ACT Late Model Tour: Emily Packard
New Hampshire Motor Speedway Race Report
LOUDON, N.H. – Emily Packard of East Montpelier, Vt., finished 42nd in the fifth annual Bond Auto ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H., on Saturday, September 21, after being collected in an accident involving other drivers just four laps into the event. Packard was among the 15 fastest cars in the 43-car field during final practice earlier in the day, and she started 32nd after ACT’s unique handicapping system for the event. She had already started gaining positions in the opening laps of the 50-lap race, but two cars tangled in a three-wide race on the frontstretch of the 1.058-mile oval. Packard was caught up in it, and a broken radiator hose ultimately kept the No. 9x Northstar Fireworks/Berlin Optical Expressions Ford from returning to the event.
WHO: Emily Packard, East Montpelier, Vt.
TEAM: No. 9x Northstar Fireworks/Berlin Optical Expressions Ford Fusion
CREW CHIEF: Neal Woodward, Georgia, Vt.
WHAT: Bond Auto ACT Invitational 50
WHERE: New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, N.H. (1.058-mile oval)
STARTED: 32nd
FINISHED: 42nd
NEXT RACE: September 28, Fall Foliage 200, Airborne Speedway, Plattsburgh, N.Y. (.500-mile oval)
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EMILY, WHAT HAPPENED?
It was pretty crazy on the start, and some guys decided to make it three-wide around me. I was caught in the middle. The 51 was on the outside of me, and I was trying to give him room, but the 42 was underneath me and I was worried that he was going to come right across the front of me. I really didn’t have anywhere to go. They started wrecking, and I was right there.
We were going to try and fix it and get back out, but we found a hole in the radiator hose and that was it for us.
HOW DISAPPOINTING IS IT?
I’m obviously really disappointed. We had a pretty good car in the test when we were here, and we were good again in the morning practice. There just wasn’t anything I could do.
I really wanted to come in here and have a good race and get a good finish, so it stinks that didn’t happen. I’m already looking forward to coming back next year. We’ll just have to be ready to come back even better. I really want to have a good finish at Loudon.