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New One Day Saturday Showcase for the Northeast Classic at New Hampshire Motor Speedway

admin — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 22:17:36 +0000

New One Day Saturday Showcase for the Northeast Classic at New Hampshire Motor Speedway

Forecasted Showers Friday and Sunday Make for a Super Saturday at the Magic Mile

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ACT041426-13

Barre, VT & Naples, ME — Officials with the Milton CAT American-Canadian Tour and Pro All Stars Series have been forced to make changes to the schedule of the 6t annual Northeast Classic at New Hampshire Motor Speedway due to forecasted showers on Friday and Sunday. That said, Officials have opted to build a one-day show on Saturday, April 18 with a 1:00pm start time. Teams and campers will still be able to arrive on site starting at 4:00pm Friday for camping and early pit parking until 7:00pm.

Following a perfect weather weekend at Thompson Speedway for the annual Icebreaker, ACT and PASS officials were optimistic for a clear start to the season but Mother Nature has made other plans. With several meteorological sites calling for heavy downpours on Friday and Sunday, Officials have opted to make the 6th annual Northeast Classic into a one day show on Saturday.

Pit Gates will open at 6:30am for teams to begin preparations for the day with Grandstands open at 9:30am alongside the start of Practice. Racing will begin at 1:00pm with qualifying events. All divisions will get three rounds of practice. With the schedule change the 604 Modifieds have been dropped from the event due to time constraints and Friday’s early parking between 4:00pm and 7:00pm remains on the schedule.

The Pit Booth will be open Friday, April 17 between 4:00pm and 7:00pm to pre-sell pit passes ahead of Saturday’s early morning opening. Parking for campers and race teams will also be available between 4:00pm and 7:00pm on Friday.

“This is by no means a decision we take lightly as we make every effort to get this event in to start our season,” said ACT managing partner Cris Michaud. “Saturday’s forecast is much more optimistic and we’re looking forward to getting our teams another great experience on the Magic Mile.”

The Milton CAT American-Canadian Tour will kick off the 2026 season at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the 6th annual Northeast Classic on Saturday, April 18. Complete with the PASS Super Late Models, Modified Racing Series, R&R Street Stock Open Series and Pro Truck Challenge, the Northeast Classic will once again give Northeast racers their chance to take on our region’s great palace of stock car racing on Saturday, April 18.

For more information about the American-Canadian Tour, contact the ACT offices at (802) 244-6963, media@acttour.com, or visit www.acttour.com. You can also get updates on Facebook and Twitter at @ACTTour.

For technical information concerning all PASS divisions, and for media or marketing questions, please contact passracing@roadrunner.com or visit www.proallstarsseries.com. Don't forget to "Like" the Pro All Stars Series on Facebook or follow on Twitter @PASSSLM14 to keep up with breaking news as it happens.

For more information about Milton CAT, visit their website at www.miltoncat.com or get updates from their Instagram account at @milton_cat.

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Cale King

American-Canadian Tour

Media Director / General Manager

(802) 244-6963 ext. 4

media@acttour.com

ACT Releases 10-Race Schedule for 2019 Season

CanadianRacingOnline — Sat, 17 Nov 2018 10:29:20 +0000

ACT Releases 10-Race Schedule for 2019 Season

Waterbury, VT – American-Canadian Tour (ACT) officials have announced the 2019 schedule for the ACT Late Model Tour. The 10-race series with be held at six tracks throughout the northeastern United States and the Canadian province of Quebec.

ACT will be part of the season-opener for three different race tracks, helping all them bring on the new year with a bang. Other highlights include a number of big-money races and the return of one of ACT’s most historic events.

The 28th ACT Late Model Tour season begins at Maine’s Oxford Plains Speedway on Sunday, April 14. The 150-lap event is the first on the Oxford racing calendar and will be a doubleheader with the Pro All Stars Series Super Late Models. ACT then heads to Barre, VT’s Thunder Road Speedbowl on Sunday, April 28 to open the Vermont racing season with the 21st Community Bank N.A. 150. Both events will include an optional practice day the Saturday before the event.

A third track gets the season-opening treatment when ACT travels to N. Woodstock, NH’s White Mountain Motorsports Park for the Spring Green 119 on Saturday, May 11. The 44th running of the Spring Green marks its comeback after a one-year absence.

The month of June will be the busiest one for ACT with the three races on tap. The trio of events includes two tracks returning to the ACT schedule and one that will play an expanded role in 2019.

For the first event in June, ACT goes north of the border to Vallée-Jct., QC’s Autodrome Chaudiere on Saturday, June 1. The Chaudiere 150 will be the second point-counting ACT Late Model Tour event ever held at the ¼-mile oval and first since 2015.

The middle leg of the month is a 75-lapper at Connecticut’s Thompson Speedway on Saturday, June 15, which is the first of two events scheduled at the track. It also marks the official halfway point of the season. The final event in June is the Star 150 at Epping, NH’s Star Speedway on Saturday, June 29. It is the first visit by ACT to Star since 2013.

After taking the month of July off, ACT will be back in a big way on Saturday, August 3 with the $10,000-to-win Midsummer 250 at White Mountain Motorsports Park. The event made its debut this past September as part of the track’s 25th anniversary celebration. It has now been moved to early August and added to the ACT schedule. Later in the month, ACT will return to Oxford Plains Speedway with a 150-lap event on Saturday, August 24 as part of Oxford 250 Weekend.

The final two events of the season have become ACT staples in recent years. The Tour makes its second visit to Thunder Road on Sunday, September 1 for the 41st Coca-Cola Labor Day Classic 200. ACT will once again crown its champion in the World Series 75 at Thompson Speedway on Saturday, October 12 as part of the World Series of Speedway racing.

In addition to 10 point-counting races, there will also be two non-point events sanctioned by ACT: the Bacon Bowl 200 at Autodrome Chaudiere on Saturday, August 17 and the 57th Vermont Milk Bowl on Saturday, September 28 and Sunday, September 29. The Bacon Bowl will pay $10,000 CAD to win while the Milk Bowl winner will receive a minimum of $10,000 USD.

“We’re very happy with the schedule we were able to put together,” ACT co-owner Cris Michaud said. “We think 10 point-counting races is about right at this time, and we’ve given teams some options if they want to do more than that. There are also three $10,000-to-win events we’re sanctioning, which rewards teams for the time and effort they put into supporting us. We’re looking forward to getting the season underway next April.”

ACT rules, license applications, and team registration forms for the 2019 season are also now available at www.acttour.com. For more information, contact the ACT offices at (802) 244-6963 or media@acttour.com.

2019 ACT Late Model Tour Schedule of Events

# DAY DATE EVENT TRACK LOCATION

1 Sun Apr 14 Oxford Plains 150 Oxford Plains Speedway Oxford, ME

2 Sun Apr 28 Community Bank N.A. 150 Thunder Road Speedbowl Barre, VT

3 Sat May 11 Spring Green 119 White Mtn. Motorsports Park N. Woodstock, NH

4 Sat Jun 1 Chaudiere 150 Autodrome Chaudiere Vallée-Jct., QC

5 Sat Jun 15 Thompson 75 Thompson Speedway Thompson, CT

6 Sat Jun 29 Star 150 Star Speedway Epping, NH

7 Sat Aug 3 Midsummer 250 White Mtn Motorsports Park N. Woodstock, NH

*** Sat Aug 17 Bacon Bowl 200 Autodrome Chaudiere Vallée-Jct., QC

8 Sat Aug 24 Oxford Plains 150 Oxford Plains Speedway Oxford, ME

9 Sun Sep 1 Coca-Cola Labor Day Classic 200 Thunder Road Speedbowl Barre, VT

*** Sat/Sun Sep 28/29 57th Vermont Milk Bowl Thunder Road Speedbowl Barre, VT

10 Sat Oct 12 World Series 75 Thompson Speedway Thompson, CT

Schedule subject to change

Michael R. Stridsberg
American-Canadian Tour
Media Director
(802) 244-6963 ext. 6
media@acttour.com

Wall Inherits Surprise Thompson Victory as Payea Secures Title

CanadianRacingOnline — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 07:38:14 +0000

Wall Inherits Surprise Thompson Victory as Payea Secures Title

Thompson, CT – Millbury, MA’s William Wall emerged as the surprise winner when the dust settled after a wild finish to the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) World Series 75 at Connecticut’s Thompson Speedway on Saturday, October 13. The former Thompson Late Model Champion scored one for the locals by inheriting his first career ACT Late Model Tour victory while Colchester, VT’s Scott Payea secured his second straight ACT title with a 7th-place finish.

Wall crossed the finish line second to fellow local Jake Johnson of Rehoboth, MA, who appeared to have pulled off a shocker of his own after taking the lead with four laps remaining in his first ACT start. Johnson’s joy was short-lived, however, as the young racer was disqualified in post-race technical inspection for a chassis infraction. This gave the victory to Wall, who had been strong in previous ACT events at the speedway and finally broke into the winner’s circle on Northeast Late Model racing’s biggest stage.

The reversal was just the latest twist in a race that saw many of them in the final eight circuits. Lebanon, NH’s Rich Dubeau had led the first 67 laps uncontested off the outside pole, which went clean and green with hard racing throughout the field. As the laps wound down, Dubeau had a healthy lead over Salem, MA’s Tom Carey III and seemed poised to become a first-time ACT winner himself.

But after Graniteville, VT’s Chip Grenier spun in turn two to bring out the first caution, chaos erupted on the historic 5/8-mile oval. Three more cautions would fly within the next lap alone, including one where Payea was caught up in a multi-car melee on the backstretch while running ninth. While Payea escaped damage to his car, the spin opened the door for Rowley, MA’s Eddie MacDonald, who entered the main event 25 points behind Payea, to have a shot at stealing the title.

Following the fourth caution on lap 68, Carey got the jump on Dubeau to take over the lead. Meanwhile, MacDonald sensed his opportunity and quickly sliced his way to the third position. Dubeau fought back on Carey after the initial result and was just 0.002 seconds behind him when the fifth caution flew on lap 71 for a backstretch spin involved Jared Materas and Matthew Lowinski-Loh. Payea also went for another spin just beforehand, but was moving at the time the caution flew and thus got his spot back in the line-up.

The ensuing restart would be the one that ultimately decided the championship. Coming off turn two, the top-3 cars all made contact, with both Carey and Dubeau spinning on the backstretch. MacDonald was sent to the rear of the field for his involvement, putting him behind Payea and effectively ending his title bid.

As a result, Barre, VT’s Nick Sweet unexpectedly found himself sitting in the lead with Johnson in second. But Sweet had suffered damage to the rear of his car while going through the infield to avoid a previous incident, and Johnson easily got the jump on the final restart. Wall followed Johnson up the outside into the second spot, which proved to be the winning move.

Meanwhile, Payea cut through the field following his incident, aided by the subsequent cautions, to finish seventh. The result unofficially gave him the championship by 35 points over MacDonald, who ended up 12th. It was the second straight ACT title for Payea and the 10th for his RPM Motorsports team.

Sweet inherited the second position in the final finishing order. Quebec’s Jean-Francois Dery ran with the leaders all night and became the new 3rd-place finisher following post-race inspection. Modified champion Woody Pitkat and New-London Waterford Speedbowl regular Ryan Morgan rounded out the top-5. Ryan Kuhn, Payea, Mark Jension, Jimmy Hebert, and Dubeau finished 6th through 10th. Hebert’s effort came after starting last on the grid due to a crash coming to the green flag of his qualifying heat.

The 2018 ACT Late Model Tour season is now complete. The Banquet of Champions is scheduled for Saturday, November 17 at the Capital Plaza in Montpelier, VT. More information regarding the 2019 season will be released in the near future.

For more information, contact the ACT offices at (802) 244-6963, media@acttour.com, or visit www.acttour.com.

ACT LATE MODEL TOUR

WORLD SERIES 75

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS

Pos., Start Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown, Laps

1. ( 9 ) William Wall ( 4MA ) , Millbury, MA , 75 Laps
2. ( 3 ) Nick Sweet ( 40VT ) , Barre, VT , 75 Laps
3. ( 4 ) Jean-Francois Dery ( 21QC ) , Quebec, QC , 75 Laps
4. ( 5 ) Woody Pitkat ( 07MA ) , Bellingham, MA , 75 Laps
5. ( 7 ) Ryan Morgan ( 3CT ) , Gales Ferry, CT , 75 Laps
6. ( 14 ) Ryan Kuhn ( 72MA ) , East Bridgewater, MA , 75 Laps
7. ( 10 ) Scott Payea ( 37VT ) , Colchester, VT , 75 Laps
8. ( 6 ) Mark Jenison ( 22RI ) , Warwick, RI , 75 Laps
9. ( 27 ) Jimmy Hebert ( 58VT ) , Williamstown, VT , 75 Laps
10. ( 2 ) Rich Dubeau ( 30NH ) , Lebanon, NH , 75 Laps
11. ( 1 ) Tom Carey III ( 5MA ) , Salem, MA , 75 Laps
12. ( 11 ) Eddie MacDonald ( 17MA ) , Rowley, MA , 75 Laps
13. ( 13 ) Brian Tagg ( 9MA ) , Oxford, MA , 74 Laps
14. ( 24 ) Brooks Clark ( 68VT ) , Fayston, VT , 74 Laps
15. ( 18 ) Chip Grenier ( 9VT ) , Graniteville, VT , 74 Laps
16. ( 15 ) #Dylan Payea ( 7NH ) , Milton, VT , 74 Laps
17. ( 19 ) Joey Parker ( 60MA ) , Weymouth, MA , 73 Laps
18. ( 22 ) Stephen Donahue ( 21VT ) , Graniteville, VT , 73 Laps
19. ( 21 ) Claude Leclerc ( 11QC ) , Lanoraie, QC , 73 Laps
20. ( 8 ) Jared Materas ( 13CT ) , Westfield, MA , 73 Laps
21. ( 17 ) Corey Mason ( 1NH ) , Groveton, NH , 73 Laps
22. ( 23 ) Christopher Pelkey ( 41VT ) , South Barre, VT , 73 Laps
23. ( 16 ) Matthew Lowinski-Loh ( 17CT ) , Milford, MA , 72 Laps
24. ( 25 ) #Peyton Lanphear ( 22VT ) , Duxbury, VT , 72 Laps
25. ( 20 ) Paul Charette ( 81MA ) , Woodstock, CT , 67 Laps
26. ( 26 ) James Linardy ( 77MA ) , Somerville, MA , 17 Laps

DSQ Jake Johnson ( 15MA ) , Rehoboth, MA

Lap Leaders: Tom Carey III pole; Rich Dubeau 1-68; Carey 69-71; Jake Johnson 72-75. (3 lead changes among 3 drivers)

Time of Race: 1:04:31 Margin of Victory: 0.955 seconds

Cautions: 6 (laps 67, 67, 67, 68, 71, 71)

Heat Winners: Jean-Francois Dery, William Wall, Eddie MacDonald

B-Feature Winner: Paul Charette

Michael R. Stridsberg
American-Canadian Tour
Media Director
(802) 244-6963 ext. 6
media@acttour.com

Labbé Enters ACT Season Finale at Thompson World Series

CanadianRacingOnline — Mon, 08 Oct 2018 13:40:53 +0000

Labbé Enters ACT Season Finale at Thompson World Series

Waterbury, VT – St-Albert, QC’s Alex Labbé is returning to his roots next weekend at Connecticut’s Thompson Speedway. The former Série ACT Champion and current NASCAR Xfinity Series rookie has entered the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) World Series 75 on Saturday, October 13 as part of the Sunoco World Series of Speedway Racing.

Labbé will reunite with Larue Motorsports, with whom he competed regularly from 2013 through 2017, for the ACT season finale. It will be his first start in an ACT Late Model Tour event since the 2017 New Hampshire Governor’s Cup at Lee USA Speedway.

“We have next weekend off (from NASCAR), So Louis Larue asked me if I wanted to go run Thompson,” Labbé said. “I liked the track when I went there two years ago (with ACT). It’s a pretty fun track and a pretty challenging track. And it’s always fun to run that 48QC car with the Larue brothers, because we’re comfortable with each other, and the competition is pretty tough. So I thought it was a pretty good challenge — and with a weekend off, I had to do it!”

The 25-year-old is no stranger to success in ACT Late Models on either Canadian or U.S. soil. He won the 2014 Série ACT Championship as a driver and helped Larue Motorsports win the owner’s championship in 2015. He has posted 11 Série ACT wins, including two in U.S./Quebec combination events.

Labbé went on to win the 2017 NASCAR Pinty’s Series Championship. This season, Labbé has been competing full-time on the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Go Fas Motorsports. He sits 16th in series points entering this weekend’s event at Delaware’s Dover International Speedway.

The Quebec standout has one previous start at Thompson in 2016 when he finished seventh in the World Series 75. He hopes the experience he has gained on similar tracks since then will help him secure a win this time around.

“It’s a tough track,” Labbé noted. “The first time I went there, it was very different from everywhere else I’d ever raced. It’s actually a little similar to Darlington or a place like that where you have to run the wall and get high on the track. The track is really wide, but the groove is pretty narrow. But I think it’s a really fun track because there’s not a lot of margin for error. It’s a driver’s track. You’ve got to get your car dialed in really well and have a good setup, but it’s a tough track to drive even by yourself – and even more so in traffic when you’re trying to pass cars!”

The event will actually be Labbé’s second start for Larue Motorsports in 2018. He competed in the ACT-sanctioned Bacon Bowl 200 at Vallée-Jct., QC’s Autodrome Chaudiere on August 18, finishing second to winner Jonathan Bouvrette.

“I really like short track racing,” Labbé said. “It was fun to come back to my roots – especially at a place like Chaudiere, where I’ve raced a lot before and which is pretty close to home. It’s always fun to drive these Late Models, because they’re a lot different than a big NASCAR Xfinity Series car. You’ve got to be a little smoother (in the Xfinity Series) because it’s a heavier car with radial tires. In a Late Model, you can drive the car just about as hard as you want for as long as you can. And Thompson is a place where you really have to run the track as hard as you can – it’s pretty hard to overdrive it. It’s a good challenge, and there’s always a really good field there with a lot of competition, so it should be a fun Saturday of racing.”

While the primary objective on October 13 will be to race and win, Labbé recognizes the significance of coming back to where he got his start. All in all, Labbé spent five full seasons and parts of two others running with ACT, and says the series is where he has learned the most about racing.

“It means a lot,” Labbé said. “This is where I grew up and built myself as a driver, so it’s always fun to come back to my roots and just race as hard as I can with tough competition. It’s what I love about ACT – it’s a touring series, and it’s really competitive, so there’s no lack of competition. I’ve always liked challenges. And the Larue brothers have helped me a lot in my career. I’ve turned a lot of laps and run a lot of races with them, so it’s always fun to come back, run in their equipment, and go after wins.”

Labbé will join the best of the American-Canadian Tour and the Thompson Speedway Late Models at the World Series 75 on Saturday, October 13. ACT will crown its 2018 champion as part of the 56th Sunoco World Series of Speedway Racing. The 3-day extravaganza features a total of 18 divisions and touring series from throughout the Northeast.

Qualifying on Saturday will begin at approximately 2:20pm. A 3-day general admission ticket for the World Series is $55 for adults and $50 for seniors, veterans, and active duty military. Kids ages 12 and under are admitted free.

For more information, contact the ACT offices at (802) 244-6963, media@acttour.com, or visit www.acttour.com or www.thunderroadvt.com.
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Michael R. Stridsberg
American-Canadian Tour
Media Director
(802) 244-6963 ext. 6
media@acttour.com

Corliss Steals Second Straight Milk Bowl Win in Final Corner

CanadianRacingOnline — Tue, 02 Oct 2018 09:36:25 +0000

Corliss Steals Second Straight Milk Bowl Win in Final Corner

Barre, VT – Jason Corliss made out like a bandit at Barre’s Thunder Road Speedbowl on Sunday, September 30 to win the 56th Vermont Milk Bowl presented by Northfield Savings Bank. The hometown racer dove underneath Hinesburg’s Bobby Therrien entering the final corner of the final lap, edging him out at the line to steal the victory in the “Toughest Short Track Race in North America”.

With the laps winding down in the third and final 50-lap segment, Therrien sat in fifth on the track with Corliss right behind him in sixth. The two entered the segment tied for the overall lead, and after closest challenger Cody Blake was eliminated in a hard frontstretch crash on lap 30 that also collected Trampas Demers, it would come down to which driver – Corliss or Therrien – finished better in the segment.

As the duo began the final lap, second-place segment runner Jimmy Hebert suddenly shut down in turn 2. While driving around the outside of the slowing Hebert entering turn 3, Therrien drifted up the track slightly. Corliss saw an opening and dove to the bottom, putting the nose in front of Therrien as they came charging out of turn 4 to the checkered flag. The move gave him the better segment finish (4th) and the overall win along with it.

The pair of racers were never far apart throughout the day. Corliss won the first 50-lap segment comfortably with Therrien in second. After the finish was inverted to start segment 2, the two came charging through the pack. Meanwhile, Hebert and Colchester’s Scott Payea, who finished third and fourth in Segment 1, were involved in a hard lap-6 crash that saw Nick Sweet go for a long ride along the fronstretch catch fence.

On the final restart of the segment on lap 43, the two followed St-Denis, QC’s Patrick Laperle up the outside, eventually finding themselves second and third behind Laperle. Despite Corliss’s best efforts, the trio would cross the line in that order, giving Corliss and Therrien four points each entering the third and final segment. Blake was the closest challenger with 15, meaning the outcome was likely to come down to the pair even before Blake’s encounter with the wall.

The two struggled to move through traffic early in the caution-filled third segment. But even as they slowly picked their way past cars and carnage, they continued to dice for the victory. The overall top spot changed hands multiple times, as first one driver, then the other would get caught in the wrong lane.

When the two finally broke out of the pack following the eighth and final segment caution on lap 38, Therrien was several car lengths in front of Corliss after getting around him six laps earlier. Corliss ran down Therrien down on the track with a few laps remaining, and when the golden opportunity was presented on the final lap, Corliss took full advantage.

In doing so, Corliss became just the sixth driver to go back-to-back in the Milk Bowl. His total of eight points (1st, 3rd, 4th) was also the first single-digit winning score in the event since 1998. Therrien’s nine points (2nd, 2nd, 5th) gave him a heartbreaking second place overall.

Blake’s misfortune helped open the door for Fayston’s Brook Clark to complete the podium. The veteran finished third overall with 25 points (6th, 12th, 7th). Graniteville’s Stephen Donahue (8th, 15th, 3rd) was right behind Clark in fourth overall. Colchester’s Scott Payea won the final segment to give him fifth overall. Joey Polewarczyk Jr., Demers, Laperle, Josh Masterson, and Kyle Pembroke completed the top-10.

The Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers, Allen Lumber Street Stocks, and New England Dwarf Cars also were on the card with Segment 2 of their Mini Milk Bowls. Reigning Flying Tiger Champion Joel Hodgdon showed his winning hand again by backing up his Segment 1 victory on Saturday with a Segment 2 triumph, giving him the overall for his fourth win of the season.

Hodgdon, Jason Woodard, Brandon Lanphear, and Cooper Bouchard – the top-4 finishers on Saturday – constantly swapped spots early in the 40-lap second segment. With six cautions in the first 19 laps, none could establish a rhythm.

But Hodgdon eventually found his way in front of all of them, and when the final 21 laps went green after Lanphear’s spin on lap 19, Hodgdon put the hammer down. He eventually caught and passed segment leader Brian Delphia with five laps remaining to secure the perfect score.

Waterbury Center’s Woodard – who dodged disaster after having to pit during the pace laps for a fuel leak – gave a valiant chase, but settled for second overall after finishing third in the segment. Bouchard (4th, 9th) took third overall followed by Tyler Austin (10th, 7th). Lanphear rebounded from his spin to salvage fifth in the final rundown. Stephen Martin, Robert Gordon, Kelsea Woodard, Michael MacAskill, and Jaden Perry rounded out the top-10.

Hardwick’s Will Hennequin was the winner in the Street Stock Mini Milk Bowl for the second straight year. Hennequin finished third on Saturday, then steadily came through the pack on Sunday. When overall leader Dean Switser tangled with Juan Marshall on lap 23 of the 25-lap second segment, Hennequin became part of a pack of several drivers – including Segment 1 winner Kasey Beattie, former champion Nick Pilotte, and rookie Bryan P. Wall – running neck-and-neck for the win.

In the 2-lap shootout to the checkers, Hennequin was able to scoot underneath Pilotte in the final turn, crossing the line fourth as Graniteville’s J.T. Blanchard took the segment win. With Beattie finishing sixth in the segment, the two were tied at seven points each, and Hennequin was awarded the victory based on his better finish in the final segment.

Wall’s 2nd-place finish in the second segment gave him third overall with eight points. Pilotte (4th, 5th) ended up fourth. Gary Mullen, Jeffrey Martin, Tyler Pepin, Switser, Kyle MacAskill, and Jody Sicard also earned top-10 finishes.

Lower Waterford’s Andy Hill pulled a clean sweep of the weekend in the Dwarf Cars. After winning the pole and the first segment on Saturday, Hill dodged disaster early in Segment 2 when five cars were collected in a pile-up as the field came to complete lap 1.

When the event resumed, Hill sliced through the remaining pack, grabbing the lead from Stephane Caron on lap 9. Franconia, NH’s Jason Wyman, the runner-up in Segment 1, was right behind and through everything he had at Hill, knowing the better finisher in the segment would be the overall winner. But he was unable to find a way around as Hill took the win.

Worcester’s Ethan Tyrrell took third in the segment and in the overall as well with eight total points, winning a tiebreaker with Bethlehem, NH’s Jarred Ainsworth. Ainsworth’s dad Jeff, Chad Dufour, Howie Switser, Caron, Jason Paquet, and Tim Sherman finished 5th through 10th.

The 2018 Thunder Road racing season is now complete. The Banquet of Champions has been scheduled for Saturday, November 3 at the Barre (VT) Elks Club. More information regarding the banquet and the 2019 season will be released at a later date.

For more information, contact the Thunder Road offices at (802) 244-6963, media@thunderroadvt.com, or visit www.thunderroadvt.com.

56TH VERMONT MILK BOWL PRESENTED BY NORTHFIELD SAVINGS BANK

UNOFFICAL RESULTS

MAPLEWOOD/IRVING OIL LATE MODELS

VERMONT MILK BOWL

Pos., Start Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown, Segment #1, Segment #2, Segment #3, TOTAL

1. ( 3 ) Jason Corliss ( 66VT ) , Barre, VT , 1 , 3 , 4 , 8
2. ( 2 ) Bobby Therrien ( 5VT ) , Hinesburg, VT , 2 , 2 , 5 , 9
3. ( 5 ) Brooks Clark ( 68VT ) , Fayston, VT , 6 , 12 , 7 , 25
4. ( 9 ) Stephen Donahue ( 2VT ) , Graniteville, VT , 8 , 15 , 3 , 26
5. ( 4 ) Scott Payea ( 37VT ) , Colchester, VT , 4 , 22 , 1 , 27
6. ( 10 ) Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. ( 97NH ) , Hudson, NH , 14 , 13 , 2 , 29
7. ( 8 ) Trampas Demers ( 85VT ) , Shelburne, VT , 10 , 7 , 13 , 30
8. ( 23 ) Patrick Laperle ( 91QC ) , St-Denis, QC , 22 , 1 , 8 , 31
9. ( 11 ) Josh Masterson ( 11NY ) , Charlotte, VT , 9 , 9 , 14 , 32
10. ( 14 ) Kyle Pembroke ( 27VT ) , Montpelier, VT , 11 , 16 , 6 , 33
11. ( 6 ) Scott Dragon ( 16VT ) , Milton, VT , 7 , 11 , 15 , 33
12. ( 7 ) Cody Blake ( 99VT ) , Barre, VT , 5 , 10 , 22 , 37
13. ( 1 ) Jimmy Hebert ( 58VT ) , Williamstown, VT , 3 , 25 , 10 , 38
14. ( 22 ) Evan Hallstrom ( 1VT ) , Northfield, VT , 26 , 5 , 9 , 40
15. ( 12 ) Matt White ( 42VT ) , Northfield, VT , 12 , 17 , 12 , 41
16. ( 26 ) Christopher Pelkey ( 64VT ) , Barre, VT , 20 , 6 , 17 , 43
17. ( 17 ) Darrell Morin ( 17VT ) , Westford, VT , 21 , 8 , 18 , 47
18. ( 21 ) Marcel Gravel ( 86VT ) , Wolcott, VT , 13 , 14 , 21 , 48
19. ( 24 ) Boomer Morris ( 13VT ) , Barre, VT , 25 , 4 , 20 , 49
20. ( 20 ) Tyler Cahoon ( 38VT ) , Danville, VT , 19 , 20 , 11 , 50
21. ( 15 ) Mike Bailey ( 00VT ) , S. Barre, VT , 18 , 24 , 16 , 58
22. ( 13 ) Jonathan Bouvrette ( 41QC ) , Blainville, QC , 17 , 18 , 24 , 59
23. ( 25 ) Matthew Smith ( 04VT ) , Essex Jct., VT , 24 , 21 , 19 , 64
24. ( 18 ) #Brendan Moodie ( 94VT ) , Wolcott, VT , 16 , 23 , 25 , 64
25. ( 19 ) Steve Cote ( 1QC ) , Montreal, QC , 23 , 19 , 23 , 65
26. ( 16 ) Nicholas Sweet ( 88VT ) , Barre, VT , 15 , 26 , 26 , 67

LENNY’S SHOE & APPAREL FLYING TIGER MINI MILK BOWL
Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown, Segment #1, Segment #2, TOTAL

1. Joel Hodgdon ( 36 ) Craftsbury Common, VT , 1 , 1 , 2
2. Jason Woodard ( 68 ) Waterbury Ctr., VT , 2 , 3 , 5
3. #Cooper Bouchard ( 7 ) Hinesburg, VT , 4 , 9 , 13
4. Tyler Austin ( 5 ) East Calias, VT , 10 , 7 , 17
5. #Brandon Lanphear ( 11 ) Morrisville, VT , 3 , 16 , 19
6. Stephen Martin ( 9 ) Craftsbury Common, VT , 12 , 8 , 20
7. Robert Gordon ( 20 ) Milton, VT , 8 , 12 , 20
8. #Kelsea Woodard ( 55 ) Waterbury Ctr., VT , 7 , 13 , 20
9. Michael MacAskill ( 33 ) Williamstown, VT , 17 , 5 , 22
10. Jaden Perry ( 92 ) Hardwick, VT , 5 , 17 , 22
11. Adam Maynard ( 57 ) Milton, VT , 18 , 6 , 24
12. Jason Pelkey ( 64 ) Barre, VT , 6 , 18 , 24
13. Mike Billado ( 8 ) Essex, VT , 21 , 4 , 25
14. Kevin Boutin ( 85 ) Fairfax, VT , 14 , 11 , 25
15. Matthew Potter ( 23 ) Marshfield, VT , 11 , 15 , 26
16. Brian Delphia ( 25 ) Duxbury, VT , 26 , 2 , 28
17. Colin Cornell ( 54 ) E. Burke, VT , 16 , 14 , 30
18. Michael Martin ( 01 ) Craftsbury Common, VT , 9 , 21 , 30
19. Brett Wood ( 29 ) Georgia, VT , 13 , 19 , 32
20. Sam Caron ( 07 ) Milton, VT , 23 , 10 , 33
21. Brad Bushey ( 95 ) Vergennes, VT , 15 , 20 , 35
22. Kevin Dodge ( 88 ) Barre, VT , 22 , 22 , 44
23. Joe Steffen ( 00 ) Grand Isle, VT , 19 , 25 , 44
24. Sid Sweet Jr. ( 51 ) Williamstown, VT , 20 , 26 , 46
25. Jared Plumley ( 71 ) Guildhall, VT , 24 , 23 , 47
26. #Jeff Murray ( 35 ) Georgia, VT , 25 , 24 , 49

ALLEN LUMBER STREET STOCK MINI MILK BOWL

Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown, Segment #1, Segment #2, TOTAL

1. William Hennequin ( 47 ) Hardwick, VT , 3 , 4 , 7
2. Kasey Beattie ( 45 ) St. Johnsbury, VT , 1 , 6 , 7
3. #Bryan P. Wall ( 77 ) E. Kingston, NH , 6 , 2 , 8
4. Nick Pilotte ( 98 ) Jefferson, NH , 4 , 5 , 9
5. Gary Mullen ( 29 ) Tunbridge, VT , 8 , 3 , 11
6. Jeffrey Martin ( 8 ) Barre, VT , 5 , 8 , 13
7. #Tyler Pepin ( 78 ) Barre, VT , 9 , 7 , 16
8. Dean Switser Jr. ( 16 ) Lyndonville, VT , 2 , 15 , 17
9. Kyle MacAskill ( 2 ) Williamstown, VT , 12 , 11 , 23
10. Jody Sicard ( 49 ) Gilmanton, NH , 11 , 12 , 23
11. #J.T. Blanchard ( 66 ) Graniteville, VT , 23 , 1 , 24
12. Steve LaFountain Sr. ( 61 ) Barre, VT , 18 , 9 , 27
13. Scott Weston ( 04 ) Berlin, VT , 17 , 10 , 27
14. #Juan Marshall ( 79 ) Pittsfield, VT , 13 , 14 , 27
15. Brandon Gray ( 00 ) E. Thetford, VT , 7 , 20 , 27
16. Justin Blakely ( 17 ) Graniteville, VT , 15 , 13 , 28
17. Jacob Roy ( 11 ) Danville, VT , 10 , 19 , 29
18. Tanner Woodard ( 68 ) Waterbury Ctr., VT , 14 , 21 , 35
19. Dylan Haskins ( 65 ) Berlin, VT , 20 , 18 , 38
20. Thomas Peck ( 96 ) Barre, VT , 19 , 22 , 41
21. #Edward Bowen Jr. ( 12 ) Morrisville, VT , 22 , 22 , 44

DSQ #Royce Lussier ( 95 ) Berlin, VT

DSQ Alan Maynard ( 18 ) Fairfax, VT

NEW ENGLAND DWARF CARS MINI MILK BOWL

Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown, Segment #1, Segment #2, TOTAL

1. Andy Hill ( 8 ) Lower Waterford, VT , 1 , 1 , 2

2. Jason Wyman ( 88 ) Franconia, NH , 2 , 2 , 4

3. Ethan Tyrrell ( 23 ) Worcester, VT , 5 , 3 , 8

4. Jarred Ainsworth ( 94 ) Bethlehem, NH , 3 , 5 , 8

5. Jeff Ainsworth ( 41 ) Bethlehem, NH , 4 , 6 , 10

6. Chad Dufour ( 52 ) Littleton, NH , 7 , 4 , 11

7. Howie Switser ( 36 ) Newark, VT , 6 , 8 , 14

8. Stephane Caron ( 99QC ) Laval, QC , 10 , 7 , 17

9. Jason Paquet ( 09 ) New Durham, NH , 9 , 9 , 18

10. Tim Sherman ( 68 ) Berlin Corners, VT , 8 , 11 , 19

11. Joanie Lambert ( 48 ) St-Eustache, QC , 13 , 10 , 23

12. Alexandre Piche ( 46 ) Mont-Tremblant, QC , 12 , 13 , 25

13. Jeremy Lebrecque ( 21 ) Canaan, VT , 11 , 14 , 25

14. Colby Bourgeois ( 98 ) St. Johnsbury, VT , 14 , 12 , 26

Michael R. Stridsberg
Thunder Road Speedbowl
Media Director
(802) 244-6963 ext. 6
media@thunderroadvt.com

Hebert, Therrien on Milk Bowl Front Row

CanadianRacingOnline — Sun, 30 Sep 2018 07:26:53 +0000

Hebert, Therrien on Milk Bowl Front Row

Barre, VT – Williamstown’s Jimmy Hebert and Hinesburg’s Bobby Therrien will lead the 56th Vermont Milk Bowl presented by Northfield Savings Bank to the green flag on Sunday, September 30. The duo beat out a slew of local, regional, and national Late Model talent to earn the front row on Booth Bros./H.P. Hood Milk Bowl Qualifying Day.

Hebert, who currently sits third in American-Canadian Tour (ACT) points, put his Hebert Excavation Chevrolet on the pole for the “Toughest Short Track Race in North America”. His fast time of 12.305 seconds earned him a $1,000 bonus from Booth Bros. Dairy and H.P. Hood. It is the first time Hebert has earned the pole in the biggest event of the year for ACT-type Late Models. Therrien, the 2017 “King of the Road”, was just behind him at 12.323 seconds and will sit to his outside when Segment 1 rolls onto the high banks.

Defending Milk Bowl Champion Jason Corliss of Barre will start third after taking the victory in the first 50-lap qualifying race. Corliss grabbed the lead from Cody Blake on a lap-8 restart and opened up a healthy lead in the event’s middle stages.

Track record holder Marcel J. Gravel of Wolcott worked his way up to second and seemed poised to challenge Corliss following the first and final caution on lap 39 for an incident involving Patrick Laperle and Peyton Lanphear. However, Gravel slowed with a flat tire on the restart and was forced to pit. Corliss then easily held off Brooks Clark for the win.

Clark finished second with Blake, Stephen Donahue, and Josh Masterson rounding out the top-5. Gravel charged back after rejoining the field to cross the line sixth, but was disqualified in post-race technical inspection for using an unapproved spare tire. Jonathan Bouvrette became the new 6th-place finisher followed by Mike Bailey. Darrell Morin inherited the final qualified spot in eighth.

Colchester’s Scott Payea won the second 50-lap qualifier to earn the fourth starting spot on the Milk Bowl grid. The ACT point leader was handed the lead on lap 28 when Therrien pitted after running his required laps. Milton’s Scott Dragon chased down Payea in the closing stages of the caution-free event, but the reigning “King of the Road” was unable to get around him.

South Burlington’s Trampas Demers finished third. Joey Polewarczyk Jr., Matt White, Kyle Pembroke, Nick Sweet and Brendan Moodie finished fourth through eighth and also transferred into the Milk Bowl.

Steve Cote, Tyler Cahoon, Gravel, and Evan Hallstrom fell back on their time trial speeds to fill Milk Bowl starting positions 19-22. Laperle is scheduled to start on the pole of the Last Chance Qualifier on Sunday. The 3-time Milk Bowl winner is one of several notable names in the event along with former ARCA Racing Series Champion Mason Mitchell; fellow former Milk Bowl winner John Donahue; and Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Model winners Jim Morris, Christopher Pelkey, and Eric Chase.

Craftsbury Common’s Joel Hodgdon showed why he’s the reigning Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tiger Champion by taking the win in Segment 1 of their Mini Milk Bowl. Hodgdon grabbed the lead from Waterbury Center’s Jason Woodard, who earned the pole in group time trials, right at the start of the 40-lap event. He then sailed away from the field, with a pair late cautions doing nothing to slow his momentum.

Woodard surrendered second to Hinesburg’s Cooper Bouchard following the first caution on lap 23, but got back underneath him after the second caution on lap 34. Morrisville’s Brandon Lanphear followed Woodard through to finish third. Bouchard, Jaden Perry, Jason Pelkey, Kelsea Woodard, Robert Gordon, Mike Martin, and Tyler Austin rounded out the top-10.

St. Johnsbury’s Kasey Beattie put on a dominating display in day one of action for the Allen Lumber Street Stocks. The youngster blistered the field in Mini Milk Bowl time trials to sit on the pole for Segment 1. After a rough start to the 25-lap event with three cautions in the first 2 laps – including a red flag for Edward Bowen Jr.’s rollover off turn 2 – Beattie motored off from the pack for the win.

Teammate Dean Switser Jr. of Lyndonville closed the gap in the final laps but ran out of time and settled for second. Hardwick’s Will Hennequin held off Nick Pilotte and Jeffrey Martin for third. Bryan P. Wall, Brandon Gray, Gary Mullen, Tyler Pepin, and Jacob Roy also earned top-10 finishes.

Lower Waterford’s Andy Hill made short work of the field in Segment 1 for the New England Dwarf Cars. The polesitter blew the competition away in the caution-free 20-lap event, winning by more than a straightaway over Franconia, NH’s Jason Wyman.

Wyman held off a fierce charge by Bethlehem, NH’s Jarred Ainsworth for second. Ainsworth’s dad Jeff took fourth followed by Ethan Tyrrell, Howie Switzer, Chad Dufour, Tim Sherman, Jason Paquet, and Stephane Caron.

Saturday was just a prelude to the 56th Vermont Milk Bowl presented by Northfield Savings Bank on Sunday, September 30. The Last Chance Qualifier at 12:15pm will set the final four spots in the Milk Bowl starting line-up. Opening ceremonies for the 3-segment Milk Bowl will follow at 1:00pm. The day will also include Segment 2 of the Mini Milk Bowls for the Flying Tigers, Street Stocks, and Dwarf Cars along with the annual Vermont Politician Cow Chip Throwing Contest. Admission is $30 for adults and free for kids ages 12 and under.

For more information, contact the Thunder Road offices at (802) 244-6963, media@thunderroadvt.com, or visit www.thunderroadvt.com.

BOOTH BROS./H.P. HOOD MILK BOWL QUALIFYING DAY

UNOFFICAL RESULTS

VERMONT MILK BOWL STARTING LINE-UP

Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown

1. ( 58VT ) Jimmy Hebert , Williamstown, VT
2. ( 5VT ) Bobby Therrien , Hinesburg, VT
3. ( 66VT ) Jason Corliss , Barre, VT
4. ( 37VT ) Scott Payea , Colchester, VT
5. ( 68VT ) Brooks Clark , Fayston, VT
6. ( 16VT ) Scott Dragon , Milton, VT
7. ( 99VT ) Cody Blake , Barre, VT
8. ( 85VT ) Trampas Demers , Shelburne, VT
9. ( 2VT ) Stephen Donahue , Graniteville, VT
10. ( 97NH ) Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. , Hudson, NH
11. ( 11NY ) Josh Masterson , Charlotte, VT
12. ( 42VT ) Matt White , Northfield, VT
13. ( 41QC ) Jonathan Bouvrette , Quebec, QC
14. ( 27VT ) Kyle Pembroke , Montpelier, VT
15. ( 00VT ) Mike Bailey , S. Barre, VT
16. ( 88VT ) Nicholas Sweet , Barre, VT
17. ( 17VT ) Darrell Morin , Westford, VT
18. ( 94VT ) #Brendan Moodie , Wolcott, VT
19. ( 1QC ) Steve Cote , Montreal, QC
20. ( 38VT ) Tyler Cahoon , Danville, VT
21. ( 86VT ) Marcel Gravel , Wolcott, VT
22. ( 1VT ) Evan Hallstrom , Northfield, VT
23. B-Feature – 1st place
24. B-Feature – 2nd place
25. B-Feature – 3rd place
26. Thunder Road 100%er provisional

LENNY’S SHOE & APPAREL FLYING TIGER SEGMENT #1

Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown

1. Joel Hodgdon ( 36 ) Craftsbury Common, VT
2. Jason Woodard ( 68 ) Waterbury Ctr., VT
3. #Brandon Lanphear ( 11 ) Morrisville, VT
4. #Cooper Bouchard ( 7 ) Hinesburg, VT
5. Jaden Perry ( 92 ) Hardwick, VT
6. Jason Pelkey ( 64 ) Barre, VT
7. #Kelsea Woodard ( 55 ) Waterbury Ctr., VT
8. Robert Gordon ( 20 ) Milton, VT
9. Michael Martin ( 01 ) Craftsbury Common, VT
10. Tyler Austin ( 5 ) East Calias, VT
11. Matthew Potter ( 23 ) Marshfield, VT
12. Stephen Martin ( 9 ) Craftsbury Common, VT
13. Brett Wood ( 29 ) Georgia, VT
14. Kevin Boutin ( 85 ) Fairfax, VT
15. Brad Bushey ( 95 ) Vergennes, VT
16. Colin Cornell ( 54 ) E. Burke, VT
17. Michael MacAskill ( 33 ) Williamstown, VT
18. Adam Maynard ( 57 ) Milton, VT
19. Joe Steffen ( 00 ) Grand Isle, VT
20. Sid Sweet Jr. ( 51 ) Williamstown, VT
21. Mike Billado ( 8 ) Essex, VT
22. Kevin Dodge ( 88 ) Barre, VT
23. Sam Caron ( 07 ) Milton, VT
24. Jared Plumley ( 71 ) Guildhall, VT
25. #Jeff Murray ( 35 ) Georgia, VT
26. Brian Delphia ( 25 ) Duxbury, VT

ALLEN LUMBER STREET STOCK SEGMENT #1

Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown

1. Kasey Beattie ( 45 ) St. Johnsbury, VT
2. Dean Switser Jr. ( 16 ) Lyndonville, VT
3. William Hennequin ( 47 ) Hardwick, VT
4. Nick Pilotte ( 98 ) Jefferson, NH
5. Jeffrey Martin ( 8 ) Barre, VT
6. #Bryan P. Wall ( 77 ) E. Kingston, NH
7. Brandon Gray ( 00 ) E. Thetford, VT
8. Gary Mullen ( 29 ) Tunbridge, VT
9. #Tyler Pepin ( 78 ) Barre, VT
10. Jacob Roy ( 11 ) Danville, VT
11. Jody Sicard ( 49 ) Gilmanton, NH
12. Kyle MacAskill ( 2 ) Williamstown, VT
13. #Juan Marshall ( 79 ) Pittsfield, VT
14. Tanner Woodard ( 68 ) Waterbury Ctr., VT
15. Justin Blakely ( 17 ) Graniteville, VT
16. #Royce Lussier ( 95 ) Berlin, VT
17. Scott Weston ( 04 ) Berlin, VT
18. Steve LaFountain Sr. ( 61 ) Barre, VT
19. Thomas Peck ( 96 ) Barre, VT
20. Dylan Haskins ( 65 ) Berlin, VT
21. Alan Maynard ( 18 ) Fairfax, VT
22. #Edward Bowen Jr. ( 12 ) Morrisville, VT
23. #J.T. Blanchard ( 66 ) Graniteville, VT

NEW ENGLAND DWARF CARS SEGMENT #1

Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown

1. Andy Hill ( 8 ) Lower Waterford, VT

2. Jason Wyman ( 88 ) Franconia, NH

3. Jarred Ainsworth ( 94 ) Bethlehem, NH

4. Jeff Ainsworth ( 41 ) Bethlehem, NH

5. Ethan Tyrrell ( 23 ) Worcester, VT

6. Howie Switser ( 36 ) Newark, VT

7. Chad Dufour ( 52 ) Littleton, NH

8. Tim Sherman ( 68 ) Berlin Corners, VT

9. Jason Paquet ( 09 ) New Durham, NH

10. Stephane Caron ( 99QC ) Laval, QC

11. Jeremy Lebrecque ( 21 ) Canaan, VT

12. Alexandre Piche ( 46 ) Mont-Tremblant, QC

13. Joanie Lambert ( 48 ) St-Eustache, QC

Michael R. Stridsberg
Thunder Road Speedbowl
Media Director
(802) 244-6963 ext. 6
media@thunderroadvt.com

Big Names Lining up for Chance at Milk Bowl Immortality

CanadianRacingOnline — Fri, 28 Sep 2018 05:24:54 +0000

Big Names Lining up for Chance at Milk Bowl Immortality

Barre, VT – The biggest stars of local, regional, and national Late Model racing will be in Barre, VT this Saturday, September 29 and Sunday, September 30 for the 56th Vermont Milk Bowl presented by Northfield Savings Bank. A growing list of racers are ready to join the exclusive list of those who have triumphed in Vermont’s most prestigious racing event.

With more than $60,000 in posted awards and the chance to add their name to a granite monument at Thunder Road, the top names in American-Canadian Tour (ACT)-type Late Model racing will take their shot at glory. Each of them knows the significance of the unique 3-segment event and how hard it is to win.

“I would call it the toughest race in New England – it’s got to be,” Memorial Day Classic winner Cody Blake said. “We’ve had five straight top-7s, so we’ve done well in it, but we’ve just never really gotten close to winning. It would be awesome to win it, that’s for sure. But it’s always the second segment that’s the hardest for us. You have to miss the wrecks, and it seems like every year, we do miss the wrecks, but then we either have bad luck or we get caught in one right at the end. I think the Milk Bowl is a good 60 percent luck.”

Five former Milk Bowl winners are expected to tackle the high banks this weekend. Hometown racers Jason Corliss and Nick Sweet are two clear favorites. Corliss is the defending Milk Bowl Champion and could become only the sixth racer to go back-to-back. Sweet is a three-time winner, and a fourth victory would put him alongside Robbie Crouch for most Milk Bowl wins.

Hudson, NH’s Joey Polewarczyk Jr., the 2010 winner, has also entered the Milk Bowl. “Joey Pole” recently stepped into an ACT Late Model for the first time in more than a year at New Hampshire’s White Mountain Motorsports Park and quickly got back up to speed. The former Late Model track record holder recently stated he is eager to try and reclaim his record.

St-Denis, QC’s Patrick Laperle, who joins Sweet as a 3-time winner, has confirmed to Thunder Road officials he will enter the Milk Bowl. 2009 winner John Donahue of Graniteville has also filed an entry. Corliss, Sweet, Pole, and Laperle will all do double-duty, running the Pro All Star Series (PASS) event on Friday night before attempting to qualify for the Milk Bowl.

Plenty of racers who have long been seen as capable of winning the “Toughest Short Track Race in North America” are ready to finally do so. Milton, VT’s Scott Dragon was recently crowned “King of the Road” for the second time and is trying to become the fourth member of his family to triumph in the Milk Bowl. ACT point leader Scott Payea of Colchester has five victories at Thunder Road to his name, but a Milk Bowl win would clearly be the biggest.

South Burlington’s Trampas Demers lost the Milk Bowl to Corliss on a tiebreaker last year and is eager to come out on the winning end this time. Tour standout Jimmy Hebert of Williamstown is almost always a threat at his home track. Barre’s Blake copped three victories in weekly Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Model competition this year and will go for the grand slam.

“The biggest challenge will be fixing and adjusting the car between segments,” Blake said. “We don’t have a ton of time to do stuff. And if we have a fender beat in here or there, we have to fix that before we can adjust the car for the next segment. In a perfect world, we’d like to adjust the car and make it faster for each segment. But we don’t always have that luxury.”

The Milk Bowl also brings out big names from around the region and even the country. Hinesburg’s Bobby Therrien, the 2017 Thunder Road track champion, is in search of his first date with the Victory Lane cow. Blainville, QC’s Jonathan Bouvrette, the 2017 Série ACT Champion, is one of several racers making the trip from la belle province. Former ARCA Racing Series Champion Mason Mitchell of West Des Moines, IA will make his Thunder Road debut, while East Bridgewater, MA’s Ryan Kuhn has impressed in a limited ACT schedule.

The chase for the 56th Vermont Milk Bowl crown begins with Booth Bros./H.P. Hood Qualifying Day on Saturday, September 29 at 1:00pm. The Late Models will have time trials and 50-lap qualifying races to help set the starting field. Sunday, September 30 opens with the Last Chance “B” Feature at 12:15pm followed by Milk Bowl opening ceremonies at 1:00pm.

The Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers, Allen Lumber Street Stocks, and New England Dwarf Cars are also on the schedule. All three divisions will run time trials and Segment 1 of 2-segment “Mini Milk Bowls” on Saturday. The second segment for each is on Sunday.

Adult admission for the 56th Vermont Milk Bowl is $30 for a 2-day Saturday/Sunday ticket and $10 for Saturday only. Kids age 12 and under will be admitted free on both days. The front gates open at 10:00am on Saturday and Sunday.

Vermont Milk Bowl Weekend opens with Northfield Savings Bank “Milk Bowl Friday” on September 28 at 6:00pm. The evening will include a 150-lap PASS Super Late Model feature, 50-lap events for the North East Mini Stock Tour and V8 Street Stock Showdown Series, and a 30-lap season finale for the Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors. The night will conclude with a colossal fireworks display provided by Northstar Fireworks. Admission is $20 for adults and free for kids age 12 and under.

For more information, contact the Thunder Road offices at (802) 244-6963, media@thunderroadvt.com, or visit www.thunderroadvt.com.

Michael R. Stridsberg
Thunder Road Speedbowl
Media Director
(802) 244-6963 ext. 6
media@thunderroadvt.com

Locals Look to Hold off Invaders Again at Milk Bow

CanadianRacingOnline — Fri, 28 Sep 2018 05:16:32 +0000

Locals Look to Hold off Invaders Again at Milk Bowl

Barre, VT – Late Model racers from throughout the U.S. and Canada are gearing up for the 56th Vermont Milk Bowl presented by Northfield Savings Bank this Sunday, September 30. Many of the top names in American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Late Model racing will be on hand at Barre’s Thunder Road, but they will have to beat a slew of local standouts if they want to lay claim to the “Toughest Short Track Race in North America”.

For racers of all stripes, the Milk Bowl is the biggest date on their calendar every year. Competitors speak with reverence of the event’s unique 3-segment format, storied history, and Victory Lane celebration that includes kissing a genuine Vermont dairy cow.

“The Milk Bowl is it,” Barre’s Christopher Pelkey said. “It’s the pride and joy. My birthday is actually on Thursday, and when I was a kid, I had a lot of birthdays where my Mom would let me have friends up to come up and watch the Milk Bowl. My birthday party would be at the track. So it’s always meant something to me. As a kid growing up in Barre, it’s the big race. When you’re a kid racing bikes, you do the Mini Milk Bowl style and you invert the field. It’s the real deal.”

Racers from Quebec to Florida have triumphed in the historic event that dates back to 1962. But in recent years, a local hero has usually been standing atop the mountain following the final segment. Five of the last six Milk Bowls have been won by a driver who competed weekly at Thunder Road that season. All of Thunder Road’s Maplewood/Irving Late Model regulars from this past summer, from defending Milk Bowl Champion Jason Corliss of Barre to track record holder Marcel J. Gravel of Wolcott, are expected to try and continue that trend.

“I ran the ACT Tour this year, and I got to race against guys all across New England,” Pelkey said. “And you take a lot of pride in the fact that, when you come back to Thunder Road, your top guys really can compete with anybody at just about any track. When you go to Thunder Road, you’re racing against some of the best competition out there. It’s not that the other guys don’t have it – I just think what we have at Thunder Road is special.”

A massive pool of local talent will be on hand this weekend. Reigning “King of the Road” Scott Dragon of Milton is eager to join his father, uncle, and cousin on the list of winners. South Burlington’s Trampas Demers is trying to go one spot better after losing the Milk Bowl to Corliss last year on a tie breaker.

Hometown racers Jim “Boomer” Morris and r Pelkey both had career years in 2018 and will try to cap them off with a strong Milk Bowl performance. Youngsters Stephen Donahue, Kyle Pembroke, and Evan Hallstrom are preparing to beat out the veterans.

They will have to fend off a host of challengers who are no slouches on the Barre high banks. Former Milk Bowl winners Joey Polewarczyk Jr. of Hudson, NH, Nick Sweet of Barre, and John Donahue of Graniteville return in search of another date with the cow. ACT point leader Scott Payea of Colchester has five ACT victories on the track. Last year’s “King of the Road” Bobby Therrien of Hinesburg will get back in the saddle after a skeletal 2018 schedule.

Several racers will make the long haul to compete for glory. 2017 Série ACT Champion Jonathan Bouvrette along with Mathieu Kingsbury are expected to drive down for Blainville, QC. Ryan Kuhn will take the trip up I-89 from East Bridgewater, MA while Mason Mitchell is making the trek all the way from West Des Moines, IA.

The battle for the 56th Vermont Milk Bowl begins with Booth Bros./H.P. Hood Qualifying Day on Saturday, September 29 at 1:00pm. Time trials and 50-lap qualifying races will help set the starting field for the 3-segment Milk Bowl. Sunday, September 30 has the Last Chance “B” Feature at 12:15pm followed by opening ceremonies at 1:00pm.

The Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers, Allen Lumber Street Stocks, and New England Dwarf Cars have Mini Milk Bowls on the card. The top racers in all three divisions will run time trials and Segment 1 on Saturday with Segment 2 scheduled for Sunday.

Adult admission for the 56th Vermont Milk Bowl is $30 for a 2-day Saturday/Sunday ticket and $10 for Saturday only. Kids age 12 and under will be admitted free both days. The front gates open at 10:00am on Saturday and Sunday.

Vermont Milk Bowl Weekend kicks off with Northfield Savings Bank “Milk Bowl Friday” on September 28 at 6:00pm. The Pro All Stars Series Super Late Models go 150 laps, the North East Mini Stock Tour and V8 Street Stock Showdown Series each have 50-lap events, and the Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors run a special 30-lap feature. The night will conclude with a humongous fireworks display courtesy of Northstar Fireworks. Admission is $20 for adults and free for kids age 12 and under.

For more information, contact the Thunder Road offices at (802) 244-6963, media@thunderroadvt.com, or visit www.thunderroadvt.com.
-

Michael R. Stridsberg
Thunder Road Speedbowl
Media Director
(802) 244-6963 ext. 6
media@thunderroadvt.com

Corliss Ready to Defend Milk Bowl Title FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CanadianRacingOnline — Tue, 25 Sep 2018 07:30:57 +0000

Corliss Ready to Defend Milk Bowl Title

Barre, VT – One year after scoring the biggest win of his Late Model career, Jason Corliss is ready to do it all again. With just days remaining before the 56th Vermont Milk Bowl presented by Northfield Savings Bank, the hometown racer and his Burnett Motorsports team are hard at work preparing for this year’s edition of the “Toughest Short Track Race in North America”.

Many of the top American-Canadian Tour (ACT)-type Late Model racers will be in Barre on Saturday, September 29 and Sunday, September 30. But perhaps none has accomplished more than Corliss over the last two seasons, with his victory in the $10,000+-to-win Milk Bowl last October the crown jewel.

“For the team, it’s something for them to always cherish and always be proud of,” Corliss said. “It’s one of those races where you can look back on it days, weeks, months, even years afterwards and reminisce about that day. It’s not like a weekly win that kind of gets lost in the shuffle – it’s the Milk Bowl. It’s our Daytona, our big race. To be able to win it was awesome for all the guys. We still talk about it often. But winning it is also a dangerous thing, because it makes you hungrier than ever to go do it again. And that’s what we’re aiming to do this year.”

“There’s so much prestige for this race,” he added. “There always has been and always will be. And it seems like everybody brings their ‘A’ game. It’s the end of the year, and everybody comes in and throws everything they’ve got at this race. To be able to be the guy that’s standing on top at the end is truly an honor.”

Since scoring that Milk Bowl win, Corliss went on to sweep the 2018 ACT Late Model Tour events at Thunder Road, including the $5,000-to-win Labor Day Classic earlier this month. In weekly Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Model competition, he finished a close second in the battle for “King of the Road”. Those achievements came off a 2017 season where he won four races, earned the ACT Rookie of the Year award, and finished third in both weekly and Tour points.

“All the ingredients were there,” Corliss said of his recent success. “The year prior to us actually winning the Milk Bowl, we were in a position late to win that Milk Bowl. Traffic didn’t work out the way we needed it to, and we finished second. So we knew even then that we were a top-notch team capable of winning big races. Even if we hadn’t won the Milk Bowl last year, I don’t think this year would have gone any differently. But it certainly helps as far as keeping people energized, rejuvenated, and excited going into the next pre-season, or going into the next Milk Bowl, where you have a big win that really showcases all their hard work and effort.”

A win in this year’s Milk Bowl would be one more entry on Corliss’s rapidly expanding list of achievements. The Labor Day Classic victory made him one of only 11 drivers to win all of Thunder Road’s “Big 3” events, which includes the Milk Bowl and the Memorial Day Classic. He now looks join an even more exclusive club, as only five drivers have ever gone back-to-back in the Milk Bowl.

In order to repeat, Corliss knows he and his team will need to stay focused. They are facing off against not only the top racers in the region, but the unique Milk Bowl format itself. Time Trials and 50-lap qualifying races on Saturday are part of a day-long battle to set the starting field. Those who make it through Qualifying Day intact have three 50-lap segments in store on Sunday with a full-field invert between each segment. The overall win goes to the driver with the best combined finish in all three segments.

“You can’t think too far ahead,” Corliss noted. “You’re not going to win the Milk Bowl on Friday at noon during practice. You’ve got to go through the process, and part of that process is that you have to enjoy the whole weekend. It’s a lot of work and it’s a lot of stress. But at the same time, you have to enjoy what you’re doing and enjoy that whole process, or else the whole thing’s not going to come to fruition at the end of the weekend. We’re really excited and pumped up, and we can’t wait for the weekend to arrive.”

Before getting to work in earnest on their Milk Bowl bid, the Burnett Motorsports team will start their racing weekend early. They are finishing up work on a new Super Late Model to debut in the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) event on Friday, September 28 as part of “Milk Bowl Friday”. Corliss is one of several Thunder Road and ACT competitors who hope to compete on all three days of Vermont Milk Bowl Weekend.

“It’s definitely going to be a challenge,” Corliss said. “The best part about Friday night for us is that it’s going to be more of a relaxing situation. It sounds kind of foolish, possibly, to say it’s going to be relaxing racing cars in a tough division with a stacked field, and making our guys work an extra night. But for our guys, it’s fun. We enjoy the challenge of trying to race with a different group of cars on our home track. Hopefully a little home field advantage will come into play and help us out, but Friday, we’re going with no expectations. We have not raced this car yet – I haven’t even driven this car yet. So I think it’s a little unrealistic right now to say we’re going to go out and try to win both events. But we definitely hope to go out there Friday, and the goals are to have fun, complete all the laps, and be competitive.”

Corliss will have fierce competition on his busy weekend. Reigning “King of the Road” Scott Dragon, 3-time 2018 winner Cody Blake, former Vermont Governor’s Cup winner Trampas Demers, and track record holder Marcel J. Gravel are some of the local stars who will be on hand for the Milk Bowl. Meanwhile, invaders such as ACT point leader Scott Payea, former Milk Bowl winners Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. and Nick Sweet, 2017 “King of the Road” Bobby Therrien, and former ARCA Champion Mason Mitchell have their eyes on the crown. Friday night, PASS superstars D.J. Shaw, Travis Benjamin, and Derek Griffith will take on the locals.

Vermont Milk Bowl Weekend kicks off Friday, September 28 at 6:00pm with Northfield Savings Bank “Milk Bowl Friday”. Booth Bros./H.P. Hood Qualifying Day goes to post at 1:00pm on Saturday, September 29 with Vermont Milk Bowl opening ceremonies at 1:00pm on Sunday, September 30. Adult admission is $30 for a Saturday/Sunday ticket and $20 for Friday-only. Kids ages 12 and under will be admitted free on all three days.

For more information, contact the Thunder Road offices at (802) 244-6963, media@thunderroadvt.com, or visit www.thunderroadvt.com.

Michael R. Stridsberg
Thunder Road Speedbowl
Media Director
(802) 244-6963 ext. 6
media@thunderroadvt.com

Familiar Thunder Road Names Flocking to Milk Bowl Friday

CanadianRacingOnline — Fri, 21 Sep 2018 13:00:25 +0000

Familiar Thunder Road Names Flocking to Milk Bowl Friday

Barre, VT – The 56th Vermont Milk Bowl Weekend launches on Friday, September 28 with the inaugural Northfield Savings Bank “Milk Bowl Friday”. The special Friday night affair will feature the region’s top racers from a trio of top Northeast touring series duking it out the night before Milk Bowl qualifying.

The Pro All Stars Series (PASS), North East Mini Stock Tour (NEMST), and V8 Street Stock Showdown Series all will make the trip to Barre. It marks the first time there has been Friday racing at the Milk Bowl, and many are already hoping it will become a new tradition on the racing calendar.

“I think adding Milk Bowl Friday is awesome,” Hudson, NH’s Joey Polewarczyk Jr. said. “So many people make the Milk Bowl one of their last big weekends of racing – they’re camping there, and everyone is there from Friday until Sunday anyway. So why not add some other premier divisions on what’s already a huge weekend? I think it’s going to draw more people, and it’s going to be a really good thing for the track.”

The PASS North visit is the first for Super Late Models at Milk Bowl weekend since 1995. But while the 150-lap event will include the biggest names in Northeast Super Late Model racing, it is also taking on a distinct local flavor. Numerous current and former Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Model and American-Canadian Tour (ACT) competitors are ready to tackle the high banks.

“Joey Pole” jumps out on the list of early PASS entries. After bouncing back from a flat tire to win on Memorial Day Weekend, Polewarczyk is going for the season sweep. The 2010 Vermont Milk Bowl winner has also entered this year’s running in hopes of a weekend sweep as well.

“It’s going to be tough to repeat,” Polewarczyk said. “It was tough on Memorial Day, but it’s just about who can get their car driving the best and last the longest. Ultimately, that’s what it comes down to. We definitely haven’t set the world on fire with practice times, but it’s a matter of working on the car. If we can sweep, that would be unreal.”

Hometown racers Jason Corliss and Nick Sweet, two other former Milk Bowl winners, are expected to join Polewarczyk in double-duty action. Corliss will attempt to defend his 2017 Milk Bowl crown on Saturday and Sunday after debuting a new PASS car from the Burnett Motorsports stable on Friday. Sweet has run a limited schedule the last two years, but the 3-time Milk Bowl Champion can never be counted out at Thunder Road.

Several other Thunder Road household names are on the list of those running Milk Bowl Friday. Colchester’s Scott Payea has entered the Milk Bowl, and the defending ACT Late Model Tour champion has informed Thunder Road officials that he also plans to run the PASS event. Multi-time Late Model winner Matt White of Northfield has entered both events and will make his PASS debut. Former ACT regular Glen Luce of Turner, ME has also entered the PASS 150.

They will join the top contenders for the 2018 PASS North Championship. Center Conway, NH’s D.J. Shaw, the 2017 Thunder Road PASS winner, has a 51-point edge over Morrill, ME’s Travis Benjamin following their most recent event at White Mountain Motorsports Park. Hudson, NH’s Derek Griffith and Scarborough, ME’s Garrett Hall remain in the hunt, while Turner, ME’s Ben Rowe just broke a long PASS North winless streak.

Also on the Friday night card, the NEMST and the Street Stock Showdown Series will run 50-lap main events. NEMST is coming to Thunder Road for the first time since 2013. According to the series’ most recent updates, Waterville, ME’s Cody LeBlanc enters the event with a 15-point advantage over Contoocook, NH’s Emerson Cayer, the 2017 series champion. Seekonk, MA’s Michael Viens and Windsor’s Cody Sabins have also been among the top runners this season.

The Street Stock Showdown Series makes their Thunder Road debut in a $1,000-to-win event. Somersouth, NH’s Alby Ovitt, a former American-Canadian Tour (ACT) racer, captured the series’ event held earlier this year at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The evening will conclude with a massive fireworks display courtesy of Northstar Fireworks. The company has declared it will be one of the biggest displays in the history of Vermont.

The first green flag of Milk Bowl Friday flies at 6:00pm on September 28. The front gates open at 2:30pm. Admission is $20 for adults and free for kids ages 12 and under. The pits open at 10:00am with an optional Vermont Milk Bowl practice from 12:00-2:30pm.

For more information, contact the Thunder Road offices at (802) 244-6963, media@thunderroadvt.com, or visit www.thunderroadvt.com.

Michael R. Stridsberg
Thunder Road Speedbowl
Media Director
(802) 244-6963 ext. 6
media@thunderroadvt.com