EAST MONTPELIER, Vt. – After missing the last two American Canadian Tour races, Emily Packard and the 9x Northstar Fireworks/Packard Fuels team are set to return this weekend to Oxford Plains Speedway for the ACT 100. “I am very excited to go back to Oxford this weekend,” said the 19 year old racer. “I really like the track, and we have had some really decent finishes there, so I am looking forward to this weekend, hopefully there will be a good turnout of cars.” This weekend the American Canadian Tour revisits Oxford Plains Speedway as part of the 43rd HP Hood Oxford 250 weekend, with their 100 lap feature race on Saturday night.
“We tested there last week, and it felt pretty good,” said Emily. “We haven’t been there since April, so obviously the track is completely different now than it was back then, but I feel pretty good about our test and that we will have a decent car this weekend.” In the spring race this season at OPS, Packard restarted in seventh place, finding herself stuck behind lapped cars on what would be the final restart of the race. Losing several positions in the closing laps she would eventually crossing the line in 13the place. “We had a really good car and should have had a better finish,” said Packard, “we just got stuck in the wrong line on that restart.” The East Montpelier native is hoping to better that finish this weekend and build some momentum to take through the remainder of the season. “The last couple of races have been really hard races,” Packard said, “so I really want to go and have a good run. The last race at Seekonk was awful, the car just wouldn’t respond to any adjustments that were made, so the test was really important to getting the car set up for this race.”
This past Wednesday, Packard and the team took advantage of the ACT test day at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, working the car through the paces, and getting the driver more comfortable at the 1.058 mile oval. “It felt good to get back in the car today; it’s a good little refresher to be out there with a bunch of cars before we head back to Oxford.” Emily said. “We don’t have much practice on Saturday or much time there (at Oxford). So with the limited practice, we should be able to tune it in, do our tire scuff and that’s pretty much all we are going to have time for before the heats.”
Pit gates open at 9 am Saturday morning. The ACT cars will get three 15 minute practices Saturday afternoon, with the first once scheduled to begin at 2pm. Heat races are set to go off around 5 pm. If you can’t make it out to Oxford this weekend, be sure to follow along on social media for all the action at the track.