Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. Captures ACT International 500 Win
Plattsburgh, NY – Joey Polewarczyk Jr. of Hudson, NH, still looking uphill at the $25,000 ACT International 500 winner’s prize as the end of the 300-lap race neared, passed Patrick Laperle with 15 laps remaining to win the inaugural event before one of the largest crowds in Airborne Speedway history Sunday, July 21.
Polewarczyk Jr. outpointed 8-time ACT champion Brian Hoar by winning the first two 100-lap segments of the 300-lap event with Hoar close behind in 2nd place both times.
When Hoar took command halfway through the final segment and went on to win it, Polewarczyk Jr. needed to finish 2nd to win the overall event. With 30 laps remaining, Polewarczyk trailed second-place Patrick Laperle by six car-lengths. The final event points totals were Polewarczyk 4 points (1-1-2) to Hoar’s 5 points (2-2-1).
“It’s a very humbling feeling to win such a prestigious event,” Joey Pole said. “There’s only going to be one inaugural ACT 500 ever. It’s a helluva payday! I really had to hustle the car to get by Laperle. I could see he was getting free off the turns and I knew I really had to go.”
Polewarczyk led Hoar to the wire by four car-lengths to win the opening segment with Scott Payea of Milton, Vt. 3rd, Eddie MacDonald of Rowley, Mass. 4th and Ray Parent of Tiverton, RI, 5th.
The second segment came to an abrupt halt at the drop of the green when Bucko Branham and Jimmy Linardy made contact on the front row with a 10-car chain reaction crash resulting. The incident quickly bumped Hoar, Polewarczyk Jr., Scott Payea and Eddie MacDonald, who ultimately finished 3rd overall, back into contention after having started near the rear of the 40-car field.
As round two wound down, Hoar and Polewarczyk swapped the lead repeatedly as starting on the outside of the front row on restarts became pivotal. Joey Pole got the last chance at being on the outside of Hoar on the final restart on lap 93.
“Brian was tough all day,” Polewarczyk said. “He had us covered in the last round, but earlier, whoever had the outside line had the best shot and it worked out for me.”
MacDonald made a last lap pass in the final segment to take third. Payea had a 3-round score of 13 points (3-3-7) to claim 4th overall. Jean-Francois Dery of Quebec City, QC was 5th. Positions 6-10 went to Parent, Alex Labbe, Laperle, Wayne Helliwell Jr. and rookie Bobby Therrien.
Todd Stone of Middlebury won the $3,000-to-win Ernie’s Tools Modified Twin 50’s event besting Patrick Dupree of Saranac Lake and George Foley of Vermontville. Stone finished 3rd in the first 50-lap race and won the second for an overall winning score of four points. Dupree chased Stone to the line in round two to earn runner-up honors. Foley got by Andy Heywood after a 20-lap battle to wind up 3rd overall.
The American Canadian Tour returns to point counting action next weekend. The Série ACT returns to Autodrome Montmagny next Saturday, July 27. The US-based ACT will head to Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven, VT next Sunday, July 28.
ACT International 500 Unofficial Results
American Canadian Tour
Airborne Speedway – Plattsburgh, NY
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Pos. (Start) Car # Driver, Hometown, Seg. 1 – Seg. 2 – Seg. 3 – Total
1. (3) 97nh Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., Hudson, NH, 1- 1- 2- 4
2. (3) 37vt Brian Hoar, Williston, VT, 2- 2- 1- 5
3. (3) 17ma Eddie MacDonald, Rowley, MA, 4- 5- 4- 13
4. (3) 89vt Scott Payea, Milton, VT, 3- 3- 7- 13
5. (3) 21qc Jean-Francois Dery, Quebec, QC, 9- 4- 9- 22
6. (3) 17ri Ray Parent, Tiverton, RI, 5- 12- 6- 23
7. (3) 48qc Alex Labbe, St-Albert, QC, 8- 8- 8- 24
8. (3) 91qc Patrick Laperle, St-Denis, QC, 6- 17- 3- 26
9. (3) 27nh Wayne Helliwell, Jr., Dover, NH, 11- 6- 10- 27
10. (3) 5vt #Bobby Therrien, Hinesburg, VT, 13- 15- 5- 33
11. (3) 32vt Jean-Paul Cyr, Milton, VT, 14- 14- 11- 39
12. (3) 40qc David Michaud, St-Anne des Plaines,QC, 16- 13- 17- 46
13. (3) 55vt Brent Dragon, Milton, VT, 29- 7- 12- 48
14. (3) 50me Jeff White, Winthrop, ME, 26- 9- 13- 48
15. (3) 28me Rowland Robinson Jr., Steuben, ME, 20- 11- 19- 50
16. (3) 4ny #Brandon Atkins, Ausable Forks, NY, 28- 10- 15- 53
17. (3) 41qc Jonathan Bouvrette, Blainville, QC, 7- 26- 25- 58
18. (3) 11qc Claude Leclerc, Lanoraie,QC, 23- 20- 16- 59
19. (3) 19qc Dany Trepanier, St-Edouard, QC, 12- 23- 25- 60
20. (3) 71on Dan McHattie, Cavan, ON, 30- 18- 14- 62
21. (3) 78qc Stephane Descoste, Oka, QC, 25- 19- 18- 62
22. (3) 58vt Jimmy Hebert, Williamstown, VT, 17- 25- 25- 67
23. (3) 15on Derek Lynch, Warkworth, ON, 27- 16- 25- 68
24. (3) 16me #Travis Stearns, Auburn, ME, 10- 36- 25- 71
25. (3) 9vt Chip Grenier, Graniteville, VT, 19- 32- 22- 73
26. (3) 15vt Joey Laquerre, E. Montpelier, VT, 22- 27- 24- 73
27. (3) 68vt Brooks Clark, Fayston, VT, 15- 35- 25- 75
28. (3) 10vt Josh Demers, Montpelier, VT, 34- 21- 21- 76
29. (3) 17vt Lance Allen, Barre, VT, 24- 29- 23- 76
30. (3) 81on Bryan Mercer, Port Hope, ON, 35- 22- 20- 77
31. (3) 88vt Nick Sweet, Barre, VT, 18- 34- 25- 77
32. (3) 9me #Emily Packard, E. Montpelier, VT, 21- 33- 25- 79
33. (3) 5qc Patrick Cliche , St-Jean-Chr., QC, 31- 24- 25- 80
34. (3) 20ny Bucko Branham, Plattsburgh, NY, 33- 30- 25- 88
35. (3) 77ma Jimmy Linardy, Somerville, MA, 32- 31- 25- 88
36. (3) 18vt Jamie Fisher, Shelburne, VT, 36- 28- 25- 89
37. (3) 7qc Daniel Bergeron, Mirabel, QC, 37- 37- 25- 99
38. (3) 02nh Randy Potter, Groveton, NH, 38- 37- 25- 100
39. (3) 7nc Ben Lynch, Huntersville, NC, 39- 37- 25- 101
40. (3) 40vt Eric Chase, Milton, VT, 40- 37- 25- 102
Lap Leaders: Segment #1 – Ray Parent, 1-2; Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., 3-4; Ray Parent, 5-6; Polewarczyk, 7-10; Parent, 11-13; Polewarczyk, 14-32; Brian Hoar, 33-38; Polewarczyk, 39-58; Hoar, 59-82; Polewarczyk, 83-100; Segment #2 – Dan McHattie, 1-5; Brent Dragon, 6-46; Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., 47-68; Brian Hoar, 69-74; Polewarczyk, 75-76; Hoar, 77-92; Polewarczyk, 93-100; Segment #3 – Patrick Laperle, 1-57; Brian Hoar, 58-100.
Time of Race: 2:28:39 – Segment #1: 53:16; Segment #2: 59:48; Segment #3: 35:35.
Cautions: 14 (Segment #1 – 6: Laps 2, 10, 32, 38; 58; 82 ) (Segment #2 – 6: Laps 0(red 8:27), 46, 68, 74, 76, 92 ) (Segment #3 – 2: Laps 0, 40)
Sources: ACT PR