Apr 21, 2016 | American Canadian Tour, Maine Race Tracks, More Maine Racing News, Oxford Plains Speedway
Oxford American Racer Three Stars Announced.
(Heather Aube Photo)
Waterbury, VT – The American Racer Three Star program will continue in 2016. The program is designed to recognize three teams in no particular order of performance that had outstanding races at ACT US tour events. There are no specific criteria for deciding who might receive the award of a free American Racer Tire (value $125.00), but a special effort by a team, exceptional race, just plain old hard luck, or other accepted reason to give the award is used to decide the recipients.
The three stars are chosen by officials and they will receive certificates for use of a free American Racer tire at a future Tour race of their choosing during 2016.
The awarding of the stars does not allow for anybody in the top three to receive the recognition. That being said, both eventual winner Bobby Therrien, and second place competitor Roland Robinson, JR certainly deserve credit for their outstanding and sometimes dominant runs at OPS. There efforts at Oxford certainly made for some speculation from the “rail-birds” at what kind of exciting season the 2016 year will be. Big congratulations to both teams for what was first class efforts.
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Apr 20, 2016 | American Canadian Tour, Lee Speedway, More Maine Racing News, NE Racing News
Therrien Leads Charge into Lee USA Speedway. (Heather Aube photo)
Waterbury, VT – After a convincing victory at Oxford Plains Speedway last Sunday, Bobby Therrien is looking to continue his hot start as American-Canadian Tour (ACT) takes the green flag this Sunday, April 24 at Lee USA Speedway with the annual New Hampshire Governor’s Cup 150. The NH Governor’s Cup, which was postponed due to weather in early April to start 2016 racing season, has been the traditional ACT opener since 2008, and with 12 different winners in the previous 13 ACT Late Model Tour events at the 1/3-mile speedway, the stage is set for another unpredictable and exciting event.
Four of the last six NH Governor’s Cup winners – Miles Chipman (2010), Jimmy Hebert (2013), Eddie MacDonald (2014), and Wayne Helliwell, Jr. (2015) – have entered the event. Each hopes to become just the second repeat ACT Late Model winner at Lee.
The four will have plenty of challengers trying to add their names to the Lee USA record books. Colchester, VT’s Scott Payea now pilots the RPM Motorsports car that Brian Hoar drove to back-to-back NH Governor’s Cup wins in 2011 and 2012. Windham, ME’s Brad Babb was the runner-up in the 2015 Governor’s Cup and hopes to do one spot better in 2016. Kyle Welch and Rich Dubeau also turned in impressive performances at Lee in 2015 and could challenge for the win.
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Apr 19, 2016 | American Canadian Tour, Maine Race Tracks, More Maine Racing News, Oxford Plains Speedway
photo by RPM 360
EAST MONTPELIER, Vt. – Emily Packard piloted her 9x Northstar Fireworks/Packard Fuels car across the finish line in the thirteenth position in the thrilling 2016 American Canadian Tour season opener at Oxford Plains Speedway on Sunday. “I was in seventh place when the last caution came out,” said the 19 year old, “but we were the eighteenth car in line when we took that final restart. Unfortunately, the ACT rules don’t have the lap cars drop back, and there were just a lot of lap cars between me and the leaders. There was really nowhere for me to go, I was stuck in the middle, and we ended up thirteenth. We had a much better car than our finish reflects, and I am confident with how good the car will be for the remaining races.”
When the cars rolled out for the first practice, Packard hit the track taking the time to feel out the car for all the changes that had been made in the off season. During each practice the team, with input from Joe Polewarczyk Sr., would make subtle changes to the car to get it to handle more like Emily wanted. “Today was kind of a learning day,” said Packard, “a lot about learning the new set-up in the car and the partnership and how we would work together. It took a little bit to get the car from a set up that Joey (Pole) would typically run, to something that would suit my driving style and go good for us. The first couple of practices the car was bottoming out pretty bad, but once we got it up off the track it started running really good.” By the final practice, with the car driving to her liking, she cracked the top ten on the speed charts with an eighth fastest time.
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Apr 19, 2016 | American Canadian Tour, Maine Race Tracks, More Maine Racing News, Oxford Plains Speedway
photo by Norm Marx
Eddie MacDonald spent the weekend racing, literally, after posting an impressive eighth place finish in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Pittlite 125 at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday night then flying into Boston on Sunday morning then race to Oxford Plains Speedway to score a third place finish in the ACT Tour’s Oxford 100 later that afternoon.
Nothing was easy for the Grimm Racing team beginning Wednesday evening when the lift gate on the hauler malfunctioned and unable to close with the car loaded in the top. With the gate stuck eight feet in the air, two ramp trucks and a construction forklift were called into service to free the car. One ramp truck was place on top of the other and supported by the forklift, the Grimm Construction/Multiple Sclerosis Chevy was rolled from the hauler on to the ramp truck and eventually lowered to the ground. The car and the equipment were loaded into two car trailers the following morning for the trek to Bristol.
“That was something you do not see every day,” laughed Eddie Mac. “We knew the weekend would be hectic making two races in Tennessee then Maine in two days, so to start out like this was definitely strange. Fortunately Rob (Grimm) knew the right people to call to get the car down and those guys worked until one in the morning. Then early the next morning Rob’s guys showed up to help us load the trailers for the trip. It was a huge relief to get to the track that night without anything else happening. Racing was easy after all that.”
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Apr 18, 2016 | American Canadian Tour, Maine Race Tracks, More Maine Racing News, Oxford Plains Speedway
Therrien Races to Victory in ACT Opener at Oxford, (Heather Aube photo)
Waterbury, VT – Hinesburg, VT’s Bobby Therrien passed defending American Canadian Tour Champion Wayne Helliwell Jr. on lap 49 and never looked back winning the Oxford 100 going away on Sunday, April 17th at Oxford Plains Speedway.
Therrien led the final 51 laps, holding off Steuben ME’s Rowland Robinson Jr. on a pair of late restarts to win the 2016 ACT season opener. It was Therrien’s second career victory and first since 2013.
Robinson came home second to earn his first career podium finish with ACT. Former Oxford winner Eddie “The Outlaw” MacDonald charged from 16th on the starting grid to finish third.
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Apr 18, 2016 | American Canadian Tour, Maine Race Tracks, More Maine Racing News, Oxford Plains Speedway, PASS, Touring Series News
photo by Norm Marx
Oxford, Maine — Ben Rowe of Turner edged DJ Shaw of Center Conway, New Hampshire by a razor-thin margin of .023-seconds in a wild, and wildly-competitive, Speedway Homes 150 for Pro All Stars Series Super Late Models on Sunday at Oxford Plains Speedway.
“I’ve got to thank (new crew chief) Mickey Green for coming on board,” Rowe said in victory lane, greeted by a decidedly mixed reaction from a very vocal crowd after the race. “I haven’t had a top ten finish here in about five years – it was in the paper – and Mickey and his guys got us back on the right track, and my spotter (Steve Tapley) did a great job today.”
Rowe started 27th, and had methodically worked his way into third position behind Bryan Kruczek of Newmarket, New Hampshire and Dan McKeage of Gorham after McKeage had led almost the entire race to that point. Rowe found an opening under Kruczek as they headed into turn one on a restart, and contact between the two as Kruczek tried to close the hole saw him bounce into McKeage, who was forced three-wide to the outside, costing him several positions.
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