NEW ENGLAND MOTORSPORTS NORTH
By Lou Modestino
The 2015 season is fast approaching, as the Granite State Pro Stock Series (GSPSS) begins their fourth full season at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park on April 10-12, and two drivers are itching to capture the first wins of their GSPSS careers.
Hudson, New Hampshire young gun Derek Griffith had a respectable season, finishing fourth on the season, with six (6) top-five and ten (10) top-ten finishes in eleven (11) races, but the elusive “W” has evaded the LCM Racing Engines team. Griffith is trying to change that in 2015.
Griffith states “The 2014 season was definitely an improvement, but not even close to the full potential of the LCM crew. Our goals this season are wins, and, possibly, a championship. We will try to keep our consistency.”
Griffith isn’t just a rising star on the track, but the 18 year-old has a heart way beyond his years. Griffith has become a fixture at benefit go-kart races, as well as remembrance of someone special.
“My sisters Friend, Nicole Jacques, was with me on the side of the car untouched almost all season,” Griffith states. Jacques passed away after an illness early in 2014. Griffith handed out stickers to all GSPSS competitors at his home track, Hudson International Speedway, in remembrance of his family friend.
Griffith also entered the Race to End Vanishing White Matter Disease go-kart event, a benefit to boost awareness and research of Vanishing White Matter Disease, and earned his way into the DT100, a go-kart event which raises money for the NH Make-A-Wish Foundation. Griffith was challenged to raise $1000 to race in the closed event, in less than a week. The youngster picked up the final portion of the donation at the event, and earned a spot in the charity event.
“I’m so glad stuff like these events exist,” said Griffith. “If I was in their shoes, and a bunch of racecar drivers were supporting me, I would be astonished! These benefits are amazing, and I hope to bring more to the table next year for them.”
For Mike Parks, his eighth place finish in the final standings in 2014 was not indicative of the team’s effort. Parks said “We had terrible luck. We had a fast car most of the time, and the finishes just didn’t show it. We were just never able to shake the monkey off our back.”
Parks has purchased a new Distance chassis in the off-season, and is looking to pick up a win in the new ride. With the changes to the 2015 schedule, Parks is looking to capitalize at the return of his home track.
“We are looking forward to all of the tracks, but especially to the return of Claremont Speedway, as that is where I got my start in racing,” comments Parks. “I always look forward to my favorite track on the schedule, Monadnock Speedway, but going back to Star Speedway is up there as well. We finally figured it out at Star with a good setup.”
The Granite State Pro Stock Series will begin the eleven (11)-race schedule on April 10-12 at the IceBreaker, at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park.
A joint announcement between the American Canadian Tour (ACT) and the Pro ALL Stars Series (PASS) last November came as great news throughout the short track industry, particularly in the Northeast. Principals Tom Curley (ACT) and Tom Mayberry (PASS) decided that, after a decade of competing against each other in the region, it was time to re-energize the region’s full-fendered stock car racing competitors and their fans. They formed a working alliance for the 2015 season.
In a stunning program, they announced an aggressive three-track format, which will host double features for both popular touring divisions at the same race events on three separate occasions throughout the Spring, Summer and Fall of 2015. The opening event will be twin 150 lap events for the ACT teams and PASS teams at the Oxford Plains Speedway (OPS) in Oxford, ME on Saturday, April 18. It is expected that a number of teams will pull double duty and compete in both events.
The summer event will take place at the ACT International 500 weekend on July 18/19 at the Airborne Park Speedway in Plattsburgh, NY. Twin 200 lap events for both the PASS teams and ACT teams will make up a two-day event. All qualifying will be done on Saturday night for Sunday’s feature events. There will be purse and prize money of more than $100,000.00 up for grabs. The event will include both the US and Quebec ACT teams and will be both a PASS North and PASS National point-counting event. The weekend will also feature the ACT Pro Cam Truck Series in a point-counting event. The Rev Star asphalt Sprint cars will also be featured on Saturday qualifying night.
The final doubleheader of the triple bill program of races will be held at the Autodrome Chaudiere in Vallee-Jct., QC on Saturday, September 12. The racy quarter mile hosts both PASS and ACT events to sellout crowds throughout the season, and the combination event is expected to be the largest event ever held at the facility. Each division will again race 200 laps.
In addition to the three twin bills, a first-ever PASS event will be held Memorial Day weekend at Thunder Road International Speedbowl in Barre, VT, a track co-owned by Curley. A stand-alone event on Saturday, June 27 at Oxford Plains Speedway for the ACT teams has also been put on the 2015 calendar. The agreement between the parties also calls for a no conflict date on the weekend of August 28-30 for the running of the historic Oxford 250. This will free up the weekend for teams and fans of ACT to attend one of the premier short track races of the year to close out the summer season.
“There is just all upside to this deal as far as I can see. Having the two largest and most popular Late Model touring groups working together is great for the race teams, and also for the fans who have supported each group all these years. It should provide better fields of cars, and without a doubt some of the best racing the region has ever seen in these events. I know some teams are planning to compete in both of the twins, and that will add another dimension to the event,” said Bruce Bernhardt, owner of 2012 and 2013 ACT Champion Wayne Helliwell, Jr.
OPS has been part of ACT racing since the early 80’s. In fact, the ACT organization became the management team at OPS for several years in the early 90s. Curley said, “I think we had some of our very best races at Oxford Plains for a lot of years with these Late Model cars. In fact, during Bill Ryan’s tenure, Oxford became the strongest weekly car count track in the ACT overall regional market. Obviously, we are excited about going back in a few weeks. Actually, I am interested in seeing the rivalry between the ACT teams and PASS teams who run against each other in the Super Late Model events. I am sure there will be some PASS teams getting into our momentum ACT Late Models at the doubleheaders. I think Tom and I should have a sizeable bet on some kind of point deal that has the cross over guys from each league pitted against each other during the double features. It should be a fun time for fans and teams in 2015.”
The opening of Oxford Plains Speedway on Saturday, April 18 will offer full-fendered race fans twin 150-lap events of action and a new beginning. Post time is 2 pm. There has been tremendous support from fans and teams for this cooperative effort, and a full field of cars and stars from both leagues should not disappoint.
Lee USA Speedway will present the American Canadian Tour (ACT) opening event on Sunday, April 12, 2015. The 150 lap New Hampshire Governor’s Cup ACT race has traditionally been one of the most exciting and unpredictable events of any race season on the popular tour. This year is no exception– Eddie MacDonald “The Outlaw” of Rowley, MA has only won the race one time; that was in 2014.
Lee Speedway has been owned by the MacDonald family for 29 years. Young Eddie MacDonald, long before the present emergence of the modern era of 13-year olds wielding $40,000.00 Super Late Models around today’s short tracks, was getting laps in at the fast 1/3 mile Lee track, before he could even race in a division at the Speedway.
Eddie MacDonald has gone on to win just about every major regional Late Model race, including championship efforts in the NASCAR K&N Series, the Oxford 250 (twice), Bond Auto ACT Invitational at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway (twice), Thunder Road’s famous Milk Bowl, and recently he swept the triple 100 lap features in a very competitive field at the World Series of Asphalt Racing at New Smyrna Speedway.
“Eddie Mac” carries the moniker “the Outlaw”, a well-deserved nick-name, as the likeable, smoother-than-silk driver, who doesn’t have the appearance of a nasty outlaw type, but his race day mission is intense, professional, and he races smart, and with respect. The Hancock Electric-Grimm team pays attention to detail, led by long-time crew chief, Rollie Lachance.
Director of Competition for ACT, Dean Gallison, said, “They are like bees hovering around a nest as far as work ethic. When they hit the track they can put a sting on any competition. They pay no attention to what other teams are doing, they are not afraid to try different combinations during a typical race day. But when the racing is for real, they seem to always have things sorted out for that particular track and race. I think the “Outlaw” handle they seem to have gotten is because they don’t race for points or championships, they race to win—every time. And they certainly are getting that done. When you know Eddie and Rollie are in town, best bring your “A” game if you want to beat them.”
MacDonald will face the best ACT has to offer on opening day 2015 at this home track. Starting with the Milk Bowl last October, the non-ACT Fall Brawl in November, and the New Smyrna Speedway triple wins, the Freddy Petersen owned team is 5 in a row on top of the podium. A follow up win at Lee would set a Late Model standard unlike any other in the long 30 year history of ACT. Past glories went to drivers like Dion, Crouch, Cabana, Hanley, Cyr, and Hoar. They have high race pedigrees, but none has ever strung 6 major events together in a row. Teams like Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., Hudson, NH; Wayne Helliwell, Jr., Dover, NH; Alex Labbe, St. Albert, QC; former NH Governor Cup winner Jimmy Hebert, Williamstown, VT; and dozens more will try and stop the “Outlaw” at Lee USA, this April 12th.
Tom Curley, President of ACT said, “I think the remarkable run Eddie and his team are having is just great. It forces our very best teams to dig deep, and it uses his success as motivation for all our teams going into the season. We will get better racers and races. The fans ultimately win. The intensity showed during the New Smyrna trip is just what short track fans like, and what we need in our business. For the talented depth of young upcoming teams we have racing in ACT, the present “Outlaw” run should serve as an example of what hard work, dedication to your craft, and a positive attitude can do to improve and continually challenge a racing program at all stages of development.”
MacDonald will join an expected field of 40 teams for opening day of the 2015 season. The New Hampshire Governor’s Cup is Sunday, April 12, 2015. Post time is 1 pm. Practice will take place from noon until 5 pm on Saturday, April 11, 2015.