by | Feb 7, 2014 | Connecticut, Thompson
Thompson, CT- Registrations are pouring in for the Late Model Division at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park (TSMP). To date, over 30 different drivers, hailing from four states, have registered for competition. A blend of seasoned veterans as well as young, up-and-coming drivers make up the 2014 roster.
The Materas family is a perfect snapshot, as seasoned father, John, and his son, Jared, intend to run the full schedule in 2014. John has enjoyed a storied career, including a Late Model Division track championship in 2009. His son, Jared, competed in the Late Model Division in 2013, and finished the season 11th in the championship point standings. The father-son duo only raced together once last year, and it was Jared who came out on top, as John was involved in an incident that forced him to retire from the race. When asked about the family goals for 2014, John said, “We’d like a top 10 in the Icebreaker and to be able to load the car on the trailer.” Jared has similar ideas: “We want to run every race, finish every race, run up front, and work together.” John did indicate that on the track, the father and son are fellow drivers: “If it came down to my son and I to win the race, I’m not really sure what would happen. We’ll have to see when it happens.”
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by | Feb 6, 2014 | New England
The New England Truck Series has introduced a number of significant changes in the series’ just released 2014 rulebook. The biggest change is a transition to crate engines by 2015. Paired with newly allowed manual transmissions and available new spec chassis, the series expects to attract new teams and drivers. Utilizing the same engine and transmission package as many modified and late model divisions means affording drivers more upward mobility while giving them valuable experience at tracks like Thompson Motorsports Park, Waterford Speedbowl, and Monadnock Speedway.
By giving drivers as young as 14 the opportunity to run the same engine and transmission combination that many other divisions are using, Series Director Lorraine Pard feels the region’s truck tour is heading for a growth spurt. “The past few years we’ve admittedly struggled finding our identity. But I believe the changes we are making will better position NETS as division where new drivers will be able to thrive and not worry about investing in an engine or transmission that is only usable here. We want to see new drivers driving new trucks, developing skills, winning races, and when the time is right give them the ability to easily take that investment to Modifieds and Late Models if that’s where they want to go.”
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by | Feb 5, 2014 | Granite State Pro Stock, Touring Series News
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NORTHFIELD, VT- For Granite State Pro Stock Series (GSPSS) racer Mike Parks, racing isn’t just a hobby, it’s a way of life.
Parks drives the #66 Black Rock Steakhouse/360 Design Labs/D + D Amusements Chevrolet for a series he has created, but he takes his love for the sport much further than that. Parks can be seen race directing at Monadnock Speedway on Saturdays when the series is not racing, helping Mike Bruno at Devils Bowl on Fridays when needed, being a crew member for fellow racers, or just grabbing a seat in the stands when nothing else is going on. “I’m still a fan first and foremost,” the Walpole, NH driver admits. “My friend Nathan Kelly and I attended between 70-80 races one year. I have a unique devotion to the sport.”
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by | Feb 5, 2014 | New
By Lou Modestino
The only hardcore racing trade show in the Northeast will go green this Friday, February 7 at the Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel in Marlboro and continues through Saturday to 5 p.m.
All forms of motorsports will be represented from circle track, drag, and road racing to karting and more.
World class exhibitors will be displaying the latest equipment and innovative technology that this industry has to offer. Sanctioning bodies and tracks will be available to inform competitors about the coming season.
Some of the tracks that will be there include; Thompson Motorsports Park, Star Speedway, Lee USA Speedway, and the Valenti Modified Racing Series. Among the various tours are; USAC DMA Midgets, Pro 4 Modifieds, New England Truck Series, Granite State Mini Sprints, NELCAR Legends and NEMA Midgets. Also the New England Region SCCA and F1 Boston in Braintree and F1 Outdoors in E. Bridgewater.
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by | Feb 5, 2014 | New England Motorsports North
By Lou Modestino
Advanced Oxford 250 entries are pouring in to the PASS North headquarters in Naples, Maine, and the entry list is certainly going to be a who’s who in Super Late Model racing from throughout the Northeast, Southeast and Canada.
Northern driver, Tim Brackett from Buckfield, Maine filed the first entry earlier this month, and since then entries have been coming in almost daily. 2013 PASS North champion Cassius Clark has filed entry for the Hight Chevrolet team. Former multi-time PASS champion, Johnny Clark, along with 2012 PASS North champ, Travis Benjamin have sent in their entries. 2013 PASS North runner-up Joey Doiron is entered as well as Turner, Maine’s Glen Luce. Other PASS notables include David Oliver and Reid Lanpher.
Oxford Plains Speedway is well represented with early entries as Shane Green, Chris Coolidge, Mark Lundblad Jr., Justin Gibbons, and Adam Polivinen have all thrown their hats into the ring.
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by | Feb 5, 2014 | Snocross
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Morin, Poirier split Pro finals in Fonda for East Coast Snocross, Presented by AMSOIL and Woody’s Traction Patenaude, Gaspardi roll in Pro Lite & Sport
FONDA, N.Y. (Feb. 3, 2014) – Former regional snocross champions Mathieu Morin and Danny Poirier each claimed a Pro Open final over the weekend, as East Coast Snocross (ECS) completed Round 5 of its 10-race 2014 schedule at historic Fonda Speedway.
Morin (Ingles Performance/Ski-doo), of Val-d’Or, Quebec, led every lap of Sunday’s grueling 15-lap final to post his second victory of the season. Poirier was rock-solid behind him the whole race to make it a 1-2 finish for his team, while Vermont veteran Lincoln Lemieux filled out the podium.
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by | Feb 4, 2014 | ACT, Touring Series News
Waterbury, VT – The U.S.-based American Canadian Tour (ACT) has announced a management change for its Canadian Late Model stock car series, beginning in 2014. Racing Promotion Management, Ltd. (RPM), a Quebec-based company, led by long-time racing enthusiast and promoter Sylvain Brouillette and his partner Jean-François Fredette, will take over the day-to-day promotion, marketing and event responsibilities for the 2014 season.
ACT took over the struggling Series in 2007, and it has turned into the most exciting stock car racing in Quebec, drawing large crowds and crowning notable champions of the Series like Donald Theetge from Quebec City, Patrick Laperle from Montreal, Ste. Felicien’s Karl Allard, and 2013 defending Champion Jean-François Déry from Quebec City.
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by | Feb 4, 2014 | Devils Bowl, New, Vermont
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Capacity crowd recognizes champions and award winners
RUTLAND, VT – Devil’s Bowl Speedway honored the achievements of its star stock car drivers on Saturday, February 1 at the annual Banquet of Champions, held at the Holiday Inn Rutland-Killington in Rutland, VT. The sold-out crowd of nearly 300 guests enthusiastically applauded the champions of the track’s four NASCAR Whelen All-American Series divisions along with the Northern Modified Challenge Series, the Vermont State Late Model Championship Series, and the Enduro Series.
Todd Stone of Middlebury, VT was officially crowned the champion of the headline Bond Auto Parts Modified division after a record-breaking season of 10 victories in 17 starts. Stone’s crew chief Jeff Carter received NASCAR’s UNOH Ultimate Mechanic Challenge prize, and the owner’s championship, won by Gardner Stone, was accepted by long time team member Rob Lowell. Hunter Bates was honored as the Modified division’s runner-up, with Vince Quenneville, Jr. third.
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by | Feb 3, 2014 | Devils Bowl, Vermont
RUTLAND, VT – Devil’s Bowl Speedway has unveiled an exciting and diverse stock car racing lineup for 2014. The fast half-mile track, located in West Haven, VT just 20 minutes from Rutland City, will pay homage to its past and future with a summer slate of asphalt racing and a three-race return to its original clay dirt surface in the fall. The announcement was made before a crowd of nearly 300 at the Banquet of Champions on Saturday, February 1.
The NASCAR Whelen All-American Series pavement season will open on Sunday, May 4 with the historic “Spring Green” event. The Bond Auto Parts Modified, Renegade, and Central Vermont Motorcycles Mini Stock divisions will open their championship schedules, and will be joined again by the exciting American-Canadian Tour Late Models.
The weekly Friday night season kicks off one week early in 2014, on Friday, May 16 at 7:00pm. Special events dot the summer schedule, beginning with the first of two appearances by the Vermont State Late Model Championship Series on Friday, May 30. The Coca-Cola Firecracker extravaganza returns on Friday, July 4, with the double-points Mid-Season Championships on Friday, July 18. There will be two “off weeks” during the season, on Friday, June 13, and again on Friday, July 25.
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by | Feb 3, 2014 | PASS, Touring Series News
CHARLOTTE, NC (February 1) – Due to circumstances out of their control and with great disappointment, Pro All Stars Series (PASS) officials announced today the cancellation of next weekend’s Winter Meltdown at New Smyrna Speedway. Miscommunication which resulted in the speedway website not being updated with information about the event, the speedway marquee not being changed to promote the event and a test session scheduled by the speedway that would have extremely limited PASS teams practice time on Friday led to the cancellation. For any teams that pre-entered for the Winter Meltdown, those entries will be refunded and mailed out on Monday. Any teams that would like to transfer entries to the Greenville-Pickens Speedway event on March 1 need to contact the PASS offices by Monday.
“We are extremely disappointed in having to cancel the Winter Meltdown at New Smyrna Speedway,” said PASS President Tom Mayberry. “I know that this is very inconvenient for our teams that have prepared their cars and booked travel to Florida, but we felt this decision was best in light of the circumstances. With that said, we’re very excited to kick our season off at Greenville-Pickens on March 1.”
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