ACT Late Models Return to Connecticut’s Waterford Speedbowl
The American-Canadian Tour Championship Late Model stock cars return to the Connecticut shoreline on Saturday (June 7) with the running of the Nutmeg State 100 at Waterford Speedbowl. The racy 3/8-mile oval previously hosted ACT in 2003 and 2004, and has since adapted a rule book for its weekly Late Model division based on ACT specs.
Rising star Scott Payea, 26, of Milton, VT, leads the ACT Late Model Tour point standings after the first five events. Payea visited victory lane in the 10th Annual Merchants Bank 150 at Thunder Road in Barre, VT on May 4, and also took top-five finishes at Lee USA (NH) Speedway, Airborne Speedway in Plattsburgh, NY, and again at Thunder Road in the Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic on May 25.
Payea leads seven-time and defending ACT Late Model Tour Champion Jean-Paul Cyr, also of Milton, VT. Cyr won the Spring Green 100 at Airborne Speedway on May 17. “Irish” John Donahue of Graniteville, VT recently scored his second career ACT victory at Thunder Road in the Memorial Day Classic, and sits third in points. Montréal’s Patrick Laperle ranks fourth on the strength of three consecutive top-five finishes. Randy Potter of Groveton, NH is fifth overall. Teenager Joey “Pole” Polewarczyk, Jr. of Hudson, NH won the season opener at Lee USA Speedway, while Oxford Plains (ME) Speedway regular Ricky Rolfe defended his home turf in April.
Waterford Speedbowl Track Champions Bruce Thomas, Jr. and Tim Jordan are expected to attempt a Rolfe-like feat on their own home turf in the Nutmeg State 100. Thomas, Jordan, and Speedbowl regular Joe Curioso competitively tested the ACT Late Model Tour waters in 2007 at Oxford Plains and Seekonk (MA) Speedways.
The ACT Late Model Tour is 12-race championship stock car series with events in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, New York, Connecticut, and Ontario. In conjunction with its companion series, the Série ACT Castrol in Québec and Ontario, and more than a half-dozen short tracks in the region, well over 200 race teams have equipment in line with the ACT Late Model Tour rulebook. More than 150 competitors took part in ACT competition last year.
Green flag qualifying action for the Nutmeg State 100 at Waterford Speedbowl begins at 5:00pm on Saturday, June 7. General admission is $25 for adults and just $5 for children. For more information, call ACT at (802) 244-6963 or visit www.acttour.com, or call Waterford Speedbowl at (860) 442-1585 or visit www.speedbowl.com.
Sources:Justin St. Louis/ACT LM Tour PR