May 23, 2015 | American Canadian Tour, NE Racing News, Thunder Road, Touring Series News
Thunder Road staff photo
Barre, VT—Thunder Road held its second open practice session of the 2015 season on Friday. Drivers from all three weekly divisions converged on Barre, VT’s Thunder Road in preparation for the Memorial Day Classic on Sunday, May 24.
26 of Thunder Road’s American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Late Models were on hand. South Burlington, VT’s Trampas Demers, the 2005 Memorial Day Classic Champion, was one of the drivers taking advantage of the chance to earn track time and experiment with setups.
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May 20, 2015 | American Canadian Tour, PASS, SLM, Thunder Road, Touring Series News
Dave Brown photo
Barre, VT—The 53rd Annual Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic will be held at Barre, VT’s Thunder Road on Sunday, May 24 and is shaping up as one of the biggest ever. The Pro All Stars Series (PASS) North Series are making their inaugural visit to Thunder Road, marking the first time Super Late Models take to the high banks in 20 years.
A host of Thunder Road locals and American-Canadian Tour (ACT) regulars have entered the PASS 150-lap event. 1999 “King of the Road” and eight-time ACT Tour Champion Brian Hoar is an early name to watch. The Williston, VT veteran has 16 wins at Thunder Road, including three in the Vermont Milk Bowl and a win with the NASCAR Busch North Series in 2003. (more…)
May 14, 2015 | American Canadian Tour, Thunder Road, Touring Series News
LaFleche/VLFphotos.com photo
Barre, VT—Thunder Road’s American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Late Models begin their 2015 championship chase on Sunday, May 24 in the Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic 100. Montpelier, VT’s Josh Demers, entering his sophomore season, will be looking to build on his unexpected performance at New Smyrna Speedway in Florida this past February.
Coming off a 12th-place points finish in Demers’ rookie year at Barre, VT’s Thunder Road, expectations were low entering the American Racer Challenge Cup at New Smyrna. At one point, when asked why the team was going to Florida, Demers’ father Randy responded that “someone has to finish last.”
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May 12, 2015 | PASS, SLM, Thunder Road, Touring Series News
photo by Norm Marx
Barre, VT—The Pro All Stars Series (PASS) North Super Late Models make their inaugural visit to Barre, VT’s Thunder Road on Sunday, May 24 as part of the 53rd Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic. The 150-lap event, held in tandem with the 100-lap Classic for Thunder Road’s American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Late Models, is shaping up to be one of the biggest events of the early 2015 season.
PASS’s trip to the “Nation’s Site of Excitement” was born from an off-season alliance between ACT and PASS. It will be the first time Super Late Models have visited the track since the 1995 Vermont Milk Bowl won by Petrolia, Ontario’s Dave Whitlock with the former ACT Pro Stock Tour. 2012 PASS North Champion Travis Benjamin is one of the many drivers excited about the event.
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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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