Brian Hoar Opens Title Defense With Victory At Lee USA
LEE, N.H. – Brian Hoar of Williston, Vt., earned his ACT Late Model Tour record 29th career victory on Sunday, winning the season-opening NH Governor’s Cup 150 at Lee USA Speedway.
The victory was the first at Lee for the seven-time ACT champion Hoar.
“It was a great run,” Hoar said. “I’ve got to thank that whole RPM Motorsports race team. The car was awesome. It really was. It was on rails all day.
“Obviously, it’s big to win the (season) opener. I’m pumped.”
After settling into the Top-3 for most of the race, Hoar’s No. 37 GossCars.com Dodge took the lead from Scott Dragon on Lap 117 and then held off the hard charge of second-year driver Brad Babb.
“I knew this was one of those long races, and watching (Babb at the end) just proves it. I mean, where did he come from?” Hoar said. “We made some adjustments before the race. It was very cold yesterday (during practice), and it was a lot different today with the sun out.”
Hoar started 18th after winning his qualifying race earlier in the afternoon. He cracked the Top-10 by Lap 16 and was sitting in the fifth position on Lap 32.
From there, the veteran racer was content to ride behind leaders Dragon and Wayne Helliwell until making his move shortly after the 100-lap mark.
“I was holding him back,” said Rick Paya, RPM Motorsports owner and crew chief for Hoar. “He wanted to go and I wanted him to ride. We talked about where we were going to ride, and it was all about strategy. Toward the end there, obviously we didn’t have enough for (Babb), but it was enough to hold him off.”
Hoar has now won two ACT starts in a row, including a 100-lap non-points race in the Goodyear Speedweeks Cup at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway back in February.
Unofficially, Hoar emerged from the 2011 season opener at Lee USA Speedway with the points lead as he goes for a third straight Tour title and unprecedented eighth championship overall.
“It’s very good to win the opener, of course,” RPM Motorsports owner Rick Paya said. “Brian was his old self there. He did a heck of a job.
“Overall, it was a great race.”
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American-Canadian Tour
NH Governor’s Cup 150
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Unofficial Results
Finish (Start) Driver, Hometown, Laps
1. (18) Brian Hoar, Williston, VT, 150 Laps
2. (30) Brad Babb, Windham, ME, 150 Laps
3. (25) John Donahue, Graniteville, VT, 150 Laps
4. (16) Fulton Mountain, Barrington, NH, 150 Laps
5. (8) Wayne Helliwell, Jr., Dover, NH, 150 Laps
6. (1) Scott Dragon, Colchester, VT, 150 Laps
7. (2) Randy Potter, Groveton, NH, 150 Laps
8. (23) Austin Theriault, Fort Kent, ME, 150 Laps
9. (5) Karl Allard, Quebec, QC, 150 Laps
10. (22) Mark Lamberton, Mooers Forks, NY, 149 Laps
11. (4) Brent Dragon, Milton, VT, 149 Laps
12. (24) Jamie Fisher, Shelburne, VT, 149 Laps
13. (20) Rick Thompson, Jay, VT, 149 Laps
14. (3) Shawn Martin, Turner, ME, 148 Laps
15. (28) Dennis Spencer, Jr., Oxford, ME, 148 Laps
16. (15) Mike Bruno, Rutland, VT, 148 Laps
17. (12) Travis Stearns, Auburn, ME, 148 Laps
18. (27) Ray Parent, Tiverton, RI, 146 Laps
19. (19) Joey Laquerre, E. Montpelier, VT, 143 Laps
20. (11) Jimmy Cormier, Princeville, QC, 115 Laps
21. (14) Pat Floyd, Chester, NH, 101 Laps
22. (13) Chip Grenier, Graniteville, VT, 99 Laps
23. (10) Jean-Paul Cyr, Milton, VT, 76 Laps
24. (6) Craig Bushey, Fairfax, VT, 46 Laps
25. (26) Donald Theetge, Quebec, QC, 46 Laps
26. (17) Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., Hudson, NH, 46 Laps
27. (7) Ricky Rolfe, Albany Twp., ME, 44 Laps
28. (9) Aaron Fellows, Croydon, NH, 40 Laps
29. (29) #Dave Farrington, Jr., Jay, ME, 9 Laps
30. (21) Bobby Baillargeon, Kingston, NH, 3 Laps
Time of Race: 1:16:19
Margin of Victory: .319 sec.
Cautions: 7 (laps 3, 9, 18, 28, 44, 46, 115)
Leaders: Scott Dragon, 1-18; Randy Potter, 19; Dragon, 20-116; Brian Hoar, 117-150
Heat Winners: Jimmy Cormier, Pat Floyd, Brian Hoar, Travis Stearns