BARRE, VT – Stock car racing fans will have a new reason to celebrate Memorial Day on the weekend of Sat./Sun., May 24/25, as a doubleheader for the ages comes to Barre, VT’s Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl. The American-Canadian Tour Late Models will be in town for the 46th Annual Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic, and will be joined for the first time at “The Nation’s Site of Excitement” by the open-wheel True Value Modified Racing Series. Even more reason to celebrate is the ticket price: At just $20 for adult general admission or only $40 for a “Family” ticket for any two adults and two children (12 and under), the prices are the best racing bargain in New England.
The Modifieds have been absent from Thunder Road’s 1/4-mile, high-banked track for more than 40 years, and will return with former TVMRS champions Kirk Alexander of West Swanzey, NH and Dwight Jarvis of Ascutney, VT, top drivers Les Hinckley of Windsor Locks, CT, Louie Mechalides of North Tyngsboro, MA, and rookie sensation David Pinkham of Buxton, ME.
The ACT Late Model Tour visited Thunder Road for the 10th Annual Merchants Bank 150 on May 4, with Milton, VT youngster and current point leader Scott Payea taking the checkered flag. Payea will be joined by Série ACT Castrol Champion and Chittenden Milk Bowl winner Patrick Laperle of Montréal, ACT and Thunder Road standout John Donahue of Graniteville, VT, and New Hampshire’s Randy Potter and Joey “Pole” Polewarczyk.
Seven-time ACT Late Model Tour Champion Jean-Paul Cyr of Milton, VT will pull double duty at the Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic, driving his familiar Ehler’s RV/RPM Racing Engines #32 Chevrolet in the ACT event, and piloting Gary Casella’s #25 Modified in the open-wheel 100-lapper. Cyr did the double at Lee USA Speedway in New Hampshire last month, netting a 12th-place finish in the True Value event. With a pair of top-five finishes already in ACT competition, Cyr currently ranks fourth in points.
Also on tap are Thunder Road’s weekly NAPA Tiger Sportsman, Allen Lumber Street Stock, and wild and wacky Power Shift Online Junkyard Warrior divisions. Spectator gates will open on Saturday, May 24 as practice for all five divisions begins at 1:00pm. Qualifying for Thunder Road’s three weekly divisions will start at 3:30pm. Spectator gates will open at 10:00am on Sunday, May 25, with racing action for the ACT Late Model Tour and True Value Modified Racing Series beginning at 1:30pm. General admission is $20 for adults, $5 for children (6-12), and only $40 for a family of any two adults and two kids. For more information, call (802) 244-6963 or visit www.thunderroadspeedbowl.com.