish New Hampshire while Taylor Hoar has yet to choose but stated that she would still support Thunder Road’s Race to Read literacy program.
“Derek (Gluchacki)’s elevation to the program last year and his second-place run was impressive on its own, but to have four semi-finalists this year is just incredible.” said ACT managing partner Cris Michaud. “While I have no doubt that Kasey (Beattie) and Kaiden (Fisher) stand a good chance for a future run, it’s amazing to have both Derek and Taylor (Hoar) represent our program to the nation and run for the Kulwicki Cup.”
Derek Gluchacki will begin his run at the Kulwicki Cup with the Milton CAT American-Canadian Tour on Sunday, April 13 with the 5th annual Northeast Classic at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The defending and three-time winner of the Northeast Classic is set to take on the Magic Mile while Taylor Hoar will begin her Kulwicki Cup chase at Thunder Road International Speedbowl with the 27th annual Community Bank 150 on Sunday, May 4.
For more information about the American-Canadian Tour, 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.
For more information about Milton CAT, visit their website at www.miltoncat.com or get updates from their Instagram account at @milton_cat.
Sources: Cale King/American-Canadian Tour PR
(FD3A0635.jpg): Dartmouth, Massachusetts driver Derek Gluchacki returns to the Kulwicki Driver Development Program (KDDP) after coming up second in the KDDP national standings last season! Gluchacki will once again take on the full slate of the Milton CAT American-Canadian Tour with select appearances at White Mountain Motorsports Park (NH) and Connecticut ovals Thompson Speedway and the New London-Waterford Speedbowl.
(IMG_6329.jpg): South Hero, Vermont’s Taylor Hoar became the first Vermont finalist in the Kulwicki Driver Development Program and will compete at Barre’s Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl with select appearances at White Mountain Motorsports Park (NH) and on the Milton CAT American-Canadian Tour. (Alan Ward photo)