...so we're trying it out for the first time with a clip of one of our favorite feature finishes from the 2009 season. Leave a comment and let us know what you think!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
ACT Releases 2010 Tiger Sportsman Series Schedule
Four 100-lap events make up mini-tour
WATERBURY -- The American-Canadian Tour has released a four-race schedule for the 2010 Tiger Sportsman Series. The second-tier division has held its own short-schedule touring series 14 times in the last 20 years; Shawn Duquette of Morrisonville, N.Y. was the 2009 champion.
The first of the four 100-lap races will be held at White Mountain Motorsports Park in North Woodstock, N.H. on June 5. White Mountain has adopted the ACT Tiger Sportsman rulebook for its new weekly "Super Sportsman" division in 2010. Barre's Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl, which has operated the class in some form since the mid-1960s, hosts the series on July 1. Canaan Fair Speedway in Canaan, N.H. will hold an event on August 21, and the series ends a seven-year absence at Riverside Speedway in Groveton, N.H. on October 9. White Mountain, Thunder Road, and Riverside are all high-banked, 1/4-mile ovals, while Canaan Fair is a low-banked 1/3-mile.
Notably absent from the 2010 schedule are Airborne Speedway, Devil's Bowl Speedway, and Albany-Saratoga Speedway. Airborne, a 4/10-mile, progressively banked track in Plattsburgh, N.Y., has had the Tiger Sportsman division as a weekly fixture since 1990, and held a 100-lap ACT event in July. The newly-paved, CVRA-sanctioned Devil's Bowl, in West Haven, and Albany-Saratoga, in Malta, N.Y., have recently upgraded their Limited divisions to the Tiger Sportsman rulebook for 2010.
ACT TIGER SPORTSMAN SERIES 2010 SCHEDULE (as of Dec. 24, 2009)
#-Day-Date-Track-Location-Laps
1. Sat., June 5 -- White Mountain Motorsports Park, North Woodstock, N.H. -- 100
2. Thu., July 1 -- Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl, Barre -- 100
3. Sat., Aug. 21 -- Canaan Fair Speedway, Canaan, N.H. -- 100
4. Sat., Oct. 9 -- Riverside Speedway, Groveton, N.H. -- 100
WATERBURY -- The American-Canadian Tour has released a four-race schedule for the 2010 Tiger Sportsman Series. The second-tier division has held its own short-schedule touring series 14 times in the last 20 years; Shawn Duquette of Morrisonville, N.Y. was the 2009 champion.The first of the four 100-lap races will be held at White Mountain Motorsports Park in North Woodstock, N.H. on June 5. White Mountain has adopted the ACT Tiger Sportsman rulebook for its new weekly "Super Sportsman" division in 2010. Barre's Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl, which has operated the class in some form since the mid-1960s, hosts the series on July 1. Canaan Fair Speedway in Canaan, N.H. will hold an event on August 21, and the series ends a seven-year absence at Riverside Speedway in Groveton, N.H. on October 9. White Mountain, Thunder Road, and Riverside are all high-banked, 1/4-mile ovals, while Canaan Fair is a low-banked 1/3-mile.
Notably absent from the 2010 schedule are Airborne Speedway, Devil's Bowl Speedway, and Albany-Saratoga Speedway. Airborne, a 4/10-mile, progressively banked track in Plattsburgh, N.Y., has had the Tiger Sportsman division as a weekly fixture since 1990, and held a 100-lap ACT event in July. The newly-paved, CVRA-sanctioned Devil's Bowl, in West Haven, and Albany-Saratoga, in Malta, N.Y., have recently upgraded their Limited divisions to the Tiger Sportsman rulebook for 2010.
ACT TIGER SPORTSMAN SERIES 2010 SCHEDULE (as of Dec. 24, 2009)
#-Day-Date-Track-Location-Laps
1. Sat., June 5 -- White Mountain Motorsports Park, North Woodstock, N.H. -- 100
2. Thu., July 1 -- Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl, Barre -- 100
3. Sat., Aug. 21 -- Canaan Fair Speedway, Canaan, N.H. -- 100
4. Sat., Oct. 9 -- Riverside Speedway, Groveton, N.H. -- 100
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
The Juice: Brushing the Snow Off
-by Justin St. Louis
You didn't think I was going to stay shut up the whole off-season, did you?
As you're probably aware, there's been a lot going on behind the scenes here at VMM HQ. I've been away from the website for a while, but definitely not away from racing. I've collected some loose ends that were sort of flapping in the breeze, many of which you've, again, probably heard about already. But the itch to ramble on at length in a column here has been too big to not scratch. So let's get the snow brush out and dust off the car for a couple laps.
***
First of all, a major (albeit a bit belated) congratulations goes out to Tom Placey, winner of the first-ever Vermont Motorsports Magazine Driver of the Year Award presented by Subway! The DOTY thing was a lot of fun for me to watch during November and early December, and we'll do something similar to it again in 2010, for sure.
Many congrats also to Tim LaDuc on his Devil's Bowl Speedway award, Tucker Williams on his Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl award, Eric Williams for his "On The Road" award, and to Placey for also winning the Bear Ridge Speedway award.
Thanks to all 6,350 of you that voted, and to Subway of Barre, Montpelier, Waterbury, and Northfield for supporting the Driver of the Year program.
***
The Tigers are catching on like wildfire. In less than two months' time, news has broken about the division coming to four new tracks in 2010. New Hampshire's White Mountain Motorsports Park announced in early November that it will drop its Super Street division in favor of a new "Super Sportsman" class using the American-Canadian Tour/Thunder Road/Airborne Speedway Tiger Sportsman rulebook.
Soon after, news came that the ACT Tiger Sportsman Series would return to another New Hampshire track, Riverside Speedway, for an event in October. Last week, Champlain Valley Racing Association president Bruce Richards announced on his organization's website that in the wake of a switch from dirt to asphalt at its two tracks, Devil's Bowl Speedway in West Haven and Albany-Saratoga Speedway in Malta, N.Y., the former Limited division has been replaced by the Tiger Sportsmen. (Thunder Road's Junkyard Warrior rulebook has also been phased in at both CVRA tracks, in favor of the former Mini Stock class.)
This all brings me to formulation of several theories, although none of them have been confirmed by, denied by, or discussed with any track or series officials. Okay, ready?
1. ACT will almost certainly add a Tiger Sportsman Series event at either Devil's Bowl, Albany-Saratoga, or both, or will at least stage a stand-alone event for the division at one of the two tracks in 2010, a la the May 23 Late Model event at Devil's Bowl.
2. With promoter Dick Therrien now at Canaan Fair (N.H.) Speedway and the Leblanc family taking over operations at Riverside, expect ACT to have a growing presence at Riverside in the coming years. It's no secret that ACT boss Tom Curley has a soft spot for the tiny, high-banked Riverside track and its tendency to throw off a good race, and it's also no secret that Therrien and Curley don't exchange Christmas cards. With Therrien out, you'll probably see Curley there more often.
2a. I say here and now that Riverside will probably bring the Tigers into its weekly program by 2011, and that the ACT-type Late Model rulebook now in place at nine tracks in New England and Canada will be in place at Riverside no later than 2012. And, um, Riverside has decided to close its gates on the weekend of Thunder Road's -- read: Curley's -- Milk Bowl, so as not to have competing events. In this day and age, that's pretty unheard of.
2b. I have no idea how well the Leblanc regime will or won't perform at Riverside, but Canaan needs a bull-in-a-china-shop personality like Therrien to get the ship righted. He'll be good for the place.
3. If the CVRA is using the Junkyard Warrior rulebook -- and this is a total off-the-wall guess -- then the Thunder Road Warriors are not dead. As the car counts shrink, the speculation grows that the entry-level class will be cut from the program at Thunder Road, possibly as soon as next season. The CVRA move suggests maybe a sliver of hope for the division to turn itself around. It's worth noting that the Bomber division -- a class very similar to the Warriors that runs at Airborne in Plattsburgh, N.Y. -- is very successful.
***
Speaking of promoters, I was a little bummed to hear that Arnie Malcolm is gone from Capital City Speedway in Ottawa. Arnie is a funny dude, and has an obvious passion for racing. He also has one hell of a temper if you mess up his show. Here's hoping that the powers that be at CCS can get the right person to replace him.
***
Hey, did you know VMM is on Facebook? It's true. And Twitter is a lot of fun, too. I'm constantly fooling around with my Blackberry while I'm at my real job, or when I'm driving, or at any other inappropriate time when I should be paying attention to something else, so that means there are usually a few updates a week away from the VMM main page. So go ahead and check 'em out.
***
Don't ever buy a 1997 Toyota Corolla, unless you plan to buy something else to replace it soon after. Same goes for 1999 Plymouth Neons. ---Cue NBC's "The More You Know" theme---
***
Ben Rowe is out of Richard Moody Racing's PASS #4 Super Late Model and Brad Leighton is in. Rowe and Moody teamed up to win three PASS championships and 11 main events, along with successful outings at races from the Canadian Maritimes to Florida and Alabama. The Rowe-Moody split breaks up one of the most potent and most marketable short track teams in the country.
Rowe told Speed51.com that if he is unable to find a full-time PASS ride, he believes he "could do the full [ACT] schedule" in David Avery's #10 car.
Leighton is expected to run the entire 2010 PASS North schedule with Moody, while still racing the Pete Duto-prepared #55 car in up to six events on the ACT Late Model Tour; he won events at Lee USA (N.H.) Speedway and Kawartha (Ont.) Speedway in 2009 in the Duto car.
Leighton has made a handful of PASS appearances over several seasons. His last full-time season in a Super Late Model/Pro Stock-type car was in 1995, when he won the final ACT-sanctioned championship for the division.
***
Finally, one quick, but very heartfelt "Thank You!" to the racing world. The outpouring of support my family received -- and continues to receive -- following my father's passing has been just... wow, unbelievable.
Dad and I have made many good friends through motorsports, and have each supported a few of them during their own tough times. And while not everyone likes me, EVERYONE liked him. And it shows, big time. Thank you, thank you, thank you, to everyone that has left a comment, sent a card or an email or a text message, or called the house -- and that number is quite literally in the hundreds. Our family is so grateful for your compassion.
It's times like these that make me so proud to be part of the racing community. Happy holidays to you all.
You didn't think I was going to stay shut up the whole off-season, did you?
As you're probably aware, there's been a lot going on behind the scenes here at VMM HQ. I've been away from the website for a while, but definitely not away from racing. I've collected some loose ends that were sort of flapping in the breeze, many of which you've, again, probably heard about already. But the itch to ramble on at length in a column here has been too big to not scratch. So let's get the snow brush out and dust off the car for a couple laps.
***
First of all, a major (albeit a bit belated) congratulations goes out to Tom Placey, winner of the first-ever Vermont Motorsports Magazine Driver of the Year Award presented by Subway! The DOTY thing was a lot of fun for me to watch during November and early December, and we'll do something similar to it again in 2010, for sure.
Many congrats also to Tim LaDuc on his Devil's Bowl Speedway award, Tucker Williams on his Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl award, Eric Williams for his "On The Road" award, and to Placey for also winning the Bear Ridge Speedway award.
Thanks to all 6,350 of you that voted, and to Subway of Barre, Montpelier, Waterbury, and Northfield for supporting the Driver of the Year program.
***
The Tigers are catching on like wildfire. In less than two months' time, news has broken about the division coming to four new tracks in 2010. New Hampshire's White Mountain Motorsports Park announced in early November that it will drop its Super Street division in favor of a new "Super Sportsman" class using the American-Canadian Tour/Thunder Road/Airborne Speedway Tiger Sportsman rulebook.
Soon after, news came that the ACT Tiger Sportsman Series would return to another New Hampshire track, Riverside Speedway, for an event in October. Last week, Champlain Valley Racing Association president Bruce Richards announced on his organization's website that in the wake of a switch from dirt to asphalt at its two tracks, Devil's Bowl Speedway in West Haven and Albany-Saratoga Speedway in Malta, N.Y., the former Limited division has been replaced by the Tiger Sportsmen. (Thunder Road's Junkyard Warrior rulebook has also been phased in at both CVRA tracks, in favor of the former Mini Stock class.)
This all brings me to formulation of several theories, although none of them have been confirmed by, denied by, or discussed with any track or series officials. Okay, ready?
1. ACT will almost certainly add a Tiger Sportsman Series event at either Devil's Bowl, Albany-Saratoga, or both, or will at least stage a stand-alone event for the division at one of the two tracks in 2010, a la the May 23 Late Model event at Devil's Bowl.
2. With promoter Dick Therrien now at Canaan Fair (N.H.) Speedway and the Leblanc family taking over operations at Riverside, expect ACT to have a growing presence at Riverside in the coming years. It's no secret that ACT boss Tom Curley has a soft spot for the tiny, high-banked Riverside track and its tendency to throw off a good race, and it's also no secret that Therrien and Curley don't exchange Christmas cards. With Therrien out, you'll probably see Curley there more often.
2a. I say here and now that Riverside will probably bring the Tigers into its weekly program by 2011, and that the ACT-type Late Model rulebook now in place at nine tracks in New England and Canada will be in place at Riverside no later than 2012. And, um, Riverside has decided to close its gates on the weekend of Thunder Road's -- read: Curley's -- Milk Bowl, so as not to have competing events. In this day and age, that's pretty unheard of.
2b. I have no idea how well the Leblanc regime will or won't perform at Riverside, but Canaan needs a bull-in-a-china-shop personality like Therrien to get the ship righted. He'll be good for the place.
3. If the CVRA is using the Junkyard Warrior rulebook -- and this is a total off-the-wall guess -- then the Thunder Road Warriors are not dead. As the car counts shrink, the speculation grows that the entry-level class will be cut from the program at Thunder Road, possibly as soon as next season. The CVRA move suggests maybe a sliver of hope for the division to turn itself around. It's worth noting that the Bomber division -- a class very similar to the Warriors that runs at Airborne in Plattsburgh, N.Y. -- is very successful.
***
Speaking of promoters, I was a little bummed to hear that Arnie Malcolm is gone from Capital City Speedway in Ottawa. Arnie is a funny dude, and has an obvious passion for racing. He also has one hell of a temper if you mess up his show. Here's hoping that the powers that be at CCS can get the right person to replace him.
***
Hey, did you know VMM is on Facebook? It's true. And Twitter is a lot of fun, too. I'm constantly fooling around with my Blackberry while I'm at my real job, or when I'm driving, or at any other inappropriate time when I should be paying attention to something else, so that means there are usually a few updates a week away from the VMM main page. So go ahead and check 'em out.
***
Don't ever buy a 1997 Toyota Corolla, unless you plan to buy something else to replace it soon after. Same goes for 1999 Plymouth Neons. ---Cue NBC's "The More You Know" theme---
***
Ben Rowe is out of Richard Moody Racing's PASS #4 Super Late Model and Brad Leighton is in. Rowe and Moody teamed up to win three PASS championships and 11 main events, along with successful outings at races from the Canadian Maritimes to Florida and Alabama. The Rowe-Moody split breaks up one of the most potent and most marketable short track teams in the country.
Rowe told Speed51.com that if he is unable to find a full-time PASS ride, he believes he "could do the full [ACT] schedule" in David Avery's #10 car.
Leighton is expected to run the entire 2010 PASS North schedule with Moody, while still racing the Pete Duto-prepared #55 car in up to six events on the ACT Late Model Tour; he won events at Lee USA (N.H.) Speedway and Kawartha (Ont.) Speedway in 2009 in the Duto car.
Leighton has made a handful of PASS appearances over several seasons. His last full-time season in a Super Late Model/Pro Stock-type car was in 1995, when he won the final ACT-sanctioned championship for the division.
***
Finally, one quick, but very heartfelt "Thank You!" to the racing world. The outpouring of support my family received -- and continues to receive -- following my father's passing has been just... wow, unbelievable.
Dad and I have made many good friends through motorsports, and have each supported a few of them during their own tough times. And while not everyone likes me, EVERYONE liked him. And it shows, big time. Thank you, thank you, thank you, to everyone that has left a comment, sent a card or an email or a text message, or called the house -- and that number is quite literally in the hundreds. Our family is so grateful for your compassion.
It's times like these that make me so proud to be part of the racing community. Happy holidays to you all.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
PHOTOS -- Bear Ridge Speedway Awards Banquet
Bond Auto Sportsman Modified Champion Gary Siemons was honored with his third-straight Bear Ridge Speedway title on Friday, Dec. 11 at the American Legion in White River Junction. Click here for a 23-photo gallery of the festivites. All photos and captions by Alan Ward.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
The Last Lap
Warning: This is an off-the-cuff bit pushing all professionalism aside, typed out on a tear-soaked keyboard at 4:00 in morning. But right now I don't know what else to do.He wasn't perfect. At all. He had two failed marriages (the second of which produced me) before he got it right with my stepmother, Kathy, a woman with the understanding and patience of a saint. They were married a shade over 19 years, together for much longer than that. And together, despite working overnight shifts at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington, they completed a dream.
(Phone rings. I answer:) "Hello?"
"Skippy, guess what." (We always called each other 'Skippy', for probably 15 or 16 years, and I have no idea why.)
"What?"
"I got a race car."
To me, a ten year-old kid that bled 30-weight oil and recited race statistics like Rain Man, it was the coolest thing in the world. Dude, my dad was a race car driver!
He started in 1993 at Thunder Road, running a Pinto with the number '1' on it. He chose that number because, well, he figured all he had to do was drag a paint brush one good swipe down the door and it was done. Truth is, he spent a fair amount of time making his cars look good, and did everything mechanical himself, too.Not really knowing as much as he thought he did about minor things like engines, it wasn't always easy. But it got done. Dad ran mid-pack most of the first year, but squeaked out 10th place in points -- over guys like Cris Michaud and Joey Becker, no less -- and had a helluva great time. Won a couple of heat races, finished fourth in a feature once, all for about a $2,500 investment, including the trailer.
The next year wasn't quite as good points-wise -- 23rd -- but he finished second in a 'B' feature and got a trophy for it, and was eventually voted the "Favorite Driver" -- a legitimate, track-run, season-long fan voting -- for the Street Stock division.He ran twice in 1995 before he sold the car and finished racing, then I came along five years later with my own cars. And of course, Dad passed his wealth of engine knowledge down to me, so things stayed pretty interesting.
But we had a helluva great time.
After I got done racing in 2004, Dad sort of stayed out of the racing loop for the most part. Then
last year my son, Landon, turned two years old and they started coming to the races together while I was working as an official. This past summer with this VMM thing I've got here, the three of us went to Thunder Road together a couple of times and just sat in the stands and watched the races, and we went to the Northeastern Speedway reunion, too. We brought peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, gulped down a quart or two of french fries, and laughed and played and ooohh'ed and aaahh'ed at everything. Dad even took some pictures and videos for the website.We had a helluva great time.
Around Milk Bowl time, Dad picked up a mini-bike chassis and decided he'd start himself a little gang. Within two weeks, he and his two brothers each had mini-bikes. And then we learned about Bucktona, and Dad got pumped up pretty quick about that, too. We located a car, devised a plan to get it there, and figured it would be the greatest spectacle we'd ever been a part of.
But the night before the race on October 9, maybe about 12 hours before we were planning to leave the house to get the track, I got home from work and Dad sat me down. He had just found out that day that he had lung cancer. I was a little lost with the news, but not at all surprised -- three packs a day for 30 years will do that to a man. Either way, we both decided to press on to Bucktona, cancer be damned.
And we had a helluva great time.
In the days following the race, we began all the appointments and tests and procedures that come along with cancer. It wasn't fun, but all of the doctors seemed optimistic, and the (very good) test results only backed them up. Piece of cake.
So we kept going on the mini-bikes. The more we built, the more problems we found. But parts were ordered, swears were mumbled, knuckles were hammer-beaten, you know, all the same
stuff that happens when you build race cars. And the fleet grew to five mini-bikes, a three-wheeled tricycle-looking thing, a go-kart, and along with myself, two more draftees into the very exclusive club.After what seemed like an eternity, we finally got most of the fleet operational, and let 'em rip around the block one day. Six grown men, breaking all sorts of traffic laws, giggling like schoolchildren.
It was a helluva great time.
Dad went in for surgery to remove the cancerous lung two days later, one week ago today. The surgery went well, and the recovery was going wonderfully, better and faster than anticiapated.
But somewhere along the way one night, something went wrong, and now Dad's not coming home.
My sisters and Kathy and I made our peace with everything, and now we begin the next chapters of our own lives without him. It's not going to be easy.
But I'll always have the luxury of going through my memory bank and pulling up moments from nights in the pits at Thunder Road or Airborne, or of playing cards at deer camp, or of losing to him at hockey on the PlayStation (he was really good), or of learning how to properly swear, or of telling dirty jokes, or how to be a good dad to my own son, or of playing guitar, or of anything else. Dad was one of my best friends, and he knew it.
And we had a helluva great time. I love ya, Skippy.
Ronald Lynn St. Louis
Feb. 22, 1954 -- Dec. 9, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
Tom Placey Voted Vermont Motorsports Magazine 2009 Driver of the Year
Stock car racing champion Tom Placey of Bradford has won the Vermont Motorsports Magazine 2009 Driver of the Year Award presented by Subway, as voted by readers of Vermont Motorsports Magazine, an online news website. Placey was previously voted the Bear Ridge Speedway Driver of the Year last month; the 25 year-old won the Hornet division championship at his hometown track with 11 feature race wins during the summer months. 
Placey received more than 2,000 votes (51%) en route to winning the VMM/Subway 2009 Driver of the Year Award during a one-week open poll. Hyde Park teen Tucker Williams, the Street Stock Rookie of the Year at Barre's Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl, finished second to Placey on the ballot with nearly 1,400 votes (34%); Williams was also voted the VMM/Subway Thunder Road Driver of the Year in November. Williams' father, Eric, a two-time American-Canadian Tour Late Model winner, was third in the voting, followed closely by Ascutney drivers Chris Riendeau and Joey Jarvis, who are top stars at Twin State and Canaan Fair speedways in New Hampshire. The Vermont Motorsports Magazine 2009 Driver of the Year Award presented by Subway was decided by fan vote from a 20-driver ballot. Top-ranking drivers from VMM Driver of the Year polls held in November were qualified to be placed on the final, overall ballot. Joining Placey and Tucker Williams as previous award winners were Devil's Bowl Speedway Driver of the Year Tim LaDuc of Orwell, and Eric Williams, who won the "On The Road" Driver of the Year Award for Vermont drivers competing on a touring series or at tracks out of state.
Other drivers on the VMM/Subway 2009 Driver of the Year ballot included Bear Ridge Speedway racer Gary Siemons, Chris Donnelly, and Dan Eastman, Devil's Bowl Speedway stars Kenny Tremont, Jr. and Todd Stone, Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl racers Jean-Paul Cyr, Dave Pembroke, and Donny Yates, ACT Late Model Tour stars Brian Hoar, Brent Dragon, and John Donahue, Granite State Mini Sprint series champion Lacey Hanson, Modified Racing Series star Dwight Jarvis, and White Mountain Motorsports Park (N.H.) champion Stacy Cahoon.
For more information, visit the Vermont Motorsports Magazine website at http://vtmotormag.blogspot.com. The VMM Driver of the Year Awards are presented by Subway of Barre, Montpelier, Waterbury, and Northfield. For more information on Subway, visit www.subway.com.
(PHOTO: VMM/Subway 2009 Driver of the Year Tom Placey. Photo by Alan Ward)
Modified Racing Series to Hold Memorial Day Doubleheader at Airborne, Thunder Road
KEENE, N.H. -- The Modified Racing Series will have a busy Memorial Day weekend in 2010 in the Champlain Valley. Series president and competitor Jack Bateman announced on Sunday at a meeting with competitors and officials that his tour, formerly known as the True Value Modified Racing Series, will make its first stop at Airborne Speedway in Plattsburgh, N.Y. on Saturday, May 29 next season.The Airborne date creates a two-day doubleheader Memorial Day weekend for the open-wheel series, coupling it with long-time sister track Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl in Barre on Sunday, May 30.
The Airborne race brings the MRS schedule to 19 races. One final event, scheduled for September 10 at a track to be named, is expected to be announced in two weeks, according to an MRS press release.
Bateman said that Thunder Road promoter and former Airborne manager Tom Curley was a key to finalizing the Airborne event, which has been run by promoter Mike Perrotte since 2005.
"We’ve been working on Airborne for three years now, it’s nice that we were able to put it together," said Bateman. "We could not have done it without the cooperation of Thunder Road and Tom Curley. I am pleased with the support they have given us for this special two-day event."
The Airborne Speedway event will be just the second visit for the series to New York; the first will be at Albany-Saratoga Speedway in Malta in April in a combination event with the New York-based Race of Champions Tour. Bateman tested his car on the newly-paved Albany-Saratoga track last month.
MODIFIED RACING SERIES 2010 SCHEDULE (as of December 7, 2009)
#-Day-Date-Track-Location
1. Sat./Sun., March 27/28 -- Waterford Speedbowl, Waterford, Conn.
2. Sat./Sun., April 17/18 -- Albany-Saratoga Speedway, Malta, N.Y. (MRS/RoC combo)
3. Sat., May 1 -- Monadnock Speedway, Winchester, N.H.
4. Sat., May 29 -- Airborne Speedway, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
5. Sun., May 30 -- Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl, Barre
6. Fri., June 4 -- Twin State Speedway, Claremont, N.H.
7. Sat., June 12 -- Seekonk Speedway, Seekonk, Mass.
8. Thu., June 17 -- Thompson Int'l Speedway, Thompson, Conn.
9. Sat., July 3 -- Monadnock Speedway, Winchester, N.H.
10. Fri., July 9 -- Lee USA Speedway, Lee, N.H.
11. Sat., July 17 -- Oxford Plains Speedway, Oxford, Me.
12. Sat., July 24 -- Canaan Fair Speedway, Canaan, N.H.
13. Sat., Aug. 7 -- Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, Scarborough, Me.
14. Sat., Aug. 14 -- Waterford Speedbowl, Waterford, Conn.
15. Sat., Aug. 21 -- Seekonk Speedway, Seekonk, Mass.
16. Thu., Aug. 26 -- Thompson Int'l Speedway, Thompson, Conn.
17. Sat., Sept. 4 -- Waterford Speedbowl, Waterford, Conn.
18. Sun., Sept. 10 -- TBA
19. Sat./Sun., Oct. 9/10 -- Seekonk Speedway, Seekonk, Mass.
20. Sat./Sun., Oct. 23/24 -- Lee USA Speedway, Lee, N.H.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Phil Scott's Lt. Governor Candidacy Speech
The following is the prepared speech given by Washington County Senator and three-time Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl track champion Phil Scott on Monday, December 1 at the Sheraton-Burlington Hotel & Conference Center, announcing his candidacy for the seat of Vermont Lieutenant Governor in the 2010 election:
“I’m Phil Scott - native Vermonter, graduate of Spaulding High School and the University of Vermont, fisherman and snowmobiler, mechanic and laborer, truck driver and stock car driver, both a cyclist and a biker, father and business owner, State Senator, proud Republican, and as of today, candidate for Lieutenant Governor of the State of Vermont.
I am honored to stand before you today – surrounded by so many people who have supported and guided me through the years: colleagues in the construction industry, who appreciate the challenges of running and working a business in Vermont; competitors and fans from Thunder Road who share in the excitement and sense of community that fills the speedway in Barre every Thursday night from May to October; and the friends and family members, whose Yankee independence and compassion for others helped shape who I am today.
My Dad died when I was 11, and not a day goes by that I don’t think about him, how special he was, and what a profound impact he had on my life. He was a World War II D-Day Veteran, who lost both legs when the tank he was operating hit a landmine. He spent 2 years in Walter Reed hospital and was in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. But that experience never stopped “Scotty,” as he was known to everyone. He met and married my Mom, who was a student at Johnson state college and a clerk at the Elmore General store, he worked full time for the state highway department, was an active Mason, Shriner, proud patriot and member of the VFW. And in the years before he died from those injuries, he took me and my brothers camping every chance he could. His fierce determination, his pride in community and country, and his dogged work ethic, drove him then as they drive me today.
I’m inspired by that independence and driven by a quiet but focused passion, seeking to inspire those who are willing and able to help others but don’t know how. I believe that government can and should help those in need take care of themselves and get back on their feet, and as a Senator I’ve supported our investment in critical human service programs that help Vermont’s neediest families. I initiated the Wheels for Warmth program 5 years ago with the help of many of you, and it’s a great example of how we can help others without waiting for the government to intervene, or without raising taxes to expand another government program. To date – volunteers and community members have raised almost $100,000 for emergency fuel assistance, at the same time recycling almost 10,000 tires and extending the life and use of another 6000 more. Recycling, conservation, and keeping a few more families warm during tough times – all this without a single grant or piece of legislation. As Lieutenant Governor, I will work to inspire more of these community-led efforts to improve our environment and assist our friends and neighbors.
We all know that small businesses in Vermont are facing unprecedented challenges. We don’t need to add to their burden by increasing taxes and regulations. As someone who has built a business in Vermont and had to make a payroll every week for the last 25 years, I know what small businesses need to thrive. They need access to capital, they need to be encouraged rather than discouraged when they want to innovate, and they need relief from one of the highest tax burden in the country. As Lieutenant Governor, I’ll be a champion for pro-job policies that focus on getting Vermonters back to work.
We can figure out a way to protect our agrarian way of life and preserve our strong environmental ethic with common sense solutions, rather than by adding to our ever complicated bureaucracy. I know this because I’ve helped forge tough compromises and find answers to complex issues all of my life and most recently in the Vermont Senate.
Government must live within its means, just as families and businesses across Vermont do every day. In business, if expenses are outpacing revenues, you have to cut costs – it’s that simple. I’m not saying it’s easy, but sometimes you can’t have everything you want – you have to figure out what’s most important and prioritize. As Lieutenant Governor, I will be a voice of fiscal common sense – always keeping in mind that the workers of Vermont pay the bills of state government.
We’ve gotten altogether too dependent – dependent on state services, dependent on foreign oil and dependent on federal assistance. We need to learn to take care of ourselves again by fixing what’s broken and rebuilding our economy and manufacturing capacity, with a focus on local energy generation, sustainable agriculture and forestry.
And, learning to take care of ourselves again starts in the home and in the classroom. I know first hand what a difference a quality education can make for a young Vermonter. As a graduate of Vermont schools, I was proud to also send my daughters to Vermont’s outstanding public schools. But the ever-increasing property tax burden is squeezing families and choking small businesses. As Lieutenant Governor, I will work hard to maintain the high quality education our kids deserve, while pushing for long-overdue reform to the way we pay for education. For many, education-funding is a third-rail in politics, but I won’t shy away from the tough issues – that’s just not the way I operate.
In addition to investing in human capital to create good jobs and ensure a quality education, we must invest in our infrastructure. As a contractor, and member of both the Transportation and Institutions Committees in the Senate, I’ve seen firsthand the tremendous importance of good roads, safe bridges, and buildings with solid foundations. But I also know that the infrastructure of the future will depend as much on wireless and broadband technology as it will on physical structures. If we want to have a strong and growing economy, we need to invest in both digital and tangible improvements. As Lieutenant Governor, I will be a strong voice to make sure we don’t overlook the maintenance and investment in our critical infrastructure.
I got into politics initially because I was ready to be part of the solution to the challenges we face as a state. And over the years, I’ve learned that politics and racing are a lot alike and I’d just as soon play both of them straight up and head on. This race for Lieutenant Governor is going to be a long one, but I’m the right Vermonter for the job. I’m ready to put in the hard work at the shop and in the pits. I’ve got the skills to negotiate the turns in the track, deal with obstacles as they arise, and utilize the patience I’ve been given to set the right pace. And I’m a true team player – ready to help drive both myself and Brian Dubie across the finish line.
As with any venture, one can’t do it alone. I’ll need your continued support in the coming months and I thank you for your support over the past 10 years. I’m ready and able to work hard every day to earn your vote for Lieutenant Governor! Thank you again for being here today.”
“I’m Phil Scott - native Vermonter, graduate of Spaulding High School and the University of Vermont, fisherman and snowmobiler, mechanic and laborer, truck driver and stock car driver, both a cyclist and a biker, father and business owner, State Senator, proud Republican, and as of today, candidate for Lieutenant Governor of the State of Vermont.
I am honored to stand before you today – surrounded by so many people who have supported and guided me through the years: colleagues in the construction industry, who appreciate the challenges of running and working a business in Vermont; competitors and fans from Thunder Road who share in the excitement and sense of community that fills the speedway in Barre every Thursday night from May to October; and the friends and family members, whose Yankee independence and compassion for others helped shape who I am today.
My Dad died when I was 11, and not a day goes by that I don’t think about him, how special he was, and what a profound impact he had on my life. He was a World War II D-Day Veteran, who lost both legs when the tank he was operating hit a landmine. He spent 2 years in Walter Reed hospital and was in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. But that experience never stopped “Scotty,” as he was known to everyone. He met and married my Mom, who was a student at Johnson state college and a clerk at the Elmore General store, he worked full time for the state highway department, was an active Mason, Shriner, proud patriot and member of the VFW. And in the years before he died from those injuries, he took me and my brothers camping every chance he could. His fierce determination, his pride in community and country, and his dogged work ethic, drove him then as they drive me today.
I’m inspired by that independence and driven by a quiet but focused passion, seeking to inspire those who are willing and able to help others but don’t know how. I believe that government can and should help those in need take care of themselves and get back on their feet, and as a Senator I’ve supported our investment in critical human service programs that help Vermont’s neediest families. I initiated the Wheels for Warmth program 5 years ago with the help of many of you, and it’s a great example of how we can help others without waiting for the government to intervene, or without raising taxes to expand another government program. To date – volunteers and community members have raised almost $100,000 for emergency fuel assistance, at the same time recycling almost 10,000 tires and extending the life and use of another 6000 more. Recycling, conservation, and keeping a few more families warm during tough times – all this without a single grant or piece of legislation. As Lieutenant Governor, I will work to inspire more of these community-led efforts to improve our environment and assist our friends and neighbors.
We all know that small businesses in Vermont are facing unprecedented challenges. We don’t need to add to their burden by increasing taxes and regulations. As someone who has built a business in Vermont and had to make a payroll every week for the last 25 years, I know what small businesses need to thrive. They need access to capital, they need to be encouraged rather than discouraged when they want to innovate, and they need relief from one of the highest tax burden in the country. As Lieutenant Governor, I’ll be a champion for pro-job policies that focus on getting Vermonters back to work.
We can figure out a way to protect our agrarian way of life and preserve our strong environmental ethic with common sense solutions, rather than by adding to our ever complicated bureaucracy. I know this because I’ve helped forge tough compromises and find answers to complex issues all of my life and most recently in the Vermont Senate.
Government must live within its means, just as families and businesses across Vermont do every day. In business, if expenses are outpacing revenues, you have to cut costs – it’s that simple. I’m not saying it’s easy, but sometimes you can’t have everything you want – you have to figure out what’s most important and prioritize. As Lieutenant Governor, I will be a voice of fiscal common sense – always keeping in mind that the workers of Vermont pay the bills of state government.
We’ve gotten altogether too dependent – dependent on state services, dependent on foreign oil and dependent on federal assistance. We need to learn to take care of ourselves again by fixing what’s broken and rebuilding our economy and manufacturing capacity, with a focus on local energy generation, sustainable agriculture and forestry.
And, learning to take care of ourselves again starts in the home and in the classroom. I know first hand what a difference a quality education can make for a young Vermonter. As a graduate of Vermont schools, I was proud to also send my daughters to Vermont’s outstanding public schools. But the ever-increasing property tax burden is squeezing families and choking small businesses. As Lieutenant Governor, I will work hard to maintain the high quality education our kids deserve, while pushing for long-overdue reform to the way we pay for education. For many, education-funding is a third-rail in politics, but I won’t shy away from the tough issues – that’s just not the way I operate.
In addition to investing in human capital to create good jobs and ensure a quality education, we must invest in our infrastructure. As a contractor, and member of both the Transportation and Institutions Committees in the Senate, I’ve seen firsthand the tremendous importance of good roads, safe bridges, and buildings with solid foundations. But I also know that the infrastructure of the future will depend as much on wireless and broadband technology as it will on physical structures. If we want to have a strong and growing economy, we need to invest in both digital and tangible improvements. As Lieutenant Governor, I will be a strong voice to make sure we don’t overlook the maintenance and investment in our critical infrastructure.
I got into politics initially because I was ready to be part of the solution to the challenges we face as a state. And over the years, I’ve learned that politics and racing are a lot alike and I’d just as soon play both of them straight up and head on. This race for Lieutenant Governor is going to be a long one, but I’m the right Vermonter for the job. I’m ready to put in the hard work at the shop and in the pits. I’ve got the skills to negotiate the turns in the track, deal with obstacles as they arise, and utilize the patience I’ve been given to set the right pace. And I’m a true team player – ready to help drive both myself and Brian Dubie across the finish line.
As with any venture, one can’t do it alone. I’ll need your continued support in the coming months and I thank you for your support over the past 10 years. I’m ready and able to work hard every day to earn your vote for Lieutenant Governor! Thank you again for being here today.”
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
BREAKING NEWS -- Phil Scott Expected to Enter Race for Lieutenant Governor
SOUTH BURLINGTON -- Sources have confirmed to Vermont Motorsports Magazine that former Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl and American-Canadian Tour champion Phil Scott is expected announce his entry into the 2010 race for Vermont Lieutenant Governor on Monday evening at the Sheraton-Burlington Hotel & Conference Center in South Burlington.
Scott was elected to the Vermont State Senate as a Washington County Republican in 2000, a position he has held ever since. Scott, 51, also co-owns DuBois Construction in Middlesex.
Scott won Late Model track championships at Thunder Road in Barre in 1996, 1998, and 2002, and is the all-time leading winner in the division. He also won championships with the ACT Late Model Tour and at Airborne Speedway in Plattsburgh, N.Y. in 2002.
Mark Snelling of Starksboro has also entered the race for Lieutenant Governor as a Republican.
Scott was elected to the Vermont State Senate as a Washington County Republican in 2000, a position he has held ever since. Scott, 51, also co-owns DuBois Construction in Middlesex.
Scott won Late Model track championships at Thunder Road in Barre in 1996, 1998, and 2002, and is the all-time leading winner in the division. He also won championships with the ACT Late Model Tour and at Airborne Speedway in Plattsburgh, N.Y. in 2002.
Mark Snelling of Starksboro has also entered the race for Lieutenant Governor as a Republican.
Thunder Road Late Models to Open New Era at Devil's Bowl
From Thunder Road press release
WEST HAVEN -- The American-Canadian Tour Late Models from Thunder Road will open the newly paved Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven on Sunday, May 23, 2010. Track promoter Jerry Richards said, “This is going to be a great way to bring the new asphalt to life at Devil’s Bowl. It has been over 30 years since the track was asphalt, but we think having Thunder Road’s Late Models on the ½-mile will certainly give our fans at 'The Bowl' a great opening event.”
Thunder Road Late Models will be joined by some of the regular ACT Late Model Tour teams for this grand opening of the original Champlain Valley Racing Association track, which was founded by legendary promoter C.J. Richards.
“When we learned that 'The Bowl' was being returned to asphalt we really wanted our teams to be a part of it," said Tom Curley, the President of ACT and managing partner of Thunder Road. "Most of the Thunder Road Late Models have raced various tracks on the ACT, and this just seemed like a great fit. We have no races scheduled at Thunder Road from May 2 until Memorial Day weekend, so I am sure there will be great support from the Late Model teams.
“I am sure there will be a number of teams from Chittenden County and central Vermont who will want to give Devil’s Bowl a try, and this change the CVRA is going through is something ACT wants to support.” The sister track of Devil’s Bowl, Albany-Saratoga Speedway in Malta, N.Y., will host an ACT Late Model Tour event on April 25th at the newly paved 4/10-mile speedplant.
Some of the expected entrants to the Devil's Bowl event include reigning Thunder Road champion Jean-Paul Cyr, a former champion at Devil’s Bowl, three-time Thunder Road champion Cris Michaud, and ACT star Brent Dragon.
“I think this is really great,” Dragon said. “My father and uncle were both a part of the five-track Northern NASCAR circuit back in the mid-‘70s, and I am really excited that we have a 'long track' back in Vermont."
WEST HAVEN -- The American-Canadian Tour Late Models from Thunder Road will open the newly paved Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven on Sunday, May 23, 2010. Track promoter Jerry Richards said, “This is going to be a great way to bring the new asphalt to life at Devil’s Bowl. It has been over 30 years since the track was asphalt, but we think having Thunder Road’s Late Models on the ½-mile will certainly give our fans at 'The Bowl' a great opening event.”
Thunder Road Late Models will be joined by some of the regular ACT Late Model Tour teams for this grand opening of the original Champlain Valley Racing Association track, which was founded by legendary promoter C.J. Richards.
“When we learned that 'The Bowl' was being returned to asphalt we really wanted our teams to be a part of it," said Tom Curley, the President of ACT and managing partner of Thunder Road. "Most of the Thunder Road Late Models have raced various tracks on the ACT, and this just seemed like a great fit. We have no races scheduled at Thunder Road from May 2 until Memorial Day weekend, so I am sure there will be great support from the Late Model teams.
“I am sure there will be a number of teams from Chittenden County and central Vermont who will want to give Devil’s Bowl a try, and this change the CVRA is going through is something ACT wants to support.” The sister track of Devil’s Bowl, Albany-Saratoga Speedway in Malta, N.Y., will host an ACT Late Model Tour event on April 25th at the newly paved 4/10-mile speedplant.
Some of the expected entrants to the Devil's Bowl event include reigning Thunder Road champion Jean-Paul Cyr, a former champion at Devil’s Bowl, three-time Thunder Road champion Cris Michaud, and ACT star Brent Dragon.
“I think this is really great,” Dragon said. “My father and uncle were both a part of the five-track Northern NASCAR circuit back in the mid-‘70s, and I am really excited that we have a 'long track' back in Vermont."
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