ACT & Thunder Road Honor Best of 2020 at Banquet of Champions
American Canadian Tour
Barre, VT — The American-Canadian Tour (ACT) and Thunder Road Speedbowl honored the top performers of their 2020 seasons at the Banquet of Champions on Saturday, May 1. Drivers, crews, officials, and special guests gathered at Thunder Road prior to the track’s season-opener for a night of celebration before throwing the green flag of 2021.
Williamstown, VT’s Jimmy Hebert was recognized as the 2020 ACT Champion. In his ninth season with the ACT Late Model Tour, the Hebert Excavation team had 2 wins and 7 podium finishes in 9 point-counting events.
Despite challenges from both fellow competitors and from navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, Hebert and team were able to put everything together for their first ACT title. In his acceptance speech, Hebert credited the series for getting a season in despite the challenges and for taking care of its competitors, which helped sway his decision to defend the title in 2021.
Clark Gets First ACT Victory in Wild Community Bank N.A. 150
Perry, Martin, and Fleury Earn Wins in Support Division Action
American Canadian Tour
Barre, VT — Fayston, VT’s Brooks Clark roared from deep in the field to get his first American-Canadian Tour (ACT) victory in a wild Community Bank N.A. 150 at Barre, VT’s Thunder Road on Sunday, May 2. Clark took the lead for good from Shelburne, VT’s Trampas Demers with 21 laps to go and held him off for the victory after starting 21st on the grid.
The biggest victory of Clark’s career came in an event with more twists and turns than a campfire mystery tale. Several early contenders were sidelined by a spate of midrace carnage before Clark and Demers, two accomplished locals, put on a show down the stretch for both the Barre crowd and a worldwide audience on FloRacing.
Huge New Season on the Horizon at Devil’s Bowl Speedway
Well over 100 cars expected for Mike’s Fuels Night on May 1
WEST HAVEN, Vt. – Devil’s Bowl Speedway is ready to set records in 2021. The historic Vermont dirt track opens its 55th season of racing on Saturday, May 1 at 7:00 p.m., as Mike’s Fuels of Bridport presents the action, and race fans are in for a summer for the ages, as the fastest-growing track in the Northeast skyrockets into the new year.
The new season is expected to smash modern-era records, as a huge wave of new drivers across five racing divisions has entered the fray. A diverse field of nearly 80 cars attended an open practice session last weekend, and all signs point to an opening-night car count well past 100 entries.
The First Glimpse of the cars and stars competing at the Ridge our 54th consecutive season is just around the corner!
Bear Ridge Speedway
Just two more weeks till the first day to get a glimpse of the 2021 Bear Ridge Speedway cars and stars that will be competing for the championship in their respective divisions. On Saturday April 24 the cars and stars will be returning to the Fireside Inn West Lebanon NH from 10:00 to 1:00.
With Covid vaccines being administered daily and the car show being located outside, we feel that we can successfully begin our reconnection with all our fans, families, and competitors as we get ready to kick off the 2021 racing season the 54th consecutive one at Bear Ridge Speedway.
Barre, VT — Thunder Road officials announced today that Scott Tapley has been appointed the track’s Race Director for the 2021 season. The respected motorsports official will oversee the action for all of Thunder Road’s local racing divisions. Tapley takes charge for a 19-event schedule that can be seen live in Barre, VT or worldwide on FloRacing.
Tapley is also the race director at Connecticut’s Stafford Motor Speedway and Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park along with New York’s Riverhead Raceway. The Maine native got his first taste of the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) when late ACT founder Tom Curley ran Oxford Plains Speedway in 1994-1995. The addition of Thunder Road to his résumé completes a circle that goes back nearly 30 years for the auto racing lifer and Maine native.
“As a kid that sat in the pit stands for the very first time for a driver’s meeting in 1994 at Oxford and listened to Tom Curley speak, I instantly became a ‘Tom Curley guy’,” Tapley said. “From that moment, I have followed intently what was going on with Thunder Road and ACT, and I’ve always seen Thunder Road as one the top facilities in the country.”
Exciting premier events added to 2021 schedule the 54TH consecutive season of racing
Bear Ridge Speedway
The DIRTcar Northeast VP Racing Fuels “East Region Series” for the DIRTcar Sportsman Modifieds is set to invade the Ridge on Saturday May 15th, for the second event of the five-race series. The series will open with the first event at Airborne Speedway on May 1st. After the stars take flight at the Ridge, they will make two treks to Glen Ridge Motorsports Park and one to Albany Saratoga Speedway. Bear Ridge Speedway “the fastest dirt track in Vermont” along with our DIRTcar Sportsman Modifieds division sponsor Sabil & Sons are very excited to be able to be a part of this series and know that several of the Ridge drivers will be strong contenders for the overall championship of this series. Be sure to check the web site and our face book page for more information about this series.
