May 7, 2017 | Granite State Series, Maine Race Tracks, Oxford Plains Speedway, Touring Series News
GSPSS Adds Oxford Plains To 2017 Schedule
WALPOLE, N.H. – The Granite State Pro Stock Series announced another addition to the 2017 schedule this week. A stop at the three-eighths mile Oxford Plains Speedway will take place as part of the 44th annual Oxford 250 weekend. The race will be a 100-lap feature event on Saturday evening August 26th.
“Our goal is and always has been a 14-race schedule,” series president Mike Parks explained. “We usually don’t like to add an event once we start the season, but this is an exception.”
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May 6, 2017 | ACT, NE Racing News, Thunder Road, Touring Series News
Longtime Thunder Road Speedbowl co-owner Tom Curley, seen here addressing a driver’s meeting, passed away on Friday, May 5 after a lengthy illness. (Alan Ward photo)
Barre, VT – Longtime Thunder Road Speedbowl co-owner and promoter Thomas M. Curley passed away on Friday, May 5 due to complications from a lengthy illness. Curley was 73 years old.
Born May 10, 1943, Curley was involved in local and regional auto racing for most of his adult life. After spending considerable time at Thunder Road as a spectator and driver in the 1960s, he became the NASCAR Northeast regional director in 1978, and a year later created the NASCAR North Tour. He and Thunder Road founder Ken Squier then acquired the track in 1982 from former owner Tommy Kalomiris.
After leaving NASCAR, Curley created the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) sanctioning body in 1986. Under Curley’s leadership, both Thunder Road and ACT became household names for racers and fans throughout the Northeast, making the Barre high banks one of the most popular auto racing destinations in the region. Among his many accomplishments, he helped relaunch the famed Flying Tiger division that has competed since 1982, and created the ACT Late Model rules package used at Thunder Road and numerous other tracks.
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May 6, 2017 | ACT, NE Racing News, Touring Series News
For the third time in three events, weather has forced the cancellation of this weekend’s American Canadian Tour event, scheduled for Sunday May 7 at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven, Vermont.
With saturated grounds already a concern at the venue, and rain forecast throughout the area for the next several days, the event has been postponed until Saturday, May 20.
“Certainly, it’s disappointing to have to reschedule events, but in the interest of our fans and competitors, this seems like a wise decision, given the weather forecast”, said Darla Hartt, Vice President of ACT. “We will look forward to our Devil’s Bowl event now set for Saturday, May 20, with a 6:00 pm post time, and with 117 laps in the Spring Green feature event, we will anticipate an exciting -evening”.
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May 3, 2017 | ACT, NE Racing News, Thunder Road, Touring Series News
Alan Ward photo
Barre, VT – Thunder Road officials have announced a series of schedule revisions for the 2017 season. The revisions include a make-up date for the weather-delayed Merchants Bank 150 along with a new season opener for the “Nation’s Site of Excitement”.
The Memorial Day Classic presented by Mekkelsen RV Sales & Rental will now open the 58th year of competition at Thunder Road on Sunday, May 28 at 1:00 pm. It will be the first racing event at the Barre high banks following completion of the recently announced track repaving project, as well as the first time since 1995 that the speedway has opened its season on Memorial Day weekend. The Harvest Equipment event originally scheduled for Sunday, May 21 has been moved to Sunday, June 4 with a special 3:00 pm post time.
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May 3, 2017 | ACT, Maine Racing News, NE Racing News, Thunder Road
Barre, Vt. – Unexpected rain storms arrived early in the afternoon of Sunday, April 30, forcing the postponement of the Merchants Bank 150 at Barre’s Thunder Road for the American-Canadian Tour (ACT). The event will be made up on a date to be determined.
Thirty-five ACT Late Models were in the pits for Sunday’s event, which was scheduled to be the season opener for Thunder Road. Jimmy Hebert and Bobby Therrien had topped ACT practice sessions before the rains rolled in.
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May 3, 2017 | GSPSS, Lee Speedway, NE Racing News, Touring Series News
photo by Rich Hayes
The 2016 Champion Barry Gray of Belchertown, MA, returned to Lee as did Rookie of the Year, Mike Mitchell of Cumberland, RI. The GSPSS Opener also saw rookies Luke Hinkley of Claremont, NH and Kyle Casagrande of Stafford Springs, CT throw their hats into the ring. Practice sessions on Saturday and Sunday saw Joe Squeglia of Derry, NH, David Darling of Seekonk, MA, and Luke Hinkley post the fast times.
Sunday’s race started with a shower making the surface slick and causing two cautions at the start of the race, and collecting a few cars in the process. However, when the green flew again, it was all Davis as he quickly took the lead from Devin O’Connell of Madison, CT.
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