Hines, Bennett, Fearn, & Meyer Score NAPA Auto Parts Opening Day Victories At Stafford Motor Speedway

 Posted by Wayne G. Barber & Track Photo

In the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature, Jeremy Lavoie took the early lead with Alexandra Fearn right behind him in second.  Gary Patnode was third in line followed by Matt Clement and Rich Hammann. 

At the halfway point of the race, Lavoie and Fearn were still running nose to tail for the lead with Patnode in third, Hammann fourth, and Jay Clement fifth.  Fearn was able to finally get to the inside of Lavoie on lap-12 and she took the lead from Lavoie on lap-13.  R.J. Surdell spun coming out of turn 2 to bring the caution out with 15 laps complete.
            Fearn’s car stumbled coming back up to speed on the restart, which allowed Lavoie to power his way into the lead but the caution came back out with 16 laps complete for a spin in turn 4 by Patnode.

Fearn had no problem coming up to speed on the restart as she powered into the lead with Lavoie in second.  Hammann was third in line followed by Jay Clement and Patnode was already back up to fifth after his spin.  Fearn led Lavoie to the checkered flag to pick up her first win of the season.  Hammann finished third with Jay Clement and Hopkins rounding out the top-5.

LIMITED LATE MODEL (20)

1) Alexandra Fearn, East Longmeadow, Ma

2) Jeremy Lavoie, Windsor Locks

3) Rich Hammann, Tolland

4) Jay Clement, Wethersfield

5) Michael Hopkins, Springfield, Ma

6) Gary Patnode, New Hartford

7) Matt Scappini, Litchfield

8) David Shinder, West Granby

9) Matt Clement, Wethersfield

10) R.J. Surdell, Willington

11) Damian Palardy, Willington

12) Trinity Provost, Holland

Loudon Speedway New Hampshire ACT Tour Results.

 Posted by Wayne G. Barber &  Daniel Holben photo)>>

Loudon, NH — Reigning American-Canadian Tour (ACT) champion Jimmy Hebert of Williamstown, VT finally scored a long-awaited victory at Loudon’s New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) on Sunday, April 18 in the inaugural Northeast Classic. Hebert was awarded the win following post-race technical inspection, giving the veteran a triumph he’d been chasing for his entire decade-long Late Model career.

 

The now eight-time ACT Late Model Tour winner was leading the event with three laps to go before getting passed by Center Conway, NH’s D.J. Shaw. However, Shaw was later disqualified for a carburetor infraction. This gave Hebert the win and a $5,000 top prize on a busy afternoon at “The Magic Mile”.

 

East Bridgewater, MA’s Ryan Kuhn started on the pole and led the first four laps. Shaw then passed him from the fifth starting spot and drove away from the field. Hebert and New Salem, MA’s Tom Carey III followed Shaw around Kuhn, who was eventually felled by a brake problem. The duo could only watch Shaw drive into the afternoon sun until a competition caution on lap 27 for right-side tires and adjustments.

ACT LATE MODEL TOUR

Pos., Start Pos., Driver, Car #, Hometown, Laps

1. ( 9 ) Jimmy Hebert ( 58VT ) , Williamstown, VT , 50 Laps

2. ( 2 ) Tom Carey III ( 5MA ) , New Salem, MA , 50 Laps

3. ( 6 ) Ben Rowe ( 4ME ) , Turner, ME , 50 Laps

4. ( 12 ) Mark Jenison ( 22RI ) , Warwick, RI , 50 Laps

5. ( 4 ) Derek Ming ( 45VT ) , West Burke, VT , 50 Laps

6. ( 14 ) Stephen Donahue ( 2VT ) , Graniteville, VT , 50 Laps

7. ( 7 ) Trenton Goodrow ( 31MA ) , Carver, MA , 50 Laps

8. ( 17 ) #Erick Sands ( 36NH ) , Derry, NH , 50 Laps

9. ( 13 ) Robby Gordon Douglas ( 27NC ) , Charlotte, NC , 50 Laps

10. ( 11 ) Dylan Payea ( 7NH ) , Milton, VT , 50 Laps

11. ( 8 ) Jesse Switser ( 25NH ) , West Burke, VT , 50 Laps

12. ( 18 ) Mike Benevides ( 50RI ) , Westerly, RI , 50 Laps

13. ( 22 ) Jamie Aube ( 41VT ) , Bow, NH , 49 Laps

14. ( 20 ) Michael Lindquist ( 71CT ) , Sandy Hook, CT , 49 Laps

15. ( 21 ) Gerard Giordano, Jr. ( 15NY ) , Freeport, NY , 49 Laps

16. ( 19 ) Matt Anderson ( 49NH ) , Franklin, NH , 49 Laps

17. ( 10 ) Derek Gluchacki ( 03MA ) , North Dartmouth, MA , 48 Laps

18. ( 23 ) #Tom Sheehan ( 65NH ) , Bow, NH , 47 Laps

19. ( 15 ) Shawn Swallow ( 04NH ) , Lancaster, NH , 43 Laps

20. ( 3 ) Jimmy Renfrew Jr. ( 00NH ) , Candia, NH , 39 Laps

21. ( 24 ) #Kevin Vaudrien ( 70VT ) , Brattleboro, VT , 28 Laps

22. ( 1 ) Ryan Kuhn ( 72MA ) , E. Bridgewater, MA , 28 Laps

23. ( 16 ) Woody Pitkat ( 91CT ) , Bellingham, MA , 19 Laps

24. ( 25 ) Jamie Swallow Jr. ( 4NH ) , Stark, NH , 0 Laps

DSQ ( 5 ) D.J. Shaw ( 04VT ) , Center Conway, NH , 0 Laps

 

Shaw pulled away again after the restart until Jimmy Renfrew Jr. smacked the backstretch wall with 11 laps to go. The leader chose the inside for the restart, but Hebert made a charge on the outside, taking the top spot after two laps of side-by-side racing.

 

Hebert held the lead through one more caution on lap 43 for Dylan Payea’s stalled automobile. Shaw, though, had the faster long-run car and got below Hebert in turn three for the top spot with laps winding down. The joy was short-lived, however, and Hebert was named the victor in his first Late Model race driving a Ford.

 

Carey moved up into the second spot following the disqualification after a late battle with Ben Rowe. Turner, ME’s Rowe became the new third-place finisher. Mark Jenison, Derek Ming, Stephen Donahue, Trenton Goodrow, Erick Sands, Robby Gordon Douglas, and Payea rounded out the top-10.

Northeast Race Cars and Speed Joins Stafford Speedway’s SK Modified® Contingency Program

 Posted by Wayne G. Barber 

(Stafford Springs, CT)---Northeast Race Cars and Speed, based in Harrisville, RI, will join the Stafford Speedway SK Modified® contingency program for the 2021 season.  Northeast Race Cars will pay a $150 weekly bonus to the winner of the SK Modified® feature.  In addition to the bonus, Northeast Race Cars and Speed will also be on site weekly for trackside parts and service.

 

"We here at Northeast Race Cars and Speed are very excited to have been able to work out a deal with Stafford Motor Speedway to sign on as a parts vendor at the track and help out as a contingency for the SK division,” explained Scott Nordman of Northeast Race Cars and Speed.  “We are very excited for the 2021 season and to be part of the excitement at Stafford Motor Speedway."

 

Stafford Speedway’s SK Modified® division continues to be one of the most competitive weekly racing series in the country.  The 2020 season saw Keith Rocco win his 4th career SK Modified® track championship preventing Ronnie Williams from becoming the first driver to win 3 consecutive titles.  Todd Owen, Stephen Kopcik, Cory DiMatteo, Mike Christopher Jr, and Chase Dowling all also scored wins.  All 6 plus a deep list of talented drivers and teams are set to chase the title in 2021.

 

Northeast Race Cars and Speed join Manley Performance and North American Motor Car in the SK Modified® contingency program.  Additional weekly bonus announcements are expected in the coming days.  For more information on Northeast Race Cars and Speed visit their website nerace.com or call them directly at 401-710-9992.

 

The 2021 season kicks off on Saturday, April 24 with NAPA Auto Parts Opening Day festivities.  Feature action at Stafford continues on Sunday, April 25 with the 49th Annual NAPA Spring Sizzler featuring the Whelen Modified Tour.  General Admission tickets for the April 24 NAPA Auto Parts Opening Day are now available online at StaffordSpeedway.com/tickets. Tickets for the April 25 NAPA Spring Sizzler have sold to capacity limits but fans can sign up for ticket alerts if more tickets should become available  Stafford Speedway remains under reduced capacity per order of the State of CT due to Covid-19 restrictions.  Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets as soon as possible to ensure a ticket to the event. Paddock passes will become available online two weeks prior to the event.

 

For more information, visit www.staffordspeedway.com, checkout Stafford Speedway on Facebook or Twitter, or contact the track office at 860-684-2783.

Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park, Changes for Ice Breaker 4-10-21

 Posted by Wayne G. Barber  Photo credit Crystal Snape

Waterbury, VT & Naples, ME — The Sunday program of the annual Icebreaker at Connecticut’s Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park has been rescheduled for Saturday, April 10 at approximately 5:30pm. American-Canadian Tour (ACT) and Pro All Stars Series (PASS) officials made the decision due to an inclement weather forecast for Sunday, April 11. The Saturday night forecast is far more favorable with clear skies highs in the low-60s.

 

Both days of the Icebreaker will now be run on Saturday. The post time for the original Saturday card has been moved up to 12:00pm. The PASS Super Late Models, Sunoco Modifieds, NEMA LITES Midgets, EXIT Realty Pro Truck Challenge, Street Stock Open, and Mini Stocks will run their shows as originally planned.

 

The Saturday afternoon program is expected to conclude at approximately 4:00pm. At this time, officials will clear both the stands and the pits. All fans will exit to the parking lot. Drivers and crew members with multi-day pit wristbands will go to the track infield.

 

Once the stands and pits are clear, those who have Sunday tickets and pit passes may re-enter for the Saturday night event. This card includes the Icebreaker 125 for the Outlaw Open Modifieds along with the Thompson Late Models, Limited Sportsmen, and SK Light Modifieds.

 

General admission for the Saturday afternoon card is $30 for adults and $10 for kids ages 12 and under. Saturday night is $35 for adults and $10 for kids ages 12 and under. Grandstand tickets and pit passes will be available at the gate.

 

The Friday Test N’ Tune has also been extended until 6:30pm. This will help replace the lost practice time from moving the Sunday event. The complete revised schedule of events has been posted at www.acttour.com/thompson-speedway, www.proallstarsseries.com, and www.thompsonspeedway.com.

 

“This is what made the most sense based on the weather forecast and other circumstances,” ACT managing partner Cris Michaud said. “A lot of teams and fans who traveled a long way for the Icebreaker are already at the track. This will save them the hours of driving and travel costs needed to finish the show on another weekend. It’s also the fairest solution given that many people who already bought Sunday tickets might not be able to come back at another time.”

 

“The Saturday night forecast looks really good for racing,” Michaud said. ”We think it’s going to be a lot of fun watching the country’s top Tour-type Modified racers go at it for $10,000 under the lights at Thompson Speedway.”

 

Thompson Speedway opens its 82^nd season with the annual Icebreaker on Saturday, April 10. Two separate cards of thrilling action are planned. The Saturday afternoon card begins at 12:00pm with the PASS Super Late Models, Sunoco Modifieds, NEMA LITES Midgets, EXIT Realty Pro Truck Challenge, Mini Stocks, and an 8-Cylinder Street Stock Open.

 

At 5:30pm on Saturday night, the $10,000-to-win Icebreaker 125 for the Outlaw Open Modified Series takes center stage. There’s also a 40-lap Late Model shootout plus the Limited Sportsman and SK Light Modifieds.  An optional Test N’ Tune practice day is slated for Friday, April 9.

Adult general admission is $30 for Saturday afternoon and $35 for Saturday night. Kids ages 12 and under are $10 for each program. Advance tickets are available at https://happsnow.com/event/Thompson-Speedway-Motorsports-Park-YHPQ. Grandstand attendance is limited to 50% of capacity per Connecticut COVID-19 guidelines. Pit passes will be sold at the track.

 

Speed51.TV is also offering a live pay-per-view broadcast for both days of the Icebreaker. PPV passes are $29.99 for Saturday after, $34.99 for Saturday night, and $54.99 for the full program. Sign up now at https://www.speed51.tv/products/ppv-2021-icebreaker-weekend-pass-at-thompson.

 

For more information about the American-Canadian Tour, contact the ACT offices at (802) 244-6963, media@acttour.com, or visit www.acttour.com.  You can also get updates on Facebook and Twitter at @ACTTour.

 

For technical information concerning all PASS divisions, and for media or marketing questions, please contact passracing@roadrunner.com or visit www.proallstarsseries.com. Don't forget to "Like" the Pro All Stars Series on Facebook or follow on Twitter @PASSSLM14 to keep up with breaking news as it happens.

 

For general Thompson Speedway inquiries and camping reservations, call (860) 923-2280, email oval@thompsonspeedway.com, or visit www.thompsonspeedway.com. You can follow Thompson Speedway on Facebook and Instagram at @ThompsonSpeedway or on Twitter at @ThompsonSpdwy.

Ryan Preece Officially Enters Thompson Icebreaker 125

 Posted by Wayne G. Barber & Photo Wayne G. Barber Library

Waterbury, VT & Naples, ME — One of the top Modified and stock car racers in the country is coming to Connecticut’s Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park this weekend. Berlin, CT’s Ryan Preece has officially entered the Outlaw Open Modified Series Icebreaker 125 scheduled for Sunday, April 11 as part of the annual season-opening Icebreaker.

 

Preece, who is in his third full season of NASCAR Cup Series competition, will drive the familiar Eddie Partridge-owned #6CT Riverhead Raceway Tour-type Modified. He joins a list of more than 30 drivers aiming for the $10,000 top prize in the Outlaw Open Modified Series debut.

 

The 30-year-old immediately becomes one of the favorites in the Icebreaker 125. Preece is a former Thompson Speedway Sunoco Modified Champion, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Champion, and two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series winner. Most recently, he won the SMART Modified Tour event at Virginia’s South Boston Speedway on April 3 and currently sits 18^th in Cup Series points. Preece will run the same car at the Icebreaker that he used to win the South Boston event in dominating fashion.

 

The Thompson Speedway show is the finale of a busy weekend for Preece. He’ll be running the NASCAR Whelen Modified event at Virginia’s Martinsville Speedway on Thursday , April 8 along with the Cup Series event there on Saturday, April 10. Preece will then travel to Connecticut on Sunday for practice, qualifying, and the 125-lap main event.

 

“It’s because I like to try and win, and I obviously have Eddie and Connie Partridge as car owners that allow us to do it,” Preece said. "You have these cars because you want to go race them and hopefully win the money. We want to go compete. We aren’t going to just let them sit on jack stands."

 

“I think we have a good chance (to win),” Preece added. “There are a bunch of different motor combinations and drivers, but we have strong race cars. We have the best you could ask for.”

 

Preece joins a long list of accomplished Modified racers coming to Thompson Speedway this weekend. Fellow NASCAR champions Doug Coby, Ron Silk, and Bobby Santos III have entered the Icebreaker 125, as have many other Tour-type Modified champions and winners. The addition of Preece and North Easton, MA’s Rob Richardi Jr. brings the official entry list to 31 drivers with more expected on Sunday.

 

The event will be 125 green flag laps, as opposed to 150 laps with cautions counting as in past Icebreaker events. Preece doesn’t feel the green-flag lap strategy is going to be much different and says it will just come down to playing it out during the day.

 

"I think you just have to be aware of how the race is playing out with the strategy and just be there at the end of it,” Preece said.

 

Wherever he finishes, Preece gets to compete back home in front of the Connecticut race fans where he grew up. Preece was raised a little more than an hour from the track and was a fixture at the track before successfully making the jump to the NASCAR national touring series.

“It’s really cool,” Preece said. “I think it’s awesome what Thompson is doing, having these open shows, and paying $10,000 to win is great. We need more of these (events) in Modified racing. Being home in Connecticut, I’ve been racing locally for a long time. Going to Thompson, it’s nice to see people you’ve been around for years and it’s great being with those who support you."

 

Thompson Speedway opens its 82^nd season with the annual Icebreaker on Saturday, April 10 and Sunday, April 11. Ten local and regional series go green at the two-day racing festival. Sunday’s card features the $10,000-to-win Icebreaker 125 for the Outlaw Open Modified Series. There’s also a 40-lap ACT-type Late Model shootout plus the Limited Sportsman and SK Light Modifieds. Post time is 1:15pm.

 

Saturday’s six-division card is highlighted by the Thompson 75 for the PASS North Super Late Models beginning at 1:00pm. They’re joined by the Sunoco Modifieds, NEMA LITES Midgets, EXIT Realty Pro Truck Challenge, Mini Stocks, and an 8-Cylinder Street Stock Open. An optional Test N’ Tune practice day is slated for Friday, April 9 for all Icebreaker divisions.

 

Adult general admission is $30 for Saturday and $35 for Sunday. Kids ages 12 and under are $10 each day. Advance tickets are available at https://happsnow.com/event/Thompson-Speedway-Motorsports-Park-YHPQ. Grandstand attendance is limited to 50% of capacity per Connecticut COVID-19 guidelines. Pit passes will be sold at the track.

 

Speed51.TV is also offering a live pay-per-view broadcast for both days of the Icebreaker. PPV passes are $29.99 for Saturday-only, $34.99 for Sunday-only, and $54.99 for both days. Sign up now at https://www.speed51.tv/products/ppv-2021-icebreaker-weekend-pass-at-thompson.

 

For more information about the American-Canadian Tour, contact the ACT offices at (802) 244-6963, media@acttour.com, or visit www.acttour.com.  You can also get updates on Facebook and Twitter at @ACTTour.

 

For technical information concerning all PASS divisions, and for media or marketing questions, please contact passracing@roadrunner.com or visit www.proallstarsseries.com. Don't forget to "Like" the Pro All Stars Series on Facebook or follow on Twitter @PASSSLM14 to keep up with breaking news as it happens.

 

For general Thompson Speedway inquiries and camping reservations, call (860) 923-2280, email oval@thompsonspeedway.com, or visit www.thompsonspeedway.com. You can follow Thompson Speedway on Facebook and Instagram at @ThompsonSpeedway or on Twitter at @ThompsonSpdwy.

Derek and Wayne do it again at Hickory Motor Speedway, N.C.

 Posted by Wayne G. Barber and Photos Property of "Simply the Best"Crystal Snape 

#12 Derek Griffith makes it two in a row !

Complete stories will follow from our live ace track reporter. 

Practice Notes: ACT Field Gets up to Speed Fast at Hickory Motor Speedway

 Posted by Wayne G.Barber 

                                                                   ACT File Photo

Hickory, NC — The American-Canadian Tour (ACT) got its first taste of the “Birthplace of the NASCAR Stars” on Thursday, April 1. Twenty-nine teams made the trip to North Carolina’s Hickory Motor Speedway a day early for an open practice session prior to the Hickory 125 on Friday, April 2 and the Easter Bunny 125 on Saturday, April 3.

 

Even though few members of the field had previous experience at Hickory, it didn’t take long for them to get up speed. By the end of the second practice session, the entire field was within seven-tenths of a second, a potential preview of the weekend ahead.

 

As the afternoon wound down on the windy day, two names rose to the top of the speed charts: New Salem, MA’s Tom Carey III and Danville, VT’s Tyler Cahoon. The drivers were 1-2 during the second practice session. In the third session, Carey turned the fastest lap of the day at 15.961 seconds on the 0.363-mile oval.

 

Although Cahoon also ran a sub-16-second lap in the session, he did so while testing a different set of tires than what will be used in Friday’s and Saturday’s features. Both Carey and Cahoon were so happy with their cars that they called it a day after the third session and didn’t come out for the final 15 minutes.

 

Candia, NH’s Jimmy Renfrew Jr.; Wolcott, VT’s Marcel J. Gravel; Hermon, ME’s Mike Hopkins; and Stark, NH’s Jamie Swallow Jr. also turned heads throughout the afternoon. The wide mix of drivers who were among the fastest was another promising sign for the two feature events.

 

There were only two minor incidents throughout the quartet of practice sessions. Cumberland, RI’s Mike Mitchell spun in turn two during the third practice. Duxbury, VT’s Peyton Lanphear then went sliding across the start/finish line just as the practice day ended. Neither driver suffered any damage.

 

The one ACT racer to encounter a serious setback was Lancaster, NH’s Shawn Swallow, who bent a valve early in the day. Swallow reported that he was able to find the needed parts and will attempt to make repairs prior to Friday’s event.

 

The American-Canadian Tour hits the track at Hickory Motor Speedway on Friday, April 2 for the Hickory 125 and Saturday, April 3 for the Easter Bunny 125. They join the Pro All Stars Series Super Late Models, who are running the Easter Bunny 150 each night. Post time is 5:15pm for both events.

 

Grandstand admission tickets are available at the gate. Speed51.TV also is offering a pay-per-view broadcast. The live stream is $24.99 for one night or $39.99 for both nights. Sign up at www.speed51.tv/products/ppv-easter-bunny-weekend-pass.

 

For more information, contact the ACT offices at (802) 244-6963, media@acttour.com, or visit www.acttour.com. You can also get updates on Facebook and Twitter at @ACTTour.