ACT NEWS: Brian Hoar Begins Campaign for 8th ACT Title With a Win in the Season Opener at Lee USA Speedway

Brian Hoar celebrates 1st ACT Championship win of 2011 (Leif Titleson photo)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                             ACT-041711   Lee, NH – Seven-time American Canadian Tour Champion Brian Hoar of Williston, VT used patience to win the season opening NH Governor’s Cup 150 at Lee USA Speedway in Lee, NH, his 29th career ACT win. Hoar began the race in the 18th starting position after winning his heat race but earning a 0 in the ACT Plus/Minus handicap system. The veteran moved through the field and ran just outside the top five while saving his tires and his car for a late race run to the front and the win.

 

Colchester, VT’s Scott Dragon started on the pole and led all but 1 of the first 116 laps while battling with Groveton, NH’s Randy Potter and St-Felicien, QC’s Karl Allard early in the race. Multi-time Lee USA Speedway Champion Wayne Helliwell, Jr. was also in the mix running as high as second.   Hoar and Graniteville’s John Donahue seemingly came from nowhere after the final caution on lap 115 to make a run to the front. Hoar took the win while Donahue inherited the runner-up position after apparent second place finisher Brad Babb, a sophomore driver from Windham, ME, was penalized to the last car on the lead lap (9th) for using an unregistered tire.   Fulton Mountain of Barrington, NH would claim third, Helliwell held on for fourth and Scott Dragon faded to fifth late. Potter, sophomore driver Austin Theriault, Allard, Babb, and Mark Lamberton completed the top ten.   Milton, VT’s Brent Dragon managed an eleventh place finish after being involved in an accident with Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. of Hudson, NH and Craig Bushey of Fairfax, VT on lap 46. Polewarczyk and Bushey would retire from the event and settle for 26th and 24th respectively.   The event was completed in one hour and sixteen minutes with seven cautions. Nine cars finished on the lead lap. Hoar becomes the first qualifier for the third annual ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, NH on Saturday, September 24.   The American Canadian Tour continues its 2011 season on Sunday, May 1 with the 13th annual Merchants Bank 150 at Barre, VT’s Thunder Road International Speedbowl.   American-Canadian Tour NH Governor’s Cup 150 Sunday, April 17, 2011 Unofficial Results Finish (Start) Driver, Hometown, Laps 1. (18) Brian Hoar, Williston, VT,  150 Laps 2. (25) John Donahue, Graniteville, VT, 150 Laps 3. (16) Fulton Mountain, Barrington, NH, 150 Laps 4. (8) Wayne Helliwell, Jr., Dover, NH, 150 Laps 5. (1) Scott Dragon, Colchester, VT, 150 Laps 6. (2) Randy Potter, Groveton, NH, 150 Laps 7. (23) Austin Theriault, Fort Kent, ME, 150 Laps 8. (5) Karl Allard, Quebec, QC, 150 Laps 9. (30) Brad Babb, Windham, ME, 150 Laps 10. (22) Mark Lamberton, Mooers Forks, NY, 149 Laps 11. (4) Brent Dragon, Milton, VT, 149 Laps 12. (24) Jamie Fisher, Shelburne, VT, 149 Laps 13. (20) Rick Thompson, Jay, VT, 149 Laps 14. (3) Shawn Martin, Turner, ME, 148 Laps 15. (28) Dennis Spencer, Jr., Oxford, ME, 148 Laps 16. (15) Mike Bruno, Rutland, VT, 148 Laps 17. (12) Travis Stearns, Auburn, ME, 148 Laps 18. (27) Ray Parent, Tiverton, RI, 146 Laps 19. (19) Joey Laquerre, E. Montpelier, VT, 143 Laps 20. (11) Jimmy Cormier, Princeville, QC, 115 Laps 21. (14) Pat Floyd, Chester, NH, 101 Laps 22. (13) Chip Grenier, Graniteville, VT, 99 Laps 23. (10) Jean-Paul Cyr, Milton, VT, 76 Laps 24. (6) Craig Bushey, Fairfax, VT, 46 Laps 25. (26) Donald Theetge, Quebec, QC, 46 Laps 26. (17) Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., Hudson, NH, 46 Laps 27. (7) Ricky Rolfe, Albany Twp., ME, 44 Laps 28. (9) Aaron Fellows, Croydon, NH, 40 Laps 29. (29) #Dave Farrington, Jr., Jay, ME, 9 Laps 30. (21) Bobby Baillargeon, Kingston, NH, 3 Laps   Time of Race: 1:16:19 Margin of Victory: .319 sec. Cautions: 7 (laps 3, 9, 18, 28, 44, 46, 115) Leaders: Scott Dragon, 1-18; Randy Potter, 19; Dragon, 20-116; Brian Hoar, 117-150 Heat Winners: Jimmy Cormier, Pat Floyd, Brian Hoar, Travis Stearns   -30-

 

ACT VETERAN CHAMPIONS WILL BE CHALLENGED AT NEW SMYRNA SPEEDWAY

For Immediate Release                                        ACT – 020311-10           Waterbury, VT –Veterans of the American Canadian Tour (ACT) will find plenty of eager young and veteran talent to challenge them at the inaugural Goodyear Speedweeks Cup event to be held at the New Smyrna Speedway during the upcoming World Series of Asphalt Stock Car racing this month.

 

Past American Canadian Tour Champions, Brian Hoar from Williston, VT, Karl Allard, Ste Felicien, QC, Donald Theetge, Quebec City, QC and Patrick Laperle from Ste-Denis sur Richeleau, west of Montreal, have all won multiple championships during their successful careers.   Hoar is a seven time and defending ACT Champion. He has been winning races at all levels of competition for nearly 20 years. After winning five ACT Late Model championships between 1993 and 2000, he moved over to the former NASCAR Busch East division. He became a top competitor, won Rookie of the year in 2001, a Busch East race at Thunder Road Speedbowl in ’03, and the yearly track championship at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2006.   “The New Smyrna events are going to be great for our team. First we want to have some fun. We also want to try and get some momentum heading into the coming season. I think this will be the ultimate ‘neutral track’ for all our teams. I guess Joey (Polewarczyk), Patrick (Laperle) and Eric Chase are the only guys to have been there. I might have to follow Joey around for a few laps, but we are kind of tired of finishing behind him after his great run last September. Hopefully we can turn that around in a few days,” said Hoar.   Theetge and Allard are two of the most successful short track ‘long track’ (tracks ½ mile or longer) stars in the ACT organization. Laperle is the only driver to win both the ACT US title and the ACT Serie Castrol title. Laperle has also competed, won, and nearly won the overall title in the crate division at New Smyrna Speedway’s 10 days of short track racing two years ago.     Joey Pole, from Hudson, NH is currently the leader of the pack among ACT’s 21 year-old and under group of talent. He won five races in the last half of the 2010 season, with two career highlights: in September, the ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and the 48th annual Milk Bowl at Thunder Road in Barre, VT. Among others, Pole will be joined by Série Castrol Rookie of the Year Alex Labbe from Ste-Albert, QC, and U.S. Rookie-of-the-Year runner-up Austin Theriault from Fort Kent, ME.     Long-time ACT followers will be surprised to see Mike Bruno from Rutland, VT returning to ACT after a number of years off racing on the former Busch East Series, the Dirt Modifieds in New York and Vermont, and more recently Dirt Asphalt Modifieds.   2010 Lee USA Speedway track champion, Wayne Helliwell, Jr. and Twin State Speedway, Claremont, NH champ Aaron Fellows have joined the field for the Goodyear Speedweeks Cup.   Twenty-eight teams from New England, New York, Quebec and Ontario will head south for the unique ACT twin 100-lap format event. Sunday, February 13th and Monday February 14th will start the 2011 stock car season for those teams. Northern style qualifying and double file restarts will be in effect. On Monday the best will have to come from the rear following results from Sunday.   The traditional New Smyrna Speedway World Series opens Friday, February 11 and continues until Saturday, February 19, 2011. The ACT events, February 13 and 14 will post at 7:30 each night.     For additional information contact the ACT office at 802.244.6963, www.acttour.com, or media@acttour.com.                                             -30-

 

 

 

ACT NEW SMYRNA FIELD ADDS FORD POWER WITH LATEST ENTRIES

For Immediate Release                                        ACT – 010611-03           Waterbury, VT – The battle for the Goodyear Speedweeks Cup just got tougher with the announcement from the American Canadian Tour (ACT) that three of the powerhouse Ford teams in ACT will make the trip to the sunshine state for the first ever New Smyrna Speedway (NSS) World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing.

 

Joey Polewarcyzk, Jr. (Pole) from Hudson, NH was the hottest driver on the ACT at the end of 2010. His wins at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) ACT Invitational last September were followed up with a $15,000 payday at the Peoples United Bank Milk Bowl at Thunder Road Speedbowl in Barre, VT. Pole finished the touring season with a stunning performance in the 150-lap closer at the Waterford Speedbowl in Connecticut.   “I had a great finish to what started out as being a little frustrating while we tried to get our Ford program mastered during the first half of the season. I have to give my dad (Joe Pole Sr.) and the whole team a lot of credit for the effort they put in to get the car to work. It sure paid off when we got to NHMS and Thunder Road for those big races,” said Pole.   “We won on the mile at New Hampshire, the high-banked ¼ mile at Thunder Road, and then the 1/3rd mile at the Waterford. Now we get to tackle the ½ mile at New Smyrna. It should be a great break from the snow and cold and get us headed for the 2011 ACT title in the spring,” concluded Pole. Joey Pole was only one of a few ACT drivers who have competed at the famous winter haven for short track racers and fans, the New Smyrna Speedway.   Pole will be joined by Lee USA Speedway Late Model Champion Wayne Helliwell, Jr.from Dover, NH. Helliwell won 9 feature events driving for Bruce Bernhardt’s Ford team in 2010. The team has entered the full 2011 ACT US schedule and is using the Goodyear Speedweeks Cup event to get an early start to the season.   Joey Laquerre from Barre, VT, a veteran racer for over four decades, will round out the Ford team heading to New Smyrna over the February Speedweeks campaign. Laquerre had one of the fastest Fords at the Invitational last September and likes the speed tracks. “I really am excited about heading to New Smyrna this February. I like our chances with our Ford against the 20+ Chevys we will compete against at NSS. I have raced at a lot of places over a lot of years, but this is one trip that I am really happy to be a part of. Everyone should have fun and a good break from the winter,” said Laquerre.   The Goodyear Speedweek Cup will feature double 100-lap events. Sunday, February 13, 2011 will be the first feature, and then the field will be inverted for the second 100-lap event to be held on Monday, February 14, 2011. Both features will pay a moderate purse, with the bulk of the $30,000.00 posted awards going to the overall combined standings of the two events.       For additional information contact the ACT office at 802.244.6963, www.acttour.com, or media@acttour.com.                                             -30-