WATERFORD, CT – Canadian Late Model stock car driver Patrick Laperle has a lot on his mind entering Saturday’s (June 7) Nutmeg State 100 at Waterford Speedbowl. The Montréal racer was just three laps away from victory the last time the American-Canadian Tour visited the historic Connecticut oval before disaster struck.
“I was racing hard for the win with Jean-Paul Cyr and we touched,” Laperle remembered of the 2004
event. “He spun out and I got a flat tire. I was so close to winning that race.”
Laperle has won quite a bit since that day four years ago, including a pair of Chittenden Milk Bowls at Vermont’s Thunder Road, last year’s Série ACT Castrol championship in his native Canada, and the Castrol season opener at his home track, Autodrome St-Eustache, three weeks ago. In fact, a look at the 2008 ACT Late Model Tour schedule will find seven tracks that the 32 year-old auto body technician has won at.
In that same look, one track stands out as the lone stop Laperle hasn’t carried a checkered flag at:
Waterford Speedbowl.
“I want to win at Waterford bad,” Laperle said. “It’s been a good year, my worst finish is eighth, but I still haven’t won a Tour race, and I’ve never won at Waterford. I’m ready.” Should he win, Laperle will be the only driver to have at least one victory at all eight tracks on the ACT Late Model Tour schedule.
He will have plenty of challengers, including 2004 Waterford rival Cyr, the seven-time and defending ACT Champion from Milton, VT. The pair will be joined by point leader Scott Payea, 2003 Waterford winner Brent Dragon, New Hampshire’s Randy Potter, Maine’s Ron Henry, Donald Theetge of Québec City, and Waterford Speedbowl Track Champions Bruce Thomas, Jr. and Timmy Jordan.
Green flag qualifying action for the Nutmeg State 100 at Waterford Speedbowl begins at 5:00pm on Saturday, June 7. Waterford Speedbowl is located on 1080 Hartford Road in Waterford, CT. For more information, call ACT at (802) 244-6963 or visit www.acttour.com, or visit the official Waterford Speedbowl website at www.speedbowl.com.