by Jay | Oct 12, 2009 | ACT, Canada, Maine, New England, Oxford Plains Speedway
Eric Williams Wins Fall 150 at Oxford Plains Speedway
Oxford, ME – Williston’s Brian Hoar captured his sixth career American Canadian Tour Championship with a fourth place finish in the New England Dodge Dealers Fall 150 at Oxford Plains Speedway on Sunday, October 11. Hoar’s most recent title came in 2000, after which he took several years off from ACT competition. Hoar returned for the 2009 season with a new car owner in Rick Paya. Paya has seven previous ACT championships as a car owner. Hoar earned the championship over Scott Payea who finished in the runner-up position for the second year in a row.
Hyde Park’s Eric Williams scored his second ACT Tour win of the season and first career win at Oxford Plains. Williams took the lead from John Donahue on 119 and held off Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. during several restarts in the final ten laps. Polewarczyk held on for second followed by Donahue, Hoar and Oxford regular Tim Brackett. Bradley Babb, Jay Laquerre, Scott Payea, Brent Dragon and Jamie Fisher completed the top ten.
The New England Dodge Dealers Fall 150 was completed in just over one hour and was slowed by just six cautions. Twenty-eight of the thirty-three drivers that took the green flag were running at the finish. Four different drivers led a lap.
The New England Dodge Dealers Fall 150 caps off the 2009 ACT Tour season. Hoar will be honored among others at the 2009 ACT Banquet of Champions. The date and other information will be announced at a later date.
Unofficial Results
New England Dodge Dealers Fall 150
Oxford Plains Speedway
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Pos Car # Driver
1 7VT Eric Williams
2 97NH Joey Polewarczyk, Jr.
3 26VT John Donahue
4 37 Brian Hoar
5 68 Tim Brackett
6 60NH Bradley Babb
7 50 Jay Laquerre
8 89 Scott Payea
9 55VT Brent Dragon
10 18 Jamie Fisher
11 7ME Glen Luce
12 03 Travis Adams
13 15VT Joey Laquerre
14 2 Aaron Ricker
15 55NH DJ Shaw
16 94 Shawn Martin
17 9VT Chip Grenier
18 57 Austin Theriault
19 73ME Joey Doiron
20 17 Eddie MacDonald
21 6 Tom Ricker
22 26ME Corey Morgan
23 78NH Quinten Welch
24 88 Nicholas Sweet
25 02NH Randy Potter
26 71 Scott Dragon
27 25 Shawn Knight
28 51ME Ricky Rolfe
29 41 Pete Potvin, III
30 5 Jeff White
31 38VT Tyler Cahoon
32 10NH Ben Rowe
33 40VT Eric Chase
by Jay | Oct 12, 2009 | NASCAR
~ 19 year old wins first race at Auto Club Speedway ~
San Bernardino County, Calif. (Oct. 10, 2009) – In one of the most exciting NASCAR NNS races of the year, Joey Logano (No. 20 GameStop/Brutal Legend Toyota) captured his first win at Auto Club Speedway, his second in consecutive weeks and fifth of the series by holding off Brian Vickers (No. 32 Dollar General Stores Toyota) to win the Copart 300 on Saturday.
“That was the most fun race I’ve ever had in my life,” the 19-year-old Logano said. “I went from a point where I don’t have a shot at this to trying to salvage a top 10 out of it to bringing home a W.”
Logano’s crew chief Dave Rogers thought Logano “really showed a lot of heart” with the victory. He’ll go for three in a row next week in Charlotte. “It could happen,” Logano said. “I never lose doubt that we’re going to get this thing right. We’re back in victory lane where we belong.”
Logano started on the pole but spent most of the race coming back from an early race incident with Greg Biffle (No. 16 CitiFinancial Ford), who later got tangled with Denny Hamlin (No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota) with less than 10 laps to go.
Did Logano think he could come all the way back and win it? “Not till the end. I promise you that,” he said. “I didn’t think we had a shot at it after Biffle decided to put us in the wall.
“You can’t put this (No.) 20 team down. I’ll tell you what, we never quit, we kept bringing it all day.”
NNS points leader Kyle Busch (No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota) left his car early in the race because of a fever and was replaced by Hamlin, who ended up finishing in 31st place after tangling with Biffle and Brad Keselowski (No. 88 GoDaddy Chevrolet).
Said second-place finisher Vickers: “It was a good run. There was one run there where we led for a while. We were better on the long runs. We had a good car. Probably the two best cars were the 18 and 20. They had just a little bit more.”
Carl Edwards (No. 60 Valvoline Ford) was third and gained 90 points on Busch and currently trails him by just 155 points. “I hope everybody took notice of how great that race was. People talk about this racetrack but they forget that we have the highest speeds here of any racetrack and we have the most racing room. I think tomorrow we’ll have less restarts and more green-flag racing.
“This is one that I’d like to go back and watch again for just the pure excitement of it.”
Does he think he can catch Busch? “There are five races left and that’s only 32 points a race so we can do that.”
There were a track-record 10 caution flags during the race.
Fans attending Auto Club Speedway’s Inaugural Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race — the Pepsi 500 on Sunday, is sure to experience even more exciting world-class NASCAR racing. In addition to the high speed thrills, fans can also take advantage of free parking, bring in their own food, or partake in the unbelievable menu items on site as well as other cost-savings opportunities while enjoying a full day of entertainment and fun at a fantastic family value.
The ACS entertainment lineup includes rock-and-roll legend Foreigner who will perform live at the Speedway’s Opportunity, California FanZone main stage. Multi-platinum recording artist and actor Jesse McCartney will perform the National Anthem prior to the Pepsi 500. Kelsey Grammer will serve as Grand Marshal, giving the most famous command in racing “Gentlemen, start your engines.” Christian Slater will take the wheel of the Official NASCAR 2010 Chevy Camaro Pace Car. Audrina Patridge of MTV’s “The Hills” will wave the Green Flag to get the Pepsi 500 underway.
by Jay | Oct 9, 2009 | NASCAR, New England, Thompson
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 8, 2009) – The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour is a racing series steeped in history. Whether you trace its roots to the beaches of Daytona in 1948, or the paved banks of Thompson, Conn., in 1985, there is plenty of history and tradition to go around. The present-day incarnation of that tradition will be on full display as the Tour heads to Thompson International Speedway to crown the 2009 champion.
The World Series of Speedway Racing presented by Xtra Mart – the finale for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour’s 25th season – will see two of the most notable teams in the history of the New England Modified racing battling for the trophy. Donny Lia, pilot of the No. 4 “Mystic Missile” Dodge owned by Bob Garbarino, will take a 26-point lead on Ryan Preece, driver of the No. 3 “Ole Blue” Chevrolet, of the famed Boehler family.
“It’s pretty cool – this being the 25th season [of the Tour] – and the two longest running teams going for the championship,” Preece said. “It just goes to show you that experience helps a lot to contend for a championship.”
The only two Modifieds that carry a nickname, the Nos. 4 and 3 have been around longer than any other teams. Garbarino fielded his first “Mystic Missile” in 1961, nearly a quarter of a century before the present-day Whelen Modified Tour was founded. “Ole Blue” dates back even further as legendary car owner and builder Len Boehler founded the team in 1957.
Garbarino’s dedication to NASCAR Modified racing through the decades was finally paid off in 2007 when Lia delivered the longtime owner his first championship. The No. 4 has featured a host of notable drivers in the seat through the years, but the pairing of Lia with the team in 2007 resulted in the perfect combination to bring home the trophy. Garbarino, who was recently selected as a 2010 inductee for the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame, has only the utmost respect for the No. 3 team.
“We’ve been parking alongside of them for a long, long time, and anything that’s in my truck they can have, and I think that goes the other way too,” Garbarino said. “I’m happy for them – I’m glad that they’re in the running for this whole deal.”
Garbarino reasoned that because the teams have been so close through the years, it will be tough for one to leave Thompson disappointed.
“I almost wish it was any other car in the pit area [in championship contention],” Garbarino said. “I consider those guys all good friends – and this won’t change the friendship at all – but somebody’s going to win and somebody’s not going to win.”
Now in their sixth decade of Modified competition, Boehler Racing Enterprises continues to be a stalwart. The cars built by Boehler – a 2004 NEAR Hall of Fame inductee – produced NASCAR Modified national championships in 1967-69 with Bugs Stevens behind the wheel. “Ole Blue” earned another three-peat in the mid-1990s as Wayne Anderson (1994) and Tony Hirschman (1995-96) captured the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour titles. And while Len passed away in 2001, his widow, Jan, and son, Michael, have sustained the family tradition.
Like Garbarino, BRE President and Manager Michael Boehler has mutual respect for the competition.
“Bob and his wife Joan are great, great people – they’re first class,” Boehler said. “They’re always the first ones there to lend a hand if something goes wrong. They’re positive, encouraging people, and they’ve given their life to the sport like we have. There’s not many of those families left that do that, so it’s just great that it’s the “Mystic Missile” against “Ole Blue” [for the title].”
The significance of the two teams competing for the title is not lost on the drivers either, even though they are only in the second year with the respective teams.
Following his win at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway on Oct. 4, Lia acknowledged the history of the two cars that will battle for the 2009 championship.
“The 3 car and the 4 car – they’ve been around forever – and are a big part of Modified history,” Lia said. “So for me, whether I was driving the car or not, I think it’s pretty cool that those two cars are going for it.”
While Lia is already part of – and will look to add to – the history of the “Mystic Missile,” the 18-year-old Preece is just in his second year behind the wheel of “Ole Blue,” and his third year of NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour racing overall.
“I’m really happy that the 3 car is where they are, and that we’re going for the championship together,” Lia said. “He’s a good kid, and he’s got a great future ahead of him. Hopefully we can hang on and win it, but if they do, that’s pretty cool.”
The young Preece is well-versed in Modified history. His grandfather – Bob Judkins – was a longtime Modified car owner.
Lia can clinch his second Whelen Modified Tour crown by finishing fifth or better at Thompson, but with Preece just 26 points out, there are a number of scenarios that will make every lap important in the season finale.
The World Series of Speedway Racing presented by Xtra Mart will commence with practice and qualifying for the Whelen Modified Tour on Saturday, Oct. 17. The 150-lap race is set to go green on Sunday, Oct. 18 at approximately 3:30 p.m.
by Jay | Oct 8, 2009 | PASS
Naples ME ( 10/8/09) The Pro All Stars Series (PASS) South super late model teams roll into South Boston (VA) Speedway next weekend for their longest (250 laps) and richest ($44,100 purse) race of 2009 and the PASS National Champion will be crowned when the checkered flag falls.
The Mason-Dixon Meltdown is fast becoming a fall tradition. With 250 laps on tap for the PASS super late models and another 250 lap feature for late model stock cars, the popular event will give the fans in the stands their fill of side by side, nose to tail full fendered short track racing that the Virginia oval is famous for.
The Meltdown is the final round of the four race PASS National Championship series, where Ben Rowe holds a comfortable 57 point lead over Mark Gibson and 71 points over Ryan Blaney for the title. Rowe has been dominant in the series, winning races one and three at Hickory Motor Speedway and Southern National and finishing third at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway. Those are numbers that are hard to beat, giving Rowe the inside track for the title.
The PASS National Champion will receive a Leavitt Racing Components super late model chassis and a complete Quarter Master racing clutch, bell housing and starter package in addition to the Champions hardware. That’s an additional $7,500.00 in product awards for the four race series plus all the cash that’s on the line.
Rowe also carries a 56 point lead into race 13 of the 14 race PASS South series standings. Rookie Ryan Blaney, Preston Peltier, Justin Wakefield and Heath Hindman sit second through fifth. The Turner Maine racer has four PASS North super late model titles on his resume and hopes to join his father Mike Rowe, the inaugural PASS South Champion in 2006, as a PASS South title holder.
Practice for both divisions is set for Friday, October 16 from 1:00 PM until 3:00 PM. Grandstand gates will open at 3:00 PM on Friday and will be followed by time trials for both races at 4:00 PM.
The Grandstand gates swing open on Saturday October 17 at 11:00 AM. A NASCAR Late Model last chance 50-lap race will get the green flag at noon and will be followed by a Fan Appreciation Session on the four-tenths mile asphalt oval. The first feature race of the day will get the green flag at 3:00 PM.
by Jay | Oct 5, 2009 | PASS
Naples ME (10/3/2009) – Ryan Blaney will need to bring a note to school on Thursday October 15th. He needs to be excused from class on Friday, but he’s not going to the dentist’s office or on a family vacation. On Friday October 16th he will be at “SoBo”, Virginia’s famed South Boston Speedway to prepare for Saturdays Pro All Stars Series (PASS) South portion of the Mason-Dixon Meltdown, a 250 lap super late model feature that brings together the top guns of super late model racing every fall.
The racing teenager sits second in the PASS South standings, trailing series point leader Ben Rowe by 56 markers in the chase for the title. His statistics are impressive; in twelve starts, Blaney has four top five and eleven top ten finishes, two pole awards, and 87 laps led. Those are impressive numbers, even for a young man that comes from a family of champions on both dirt and asphalt.
Blaney’s got one stat that he wants to change at South Boston, and that’s the goose egg in his PASS win column. His results show that he’s been out front and he’s been close to the top of the podium. A pair of third place finishes at Dillon and Orange County is his best to date, certainly nothing to sneeze at in a series so deep in talent. But, he’s won in every form of racing he’s attempted and he’s got the talent and team to make it to the top of the heap. He’s a rookie in the high horsepower super late model machines and his remarkable consistency has given him the kind of track time he needs to make his way to victory lane. Blaney knows that sitting in the pits watching with a wrecked race car does nothing for his learning curve, or for the respect he needs to race side by side with veterans like Ben Rowe, Jay Fogelman, and Preston Peltier.
Blaney and his team have two more shots at Pro All Stars victory lane, the Mason-Dixon Meltdown Saturday October 16th at South Boston and the PASS season finale, The Howler at Greenville-Pickens Speedway. Don’t count the young racer out at either venue. Ryan Blaney is a winner, from a family of winners. There’s little question that this talented racer will continue to carry on that tradition.
The engines will roar to life at South Boston Speedway on Friday, October 16 and Saturday Oct. 17. Highlighting the weekend’s activities will be a 250-lap race for Blaney and the touring PASS Super Late Model competitors. The PASS race is round four of the four race PASS National Championship Series, where Ben Rowe leads the title chase over Mark Gibson and Blaney. The weekend also features 250 laps for the region’s best NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stock Car Division competitors
Practice for both divisions will be held on Friday, October 16, from 1:00 PM until 3:00 PM. Grandstand gates will open at 3:00 PM on Friday October 16 and will be followed by time trials for both races at 4:00 PM.
The Grandstand gates swing open on Saturday October 17 at 11:00 AM. A NASCAR Late Model last chance 50-lap race will get the green flag at noon and will be followed by a Fan Appreciation Session on the four-tenths mile asphalt oval. The first feature race of the day will get the green flag at 3:00 PM.
Check out the track’s website for the complete schedule of events at www.southbostonspeedway.com . Visit the Pro All Stars Series on line at www.racewithpass.com or www.proallstarsseries.com .
by Jay | Oct 4, 2009 | ACT, New England, Thunder Road
Hebert, Mullen and Yates Crowned 2009 Champions
Barre, VT – Graniteville’s John Donahue won the 47th Annual Chittenden Milk Bowl at Thunder Road International Speedbowl on Sunday, October 4. Donahue’s fifth place finish in the third segment was enough to edge out Brent Dragon by just four points. Dragon went into the third segment as the overall leader after winning the first segment and placing 10th in the second segment. His tenth place finish in the third segment gave him an overall score of 21 points for the three segment event.
Donahue took the green in the final segment trailing Dragon by just one point. The two fought hard through traffic to get to the front but Donahue got into the open air quicker and made it up to fifth and secured the win with a combined score of 17.
Eric Williams finished third overall with 26 points, followed by Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. (28), Brian Hoar (29), Dave Pembroke (31), Jamie Fisher (31), Nick Sweet (31), Joey Laquerre (34), and Chip Grenier (37) rounded out the top ten.
In the Tiger Sportsman division Shawn Fleury of Middlesex took home his second win of the 2009 season at Thunder Road. His previous win was in the Tiger Tri-State Series 100 back in August. Fleury was followed to the line by Jason Corliss, Derrick O’Donnell, Tony Rossi and Bobby Therrien.
Williamstown’s Jimmy Hebert was crowned the 2009 Tiger Sportsman Champion after point leader Pete Ainsworth finished just one position shy of qualifying for the main event. Hebert recovered from an early spin to edged out Tony Rossi for the title.
Tommy Smith of Williamstown took his third win of the season in the Allen Lumber Street Stocks. Mike Martin, Danny Doyle, Gary Bashaw and Marcus Farnham completed the top five.
Gary Mullen of Tunbridge took the Allen Lumber Street Stock title over Mike Martin after Tucker Williams failed to qualify. Mullen secured the championship after finishing ninth in the feature. With that ninth Mullen finished the year with ten top tens in 16 starts.
Cabot’s Ken Christman took the Power Shift Junkyard Warrior feature win over Keith Fortier and Kevin Streeter. Donnie Yates of Montpelier was crowned the Power Shift Junkyard Warrior Champion even though he did not qualify for the feature. He had a big enough lead over Christman going into the feature that he could not be beaten. Yates had an amazing six wins during the 2009 season.
The 47th Annual Chittenden Milk Bowl capped off the 50th Anniversary Season at Thunder Road International Speedbowl. The American Canadian Tour title will be decided next Sunday, October 11 at Oxford Plains Speedway.
47th Annual Chittenden Milk Bowl Results
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Pos Car # Driver TOTAL
1 26vt John Donahue 17
2 55vt Brent Dragon 21
3 7vt Eric Williams 26
4 97nh Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. 28
5 37 Brian Hoar 29
6 44 Dave Pembroke 31
7 18 Jamie Fisher 31
8 88 Nicholas Sweet 31
9 15vt Joey Laquerre 34
10 9vt Chip Grenier 37
11 11vt Jean-Paul Cyr 38
12 14 Phil Scott 39
13 89 Scott Payea 40
14 55nh Brad Leighton 41
15 38vt Tyler Cahoon 44
16 7me Glen Luce 45
17 1 Tony Andrews 45
18 27 Wayne Helliwell Jr. 47
19 73me Joey Doiron 47
20 78nh Quinten Welch 50
21 42vt Matt White 59
22 6 Chad Wheeler 62
23 77nh Mark Hayward 63
24 32 Mike Olsen 63
25 40vt Eric Chase 63
26 16 Joe Becker 65
27 41 Pete Potvin, III 66
28 8vt Rich Lowrey 71
29 00 Mike Bailey 77
30 25 David Whitcomb 85
NAPA Tiger Sportsman Results
Pos Car # Driver
1 31 Shawn Fleury
2 61 Jason Corliss
3 68 Derrick O’Donnell
4 90 Tony Rossi
5 4 Bobby Therrien
6 89 Ray Stearns
7 94 Brendan Moodie
8 48 Tom Therrien
9 10 Josh Demers
10 18 Lance Allen
11 37 David Finck
12 06 Jeff French
13 58 James Hebert
14 15 Troy Gray
15 99 Cody Blake
16 04 Eric Badore
17 23 Matt Potter
18 19 #Neal Foster
19 2 John Lambert
20 55 Brian Delphia
21 1 Scott Coburn
22 32 #Erik Steel
23 84 Richard LaFond
24 33 Jason Allen
25 16 George May
26 0 Mark Barnier
27 79 Jason Bonnett
28 26 Mike Ziter
Allen Lumber Street Stocks and Power Shift Junkyard Warrior Results
Pos Car # Driver
1 22ss Tommy Smith
2 01ss Mike Martin
3 51ss #Danny Doyle
4 92ss Garry Bashaw
5 13ss Markus Farnham
6 68ss Bruce Melendy
7 83ss Bunker Hodgdon
8 38ss Greg Adams Jr.
9 29ss Gary Mullen
10 30ss Lloyd Blakely
11 34ss Timmy Campbell
12 77ss Dave Whitcomb
13 43ss #Jamie Davis
14 61ss Jason Corliss
15 42ss Tyler Therrien
16 73ss Vern Woodard
17 2ss David LaFleche
18 24ss Marvin Johnson
19 6ss #Daniel Lathrop
20 4jyw Ken Christman
21 35jyw Keith Fortier
22 61jyw Kevin Streeter
23 87jyw John Prentice
24 88jyw Thomas Elwood
25 31jyw Kevin Wheatley
26 06ss Michael Moore
27 7ss Martin Ingram
28 09ss #Amanda Habel
