The Juice: The Big Beginning

-by Justin St. Louis
VMM Editor

The 2010 racing season started quite a while ago in this neck of the woods. Vivid, teeth-chattering memories of the opener at Waterford Speedbowl in Connecticut still swirl in this writer's head like so many windblown snowflakes that fell during the drive up Interstate 89 on the journey home that March night. New England has been racing for two solid months now, and even we wintry Vermonters have enjoyed one form of on-track action or another since the first Thunder Road practice in mid-April.

But for all intents and purposes, this weekend is the big beginning.

Memorial Day weekend is traditionally the most celebrated in motorsports, whether it's the Indianapolis 500, NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte, or the grind of weekly short tracks around the country. For the first time this year, all three Vermont speedplants will be open this weekend, and -- along with the well-timed 90-degree weather -- we can all welcome the arrival of the summer racing season.

If you can't find something to do at a race track this weekend, well, you're not trying very hard.

***

Congratulations to Jerry Richards and the management at Devil's Bowl Speedway for such a successful opening event on the new asphalt. The crowd was one of the largest in the speedway's 44-year history, and the racing was competitive and exciting, with lots of side-by-side racing. Dave Pembroke and Mike Bruno put on a great show for the win, and Grant Folsom even did his part by getting upside down on the frontstretch in front of the packed grandstand.

We're looking forward to rest of the season at Vermont's fastest half-mile.

***

From the "Beating A Dead Horse Even Deader" file: Is it totally ironic that Patrick Laperle won the Série ACT-Castrol opener at Autodrome St-Eustache last weekend? Wasn't that the place where he decided after the season finale that he was so frustrated that he was done racing with ACT for a couple years?

What's so intriguing about Laperle is that he simply can't stay away, and that's only a good thing. He may butt heads with Donald Theetge or Tom Curley or whomever, but that's because Laperle has such an obvious fire-in-the-belly for competition and winning.

Last Saturday's win may have been as important for Laperle personally and mentally as it was for his career numbers. It also qualified him for the second annual ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in September. Patrick Laperle is back, folks.

Not that he ever really went anywhere anyway.

***

Here's a tip: If you're a betting person and you like dirt racing, put your money on Ryan Avery this year. Dude is cleaning house.

***

With low car counts and little growth over the past several seasons, officials at White Mountain Motorsports Park in New Hampshire disbanded the Super Street division over the winter and adopted the rulebook from Thunder Road's Tiger Sportsman class, creating the new Super Sportsman division for 2010.

Of the 15 drivers that raced in the inaugural feature on Saturday night, only one -- Gary Griswold -- has been a regular weekly competitor at White Mountain, and he finished 14th. The rest were Thunder Road regulars or drivers that plan to compete mainly on the four-race ACT Tiger Sportsman Series.

White Mountain is not only a beautful and scenic place to visit, it's a competitive, well-run race track that deserves good support divisions. (The headline Late Model class enjoyed a 26-car field with only a few outside visitors.) Here's hoping that the Super Sportsman field last weekend wasn't just a fluke.

***

Not only did Chris Donnelly win two features at Bear Ridge on Saturday, he won one the features using two different cars. While we're not totally sure how that's legal, we do marvel at it.

Donnelly finished second in the first leg of a two-segment feature at the season opener on May 15, but r rain postponed the second segment to last Saturday. In the interim, he was presented an offer he couldn't refuse and sold his only car. Donnelly found himself in a bind for the May 22 event, though, as his Wicked Racing Products business was the presenting sponsor and he wanted to compete in the event.

With a quick phone call, he borrowed a car from Tom Forward and drove from the rear to finish second in the second segment. With a low score of four points, Donnelly was declared the winner. Not sure we've ever seen anything like that before.

***

AROUND THE REGION:

Time to take a look at the top Vermonters from the past weekend...

Airborne Speedway (Plattsburgh, N.Y.): Brandon's Don Scarborough finished fifth in the Modified feature last Saturday, with Milton's Bill Sawyer third in the Sportsman race. Lance Rabtoy of Fairfax was third in the Renegades with Milton's Larry Underwood fifth.

Albany-Saratoga Speedway (Malta, N.Y.): Mike Bruno of Bomoseen took his second-straight Modified win on Friday night with Brandon's Don Scarborough fourth. Middlebury teen Hunter Bates won the Sportsman feature.

Bear Ridge Speedway (Bradford): Chris Donnelly of Orford, N.H., swept both Sportsman Modified features on Saturday night, followed by Thornton, N.H.'s Ryan Avery and Jason Gray of East Thetford in the first race and Travis Shinn of Groton, N.H., and Fairlee's Adam Pierson in the second race. Bradford's Jason Horniak won the first Sportsman Coupe feature over East Corinth's Melvin Pierson and Topsham's Josh Harrington, while Pierson beat Chris Carbee of South Ryegate and rookie Shane Race of South Strafford in the second race. Newbury's Jeremy Hodge took his frist career Limited Late Model win over Will Hull of East Montpelier and Tyler Stygles of Bradford. Josh Sunn of White River Junction swept both Fast Four races, with Danville's Danny Doyle and Andy Johnson of Wilder finishing second and third once each. Bobby Bell of St. Johnsbury won the Hornet race over Bradford's Tom Placey and Mark Harran of St. Johnsbury, while Dawn Woodward of Corinth beat her neighbor, Melissa King, and St. Johnsbury's Misty Bell in the Hornet Queen race.

Big Daddy's Speedway (Rumney, N.H.): Tyler Stygles of Bradford won the Super Street featrue on Sunday, and Josh Sunn of White River Junction was the Mini Stock runner-up.

Canaan Dirt Speedway (Canaan, N.H.): Rookie Dan Eastman of Thetford Center was third in the Sportsman Modifed feature on Friday and took over the point lead. Josh Sunn of White River Junction won the Mini Stock feature, and Dakota Stender of Tunbridge won the Bandit feature.

Canaan Fair Speedway (Canaan, N.H.): Kevin Menard of South Royalton was sixth in the first of two Pro Stock features on Saturday, and Mendon's Chris Wilk was third in the second race. Jamie Hodgdon of Ascutney was the Pure Stock runner-up with North Springfield's Rory Merritt fifth. Bobby Prior of White River Junction was fourth in the Outlaw Mini feature. Ascutney's Tyler Lescord won the Bandit feature over Mike Parker of Bradford.

Devil's Bowl Speedway (West Haven): Dave Pembroke of Middlesex beat Bomoseen's Mike Bruno to win the "Thunder at the Bowl 100" Late Model event on Sunday, with Tracie Bellerose of Gorham, N.H., third. Don Miller of Wells won the Sportsman feature over Clifton Park, N.Y.'s Fred Proctor and Hunter Bates of Middlebury. Milton's Cody Benoit won the Renegade feature over Jon Miller of Malta, N.Y., and Lance Rabtoy of Fairfax, and Miton's Chad Brown beat Garry Bashaw of Lincoln and Russ Downing of Hartland to win the Bomber Warrior race. Andy Smith of South Glens Falls, N.Y., won the Duke Stock race.

Modified Racing Series: Ascutney rookie Joey Jarvis was 15th in the East-West Showdown 100 at Albany-Saratoga Speedway on Friday, with uncle Dwight Jarvis of Ascutney 18th. Rowan Pennink of Huntington Valley, Pa., was the winner.

Monadnock Speedway (Winchester, N.H.): Josh King of Vernon was 17th in Saturday's Modified feature. Putney's Dana Shepard was ninth in the Super Street feature. Joe Rogers of Ludlow finished fifth in the Mini Stocks with Mike Metcalf of Westminster ninth.

PASS North Super Late Models: Steven Legendre of Danville finished eighth in Saturday's event at White Mountain Motorsports Park, and Milton's Scott Dragon was 15th. Johnny Clark of Hallowell, Me., was the winner.

Riverside Speedway (Groveton, N.H.): Dan Sidney of St. Johnsbury won the Outlaw Sportsman feature with Davey Ofsuryk of Newport Center fourth. Michael Smith of St. Johnsbury was fourth in the Super Stock race, and Doug Duprey of St. Johnsbury was third in the Street Stocks. Howard Switser of West Burke was third in the Dwarf Car race with Anthony Young of Beecher Falls fourth.

Sprint Cars of New England: Sunday's event at Big Daddy's Speedbowl was cut short due to a racing accident.

Twin State Speedway (Claremont, N.H.): Dallas Trombley of Rutland finished fourth in the Late Model feature on Friday night. Chris Wilk of Mendon was the Super Street winner with Russ Davis of Cavendish third. Pittsford's Kyle Davis won the Strictly Stock feature over David Greenslit of Waitsfield and Jacksonville's Kaitlin Stone.

White Mountain Motorsports Park (North Woodstock, N.H.): Stacy Cahoon of St. Johnsbury was the Late Model runner-up on Saturday with Bernie Lantagne of McIndoe Falls third. Graniteville's Chip Grenier won the Super Sportsman feature over Derrick O'Donnell of Bradford and North Wolcott's Brendan Moodie.

***

THIS WEEK:

Friday, May 28
Albany-Saratoga Speedway, Malta, N.Y. -- 6:45pm (Regular Event)
Canaan Dirt Speedway, Canaan, N.H. -- 7:00pm (Regular Event)
Twin State Speedway, Claremont, N.H. -- 7:30pm (Regular Event)

Saturday, May 29
Airborne Speedway, Plattsburgh, N.Y. -- 5:00pm (Modified Racing Series)
Bear Ridge Speedway, Bradford -- 6:00pm (SCoNE 360 Sprint Cars)
Canaan Fair Speedway, Canaan, N.H. -- 6:00pm (Regular Event)
Monadnock Speedway, Winchester, N.H. -- 6:00pm (NEMA Midgets)
Riverside Speedway, Groveton, N.H. -- 6:00pm (Regular Event)
White Mountain Motorsports Park, North Woodstock, N.H. -- 5:00 (Regular Event)

Sunday, May 30
Big Daddy's Speedbowl, Rumney, N.H. -- 4:00pm (Granite State Mini Sprints)
Devil's Bowl Speedway, West Haven -- 2:00pm (Modified Tri-Track Series)
Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl, Barre -- 1:30pm (Modified Racing Series)


TOURING SERIES:

Granite State Mini Sprints: Sun., May 30 -- Big Daddy's Speedbowl, Rumney, N.H. (4:00pm)
Modified Racing Series: Sat., May 29 -- Airborne Speedway, Plattsburgh, N.Y. (5:00pm)
Modified Racing Series: Sun., May 30 -- Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl, Barre, Vt. (1:30pm)
Modified Tri-Track Series: Sun., May 30 -- Devil's Bowl Speedway, West Haven, Vt. (2:00pm)
NASCAR Nationwide Series: Sat., May 29 -- Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, N.C. (ABC/2:00pm)
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Sun., May 30 -- Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, N.C. (FOX/5:45pm)
Pro All Stars Series: Sat., May 29 -- Concord Speedway, Concord, N.C. (7:00pm)
Série ACT-Castrol Edge: Sat., May 29 -- Autodrome Montmagny, Montmagny, Qué. (6:00pm)
Sprint Cars of New England: Sat., May 29 -- Bear Ridge Speedway, Bradford, Vt. (6:00pm)

The Juice: ACT's Bicentennial By The Numbers

-by Justin St. Louis
VMM Editor

Hey, the rain can't stop us all year, right? The weekend forecast looks pretty good, and two of Vermont's three tracks will get up and running on Saturday.

We're headed down Routes 7 and 22A to West Haven to take in the first asphalt practice session at Devil's Bowl Speedway in nearly 40 years early Saturday afternoon, then over Route 4 and up I-91 to Bradford for the Bear Ridge Speedway season opener.

If that wasn't enough, we're getting up bright and early Sunday morning to head wicked east to Oxford Plains Speedway in Maine for the American-Canadian Tour show.

Ayuh. (Or "Yessah" for you Mainers.)

There's short track racing everywhere, now that spring is actually here. Where are you headed?

***

Sunday's WJAB 150 at Oxford Plains Speedway will be the 200th championship event for the present-day ACT Late Model Tour.

With its deepest roots planted at Barre's Thunder Road, the series has ushered in several changes revolutionary to the short track world including "spec" crate engines, tires and shocks, and the first-ever trip to New Hampshire Motor Speedway last fall. The series has gone through a few name changes, scheduling formats, rulebooks, and occasionally a cast or two of characters, but it is, for all intents and purposes, the same old Tour.

I'm a self-admitted stats junkie and have been looking for some sort of outlet lately, so without further ado, here's a look at the history of the ACT Late Model Tour by the numbers...

0 -- The number of wins for ACT Late Model Tour champions Phil Scott in 2002 and Jean-Paul Cyr in 2007.

0 -- Cautions in the Time Warner Cable 100 at Oxford Plains Speedway, the only caution-free race in ACT history. Eddie MacDonald scored his first ACT win in the race.

1 -- As in, the first race. Warren, Vt.'s Norm Andrews, a multi-time Thunder Road track champion in the 1970s and '80s, won the first-ever "ACT Late Model Sportsman International Series" event, a 25-lap race at the 9/10-mile Sanair Super Speedway tri-oval in St-Pie, Que., on April 26, 1992.

1 -- The number of Canadian drivers to win the ACT Late Model Tour championship -- Patrick Laperle, 2008.

1 -- In points, the margin of victory for Laperle over runner-up Scott Payea in 2008, the narrowest championship margin in history.

1 -- The number of ACT races Maine's Ryan Moore won in 2001... a year before he won the ACT Rookie of the Year title.

2 -- Norm Andrews' winning car number in the first event at Sanair.

2 hours, 42 minutes, 8 seconds -- The amount of time it took Ben Rowe to win the 2006 "Mega Classique" at Sanair Super Speedway, the longest race of record in series history.

3 -- Drivers to win in their first career ACT start: Norm Andrews (Sanair, 1992 -- ACT's first race), Ryan Moore (Oxford, 2001), D.J. Kennington (Lee USA, 2004).

3 -- Consecutive wins for Gary Caron in 1995 and Ben Rowe in 2006, the ACT Late Model Tour record for victory streaks. Interestingly, neither driver had ever won an ACT race prior to their threepeats.

3 -- The car number of the first last-place finisher, Jimmy Young, who was 26th with a transmission failure at Sanair. Young would make one more Late Model start in his first rookie attempt before going back to the Tiger Sportsman division and dominating for most of the decade. Young would return as an ACT rookie in 1999, finishing third -- where else? -- in his first start at Thunder Road.

4 -- The number of top-five finishes Scott Payea turned in during the first four races of his ACT career in 2005.

4 -- Races that have won by a last-lap pass for the lead. Jim Cilley beat Kevin Lepage at Thunder Road on August 26, 1993; Dave Whitcomb won in a famous three-wide photo finish at Airborne Speedway over Ron Weston on Sept. 22, 1996; Tracie Bellerose beat Phil Scott in a controversial finish at Thunder Road on Sept. 1, 2001 that resulted in suspensions for driver Joey Laquerre and ACT president Tom Curley; and Brent Dragon assumed the lead at Airborne on May 8, 2004 when Laquerre pit out of the lead under caution, one lap before rains cancelled the final 34 laps of the race. For Cilley, Whitcomb, and Dragon, the final lap was the only lap each driver led en route to his respective win.

4 -- Consecutive championships for Brian Hoar, 1997 to 2000.

5 -- Consecutive championships for Jean-Paul Cyr, 2003 to 2007, an all-time ACT record.

5 -- The number of events run in two-part "segments" in the 1992 season, out of eight total races.

6 -- The number of events held in 1994, the shortest schedule to date.

6 -- Career championships for Brian Hoar (first was in 1993).

7 -- Career championships for Jean-Paul Cyr (others in 1994 and 1996).

8 -- The number of car numbers to win the ACT Late Model Tour championship. They are: 14 (Phil Scott, 2002), 25 (Dave Whitcomb, 1992), 31 (Lance Ferno, 1995), 32 (Jean-Paul Cyr, 1994, 1996 and 2003-07), 37 (Brian Hoar, 2009), 45 (Brian Hoar, 1993 and 1997-2000), 75 (Pete Fecteau, 2001), and 91 (Patrick Laperle, 2008).

10 -- Combined top-five finishes by rookies Jamie Fisher, Scott Dragon, and Jimmy Young in 1999.

12 -- The number of different drivers to win in 2004, an ACT record. Six were first-time winners.

14 -- Drivers whose first career top-five ACT finish was a victory. They are: Norm Andrews in 1992, Pat Corbett in 1993, Kip Stockwell, Pete Fecteau and Billy Holbrook in 1996, Chris Fisher in 1998, rookie Jamie Fisher in 1999, Ryan Moore in 2001, Jacob McGrath in 2002, Joey Becker, Shawn Martin, Dale Shaw and D.J. Kennington in 2004, and Eddie MacDonald in 2007.

16 -- The number of events held in both 2002 and 2003, the longest schedules to date.

16 -- The number of events run at a distance of less than 100 laps.

16 -- The record for the ACT Late Model Tour's smallest starting field. It has happened twice, at Riverside Speedway (Ste-Croix, Que.) in 1992 and Sanair Super Speedway in 1993.

17 -- The number of times a driver has led every lap of an ACT Late Model Tour race. Norm Andrews led all 25 laps of the first-ever ACT event in 1992 for his only victory, and Pat Corbett did so in two of his three career wins. Jean-Paul Cyr has done it a record three times. Joey Laquerre and Cyr did it in back-to-back races at Riverside Speedway in Groveton, N.H., and Thunder Road in August 2002.

18 -- The record number of cautions in the "Massacre at Ste-Croix" at Riverside Speedway in Ste-Croix, Que., on June 29, 2002. The mark was equalled at Autodrome St-Eustache on July 28, 2007.

18 -- The number of ACT Late Model Tour events held at White Mountain Motorsports Park in North Woodstock, N.H., since 1998.

19 -- The record for lead changes in a single event. It has happened twice -- the 2004 Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic at Thunder Road and the 2009 Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Fall Foliage 300 at Airborne Speedway.

19 -- Jean-Paul Cyr's career win total, second all-time.

20 -- The number of ACT Late Model Tour events held at Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, Me., since 1995.

21 -- The age of champion Brian Hoar in 1993, the youngest of any ACT Late Model Tour champion.

23 -- The number of drivers with just a single ACT Late Model Tour win.

25 -- Brian Hoar's career win total, tops all-time.

25th race -- The Coca-Cola 100 on July 3, 1995 at Thunder Road in Barre, Vt., won by Gary Caron.

26 minutes, 30 seconds -- The amount of time it took Jean-Paul Cyr to win the 2002 Labor Day Classic 100 at Thunder Road, the quickest race of record in series history.

35 -- The number of drivers with multiple ACT Late Model Tour wins.

35 -- Brian Hoar's winning percentage through the first three seasons of the ACT Late Model Tour, 1992-94 (7 wins in 20 races).

36 -- The number of ACT Late Model Tour events held at Airborne Speedway in Plattsburgh, N.Y., second-most of any track on the circuit.

43 -- The largest starting field in ACT Late Model Tour history, at Sanair Super Speedway in 2006.

50th race -- The Fleur-de-Lys Classic on August 16, 1998 at Sanair Super Speedway in St-Pie, Que., won by Joey Laquerre.

51 -- The age of champion Pete Fecteau in 2001, the oldest of any ACT Late Model Tour champion.

57 -- The number of ACT Late Model Tour events held at Thunder Road in Barre, the most of any track on the circuit.

58 -- Different drivers to have won at least one ACT Late Model Tour event.

66 -- The number of laps run in the Spring Green at Airborne on May 8, 2004. It is the only ACT Late Model Tour race to date that has been cut short of its advertised distance (the race was scheduled to go 100 laps). Joey Laquerre pitted out of the lead under caution with a vibration on lap 65, only to have the rains come one lap later. Brent Dragon inhertied the lead and took the win. Laquerre finished 15th.

75th race -- The Currier Auto Group 100 on August 24, 2000 at White Mountain Motorsports Park in North Woodstock, N.H., won by Phil Scott.

100th race -- The Subway 100 on June 23, 2002 at Canaan Fair Speedway in Canaan, N.H., won by Kenny Dufour.

125th race -- The New England Dodge Dealers Milk Bowl on October 5, 2003 at Thunder Road in Barre, Vt., won by Eric Williams.

150th race -- The Merchants Bank 150 on April 30, 2006 at Thunder Road in Barre, Vt., won by Jean-Paul Cyr.

175 -- Career starts for Brent Dragon, most all-time.

175th race -- The New England Dodge Dealers 150 on April 26, 2008 at Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, Me., won by Ricky Rolfe.

184 -- In points, the margin of victory for Brian Hoar over runner-up Chuck Beede in 1999, the widest championship margin in history.

199th race -- The Merchants Bank 150 on May 2, 2010 at Thunder Road in Barre, Vt., won by Nick Sweet.

200th race -- The WJAB 150 at Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, Me., to be run on Sunday at 2:00pm.

300 -- Laps run in the Fall Foliage 300 at Airborne Speedway last September, the longest-distance ACT race in history.

24,182 -- Laps completed by the ACT Late Model Tour since 1992.

***

AROUND THE REGION:

Time to take a look at the top Vermonters from the past weekend...

Big Daddy's Speedway (Rumney, N.H.): Louie Cadwell of Vershire was the runner-up in the inaugural Sportsman Modified feature at Big Daddy's Speedbowl on Sunday, with Hartland's Ed Tobin fifth. Josh Sunn of White River Junction won the Mini Stock feature.

Canaan Dirt Speedway (Canaan, N.H.): Rookie Dan Eastman of Thetford Center was sixth in the Sportsman Modifed opener on Friday, with Hartland's Ed Tobin ninth. Josh Sunn of White River Junction was fifth in the Mini Stocks. Dakota Stender of Tunbridge won the Bandit feature with Mike Stender of South Strafford fifth.

NASCAR Nationwide Series: Shelburne's Kevin Lepage was 38th at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway on Friday night.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: David Stremme finished 24th at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway on Saturday night for Vermont-based Latitude 43 Motorsports.

PASS South Super Late Models: Steven Legendre of Danville finished 19th in Friday's event at Wake County Speedway in Raleigh, N.C.

Twin State Speedway (Claremont, N.H.): Dallas Trombley of Rutland finished 13th in the Late Model feature on Friday night, while Robert Hagar of Windsor was tenth in the Modified event. Russ Davis of Cavendish won the Super Street feature over Chris Wilk of Mendon, with Mt. Holly's Kayla Bryant fifth. Pittsford's Kyle Davis won the Strictly Stock feature over Jacksonville's Kaitlin Stone and David Greenslit of Waitsfield.

***

THIS WEEK:

Friday, May 14
Albany-Saratoga Speedway, Malta, N.Y. -- 6:45pm (Regular Event)
Canaan Dirt Speedway, Canaan, N.H. -- 7:00pm (SCoNE 360 Sprint Cars)
Twin State Speedway, Claremont, N.H. -- 7:30pm (Regular Event)

Saturday, May 15
Airborne Speedway, Plattsburgh, N.Y. -- 5:00pm (Regular Event)
Bear Ridge Speedway, Bradford -- 10:00am (Car Show @ Jiffy Mart), 6:00pm (Season Opener - Double Features)
Canaan Fair Speedway, Canaan, N.H. -- 6:00pm (Season Opener)
Devil's Bowl Speedway, West Haven -- 1:00pm (Open Practice)
Monadnock Speedway, Winchester, N.H. -- 6:00pm (Regular Event)

Sunday, May 16
Big Daddy's Speedbowl, Rumney, N.H. -- 4:00pm (Regular Event)
Riverside Speedway, Groveton, N.H. -- 1:00pm (Season Opener)


TOURING SERIES:

ACT Late Model Tour: Sun., May 16 -- Oxford Plains Speedway, Oxford, Me. (2:00pm)
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series: Fri., May 14 -- Dover Int'l Speedway, Dover, Del. (SPEED/8:00pm - Tape Delay)
NASCAR Nationwide Series: Sat., May 15 -- Dover Int'l Speedway, Dover, Del. (ABC/1:00pm)
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Sun., May 16 -- Dover Int'l Speedway, Dover, Del. (FOX/7:30pm)
Sprint Cars of New England: Fri., May 14 -- Canaan Dirt Speedway, Canaan, N.H. (7:00pm)

Sweet Takes First ACT Victory at Thunder Road

BARRE – The first 80 laps of Sunday’s Merchants Bank 150 at Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl appeared to be a continuation of Dave Pembroke’s dominance of American-Canadian Tour events at the Barre track. After starting from the outside pole, the Middlesex driver had a full straightaway lead by lap 12 and was pulling away. That all changed on a lap 80 restart, though, as Patrick Laperle of St-Denis, Que., and hometown driver Nick Sweet arrived on the scene.

Laperle rode the outside line to take the lead on lap 81, then the trio waged a 40-lap battle at the front. Pembroke reassumed the lead on lap 96 before Sweet took over 14 circuits later. Pembroke and Sweet swapped the point four more times between laps 112 and 121 before Sweet took control for good. Defending ACT champion Brian Hoar of Williston arrived late in the going for second place, with Laperle third and Pembroke fourth.

“These long races are all about patience,” said Sweet, who started 12th on the 30-car grid. “You have to set up for these kinds of races. You can’t burn the tires off too soon, and I saved it. I’ve learned a lot over these past couple years, and look at me now, I’m winning races.”

For Sweet, in his third season of racing the top-tier Late Model division, the Merchants Bank 150 was his first ACT victory. For his competitors, though, it felt like a long time coming.

“I closed in on Nick the last five laps and tried to nerve him up a little bit, but he did a great job,” said Hoar. “He didn’t nerve up much. He’s definitely a future champion.”

“This is the first race we’ve had to worry about Nick Sweet,” Pembroke said sarcastically; the two are weekly competitors at Thunder Road. “We knew last year that Nick was a great, great driver.”

Mark Lamberton of Mooers Forks, N.Y., had a strong return to full-time competition by finishing in fifth place. The unofficial top ten was completed by Craig Bushey, Joey Laquerre, Chip Grenier, polesitter Scott Payea, and Mark Hayward in a career-best tenth.

With the win, Sweet became the first driver to qualify for the ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in September.

Veteran driver George May of Barre won the 35-lap Tiger Sportsman feature in a caution-free event. May’s last win at Thunder Road came in 1994. Mike Ziter of Williamstown was second, followed by Cody Blake, Joel Hodgdon, and Josh Demers.

Street Stock driver Mike MacAskill of Williamstown dominated the first of two Street Stock/Junkyard Warrior combined features, with Travis Hull second and Bunker Hodgdon third. Tim Campbell of West Topsham beat Greg Adams, Jr., by two feet to win the second feature, with Barre’s Ron Gabaree third. Cabot’s Ken Christman and Kevin Wheatley of Williamstown were the top-finishing Junkyard Warrior drivers in their respective features.

The Juice: It's Head-Smashing Time

-by Justin St. Louis
VMM Editor

It seemed like it was only a matter of time. Patrick Laperle coming back to the American-Canadian Tour, that is. After all, it seemed like it was only a matter of time for his falling out with Tom Curley last September.

Laperle made it adamantly clear at the beginning of his career that he was going to do things his way, and to his credit, he has stayed one hundred percent true to that. Unfortunately for Laperle, Curley did the same thing twenty years earlier, and has stuck to his guns ever since.

The result? A total win-win for ACT fans.

There are spats between drivers here and there -- Brian Hoar vs. Mike Bruno in the 1990s, Hoar vs. Joey Polewarczyk last year, Cris Michaud vs. Brad Leighton the year before, and Laperle vs. Donald Theetge, well, forever -- but the rivarly between Laperle and Curley is a horse of a different color.

A battle like this gives fans something new to cheer for -- The rebellious cog upsetting the dictator's machine.

Curley, a fiercely independent Irishman from the Maine seacoast, is arguably the most successful short track promoter in the history of northeastern racing, and is in the elite crowd of the Bob Harmons, the Rex Robbins, the Hugh Deerys, and the Humpy Wheelers of the world. He has been called a maverick, a rebel, and, by his own admission in a Stock Car Racing Magazine article some twenty-odd years ago, "a pain in the ass." It's his way or the highway.

Laperle, a very focused, very talented, very popular Frenchman from suburban Montréal, has been a house afire since virtually the first race he ever drove at Airborne Speedway in 1998. He has won races and championships almost everywhere he's been from Québec to Florida, and is without question the most controversial racer in these parts.

When you put the two together, it's a recipe for a sort of magical disaster. The magic is in watching Curley set rules in place and create an entertaining racing product, and in watching Laperle at times make that product his own personal stomping ground. The two are among the very best in their chosen fields. The disaster comes when they challenge each other -- and they've been doing that since the beginning -- and feelings get hurt.

Remember, Laperle left racing full-time with ACT in 2005 and 2006 after repeated disagreements with Curley. He came back in 2007 and won the Série ACT-Castrol title, the ACT Late Model Tour title the next year, and nearly won the Castrol title again last season. When everything came to a head at St-Eustache last September, Laperle swore Curley off and said he'd be gone for two years, unless he felt like "smashing [his] head off a wall" again in 2010.

Apparently, it's already head-smashing time. We'll sit back and watch at Albany-Saratoga Speedway this weekend for anything that may or may not come out of the next chapter of Laperle vs. Curley.

***

Don't forget: If you can't make it to Albany-Saratoga Speedway this weekend (or even if you can!), follow VMM for raceday coverage of the ACT Late Model Tour opener, presented by RPM Racing Engines. We're here on the blog, but we're also on Twitter and Facebook!

***

How Hollywood-perfect would it be if Laperle was to win in ACT's first go at Albany-Saratoga this weekend?

History is a bit on his side, too. Of Laperle's 16 career ACT Late Model Tour wins, four have come in the series' first-ever appearance at a track: Lee USA Speedway in 2003, Twin State Speedway in 2004, and both Autodrome St-Eustache and Kawartha Speedway in 2007. He also won last year's Fall Foliage 300 in his first start at Airborne Speedway since the track was redesigned, and won the first-ever Coors Light 200 Showdown at Autodrome Chaudière in 2008.

***

Hey, if you haven't checked out the total facelift done on the new Big Daddy's Speedbowl in Rumney, N.H., you need to. Holy cow. Congratulations to Mike Rivers and his crew.

***

One more bit on Laperle -- We spoke with him again on Wednesday morning, and Laperle praised Curley and ACT for moving to electronic scoring this season. Laperle said that the decision to come back to ACT was helped largely because of the switch.

***

Kudos to both ACT and the Modified Racing Series on their decisions regarding the weather last weekend, for very different reasons.

Facing a total washout on Sunday, ACT and Lee USA Speedway called their event in southern New Hampshire off two days in advance. The result was a lot of travel, time, and money saved.

Up against the same thing in New York, the MRS troops tried to get their combination event with the Race of Champions Tour in at Albany-Saratoga, but were unable to do so. With nasty weather in the forecast on Friday, A-S management called Saturday's events off but played a wait-and-see game for the Sunday race, hoping the forecast would improve. It did, and they kept on schedule for Sunday and were even able to get a couple of heat races in. Unfortunately, the forecast is only a prediction, and the skies ultimately opened up anyway.

Valiant calls by both groups, we say. Pro All Stars Series officials have been blasted by fans and competitors for years over calling off events early due to unfavorable forecasts. They've also been blasted for waiting too long by the same groups of people. We're of the opinion that both ACT and MRS did the right thing -- an actually, so did PASS, having also been rained out at Speedway 95 in Bangor, Me., on Sunday -- by working with the options they had.

***

THIS WEEK:

Saturday, April 24
Airborne Speedway, Plattsburgh, N.Y. -- 1:00pm (Open Practice)
Albany-Saratoga Speedway, Malta, N.Y. -- 1:00pm (Open Practice)
Canaan Dirt Speedway, Canaan, N.H. -- 11:00am (Open Practice)
Canaan Fair Speedway, Canaan, N.H. -- 11:00am (Open Practice)
Monadnock Speedway, Winchester, N.H. -- 12:00pm (Open Practice)
Riverside Speedway, Groveton, N.H. -- Tire Sale & Track Clean-Up Day

Sunday, April 25
Albany-Saratoga Speedway, Malta, N.Y. -- 1:00pm (ACT Late Model Tour/Modified Tri-Track Series)
Big Daddy's Speedbowl, Rumney, N.H. -- 12:00pm (Car Show)
Twin State Speedway, Claremont, N.H. -- 12:00pm (Open Practice)

TOURING SERIES:
ACT Late Model Tour: Sun., April 25 -- Albany-Saratoga Speedway, Malta, N.Y. (1:00pm)
Modified Tri-Track Series: Sun., April 25 -- Albany-Saratoga Speedway, Malta, N.Y. (1:00pm)
NASCAR Nationwide Series: Sat., April 24 -- Talladega Superspeedway, Talladega, Ala. (2:30pm)
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Sun., April 25 -- Talladega Superspeedway, Talladega, Ala. (1:00pm)
Pro All Stars Series: Sat., April 25 -- Orange County Speedway, Rougemont, N.C. (7:00pm)

BREAKING NEWS: Laperle Returning to ACT at Albany-Saratoga

Albany-Saratoga 100 coverage presented by RPM Racing Engines

MALTA, N.Y. -- Come Sunday, Patrick Laperle's self-imposed exile from the American-Canadian Tour will be over before it ever really started.

Laperle, the 2008 ACT Late Model Tour champion and 2007 Serie ACT-Castrol champion, defected from ACT last September after a falling out with series president Tom Curley, threatening to leave the series for "two years".

A controversial move by Laperle at Autodrome St-Eustache in his native Quebec at the 2009 Serie ACT-Castrol finale left him penalized by Curley and ACT, effectively costing him his second Castrol title by just a single point to Donald Theetge. Laperle skipped the Chittenden Bank Milk Bowl at Thunder Road the following week -- a race he had won three times in the previous four years -- and the ACT Late Model Tour season finale at Oxford Plains Speedway in October.

Tuesday night, though, he told Vermont Motorsports Magazine that he'll be at Albany-Saratoga Speedway in Malta, N.Y., for the ACT Late Model Tour season opener on Sunday.

Laperle said he has little interest in racing with Curley, but feels competing this weekend is something he owes to his family team.

"I don't want to go," he said. "I haven't talked to Tom and I don't want to. My brothers Eric and Daniel want to test the car, and we're usually pretty good at new tracks, so we're going."

The Albany-Saratoga 100 is the first event for ACT at the newly-paved track. Laperle has previously won inaugural ACT events at Lee USA, Twin State, St-Eustache, and Kawartha.

"It's a track nobody has really been to, and we'll probably have a good chance to win," he said. "Beyond this weekend, I'm racing a dirt modified once at Granby this year, but other than that... when, where, we don't know.

"But we're going to Albany this weekend. We're not doing it for Tom Curley. We're doing it for us."

World Series: Crate Late Model Finale Rained Out, Laperle 2nd Overall Again

Delaney finishes third overall

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- It seems only fitting that the 44th Annual World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing would end for the Crate Late Model division as it began -- soaking wet. Heavy rains on Friday have forced the cancellation of Night 8 on the nine-night championship at New Smyrna Speedway, which was scheduled to be the final night of racing for the division. Inclement weather also cancelled racing on opening night of the World Series last Friday (Feb. 5) and again on Tuesday.

As a result of the cancellations, former American-Canadian Tour champion and Milk Bowl winner Patrick Laperle of St-Denis-sur-Richelieu, Qué., has clinched second place in the Crate Late Model point standings for the second-straight year, with former CVRA and Devil's Bowl Speedway racer Dustin Delaney of Mayfield, N.Y., third overall.

Laperle posted a victory -- the fourth of his career at New Smyrna Speedway -- on Wednesday night after a drive from 15th starting position, and also turned in a pair of third-place finishes and an 18th-place effort in his four starts during the World Series. Delaney's best result was a runner-up finish on Monday night, followed by a third-place showing on the night of Laperle's win. Delaney was fifth on Saturday and eighth in Thursday's 50-lap feature.

Sean Bass of Orlando, Fla., found himself in the right place at the right time on Thursday night, winning the 50-lapper and taking the point lead away from 14 year-old Stephen Nasse. Nasse wrecked out of a top-five position with five laps remaining, eventually limping home in 16th place and dropping from first to fourth in the standings. Brandon Johnson finished fifth overall in the division.

Northeast noteables include Stayner, Ont., teenager Brandon Watson, who finished in a three-way tie for ninth place in the Crate Late Model division, and Shaun McWhirter of Mt. Forest, Ont., and Wayne Smith of Timberlea, Nova Scotia, who were among a six-way tie for 13th overall.

In other action at the World Series, B.J. McLeod leads St. John, New Brunswick's Lonnie Sommerville entering the Super Late Model division's Pete Orr Memorial 100 finale on Saturday, and Ted Christopher of Plainville, Conn., holds a slim three-point lead over Chuck Hossfeld of Ransomville, N.Y. entering Saturday's Richie Evans Memorial 100 in the Tour-type Modifieds. Ronnie Silk of Norwalk, Conn., leads the SK Modified division, Todd Allen leads the Limited Late Model class, and T.J. Duke leads the Pro-Trucks. James Tucker defeated second-generation driver Travis Eddy for the Florida/IMCA-type Modified championship.

FINAL POINT STANDINGS
44th Annual World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing
New Smyrna Speedway -- New Smyrna Beach, Florida
Crate Late Models, after Night 7, Thu., Feb. 11, 2010

Pos.-Driver-Hometown-Points

1. Sean Bass, Orlando, Fla. -- 178
2. Patrick Laperle, St-Denis, Qué. -- 158
3. Dustin Delaney, Mayfield, N.Y. -- 154
4. Stephen Nasse, Pinellas Park, Fla. -- 150
5. Brandon Johnson, Tampa, Fla. -- 146
6. David Wagner, Akron, Oh. -- 102
7. Austin Kirkpatrick, Ocala, Fla. -- 98
-- Jerick Johnson, Mooresville, N.C. -- 98
9. Thor Anderson, Bondurant, Ia. -- 90
-- Brandon Watson, Stayner, Ont. -- 90
-- Erik Jones, Byron, Mich. -- 90

World Series: Laperle Wins at New Smyrna, Delaney 2nd in Points

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- Patrick Laperle of St-Denis-sur-Richelieu, Qué., drove from 15th starting position to win the Crate Late Model feature at New Smyrna Speedway's World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing on Wednesday night. Laperle, a former American-Canadian Tour champion and three-time winner of the Chittenden Bank Milk Bowl at Barre's Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl, now sits fifth in points after four events have been completed in the series.

Dustin Delaney of Mayfield, N.Y., a former Modified racer at Devil's Bowl Speedway in West Haven, finished third in the Wednesday night feature, and is tied for second in points with Tampa, Fla., driver Brandon Johnson, just markers behind young Stephen Nasse of Pinellas Park, Fla. Part-time ACT competitor Brandon Watson of Stayner, Ont., is ninth in points after a disqualification for illegal fuel earlier in the week.

Only three of five scheduled Crate Late Model events have been completed; rain cancelled racing on Friday, Feb. 5, and heavy fog wiped out racing on Tuesday, Feb. 9. The Crate Late Models are slated to race again tonight, with a final 50-lap feature on Friday. Fourteen year-old Nasse won on Saturday and Monday to open the series, but finished seventh last night. Delaney has three top-five finishes to his credit.

For additional coverage of the 44th Annual World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway, visit Marc Patrick Roy's "Oval-Racing" website.

UNOFFICIAL POINT STANDINGS
44th Annual World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing
New Smyrna Speedway -- New Smyrna Beach, Florida
Crate Late Models, after Night 6, Wed., Feb. 10, 2010

Pos.-Driver-Hometown-Points

1. Stephen Nasse, Pinellas Park, Fla. -- 146
2. Dustin Delaney, Mayfield, N.Y. -- 142
-- Brandon Johnson, Tampa, Fla. -- 142
4. Sean Bass, Auburndale, Fla. -- 138
5. Patrick Laperle, St-Denis, Qué. -- 126
6. David Wagner, Akron, Oh. -- 98
7. Jerick Johnson, Mooresville, N.C. -- 94
8. Thor Anderson, Bondurant, Ia. -- 82
9. Brandon Watson, Stayner, Ont. -- 74
10. Erik Jones, Byron, Mich. -- 70

(PHOTO: Patrick Laperle at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway; Photo by Marc Patrick Roy)

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

GUTS

It takes a lot of things to get into a race car: Money, people, time, energy, sponsors, equipment, dedication.

But it only takes one thing to win: Guts.

***

"The only traction control I need is in my right foot." --Patrick Laperle

"The sky is the limit, we just have to use our heads and move slowly." --Airborne Speedway promoter Mike Perrotte

"You're my new hero." --NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon's remark to ACT driver Phil Scott after Scott ran full-bore through a stream of water in Turn 1 during a Goodyear tire test at New Hampshire Motor Speedway

"There was some bumping, but this is short track, right?" --Brad Leighton at Airborne Speedway

"If you're nuts enough to stick it out there, you can really go." --Mike Perrotte on Airborne Speedway's new outside lane

"He might be driving one of my cars, but he's gonna have to try to get by me to win that race." --Joey Polewarczyk on NASCAR champion Tony Stewart's Governor's Cup 150 appearance at Thunder Road

"I've been doing this a long time. I'm not going to wait if I see an opening, whether it's behind a lapped car or whatever, I'm going to head down there and take a shot at it and see if it works." --Chris Donnelly

"I've heard a lot of bad stories about it." --Airborne Speedway Sportsman driver Shawn Duquette on making his first start at Thunder Road

"At lap 80, I was getting dizzy. I kept pulling my gloves down and hanging my hands out the window trying to cool my wrists. I was good on that last run, and then that caution came out with seven to go. And it just hit, everything started spinning. If there was another lap I would have drove right off the speedway." --Wayne Helliwell, Jr., who collapsed from heat exhaustion in victory lane at Riverside Speedway in Groveton, N.H., after winning the Clash of the Titans 150 in 95-degree heat

"If you want to jack me up and spin me out, well, you're going to the rear, too. That's just the way I look at things. I'm not going to let someone booger me around." --John Donahue

"We've got good notes and a lot of confidence, and it's not like I'm going out there and pussyfooting around. We're going over to win." --Scott Payea

"The Milk Bowl is all about patience, but then again, you can't say that, either. 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.' " --Joey Polewarczyk

"I don't like being put three-wide, but this is the third segment, this is the Milk Bowl, this happens once a year. I don't know how else to put it. I wanted it more than he did. I got rough. I usually don't drive like that, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime deal." --John Donahue on racing for the Milk Bowl victory with Brent Dragon

"I hate seeing that black bumper in my mirror. He's always run me clean, but I still let him go if he wants a spot." --Nick Sweet on racing with Eric Williams

"You don't want to piss Eric off, because he gets mad and he don't forget." --John Donahue on racing with Eric Williams

"Life isn't a dress rehearsal." --Gardner Stone's advice to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team owner Bill Jenkins

Laperle, Watson Headed to New Smyrna's World Series

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- Former American-Canadian Tour champion Patrick Laperle of St-Denis-sur-Richelieu, Qué. has filed an entry for the 44th Annual World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at Florida's New Smyrna Speedway, Feb. 5-13. Laperle will race in the Crate/ASA-Type Late Model division, competing alongside fellow ACT driver Brandon Watson of Stayner, Ont., and former CVRA Modified competitor Dustin Delaney of Mayfield, N.Y.

Laperle won three of the first five features in the Crate/ASA division at last year's World Series, but was involved in a hard crash on Night 6, which ultimately led to him finishing second in points to champion David Wagner of Akron, Oh. Laperle went on to finish second in points in the Canadian-based Série ACT-Castrol later in the year with three wins, adding another victory on the U.S.-based ACT Late Model Tour at Airborne Speedway.

Watson, 16, is one of the hottest prospects in northeastern Late Model racing, having success in ACT, OSCAAR Super Late Models, and at Kawartha, Barrie, and Peterborough Speedways in Ontario; he finished third in the inaugural ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in September.

Delaney, who raced with the Champlain Valley Racing Association at Devil's Bowl Speedway in West Haven and Albany-Saratoga Speedway in Malta, N.Y. as recently as 2008, finished eighth in NASCAR Camping World Series East points last year, with Vermont native Jamie Aube as his crew chief.

Eric Chase of Milton has finished in the top ten in points in each of the two previous World Series and was a feature winner in 2008, but confirmed on Monday that he will not return to New Smyrna this year.

A LOOK BACK: ACT Fall Foliage 300

The ACT Late Model Tour's Fall Foliage 300 at Airborne Speedway in Plattsburgh, N.Y. was a historic event. Until that point, the longest race the series had ever run was 200 laps on a 4/10-mile track. Not only that, Airborne's newly redesigned corners allowed for some great side-by-side racing, producing a single-event record-tying 19 lead changes for the Tour.

The following video is Vermont Motorsports Magazine's recap of the race, won in impressive fashion by Patrick Laperle.

(All video/photo content by Justin St. Louis/VMM)

The Juice: The Good, the Bad, and the Abhorrent

-by Justin St. Louis

It has been the craziest week in the history of auto racing. Ever. Okay, maybe not, but a lot went on. And thanks to my newfound love of the word "abhorrent" (it's one of those words you know exists, but don't realize it's missing from your life until you use it once, kinda like the way I feel about dirt racing after this year), we've got ourselves a column.

Here's a look at the week that was.

THE GOOD:

--The NASCAR Camping World Series East, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, and ACT Invitational events at New Hampshire Motor Speedway last weekend. I thought they were great. The two NASCAR events had a few too many cautions -- and for dumb stuff, like Jason Patison and Eric Curran wrecking each other for last place in the East race -- but the actual racing for the lead was very entertaining in all three events.

--Donny Lia was stellar in the Modifieds.

--Helping coach SPEED Channel's Bob Dillner on the iRacing Modified simulator in the infield media center on Saturday with driver Ryan Preece, not 15 minutes after Preece finished third in the WMT race. We ran Stafford Motor Speedway, the site of Preece's most recent WMT victory, and Dillner wasn't exactly, um, the smoothest guy. Not horrible, but not smooth. Preece got in the seat and beat Dillner's best lap by a half-second... on the first lap. And then it was my turn, and I felt pretty good about being only four tenths off Preece's best time. It's a helluva jump (or is it "Heluva Good!"?) from a four-cylinder Mustang five years ago to a, uh, digitally-created SK Modified at Stafford. But we got it done.

--The ACT Invitational was superlative, especially for a first effort. The 36 cars were all very classy-looking, the drivers were racy and ultra-respectful of each other on the track, and holy cow, the crowd got into it. ACT announcer Troy Germain is to be commended for his energetic introduction of each driver, and Tom Curley's idea to incorporate the presentation of the team battle flags onto the edge of the race track blew the crowd away. Many fans stood for the entire 50 laps.

--The tractor trailer shower setup things in the parking lots at NHMS were out-freaking-standing.

--The most interesting part of the huge crowd that stuck around after the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event on Saturday to see the ACT race was listening to where the cheers came from during introductions. Some estimates had as many as 40,000 fans there, but it was probably more like 18,000 to 25,000 for the ACT Invitational. Every fan applauded every driver, but for each one there were patches of localized families and fans losing their minds for their favorite drivers. When Randy Potter was introduced, one 50-person section of the stands, most likely centered around Groveton, N.H., went crazy on the frontstretch. When T.J. Watson was up, his Maine-based fans went nuts over in Turn 1, or wherever they were. And the Milton fans cheered for guys like Brent Dragon, Scott Payea, Jean-Paul Cyr, and Eric Chase. It was very cool, and it also sent a message loud and clear to NHMS officials that there were a lot people there specifically to watch the ACT Invitational.

--Three words: Juan Pablo Montoya.

--Five words: Eddie MacDonald and Rollie Lachance.

--You gotta love Travis Adams' attitude. Adams spent the year chasing a dream for his father, the late Donnie Adams, and won his fourth-straight Oxford Plains Speedway championship. But his goals were two-fold: Adams wanted the title for his dad, but he also wanted to win the title so he would be invited to Loudon, N.H. for the ACT Invitational, just for the chance to race at NHMS. He tested at the track in August, although not very well, and then was scored 32nd in the race after a poor showing on Saturday. I went over to ask Adams a couple of questions about his race as he loaded his car to head back home to Maine, and he was clearly busy, but in his typical fashion, he spoke as he worked. After getting the answers I was looking for, I shook his hand and said, "I'm sorry your Loudon wasn't what you wanted." And Travis Adams stopped what he was doing, looked me in the eye, and said, "Yes it was." That's how important that race was to him, and to 35 other drivers. That moment was by far my favorite part of the weekend.

--Fred Neergaard, the NHMS Director of Communications, is a good man, and bent over backwards -- even when he didn't have to -- to help me out last weekend.

--Tony Stewart and Joey Polewarczyk chatted after the CWSE race on Friday night. And Stewart's obviously been paying attention since the Governor's Cup in June, because he asked Polewarczyk if he was ready for next weekend. Polewarczyk replied, "I'm not running Dover, we don't have the money for that," and Stewart said, "No, I know. I meant the Milk Bowl. That's a big deal."

--The post-race ACT Invitational press conference was truly the epitome of small-time racers in front of a big-time audience. Runner-up Nick Sweet and third-place finisher Brandon Watson were way out of their element speaking to a brightly-lit room full of people with cameras and tape recorders, but they performed as well in there as they did on the track. If you're a regular reader here at VMM, you've probably figured out by now that Sweet is a great interview because of his honesty and natural goofiness, and it was more of the same at NHMS, although instead of just me asking him questions, it was 40 people at once. Watson, all of 16 years old, was clearly uncomfortable and stared at the back wall or at the ceiling while answering questions, but both drivers said all the right things. Seth Leavitt of WCAX-TV asked Sweet to compare racing the mile at NHMS against the quarter-mile at Thunder Road, and Sweet gave his answer. Leavitt then asked Sweet, "Were you nervous?" and Sweet replied, "Right now I am. This is the hardest part." As winner Eddie MacDonald made his way to the head table, Watson's very proud mother rushed up to the middle of the room, where she inadvertantly set off a two-minute photo session by getting a shot of her boy with MacDonald. It was a very endearing moment, and certainly one that took some folks by surprise. The Q&A session with Watson and Sweet ended with a round of applause initiated by Neergaard, who was obviously enjoying the show. And when Sweet got up from the table, his straight-faced question "Can I have this bottle of water?" was enough to set the crowd off into a roar of laughter. MacDonald, of course, is no stranger to those types of events, and accorded himself in the way most professional athletes do with the media. But the presser was as special a moment as the race itself, in my opinion, and to be honest I'm not sure I expected it to go any differently.

--We weren't there to see it, but the efforts of Donald Theetge's team to literally rebuild the left-front corner of his wrecked car at Autodrome St-Eustache on Sunday. The knuckle-busting ultimately led to a Série ACT-Castrol championship for the group.


THE BAD:

--I arrived at New Hampshire Motor Speedway more unprepared to do my job than I have ever been at any race, ever, in nearly ten years of work. From my days on the ACT payroll when I forgot to bring a printer to a Canadian race, or from my days in high school freelancing for whatever newspaper would let me, or from my first "interview" with Matt Kenseth at the 2004 Oxford 250. I was simply a floundering idiot at NHMS as far as having my stuff together. You might not have noticed, but I sure did, and I know some VIPs did, too. I apologize to you all and to myself.

--Can anyone tell me who Richard Harriman, Chris Jones, Chris Lawson, and Nick Tucker are, or why I don't have a Truck ride?

--Speedway Motorsports Inc. should really consider contracting their long-time partner, Sylvania, into installing some lights around NHMS. The CWSE race was cut 26 laps short because of darkness on Friday night, and it was so bad that if there was a black car going down the frontstretch, well, I sure didn't see it.

--Polewarczyk's wreck in the CWSE race was an extremely hard hit, driver's door first into the Turn 1 wall. Polewarczyk admitted that he was dazed: "Everything went black."

--ACT teams running too much tire stagger, as much as three inches, and causing problems for themselves. There were a lot of cars affected, including Ben Rowe, who hit the wall in Turn 3 after his right-front tire blew out, Brian Hoar, who faded from second to eighth over the final five laps, early leader Joey Doiron, and winner Eddie MacDonald, who had a major blister on the right-rear tire of his car.

--The weather on Friday delayed everything at NHMS, which in turn cancelled our trip to White Mountain Motorsports Park for the Late Model championship event at the PASS North season finale.


THE ABHORRENT:

--Patrick Laperle's Castrol deal at St-Eustache. After listening to both Laperle and ACT's Tom Curley, it appears rather obvious to me that the Jacques Laperle car was used in the lap 273 yellow flag to aid the ailing Patrick Laperle car. It was totally wrong. But I'm also not sure I agree with Curley's decision to not open pit road, because that potentially could have had a negative effect on everyone else running the race, too. Luckily, it appears that it didn't. At the end of the day, I think Patrick Laperle took a chance he shouldn't have taken and he got burned for it.

--Because I was at NHMS, I again wasn't there to see it, but I'm hearing that Airborne Speedway top dogs Martin Roy and Patrick Dupree were disqualified from Sunday's non-points "Apple Bowl 100" at the track for illegal engine parts. Reportedly, Dupree was running unapproved titanium parts in his DIRTcar 'spec' engine, and Roy's issues went much farther than that. DIRTcar inspectors in fact traveled to Airborne on Monday to confirm the findings. That having been said, neither driver had any issues in technical inspection during the regular season, and they were both in the tech shed plenty of times.

--The cold weather at night at Loudon was atrocious. Go ahead and try to sleep in a pop-up camper when it's 74 below outside, I dare ya.

***

AROUND THE REGION:

Time to take a look at the top Vermonters from the past weekend...

ACT Late Model Tour: On Saturday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H., Eddie MacDonald of Rowley, Mass. beat Barre's Nick Sweet to win the inaugural ACT Invitational. Brandon Watson of Stayner, Ont. was third with Patrick Laperle of St-Denis, Qué. fourth and Graniteville's John Donahue fifth.

Airborne Speedway (Plattsburgh, N.Y.): Aaron Bartemy of Sheldon finished eighth in Sunday's Apple Bowl 100 for Modifieds. Milton's Bill Sawyer was the Sportsman runner-up, with Joey Roberts of Georgia sixth, Brad Bushey of Georgia ninth, and Joe Steffen of Essex Junction tenth. Lance Rabtoy of Fairfax was fourth in the Renegade feature with brother Dave Rabtoy of Swanton fifth.

Monadnock Speedway (Winchester, N.H.): Dwight Jarvis of Ascutney was eighth in Friday's Modified feature with Josh King of Vernon 12th. Dana Shepard of Putney was 13th in the Super Stock race, and Joe Rogers of Ludlow was 10th in the Mini Stocks. Vernon drivers Heath Renaud, Josh Houle, and Pat Houle finished second, fourth, and fifth in the four-cylinder Enduro, respectively.

NASCAR Camping World Series East: Barney McRae of Milton finished 33rd in Friday's Heluva Good! 125 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H.

PASS North Super Late Models: Richie Dearborn of Hollis, Me. won Friday's season finale at White Mountain Motorsports Park in North Woodstock, N.H. over Ben Rowe of Turner, Me., Kelly Moore of Scarborough, Me., Travis Benjamin of Morrill, Me., and 2009 champion Johnny Clark of Farmingdale, Me. Danville rookie Steven Legendre finished seventh.

Riverside Speedway (Groveton, N.H.): Ben Bedor of Lyndonville was fifth in Saturday's Super Stock feature. Dean Switser, Jr. of Lyndonville was third in the Street Stocks with Andy Fecteau of Hardwick fifth. Toby Merchant of Concord was the Dwarf Car runner-up, and Johanna Christman of Cabot won the Angel feature.

White Mountain Motorsports Park (North Woodstock, N.H.): St. Johnsbury's Stacy Cahoon finished fifth in the Late Model feature on Friday to wrap up his second-straight track championship. Stevie Parker of Lyndonville was the Strictly Stock runner-up, taking that division's championship, and Concord's Rubin Call won the Strictly Stock Mini race, finishing second in the championship to Opie Thayer.

***

WEEKEND SCHEDULE:

Saturday, Sept. 26
Bear Ridge Speedway, Bradford -- 6:00pm (Final Event -- Championship Night, Enduro, Demolition Derby)
Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl, Barre -- 1:00pm (Booth Bros./H.P. Hood Qualifying Day)
Airborne Speedway, Plattsburgh, N.Y. -- 5:00pm (Final Event -- Non-Winners Races)
Monadnock Speedway, Winchester, N.H. -- 2:00pm (Final Event -- School Bus Race, Demolition Derby)

Sunday, Sept. 27
Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl, Barre -- 1:00pm (Final Event -- Chittenden Bank Milk Bowl)

Laperle Furious Over ACT Ruling

ST-DENIS, Qué. -- File this one under "No Big Surprise". Patrick Laperle is mad.

Following a highly controversial Série ACT-Castrol season finale at Autodrome St-Eustache on Sunday, Laperle says he is likely done racing with the American-Canadian Tour for a while. Laperle entered the St-Eustache 300 finale trailing rival Donald Theetge by 33 points for the championship, but found himself in the catbird seat when Theetge was involved in a wreck near the race's halfway point.

Laperle led 189 laps before suffering a flat tire, at the same time that his cousin, Jacques Laperle, running in sixth place at the time, stopped on the track on lap 273 to bring out a caution flag.

The Laperle teams claim that Jacques Laperle's car also had a flat tire, while ACT officials disagree. According to ACT officials, a member of Patrick Laperle's team violated the ACT rulebook by leaving his pit during the race to have a conversation with Jacques Laperle's team at the other end of the infield pit road, just one lap prior to the yellow flag. ACT President Tom Curley viewed the move as "abhorrent", "detrimental", and "dishonest", disqualified the Jacques Laperle car from the race, and penalized the Patrick Laperle car one lap for the pit road violation.

The pit road also remained closed, ACT says, because the caution period was very quick, opening only after the field was realigned, the call came from the race control booth to cross cars over double-file, and the green flag was displayed at the restart. Patrick Laperle pitted to change his flat tire when the pit area opened, losing another lap in the process.

"I knew if I came to pit road to change my tire while it was closed I would lose a lap, so I stayed on the track," said Patrick Laperle, who disagrees. "They were supposed to be double-file, but they were single-file on the restart, and Tom Curley says he doesn't want to look at the video." (In a video of the restart posted on JournalSport.ca, some cars are running double-file at the restart, including front-row starters Jonathan Urlin (#4) and Sylvain Lacombe (#3), as well as some cars in the middle of the pack. Click here to view the video.)

Laperle thinks Curley is playing favorites. "I don't know what it is, but I think he likes Theetge and not me," Laperle said. "There was a press conference in Québec City before the season started and they had Theetge, but I won the U.S. championship and they didn't invite me, no one talked about that. And [Curley] brought Theetge to Loudon for the test early this year and not me. He never talked to me in the pits all year from the first race at Vallée-Jonction (in June) until two weeks ago (at Thunder Road). All of a sudden on Labor Day, surprise, Tom is in our trailer telling a story. I don't get it."

As of now, Laperle says his primary ACT car is for sale, his sponsor, Normand Girard of JPN Racing, has pulled the plug on funding any future efforts with ACT racing, and the car will likely be purchased before the week is out. He said he wanted to race at the Milk Bowl at Thunder Road this weekend to try to become the first driver in history to win the event three consecutive years, but is "afraid I might do something stupid if I go race there."

Laperle's brother and crew chief, Eric, said Curley told him in the heat of the moment at St-Eustache that "ACT would rather lose one team (Laperle's) than a group of drivers that would leave if we won."

The Laperles feel targeted by Curley, drawing comparisons between past controversial incidents with drivers Junior Hanley, Randy LaJoie, and Ralph Nason. "It's been that way all year long, it's been that way for many, many years," said Eric Laperle.

"If that's the way [Curley] wants to treat people, I'll leave," said Patrick Laperle. "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 lost Julio (Miglioli, a former sponsor) because of something like this (in 2006), now I've lost Normand except for the Pro Stock when we race that.

"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."

Curley: Laperle Strategy "Abhorrent"

WATERBURY -- Vermont Motorsports Magazine spoke with American-Canadian Tour President and Série ACT-Castrol race director Tom Curley about the controversy at Autodrome St-Eustache on Sunday, which ultimately led to Donald Theetge clinching the Castrol championship by one point over Patrick Laperle.

Curley explains the situation on lap 273, when Jacques Laperle drew a yellow flag, allegedly to aid his cousin, Patrick Laperle, who had a flat tire while leading the race and was certain to overtake Theetge for the championship at the time: "The press release explains it all. Jacques Laperle intentionally stopped his car in the power lane in the middle of the backstretch. As soon as the yellow was up, he peeled out and joined the end of the field. There was no crash, and there was no clean-up, it was very quick. We crossed the cars over for the restart and when the field came down, when the last car went by and took the green flag, the pits were opened up. Laperle and Laperle came down, and Patrick changed his tire, which is when he went a lap down. It's not our responsibility to change the tire, that's the team's responsibility, and that's why he lost a lap."

Curley on Laperle's post-race one-lap penalty: "It's clearly obvious to anybody but Laperle fans what the situation was. Patrick Laperle was riding around with a flat tire, about on the rim, and he was penalized for a crew member's infraction of the ACT rulebook. Patrick Laperle's team was in pit stall number one on the frontstretch, and one of the crew members was clearly sent to the backstretch, 30 pits away, to have a conversation with Jacques Laperle's team one lap prior to the yellow. According to ACT rules, the crew is not allowed to leave its pit stall during a race."

Curley on Laperle's apparent decision to have cousin Jacques Laperle intentionally draw a yellow flag: "The irony is that there are many strategies Patrick Laperle could have used, and I've explained this to them, that would have avoided this, and had he used one of them, he would have lost maybe one lap, if that. He would have been shown the same courtesies as everyone else in that situation. Frankly, I think the actions of his team were abhorrent.

"We're not idiots in this business, and I know a lot of you think we are, but we're not. We've been around a long time and seen a lot of races, and it was clear what was going on with the Laperle cars. If the fans can't determine what's fair play and what's not, I guess that leaves it up to us as officials. I think [Laperle's] actions were detrimental to the sport, they were dishonest, and there were other options they could have used."

Curley on allegations of favoring Donald Theetge for the championship: "At the time I obviously had no idea Donald Theetge could recover from that wreck and finish the race. His car was completely demolished, even the shock tower was sheared off the car. But his crew totally rebuilt the left-front of that car in 50 laps, they did a tremendous job. And then we ended up having that horrow-show scenario with everything that happened after Theetge's crash, and it came down to one point in favor of either driver, depending on the scoring recheck.

"As things played out, if Patrick Laperle had raced with honesty and respectfulness, he would have been the champion. Would he have won the race? I don't think so, the guys up front were very strong, and even with the new tire I don't think he could have passed them. But he certainly could have finished fourth or fifth and won the championship over Theetge by a wide margin.

"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."

BREAKING NEWS: Theetge is ACT Castrol Champion

Laperle loses by one point after penalty

WATERBURY -- Donald Theetge has officially been named the 2009 Série ACT-Castrol championship, but not before a set of unprecedented circumstances determined that outcome.

At Sunday's season finale, the St-Eustache 300 at Autodrome St-Eustache near Montréal, Theetge entered the race with a 33-point edge over Patrick Laperle to lead the championship standings. Theetge was involved in a wreck just past the halfway point, sending him to the pits for major repairs on the suspension of his car. Meanwhile, Laperle led 189 laps in the race before a tire began to go flat.

That's when things become, as the official ACT-issued press release puts it, "bizarre." This is the explanation from the release, posted at 12:35pm on Tuesday:

"[Laperle] was leading around lap 268 when he appeared to have a tire going flat. Maintaining the lead but slowing dramatically until lap 270, Laperle knew he was in trouble. Sylvain Lacombe took over the lead on lap 270 and was then passed by eventual winner Jonathan Urlin of London, Ontario. Laperle started going back through the field. At this point there was not much question that he would have to pit under green flag conditions unless he could catch a ‘lucky’ caution flag.

On lap 273 Laperle’s cousin, Jacques Laperle, racing in only his second ACT Castrol event of the season, was running sixth on the lead lap. Suddenly, and for no apparent reason, Jacques Laperle stopped his car under green in the outside lane on the backstretch, bringing out a yellow. The Jacques Laperle team claimed that they had a flat tire. ACT officials observed that the tire was not flat. Jacques Laperle was disqualified from the event for his actions of intentionally bringing out a yellow."

The infractions did not end there, however.

The ACT release continues: "Following a timing and scoring re-check of several positions which was requested by the Patrick Laperle team, there was a scoring adjustment on the Daniel Descoste finishing position. There was also a procedural penalty issued to the Patrick Laperle team by ACT officials for violation of the ACT rules and procedures. A Patrick Laperle crew member left their pit stall and entered the pit stall of cousin Jacques Laperle, just prior to the alleged ‘flat tire’ on the backstretch. Patrick Laperle was issued a one-lap penalty for this infraction. Under ACT rules and procedures the driver is responsible for the conduct of his team. Patrick Laperle finished the event in 8th position, the first car two laps down.

With only 17 of the 33 cars that started the event finishing, Donald Theetge managed to complete the race in 18th position. The final results awarded Theetge the Championship by a single point."

According to eyewitnesses, the pits were kept closed during the lap-273 caution period, thereby not allowing Patrick Laperle to come to pit road to change his flat tire. As the pace car turned off the speedway for the subsequent restart, the pits were then opened. Laperle entered the pits to change the flat tire as the green flag came out, losing the second lap during the process. A video posted on the French-language website, JournalSport.ca, shows a clip of the final restart, and shows Laperle (orange #91) on pit road and his team changing the tire.

Jonathan Urlin of London, Ont. was the winner of the race, taking the $5,000 top prize and the first Série ACT-Castrol victory of his career. Sylvain Lacombe, Karl Allard, Jean-François Déry, and Brandon Watson completed the official top-five finishers.

ACT CASTROL: Announcement Expected Soon

WATERBURY -- ACT officials are expected to release the official finish of Sunday's Série ACT-Castrol season finale, the St-Eustache 300, at "around 12:30" today, according to ACT Media Director Nick Bigelow.

A controversy stemming from the event reportedly involving Patrick Laperle, which resulted in a scoring recheck, has delayed the results of the event by two days. The race finish will also determine the 2009 Série ACT-Castrol champion.

Donald Theetge entered the race with a 33-point lead over Laperle.

ACT CASTROL: Who is the Champion?

ST-EUSTACHE, Qué. -- Confusion hangs in the air over the Série ACT-Castrol championship battle. The Canadian sister series to the ACT Late Model Tour ran its final event of 2009 on Sunday night -- the annual St-Eustache 300 at Autodrome St-Eustache near Montréal -- hyping a close title chase between bitter rivals Patrick Laperle and Donald Theetge.

And as of early Tuesday morning, no champion has been announced. The ACT website is also not functional as of 3:00am Tuesday, due to a bandwidth issue.

A short press release on the front page of the website on Monday named Jonathan Urlin of London, Ont. as the winner of the St-Eustache 300 over Sylvain Lacombe and Karl Allard, but other than noting that a scoring recheck is currently under way, little else was made official by Waterbury, Vt.-based ACT.

According to the official French-language ACT website, Theetge is the unofficial champion over Laperle by a single point, 725-724. Theetge entered the race with a 33-point cushion over Laperle, but reportedly encountered problems after crashing early in the St-Eustache 300. Laperle dominated by leading many laps, but faded with a leaking tire late in the race.

Vermont Motorsports Magazine has learned that an official announcement is expected from ACT some time on Tuesday, and will post information as it becomes available.