NEW ENGLAND MOTORSPORTS NORTH For Dec 4th 2014
By Lou Modestino
Airborne Park Speedway has taken another step toward the future, as Mike Bruno has joined the track’s business ownership group. Bruno served as the Competition Director at Airborne in 2014 and will expand on that role moving forward; he has partnered with Jamie Atkins and Steve Fuller to form the ownership group.
Effective immediately, Bruno will take over day-to-day business operations as the track’s General Manager, while Atkins will step back from the daily operations and take on a support role. Bruno co-owns and promotes Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Vermont with his wife, Alayne, and says that the two tracks will continue building on a partnership that began last season.
“I obviously have a deep interest in the success of Devil’s Bowl, but I also want to see Airborne thrive. We made big strides this year and I’m excited for the future,” Bruno said. “The two tracks share a lot of the same competitors and fans, and both are part of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, so it just makes sense to take this next step. Airborne has always been one of my home tracks and I’m just as committed to its growth as I am to Devil’s Bowl’s.”
Nearly the entire core staff at Airborne remains intact including administrator Peg Bombard, technical inspector Bob Miller, and many other key contributors, though Sherm Hamel – the interim general manager in 2014 – has transitioned out of the company.
“We are all committed to growing Airborne now and for the future,” Jamie Atkins said. “Our team of officials and employees really jelled this summer, and we know that Mike Bruno and some of the Devil’s Bowl staff were an important part of turning the entire business around. We’re moving in a positive direction and we’re very enthusiastic about continuing that trend toward a bright future.”
The American Canadian Tour Late Models will visit 11 different tracks throughout New England, New York and Quebec during the 13 event 2015 season. Officials have announced the schedule, which will kick off on Sunday, April 12 at Lee USA Speedway in Lee, NH and crown a champion on Saturday, October 17 at Thompson Speedway in Thompson, CT.
The ACT Late Models visit two new tracks in 2015. ACT will run their first ever point counting events at Autodrome Chaudiere in Vallee-Jct., QC as a doubleheader with PASS in September and the Late Models will visit Thompson for the first time ever to conclude the season in October.
ACT will also return to Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, ME for two events after a several year hiatus. The April Oxford event will be the inaugural ACT/PASS doubleheader event, while the June event will be a stand alone ACT race. Airborne Speedway in Plattsburgh, NY will be the only other venue to host two events in 2015. The schedule is highlighted by trips to Thunder Road in Barre, VT, Speedway 51 (formerly Riverside Speedway in Groveton, NH), Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven, VT, White Mountain Motorsports Park in North Woodstock, NH, Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough, ME and Circuit Riverside Speedway in St-Croix, QC.
The 2015 season will also feature several non-point counting special events. The first will be this February 16-17, when the stars of ACT head to New Smyrna Speedway in New Smyrna Beach, Florida for the American Racer Twin 100s. Other special events include the ACT International at Airborne, which will see doubleheader 200s with the PASS series, the 7th Annual Bond ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, NH and the 53rdrunning of the Milk Bowl at Thunder Road in Barre, VT.
For more information contact the ACT office at 802.244.6963 or [email protected] or visit www.acttour.com.
2015 ACT Schedule – Schedule Subject to Change
# DATE DAY TRACK EVENT
** Feb 16-17 Mon-Tue New Smyrna Speedway American Racer Twin 100’s
1 Apr 11-12 Sat-Sun Lee USA NH Gov Cup 150
2 Apr 18 Sat Oxford Plains Speedway ACT/PASS Twin 150’s
3 May 2-3 Sat-Sun Thunder Road Merchants Bank 150
4 May 16 Sat Airborne Park Speedway Spring Green 115
5 May 30 Sat Speedway 51 L’il Joey Generation Next 151
6 Jun 06 Sat Devil’s Bowl Speedway ACT 100
7 Jun 20 Sat White Mountain ACT 150
8 Jun 27 Sat Oxford Plains Speedway ACT 150
** Jul 18-19 Sat-Sun Airborne Park Speedway Int’l Dbl-Header 200’s
9 Aug 08 Sat Beech Ridge Motor Speedway Coastal 150
10 Aug 22 Sat Circuit Riverside Speedway Can-Am 150
11 Sep 12 Sat Chaudiere (ACT US/QC/PASS) Doubleheader 200’s
** Sep 26 Sat New Hampshire Motor Spwy Bond Auto ACT Invitational
12 Oct 03 Sat Airborne Park Speedway Fall Foliage 200
** Oct 10-11 Sat-Sun Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl VT Milk Bowl
13 Oct 16-17 Fri-Sat Thomson Speedway MP ACT Championship 100
[** non-point races]
American Canadian Tour officials have announced a twelve (12) event schedule for the 2015 Serie ACT Quebec season, including several combination events with the ACT U.S. series. The 12 event schedule features events at six (6) different tracks including a special Triple Crown series at Airborne Speedway in Plattsburgh, NY.
The 2015 season unofficially gets underway this February with the return of ACT to New Smyrna Speedway in Florida on the 16th and 17th for non-point counting Twin 100 events. The Serie ACT point battle will begin and end at Airborne Speedway and will include stops at Autodrome St-Eustache, Autodrome Chaudiere, Circuit Riverside Speedway, Autodrome Montmagny and a return to Autodrome St-Felicien.
The schedule is also highlighted by non-point counting events with the ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the Milk Bowl at Thunder Road and the ACT International at Airborne as the second leg of the Serie ACT Triple Crown.
For more information contact the ACT office at 802.244.6963 or [email protected] or visit www.acttour.com.
2015 Serie ACT Schedule – Sujet á Changement
# DATE JOUR PISTE ÉVENEMENT
** Fév 16-17 Lun-mard New Smyrna Speedway Twin 100
1 Mai 16 Sam *Airborne Park Speedway Spring Green 115
2 Mai 23 Sam Autodrome St-Eustache 100
3 Mai 30 Sam Autodrome Chaudière 100
4 Juin 06 Sam Circuit Riverside Speedway 100
5 Juin 27 Sam Autodrome Montmagny 100
6 Juil 04 Sam Autodrome St-Eustache 150
** Juil 18-19 Sam-Dim *Airborne Park Speedway Int’l Dbl-Header 200’s
7 Aout 01 Sam Autodrome St-Felicien 250 Classique (75, 75, 100)
8 Aout 22 Sam Circuit Riverside Speedway CAN-AM 150
9 Sep 05 Sam Autodrome Montmagny 150
10 Sep 12 Sam Chaudiere (ACT US/QC/PASS) Doubleheader 200’s
11 Sep 20 Dim Autodrome St-Eustache 200
** Sep 26 Sam New Hampshire Motor Spwy Invitational
12 Oct 03 Sam *Airborne Park Speedway Fall Foliage 200
** Oct 10-11 Sam-Dim Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl Milk Bowl
[* Serie ACT Triple Couronne]
[** non-point races ]
The Granite State Pro Stock Series (GSPSS) has announced the date to the year-ending 2014 Championship Awards Banquet. This year’s banquet will take place Saturday, January 10, at one of New Hampshire’s premier event destinations, the Executive Court Banquet Facility in Manchester, NH. The top-10 in the final point standings in the series’ third full season will be honored, as well as the 2014 champion, Waterford, Connecticut’s Dillon Moltz.
As well as the top-10 being recognized at the Championship Awards Banquet, there will be multiple specialty awards handed out, as well as a plethora of prizes from the GSPSS Contingency Awards Program.
The banquet will begin at 6:15PM, with social hour lasting until 7:30PM, and dinner to follow. The awards ceremony is scheduled to begin at 8:45PM, with music and dancing to follow.
Banquet reservations are now available via email at [email protected], or by contacting Mike Parks or Jennifer Ready. Tickets are $50, and must RSVP by January 1, 2015.
Thunder Road officials have released the 2015 Thunder Road schedule of events. The schedule consists of the customary 18 events from opening day on Saturday/Sunday, May 2/3 through the Milk Bowl on Saturday/Sunday, October 10/11. The season is highlighted by several big events including visits from the American Canadian Tour (ACT) during the season opener on Sunday, May 3 and the Pro All-Star Series (PASS) on Mekkelsen Memorial Day Classic on Sunday, May 24.
Thursday night events begin on June 11 and run through August 27. Big events throughout the season include the VP Fuels Governor’s Cup on Thursday, July 9, the Times Argus Mid-Season Championships on Thursday, July 23 and the Enduro 200 on Sunday, August 2. The 2015 season will conclude with two major events. The 37th Annual Coca-Cola Labor Day Classic 200 will take place on Sunday, September 6 and will crown all 2015 division champions. The 53rd Annual Milk Bowl on Sunday, October 11 with Booth Bros./H.P. Hood Qualifying Day on Saturday, October 10 will close out the 2015 schedule.
2015 will mark the 56th season of stock car racing at the “Nation’s Site of Excitement” atop Quarry Hill in Barre, VT. Season passes are now available by contacting the Thunder Road office at 802.244.6963 or [email protected].
For more information contact the Thunder Road office at [email protected] or visit www.thunderroadspeedbowl.com.
2015 Thunder Road Schedule of Events
# DAY DATE EVENT
1 Sat-Sun May 2-3 ACT 150
2 Sun May 24 Mekkelsen Memorial Day Classic 100/PASS 150
3 Thu Jun 11 Harvest Equipment
4 Thu Jun 18 Casella Waste Management
5 Thu Jun 25 North Country Federal Credit Union
6 Thu Jul 02 Weekly
7 Sun Jul 05 Weekly
8 Thu Jul 09 VP Fuels Governor’s Cup
9 Thu Jul 16 Weekly
10 Thu Jul 23 Times Argus Mid-Season Championship
11 Thu Jul 30 WDEV Calkins
12 Sun Aug 02 ENDURO 200 – SS Special
13 Thu Aug 06 Weekly
14 Thu Aug 13 Weekly
15 Thu Aug 20 Jet Service-Acura-VT Shifter
16 Thu Aug 27 Weekly
17 Sun Sep 06 Coca Cola Labor Day Classic
18 Sat Oct 10 Booth Bros./H.P. Hood Qualifying Day
Sun Oct 11 53rd Annual Milk Bowl
Schedule subject to change
Pro All Stars Series (PASS) officials announced today the release of the 2015 schedule for the PASS North Super Late Models. The Northeast’s top short trackers will once again compete at some of the top short tracks in New England and Quebec, highlighted by the 42nd Annual Oxford 250 at Oxford Plains Speedway. PASS will further expand into Vermont and New York in 2015 staging events in conjunction with the American-Canadian Tour (ACT). The PASS North Super Late Models will compete on at least 9 different speedways in 4 states and the Canadian province of Quebec in 2015.
“We’re very happy with the slate of tracks that we have assembled for our racers to compete on next year,” said PASS President Tom Mayberry. “There has already been a lot of excitement surrounding our new partnership with ACT and our fans seem to be excited for what’s in store for 2015. The Oxford 250 continues to be one of short track racing’s biggest events and we believe it will be even bigger and better than ever come next August.”
The 42nd Annual Oxford 250 moves to a new weekend in 2015 with racers from all across North America expected to compete for $25,000 to win, plus guaranteed lap leader money on August 28-30. In addition, Oxford Plains Speedway will host the PASS North Super Late Model season opener on Saturday, April 18, along with the ACT Late Models, and will crown the PASS North champion with the season finale on Saturday, October 3.
Maine’s Beech Ridge Motor Speedway will host the PASS North Super Late Models three times in 2015 on Saturday, May 2, Saturday, July 11, and the PASS 400 Weekend on September 19-20. Speedway 95 in Hermon, ME returns to the PASS North schedule for a second straight year with a 150 lap event slated for Sunday, June 14.
PASS will make its first of two trips in 2015 to the state of New Hampshire on Saturday, May 9 at Star Speedway. The series will return to the Granite State on Friday, June 26 for an event at Lee USA Speedway.
The Super Late Models of PASS will join the ACT Late Models at Thunder Road International Speedbowl for the first time ever in a Memorial Dayweekend twin bill on Sunday, May 24. The PASS North Super Late Models will race 150 laps, and the Thunder Road Late Models will race for the Mekkelsen Memorial Day Classic 100 honors.
Airborne Park Speedway in Plattsburgh, NY will also play host to the two most popular traveling series in the US and Quebec as two 200-lap features will take place for both PASS and ACT teams July 18-19. Qualifying will take place Saturday evening and feature races will be run onSunday.
PASS will make the trip North of the border four times in 2015 as the series makes the trek up to Quebec. Autodrome Chaudiere will host the PASS North Super Late Models three times in 2015 beginning on Saturday, May 16 and then again on Saturday, June 20. The ACT Late Models will race in conjunction with the PASS North Super Late Models in a twin bill at Autodrome Chaudiere on Saturday, September 12. PASS will also return to Autodrome Montmagny in 2015 on Saturday, August 8.
An additional date is tentatively scheduled for August and will be announced at a later date.
Look for the PASS Modified schedule to be released in the near future.
The Pro All Stars Series is recognized as North America’s premier sanctioning body for asphalt Super Late Models and boasts such marquee events as the legendary Oxford 250 at Oxford Plains Speedway and PASS South’s Easter Bunny 150 at the historic Hickory Motor Speedway. For technical information concerning all PASS divisions please send questions to [email protected]. For media or marketing questions, please contact Alan Dietz at 704-231-2039 or [email protected]. Please visit ProAllStarsSeries.com for more information. And, don’t forget to “Like” the Pro All Stars Series on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @PASSSLM14 to keep up with breaking news as it happens.
2015 PASS North Super Late Model Schedule
April 18 Oxford Plains Speedway Oxford, ME
April 19 Oxford Plains Speedway Rain Date or April 26 for rain or if ground are too wet
May 2 Beech Ridge Motor Speedway Scarborough, ME
May 9 Star Speedway Epping, NH
May 16 Autdrome Chaudiere Valley Junction, QE
May 24 Thunder Road International Speedbowl Barre, VT
June 14 Speedway 95 Hermon, ME
June 20 Autodrome Chaudiere Valley Junction, QE
June 26 Lee USA Speedway Lee, NH
July 11 Beech Ridge Motor Speedway Scarborough, ME
July 19 Airborne Park Speedway Plattsburgh, NY
August To Be Announced
August 8 Autodrome Montmagny Montmagny, QE
August 30 42nd Annual Oxford 250 Oxford, ME
September 12 Autodrome Chaudiere Valley Junction, QE
September 20 Beech Ridge Motor Speedway Scarborough, ME
October 3 Oxford Plains Speedway Oxford, ME
– Dates Subject To Change
– Additional Dates Could Be Added