Joey Polewarczyk Jr.: ACT Late Model Tour
Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl Race Preview

Joey Polewarczyk Jr. of Hudson, N.H., and the ACT Late Model Tour head to the series’ hub for the Bond Auto Labor Day Classic 200 at Thunder Road International Speedbowl in Barre, Vt. Polewarczyk won his first career race on unique quarter-mile track in June of 2009, beating 2-time Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart in the process. With two wins for Ford Racing to his credit this season, Polewarczyk is fourth in the ACT standings — just one point out of third with three races remaining. He finished 12th at Thunder Road in May, and he finished 8th last weekend in the all-star Showdown At Chaudiere event. On Monday, Polewarczyk learned that he was one of the first 20 drivers named to the starting grid for the 2nd annual ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 18.

WHO: Joey Polewarczyk Jr., Hudson, N.H.
TEAM: No. 97 Pole’s Automotive/NH Precision Ford Fusion
BEST CAREER THUNDER ROAD FINISH: 1st (June 2009)
LAST RACE AT THUNDER ROAD: 12th (May 2010)

WHAT: ACT Late Model Tour Bond Auto Labor Day Classic 200
WHERE: Thunder Road International Speedbowl, Barre, Vt. (.25-mile oval)
WHEN: 1:30 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 5

ACT Late Model Tour
LAST RACE: Saturday, August 28, Showdown At Chaudiere 200, Vallee-Jonction, Que. (8th-place)
NEXT RACE: Sunday, Sept. 12, Mohawk Casino 300, Airborne Speedway, Plattsburgh, N.Y. (.500-mile oval).
POINTS POSITION: 4th

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JOEY, WHAT COMES TO MIND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THUNDER ROAD?

It’s definitely tough, and it’s not just a physically demanding track. It’s mentally demanding, too — trying to stay off that wall lap after lap is just as tough on your mind as your body. That place can be your best friend or your worst enemy — and I know all too well that it can be your best friend all day and then turn into your worst enemy at the end if it wants.

You look at the history of this race and you look at the names that have won it, guys like Robbie Crouch and Dave Dion. It’s guys that are icons in New England racing. It’s a whole different feeling at Thunder Road. You sit there in the drivers meeting and the fans start trickling in — and everyone wants to win in front of those people. It’s just a special place.

WHAT ARE 200 LAPS LIKE AT SUCH A TOUGH TRACK?

This past weekend at Chaudiere, I don’t want to say I took it lightly, but I definitely looked at it as a chance to get into a 200-lap mindset. It’s a long race.

But I’m looking forward to it. Thunder Road was our first race with the new Ford (in May), and now that we know a lot more about the engine and how we can use it, hopefully we’ll take advantage this time around.

HOW MUCH FUN IS THE 2ND ACT INVITATIONAL AT NEW HAMPSHIRE GOING TO BE?

It’s going to be a lot different. Last year when we went, everyone was kind of wondering what was going to happen and what it was going to be like. This year, I think it will be a lot more racy.

Hopefully our car is just as good for the race as it was at the test. We were fast last year, but we just couldn’t pass anybody — but this year we’ve got a fast car that can pass people. I’m really excited about it.