May 8, 2015 | American Canadian Tour, Thunder Road, Touring Series News
photo by Alan Ward
Waterbury, VT—The 2015 American-Canadian Tour (ACT) season has reached the quarter-pole of its 15-race schedule. While former champions Wayne Helliwell Jr. and Joey Polewarczyk Jr. find themselves at the top of the standings, a growing crop of new and young racers are making their presence known.
Windham, ME’s Brad Babb has been one of the drivers to beat so far. Babb returned to the ACT Tour full-time in 2015 driving a car owned by Joey Laquerre. He scored his first ACT podium finish at the New Hampshire Governor’s Cup, then earned a storybook win in the Merchants Bank 150 at Barre, VT’s Thunder Road. It was the first race at Thunder Road since Laquerre’s grandson, up-and-coming local racer Joey M. Laquerre, died in an ATV accident last October.
“I always wished that I could win at Thunder Road, but before we’d had a hard time just qualifying there,” Babb said. “I really just wanted to make the race on Sunday.” (more…)
May 8, 2015 | American Canadian Tour, Thunder Road, Touring Series News
photo by Alan Ward
Waterbury, VT – The American Racer Three Star program is designed to recognize three non-podium finishers, in no particular order of performance, who had outstanding races at ACT U.S. 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 any other accepted reason to give the award is used to decide the award recipients.
The three stars are chosen by ACT officials and will receive certificates for use of a free American Racer tire at a race of their choosing during the 2015 season.
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May 4, 2015 | American Canadian Tour, Touring Series News
photo by RPM 360
EAST MONTPELIER, Vt. – Thunder Road is always a challenge for any driver, but this weekend Packard was up to the challenge. Starting back in the 23rd starting spot, Packard, driving three wide right up the middle at times, found herself finishing 6th when the checkers fell on the 17th Annual Merchants Bank 150. Packard and the 9ME Northstar Fireworks/Packard Fuels team spent Saturday working on getting the car tuned in and to Emily’s liking. “We had a pretty decent day of practice,” said Packard. “We had limited tires to practice on, so we kept the number of laps that we ran fairly low. We weren’t that far off and our practice times were consistent all day.”
With two additional practices on Sunday, the team went to work on the set-up to meet the ever changing track conditions. In the final American Canadian Tour practice, Packard went out and posted the second fastest lap and was confident with the car heading into the heat race. Starting fourth in the final heat race Packard knew that if she was to transfer into the feature, she was going to have to make her move early, but unfortunately it didn’t go quite as she had planned. “We got put three wide on the first lap and I had to drop out or it was not going to end up well for me,” Packard said. “After that we got run up into the wall, the car lost the drive off and I just maintained the car finishing the heat race in seventh.”
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May 4, 2015 | North East Mini Stock Tour, Touring Series News
Nine years ago was the first mini stock race at Beech Ridge. The ‘4-Cylinder Nationals’ as it was called by Gary Sagar was an open comp mini stock event that attracted over 30 cars fighting for $1000 to win in the 50 lap event. Now NEMST Promoter Bob Guptill started deep in the field in that first event that showcased the best from all over the region and drove to a top 10 finish. Fast forward to the present with the popular NEMST and its 10 race schedule for the 2015 season.
Twenty-six touring minis entered the pit area Saturday morning to fight for the first Beech Ridge trophy since the 2011 season. From brand new cars to aged veterans the competition was high. This was truly the best of the very best, champions from nearly every track in New England battling against one another. Practices went well with a large group of drivers running nearly identical lap times. NEMST Officials were sure the feature would be an action packed show.
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May 4, 2015 | American Canadian Tour, Touring Series News
photo by RPM 360
By: Dick Casey
Eddie MacDonald returned to the track to finish 17th after a spectacular crash over the turn two embankment early in the American Canadian Tour’s 17th Annual Merchants Bank 150 at Thunder Road in Barre, Vt. on Sunday, May 3. The Freddie Peterson owned Chevy sustained heavy front end damage after a blown left rear tire sent the car and Eddie Mac sailing off the track and down the hill on lap five.
“That was definitely a hard crash,” said Eddie Mac after the race. ”I made contact with another car the lap before, and unfortunately it cut down the tire. When I went into turn one I just sailed up the track and over turn two. It is a strange feeling to look out the windshield straight down at the ground. There was a stone wall there that stopped the car from flipping over but it tore up the front of the car and bent something underneath. The crew did a great job to get me back out there but it was a long day to ride round and not compete for the win.” (more…)
May 4, 2015 | American Canadian Tour, Touring Series News
Alan Ward photo
Barre, VT—Brad Babb came into the season looking for his first career American-Canadian Tour victory. He and his Joey Laquerre–owned team earned it in perhaps the most dramatic way possible on Sunday, May 3.
Babb took the lead from Scott Dragon with 18 laps to go and went on to win the Merchants Bank 150 at Barre, VT’s Thunder Road. The win came following a pre-race tribute to Laquerre’s late grandson Joey M. Laquerre, leading to an emotional celebration in Victory Lane.
“I just can’t believe we won at Thunder Road,” Windham, ME’s Babb said. “It means the world to me. I can’t even describe it. This is 100% for Lil Joey. I couldn’t do it without Big Joey.” (more…)
