Mar 26, 2015 | American Canadian Tour, Lee Speedway, NE Racing News, Touring Series News
Waterbury, VT –The never-ending winter of 2015 has forced officials of the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) and the Lee USA Speedway to postpone the New Hampshire Governor’s Cup 150, originally scheduled for Saturday, April 11 and Sunday, April 12.
“We have waited in hopes that we would start to get some relief from the massive amount of snow we received this past winter in our region,” said Bill Callen, manager of the Lee USA Speedway. “We wanted to get things opened up in time for our ACT opening event, but that is going to be impossible with the amount of snow that still is at the Speedway. We know that fans and teams have always enjoyed coming to Lee for the first event of the season, but unfortunately we still have snow drifts from the frontstretch up over the grandstands! We just don’t believe we can get things prepared appropriately in the next two weeks. The best thing for all concerned was to give some early notice, as many teams and fans travel from Quebec, Maine and Vermont to our traditional ACT openers.”
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Mar 24, 2015 | American Canadian Tour, Lee Speedway, NE Racing News, Touring Series News
photo by Alan Ward
Waterbury, VT – The American-Canadian Tour (ACT) will compete in three 150-lap events on three completely different tracks in all three northern New England states to open the 2015 season. The New Hampshire Governor’s Cup 150, set for Sunday, April 12, is the traditional opening event for ACT teams held yearly at Lee USA Speedway in Lee, NH. Teams will then travel to Oxford Plains Speedway (OPS) in Oxford, ME a week later, followed by their annual visit to Thunder Road International Speedbowl in Barre, VT.
The fast Lee 3/8th-mile oval might statistically favor multi-time Lee champion and two-time ACT champion Wayne Helliwell, Jr., but he has tried eight times to date with a best finish of second in last year’s event, and is long overdue for a win. There is also favorite Eddie MacDonald, who is on a roll with five consecutive wins in recent outings, going back to the Thunder Road Milk Bowl last October. McDonald captured the NH Governor’s Cup last year in his ninth try at his home track. Defending 2014 ACT Champion Joey Polewarczk, Jr. (Pole) is also considered a favorite, but his only win at Lee USA came in a 100-lap opening race back in 2008. (more…)
Mar 22, 2015 | American Canadian Tour, Thunder Road, Touring Series News
Barre, VT – Thunder Road International Speedbowl honored its 2014 Champions with the annual Banquet of Champions at the Barre Elks Club on Saturday, March 21. Derrick O’Donnell received the top honors for the second consecutive season in the Late Model division, while Nick Sweet also went back-to-back in claiming Vermont State Late Model Championship. Jason Woodard and Tommy Smith earned the Bond Auto Tiger Sportsmen and Allen Lumber Street Stock championships, respectively.
O’Donnell, of North Haverhill, NH, became the sixth driver in Thunder Road history to repeat as “King of the Road”, doing so in his first two years in the division. O’Donnell caught fire in the second half of the season, ending the year with seven straight podium finishes, including the third Late Model victory of his young career in mid-August. O’Donnell also finished runner-up in three of the biggest races on the 2014 calendar: the Vermont Governor’s Cup, the Labor Day Classic, and the Milk Bowl. (more…)
Mar 19, 2015 | American Canadian Tour, Touring Series News
photo by Eric Lafleche
Waterbury, VT – A trio of 21-and-under drivers are aiming to step up to the plate in 2015 and make their mark on the American-Canadian Tour (ACT). Emily Packard, Kyle Welch, and Brandon Atkins all experienced success during their first full seasons on the ACT Tour in 2014, and are looking to emerge as title contenders this season.
Of the three, Packard enjoyed the strongest overall 2014 season. After competing part-time on the ACT Tour in 2013, the then 17-year-old moved up to a full schedule last year and turned heads early. The East Montpelier, VT resident scored her first Tour podium finish in the second race of the year with a third-place effort in the Merchant’s Bank 150 at Thunder Road Speedbowl in Barre, VT in late April.
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Mar 19, 2015 | American Canadian Tour, Touring Series News
photo by Eric Lafleche
Waterbury, VT – The 2015 American-Canadian Tour (ACT) schedule is shaping up to be one of the biggest in recent memory. The U.S. Tour will hold 13 point-counting events and three special events at 12 different tracks throughout the northeastern United States and Canada, featuring a variety of long-standing events, new tracks, and new alliances.
Four new races will grace the 2015 season, beginning with a 150-lap event at Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, ME on Saturday, April 18 as part of a doubleheader with the Pro All Star Series (PASS). The race will be the first for ACT at Oxford since 2012, followed by a second 150-lap ACT event at the track on Saturday, June 27. ACT will also make its inaugural visit to the Thompson Speedway in Thompson, CT on Saturday, October 16, and Sunday, October 17 for a 100-lap race as part of the annual World Series of Speedway Racing. The Tour will return to Autodrome Chaudiere in Valleé-Jct., QC on Saturday, September 12 for a 200-lap event, which will be both a PASS doubleheader and a combination race with Série ACT. The Chaudiere event is one of three U.S./Canada combos on the calendar, joining the Spring Green 115 on Saturday, May 16 and the Fall Foliage 200 on Saturday, October 3, both at Airborne Park Speedway in Plattsburgh, NY. This also marks the return of the Spring Green to Airborne after being held at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven, VT in recent years.
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Mar 12, 2015 | American Canadian Tour, Lee Speedway, NE Racing News, Touring Series News
photo by Al Ward
Waterbury, VT– American Canadian Tour (ACT) fans attending the annual New Hampshire Governor’s Cup 150 opening events at the Lee USA Speedway are generally the real winners at the seacoast oval on opening day. Sunday, April 12 will be no exception. History shows that there are many surprises in opening events at the fast 3/8 mile oval.
In the ten years running the NH Governor’s Cup, there has only been one repeat winner. Eight-time ACT Champion Brian Hoar of Williston, VT won the title back-to-back in 2011 and 2012. In 2009, Hoar and teammate for the event Mike Olsen (N. Haverhill, NH) looked like runaway favorites until Goodyear tire issues took both teams out of winning contention while running in the first two spots during the first half of the event.
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