Quebec’s Alex Labbe Scores Booth Bros./H.P. Hood Pole Award

Booth Bros./H.P. Hood Pole Award PhotoBarre, VT – Racing stateside is becoming very agreeable with 2013 Série ACT Runner-up Alex Labbe of St-Albert, QC.

One week after winning the ACT Fall Foliage 200 at Airborne Park Speedway, the 20-year-old Canadian racer won the Booth Brothers/HP Hood pole award at Thunder Road and will start on the point in Sunday’s (October 6) 51st Peoples United Bank Milk Bowl. He became the first Quebec driver to earn the pole award and the $1,000 bonus since Patrick Laperle in 2002.

Labbe best 49 other ACT Late Model teams when he turned Saturday’s fastest lap (13.159) in qualifying. Three-time Milk Bowl winner Brian Hoar (13.206) will be his partner on the front row.
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Hoar Qualifies 2nd For 51st Annual Milk Bowl

3-time Vermont Milk Bowl Champion To Start On Front Row Sunday

BARRE, Vt. – Eight-time ACT Late Model Tour champion Brian Hoar of Williston, Vt., qualified on the outside of the front row for the People’s United Milk Bowl, becoming one of just two guaranteed starters for the 51st annual event at Thunder Road International Speedbowl in Barre, Vt., on Saturday, October 5.

Hoar, a three-time Vermont Milk Bowl champion, toured the quarter-mile oval in 13.206 seconds and will start second in the 30-car field on Sunday afternoon. The first of three 50-lap segments takes the green flag at 1:30 p.m.

“I think with these new (American Racer) tires, they’re going to throw everybody for a loop,” Hoar said. “It’s going to be interesting. I think we have a good shot at it, and we’re starting in the right area for sure.”
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Laperle and MacDonald Enter 51st Milk Bowl

ACT American Canadian TourWaterbury, VT – Quebec’s Patrick Laperle and the “Outlaw” Eddie MacDonald from Rowley, MA are the latest entries in the 51st Peoples United Bank Milk Bowl, to be held at Thunder Road International Speedbowl on Saturday and Sunday, October 5-6, 2013.

Newly crowned ACT Champion Wayne Helliwell, Jr. from Dover, NH and his Bruce Bernhardt team have withdrawn their entry from the event. “Our sponsor backed out so we don’t have the money to make the Milk Bowl weekend,” the 2013 Champion said.

Laperle is a three-time winner of the ‘toughest short track’ race in North America and will seek his 4th win in the fall classic on Sunday, October 6, 2013. When the hard charging three time Série ACT and 2008 ACT US Champion was asked why he was coming to this year’s Milk Bowl, Laperle said, “The money! Ten Thousand ($10,000.00) to win is a lot of money. I am excited to try out the new American Racer tire too.”
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Pit Notes: 51st Milk Bowl Practice

troadBarre, VT – A total of 46 American Canadian Tour Late Models were in attendance at Thunder Road International Speedbowl in Barre, VT for Friday’s (October 4) practice session in anticipation of the 51st People’s United Bank Milk Bowl. Practice was delayed and started around 1:30pm due to some showers. The session was extended until 6:00pm to give teams time to get comfortable on the new American Racer tires.

A diverse group of competitors ran near the top of the speed charts all day. Former Milk Bowl Champions Jean-Paul Cyr, Brent Dragon, Brian Hoar, Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., Cris Michaud and Dave Pembroke were among them. Several drivers looking for their first career Milk Bowl wins also turned quick laps, including Chip Grenier, Trampas Demers, 2013 Thunder Road Champion Derrick O’Donnell, Cody Blake, Nick Sweet and Stacy Cahoon. A contingent of Quebec stars was also quick in the practice sessions. Alex Labbe and three-time Milk Bowl Champion Patrick Laperle led the way with Alex Labbe, Jonathan Bouvrette and Stephane Descoste not far behind. (more…)

ACT Young Stars Ready to Spoil Milk Bowl for Veterans

ACT American Canadian TourWaterbury, VT – The American Canadian Tour (ACT) young stars heading to the 51st Peoples United Bank Milk Bowl has a list deep in numbers and talent. Looking for first wins in what is arguably one of the most famous short track races in the country, first time winners include young local and young touring stars from throughout New England and Quebec.

Thunder Road hopefuls who have not held up the Milk Can are led by two-time ‘King of the Road’ Nick Sweet. Sweet is the home-town kid who made Thunder Road his own playground, coming up through the ranks of 4-cyl racing, then graduating to the intermediate Limited Late Model Tiger Sportsman division. He is always a favorite to win at his home track in any event. “I guess I would like to win this race as much as any I have ever been in. I almost won at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s ACT Invitational a couple years ago. I’ve done well and been in a position for a win a couple times at the Oxford 250, and have been lucky to have won a few of Thunder Road’s big ACT events, but I am still missing the biggest one!. Maybe this is my year,” said Sweet.
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