Sep 27, 2014 | American Canadian Tour, Thunder Road, Touring Series News
photo by Alan Ward
Waterbury, VT – The People’s United Bank Milk Bowl is full of ceremony, tradition, and exceptional stock car racing. The fall season in Vermont is the perfect backdrop for one of America’s greatest closing short track events of the race season.
When asked what makes the Milk Bowl so special, Tom Curley, long-time promoter at Thunder Road said, “First, the purse is over ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) to win. Also, for most teams it is the last race of the season. For many, just getting qualified and racing in a Milk Bowl is the goal. It has been billed as ‘the toughest short track race in America’ and for race fans, that has been proven year in and year out.”
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Sep 22, 2014 | American Canadian Tour, NE Racing News, NHMS, Touring Series News
photo by RPM
By: Dick Casey
Eddie MacDonald wanted a fourth victory in the six events held at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the Bond ACT Invitational but a skipping engine throughout the race produced a third place finish in the 43 car field that was halted at lap 44 due to darkness. The problem is nothing new to the team and despite their best efforts to solve the problem at the shop and on the dyno, the gremlin persisted.
“We really thought we had the problem solved when we found bent throttle plates in the carburetor but it showed up again during the morning practice,” said Eddie Mac. We changed carburetors twice during the practice but nothing worked. We have been through the engine, wiring, fuel, and anything else you could think of since last season but couldn’t solve it. It is very frustrating to run out there like that knowing if we didn’t have this glitch, we would have competed for the win. We were very lucky to run third with the problem we had. I feel bad for car owner Freddie Peterson who has done everything he could to fix the problem. With the process of elimination, we think we could have a solution. We’ll see.”
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Sep 22, 2014 | American Canadian Tour, NE Racing News, NHMS, Touring Series News
photo by RPM
EAST MONTPELIER, Vt. – In her third trip to the American Canadian Tour Bond Auto Parts Invitational it was the 17 year old Vermont native, Emily Packard, that was leading them to the line as she started from on the outside pole in her 9x Northstar Fireworks/Packard Fuels car at the “Magic Mile”.
After only one early morning practice, Packard was 37th fastest, but during the draw for starting position, she pulled the second starting position for the start of the race. As the green flag waved, Packard dropped back a few spots initially, setting her pace and hitting her marks, running in the top 10 for the first 12 laps of the race. “We had a really good day,” Packard said “and we were getting comfortable with the car, running in the top-10 to top-15 through most of the race.” By lap 30 Packard found herself in the 20th position, where she settled in and found her rhythm staying out of trouble as her fellow competitors drove three and four wide.
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Sep 21, 2014 | American Canadian Tour, NE Racing News, NHMS, Touring Series News
photo by RPM
Loudon, NH – Two-time American Canadian Tour Champion Wayne Helliwell, Jr. claimed the win in the 6th annual Bond Auto ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, NH on Saturday, September 20. The race was called complete on lap 44 due to darkness.
“Unbelievable!” said Helliwell in the post race press conference. “To be honest, I always have high hopes. We had a good car after practice. I’ve been under the weather the last couple weeks and it’s great to come back like this. Unbelievable!” he continued.
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Sep 21, 2014 | American Canadian Tour, NE Racing News, NHMS, Touring Series News
photo by RPM
Loudon, NH – For the second consecutive year, Auburn, Maine’s Travis Stearns will lead the 43-car Bond ACT Invitational field to green at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, NH on Saturday, September 20. East Montpelier, Vermont’s Emily Packard will start to his outside in the front row of the star-studded field. Glen Luce of Turner, Maine, Larry Gelinas of Buxton, Maine and Brandon Atkins of Au Sable Forks, New York will all start in the top five.
The American Canadian Tour Late Models completed their morning practice session with only a few issues on Saturday. Eight-time ACT Champion Brian Hoar of Williston, Vermont suffered a broken rocker arm in his motor and only completed four laps of practice. Guy Caron of Lempster, New Hampshire broke a transmission but still managed a top ten time in practice. Both teams have made the necessary repairs and will be ready for the green flag this afternoon.
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Sep 21, 2014 | American Canadian Tour, Thunder Road, Touring Series News
photo by Alan Ward
Waterbury, VT – The nation’s leading short track racing internet supplier, Speed51.com, owned and operated by NASCAR television broadcaster Bob Dillner from Charlotte, North Carolina, has entered into an agreement with Thunder Road International Speedbowl in Barre, VT to have the 52nd annual People’s United Bank Milk Bowl broadcast on the 51 TV pay-per-view schedule of events. The famous event will take place on Saturday and Sunday, October 4-5, 2014.
The unique Milk Bowl, established in 1962, received national recognition from National Speed Sport News, considered the leader in racing journalism, in 2004. The award for the “Best Short Track” event of the year was voted on by the nation’s promoters.
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