Moltz Takes Control Late for Big Payday in ACT Midsummer Classic
N. Woodstock, NH — New Sharon, ME’s Dillon Moltz was in it for the long haul at N. Woodstock, NH’s White Mountain Motorports Park on Saturday, August as he took control late to win the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Midsummer Classic 250. Moltz grabbed the lead for good from Williamstown, VT’s Jimmy Hebert on a lap-183 restart and steadily pulled away down the stretch to snag the $10,000 payday on day one of Midsummer Classic Weekend.
The multi-time ACT winner started back in 16th for the 250-lap showdown and steadily worked his way through the field as polesitter Ryan Kuhn set the early pace. When the first caution flag on lap 61 after Joey Polewarczyk suffered a mechanical failure and left oil all around the race track, Moltz was up to the sixth spot, trailing Kuhn, Christopher Pelkey, D.J. Shaw, Scott Payea, and Hebert.
The top six then went back-and-forth amidst a series of mid-race cautions that in turn triggered a flurry of tire strategies. A five-car pile-up on lap 74 led into the event’s competition fuel stop, and when another yellow flew five laps later, Payea was the first of the leaders to change tires. Moltz had moved into the second spot by this time, and when the green flag came out, he swept around Shaw on the outside to get the lead for the first time.
The duo traded the top spot on three more cautions over the next 19 laps, with the outside line getting the advantage each time. On a lap-92 caution, Hebert, Pelkey, Jason Corliss, and several other top runners ducked into the pits to put on fresh rubber. Following the sixth yellow at lap-98 for debris on the track, Shaw got the lead and the field finally settled down for a long green-flag run. After stalking Shaw for much of the run, Moltz seized an opportunity in lapped traffic on the 141st circuit, pinning Shaw behind a slower car and snatching the point once again.
When the caution flew for the seventh time on lap 158 for Jimmy Renfrew Jr.’s spin, nearly all of the lead-lap cars who had not yet gotten fresh tires chose to do so, including Kuhn, Shaw, Nick Sweet, and Alby Ovitt, with still others making a second stop. Moltz, though, stayed out, deciding then and there to try and go the distance on the same four tires he started the race with.
The early returns on the move were not promising as both Bryan Kruczek and Jimmy Hebert sailed around Moltz on the restart. As Hebert went to work on Kruczek and eventually wrestled the lead away on lap 171, Moltz regained his footing, and he was pressuring Hebert when Renfrew and Sweet tangled to bring out the eighth and final caution on lap 183.
The outside groove was gold once again on the restart as Moltz grabbed the lead for the fourth different time of the night. This time, it was for good, as Moltz slowly but surely drove away from Hebert for a convincing win and a five-figure check to go with it. It was the fourth ACT win of Moltz’s career and his third in ACT competition at White Mountain Motorsports Park.
Hebert finished second and unofficially will take over the ACT point lead. Barre, VT’s Corliss held off a spirited charge from Payea to take third. Newmarket, NH’s Kruczek, who had been involved in the lap-74 tangle, recovered for fifth. Milton, VT’s Dylan Payea roared from 24th on the starting grid to finish sixth. Quinny Welch, Kuhn, Derek Gluchacki, and Shaw rounded out the top-10.
Danville, VT’s Laci Potter smoked the field in the Wells River Chevrolet Flying Tigers for her first career win. The 15-year-old first-year Flying Tiger racer started on the outside pole for the 35-lap feature and immediately drove past Nathaniel Parkin for the lead. Potter then drove like a woman on a mission, leaving the field in the dust for much of the caution-free event.
Point leader Shane Sicard of Barton, VT, sliced his way from the ninth spot to take the runner-up spot from Littleton, NH’s Ryan Ware with just over 10 laps to go. By then, Potter was more than a quarter-track ahead. Sicard started gaining on Potter as the laps wound down, but it was too little, too late as Potter earned a popular win.
Sicard took second while Ware, in just his fourth career Flying Tiger start, finished third. Kasey Beattie, Amanda Wheelers, Parkin, Jason Woodard, Mike Clark, Matthew Potter, and Michael Potter completed the top-10.
Sicard’s brother Adam did him one spot better as he rolled to Victory Lane in the Woodsville Guaranty Savings Bank Strictly Stock Mini’s. The former division champion charged from the 11th starting spot in the 25-lap feature and was running second to Les Washburn when the event’s only caution flag came out with 12 laps complete. Washburn was initially able to hold Sicard off on the restart, but the veteran finally plucked the lead away from him on lap 15 and cruised to the win.
Father-son duo Brett and Dustin Jackson of Bethlehem, NH came out on top of a spirited late-race duel with Tyler Thompson and Washburn to complete the podium. Thompson and Washburn followed them across the finish line in that order. Jack Hayes, Jamie Ball, Gavin McGinnis, Jason Rogers, and Todd Derrington finished sixth through 10th.
Gilmanton, NH’s Thomas Smithers VI came on strong late to capture his fourth win of the year in the Dads 4 By Tool & Supply Kids Trucks. Smithers was running third to Kamden Potter and Owen Rogers when Potter began to slow late in the 15-lap feature. Rogers and Smithers both drove around Potter on lap 11, and with the two-to-go signal in sight, Smithers dove inside Rogers entering turn three to take the lead and the eventual win.
Rogers came in second with Dominic Warren third. Potter and Matthew Knowlton rounded out the top-five.
Midsummer Classic Weekend at White Mountain Motorsports Park continues Sunday, August 9 at 1:30pm with the Midsummer Classic 150 for the PASS Super Late Models. The PASS Modifieds, Allen Lumber Street Stocks, and Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors join them in action. Admission is $20 for adults and $5 for kids ages 12 and under with tickets available at the front gate. The Northeast Sports Network is also offering a $25 live pay-per-view broadcast at www.NSNsports.net/sponsors/racing.
The ACT Late Model Tour heads to Groveton, NH’s Riverside Speedway next Saturday, August 15 for the Gardiner & June Leavitt Memorial 150. Post time is 6:00pm for the event that was previously postponed due to weather. Admission is $20 for adults, $14 for seniors/military, and free for kids ages 12 and under.
For more information, contact the ACT or White Mountain Motorsports Park offices at (802) 244-6963, [email protected], or visit www.acttour.com or www.whitemountainmotorsports.com. You can also get updates on Facebook and Twitter at @ACTTour or @WhiteMtnMotorsports.
For more about the Northeast Sports Network, visit www.NSNsports.net or follow them on Facebook and Twitter at @NSNsports.
WHITE MOUNTAIN MOTORSPORTS PARK
ACT MIDSUMMER CLASSIC 250
SATURDAY, AUGUST 8, 2020
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
ACT LATE MODEL TOUR
Pos. Start Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown, Laps
1. ( 16 ) Dillon Moltz ( 5ME ) , New Sharon, ME , 250 Laps
2. ( 10 ) Jimmy Hebert ( 58VT ) , Williamstown, VT , 250 Laps
3. ( 14 ) Jason Corliss ( 66VT ) , Barre, VT , 250 Laps
4. ( 8 ) Scott Payea ( 37VT ) , Colchester, VT , 250 Laps
5. ( 21 ) Bryan Kruczek ( 19NH ) , Newmarket, NH , 250 Laps
6. ( 24 ) Dylan Payea ( 7NH ) , Milton, VT , 250 Laps
7. ( 13 ) Quinten Welch ( 78NH ) , Groveton, NH , 250 Laps
8. ( 1 ) Ryan Kuhn ( 72MA ) , E.Bridgewater, MA , 250 Laps
9. ( 2 ) #Derek Gluchacki ( 03MA ) , Dartmouth, MA , 250 Laps
10. ( 5 ) D.J. Shaw ( 04VT ) , Center Conway, NH , 249 Laps
11. ( 17 ) Alby Ovitt ( 35NH ) , Candia, NH , 249 Laps
12. ( 7 ) Joel Hodgdon ( 36VT ) , Craftsbury, VT , 249 Laps
13. ( 3 ) Christopher Pelkey ( 64VT ) , Graniteville, VT , 249 Laps
14. ( 18 ) Jesse Switser ( 25NH ) , W. Burke, VT , 249 Laps
15. ( 4 ) #Tom Carey III ( 5MA ) , New Salem, MA , 248 Laps
16. ( 22 ) Oren Remick ( 21NH ) , Monroe, NH , 247 Laps
17. ( 27 ) Matt Anderson ( 49NH ) , Andover, NH , 244 Laps
18. ( 20 ) Stephen Donahue ( 2VT ) , Graniteville, VT , 183 Laps
19. ( 15 ) Nick Sweet ( 40VT ) , Barre, VT , 183 Laps
20. ( 9 ) Jimmy Renfrew Jr. ( 00NH ) , Candia, NH , 182 Laps
21. ( 11 ) Ben Rowe ( 4ME ) , Turner, ME , 166 Laps
22. ( 26 ) Scott Coburn ( 72VT ) , Barre, VT , 157 Laps
23. ( 19 ) Bryan Mason ( 10NH ) , Milan, NH , 130 Laps
24. ( 23 ) Sammy Gooden ( 01NH ) , Whitefield, NH , 97 Laps
25. ( 12 ) Marcel J. Gravel ( 86VT ) , Wolcott, VT , 74 Laps
26. ( 28 ) Jeff Marshall ( 32NH ) , Gilman, VT , 73 Laps
27. ( 25 ) Jon Savage ( 18NH ) , Whitefield, NH , 73 Laps
28. ( 6 ) Joey Polewarczyk ( 97NH ) , Hudson, NH , 0 Laps
Lap Leaders: Ryan Kuhn, 1-65, Christopher Pelkey, 66-74; D.J. Shaw, 75-79; Dillon Moltz, 80-82; Shaw, 83-92; Moltz, 93-98; Shaw, 99-140; Moltz, 141-158; Bryan Kruczek, 159-171; Jimmy Hebert, 172-183; Moltz, 184-250. (10 lead changes among 6 drivers)
Time of Race: 1 hour, 48 minutes, 4 seconds Margin of Victory: seconds
Cautions: 8 (laps 61, 74, 79, 82, 92, 98, 158, 183)
Heat Winners: Jason Corliss, Jimmy Renfrew, Ben Rowe
Consi Winners: Stephen Donahue, Jimmy Hebert
B-Feature Winner: Bryan Kruczek
WELLS RIVER CHEVROLET FLYING TIGERS
Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown
1. Laci Potter ( 55X ) Danville, VT
2. Shane Sicard ( 4NH ) Barton, VT
3. Ryan Ware ( 32VT ) Littleton, NH
4. #Kasey Beattie ( 45NH ) St.Johnsbury, VT
5. Amanda Wheeler ( 20NH ) Bradford, VT
6. Nathaniel Parkin ( 88NH ) Bradford, VT
7. Jason Woodard ( 68VT ) Waterbury Ctr., VT
8. Michael Clark ( 2VT ) Bethlehem, NH
9. Matthew Potter ( 23VT ) Marshfield, VT
10. Michael Potter ( 23NH ) Marshfield, VT
11. Jody Sicard ( 49NH ) Barton, VT
12. Jaden Perry ( 92VT ) Hardwick, VT
13. Danny Doyle ( 51VT ) Randolph Ctr., VT
14. #Hunter King ( 62VT ) Woodbury, VT
WOODSVILLE GUARANTY SAVINGS BANK STRICTLY STOCK MINI’S
Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown
1. Adam Sicard ( 16 ) Barton, VT
2. Brett Jackson ( 31 ) Bethlehem, NH
3. Dustin Jackson ( 37 ) Bethlehem, NH
4. Tyler Thompson ( 51 ) Littleton, NH
5. Les Washburn ( 11 ) Bethlehem, NH
6. Jack Hayes ( 09 ) Littleton, NH
7. Jamie Ball ( 99 ) Passumpsic, VT
8. Gavin McGinnis ( 10 ) St. Johnsbury, VT
9. Jason Rogers* ( 91 ) Glover, VT
10. Todd Derrington ( 57 ) Littleton, NH
11. Scott Senecal ( 1 ) Lisbon, NH
12. Jillian Baumgardner ( 14 ) N. Woodstock, NH
13. Nicole Ouellette ( 88 ) Milan, NH
14. Dave Driscoll ( 19 ) N. Woodstock, NH
15. Darren Newland ( 25 ) E. Burke, VT
16. Jason Fallman ( 21 ) N. Woodstock, NH
17. Joe Giddings ( 41 ) Waterford, VT
*Sub driver for Keri Driscoll
DADS 4 BY SUPPLY KIDS TRUCKS
Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown
1. Thomas Smithers, VI ( 24 ) Gilmanton, NH
2. Owen Rogers ( 4 ) Glover, VT
3. Dominic Warren ( 9 ) Concord, VT
4. Kamden Potter ( 55 ) W. Danville, VT
5. Matthew Knowlton ( 8 ) Northfield, NH
6. McKenna Merchant ( 99 )
7. Amanda St. Amour ( 20 ) Brookfield, VT
8. Damion Sicard ( 23 ) Barton, VT
