STE-CROIX, QUE. – Brian Hoar of Williston, Vermont secured an unprecedented eighth ACT Late Model Tour championship by taking the win in the Can-Am 200 at Circuit Riverside in Ste-Croix, Que., on Sunday, September 11. The win came one night after a stellar performance and win in the Budweiser Showdown at Chaudiere 200 at Autodrome Chaudiere in Vallee-Jonction, Que.
Hoar led every lap of the All-Star race at Chaudiere en route to the win in the RPM Motorsports No. 37 GossCars.com Dodge. At Riverside, he finished second on the track and inherited the victory when the race winner failed post-race technical inspection.
“We were on fire Saturday night,” Hoar said. “We had a really, really good race car. It was one of those nights that most people don’t even get once in a season and we had that. It was awesome.”
Sunday’s Can-Am 200 was a very different race for Hoar and his team, but they were able to put themselves in a position to be out front.
“Today was not the same. We struggled,” Hoar said. “We weren’t even close to what we were last year. But we had a great pit strategy and came out first when two-thirds of the field came in (to make pit stops). Track position was key.”
Hoar was taking a nap in his hauler on his way back to the United States when he received word that he’d been declared the Can-Am 200 winner, giving Hoar his seventh win of the season and eighth ACT championship.
RPM Motorsports and owner Rick Paya also won a record eighth championship.
“It’s just been an awesome year,” Hoar said. “We weren’t always the best car or the fastest car. I have an awesome team. They did a great job. It’s been an awesome three years with this crew. We have a lot of fun doing it and I think that chemistry shows.
“I’ll probably never have another season like this with such a high average finish (currently 2.8). I said the only way that we could top last year was to win a bunch of races and we did. The fun factor went up this season. It’s been an amazing season.”
The ACT series finale is next month at Airborne Speedway in Plattsburgh, N.Y.