-by Justin St. Louis
VMM Editor
Bryan Kruczek set the sport of short track racing back 50 years last Friday night.
The Newmarket, N.H., driver is a leading weekly Late Model competitor at Lee USA Speedway, and is a part-time competitor with the American-Canadian Tour, most recently racing at Oxford Plains Speedway in Maine last month. Last August Kruczek was invited to test at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the inaugural ACT Invitational, and although he did not participate in the race, he was surprisingly fast at the Loudon mile.
On paper, Bryan Kruczek has proven himself a solid competitor for several years, both at and away from Lee USA Speedway. But what he did last week is simply inexcusable.
Four ACT teams that do not compete regularly at Lee USA Speedway took part in the track's Friday night NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model program: Joey Polewarczyk, John Donahue, Glen Luce, and rookie Dave Farrington, Jr. Thirteen other teams were racing in the division that night including A.J. Begin, Wayne Helliwell, Jr., J.R. Baril, Jimmy Linardy and Miles Chipman, each one a name familiar to ACT fans.
Coming to the final lap of their qualifying heat race, Polewarczyk sat in third place as Kruczek -- who came from the rear after being penalized by Lee USA officials for a three-wide maneuver that caused a wreck in the opening laps of the race -- drilled Polewarczyk's rear bumper at the start/finish line. As Polewarczyk attempted to correct his car as it slid out of control toward the infield, Kruczek hit him again, this time hard enough to lift Polewarczyk's rear tires off the track.
With his front tires turned to the right while still attempting to make the first save, Polewarczyk's car immediately shot across the track and nearly head-on into the frontstretch wall, destroying the chassis and many bolt-on parts. Polewarczyk was not hurt in the crash, but strained a leg muscle from "standing on the brake pedal" with both feet as his car careened into the wall.
But far worse than the damage done to Polewarczyk's car was the fact that Kruczek intended to cause the crash, justifying his actions with an "us-against-them" attitude reminiscent of racing's earliest, most rambunctious days. When Polewarczyk confronted him in the pit area for an explanation, Kruczek essentially told Polewarczyk he wasn't welcome at Lee USA.
"I love racing at Lee and I've never had a problem with any of the drivers when I've raced there," Polewarczyk said. "But when I asked [Kruczek] why he wrecked me, he pointed at himself and said, 'I'm running for points, you ACT boys stick to your own turf.' I was shocked. I don't want to sound like a whiner, but that wreck was totally unnecessary and I'm lucky I wasn't hurt. We had an in-car camera, and the replays are scary to watch."
Polewarczyk said that his car's chassis was bent from the front clip to the center section, and that it needed to visit a fabricator for repairs before it could return to a raceable condition. Polewarczyk, Donahue, and Luce were at Lee USA to test their Ford crate engines after having them rebuilt at Butler-MacMaster in Maine.
Donahue said he "didn't trust" any of the drivers after Polewarczyk's crash and stayed out of the way for the rest of the evening, and according to another report, Farrington's team was also involved in a shouting match after the feature event later in the evening.
With the ACT rulebook expanding over the last decade to include Late Model divisions at nearly a dozen weekly tracks in the region, ACT Late Model Tour competitors have been encouraged to support weekly events, just as weekly competitors have been invited to race with ACT at other venues. Kruczek's participation in ACT over the past half-dozen years is a prime example of the rulebook working succesfully in both directions.
But his antics need to stop now. It appears that both Lee USA and ACT are doing their part in making sure that the Kruczek-Polewarczyk incident is a one-time-only happening.
"It was an unnecessary wreck," said Lee USA Speedway General Manager Bob Watson. "Bryan races here on a weekly basis, and I like the kid, he's a good little shoe, but sometimes he gets in a little over his head."
Watson said that Kruczek was involved in a racing incident in May 2009 that warranted a probationary period lasting through the season. "It seems like almost on a yearly basis we have to sit down and have a chat with him, and he was beautiful for the rest of the season last year," said Watson. "But we can't overlook this."
Watson said that Lee USA Speedway has suspended Kruczek from competition for two weeks and has again placed him on probation throught he 2010 season.
"We hope this is an isolated incident at Lee," said ACT President Tom Curley. "ACT encourages race teams to compete throughout the season, when the opportunity exists, at all tracks that are part of the ACT rules package." Curley said. "We have enjoyed much success with various teams joining the tour regulars at our events over the years [and] there are also many positive examples of ACT teams racing at other tracks besides the scheduled ACT events. We will continue to encourage that participation for what we perceive as good for fans, race teams, and promoters."
Kruczek's suspension means that he will not compete at Lee USA Speedway when the ACT Late Model Tour arrives on June 11. It's probably a safe bet that he won't be invited to race at NHMS this September, either.
***
AROUND THE REGION:
Time to take a look at the top Vermonters from the past weekend...
Airborne Speedway (Plattsburgh, N.Y.): Dwight Jarvis of Ascutney was third in the Modified Racing Series 100-lap event on Saturday night. Brandon's Don Scarborough finished fourth in the Modified feature, and Swanton's Kevin Boutin was third in the Renegades.
Albany-Saratoga Speedway (Malta, N.Y.): Mike Bruno of Bomoseen was eighth in the Modified feature on Friday night with Brandon's Don Scarborough ninth.
Bear Ridge Speedway (Bradford): Rookie Dan Douville of Concord, N.H., won his first SCoNE 360 Sprint Car feature on Saturday over Robby Bodwell of Sanford, Me., and rookie Chris Donnelly of Orford, N.H. Fairlee's Adam Pierson won the Sportsman Modified race over Brian Whittemore of Florence and Travis Shinn of Groton, N.H., Topsham's Josh Harrington won the Sportsman Coupe feature over East Corinth drivers Gene Pierson and Melvin Pierson. Newbury's Jeremy Hodge took his second Limited Late Model win over Will Hull of East Montpelier and T.C. Forward of Lyme, N.H., and Josh Sunn of White River Junction stayed perfect through three features in the Fast Four division, winning over Kevin Harran of St. Johnsbury and Andy Johnson of Wilder. Bradford's Tom Placey won the Hornet race over Wilder's David West, Jr., and Steve Sheldon of St. Johnsbury Center, while Melissa King of Corinth beat St. Johnsbury's Misty Bell and Dawn Woodward of Corinth in the Hornet Queen race.
Big Daddy's Speedway (Rumney, N.H.): Josh Sunn of White River Junction was the Mini Stock winner on Sunday over St. Johnsbury's Kevin Harran.
Canaan Dirt Speedway (Canaan, N.H.): Rookie Dan Eastman of Thetford Center was third in the Sportsman Modifed feature on Friday, and Josh Sunn of White River Junction was third in Mini Stock feature. Mike Stender of South Strafford beat Tunbridge's Baxter Doty to win the Bandit feature.
Canaan Fair Speedway (Canaan, N.H.): Mendon's Chris Wilk won Saturday's Pro Stock feature, with South Royalton's Kevin Menard sixth. Hartland's Bruce Jaycox was third in the Super Street feature, and Jamie Hodgdon of Ascutney was fifth in the Pure Stocks. Thetford's Chris McKinstry won the Northeast Mini Stock Tour feature.
Devil's Bowl Speedway (West Haven): Don Scarborough of Brandon won the Modified Tri-Track Series opener on Sunday over Patrick Dupree of Saranac Lake, N.Y., and Ketih Flach of Ravena, N.Y. Don Miller of Wells won the Sportsman feature over Paul Dunham of Indian Lake, N.Y., and Chris Johnson of Malta, N.Y. Dave Emigh of Ballston Spa, N.Y. beat Milton's Cody Benoit to win the Renegade feature, with Jon Miller of Malta, N.Y., third. Milton's Chad Brown beat Brent Warren of Salisbury and Nathan Woodworth of Essex Junction to win the Bomber Warrior race. Andy Smith of South Glens Falls, N.Y., won the Duke Stock race.
Lee USA Speedway (Lee, N.H.): Graniteville's John Donahue was ninth in the Late Model feature on Friday night.
Modified Racing Series: On Saturday at Airborne Speedway, Ascutney driver Dwight Jarvis finished third, with his rookie nephew Joey Jarvis 23rd. On Sunday at Thunder Road, Joey Jarvis finished seventh with Dwight Jarvis ninth. Les Hinckley of Windsor Locks, Conn., won at Airborne, and Steve Masse of Bellingham, Mass., won at Thunder Road.
Monadnock Speedway (Winchester, N.H.): Putney's Dana Shepard was tenth in the Super Street feature on Saturday, and Joe Rogers of Ludlow finished seventh in the Mini Stocks.
NASCAR Nationwide Series: Shelburne's Kevin Lepage finished 37th at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday.
PASS South Super Late Models: Steven Legendre of Danville finished 14th in Saturday's event at Concord Motorsports Park. Rookie Andy Loden of Stanley, N.C., was the winner.
Riverside Speedway (Groveton, N.H.): Dan Sidney of St. Johnsbury was the Outlaw Sportsman runner-up on Saturday with Davey Ofsuryk of Newport Center fifth. Rookie Johanna Christman of Cabot was fifth in the Super Stock race. Brett Rowell of Concord was the Street Stock runner-up with Aaron Smith of Orleans third. Howard Switser of West Burke won the Dwarf Car race. Waterford's Lorin Vear won the Cyclone race.
Sprint Cars of New England: Lacey Hanson of Orwell was seventh in Saturday's event at Bear Ridge Speedway. Rookie Dan Douville of Concord, N.H., was the winner.
Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl (Barre): Steve Masse of Bellingham, Mass., won the Modified Racing Series event on Sunday over Ron Goodenough of Swanzey, N.H., and Ken Barry of Preston, Conn. Dave Pembroke of Middlesex won the 100-lap Late Model event over John Donahue of Graniteville and Hyde Park's Eric Williams. Brendan Moodie of North Wolcott won the Tiger Sportsman feature over Tom Therrien of Hinesburg and Ricky Roberts of Washington. Travis Hull of Graniteville took his first Street Stock win over Williamstown's Mike MacAskill and Dan Lathrop of Hyde Park. Ken Christman of Cabot won the Junkyard Warrior race over Josh Erwin of Waterbury and Brock Parrott of Williamstown.
Twin State Speedway (Claremont, N.H.): Rutland's Dallas Trombley was the Late Model runner-up on Friday night. Chris Wilk of Mendon was the Super Street winner. Jacksonville's Kaitlin Stone won the Strictly Stock feature with Pittsford's Kyle Davis third.
White Mountain Motorsports Park (North Woodstock, N.H.): Dwayne Lanphear was sixth in the Late Model feature on Saturday. Jason Corliss of Danville was the Super Sportsman runner-up with Tucker Williams of Hyde Park third. Stevie Parker of Lyndonville was seventh in the Strictly Stock feature, and Ernie Snider of Orange won the Strictly Stock Mini race.
***
THIS WEEK:
Friday, June 4
Albany-Saratoga Speedway, Malta, N.Y. -- 6:45pm (Spring Championships)
Canaan Dirt Speedway, Canaan, N.H. -- 7:00pm (SCoNE 360 Sprint Cars)
Twin State Speedway, Claremont, N.H. -- 7:30pm (Regular Event)
Saturday, June 5
Airborne Speedway, Plattsburgh, N.Y. -- 5:00pm (Regular Event)
Bear Ridge Speedway, Bradford -- 6:00pm (Regular Event)
Canaan Fair Speedway, Canaan, N.H. -- 6:00pm (Regular Event)
Monadnock Speedway, Winchester, N.H. -- 6:00pm (Regular Event)
Riverside Speedway, Groveton, N.H. -- 6:00pm (Regular Event)
White Mountain Motorsports Park, North Woodstock, N.H. -- 5:00 (ACT Tiger Sportsman Series)
Sunday, June 6
Big Daddy's Speedbowl, Rumney, N.H. -- 4:00pm (Granite State Mini Sprints)
Devil's Bowl Speedway, West Haven -- 6:00pm (Regular Event)
TOURING SERIES:
ACT Tiger Sportsman Series: Sat., June 5 -- White Mountain Motorsports Park, No. Woodstock, N.H. (5:00pm)
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series: Fri., June 4 -- Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Texas (SPEED/8:30pm)
NASCAR Nationwide Series: Sat., June 5 -- Nashville Superspeedway, Nashville, Tenn. (ESPN/7:30pm)
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Sun., June 6 -- Pocono Speedway, Long Pond, Pa. (TNT/1:00pm)
Pro All Stars Series: Fri., June 4 -- Ace Speedway, Altamahaw, N.C. (7:45pm)
Série ACT-Castrol Edge: Sat., June 5 -- Autodrome Chaudiere, Vallee-Jct., Qué. (6:00pm)
Sprint Cars of New England: Fri., June 4 -- Canaan Dirt Speedway, Canaan, N.H. (7:00pm)
Showing posts with label Joey Polewarczyk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joey Polewarczyk. Show all posts
Friday, June 4, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Polewarczyk Ready To Put Rough Start Behind Him
(From team press release)
HUDSON, N.H. -- As far as Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., is concerned, his season starts now.
Less than two weeks after failing to qualify for an American-Canadian Tour race at Oxford Plains Speedway, Polewarczyk's No. 97 Pole's Automotive/NH Precision Ford will be back on track -- this time with a renewed effort and a reinvigorated engine -- this Friday night at Lee USA Speedway. He'll compete in the track's 30-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model feature.
"I can't wait to go to Lee," he said. "It's sort of like my home track. It's where I watched my father race for a lot of years, and it's a place where I've always seemed to run well. To go there and get back at it will be really big for us."
Following his DNQ at Oxford, Polewarczyk had his new Ford crate engine pulled and shipped to Butler-MacMaster Automotive in Hallowell, Maine. Butler-MacMaster supplies all ACT teams with their engines, and the engine remained at their shop for more than a week.
Polewarczyk switched to Ford during the off-season, after the manufacturer debuted its crate engine program in 2009 with Thunder Road International Speedbowl driver Cris Michaud.
"They found some issues with (the engine)," said Polewarczyk, who reported that the engine spent the better part of an entire day running through tests on the dyno. "They are going to rectify those issues."
During the race at Oxford, where Polewarczyk has won twice in his career, he said that he noticed his car was not picking up speed off the corners. That led him to believe that there was something wrong that went beyond track position or handling issues with his car.
This week at Lee, Polewarczyk said he's ready to prove a point -- both to himself and to others.
"I know we have a really good team," he said. "Yeah, I started to doubt myself (after Oxford), but I know what we're capable of. You never want to miss a race, but the fact that we did -- I think -- got us to take a step back and look at things overall.
"I think we're going to be better for it. I really do."
If all goes well at Lee USA, Polewarczyk said the team plans to make the trip to either White Mountain Motorsports Park in North Woodstock, N.H., or to Waterford (Conn.) Speedbowl on Saturday night.
The ACT Late Model Tour continues with the rescheduled New Hampshire Governor's Cup 150 at Lee USA on Friday night, June 11. Polewarczyk, 10th in the current ACT standings after two races, finished second in that event in 2009.
HUDSON, N.H. -- As far as Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., is concerned, his season starts now.
Less than two weeks after failing to qualify for an American-Canadian Tour race at Oxford Plains Speedway, Polewarczyk's No. 97 Pole's Automotive/NH Precision Ford will be back on track -- this time with a renewed effort and a reinvigorated engine -- this Friday night at Lee USA Speedway. He'll compete in the track's 30-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model feature.
"I can't wait to go to Lee," he said. "It's sort of like my home track. It's where I watched my father race for a lot of years, and it's a place where I've always seemed to run well. To go there and get back at it will be really big for us."
Following his DNQ at Oxford, Polewarczyk had his new Ford crate engine pulled and shipped to Butler-MacMaster Automotive in Hallowell, Maine. Butler-MacMaster supplies all ACT teams with their engines, and the engine remained at their shop for more than a week.
Polewarczyk switched to Ford during the off-season, after the manufacturer debuted its crate engine program in 2009 with Thunder Road International Speedbowl driver Cris Michaud.
"They found some issues with (the engine)," said Polewarczyk, who reported that the engine spent the better part of an entire day running through tests on the dyno. "They are going to rectify those issues."
During the race at Oxford, where Polewarczyk has won twice in his career, he said that he noticed his car was not picking up speed off the corners. That led him to believe that there was something wrong that went beyond track position or handling issues with his car.
This week at Lee, Polewarczyk said he's ready to prove a point -- both to himself and to others.
"I know we have a really good team," he said. "Yeah, I started to doubt myself (after Oxford), but I know what we're capable of. You never want to miss a race, but the fact that we did -- I think -- got us to take a step back and look at things overall.
"I think we're going to be better for it. I really do."
If all goes well at Lee USA, Polewarczyk said the team plans to make the trip to either White Mountain Motorsports Park in North Woodstock, N.H., or to Waterford (Conn.) Speedbowl on Saturday night.
The ACT Late Model Tour continues with the rescheduled New Hampshire Governor's Cup 150 at Lee USA on Friday night, June 11. Polewarczyk, 10th in the current ACT standings after two races, finished second in that event in 2009.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Joey Polewarczyk Jr.: ACT @ Oxford Plains Preview
(From team release)
Joey Polewarczyk Jr. joins the ACT Late Model Tour for the second event of the season -- the WJAB 150 on Sunday, May 16, at Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, Maine. Three of the first five races on the ACT schedule have been rained out, including last week's event in Plattsburgh, N.Y. After a 12th-place finish in the season opener at Thunder Road International Speedbowl on May 2, Polewarczyk returns to Oxford Plains Speedway -- where he's won two ACT races in his career, including this very event last season. In his last six starts at Oxford, including two TD Bank Oxford 250s, Polewarczyk has two wins and five top-five finishes.
WHO: Joey Polewarczyk Jr., Hudson, N.H.
TEAM: Pole's Automotive/NH Precision No. 97 Ford
BEST CAREER OXFORD PLAINS SPEEDWAY FINISH: 1st (2 times; most recently: May 2009)
LAST RACE AT OXFORD PLAINS SPEEDWAY: 2nd (October 2009)
WHAT: ACT Late Model Tour WJAB 150
WHERE: Oxford Plains Speedway, Oxford, Maine (.375-mile oval)
WHEN: 2 p.m., Sunday, May 16ACT Late Model Tour
LAST RACE: Sunday, May 2, Merchants Bank 150, Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl, Barre, Vt. (12th-place finish)
NEXT RACE: Friday, June 11, NH Governor's Cup 150, Lee USA Speedway, Lee, N.H.
POINTS POSITION: 10th
**********
JOEY, WITH ALL YOUR RECENT SUCCESS AT THE TRACK, IS IT FAIR TO SAY OXFORD PLAINS SPEEDWAY IS YOUR FAVORITE TRACK ON THE TOUR?
I love it. I'd say Oxford's probably my favorite, absolutely. The thing I like most about it is if you have a car that's not handling 100 percent, you can make it work. The driver can do something about it. You can change your line, try anything to make it work. A lot of tracks that we go to, you just can't do that.
WHAT'S THE SECRET TO HAVING A GOOD RUN AT OXFORD?
Every time I've won there, it's been the outside lane that's done it for me -- the way outside lane. It's been changing, though. The last race we ran there at the end of last year, we were running way outside, but Eric (Williams) got his car working down low and won the race and we finished second.
The fast way around probably is the bottom, but you have to be able stay there. Your car really has to be working perfect all day for that to happen. If you're forcing it to stay on the bottom like that, it's easy to use the tires up and then have the car go away -- and that's when you can go and use the outside, too.
IT SHAPED UP TO BE A TOUGH 5-WEEK STRETCH FOR ACT TEAMS TO OPEN THE SEASON THIS YEAR, BUT WITH THE RAINOUTS THAT HASN'T HAPPENED. HOW HARD HAVE THE RAINOUTS BEEN ON THE TEAM?
We'll we're definitely ready, I can tell you that. We've been the same guys for four or five years now on this team, and everyone knows what's going on and what their job is at the race track.
It's just the waiting game. It's frustrating, definitely, but this week has been really good. Sure, it stinks that we didn't have a race at Airborne (Speedway) last week -- but you have to take the positives. There's no body work to do on the car this week, so we just worked on our setup for Oxford. We can't wait to go back there.
Joey Polewarczyk Jr. joins the ACT Late Model Tour for the second event of the season -- the WJAB 150 on Sunday, May 16, at Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, Maine. Three of the first five races on the ACT schedule have been rained out, including last week's event in Plattsburgh, N.Y. After a 12th-place finish in the season opener at Thunder Road International Speedbowl on May 2, Polewarczyk returns to Oxford Plains Speedway -- where he's won two ACT races in his career, including this very event last season. In his last six starts at Oxford, including two TD Bank Oxford 250s, Polewarczyk has two wins and five top-five finishes.
WHO: Joey Polewarczyk Jr., Hudson, N.H.
TEAM: Pole's Automotive/NH Precision No. 97 Ford
BEST CAREER OXFORD PLAINS SPEEDWAY FINISH: 1st (2 times; most recently: May 2009)
LAST RACE AT OXFORD PLAINS SPEEDWAY: 2nd (October 2009)
WHAT: ACT Late Model Tour WJAB 150
WHERE: Oxford Plains Speedway, Oxford, Maine (.375-mile oval)
WHEN: 2 p.m., Sunday, May 16ACT Late Model Tour
LAST RACE: Sunday, May 2, Merchants Bank 150, Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl, Barre, Vt. (12th-place finish)
NEXT RACE: Friday, June 11, NH Governor's Cup 150, Lee USA Speedway, Lee, N.H.
POINTS POSITION: 10th
**********
JOEY, WITH ALL YOUR RECENT SUCCESS AT THE TRACK, IS IT FAIR TO SAY OXFORD PLAINS SPEEDWAY IS YOUR FAVORITE TRACK ON THE TOUR?
I love it. I'd say Oxford's probably my favorite, absolutely. The thing I like most about it is if you have a car that's not handling 100 percent, you can make it work. The driver can do something about it. You can change your line, try anything to make it work. A lot of tracks that we go to, you just can't do that.
WHAT'S THE SECRET TO HAVING A GOOD RUN AT OXFORD?
Every time I've won there, it's been the outside lane that's done it for me -- the way outside lane. It's been changing, though. The last race we ran there at the end of last year, we were running way outside, but Eric (Williams) got his car working down low and won the race and we finished second.
The fast way around probably is the bottom, but you have to be able stay there. Your car really has to be working perfect all day for that to happen. If you're forcing it to stay on the bottom like that, it's easy to use the tires up and then have the car go away -- and that's when you can go and use the outside, too.
IT SHAPED UP TO BE A TOUGH 5-WEEK STRETCH FOR ACT TEAMS TO OPEN THE SEASON THIS YEAR, BUT WITH THE RAINOUTS THAT HASN'T HAPPENED. HOW HARD HAVE THE RAINOUTS BEEN ON THE TEAM?
We'll we're definitely ready, I can tell you that. We've been the same guys for four or five years now on this team, and everyone knows what's going on and what their job is at the race track.
It's just the waiting game. It's frustrating, definitely, but this week has been really good. Sure, it stinks that we didn't have a race at Airborne (Speedway) last week -- but you have to take the positives. There's no body work to do on the car this week, so we just worked on our setup for Oxford. We can't wait to go back there.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
ACT Race at Lee USA Rescheduled
(From ACT press release)
LEE, N.H. -- The New Hampshire Governor’s Cup 150 originally scheduled for April 18 at Lee USA Speedway in Lee, N.H., has been rescheduled for Friday, June 11. The event was originally scheduled as the American-Canadian Tour season opener but was postponed due to rain. It becomes the third event of the 2010 ACT season.
ACT teams will have a challenge in racing with Lee regulars who have gained experience in the longer distance ACT races over the years. The Lee contingent will be led by defending champion and current point leader Wayne Helliwell, Jr., of Dover, N.H. Helliwell has already scored two wins in the first two events at Lee this season and is currently leading the Ford Blue Oval Cup Challenge.
ACT favorites include past Lee winners Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., who won the 2008 NH Governor's Cup, and Jean-Paul Cyr, winner of a 2005 Lee event. Defending and six-time ACT Champion Brian Hoar has never won an ACT event at Lee but currently sits atop the ACT point standings. Other contenders include Scott Payea, who has two third place finishes in five career starts at Lee, Brent Dragon, John Donahue, Randy Potter, Jamie Fisher, and Glen Luce among others.
Before ACT teams can look ahead to the NH Governor’s Cup, they will have to battle in Sunday’s 150-lap event at Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, Me. Over forty teams are expected to fight for the thirty starting spots, over $25,000 in purse, and the second invitation to the ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in September. Post time at Oxford is 2:00pm on Sunday, May 16.
LEE, N.H. -- The New Hampshire Governor’s Cup 150 originally scheduled for April 18 at Lee USA Speedway in Lee, N.H., has been rescheduled for Friday, June 11. The event was originally scheduled as the American-Canadian Tour season opener but was postponed due to rain. It becomes the third event of the 2010 ACT season.
ACT teams will have a challenge in racing with Lee regulars who have gained experience in the longer distance ACT races over the years. The Lee contingent will be led by defending champion and current point leader Wayne Helliwell, Jr., of Dover, N.H. Helliwell has already scored two wins in the first two events at Lee this season and is currently leading the Ford Blue Oval Cup Challenge.
ACT favorites include past Lee winners Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., who won the 2008 NH Governor's Cup, and Jean-Paul Cyr, winner of a 2005 Lee event. Defending and six-time ACT Champion Brian Hoar has never won an ACT event at Lee but currently sits atop the ACT point standings. Other contenders include Scott Payea, who has two third place finishes in five career starts at Lee, Brent Dragon, John Donahue, Randy Potter, Jamie Fisher, and Glen Luce among others.
Before ACT teams can look ahead to the NH Governor’s Cup, they will have to battle in Sunday’s 150-lap event at Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, Me. Over forty teams are expected to fight for the thirty starting spots, over $25,000 in purse, and the second invitation to the ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in September. Post time at Oxford is 2:00pm on Sunday, May 16.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Hoar, Cyr Ready to Finally Battle for ACT Title
BARRE -- Goliath meets Goliath at Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl on Sunday. Williston's Brian Hoar and Milton's Jean-Paul Cyr -- the two all-time winningest drivers in American-Canadian Tour Late Model history -- will face each other head-to-head for the 2010 championship in the most anticipated matchup in recent memory.
***
TALE OF THE TAPE
Defending champion Hoar's 25 career wins top the all-time ACT Late Model Tour victory chart, while Cyr's 19 wins rank second. In 106 career starts, Hoar has 60 top-fives, 78 top-tens, and an average finish of 7.7. In 137 starts, Cyr has 60 top-fives, 86 top-tens, and a 9.3 average finish.
Hoar owns six ACT championships -- 1993, each year from 1997 to 2000, and 2009. Cyr's seven titles are an ACT record, having won in 1994, 1996, and each season from 2003 to 2007.
In addition to his ACT titles, Hoar was the track champion at both Airborne Speedway and Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl in 1999, was that year's ACT Overall champion, was the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Rookie of the Year in 2001, and won the 2006 New Hampshire Motor Speedway track championship.
Cyr won the Devil's Bowl Speedway championship in 1990 as a dirt track racer, won ACT's Am/Can Challenge title in 1996, is the reigning Thunder Road track champion, and is a successful off-road motorcycle racer, competing in the legendary Baja 1000 and Baja 500 events.
Hoar drove for his family-owned Goss Dodge team before joining Rick Paya's RPM Motorsports for the ACT championship last year. Paya was Cyr's crew chief from 2003-08, also serving as car owner the final two years. After a successful year driving for Joey and Jeff Laquerre, Cyr will race for veteran Gary Caron this season.
***
NEVER WORKED OUT
For one reason or another, Hoar and Cyr have raced the entire ACT schedule together just three times. As Cyr won championships in 1994 and 2007, Hoar endured tough seasons to finish a distant sixth each time. In 1996, the two entered the final event at Airborne Speedway in a tight battle with Dave Whitcomb. Hoar's car failed to come to life on the starting grid, though, and he was forced to watch from the sidelines.
"It's never really worked out," said Cyr. "The times he won it, I wasn't around. The times I've won it, Brian has either not been there or not been able to be up there with me."
Each driver won four consecutive ACT titles at different points, but each streak took place while the other was racing NASCAR. Hoar's 1993 and 2009 titles came when Cyr ran only weekly events at Airborne or Thunder Road.
"I think not being there at the same time as the other was good for our careers," said Hoar. "He made it look easy [in 2003-06], and I did in the '90s, but now there are a lot of new faces and it's going to be tougher. It's probably not realistic to think that we're going to be the only ones racing for the title, but it would be pretty cool."
And that championship in 1996? Cyr won by two points over Whitcomb. Hoar finished third on the trailer, 62 points back.
***
FAST FOES, FAST FRIENDS
"There are a lot of things that have to go just right for it to happen, and I'm hoping it happens," Hoar says of a potential championship showdown between he and Cyr. "We're at points in both of our careers where we've each won lots of races and championships. The only thing we really have left to do is to beat each other."
"If Brian wins the title this year, he'll tie my record [of seven ACT championships]," says Cyr. "I don't really want him to do that. If I'm able to pull it off and beat him, it will personally be one of the more rewarding championships I'll have had."
That intense focus should not draw bitter conclusions, though. While fierce competitors on the track, the two are close off the track; Cyr and Hoar go motorcycle riding, go-kart racing, and snowboarding together in the off-season. Cyr also remains close with Paya, speaking with him "at least once or twice a week."
Still, the drive to be the best racer is too great to ignore: "Jean is a great competitor and a great friend, but it would really suck to lose to him," Hoar says. "It would suck worse to lose to him than anyone else."
***
SOMEONE ELSE
Losing to someone else is a very real possibility for both drivers. Names dropped by Cyr and Hoar as potential race winners and title contenders included Scott Payea, Joey Polewarczyk, and part-timer Eric Williams, and both are concerned about Brent Dragon and John Donahue as championship spoilers.
Payea won the Spring Green 100 at Airborne and has finished second in each of the last three seasons, including to Cyr in 2007 and Hoar last year. He hopes that the potential battle between the two will work to his advantage.
"I'm sure it's going to weigh on Brian's mind and Jean's as well," Payea said. "That's fine with me. Let them have their own battle, and I'll go and try to steal the championship from both of them."
Dragon is also a three-time championship runner-up with nine career wins, including a score at Twin State Speedway last September and a pair of wins in Canada. Donahue won at White Mountain Motorsports Park in June and finished no worse than fourth in the final five championshp events of 2009, adding a win in the Milk Bowl and a fifth-place effort at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the process. Polewarczyk and Williams each had a win at Oxford Plains Speedway, and Williams also won at Thunder Road.
The list of top conteders -- full-time or otherwise -- also includes Brad Leighton, Patrick Laperle, Randy Potter, Dave Pembroke, Cris Michaud, Glen Luce, Jamie Fisher, Nick Sweet, and ACT newcomers Aaron Fellows, Travis Adams, Bradley Babb, and Chris Riendeau.
***
ADVANTAGE?
Cyr and Paya's long association creates advantages for both teams. Having won five of his seven ACT titles with Paya as either crew chief, car owner, or both, Cyr feels he knows Paya well enough to have educated guesses for each strategic decision Paya may make, but understands that Paya knows most Cyr's tricks behind the wheel, too.
"Rick is very clever, very methodical. He brings a whole different dimension to the Tour because he eats, breathes, and sleeps racing," says Cyr. "I've never actually competed against him because I've always been with him. It's going to be fun if there are any races where [Hoar and I] really running at par with each other. Rick has an advantage knowing how I drive, but I know his strategies. If he one-ups me I'll be able to look back at it and I'll know why and how he did it, but I think I can call his bluff, too."
Hoar doesn't see the Cyr-Paya familiarity as a problem. "I know I'm with a great team," he said. "Rick has had two very different styles of driver in me and Jean, and he's had similar results with both of us. The team does a great job, so it's up to me to work my [butt] off behind the wheel."
Cyr thinks this will be his best shot at challenging Hoar head-on. "I know the equipment he's in is great, because I used to drive it," he said. "The equipment I'm in this year is pretty aged and it's been around the block a few times, but I'm really optimistic. We tested at Canaan and I'm really pleased with how it went. Keith [Williams] and Kyle [Caron] did an unbelievable job putting the car together. It's up to the standards I'm used to. I wouldn't be racing this car if I didn't believe it could win."
(PHOTOS: 1. Brian Hoar; 2. Jean-Paul Cyr; 3. Scott Payea. Photos by Justin St. Louis/VMM)
***
TALE OF THE TAPE
Defending champion Hoar's 25 career wins top the all-time ACT Late Model Tour victory chart, while Cyr's 19 wins rank second. In 106 career starts, Hoar has 60 top-fives, 78 top-tens, and an average finish of 7.7. In 137 starts, Cyr has 60 top-fives, 86 top-tens, and a 9.3 average finish.Hoar owns six ACT championships -- 1993, each year from 1997 to 2000, and 2009. Cyr's seven titles are an ACT record, having won in 1994, 1996, and each season from 2003 to 2007.
In addition to his ACT titles, Hoar was the track champion at both Airborne Speedway and Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl in 1999, was that year's ACT Overall champion, was the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Rookie of the Year in 2001, and won the 2006 New Hampshire Motor Speedway track championship.
Cyr won the Devil's Bowl Speedway championship in 1990 as a dirt track racer, won ACT's Am/Can Challenge title in 1996, is the reigning Thunder Road track champion, and is a successful off-road motorcycle racer, competing in the legendary Baja 1000 and Baja 500 events.
Hoar drove for his family-owned Goss Dodge team before joining Rick Paya's RPM Motorsports for the ACT championship last year. Paya was Cyr's crew chief from 2003-08, also serving as car owner the final two years. After a successful year driving for Joey and Jeff Laquerre, Cyr will race for veteran Gary Caron this season.
***
NEVER WORKED OUT
For one reason or another, Hoar and Cyr have raced the entire ACT schedule together just three times. As Cyr won championships in 1994 and 2007, Hoar endured tough seasons to finish a distant sixth each time. In 1996, the two entered the final event at Airborne Speedway in a tight battle with Dave Whitcomb. Hoar's car failed to come to life on the starting grid, though, and he was forced to watch from the sidelines.
"It's never really worked out," said Cyr. "The times he won it, I wasn't around. The times I've won it, Brian has either not been there or not been able to be up there with me."Each driver won four consecutive ACT titles at different points, but each streak took place while the other was racing NASCAR. Hoar's 1993 and 2009 titles came when Cyr ran only weekly events at Airborne or Thunder Road.
"I think not being there at the same time as the other was good for our careers," said Hoar. "He made it look easy [in 2003-06], and I did in the '90s, but now there are a lot of new faces and it's going to be tougher. It's probably not realistic to think that we're going to be the only ones racing for the title, but it would be pretty cool."
And that championship in 1996? Cyr won by two points over Whitcomb. Hoar finished third on the trailer, 62 points back.
***
FAST FOES, FAST FRIENDS
"There are a lot of things that have to go just right for it to happen, and I'm hoping it happens," Hoar says of a potential championship showdown between he and Cyr. "We're at points in both of our careers where we've each won lots of races and championships. The only thing we really have left to do is to beat each other."
"If Brian wins the title this year, he'll tie my record [of seven ACT championships]," says Cyr. "I don't really want him to do that. If I'm able to pull it off and beat him, it will personally be one of the more rewarding championships I'll have had."
That intense focus should not draw bitter conclusions, though. While fierce competitors on the track, the two are close off the track; Cyr and Hoar go motorcycle riding, go-kart racing, and snowboarding together in the off-season. Cyr also remains close with Paya, speaking with him "at least once or twice a week."
Still, the drive to be the best racer is too great to ignore: "Jean is a great competitor and a great friend, but it would really suck to lose to him," Hoar says. "It would suck worse to lose to him than anyone else."
***
SOMEONE ELSE
Losing to someone else is a very real possibility for both drivers. Names dropped by Cyr and Hoar as potential race winners and title contenders included Scott Payea, Joey Polewarczyk, and part-timer Eric Williams, and both are concerned about Brent Dragon and John Donahue as championship spoilers.
Payea won the Spring Green 100 at Airborne and has finished second in each of the last three seasons, including to Cyr in 2007 and Hoar last year. He hopes that the potential battle between the two will work to his advantage."I'm sure it's going to weigh on Brian's mind and Jean's as well," Payea said. "That's fine with me. Let them have their own battle, and I'll go and try to steal the championship from both of them."
Dragon is also a three-time championship runner-up with nine career wins, including a score at Twin State Speedway last September and a pair of wins in Canada. Donahue won at White Mountain Motorsports Park in June and finished no worse than fourth in the final five championshp events of 2009, adding a win in the Milk Bowl and a fifth-place effort at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the process. Polewarczyk and Williams each had a win at Oxford Plains Speedway, and Williams also won at Thunder Road.
The list of top conteders -- full-time or otherwise -- also includes Brad Leighton, Patrick Laperle, Randy Potter, Dave Pembroke, Cris Michaud, Glen Luce, Jamie Fisher, Nick Sweet, and ACT newcomers Aaron Fellows, Travis Adams, Bradley Babb, and Chris Riendeau.
***
ADVANTAGE?
Cyr and Paya's long association creates advantages for both teams. Having won five of his seven ACT titles with Paya as either crew chief, car owner, or both, Cyr feels he knows Paya well enough to have educated guesses for each strategic decision Paya may make, but understands that Paya knows most Cyr's tricks behind the wheel, too.
"Rick is very clever, very methodical. He brings a whole different dimension to the Tour because he eats, breathes, and sleeps racing," says Cyr. "I've never actually competed against him because I've always been with him. It's going to be fun if there are any races where [Hoar and I] really running at par with each other. Rick has an advantage knowing how I drive, but I know his strategies. If he one-ups me I'll be able to look back at it and I'll know why and how he did it, but I think I can call his bluff, too."
Hoar doesn't see the Cyr-Paya familiarity as a problem. "I know I'm with a great team," he said. "Rick has had two very different styles of driver in me and Jean, and he's had similar results with both of us. The team does a great job, so it's up to me to work my [butt] off behind the wheel."
Cyr thinks this will be his best shot at challenging Hoar head-on. "I know the equipment he's in is great, because I used to drive it," he said. "The equipment I'm in this year is pretty aged and it's been around the block a few times, but I'm really optimistic. We tested at Canaan and I'm really pleased with how it went. Keith [Williams] and Kyle [Caron] did an unbelievable job putting the car together. It's up to the standards I'm used to. I wouldn't be racing this car if I didn't believe it could win."
(PHOTOS: 1. Brian Hoar; 2. Jean-Paul Cyr; 3. Scott Payea. Photos by Justin St. Louis/VMM)
Joey Polewarczyk, Jr.: ACT Albany-Saratoga Speedway Race Preview
(From team release)
Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., will try and earn Ford Racing its first ACT Late Model Tour victory when he opens the 2010 season in the Albany-Saratoga 100 at Albany-Saratoga Speedway in Malta, N.Y., on Sunday, April 25. The track was renovated from a dirt track in the offseason and made into a flat, .400-mile asphalt oval in time for this year, and this will be just the second event held at the new speedway. The originally scheduled season-opening NH Governor's Cup 150 at Lee USA Speedway in Lee, N.H., last week was postponed by weather. Polewarczyk enters his sixth season with ACT and has four career wins, including two at Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, Maine, and he has finished inside the top-5 in nine of his last 24 starts.
WHO: Joey Polewarczyk Jr., Hudson, N.H.
TEAM: Pole's Automotive/NH Precision No. 97 Ford
BEST CAREER ALBANY-SARATOGA SPEEDWAY FINISH: N/A
LAST RACE AT ALBANY-SARATOGA SPEEDWAY: 2010 event is first ACT event at track
WHAT: ACT Late Model Tour Albany-Saratoga 100
WHERE: Albany-Saratoga Speedway, Malta, N.Y. (.400-mile oval)
WHEN: 1 p.m., Sunday, April 25
ACT Late Model Tour
LAST RACE: N/A
NEXT RACE: Sunday, May 2, Thunder Road International Speedbowl, Barre, Vt.
**********
JOEY, IS THE TEAM HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING GEARED UP FOR A DELAYED SEASON OPENER?
Not at all. We're going at this weekend with the same attitude we had last weekend (before the Lee USA Speedway race was rained out). This is our sixth year on the Tour, and we want to be right there no matter what the track is. We want to go out and win the championship and get a win for Ford.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ALBANY-SARATOGA SPEEDWAY?
It's definitely flat. Obviously, on a flat track, the biggest thing is overdriving the corners. A big track like that, it's easy as a driver to overdrive the corner because you have so much straightaway speed going in -- and you overdrive the flat corner and go right up the bank.There will probably be a lot of cars racing single-file. It will be like a big freight train coming if you overdrive the corners.
TALK ABOUT THE CHALLENGES OF RACING ON A TRACK NOBODY HAS RACED ON BEFORE.
I know that a couple of guys have tested (at Albany-Saratoga Speedway), but we're all still on an even playing field here. No one's really raced here, and I think our team really excels at taking on tracks that are new to us. Obviously, we would have loved to have opened at Lee USA, but we're just as excited about going somewhere new, too.
I think last year at Twin State Speedway (Sept. 4) was the last time I went to a track I'd never seen before. It was that mid-part of the season where we were struggling for some reason, anyway, but it was kind of where we got things turned around for us. We struggled really bad in practice, and I had to go through the consi to qualify. We started like 23rd or something, but we went out and finished seventh.
We're usually pretty close setup-wise at new tracks, and that's what I'm hoping we'll be -- especially with the long practice session they're giving us on Saturday. We'll be well-prepared, no matter what.
Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., will try and earn Ford Racing its first ACT Late Model Tour victory when he opens the 2010 season in the Albany-Saratoga 100 at Albany-Saratoga Speedway in Malta, N.Y., on Sunday, April 25. The track was renovated from a dirt track in the offseason and made into a flat, .400-mile asphalt oval in time for this year, and this will be just the second event held at the new speedway. The originally scheduled season-opening NH Governor's Cup 150 at Lee USA Speedway in Lee, N.H., last week was postponed by weather. Polewarczyk enters his sixth season with ACT and has four career wins, including two at Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, Maine, and he has finished inside the top-5 in nine of his last 24 starts.
WHO: Joey Polewarczyk Jr., Hudson, N.H.
TEAM: Pole's Automotive/NH Precision No. 97 Ford
BEST CAREER ALBANY-SARATOGA SPEEDWAY FINISH: N/A
LAST RACE AT ALBANY-SARATOGA SPEEDWAY: 2010 event is first ACT event at track
WHAT: ACT Late Model Tour Albany-Saratoga 100
WHERE: Albany-Saratoga Speedway, Malta, N.Y. (.400-mile oval)
WHEN: 1 p.m., Sunday, April 25
ACT Late Model Tour
LAST RACE: N/A
NEXT RACE: Sunday, May 2, Thunder Road International Speedbowl, Barre, Vt.
**********
JOEY, IS THE TEAM HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING GEARED UP FOR A DELAYED SEASON OPENER?
Not at all. We're going at this weekend with the same attitude we had last weekend (before the Lee USA Speedway race was rained out). This is our sixth year on the Tour, and we want to be right there no matter what the track is. We want to go out and win the championship and get a win for Ford.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ALBANY-SARATOGA SPEEDWAY?
It's definitely flat. Obviously, on a flat track, the biggest thing is overdriving the corners. A big track like that, it's easy as a driver to overdrive the corner because you have so much straightaway speed going in -- and you overdrive the flat corner and go right up the bank.There will probably be a lot of cars racing single-file. It will be like a big freight train coming if you overdrive the corners.
TALK ABOUT THE CHALLENGES OF RACING ON A TRACK NOBODY HAS RACED ON BEFORE.
I know that a couple of guys have tested (at Albany-Saratoga Speedway), but we're all still on an even playing field here. No one's really raced here, and I think our team really excels at taking on tracks that are new to us. Obviously, we would have loved to have opened at Lee USA, but we're just as excited about going somewhere new, too.
I think last year at Twin State Speedway (Sept. 4) was the last time I went to a track I'd never seen before. It was that mid-part of the season where we were struggling for some reason, anyway, but it was kind of where we got things turned around for us. We struggled really bad in practice, and I had to go through the consi to qualify. We started like 23rd or something, but we went out and finished seventh.
We're usually pretty close setup-wise at new tracks, and that's what I'm hoping we'll be -- especially with the long practice session they're giving us on Saturday. We'll be well-prepared, no matter what.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Donahue Joins ACT Ford Blue Oval Cup Program
WATERBURY -- The American-Canadian Tour announced on Monday that Graniteville driver John Donahue has become the latest driver to join the new Ford Blue Oval Cup Challenge, a contingency program designed to reward teams using the newly introduced Ford Racing S347JR crate engine.Donahue was very strong in 2009, finishing third in ACT Late Model Tour points. He scored a dominant win at White Mountain Motorsports Park in North Woodstock, N.H., in June and finished the championship season with five-straight top-four finishes. He was also fifth at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in September and picked up a win at the Chittenden Bank Milk Bowl at Barre's Thunder Road in October.
"I have always been a Ford man, and it was driving me crazy hearing about all the good teams that have gone to a Ford motor program for the coming season," said team owner Kendall Roberts in an ACT press release. "I just had to get on the bandwagon. We plan to give Ford and our National Guard Ford Fusion the ACT title."
Donahue becomes the tenth driver in the Ford Blue Oval Cup program, joining ACT drivers Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., Joey Laquerre, Glen Luce, and rookie Austin Theriault, Oxford Plains (Me.) Speedway driver Jeff Taylor, Lee USA (N.H.) Speedway racers Wayne Helliwell, Jr., and Mike Johnson, and Wiscasset (Me.) Raceway driver Jerry Williams.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Joey Polewarczyk: Greenville-Pickens Speedway K&N Pro Series East Race Preview
(Joey Pole Racing team release)
Joey Polewarczyk Jr. of Hudson, N.H. will make his first career NASCAR K&N Pro Series East start at Greenville-Pickens Speedway on Saturday, March 27. Polewarczyk tested with Fadden Racing at Greenville-Pickens on March 2.
Joey Polewarczyk Jr. of Hudson, N.H. will make his first career NASCAR K&N Pro Series East start at Greenville-Pickens Speedway on Saturday, March 27. Polewarczyk tested with Fadden Racing at Greenville-Pickens on March 2.WHO: Joey Polewarczyk Jr., Hudson, N.H.
TEAM: No. 16 Fadden Racing Chevrolet
CAREER K&N PRO SERIES STARTS: 3
CAREER K&N PRO SERIES STARTS: 3
CAREER STARTS AT GREENVILLE PICKENS SPEEDWAY: 0
WHAT: NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150
WHERE: Greenville Pickens Speedway, Greenville, S.C. (.500-mile oval)
WHEN: 8 p.m., Saturday, March 27
**********
JOEY, HOW DID YOUR TEST AT GREENVILLE GO?
"We spent a lot of time working on the car. It's a tough little track. We were decent when we got there, but we worked and worked and worked all day, from 10 in the morning until 6 at night. I really got to watch the crew work on the car and see how the process worked. Being part of that definitely made me more comfortable."I probably did close to 200 laps at Greenville, and just to get that seat time is important."
WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR YOUR FIRST CAREER RACE AT GREENVILLE-PICKENS SPEEDWAY?
"My personal goal is to qualify well. The way the track looks, qualifying is very important there. If you start up front, you're going to get away from crashes and everything that's bound to happen throughout the race."My personal goal is a top-10 finish. The car is definitely capable of more, but for me to go there and get a good top-10 finish would be awesome."
DESCRIBE YOUR TESTING EXPERIENCE WITH FADDEN RACING EARLIER THIS MONTH.
"I definitely felt better after. I haven't had a lot of time in these kind of cars at a track where I was comfortable. I love Loudon -- don't get me wrong -- but it's not something I'm used to. I'm used to the ACT Tour and the smaller tracks we run on there."(The short tracks) were a lot more what I'm used to."
TEAM OWNER MIKE OLSEN ON HAVING JOEY POLEWARCZYK JR. IN THE CAR THIS WEEK:
"Joey is a very talented driver and we're excited to be giving him the chance to show that at this level. Joey came and tested with us earlier this month and he showed he could get the job done. We're pretty confident heading into this race."
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
CONFIMRED: Polewarczyk To Race Six K&N Events For Fadden Racing
HUDSON, N.H. -- American-Canadian Tour star Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., has confirmed that he will team up with Fadden Racing to run the first six NASCAR K&N Pro Series East races of the 2010 season. Shawn Courchesne of The Hartford Courant first reported the story on Tuesday evening."It's going to be a busy summer, for sure," Polewarczyk said. "I'm excited about it. It's going to be a lot of fun." The 20 year-old tested a Fadden Racing K&N Pro Series car for team owner Mike Olsen at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Ga., and Greenville-Pickens (S.C.) Speedway last week, and ran one race for the team at New Hampshire Motor Speedway last September. "I think it's a great opportunity," said the Hudson, N.H., driver. "Really, we're just doing what we can to help Mike out, and hopefully we can see what happens from there."
In addition to his new venture with Olsen, Polewarczyk will seek his first ACT Late Model Tour championship with Ford Racing. "I really want to focus on doing this ACT deal," Polewarczyk said. "If I do really well with Ford this year, there's no telling what kind of opportunities it could lead to with them.
"Every driver before the season starts wants to win the championship. I could have last year if we didn't slump in mid-season. Last season, mid-season was as bad as we could get, but it was our own fault. But last season also brought the team so much closer together. We fought through it, got better and it's going to be a good year for us."
Polewarczyk's K&N Pro Series East schedule will take him to Greenville-Pickens on March 27 and South Boston (Va.) Speedway on April 3 before the 14-race ACT season opens at his home track, Lee USA (N.H.) Speedway, on April 18. Polewarczyk's other confirmed K&N events will be at Iowa Speedway (May 23), Martinsville (Va.) Speedway (June 6), New Hampshire Motor Speedway (June 25), and Connecticut's Lime Rock Park road course on July 3.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Polewarczyk to Test K&N Pro Series Car
(From Joey Pole Racing press release)
HUDSON, N.H. -- Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., will test a NASCAR K&N Pro Series East car with Fadden Racing next week.
Polewarczyk, who owns five career ACT Late Model Tour victories, will test for team owner Mike Olsen during a southern states swing to open the month of March. Polewarczyk will test at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Ga., on Monday, March 1. On March 2, Polewarczyk heads to Greenville-Pickens Speedway in Greenville, S.C., and then to South Boston Speedway in South Boston, Va., on Wednesday, March 3.
"It's a real great opportunity," said Polewarczyk, who has three career starts in the K&N Pro Series, formerly known as the NASCAR Camping World East Series. "Even though I've had three races with these cars before, I haven't ever really had one full day just to go and test the cars and get really comfortable. That, to me, is just going to build my confidence."
Polewarczyk, 20, competed for Fadden Racing last September in his only K&N Pro Series race of the 2009 season. He started fourth before finishing 28th in the 35-car field after being involved in a late-race incident not of his own making.
Polewarczyk made his K&N Pro Series debut at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway in July 2008 with a 16th-place finish for owner Barney McRae. Later that season, he posted a career-best finish of sixth at New Hampshire in a Dave Davis-owned car.
"It's getting closer to racing season here, so just to get some seat time next week and get away from the snow up here will be nice," Polewarczyk said. "It will be good to get back at it."
Polewarczyk finished fourth in the ACT Late Model Tour standings in 2009.
HUDSON, N.H. -- Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., will test a NASCAR K&N Pro Series East car with Fadden Racing next week.
Polewarczyk, who owns five career ACT Late Model Tour victories, will test for team owner Mike Olsen during a southern states swing to open the month of March. Polewarczyk will test at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Ga., on Monday, March 1. On March 2, Polewarczyk heads to Greenville-Pickens Speedway in Greenville, S.C., and then to South Boston Speedway in South Boston, Va., on Wednesday, March 3.
"It's a real great opportunity," said Polewarczyk, who has three career starts in the K&N Pro Series, formerly known as the NASCAR Camping World East Series. "Even though I've had three races with these cars before, I haven't ever really had one full day just to go and test the cars and get really comfortable. That, to me, is just going to build my confidence."
Polewarczyk, 20, competed for Fadden Racing last September in his only K&N Pro Series race of the 2009 season. He started fourth before finishing 28th in the 35-car field after being involved in a late-race incident not of his own making.
Polewarczyk made his K&N Pro Series debut at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway in July 2008 with a 16th-place finish for owner Barney McRae. Later that season, he posted a career-best finish of sixth at New Hampshire in a Dave Davis-owned car.
"It's getting closer to racing season here, so just to get some seat time next week and get away from the snow up here will be nice," Polewarczyk said. "It will be good to get back at it."
Polewarczyk finished fourth in the ACT Late Model Tour standings in 2009.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
LOSING
It sucks. It's the worst part of racing, and for some it never stops. But there can only be one winner.
The question is: How good a loser are you?
***
"It's a little frustrating when you don't win, but oh well, that's racing. That's why they call it 'racing' and not just 'winning.' " --Patrick Dupree
"We're trying to figure out how to even get the car in the trailer." --Patrick Laperle after wrecking at New Smyrna Speedway
"It's a bummer not having sponsors." --Eric Williams
"I'm over it. Last year is last year. It could have been a hundred points and it wouldn't have mattered. We finished second the year before, too." --Scott Payea on losing the 2008 ACT championship by one point
"They're playing their cards, you know what I mean? Come on, they didn't start racing yesterday. They're better than they showed, and they were good." --Eric Williams on Cris Michaud's team while testing the new ACT-approved Ford 'spec' crate engine
"I don't like struggling to qualify, and I don't like struggling to keep up." --Trampas Demers
"I wasn't thinking about the trophy or going to Loudon. I wanted that chair. I wanted it last year, too. Maybe Scott [Payea] will let me sit in it." --Randy Potter, after finishing second in the Furniture World of Vermont Spring Green 100 at Airborne Speedway two years in a row
"I go from hero to zero in a one-hour drive over the mountain." --Ben Rowe on struggling in ACT events at Thunder Road, less than 24 hours after winning a PASS event at White Mountain Motorsports Park
"I'm pissed off now. I want to win here. I want to win at this place more than anything in the world." --Joey Polewarczyk after spinning out of the lead at Thunder Road, 18 laps shy of the checkered flag
---Overheard in the Bear Ridge Speedway pits following Brent Dragon's dirt racing debut---
Brent Dragon: "I'll never complain about Ste-Croix being a rough track ever again."
Gary Siemons: "What? That ain't even rough. That wasn't bad at all."
Brent Dragon: (Expletive deleted)
"Um, a little bit... maybe... not really... kinda, yeah." --Joey Polewarczyk on whether or not losing at Thunder Road to Tony Stewart -- in one of his own cars -- would bother him
"I have had to do a lot of fixing this year." --Junkyard Warrior driver Ken Christman on the Street Stock/Warrior divisional merge at Thunder Road
"We can't afford it this year from a money and risk standpoint." --Scott Payea on having to skip racing the TD Bank 250 at Oxford Plains Speedway
"Right now I'm sad, but at the RV we're going to have a party." --Patrick Laperle on finishing second in the TD Bank 250
"I think he learned the hard way that racing up here in the north is nothing like what he's used to down south." -- Joe Polewarczyk, Sr., on Georgia driver Michael Pope, who wrecked out of a PASS event at Lee USA Speedway in his own Super Late Model, then wrecked in one of Polewarczyk's cars at the TD Bank 250 one week later
"He just came over and said, 'I overdrove.' I said, 'Yup, you did, but if you don't try it, you don't learn.' " --Tony Andrews after beating Brooks Clark for a win at Thunder Road
"Everybody was pretty crazy tonight. I don't know, the whole place was going nuts." --Chris Donnelly, after finishing second in a race that featured one flip and two other major wrecks at Bear Ridge Speedway
"Sometimes I get a little impatient and I run out of talent, it just happens." --Nick Sweet
"This is the funniest thing I've ever said in my life, but Brad Leighton thought I drove him rough. That's bullsh-t. And that's a direct quote. Write that down. He got his hand caught in the candy jar." --Brian Hoar after winning a controversial ACT Late Model Tour event at Waterford Speedbowl, in which Leighton crashed out of the lead coming to the final lap
"He blatantly drove over my nose. I'm not taking his crap any more. It's happened to me too many times." --Joey Polewarczyk on an incident with Brian Hoar at Waterford Speedbowl
"I guess it's sort of my fault that Jason lost the title. Duquette would have helped us out. We've lost titles before, and we've won them, too. It would have been nice to win, but it's no big deal. Stuff like this is why we race." --Ron Bonnett after helping to repair point leader Shawn Duquette's car following a crash in the ACT Tiger Sportsman Series finale at Thunder Road; Duquette beat Jason Bonnett, Ron's son, for the championship in a tie-breaker
"I'm good at doing vinyl. I'm getting fantastic at that." --Nick Sweet on making constant repairs to his car
"I gave that one away. Maybe not the championship, but tonight's race I gave away, like a f---ing moron." --Patrick Dupree after finishing second to Martin Roy in both the Charlie Trombley Memorial 100 and Modified championship points at Airborne Speedway
"I wish he would have stopped hitting me and just let us race." --John Donahue on Patrick Laperle
"I beat him in the race -- I was third and he was fifth -- but he won his heat and we were even after it was over. It all comes down to heat points. It sucks." --Scott Payea on battling for the ACT championship with Brian Hoar
"He's a pain in the ass." --Patrick Laperle on rival Donald Theetge
"Everything went black." --Joey Polewarczyk after a hard crash at New Hampshire Motor Speedway
"It's clearly obvious to anybody but Laperle fans what the situation was ... Laperle had a lot of options. If option number one works and option number two works, but option number three doesn't, why do it? They chose option number three. I can't explain that." --ACT president Tom Curley, following a Série ACT-Castrol controversy at Autodrome St-Eustache that penalized Patrick Laperle for allegedly mainpulating the outcome of the season's final race and the series' championship
"I don't know what it is, but I think he likes Theetge and not me." --Patrick Laperle, suggesting he was unfairly targeted by Tom Curley
"I'm afraid I might do something stupid if I go race there." --Patrick Laperle on skipping the Milk Bowl at Thunder Road, and therefore a chance at becoming the race's only three-peat winner
"We're not a bunch of idiots, we're not just a piece of meat to throw around. I'm done, I've had enough for now. I don't think I'll be racing ACT for a while, maybe like two years I'll come back. I say that I'm done, but I might have regret and come back next year. But then I'll probably want to smash my head off a wall if I do." --Patrick Laperle
"It's the second time it's happened this year. I'll be good with it, and I'll keep it in my memory bank. That's part of the deal. We'll see what happens next week." --Brent Dragon after being on the losing end of a rough battle with John Donahue
"We ran good at Thunder Road for a long time before the win. The win gives us confidence and it got the monkey off our back, but you can't ever go to Thunder Road thinking you're going to win there. It's such a tough place, and it'll bite you at any second. You can come out of Turn 4 and think you're just going to brush the wall a little bit, and the next thing you know you're upside down. You have to respect it, because something will always go wrong that will bring you back to reality." --Joey Polewarczyk
The question is: How good a loser are you?
***
"It's a little frustrating when you don't win, but oh well, that's racing. That's why they call it 'racing' and not just 'winning.' " --Patrick Dupree"We're trying to figure out how to even get the car in the trailer." --Patrick Laperle after wrecking at New Smyrna Speedway
"It's a bummer not having sponsors." --Eric Williams
"I'm over it. Last year is last year. It could have been a hundred points and it wouldn't have mattered. We finished second the year before, too." --Scott Payea on losing the 2008 ACT championship by one point
"They're playing their cards, you know what I mean? Come on, they didn't start racing yesterday. They're better than they showed, and they were good." --Eric Williams on Cris Michaud's team while testing the new ACT-approved Ford 'spec' crate engine
"I don't like struggling to qualify, and I don't like struggling to keep up." --Trampas Demers
"I wasn't thinking about the trophy or going to Loudon. I wanted that chair. I wanted it last year, too. Maybe Scott [Payea] will let me sit in it." --Randy Potter, after finishing second in the Furniture World of Vermont Spring Green 100 at Airborne Speedway two years in a row"I go from hero to zero in a one-hour drive over the mountain." --Ben Rowe on struggling in ACT events at Thunder Road, less than 24 hours after winning a PASS event at White Mountain Motorsports Park
"I'm pissed off now. I want to win here. I want to win at this place more than anything in the world." --Joey Polewarczyk after spinning out of the lead at Thunder Road, 18 laps shy of the checkered flag---Overheard in the Bear Ridge Speedway pits following Brent Dragon's dirt racing debut---
Brent Dragon: "I'll never complain about Ste-Croix being a rough track ever again."
Gary Siemons: "What? That ain't even rough. That wasn't bad at all."
Brent Dragon: (Expletive deleted)
"Um, a little bit... maybe... not really... kinda, yeah." --Joey Polewarczyk on whether or not losing at Thunder Road to Tony Stewart -- in one of his own cars -- would bother him
"I have had to do a lot of fixing this year." --Junkyard Warrior driver Ken Christman on the Street Stock/Warrior divisional merge at Thunder Road
"We can't afford it this year from a money and risk standpoint." --Scott Payea on having to skip racing the TD Bank 250 at Oxford Plains Speedway
"Right now I'm sad, but at the RV we're going to have a party." --Patrick Laperle on finishing second in the TD Bank 250
"I think he learned the hard way that racing up here in the north is nothing like what he's used to down south." -- Joe Polewarczyk, Sr., on Georgia driver Michael Pope, who wrecked out of a PASS event at Lee USA Speedway in his own Super Late Model, then wrecked in one of Polewarczyk's cars at the TD Bank 250 one week later"He just came over and said, 'I overdrove.' I said, 'Yup, you did, but if you don't try it, you don't learn.' " --Tony Andrews after beating Brooks Clark for a win at Thunder Road
"Everybody was pretty crazy tonight. I don't know, the whole place was going nuts." --Chris Donnelly, after finishing second in a race that featured one flip and two other major wrecks at Bear Ridge Speedway
"Sometimes I get a little impatient and I run out of talent, it just happens." --Nick Sweet
"This is the funniest thing I've ever said in my life, but Brad Leighton thought I drove him rough. That's bullsh-t. And that's a direct quote. Write that down. He got his hand caught in the candy jar." --Brian Hoar after winning a controversial ACT Late Model Tour event at Waterford Speedbowl, in which Leighton crashed out of the lead coming to the final lap
"He blatantly drove over my nose. I'm not taking his crap any more. It's happened to me too many times." --Joey Polewarczyk on an incident with Brian Hoar at Waterford Speedbowl
"I guess it's sort of my fault that Jason lost the title. Duquette would have helped us out. We've lost titles before, and we've won them, too. It would have been nice to win, but it's no big deal. Stuff like this is why we race." --Ron Bonnett after helping to repair point leader Shawn Duquette's car following a crash in the ACT Tiger Sportsman Series finale at Thunder Road; Duquette beat Jason Bonnett, Ron's son, for the championship in a tie-breaker
"I'm good at doing vinyl. I'm getting fantastic at that." --Nick Sweet on making constant repairs to his car
"I gave that one away. Maybe not the championship, but tonight's race I gave away, like a f---ing moron." --Patrick Dupree after finishing second to Martin Roy in both the Charlie Trombley Memorial 100 and Modified championship points at Airborne Speedway
"I wish he would have stopped hitting me and just let us race." --John Donahue on Patrick Laperle"I beat him in the race -- I was third and he was fifth -- but he won his heat and we were even after it was over. It all comes down to heat points. It sucks." --Scott Payea on battling for the ACT championship with Brian Hoar
"He's a pain in the ass." --Patrick Laperle on rival Donald Theetge
"Everything went black." --Joey Polewarczyk after a hard crash at New Hampshire Motor Speedway
"It's clearly obvious to anybody but Laperle fans what the situation was ... Laperle had a lot of options. If option number one works and option number two works, but option number three doesn't, why do it? They chose option number three. I can't explain that." --ACT president Tom Curley, following a Série ACT-Castrol controversy at Autodrome St-Eustache that penalized Patrick Laperle for allegedly mainpulating the outcome of the season's final race and the series' championship
"I don't know what it is, but I think he likes Theetge and not me." --Patrick Laperle, suggesting he was unfairly targeted by Tom Curley
"I'm afraid I might do something stupid if I go race there." --Patrick Laperle on skipping the Milk Bowl at Thunder Road, and therefore a chance at becoming the race's only three-peat winner
"We're not a bunch of idiots, we're not just a piece of meat to throw around. I'm done, I've had enough for now. I don't think I'll be racing ACT for a while, maybe like two years I'll come back. I say that I'm done, but I might have regret and come back next year. But then I'll probably want to smash my head off a wall if I do." --Patrick Laperle
"It's the second time it's happened this year. I'll be good with it, and I'll keep it in my memory bank. That's part of the deal. We'll see what happens next week." --Brent Dragon after being on the losing end of a rough battle with John Donahue
"We ran good at Thunder Road for a long time before the win. The win gives us confidence and it got the monkey off our back, but you can't ever go to Thunder Road thinking you're going to win there. It's such a tough place, and it'll bite you at any second. You can come out of Turn 4 and think you're just going to brush the wall a little bit, and the next thing you know you're upside down. You have to respect it, because something will always go wrong that will bring you back to reality." --Joey Polewarczyk
GOALS
Every racer needs something to work toward. An item to cross off a list. A trophy to put on the mantle. A reason to keep coming back.
"The number-one goal is to create a very stout team that can be a threat week-in and week-out, and the number-two goal would be the Thunder Road title." --Jean-Paul Cyr on joining forces with Joey and Jeff Laquerre
"That's what I wanted, that's my baby." --Four-time New Hampshire Motor Speedway track champion Brad Leighton on becoming the first qualifier for the ACT Invitational at NHMS
"I have nothing to prove, people know how good we are. I just want to win races and try to go for it again this year." --Scott Payea
"My objective is win the championship. It's my year. I've finished second and third, it's my year." --Martin Roy
"I need more seat time out front so I'll be more comfortable in situations like this." --Trampas Demers, polesitter at Thunder Road's Merchants Bank 150, on his decision to race with the Série ACT-Castrol in Canada
"I can't really comment and give you anything other than baloney right now, I just don't know." --Sponsorless Eric Williams on racing the full ACT schedule after winning the Merchants Bank 150 at Thunder Road in May
"I hope to get a top-15 finish and learn about the track and the cars. But then again, I could go out and scare the hell out of myself. I'm just looking to have some fun this weekend." --Eric Chase on making his NASCAR Camping World Series East debut at NHMS
"I rememeber coming to the first race here and just looking at this place and thinking this is the cat's ass up here in New England, you know?" --Pete Potvin on the possibility of racing at NHMS
"I'd like to win this race if I have shot, but even if I finish 36th ten laps down I'll be able to say I came here and raced." --Stacy Cahoon on competing in the ACT Invitational at NHMS
---Overheard in the New Hampshire Motor Speedway infield following Friday's Camping World Series East event in September---
Tony Stewart: "Are you ready for next week?"
Joey Polewarczyk: "I'm not running Dover, we don't have the money for that."
Tony Stewart: "No, I know. I meant the Milk Bowl. That's a big deal."
"I want this one bad. Last night I stayed up and watched the last three years' Milk Bowls on DVDs that we have. I watched every part of them. I'm the most focused I've ever been for any race this year." --Joey Polewarczyk
"You watch what they do and try to follow in their footsteps. We just try to improve as we can. To be able to run up there with those guys, it's pretty cool." --Brooks Clark
"I'd like to finish top-ten in points. We'd get a check anyway, and I wouldn't mind a little bit more of ol' T-Bone's money. It spends nice." --Eric Williams, on hoping to win some ACT point fund money; series president Tom Curley's nickname has been "T-Bone" since the 1960s
"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." --The opening line of former Thunder Road, Airborne Speedway, and ACT champion Phil Scott's speech on Dec., 1, 2009, introducing himself as a candidate for the 2010 election
"I'm a huge race fan and I've always wanted to do this." --Bill Jenkins on becoming a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team owner
A goal.
***
"The number-one goal is to create a very stout team that can be a threat week-in and week-out, and the number-two goal would be the Thunder Road title." --Jean-Paul Cyr on joining forces with Joey and Jeff Laquerre "That's what I wanted, that's my baby." --Four-time New Hampshire Motor Speedway track champion Brad Leighton on becoming the first qualifier for the ACT Invitational at NHMS
"I have nothing to prove, people know how good we are. I just want to win races and try to go for it again this year." --Scott Payea
"My objective is win the championship. It's my year. I've finished second and third, it's my year." --Martin Roy
"I need more seat time out front so I'll be more comfortable in situations like this." --Trampas Demers, polesitter at Thunder Road's Merchants Bank 150, on his decision to race with the Série ACT-Castrol in Canada "I can't really comment and give you anything other than baloney right now, I just don't know." --Sponsorless Eric Williams on racing the full ACT schedule after winning the Merchants Bank 150 at Thunder Road in May
"I hope to get a top-15 finish and learn about the track and the cars. But then again, I could go out and scare the hell out of myself. I'm just looking to have some fun this weekend." --Eric Chase on making his NASCAR Camping World Series East debut at NHMS
"I rememeber coming to the first race here and just looking at this place and thinking this is the cat's ass up here in New England, you know?" --Pete Potvin on the possibility of racing at NHMS
"I'd like to win this race if I have shot, but even if I finish 36th ten laps down I'll be able to say I came here and raced." --Stacy Cahoon on competing in the ACT Invitational at NHMS
---Overheard in the New Hampshire Motor Speedway infield following Friday's Camping World Series East event in September---
Tony Stewart: "Are you ready for next week?"
Joey Polewarczyk: "I'm not running Dover, we don't have the money for that."
Tony Stewart: "No, I know. I meant the Milk Bowl. That's a big deal."
"I want this one bad. Last night I stayed up and watched the last three years' Milk Bowls on DVDs that we have. I watched every part of them. I'm the most focused I've ever been for any race this year." --Joey Polewarczyk "You watch what they do and try to follow in their footsteps. We just try to improve as we can. To be able to run up there with those guys, it's pretty cool." --Brooks Clark
"I'd like to finish top-ten in points. We'd get a check anyway, and I wouldn't mind a little bit more of ol' T-Bone's money. It spends nice." --Eric Williams, on hoping to win some ACT point fund money; series president Tom Curley's nickname has been "T-Bone" since the 1960s
"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." --The opening line of former Thunder Road, Airborne Speedway, and ACT champion Phil Scott's speech on Dec., 1, 2009, introducing himself as a candidate for the 2010 election "I'm a huge race fan and I've always wanted to do this." --Bill Jenkins on becoming a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team owner
"You set goals, and I've never truly achieved any goal that I've ever set, believe it or not." --Jean-Paul Cyr
Monday, October 12, 2009
Williams "Can't Believe" Oxford ACT Win
New England Dodge Dealers 150 coverage presented by C&S Screenprinting and Burnett Scrap Metals
OXFORD, Me. -- All Eric Williams wanted to do was get through the Milk Bowl at his home track in Vermont. No wrecks, maybe a little slice of the race's generous $75,000 purse. If he did that, he could take his race car to Oxford Plains Speedway in Maine the next week, with hopefully enough Milk Bowl money to at least cover the cost of tires, fuel, and entry fees, and finish the ACT Late Model Tour season inside the top ten in points, despite missing nearly one-third of the season's races.
Turns out, things went a little better than Williams had planned. After a surprise third-place finish in the Milk Bowl at Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl, Williams brought his small, family-operated team to Oxford, and still had a bit of cash left over. Still, Oxford Plains
Speedway had never been that kind to the driver that had won so many races on his own turf back home. In fact, since his Late Model rookie year in 1995, Williams had only three top-ten finishes -- including his first career Oxford top-five this past May -- at the tricky, low-banked 3/8-mile, despite a close relationship with nine-time Oxford track champion Jeff Taylor, Williams' car builder, setup advisor, and friend for the better part of 20 years. A decent run Sunday would lock up seventh place in ACT points for the year, his best showing on the Tour since tying for third in 2002. That's all he wanted.
But by the time the sun began to set behind the grandstands, he'd have easily achieved that goal. He'd also be carrying around a first-place trophy from the track that had haunted him for so long.
"I love it, I can't believe it," Williams said, a mile-wide grin stretched across his face. "I've always struggled up here, this is a hard track. I think this track is probably hard to everybody like Thunder Road is hard to everybody else when they come there. They're like two different extremes. I just can't believe it."
Williams was elated to win at Oxford, but his victory also validated his fifth-place finish earlier in the year and backed up his runner-up showing at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in July, a track often compared to Oxford. Williams said Taylor's Distance Racing Products company was a big part of that success, as was Chas Howe, co-owner of the famous Michigan-based Howe Racing Enterprises, one of the nation's leading chassis fabricators.
"Now we've got a flat-track setup," Williams said confidently. "This is the same setup we had at Beech Ridge, so that's nice. [Taylor] has helped me out all through the years, and he kind of helped me hook up with Howe. I've been working with Howe and we've all been kind of working together. Howe is really focused on getting better with the [ACT] cars, and to be a part of it. I've been working with Howe for three years now and Jeff was a big part of starting that up and helping me get it. Him and Howe are obviously a big part of [my success]. All I've ever had are Distance cars and Howe cars since I started in the Tigers. My old Tiger car [in the early 1990s at Thunder Road] was made by Jeff Taylor. So he was pretty happy, and of course he built [runner-up Joey Polewarczyk's] car. Top two, that makes him feel pretty good Monday morning, you know?"
Williams took advantage of a bobble by leader John Donahue on lap 119 to take over the top spot. Polewarczyk, who dominated the first half of the race, passed Donahue on the outside for second place two laps later, and the pair staged a restart duel during the balance of the race. Williams slipped up the track entering Turn 1 on a lap 124 restart, allowing Polewarczyk to take the lead on the backstretch, but he regained control of the race before the lap was completed. Williams won another restart battle on lap 140, then Polewarczyk got the jump on the final restart with five laps remaining in the race. Williams was again able to sneak back ahead for the lead before the start/finish line, and Polewarczyk was relegated to second place. Donahue finished third, with Brian Hoar clinching the ACT Late Model Tour championship in fourth-place finish. Oxford regular Tim Brackett was fifth.
Although Polewarczyk supplied plenty of pressure, Williams thought he would be okay as long as he didn't make any mistakes. "I knew that I couldn't screw up, and if I didn't screw up, within one lap I'd take off," he said. "The very first lap, the first restart we had when I was beside him, I went [into Turn 1] and I got real loose and it caught me off guard. I was like, 'Where'd that come from?' But I probably didn't clean my rear tires enough. You see guys out there kind of spinning a little [under caution], that's what you're doing, getting pieces of rubber off the rear tires. And so I made sure I did that the next time, and then I backed off just a little bit early [in Turn 1], rather than lose it, to just stay there. As soon as I punched it on the backstretch, I'd pull away from him. I'd see how quickly I pulled away and I figured, as long I didn't do anything mentally challenged I'll be just fine."
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS -- New England Dodge Dealers Fall Spectacular 150
ACT Late Model Tour -- Oxford Plains Speedway, Oxford, Me.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Pos.-Driver-Hometown (# - denotes rookie)
1. Eric Williams, Hyde Park
2. Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., Hudson, N.H.
3. John Donahue, Graniteville
4. Brian Hoar, Williston
5. Tim Brackett, Buckfield, Me.
6. Bradley Babb, Windham, Me.
7. Jay Laquerre, East Montpelier
8. Scott Payea, Milton
9. Brent Dragon, Milton
10. Jamie Fisher, Shelburne
11. Glen Luce, Turner, Me.
12. Travis Adams, Canton, Me.
13. Joey Laquerre, East Montpelier
14. Aaron Ricker, Tamworth, N.H.
15. D.J. Shaw, Center Conway, N.H.
16. Shawn Martin, Turner, Me.
17. Chip Grenier, Graniteville
18. Austin Theriault, Fort Kent, Me.
19. #Joey Doiron, Berwick, Me.
20. Eddie MacDonald, Rowley, Mass.
21. Tommy Ricker, Poland, Me.
22. Corey Morgan, Lewiston, Me.
23. #Quinny Welch, Lancaster, N.H.
24. Nick Sweet, Barre
25. Randy Potter, Groveton, N.H.
26. Scott Dragon, Milton
27. Shawn Knight, South Paris, Me.
28. Ricky Rolfe, Albany Twp., Me.
29. Pete Potvin, III, Graniteville
30. Jeff White, Winthrop, Me.
31. Tyler Cahoon, St. Johnsbury
32. Ben Rowe, Turner, Me.
33. Eric Chase, Milton
(PHOTOS: 1. New England Dodge Dealers 150 winner Eric Williams (right) and runner-up Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. (left) were all smiles in victory lane; 2. Williams (#7) leads Polewarczyk (#97) late in the race. Photo 1 by Justin St. Louis/VMM; Photo 2 by Alan Ward.)
OXFORD, Me. -- All Eric Williams wanted to do was get through the Milk Bowl at his home track in Vermont. No wrecks, maybe a little slice of the race's generous $75,000 purse. If he did that, he could take his race car to Oxford Plains Speedway in Maine the next week, with hopefully enough Milk Bowl money to at least cover the cost of tires, fuel, and entry fees, and finish the ACT Late Model Tour season inside the top ten in points, despite missing nearly one-third of the season's races.Turns out, things went a little better than Williams had planned. After a surprise third-place finish in the Milk Bowl at Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl, Williams brought his small, family-operated team to Oxford, and still had a bit of cash left over. Still, Oxford Plains
Speedway had never been that kind to the driver that had won so many races on his own turf back home. In fact, since his Late Model rookie year in 1995, Williams had only three top-ten finishes -- including his first career Oxford top-five this past May -- at the tricky, low-banked 3/8-mile, despite a close relationship with nine-time Oxford track champion Jeff Taylor, Williams' car builder, setup advisor, and friend for the better part of 20 years. A decent run Sunday would lock up seventh place in ACT points for the year, his best showing on the Tour since tying for third in 2002. That's all he wanted.But by the time the sun began to set behind the grandstands, he'd have easily achieved that goal. He'd also be carrying around a first-place trophy from the track that had haunted him for so long.
"I love it, I can't believe it," Williams said, a mile-wide grin stretched across his face. "I've always struggled up here, this is a hard track. I think this track is probably hard to everybody like Thunder Road is hard to everybody else when they come there. They're like two different extremes. I just can't believe it."Williams was elated to win at Oxford, but his victory also validated his fifth-place finish earlier in the year and backed up his runner-up showing at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in July, a track often compared to Oxford. Williams said Taylor's Distance Racing Products company was a big part of that success, as was Chas Howe, co-owner of the famous Michigan-based Howe Racing Enterprises, one of the nation's leading chassis fabricators.
"Now we've got a flat-track setup," Williams said confidently. "This is the same setup we had at Beech Ridge, so that's nice. [Taylor] has helped me out all through the years, and he kind of helped me hook up with Howe. I've been working with Howe and we've all been kind of working together. Howe is really focused on getting better with the [ACT] cars, and to be a part of it. I've been working with Howe for three years now and Jeff was a big part of starting that up and helping me get it. Him and Howe are obviously a big part of [my success]. All I've ever had are Distance cars and Howe cars since I started in the Tigers. My old Tiger car [in the early 1990s at Thunder Road] was made by Jeff Taylor. So he was pretty happy, and of course he built [runner-up Joey Polewarczyk's] car. Top two, that makes him feel pretty good Monday morning, you know?"
Williams took advantage of a bobble by leader John Donahue on lap 119 to take over the top spot. Polewarczyk, who dominated the first half of the race, passed Donahue on the outside for second place two laps later, and the pair staged a restart duel during the balance of the race. Williams slipped up the track entering Turn 1 on a lap 124 restart, allowing Polewarczyk to take the lead on the backstretch, but he regained control of the race before the lap was completed. Williams won another restart battle on lap 140, then Polewarczyk got the jump on the final restart with five laps remaining in the race. Williams was again able to sneak back ahead for the lead before the start/finish line, and Polewarczyk was relegated to second place. Donahue finished third, with Brian Hoar clinching the ACT Late Model Tour championship in fourth-place finish. Oxford regular Tim Brackett was fifth.
Although Polewarczyk supplied plenty of pressure, Williams thought he would be okay as long as he didn't make any mistakes. "I knew that I couldn't screw up, and if I didn't screw up, within one lap I'd take off," he said. "The very first lap, the first restart we had when I was beside him, I went [into Turn 1] and I got real loose and it caught me off guard. I was like, 'Where'd that come from?' But I probably didn't clean my rear tires enough. You see guys out there kind of spinning a little [under caution], that's what you're doing, getting pieces of rubber off the rear tires. And so I made sure I did that the next time, and then I backed off just a little bit early [in Turn 1], rather than lose it, to just stay there. As soon as I punched it on the backstretch, I'd pull away from him. I'd see how quickly I pulled away and I figured, as long I didn't do anything mentally challenged I'll be just fine."UNOFFICIAL RESULTS -- New England Dodge Dealers Fall Spectacular 150
ACT Late Model Tour -- Oxford Plains Speedway, Oxford, Me.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Pos.-Driver-Hometown (# - denotes rookie)
1. Eric Williams, Hyde Park
2. Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., Hudson, N.H.
3. John Donahue, Graniteville
4. Brian Hoar, Williston
5. Tim Brackett, Buckfield, Me.
6. Bradley Babb, Windham, Me.
7. Jay Laquerre, East Montpelier
8. Scott Payea, Milton
9. Brent Dragon, Milton
10. Jamie Fisher, Shelburne
11. Glen Luce, Turner, Me.
12. Travis Adams, Canton, Me.
13. Joey Laquerre, East Montpelier
14. Aaron Ricker, Tamworth, N.H.
15. D.J. Shaw, Center Conway, N.H.
16. Shawn Martin, Turner, Me.
17. Chip Grenier, Graniteville
18. Austin Theriault, Fort Kent, Me.
19. #Joey Doiron, Berwick, Me.
20. Eddie MacDonald, Rowley, Mass.
21. Tommy Ricker, Poland, Me.
22. Corey Morgan, Lewiston, Me.
23. #Quinny Welch, Lancaster, N.H.
24. Nick Sweet, Barre
25. Randy Potter, Groveton, N.H.
26. Scott Dragon, Milton
27. Shawn Knight, South Paris, Me.
28. Ricky Rolfe, Albany Twp., Me.
29. Pete Potvin, III, Graniteville
30. Jeff White, Winthrop, Me.
31. Tyler Cahoon, St. Johnsbury
32. Ben Rowe, Turner, Me.
33. Eric Chase, Milton
(PHOTOS: 1. New England Dodge Dealers 150 winner Eric Williams (right) and runner-up Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. (left) were all smiles in victory lane; 2. Williams (#7) leads Polewarczyk (#97) late in the race. Photo 1 by Justin St. Louis/VMM; Photo 2 by Alan Ward.)
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Michaud out, Wheeler in at Milk Bowl
Chittenden Bank Milk Bowl coverage presented by RPM Racing Engines
BARRE -- Former Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl champion Chad Wheeler of Waterbury Center will return to the track on Sunday at the second attempt at running the 47th Annual Chittenden Bank Milk Bowl.
BARRE -- Former Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl champion Chad Wheeler of Waterbury Center will return to the track on Sunday at the second attempt at running the 47th Annual Chittenden Bank Milk Bowl.Northfield's Cris Michaud, who qualified 14th for the race last Saturday before rains postponed the main event the next day, was injured in a work accident this week and has asked Wheeler to compete in his place.
Wheeler ended Michaud's bid for three consecutive Thunder Road track championships in 2006, taking the title despite going winless on the season; after wrapping up the "King of the Road" crown, Wheeler retired on the spot and has not driven a race since.
"I had a great time racing against Cris for a lot of years and beating him for the title in 2006 got me to thinking that there really wasn’t much more for me in the sport at this time in my life," said Wheeler in a Thunder Road press release. "I wanted to spend a lot of time with my young boys, but now maybe there is one more thing I could accomplish with racing. It sure will be fun to try. I am looking forward to it, and I appreciate the confidence Cris has in putting me in his car.”
"What better guy to take over my ride in the Milk Bowl than Chad?" said Michaud.
Michaud won the 2004 Milk Bowl en route to his second of three Thunder Road championships. Wheeler won the second leg of the three-segment event in 1999; his best overall efforts in the race were fifth-place finishes in 1999 and 2005.
Nick Sweet and Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. will start from the front row of the Milk Bowl on Sunday at 1:00pm.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Milk Bowl Postponed by Rain
Chittenden Bank Milk Bowl coverage presented by RPM Racing Engines
The 47th annual Milk Bowl at Barre's Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl has been postponed by rain to Sunday, October 4 at 1:00pm.
The 47th annual Milk Bowl at Barre's Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl has been postponed by rain to Sunday, October 4 at 1:00pm.Qualifying was completed on Saturday, with hometown driver Nick Sweet earning his first career Milk Bowl pole position with a time trial lap of 13.110 seconds. Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. of Hudson, N.H. will start on the outside of the front row after posting a time of 13.164 seconds; Polewarczyk had won the Milk Bowl pole in each of the previous three years.
Dave Pembroke, John Donahue, and Joey Laquerre won the "Triple 50" qualifying heats.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Milk Bowl Starting Lineup
Chittenden Bank Milk Bowl coverage presented by RPM Racing Engines
Official Starting Lineup for 47th Milk Bowl, Sunday, Sept. 27
Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl, Barre, Vt.
Pos.-Driver-Hometown
1. Nick Sweet, Barre
2. Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., Hudson, N.H.
3. Brent Dragon, Milton
4. Dave Pembroke, Middlesex
5. John Donahue, Graniteville
6. Joey Laquerre, East Montpelier
7. Eric Williams, Hyde Park
8. Jamie Fisher, Shelburne
9. Chip Grenier, Graniteville
10. Joey Doiron, Berwick, Me.
11. Phil Scott, Montpelier
12. Scott Payea, Milton
13. Cris Michaud, Northfield
14. Jean-Paul Cyr, Milton
15. Brad Leighton, Center Harbor, N.H.
16. Tyler Cahoon, St. Johnsbury
17. Rich Lowrey, Charlotte
18. Mike Bailey, South Barre
19. Brian Hoar, Williston
20. Glen Luce, Turner, Me.
21. Pete Potvin, III, Graniteville
22. Matt White, Northfield
23. Mike Olsen, North Haverhill, N.H.
24. Tony Andrews, Northfield
25. Quinny Welch, Lancaster, N.H.
26. Wayne Helliwell, Jr., Dracut, Mass.
27. Dave Whitcomb, Essex Junction
28. Mark Hayward, Unity, N.H.
29. Joey Becker, Jeffersonville
30. Eric Chase, Milton
Stay tuned Sunday morning for notice of postponement due to inclement weather. Official announcement expected at 8:00am.
Official Starting Lineup for 47th Milk Bowl, Sunday, Sept. 27Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl, Barre, Vt.
Pos.-Driver-Hometown
1. Nick Sweet, Barre
2. Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., Hudson, N.H.
3. Brent Dragon, Milton
4. Dave Pembroke, Middlesex
5. John Donahue, Graniteville
6. Joey Laquerre, East Montpelier
7. Eric Williams, Hyde Park
8. Jamie Fisher, Shelburne
9. Chip Grenier, Graniteville
10. Joey Doiron, Berwick, Me.
11. Phil Scott, Montpelier
12. Scott Payea, Milton
13. Cris Michaud, Northfield
14. Jean-Paul Cyr, Milton
15. Brad Leighton, Center Harbor, N.H.
16. Tyler Cahoon, St. Johnsbury
17. Rich Lowrey, Charlotte
18. Mike Bailey, South Barre
19. Brian Hoar, Williston
20. Glen Luce, Turner, Me.
21. Pete Potvin, III, Graniteville
22. Matt White, Northfield
23. Mike Olsen, North Haverhill, N.H.
24. Tony Andrews, Northfield
25. Quinny Welch, Lancaster, N.H.
26. Wayne Helliwell, Jr., Dracut, Mass.
27. Dave Whitcomb, Essex Junction
28. Mark Hayward, Unity, N.H.
29. Joey Becker, Jeffersonville
30. Eric Chase, Milton
Stay tuned Sunday morning for notice of postponement due to inclement weather. Official announcement expected at 8:00am.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Looking to Turn Year Around, Polewarczyk Wants Milk Bowl Win
Chittenden Bank Milk Bowl coverage presented by RPM Racing Engines
BARRE -- Joey Polewarczyk began the 2009 season with high expactations and a lot of pressure on his young shoulders. At age 20, the Hudson, N.H. racer has often been touted as the "next big thing" to come out of the bullrings of the northeast. NASCAR champions Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick have spoken well of him, and his talents are praised often by the various car owners he has driven for.
But this season has been a miserable one for Polewarczyk, at least on the race track. Sure, he won an ACT Late Model Tour event at Oxford Plains Speedway in May, finally got his first victory at Barre's Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl in June, and has raced twice at New Hampshire Motor Speedway this year. But between events in ACT, PASS, and NASCAR competition, he has been involved in no less than five incidents that took him out of contention for a victory in the 2009 calendar year. And although he ranks in the top-five, he is not a contender for the ACT championship this season.
A victory in this weekend's Chittenden Bank Milk Bowl at Thunder Road, Polewarczyk says, would erase all of the bad stuff.
"I want this one bad," he said on Friday. "Last night I stayed up and watched the last three years' Milk Bowls on DVDs that we have. I watched every part of them. I'm the most focused I've ever been for any race this year. Next to the Oxford 250, this is the biggest race we have, it's huge. We've had a horrible second-half of the season, and a win in this race could change everything."
While he has a chance to tie Brian Hoar's record of four consecutive pole positions in the race, Polewarczyk has bigger designs on just getting the checkered flag at the end of the day.
"I definitely want another pole. Brian Hoar won four in a row and it would be pretty cool to tie his record, but our main focus is to win the race," Polewarczyk said. "We always qualify well and do well in the first segment, then we seem to have back luck or get in someone else's mess in the second segment. It's all about the second segment." In 2007, a dismal 27th-place effort in the middle 50-lap segment of the race left Polewarczyk 19th overall. He won the first round and finished third overall in 2006, but a 14th-place second-segment finish left him unable to catch winner Brent Dragon or runner-up Cris Michaud.
"The Milk Bowl is all about patience, but then again, you can't say that, either," Polewarczyk said of the race, which inverts the finish of each segment to begin the next and awards the driver with the lowest three-segment point tally (one point to win a segment, two point for second, etc.) the overall win. "You can't look at it like a regular 150-lap race, it's 50 laps that you have do three times. You have to make your moves at the right time and be quick, but you have to save your [equipment], too, and then do it two more times. You have to get to the front fast, but you have to race with the sense in your head that, 'Okay, there's another leg right after this one, so don't wreck.'"
Polewarczyk earned his first win at Thunder Road in June at the Vermont Governor's Cup 150, but said the win does little to ease his nerves at the tough quarter-mile. "We ran good at Thunder Road for a long time before the win," he said. "The win gives us confidence and it got the monkey off our back, but you can't ever go to Thunder Road thinking you're going to win there. It's such a tough place, and it'll bite you at any second. You can come out of Turn 4 and think you're just going to brush the wall a little bit, and the next thing you know you're upside down. You have to respect it, because something will always go wrong that will bring you back to reality."
But the temptation to race hard and try to win the Milk Bowl, and to turn his frustrating year around for his team means Polewarczyk isn't holding anything back.
"You have to take some chances, but you have to be smart," he said. "And a win in that race would just... I can't even tell you how much it would mean."
(PHOTO: Joey Polewarczyk says he's "more focused" than he's ever been entering this weekend's Milk Bowl at Thunder Road. Photo by Justin St. Louis/VMM)
BARRE -- Joey Polewarczyk began the 2009 season with high expactations and a lot of pressure on his young shoulders. At age 20, the Hudson, N.H. racer has often been touted as the "next big thing" to come out of the bullrings of the northeast. NASCAR champions Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick have spoken well of him, and his talents are praised often by the various car owners he has driven for.But this season has been a miserable one for Polewarczyk, at least on the race track. Sure, he won an ACT Late Model Tour event at Oxford Plains Speedway in May, finally got his first victory at Barre's Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl in June, and has raced twice at New Hampshire Motor Speedway this year. But between events in ACT, PASS, and NASCAR competition, he has been involved in no less than five incidents that took him out of contention for a victory in the 2009 calendar year. And although he ranks in the top-five, he is not a contender for the ACT championship this season.
A victory in this weekend's Chittenden Bank Milk Bowl at Thunder Road, Polewarczyk says, would erase all of the bad stuff.
"I want this one bad," he said on Friday. "Last night I stayed up and watched the last three years' Milk Bowls on DVDs that we have. I watched every part of them. I'm the most focused I've ever been for any race this year. Next to the Oxford 250, this is the biggest race we have, it's huge. We've had a horrible second-half of the season, and a win in this race could change everything."While he has a chance to tie Brian Hoar's record of four consecutive pole positions in the race, Polewarczyk has bigger designs on just getting the checkered flag at the end of the day.
"I definitely want another pole. Brian Hoar won four in a row and it would be pretty cool to tie his record, but our main focus is to win the race," Polewarczyk said. "We always qualify well and do well in the first segment, then we seem to have back luck or get in someone else's mess in the second segment. It's all about the second segment." In 2007, a dismal 27th-place effort in the middle 50-lap segment of the race left Polewarczyk 19th overall. He won the first round and finished third overall in 2006, but a 14th-place second-segment finish left him unable to catch winner Brent Dragon or runner-up Cris Michaud.
"The Milk Bowl is all about patience, but then again, you can't say that, either," Polewarczyk said of the race, which inverts the finish of each segment to begin the next and awards the driver with the lowest three-segment point tally (one point to win a segment, two point for second, etc.) the overall win. "You can't look at it like a regular 150-lap race, it's 50 laps that you have do three times. You have to make your moves at the right time and be quick, but you have to save your [equipment], too, and then do it two more times. You have to get to the front fast, but you have to race with the sense in your head that, 'Okay, there's another leg right after this one, so don't wreck.'"
Polewarczyk earned his first win at Thunder Road in June at the Vermont Governor's Cup 150, but said the win does little to ease his nerves at the tough quarter-mile. "We ran good at Thunder Road for a long time before the win," he said. "The win gives us confidence and it got the monkey off our back, but you can't ever go to Thunder Road thinking you're going to win there. It's such a tough place, and it'll bite you at any second. You can come out of Turn 4 and think you're just going to brush the wall a little bit, and the next thing you know you're upside down. You have to respect it, because something will always go wrong that will bring you back to reality."
But the temptation to race hard and try to win the Milk Bowl, and to turn his frustrating year around for his team means Polewarczyk isn't holding anything back.
"You have to take some chances, but you have to be smart," he said. "And a win in that race would just... I can't even tell you how much it would mean."
(PHOTO: Joey Polewarczyk says he's "more focused" than he's ever been entering this weekend's Milk Bowl at Thunder Road. Photo by Justin St. Louis/VMM)
Friday, September 18, 2009
Polewarczyk Shaken After Wreck at NHMS
New Hampshire Motor Speedway coverage presented by RPM Racing Engines
LOUDON, N.H. -- Joey Polewarczyk was visibly shaken after a hard crash in the NASCAR Camping World Series East event on Friday evening at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The Hudson, N.H. driver was running just outside the top ten on a late restart when he came together with the slower car of David Mayhew, who had blown an engine.
As Polewarczyk moved to the high side to get around Mayhew, the two cars made incidental contact, sending Polewarczyk into a spin, followed by a vicious driver's door impact with the outside wall.
"Everything went black," Polewarczyk admitted. "That's the hardest hit I've had in my life."
Mayhew was a contender early in the Heluva Good! 125, which was shortened to 99 laps because of darkness. Eddie MacDonald of Rowley, Mass. was the winner after a green-white-checker finish.
LOUDON, N.H. -- Joey Polewarczyk was visibly shaken after a hard crash in the NASCAR Camping World Series East event on Friday evening at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The Hudson, N.H. driver was running just outside the top ten on a late restart when he came together with the slower car of David Mayhew, who had blown an engine.As Polewarczyk moved to the high side to get around Mayhew, the two cars made incidental contact, sending Polewarczyk into a spin, followed by a vicious driver's door impact with the outside wall.
"Everything went black," Polewarczyk admitted. "That's the hardest hit I've had in my life."
Mayhew was a contender early in the Heluva Good! 125, which was shortened to 99 laps because of darkness. Eddie MacDonald of Rowley, Mass. was the winner after a green-white-checker finish.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
The Juice: Either Come Back or Get Out
-by Justin St. Louis
When is Kevin Lepage going to find something else to do? The guy should have retired five years ago and opened up, I don't know, a boat sales shop or a car dealership or a movie theater or something. Instead, he's now become just a guy that everyone says, "Who is that?" about when the Nationwide Series finishes are posted. And it's a shame.
Lepage was one of the racers I cheered for while I was growing up, because he won his share of races, mostly while driving and maintaining his own cars, and was one of the only Vermont drivers in the late 1980s and early '90s that could keep pace with the Canadian and Maine-based cars. He had some Vermont work ethic in him. He went out and got his own sponsorship dollars from Citgo and Allen Lumber, built his operation from the ground up, and became one of the better drivers in the northeast. One of the few that could beat Junior Hanley a couple times a year. His magical 1993 season was an exciting thing to watch, capped off by his Milk Bowl double win in both the Pro Stock and Late Model divisions.
When Lepage moved south out of his Shelburne, Vt. roots in 1994, he again did it on his own, with his own cars and equipment, and a hard-earned sponsorship from Vermont Teddy Bear. He finally got hooked up with some top-notch cars owned by David Ridling in 1996 and broke through with his first Busch Series win at Homestead, finishing eighth in points. The next year he had a handful of impressive runs in the #91 Winston Cup car, and began a full-season effort in 1998 with the team, only to be picked up midstream by powerhouse Jack Roush. Along the way, he took another Busch win at Bristol. It really was a very proud time for Vermonters with an interest in racing. When Lepage came back to Thunder Road, he was treated like a bona fide celebrity, which, in this area of hard-working folks that do what they can to scratch out a modest living, he probably deserved.
But then the bottom sort of started to fall out. Lepage's downfall in the Cup Series might be blamed on the fact that he was in the Roush's "R&D" car, the #16 ride. Ted Musgrave had been moderately successful in the car, but as the Roush organization began to expand around the time Lepage arrived, the car became more of an in-race test dummy. With Lepage's on-track performances likely suffering from that scenario, his market value dipped. After a breakup with Roush, Lepage was rideless for the first part of 2001 before taking over the once-stout Kodak #4 car for Larry McClure. Then came the Jim Smith #7 team that became the bastard child of Geoff Bodine's ex-team, which was the ex-team of the late Alan Kulwicki. Then McClure's stuff again in 2003, followed by pick-up rides in third-rate cars owned by people no one had ever heard of.
Lepage re-opened his Busch Series team during the first stint with McClure, then stepped into the potent #37 Timber Wolf car after Jeff Purvis was injured. Lepage put the car on the pole position a couple of times, but for whatever reason, never produced the finishes to back up the qualifying performances. And again, his market value dipped on that series.
Since around 2004, Lepage has been a go-to guy for any car owner looking to do the start-and-park thing, which is a great way to make enough money to pay your monthly bills, but a horrible excuse to own a "race" team. His current gig is on the Nationwide Series, splitting time between a car owned by former driver Jimmy Means, and running a two-car team with Derrike Cope -- whose career practically mirrors Lepage's, by the way, from the hometown beginning to today. Lepage's best finish this year has been 33rd in one of Means' cars at Texas Motor Speedway, when he finished 11 laps down. So far, it's the only race he's finished, and it's also the only race he's made it past halfway in.
That's just plain embarrassing. For all of us.
Let's face it, Kevin Lepage was probably never going to be the next Dale Earnhardt. But he could have been the next Ricky Rudd or Geoff Bodine, guys who owned their own stuff or drove for other prominent teams here and there, ripping off a Cup win or three every year.
For a guy that was proud to come from humble beginnings -- building a respectable career after flopping around at Thunder Road and Catamount Stadium for a few years -- this is not how it should have been. Kevin Lepage was not the next Dale Earnhardt; there were five or six Kevin Lepage types from the northeast that could have gone south and done as well or better. But Lepage himself was living the short track racer's dream, and built a name for himself at the top levels of the sport. Then, somewhere along the way, he forgot about that.
Would he have been better off running a Cup team on his own? Should he have stayed in the Busch/Nationwide Series full-time after losing the Roush ride, and tried to become a star there? There's really no telling now. It's a moot point. Kevin Lepage was on his way, but the road got rocky and it seems like Lepage just threw up his hands and gave up. And once he did that, he should have started himself a business outside of racing -- his Cup and Nationwide career winnings have totalled over $15 million, he could have probably afforded a restaurant or something -- and returned to the short tracks of the Carolinas or even back home in New England. There would have been no shame in that at all. There still would be no shame in it.
But to a kid like me that grew up saving newspaper clippings of the local guy making it big in NASCAR, well, we've given up on Kevin Lepage, at least nationally. He should get himself a short track car and begin a new career, or pick up where he left off in 1993. Rich Bickle did it, Dave Mader did it, Jimmy Horton did it, and they were wildly successful after their cup of coffee in NASCAR. Or just get out entirely. Do it for all of us. Do it for Vermont.
Lepage should think back to victory lane at at Claremont Int'l Speedway in 1987, where he was standing next to a car hastily cobbled together by he and his father after getting dropped from the E.J. Prescott ride, and remember why he ever got in a race car in the first place. Was it so he could split $22,000 with Derrike Cope after a 10-lap tour of Gateway Int'l Raceway, or was it so he could be the best racer on the track? Get out, come home, and build a Late Model. Win a Thursday night show at Thunder Road. Do it for all us.
But most of all, do it for yourself.
***
Not gonna lie, I'm excited to get back to Bear Ridge this Saturday night.
***
I'm hearing ACT point leader Scott Payea will drop in on Thunder Road tonight to test some new setups in his car.
***
Brian Hoar on his race for the win at Waterford Speedbowl last weekend: "This is the funniest thing I've ever said in my life, but Brad Leighton thought I drove him rough. That's bulls**t. And that's a direct quote. Write that down. He got his hand caught in the candy jar. I stuck my car up to his door and he came down and made contact. It was bulls**t. I'm obviously not going to hit the brakes. I like Brad, I've known him for a long time, but I knew it was going to be hard racing. If he's got a problem with me, we'll work it out."
Joey Polewarczyk on racing with Hoar, after the two tangled at Airborne Speedway in May and again last weekend at Waterford: "He blatantly drove over my nose. I'm not taking his crap any more. It's happened to me too many times."
Hoar on his incident with Polewarczyk at Waterford: "He's upset because he spun out. We were racing side-by-side and we touched. It wasn't hard, I didn't chop him. It was nothing intentional. I rather would have raced Joey Polewarczyk for the lead than Brad Leighton, given the choice. One time we had a minor problem on the track, and I thought it was over by the end of the race. I'm sure I've got an 'X' on my back now, but I'd like to think that he and his team will calm down."
Sounds like we missed a good one.
***
I'm 26. I started going to races regularly when I was four years old, and have been at no less than five races a year since then. So, by my calcuations, I've got only 18 years left before I'll know what I'm talking about. At least I'm over the hump, right?
***
I like the term "Money Month". It's catchy, and, quite honestly, there's a ton of dough on the line for the ACT teams.
***
My biggest fear is that the upcoming ACT Invitational qualifier at Wiscasset Raceway in Maine this Sunday will turn out to be a bad joke. Between track reports and what we're hearing from everyone out that way, Wiscasset will be lucky to get 25 Late Models for a show that pays the winner $5,000 and a trip to Loudon. At that point, you have to worry about track owner Doug White, who will pay another $5,000 to the winner of a companion 150-lap Pro Stock race on the same day -- one that is expected to draw no more than 20 or 22 cars -- and has been losing money every time the gates swing open this year. Good luck, Mr. White.
***
Two words: Jason Bay.
***
AROUND THE REGION:
Time to take a look at the top Vermonters from the past weekend...
ACT Late Model Tour: Brian Hoar of Williston made it two-for-two by winning the Nutmeg State 100 at Waterford Speedbowl in Connecticut on Saturday night. Point leader Scott Payea of Milton finished third behind Randy Potter, and Graniteville's John Donahue was fourth. Brent Dragon of Milton finished sixth, and Tyler Cahoon of St. Johnsbury earned his second top-ten finish of the season and of his ACT career in tenth place.
Airborne Speedway (Plattsburgh, N.Y.): Don Scarborough of Brandon was the top Vermonter in Saturday's Modified race, finishing sixth. Rich Watson of Milton was the lone Sportsman driver in the feature, finishing 15th. Milton's Rob Gordon was the runner-up in the Renegade feature; Swanton's Dave Rabtoy was ninth, with Lance Rabtoy of Fairfax tenth. Billy Jenkins of Milton was seventh in the Mini-Modified feature, and Brad Bushey of Georgia was tenth in the Bomber race.
Albany-Saratoga Speedway (Malta, N.Y.): Todd Stone of Middlebury finished fifth in the 358 Modified feature on Friday night, while Rob Langevin of Londonderry was the runner-up in the Sportsman class. Frank Hoard, III of Manchester finished fifth in the Budget Sportsman feature. Lori Langevin of Londerderry was third in the Pro Street Stock feature with Manchester's Chuck Towslee fifth, Fred Little of Salisbury seventh, and Ed Thompson of Fair Haven eighth.
Bear Ridge Speedway (Bradford): Gary Siemons of Orford, N.H. posted his second Sportsman Modified win of the season on Saturday night, over Bob Shepard of West Topsham, Travis Shinn of Groton, N.H., Blake Shepard of Newton, N.H., and Jeremy Huntoon of Bradford. Josh Harrington of Topsham won the three-segment Sportsman Coupe "Madness" event over Melvin Pierson of Topsham, Bryan King of Corinth, and Bradford rookies Billy Simmons and Jason Horniak. Dan Eastman of Thetford Center won his eighth Limited Late Model feature of the season over Troy Comeau of Alexandria, N.H., Will Hull of East Montpelier, Dan Cook of South Tamworth, N.H., and Jeremy Hodge of Bradford. Sharon's Mitch Durkee won the Fast Four feature, followed by Wilder's Andy Johnson, Steve Bell of St. Johnsbury, Mark Brown, and Kevin Harran of St. Johnsbury. Tom Placey of Bradford won his sixth consecutive Hornet feature, with Groton's Charlie Lakin, Karl Sheldon of St. Johnsbury, Amanda Gray of East Thetford, and Bobby Bell of St. Johnsbury completing the top five. Misty Bell of St. Johnsbury won the Hornet Queen race.
Canaan Dirt Speedway (Canaan, N.H.): Thetford Center's Dave Lacasse finished sixth in the Modified feature on Friday night, with Todd Petschke of Windsor seventh. Will Hull of East Montpelier was the Street Stock runner-up, with Ascutney's Cricket Williams eighth and Dan Eastman of Thetford Center tenth. Josh Sunn of White River Junction was the Fast Four runner-up with Wilder's Andy Johnson third and Ryan Dutton of Bradford eighth.
Canaan Fair Speedway (Canaan, N.H.): Kris Lyman of West Hartford was the Pro Stock runner-up on Saturday, while Bradford's Arnie Stylges finished third in the Super Street race. Jamie Hodgdon of Ascutney won the Pure Stock feature with Kyle Davis of Pittsford eighth and Rory Merritt of North Springfield ninth. White River Junction drivers Bobby Prior and Josh Sunn went 1-2 in the Outlaw Mini Stock race, with Robert Gioia of East Thetford third and Chris Lyman of Hartland fifth. Kyle Small of Quechee won the Bandit race over Ascutney's Tyler Lescord.
Devil's Bowl Speedway (West Haven): Defending track champion Todd Stone of Middlebury took his first 358 Modified win of the season on Sunday, over Kris Vernold of Glens Falls, N.Y., Vince Quenneville, Jr. of Brandon, Gardner Stone of Middlebury (Todd's father), and Ray Hoard of Granville, N.Y. Jimmy Ryan of Whiting was sixth, with the top-ten completed by Don Mattison of Wells, Cullen Howe of South Londonderry, point leader Kenny Tremont, Jr. of West Sand Lake, N.Y., and Frank Hoard, Sr. of Manchester. Frank Hoard, III of Manchester won the Budget Sportsman feature over South Londonderry's Seth Howe, Jack Swinton of Hudson Falls, N.Y., Josh Joseph of South Glens Falls, N.Y., and C.V. Elms, III of North Haverhill, N.H. Salisbury's Fred Little won the Pro Street Stock race over Cale Kneer of Troy, N.Y., Carl Vladyka of Fair Haven, Mike Bussino, and Chuck Towslee of Manchester. Randy Alger won the Limited feature over Bill Duprey of Hydeville, and Colin Clow of Troy, N.Y. won the Mini Stock feature.
Monadnock Speedway (Winchester, N.H.): Dana Shepard of Putney finished 11th in the Super Stock race on Saturday. Dick Houle of West Brattleboro won the 4-cylinder Enduro.
Riverside Speedway (Groveton, N.H.): Bob Ailes, Sr. of St. Johnsbury was the runner-up in the Late Model feature on Saturday night, with Howard Switser of West Burke third, Paul Schartner, III of Lyndonville sixth, Stephen Hodgdon of Danville eighth, and Brett Gervais of Island Pond ninth. Derek Ming of Island Pond won again in the Outlaw Sportsman division over Davey Ofsuryk of Newport Center. West Burke's Jesse Switser was the Street Stock runner-up with Lyndonville's Dean Switser fourth. In twin Dwarf Car features, Concord's Toby Merchant posted finishes of second and fourth, while Lyndonville's Ernie LaPlant was third and ninth. Andy Simpson of Lyndon Center beat Anthony Mason of Orleans for the Cyclone win, while sisters Lyndsay and Johanna Christman of Cabot finished second and fourth in the Angels, resepectively.
SCoNE 360 Sprint Cars: Mark Cole of Lebanon, N.H. won at Canaan (N.H.) Dirt Speedway on Friday night over Ossipee, N.H.'s Clay Dow and Lacey Hanson of Orwell. Dow won at Bear Ridge Speedway in Bradford on Saturday night, with Matt Shuart second and Bob Giuliani of Middletown, N.H. third.
Série ACT-Castrol: Patrick Laperle of St-Denis-sur-Richelieu, Qué. won the Luminaire Napert 150 at Autodrome Chaudière on Saturday night for his second-straight win. Trampas Demers of South Burlington finished 20th.
Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl (Barre): On Thursday, Rich Lowrey of Charlotte was the Late Model winner over Shelburne's Jamie Fisher, Milton's Jean-Paul Cyr and Eric Chase, and Phil Scott of Montpelier. Mark Barnier of Essex Junction won the Tiger Sportsman feature over Milton's Eric Badore, Joel Hodgdon of Craftsbury, Hinesburg's Tommy Therrien, and Ricky Roberts of Washington. Ron Gabaree of Barre won the Street Stock feature over rookies Danny Doyle of Hancock and Scott Weston of Berlin, Greg Adams, Jr. of Hardwick, and Tim Campbell of West Topsham. Kevin Streeter of Waitsfield took his fifth Junkyard Warrior win of the year over Donny Yates of North Montpelier, Alex Whitcomb of Montpelier, John Prentice of Northfield, and Ken Christman of Cabot. On Sunday, Bill Davis of Monson, Mass. won $5,000 with his victory in the 25th Annual M&M Beverage Enduro 250. Mike MacAskill of Williamstown won the 50-lap Street Stock special over Elmore's David Whitcomb, Tommy Smith of Williamstown, rookie Tucker Williams of Hyde Park, and Danville's Jason Corliss. Bunker Hodgdon of Hardwick made his return to the Warriors with a win over Williamstown's Lance Donald, Kevin Dodge of Barre, Keith Fortier of Hinesburg, and Christman.
True Value Modified Racing Series: Jon McKennedy of Chelmsford, Mass. took another win and extended his point lead at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough, Me. on Saturday night. David Pinkham of Buxton, Me. was second, followed by Ascutney's Dwight Jarvis.
Twin State Speedway (Claremont, N.H.): Dallas Trombley of Rutland won the Late Model feature on Friday with Ascutney's Chris Riendeau seventh. Peter Jarvis of Ascutney won the Modified feature, with son Joey Jarvis fourth, Robert Hagar of Windsor fifth, Nate Kehoe of Windham seventh, and Leo Martin of Windsor tenth. Russ Davis of Cavendish won the Super Street feature with Dave Davis of White River Junction fourth, Bruce Jaycox of Hartland seventh, and Chris Wilk of Mendon ninth. Josh Lovely of Barre was the Strictly Stock runner-up with Tara Tarbell of Springfield fifth, Kyle Davis of Pittsford sixth, and and Jeremy Blood of West Hartford seventh. Kyle Small of Quechee won the Wildcat feature over Jeremiah Losee of North Springfield and Cody Small of Hartland.
White Mountain Motorsports Park (North Woodstock, N.H.): Bernie Lantagne of McIndoe Falls was the runner-up in Saturday's 100-lap feature, with Stacy Cahoon of St. Johnsbury third and Eric Williams of Hyde Park eighth. Stevie Parker of Lyndonville was fifth in the Strictly Stock feature, and Concord driver Rubin Call was the Strictly Stock Mini runner-up.
***
Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl in Barre has a doubleheader week with full race cards on Thursday and Friday -- including the ACT Tiger Sportsman Tri-State Series finale on Thursday -- while regular events are on tap at Albany-Saratoga, Canaan Dirt, and Twin State on Friday night. The PASS North Super Late Models are at Seekonk (Mass.) Speedway on Saturday night, while the True Value Modified Racing Series is at Waterford (Conn.) Speedbowl, and regular events are scheduled for Bear Ridge Speedway in Bradford, Airborne, Canaan Fair, Monadnock, Riverside, and White Mountain. Wiscasset (Me.) Raceway holds an ACT Invitational qualifier on Sunday, Riverside (N.H.) Speedway has the $5,000-to-win "Clash of the Titans 150" Late Model event with PASS Sportsman also on the card, and Devil's Bowl Speedway in West Haven will have a 50-lap Budget Sportsman feature and regular event.
When is Kevin Lepage going to find something else to do? The guy should have retired five years ago and opened up, I don't know, a boat sales shop or a car dealership or a movie theater or something. Instead, he's now become just a guy that everyone says, "Who is that?" about when the Nationwide Series finishes are posted. And it's a shame.
Lepage was one of the racers I cheered for while I was growing up, because he won his share of races, mostly while driving and maintaining his own cars, and was one of the only Vermont drivers in the late 1980s and early '90s that could keep pace with the Canadian and Maine-based cars. He had some Vermont work ethic in him. He went out and got his own sponsorship dollars from Citgo and Allen Lumber, built his operation from the ground up, and became one of the better drivers in the northeast. One of the few that could beat Junior Hanley a couple times a year. His magical 1993 season was an exciting thing to watch, capped off by his Milk Bowl double win in both the Pro Stock and Late Model divisions.
When Lepage moved south out of his Shelburne, Vt. roots in 1994, he again did it on his own, with his own cars and equipment, and a hard-earned sponsorship from Vermont Teddy Bear. He finally got hooked up with some top-notch cars owned by David Ridling in 1996 and broke through with his first Busch Series win at Homestead, finishing eighth in points. The next year he had a handful of impressive runs in the #91 Winston Cup car, and began a full-season effort in 1998 with the team, only to be picked up midstream by powerhouse Jack Roush. Along the way, he took another Busch win at Bristol. It really was a very proud time for Vermonters with an interest in racing. When Lepage came back to Thunder Road, he was treated like a bona fide celebrity, which, in this area of hard-working folks that do what they can to scratch out a modest living, he probably deserved.
But then the bottom sort of started to fall out. Lepage's downfall in the Cup Series might be blamed on the fact that he was in the Roush's "R&D" car, the #16 ride. Ted Musgrave had been moderately successful in the car, but as the Roush organization began to expand around the time Lepage arrived, the car became more of an in-race test dummy. With Lepage's on-track performances likely suffering from that scenario, his market value dipped. After a breakup with Roush, Lepage was rideless for the first part of 2001 before taking over the once-stout Kodak #4 car for Larry McClure. Then came the Jim Smith #7 team that became the bastard child of Geoff Bodine's ex-team, which was the ex-team of the late Alan Kulwicki. Then McClure's stuff again in 2003, followed by pick-up rides in third-rate cars owned by people no one had ever heard of.
Lepage re-opened his Busch Series team during the first stint with McClure, then stepped into the potent #37 Timber Wolf car after Jeff Purvis was injured. Lepage put the car on the pole position a couple of times, but for whatever reason, never produced the finishes to back up the qualifying performances. And again, his market value dipped on that series.
Since around 2004, Lepage has been a go-to guy for any car owner looking to do the start-and-park thing, which is a great way to make enough money to pay your monthly bills, but a horrible excuse to own a "race" team. His current gig is on the Nationwide Series, splitting time between a car owned by former driver Jimmy Means, and running a two-car team with Derrike Cope -- whose career practically mirrors Lepage's, by the way, from the hometown beginning to today. Lepage's best finish this year has been 33rd in one of Means' cars at Texas Motor Speedway, when he finished 11 laps down. So far, it's the only race he's finished, and it's also the only race he's made it past halfway in.
That's just plain embarrassing. For all of us.
Let's face it, Kevin Lepage was probably never going to be the next Dale Earnhardt. But he could have been the next Ricky Rudd or Geoff Bodine, guys who owned their own stuff or drove for other prominent teams here and there, ripping off a Cup win or three every year.
For a guy that was proud to come from humble beginnings -- building a respectable career after flopping around at Thunder Road and Catamount Stadium for a few years -- this is not how it should have been. Kevin Lepage was not the next Dale Earnhardt; there were five or six Kevin Lepage types from the northeast that could have gone south and done as well or better. But Lepage himself was living the short track racer's dream, and built a name for himself at the top levels of the sport. Then, somewhere along the way, he forgot about that.
Would he have been better off running a Cup team on his own? Should he have stayed in the Busch/Nationwide Series full-time after losing the Roush ride, and tried to become a star there? There's really no telling now. It's a moot point. Kevin Lepage was on his way, but the road got rocky and it seems like Lepage just threw up his hands and gave up. And once he did that, he should have started himself a business outside of racing -- his Cup and Nationwide career winnings have totalled over $15 million, he could have probably afforded a restaurant or something -- and returned to the short tracks of the Carolinas or even back home in New England. There would have been no shame in that at all. There still would be no shame in it.
But to a kid like me that grew up saving newspaper clippings of the local guy making it big in NASCAR, well, we've given up on Kevin Lepage, at least nationally. He should get himself a short track car and begin a new career, or pick up where he left off in 1993. Rich Bickle did it, Dave Mader did it, Jimmy Horton did it, and they were wildly successful after their cup of coffee in NASCAR. Or just get out entirely. Do it for all of us. Do it for Vermont.
Lepage should think back to victory lane at at Claremont Int'l Speedway in 1987, where he was standing next to a car hastily cobbled together by he and his father after getting dropped from the E.J. Prescott ride, and remember why he ever got in a race car in the first place. Was it so he could split $22,000 with Derrike Cope after a 10-lap tour of Gateway Int'l Raceway, or was it so he could be the best racer on the track? Get out, come home, and build a Late Model. Win a Thursday night show at Thunder Road. Do it for all us.
But most of all, do it for yourself.
***
Not gonna lie, I'm excited to get back to Bear Ridge this Saturday night.
***
I'm hearing ACT point leader Scott Payea will drop in on Thunder Road tonight to test some new setups in his car.
***
Brian Hoar on his race for the win at Waterford Speedbowl last weekend: "This is the funniest thing I've ever said in my life, but Brad Leighton thought I drove him rough. That's bulls**t. And that's a direct quote. Write that down. He got his hand caught in the candy jar. I stuck my car up to his door and he came down and made contact. It was bulls**t. I'm obviously not going to hit the brakes. I like Brad, I've known him for a long time, but I knew it was going to be hard racing. If he's got a problem with me, we'll work it out."
Joey Polewarczyk on racing with Hoar, after the two tangled at Airborne Speedway in May and again last weekend at Waterford: "He blatantly drove over my nose. I'm not taking his crap any more. It's happened to me too many times."
Hoar on his incident with Polewarczyk at Waterford: "He's upset because he spun out. We were racing side-by-side and we touched. It wasn't hard, I didn't chop him. It was nothing intentional. I rather would have raced Joey Polewarczyk for the lead than Brad Leighton, given the choice. One time we had a minor problem on the track, and I thought it was over by the end of the race. I'm sure I've got an 'X' on my back now, but I'd like to think that he and his team will calm down."
Sounds like we missed a good one.
***
I'm 26. I started going to races regularly when I was four years old, and have been at no less than five races a year since then. So, by my calcuations, I've got only 18 years left before I'll know what I'm talking about. At least I'm over the hump, right?
***
I like the term "Money Month". It's catchy, and, quite honestly, there's a ton of dough on the line for the ACT teams.
***
My biggest fear is that the upcoming ACT Invitational qualifier at Wiscasset Raceway in Maine this Sunday will turn out to be a bad joke. Between track reports and what we're hearing from everyone out that way, Wiscasset will be lucky to get 25 Late Models for a show that pays the winner $5,000 and a trip to Loudon. At that point, you have to worry about track owner Doug White, who will pay another $5,000 to the winner of a companion 150-lap Pro Stock race on the same day -- one that is expected to draw no more than 20 or 22 cars -- and has been losing money every time the gates swing open this year. Good luck, Mr. White.
***
Two words: Jason Bay.
***
AROUND THE REGION:
Time to take a look at the top Vermonters from the past weekend...
ACT Late Model Tour: Brian Hoar of Williston made it two-for-two by winning the Nutmeg State 100 at Waterford Speedbowl in Connecticut on Saturday night. Point leader Scott Payea of Milton finished third behind Randy Potter, and Graniteville's John Donahue was fourth. Brent Dragon of Milton finished sixth, and Tyler Cahoon of St. Johnsbury earned his second top-ten finish of the season and of his ACT career in tenth place.
Airborne Speedway (Plattsburgh, N.Y.): Don Scarborough of Brandon was the top Vermonter in Saturday's Modified race, finishing sixth. Rich Watson of Milton was the lone Sportsman driver in the feature, finishing 15th. Milton's Rob Gordon was the runner-up in the Renegade feature; Swanton's Dave Rabtoy was ninth, with Lance Rabtoy of Fairfax tenth. Billy Jenkins of Milton was seventh in the Mini-Modified feature, and Brad Bushey of Georgia was tenth in the Bomber race.
Albany-Saratoga Speedway (Malta, N.Y.): Todd Stone of Middlebury finished fifth in the 358 Modified feature on Friday night, while Rob Langevin of Londonderry was the runner-up in the Sportsman class. Frank Hoard, III of Manchester finished fifth in the Budget Sportsman feature. Lori Langevin of Londerderry was third in the Pro Street Stock feature with Manchester's Chuck Towslee fifth, Fred Little of Salisbury seventh, and Ed Thompson of Fair Haven eighth.
Bear Ridge Speedway (Bradford): Gary Siemons of Orford, N.H. posted his second Sportsman Modified win of the season on Saturday night, over Bob Shepard of West Topsham, Travis Shinn of Groton, N.H., Blake Shepard of Newton, N.H., and Jeremy Huntoon of Bradford. Josh Harrington of Topsham won the three-segment Sportsman Coupe "Madness" event over Melvin Pierson of Topsham, Bryan King of Corinth, and Bradford rookies Billy Simmons and Jason Horniak. Dan Eastman of Thetford Center won his eighth Limited Late Model feature of the season over Troy Comeau of Alexandria, N.H., Will Hull of East Montpelier, Dan Cook of South Tamworth, N.H., and Jeremy Hodge of Bradford. Sharon's Mitch Durkee won the Fast Four feature, followed by Wilder's Andy Johnson, Steve Bell of St. Johnsbury, Mark Brown, and Kevin Harran of St. Johnsbury. Tom Placey of Bradford won his sixth consecutive Hornet feature, with Groton's Charlie Lakin, Karl Sheldon of St. Johnsbury, Amanda Gray of East Thetford, and Bobby Bell of St. Johnsbury completing the top five. Misty Bell of St. Johnsbury won the Hornet Queen race.
Canaan Dirt Speedway (Canaan, N.H.): Thetford Center's Dave Lacasse finished sixth in the Modified feature on Friday night, with Todd Petschke of Windsor seventh. Will Hull of East Montpelier was the Street Stock runner-up, with Ascutney's Cricket Williams eighth and Dan Eastman of Thetford Center tenth. Josh Sunn of White River Junction was the Fast Four runner-up with Wilder's Andy Johnson third and Ryan Dutton of Bradford eighth.
Canaan Fair Speedway (Canaan, N.H.): Kris Lyman of West Hartford was the Pro Stock runner-up on Saturday, while Bradford's Arnie Stylges finished third in the Super Street race. Jamie Hodgdon of Ascutney won the Pure Stock feature with Kyle Davis of Pittsford eighth and Rory Merritt of North Springfield ninth. White River Junction drivers Bobby Prior and Josh Sunn went 1-2 in the Outlaw Mini Stock race, with Robert Gioia of East Thetford third and Chris Lyman of Hartland fifth. Kyle Small of Quechee won the Bandit race over Ascutney's Tyler Lescord.
Devil's Bowl Speedway (West Haven): Defending track champion Todd Stone of Middlebury took his first 358 Modified win of the season on Sunday, over Kris Vernold of Glens Falls, N.Y., Vince Quenneville, Jr. of Brandon, Gardner Stone of Middlebury (Todd's father), and Ray Hoard of Granville, N.Y. Jimmy Ryan of Whiting was sixth, with the top-ten completed by Don Mattison of Wells, Cullen Howe of South Londonderry, point leader Kenny Tremont, Jr. of West Sand Lake, N.Y., and Frank Hoard, Sr. of Manchester. Frank Hoard, III of Manchester won the Budget Sportsman feature over South Londonderry's Seth Howe, Jack Swinton of Hudson Falls, N.Y., Josh Joseph of South Glens Falls, N.Y., and C.V. Elms, III of North Haverhill, N.H. Salisbury's Fred Little won the Pro Street Stock race over Cale Kneer of Troy, N.Y., Carl Vladyka of Fair Haven, Mike Bussino, and Chuck Towslee of Manchester. Randy Alger won the Limited feature over Bill Duprey of Hydeville, and Colin Clow of Troy, N.Y. won the Mini Stock feature.
Monadnock Speedway (Winchester, N.H.): Dana Shepard of Putney finished 11th in the Super Stock race on Saturday. Dick Houle of West Brattleboro won the 4-cylinder Enduro.
Riverside Speedway (Groveton, N.H.): Bob Ailes, Sr. of St. Johnsbury was the runner-up in the Late Model feature on Saturday night, with Howard Switser of West Burke third, Paul Schartner, III of Lyndonville sixth, Stephen Hodgdon of Danville eighth, and Brett Gervais of Island Pond ninth. Derek Ming of Island Pond won again in the Outlaw Sportsman division over Davey Ofsuryk of Newport Center. West Burke's Jesse Switser was the Street Stock runner-up with Lyndonville's Dean Switser fourth. In twin Dwarf Car features, Concord's Toby Merchant posted finishes of second and fourth, while Lyndonville's Ernie LaPlant was third and ninth. Andy Simpson of Lyndon Center beat Anthony Mason of Orleans for the Cyclone win, while sisters Lyndsay and Johanna Christman of Cabot finished second and fourth in the Angels, resepectively.
SCoNE 360 Sprint Cars: Mark Cole of Lebanon, N.H. won at Canaan (N.H.) Dirt Speedway on Friday night over Ossipee, N.H.'s Clay Dow and Lacey Hanson of Orwell. Dow won at Bear Ridge Speedway in Bradford on Saturday night, with Matt Shuart second and Bob Giuliani of Middletown, N.H. third.
Série ACT-Castrol: Patrick Laperle of St-Denis-sur-Richelieu, Qué. won the Luminaire Napert 150 at Autodrome Chaudière on Saturday night for his second-straight win. Trampas Demers of South Burlington finished 20th.
Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl (Barre): On Thursday, Rich Lowrey of Charlotte was the Late Model winner over Shelburne's Jamie Fisher, Milton's Jean-Paul Cyr and Eric Chase, and Phil Scott of Montpelier. Mark Barnier of Essex Junction won the Tiger Sportsman feature over Milton's Eric Badore, Joel Hodgdon of Craftsbury, Hinesburg's Tommy Therrien, and Ricky Roberts of Washington. Ron Gabaree of Barre won the Street Stock feature over rookies Danny Doyle of Hancock and Scott Weston of Berlin, Greg Adams, Jr. of Hardwick, and Tim Campbell of West Topsham. Kevin Streeter of Waitsfield took his fifth Junkyard Warrior win of the year over Donny Yates of North Montpelier, Alex Whitcomb of Montpelier, John Prentice of Northfield, and Ken Christman of Cabot. On Sunday, Bill Davis of Monson, Mass. won $5,000 with his victory in the 25th Annual M&M Beverage Enduro 250. Mike MacAskill of Williamstown won the 50-lap Street Stock special over Elmore's David Whitcomb, Tommy Smith of Williamstown, rookie Tucker Williams of Hyde Park, and Danville's Jason Corliss. Bunker Hodgdon of Hardwick made his return to the Warriors with a win over Williamstown's Lance Donald, Kevin Dodge of Barre, Keith Fortier of Hinesburg, and Christman.
True Value Modified Racing Series: Jon McKennedy of Chelmsford, Mass. took another win and extended his point lead at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough, Me. on Saturday night. David Pinkham of Buxton, Me. was second, followed by Ascutney's Dwight Jarvis.
Twin State Speedway (Claremont, N.H.): Dallas Trombley of Rutland won the Late Model feature on Friday with Ascutney's Chris Riendeau seventh. Peter Jarvis of Ascutney won the Modified feature, with son Joey Jarvis fourth, Robert Hagar of Windsor fifth, Nate Kehoe of Windham seventh, and Leo Martin of Windsor tenth. Russ Davis of Cavendish won the Super Street feature with Dave Davis of White River Junction fourth, Bruce Jaycox of Hartland seventh, and Chris Wilk of Mendon ninth. Josh Lovely of Barre was the Strictly Stock runner-up with Tara Tarbell of Springfield fifth, Kyle Davis of Pittsford sixth, and and Jeremy Blood of West Hartford seventh. Kyle Small of Quechee won the Wildcat feature over Jeremiah Losee of North Springfield and Cody Small of Hartland.
White Mountain Motorsports Park (North Woodstock, N.H.): Bernie Lantagne of McIndoe Falls was the runner-up in Saturday's 100-lap feature, with Stacy Cahoon of St. Johnsbury third and Eric Williams of Hyde Park eighth. Stevie Parker of Lyndonville was fifth in the Strictly Stock feature, and Concord driver Rubin Call was the Strictly Stock Mini runner-up.
***
Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl in Barre has a doubleheader week with full race cards on Thursday and Friday -- including the ACT Tiger Sportsman Tri-State Series finale on Thursday -- while regular events are on tap at Albany-Saratoga, Canaan Dirt, and Twin State on Friday night. The PASS North Super Late Models are at Seekonk (Mass.) Speedway on Saturday night, while the True Value Modified Racing Series is at Waterford (Conn.) Speedbowl, and regular events are scheduled for Bear Ridge Speedway in Bradford, Airborne, Canaan Fair, Monadnock, Riverside, and White Mountain. Wiscasset (Me.) Raceway holds an ACT Invitational qualifier on Sunday, Riverside (N.H.) Speedway has the $5,000-to-win "Clash of the Titans 150" Late Model event with PASS Sportsman also on the card, and Devil's Bowl Speedway in West Haven will have a 50-lap Budget Sportsman feature and regular event.
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