Waterbury, VT – The American Canadian Tour (ACT) will open the 5th season of championship stock car racing for the Série ACT Castrol on Saturday, May 21. The popular series will begin the 2011 season at Autodrome Chaudiere in the Beauce Region of Quebec, just east of Quebec City.
This will be the first time the Series has opened its season at the Vallee Junction, QC bullring, which has become a favorite of Castrol Series teams. There are always huge supportive crowds, and traditionally some of the most exciting racing on the Series. It is the home of the ACT Showdown of Champions, a special 200-lap race between the best of the Castrol teams and the best of the US teams, at the end of each season paying $5,000 to win with $40,000 in overall purse and prize money to the top eleven (11) competitors from the ACT Castrol Serie and ACT US regulars.
“We are really looking forward to the opening of the 2011 season with our Castrol Series. We have received tremendous support over the past few years from both the competitors and Quebec promoters. We are very proud to have helped build such a popular and successful program in Quebec,” said Tom Curley, President of the American Canadian Tour.
Two former Castrol Série Champions will headline an expected field of 30 teams who plan to attend the season opener. Defending Castrol Champion Karl Allard and two-time Champion Donald Theetge (2006, 2009) will face off in the first battle for the 2011 Championship. Both drivers have had remarkable success at Chaudiere. Allard is coming off an unprecedented six (6) wins on his way to winning the 2010 Castrol Championship title, two of those wins came at Autodrome Chaudiere. Allard and Theetge hold nearly all the statistical records at the speedway.
“Racing at Valle Junction is always fun. There is huge fan support, and we always like to do well in front of our Quebec City fans. Karl (Allard) is one of the best drivers and teams to race against, and he is tough to beat at Chaudiere,” said Donald Theetge of nearby Boischatel, QC.
When asked about the unique banked tight bull ring Chaudiere track, Theetge had this to say: “There is a big difference in that kind of track compared to the other tracks our ACT Castrol Series competes at. It has the atmosphere of a place like Thunder Road in Barre, VT, and we usually have to replace a fender or two at the end of the night, but it is a great place to start the season. We want to win and see if that can get us headed toward taking the title from the #48 team this season,” concluded Theetge.
The 2011 season gets underway on Saturday, May 21 with a post time of 5pm. Competitor gates will open at 10:00, practice begins at 1:00pm. Chaudiere is located about 2½ hours from the Vermont border town of Newport, VT.