by Jay | Nov 22, 2009 | ACT, Canada, New England, Thunder Road
DRUMMONDVILLE, QC – 2009 Série ACT Castrol Stock Car Champion Donald Theetge of Boischatel, Quebec was honored at the annual Série ACT Castrol Banquet of Champions at the Best Western Hotel Universel in Drummondville, QC on Saturday, November 21. It is Theetge’s second career Série ACT Castrol Championship, with his previous title coming in 2006. The top ACT teams, officials and fans were in attendance to help honor Theege and his team. Theetge beat 2008 ACT Tour Champion Patrick Laperle of St-Denis, Quebec in the closest point battle in Série history to become the first Série ACT Castrol repeat champion. With his two victories during the 2009 season, Theetge also became the all-time Série ACT Castrol wins leader with 14. Theetge’s championship earned him a point fund paycheck of $9,000.
Justin Holtom of Ottawa, Ontario received the 2009 Série ACT Castrol Rookie of the Year Award. Holtom was the only Série regular from outside the province of Quebec. The 19 year old picked up his career best finish (5th) at Autodrome Montmagny in August and contended for the win at several events during the season on his way to 12th place in the Série ACT Castrol Championship Standings.
St-Félicien, Quebec’s Karl Allard earned the votes of his fellow competitors and Série officials to win the Série ACT Castrol Sportsmanship Award for the second time in his career. Allard earned the award based on his competitive but fair nature. Allard finished the season third in the Championship Point Standings and finished an impressive 12th at the Inaugural ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in September.
The 2009 Série ACT Castrol Most Improved Driver Award was also awarded based on driver and official votes. Earning the most votes was 19 year old Jonathan Desbiens of Levis, Quebec. Desbiens finished 10th in the Championship Point Standings in just his third season with the Série. He also improved his best career finish in 2009 with a 6th at Autodrome Chaudiere in August.
Drivers in attendance from the top 15 in the 2009 Championship Point Standings also received personalized award plaques as well as point fund earnings of over $35,000. Also awarded were certificates for product from Bassett Racing Wheels and Five Star Race Car Bodies.
The 2010 Série ACT Castrol schedule has been announced with 12 events throughout the provinces of Quebec and Ontario. The season will begin on Saturday, May 22 at Autodrome Ste-Eustache. For more information visit www.acttour.com or www.laserieactcastrol.com.
2010 Série ACT Castrol SCHEDULE
# DATE DAY TRACK LAPS
1. May 22 Sat. Ste-Eustache 100
2. May 29 Sat. Montmagny 100
3. June 05 Sat. Chaudiere 150
4. June 12 Sat. Capital City 100
5. June 19 Sat. Riverside 100
6. June 03 Sat. Montmagny 250
7. July 10 Sat. Ste-Felicien 135
*** July 18 Sun. Oxford 250
8. July 26 Mon. Riverside 100
9. July 31 Sat. Ste-Eustache 100
10. Aug. 07 Sat. Chaudiere 150
11. Aug. 14 Sat. Riverside (Combo*) 200
*** Aug. 28 Sat Chaudiere (Showdown) 200
12. Sept. 26 Sun. Ste-Eustache 300
***non-championship point counting event
*Combination race with Série ACT Castrol and U.S. ACT Tour
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
by Jay | Oct 2, 2009 | ACT, New England, Thunder Road
Waterbury, VT – The American Canadian Tour (ACT) announced today that they are planning a ten (10) race program for their ACT Late Model division located in Canada for the 2010 race season. This will be one additional event from the recently concluded 2009 schedule on the Série ACT Castrol. There will also be special events available to the ACT Castrol competitors such as the SHOWDOWN at Chaudiere, the Oxford 250, an anticipated return to the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, NH for those who qualify, as well as ACT events throughout New England, including the Spring Green and Fall Foliage 300 at the new Airborne Speedway in Plattsburgh, NY.
This will be the fourth season of ACT Late Model racing throughout Quebec, which also includes a stop in Ottawa as a part of the proposed 10-race schedule.
“We have sent proposals this week to all our track promoters. We hope to have a confirmed schedule before the month of October is completed”, said Tom Curley, President of the American Canadian Tour. “We still have two more events to be run this season on the US Tour schedule (Thunder Road’s rain-postponed Milk Bowl this Sunday and the final event at Oxford Plains Speedway on Sunday, October 11), but with all the rumors that have been floating around Quebec, we wanted to let our competitors know that we will continue to organize and sanction race events on the Série ACT Castrol in 2010”, continued Curley.
Plans call for an additional event in 2010 at the Autodrome Ste. Felicien in the Lac St. Jean region. The track is celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2010, and negotiations are underway between ACT and promoter Louise Boulanger to have the Castrol Série help them celebrate. ACT last raced at Ste. Felicien in 2008.
It was also announced today by ACT headquarters that the annual Série ACT Castrol Banquet of Champions will be held on Saturday, November 21, 2009 in Drummondville, QC. ACT will distribute over $30,000 in point fund and prize money to the ACT Castrol competitors. Donald Theetge of Boischatel, QC will be crowned the ACT Castrol Série Champion.
by Jay | Oct 1, 2009 | ACT, New England, Thunder Road
Waterbury, VT – For Cris Michaud it was a pretty easy decision.
Michaud was injured when he fell off a ladder at a job site and broke a vertebrae. When doctors informed him that he would not be able to race in the rained-out 47th annual Chittenden Milk Bowl at Thunder Road this coming Sunday, October 4, the three-time track champion went after one of his biggest Thunder Road rivals to fill the seat for him.
“What better guy to take over my ride in the Milk Bowl than Chad (Wheeler)? I really wanted to win the three Thunder Road Championships in a row in 2006 (Michaud won the Thunder Road track championships in 2004 and 2005, along with his title in 2001), but Chad was unbelievably consistent with his finishes all season long. He deserved to win the title that year”, said Michaud convalescing at his home in Williamstown, VT.
The 2004 winner of what is known as the ‘toughest short track race in America’ went on to say, “I think the Milk Bowl is the perfect race for Chad to come back and have some fun. He is a patient and smart racer and that’s what it takes to raise the milk can and kiss the cow,” concluded Michaud.
Over $70,000 in purse money, with a guaranteed minimum of $10,000 to win, is up for grabs by the American Canadian Tour (ACT) starting field of competitors. The thirty car field was set last Saturday in the unique format of time trials, triple 50 lap qualifying races, and a ‘Last Chance Race’. Fifty-four (54) teams attempted to qualify for the prestigious event.
A pair of ACT young guns will sit on the front row. 2008 ACT Rookie of the Year, Nick Sweet, in only his second year of racing Late Models, will lead the field to the green flag in segment one of the unique three-segment event. The first segment is lined up according to time trials and the Triple 50 qualifiers. The following two segments are reversed from the previous segments, with the best having to come from the rear twice to have a chance to win the Milk Bowl. Sweet, a hometown favorite from Barre, VT, will start beside Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., a three-time pole sitter and holder of the Thunder Road track record of 12.935 seconds.
“I have heard that Cris had a heck of a run in the Triple 50 qualifiers last Saturday. Coming from dead last to finish fourth was pretty darn impressive. I know I will have a good car under me and I am excited about trying out the only Ford engine. I had a great time racing against Cris for a lot of years and beating him for the title in 2006 got me to thinking that there really wasn’t much more for me in the sport at this time in my life. I wanted to spend a lot of time with my young boys, but now maybe there is one more thing I could accomplish with racing. It sure will be fun to try. I am looking forward to it, and I appreciate the confidence Cris has in putting me in his car,” said Wheeler.
The 47th annual Chittenden Milk Bowl is re-scheduled for this Sunday, October 4th, after having been rained out last Sunday. Gates will open at 10:00 am and pre-race ceremonies, which will include the Catamount Pipe and Drum Corps, the Norwich University color guard and Shock Platoon Drill Team will kick off the festivities at 1:00 pm. Racing will start at 1:30, and all the competitors in the various Thunder Road divisions, except the Late Models, will complete their championship seasons. Late Model racer Jean-Paul Cyr, from Milton, VT was named the King of the Road for 2009 at the final Thursday night event in August.
The Milk Bowl will bring down the curtain on the 50th Anniversary celebration of the racetrack.
by Jay | Sep 24, 2009 | ACT, New England, Thunder Road
Barre, VT – Lots of new names will be at Barre’s Thunder Road this weekend for their first Chittenden Milk Bowl experience. These “outsiders” will invade the Barre highbanks to take on the Thunder Road and American Canadian Tour regulars in the 47th Annual Chittenden Milk Bowl on Sunday, September 27.
Newcomers Wayne Helliwell, Jr. (2009 Lee USA Champion), Quebec’s Daniel Bergeron, stock car builder Jeff Taylor, White Mountain’s Bernie Lantagne and Travis Fadden will take on local favorites Dave Pembroke, 2009 King of the Road Jean-Paul Cyr, Nick Sweet, Phil Scott, Jamie Fisher and Eric Williams among others.
“Its fun competing against new faces and we proved at Loudon last weekend that you don’t have to know one another to race each other with respect,” said Barre’s Nick Sweet. Sweet turned heads when he finished second at the ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, NH last Saturday, September 19.
With no points on the line and over $75,000 in purse up for grabs, the 47th Annual Chittenden Milk Bowl is an intriguing event for many Late Model competitors from around the Northeast. With track champions already decided at most tracks in the area the Milk Bowl could turn out to be one of the best showcases of ACT Late Model competition in 2009.
Milk Bowl weekend will kick off with Booth Bros./H.P. Hood Qualifying Day on Saturday, September 26 at 1 pm. Times Trials as well as Triple 50 qualifiers will be run on Saturday to decide the first 24 starting positions of segment one. The final six positions will be filled after the Last Chance race at 1 pm on Sunday, September 27th, with the first segment of the 47th Annual Chittenden Milk Bowl soon to follow. Visit www. thunderroadspeedbowl.com for more information.
by Jay | Sep 24, 2009 | ACT, New England, Thunder Road
Berlin, VT – Harvest Hills Larolupine, a genuine Vermont beauty, has been crowned the 2009 Miss Milk Bowl. The three year-old registered Ayershire will deliver the victory smooch at the 47th Annual Chittenden Milk Bowl at Thunder Road International Speedbowl this Sunday afternoon (Septemeber 27th).
Larolupine comes from a Scottish background and has been winning pageants since she was a heifer. She has earned the honors of “Miss Milk Bowl” after recently being named the Grand Champion at the World’s Fair in Tunbridge. Owner Anne Burke claims she is “very kissable.”
Over forty of the finest Late Model competitors from the Northeast are expected to be on hand to battle for the honor of locking lips with Larolupine this weekend. Saturday, September 26 is Booth Bros./H.P. Hood qualifying day with the 47th Annual Chittenden Milk Bowl on Sunday, September 27. Post time for both days is 1 p.m.
