BARRE, Vermont — Eight-time and defending American-Canadian Tour (ACT) champion Brian Hoar took the lead from Wayne Helliwell Jr. on lap 129 and kept the wiley Granite State racer at bay to claim the 14th annual Merchants Bank 150 Sunday afternoon at Thunder Road International Speedbowl.

Hoar started second [...]]]> By Phil Whipple

BARRE, Vermont — Eight-time and defending American-Canadian Tour (ACT) champion Brian Hoar took the lead from Wayne Helliwell Jr. on lap 129 and kept the wiley Granite State racer at bay to claim the 14th annual Merchants Bank 150 Sunday afternoon at Thunder Road International Speedbowl.

Hoar started second on the 30-car grid, led for 18 laps early in the race before pitting for fresh right-side rubber during a caution flag period at lap 70. After restarting outside the top 15, Hoar charged his way forward with skill and slick moves. He regained valuable track position lost during the pit stop as other leaders eventually hit pit road for service. 

“He is awesome to race against,” Hoar said pointing to Helliwell. “He’s a good, clean driver. He got into me a couple of times, but he didn’t spin me out. I’ve been chasing this one a long time. Any win at Thunder Road is big, but this one is very special.”

Quebec veteran Patrick Laperle made an impressive late-race charge to claim third. “Irish” John Donahue and multi-time ACT champion Jean-Paul Cyr completed the top five. Finishing sixth through 10th Sunday was Trampas Demers (a great run for him), Luke Hinkley, Brooks Clark, Austin Theriault (who finished fifth Friday night at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla., driving for NASCAR star Brad Keselowski) and

Six cautions slowed the race, the worst of which caused a red flag delay for just over 14 minutes. Twenty of the 30 drivers who started the Merchants Bank 150 finished on the lead lap.

A big crowd was on hand to witness this year’s season opener, despite frigid temperatures and strong, gusty winds that felt much more like snocross conditions than anything I’ve ever felt at a paved oval.

Those that endured the arctic air and wind chill saw a terrific race; full of twists and turns just ass the opener at Lee delivered just two weeks prior. We’re seeing a pattern developing here, and it looks like that “when to pit and take tires” strategy is enhancing how these races unfold. It certainly does add some excitement as teams employ the strategy they feel works best for them.

This was Hoar’s 35th career ACT win, first victory in this event and second win of 2012 after winning the season-opening NH Governor’s Cup 150 on April 15 at the Lee USA Speedway. Next up for the ACT warriors is a trip to Mike & Alayne Bruno’s Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven, VT, next weekend.

Unofficial finish:
ACT Merchants Bank 150
Thunder Road International Speedbowl
Sunday, April 29, 2012

Pos. (Start) Driver, Hometown – Laps completed
1. (2) Brian Hoar, Williston, VT – 150 Laps
2. (9) Wayne Helliwell Jr., Dover, NH -150 Laps
3. (19) Patrick Laperle, St-Denis, QC – 150 Laps
4. (5) John Donahue, Graniteville, VT -150 Laps
5. (8) Jean-Paul Cyr, Milton, VT – 150 Laps
6. (27) Trampas Demers, So. Burlington, VT – 150 Laps
7. (15) Luke Hinkley, Claremont, NH – 150 Laps
8. (4) Brooks Clark, Fayston, VT – 150 Laps
9. (23) Austin Theriault, Fort Kent, ME – 150 Laps
10. (3) Nick Sweet, Barre, VT – 150 Laps
11. (10) Scott Payea, Milton, VT – 150 Laps
12. (13) Brett Wheeler, Waterbury, VT – 150 Laps
13. (7) Joey Polewarczyk Jr., Hudson, NH – 150 Laps
14. (1) Dave Pembroke, Middlesex, VT – 150 Laps
15. (18) Ricky Rolfe, Albany Twp, ME – 150 Laps
16. (29) Jamie Fisher, Shelburne, VT – 150 Laps
17. (25) Rowland Robinson, Jr., Birch Harbor, ME – 150 Laps
18. (6) Mark Lamberton, Mooers Forks, NY – 150 Laps
19. (20) Jamie Aube, No. Ferrisburg, VT – 150 Laps
20. (14) Glen Luce, Turner, ME – 150 Laps
21. (24) Brent Dragon, Milton, VT – 149 Laps
22. (17) Travis Fadden, North Haverhill, NH – 149 Laps
23. (11) Cris Michaud, E. Montpelier, VT – 148 Laps
24. (30) Eric Chase, Milton, VT – 148 Laps
25. (22) Phil Scott, Berlin, VT – 128 Laps
26. (26) Quinten, Welch, Lancaster, NH – 70 Laps
27. (28) Cody Blake, Barre, VT – 70 Laps
28. (16) Randy Potter, Groveton, NH – 70Laps
29. (12) Ben Ashline, Pittston, ME – 70 Laps
30. (21) Ben Rowe, Turner, ME – 69 Laps

Lap Leaders: Dave Pembroke (1-21), Brian Hoar (22-40), Jean-Paul Cyr (41-109), Wayne Helliwell Jr. (110), Nick Sweet (111), Helliwell (112-116), Patrick Laperle (117), Helliwell (118-128), Hoar (129-150)
Time of Race: 1:13:55(red flag 14:21)
Margin of Victory: .279 seconds
Cautions: 6 (laps 21, 65, 70(red), 109, 116, 128)
Heat Winners: Joey Polewarczyk Jr, Cris Michaud, Brett Wheeler, Glen Luce
Consi Winners: Mark Lamberton, Ben Ashline, Brian Hoar
B-Feature Winner: Quinny Welch

THE STORY

Brian Hoar of Williston, Vt., will try and go 2-for-2 to open the ACT Late Model Tour season when the series competes in the Merchants Bank 150 at Thunder Road International Speedbowl in Barre, [...]]]> RPM Motorsports: ACT Late Model Tour
Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl Race Preview

THE STORY

Brian Hoar of Williston, Vt., will try and go 2-for-2 to open the ACT Late Model Tour season when the series competes in the Merchants Bank 150 at Thunder Road International Speedbowl in Barre, Vt., on Sunday, April 29. Hoar, who won his 34th career ACT race in the season opener at Lee USA Speedway two weeks ago, finished fifth in this event last season. Though Hoar has had mixed results at Thunder Road recently – winning the season-ending Milk Bowl last September, but posting his worst finish of 2011 in the Labor Day Classic 200 at the track – RPM Motorsports has dominated the last two Late Model events there. Local driver Nick Sweet won the Labor Day Classic for car owner Rick Paya in September, while Hoar capped his championship year with his second career Milk Bowl.
WHO: Brian Hoar, Williston, Vt.
TEAM: RPM Motorsports No. 37 GossCars.com Dodge
CREW CHIEF: Rick Paya, Georgia, Vt.

BEST CAREER THUNDER ROAD FINISH: 1st (most recently, September 2011)
LAST RACE AT THUNDER ROAD: 1st (September 2011)

WHERE: Thunder Road International Speedbowl, Barre, Vt. (.25-mile banked oval)
WHEN: Practice, 1 p.m., Saturday, April 28; Qualifying, 1 p.m., Sunday, April 29; Race, 4 p.m., Sunday April 29

ACT LATE MODEL TOUR
LAST RACE: Sunday, April 15, NH Governor’s Cup 150, Lee USA Speedway, Lee, N.H. (1st)
NEXT RACE: Sunday, May 6, Spring Green 112, Devil’s Bowl Speedway, West Haven, Vt. (.500-mile oval)
POINTS POSITION: 1st

DID YOU KNOW?

Brian Hoar won six races races in 2011 en route to the ACT Late Model Tour title.
Brian Hoar has led the ACT Late Model Tour standings since midway through the 2010 season.
Rick Paya plans to spend Thursday nights at Thunder Road this season in weekly competition, serving as crew chief for the No. 85 Late Model of Trampas Demers.

Brian Hoar has more race wins (34) than any driver in ACT history, while he and car owner Rick Paya each have a record eight career ACT championships.

Brian Hoar spent the past winter training to run in the Vermont City Marathon over Memorial Day Weekend.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

BRIAN HOAR, Driver of the RPM Motorsports No. 37 GossCars.com Dodge, On his confidence level in returning to Thunder Road this weekend: “It’s such a tough little bullring. We have struggled there. It actually helped a lot when I had Nick (Sweet) as a teammate for the Labor Day race. Going into last year, I considered Thunder Road one of our weak spots. We were still pulling off Top-5s ,but we weren’t contending for wins.

“We were always fast, but I thought we lacked a little bit in our approach to the long-distance part of it – the 150-lap, 200-lap races. We have a new approach now that came from working with Nick, and we made it work for us in the Milk Bowl with the 75-alp segments. I think that was key.

“I’m sure when we unload for practice (on Saturday), we’ll be right on the money. I think we’ve got something for them this year. My confidence isn’t lacking at all.”

On whether he feels like the competition has caught up to him in 2012: “The first year Rick and I were together (in 2009), we went into it with a real open mind. I put my faith in Rick, Rick put his in me, and we came out with a championship. Second year, we went into it and we were confident we could do it again, but we knew some of the guys would be tougher. It was the same thing last year.

“It takes so much to go right to win a championship. It doesn’t take much to take you out of it. I think the competition is still getting tougher every year. They’re getting experience. Joey Pole is a guy, look at him – he’s ready to bust out. But it’s up to the teams and crews to use that experience and get the results. Same with Austin (Theriault). With experience comes wisdom. Same thing with Wayne (Helliwell). Last year, he learned a lot. The guys that have some experience, they either learn from that and stay out of trouble and are right there all year, or they don’t.”
On the key to success at Thunder Road: “When you go to Thunder Road, you’ve got to contend with all the weekly guys. They’re just so strong there – Nick Sweet, Dave Pembroke, Phil Scott, Cris Michaud. There’s a long list. It just doubles the list of ‘to contend with’ guys. It’s going to be a battle.

“I think it’s like anything. To win the championship and finish up front, you’ve got to run good and be good basically everywhere. All the top teams do. I think we all have our favorite places. Look at Joey Pole, Wayne and Austin. They’ll probably struggle more (at Thunder Road) than the Nick Sweets or the guys on the Tour that did run there in the past on a weekly basis.

“We’ve just been in more situations on that tough little bullring than some of the other guys because we’ve run so many laps there.”

UP NEXT

The ACT Late Model Tour returns to Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven, Vt., for the Spring Green 112 on Sunday, May 6… Brian Hoar won the event a year ago, leading the final 37 laps in his first-ever visit to the track after the Spring Green moved from its previous incarnation as a fixture on the Airborne Speedway schedule.

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After an exciting season opener for the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) teams at Lee USA, it’s time to make that annual trek over the mountain to a place very dear to my heart.

Over in the beautiful Green Mountain State of Vermont, race teams from around the region and thousands of fans are [...]]]> By Phil Whipple

After an exciting season opener for the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) teams at Lee USA, it’s time to make that annual trek over the mountain to a place very dear to my heart.

Over in the beautiful Green Mountain State of Vermont, race teams from around the region and thousands of fans are gearing up for the 2012 season opener at Ken Squier’s famed Thunder Road International Speedbowl
in Barre.

Since 1960, fans have ascended Quarry Hill to witness some of the greatest battles ever waged on a northeastern short track. This coming Sunday, April 29, the intensity level ratchets up once again as ACT presents the 14^th annual Merchants Bank 150 on the Barre high banks. 

The season opener at Thunder Road is like a Vermont old home day; you’ll see more hand-shaking and hugs and hear more “so, I see you made the winter ok,” than you can count. It’s absolutely wonderful.

Yet after the friendships and acquaintances have been renewed, we’ll focus on the reason we all climb that hill in the first place. It’s that intense, side-by-side yet respectful racing synonymous with Thunder Road. Once you’ve seen a tour race there, it’s difficult to replace that level of adrenaline.

Leading the charge into Thunder Road is Barre native Nick Sweet. The former champion will attempt to claim his third straight victory in this event in the St. Jay Auto-sponsored No. 88 entry.  Other drivers to watch include multi-time champion and current Lt. Governor Phil Scott, as he looks to start his 2012 season off with a victory.

Without argument, the battle between ACT points chasers will heat up in a big way at “The Road.” Brian Hoar, off to a perfect start in his quest for a fourth straight and ninth overall title, will look to carry the momentum forward from his win in the New Hampshire Governor’s Cup 150 on April 15. Wayne Helliwell Jr., the man who chased Hoar to the finish both at Lee and in last year’s points chase, will be right there ready to pounce.

Don’t forget young Joey Polewarczyk Jr., of Hudson, New Hampshire. The friendly lad they call “Joey Pole” knows how to win on the historic ¼-mile oval, but he also remembers what it’s like to fall off the top of turn 3 while leading the feature. I’ll wager he’ll be pretty dialed in this weekend and a serious factor in the outcome.

Another “young gun” I’ll be watching in the Merchants Bank 150 is Maine native Austin Theriault. The intense young man from Fort Kent finished third at Lee after starting deep in the field. His focus is sharp this year, and I’ll bet we see him bag his first ACT victory within the next two or three races.

Finishing second last year behind Sweet was Polewarczyk, followed by John Donahue in third. Patrick Laperle and Hoar founded out the top five. Second-generation Ontario driver Jonathan Urlin finished sixth, with Randy Potter, eventual ACT Rookie-of-theYear Ben Ashline, Quinny Welch and Mark Lamberton completing the top 10.

We witnessed a super-clean race last year on May 1 (my favorite kind); with only one caution in a race run off in less than 40 minutes. Let’s hope for a similar show this coming Sunday afternoon. Post time is set for 1 p.m. Regardless of who comes out on top, the action is sure to be intense at “the nation’s site of excitement.”

More Photos from Thompson

Story and Results – Silk Emerges Victor In Wild Modified Tour Finish

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With the 2012 American-Canadian Tour (ACT) season opener in the books, we can catch our breath and reflect on some of the stories other than Brian Hoar’s victory over Lee veteran Wayne Helliwell Jr.

After finishing second to Hoar in final ACT points last season, Helliwell has his sights set on the [...]]]> By Phil Whipple

With the 2012 American-Canadian Tour (ACT) season opener in the books, we can catch our breath and reflect on some of the stories other than Brian Hoar’s victory over Lee veteran Wayne Helliwell Jr.

After finishing second to Hoar in final ACT points last season, Helliwell has his sights set on the throne which Hoar has occupied since 2009. It took quite an effort for him to reach the podium at Lee Sunday.

“We threw everything we had at the car in practice Saturday,” the Dover, NH, native explained. “We took the car back home last night and made several changes to the setup. The car was good on a short run, but definitely wasn’t good on a long run. It got way too loose; I don’t think I’ve ever spun out on my own here.

“We didn’t go down a lap, lucky for us, and the car came right back once we put tires on it,” Helliwell added. “I had to be on my game during those restarts and try to get the jump on Brian, but our cars were just too equal for me to get by on the outside. I’m just ecstatic to come out of here with a second place finish. The car is in one piece, and we can get ready for the next race.”

Third-place finisher Austin Theriault has certainly arrived among top ACT contenders; just listening to him in post-race interviews shows how far he has matured in a few short years. One year ago, the well-spoken teenager from Fort Kent was a teammate to Hoar on the RPM Racing squad. Back with the family-backed team based in a shop adjacent to Crazy Horse Racing, Theriault is a young man with clearly-defined goals and a detailed plan to reach them.

“I’ve had a lot of fun and learned a lot racing with these guys on this tour,” Theriault said. “I wanted this thing to stay green; I didn’t like all those cautions at the end. Our car was awesome on the long runs, but it was a dog on the restarts. It took about 10 laps for the tires to start coming in and having some grip.

“I think we would have had something for them today if it wasn’t for those late-race cautions. We’ll take the third place finish and move on. I’m hoping for a good year.”

It was interesting to have the top three from last year’s point standings on the podium in the 2012 opener. Will we see these three dominate when summer arrives, or will Polewarczyk and others jump into the mix? You can bet on one thing – these guys aren’t giving up the top spots without a fight.

Aside from what happened during the race itself, a ton of other stories emerged at Lee, as well. Like the heroic effort by veteran racer Barney McRae and others to rebuild Spencer MacPherson’s machine after a hard crash in Saturday’s practice session. The car was taken to a shop 40 minutes away (Dave’s Race Cars), thrashed on all night, and put back together by Sunday morning.

“Our goal now is to get this thing into the race,” McRae said before Sunday’s practice round. After hauling over seven hours from central Ontario to race, everybody pitched in to help ensure the No. 31ON had a fighting chance. Sadly, MacPherson failed to qualify for the Governor’s Cup 150.

For the last few years, several Maine-based Late Model drivers have ventured south to Lee in April to try their hand at the ACT opener. Aside from the third-place Theriault, six other drivers from the Pine Tree State made the show.

Nine-time Oxford Plains Speedway Pro Stock division champion Jeff Taylor passed the most cars in qualifying, putting him the pole for the feature. Taylor, son of recent Maine Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee Conrad Taylor, led the first nine laps and hung on for a solid sixth place finish.

Yet it was a younger Maine native that had folks excited during the Governor’s Cup 150. Ben Ashline, of Pittston, won Rookie-of-the-Year honors on the ACT circuit in 2011. This year, he looks like a five-year veteran running among the big guns. Ashline started third and finished fifth, but his late-race charge and aggressive moves were amazing. When others were running out of steam, Ashline wanted more.

I’ve followed Ben pretty closely the last few seasons at Oxford, and am certainly aware of the mark he made in ACT during his first full season. I hope for more strong runs like we saw Sunday from Ben “The Kid” Ashline as this season starts to unfold.

Taking a look at how the rest of the Maine teams fared at Lee, we see two-time Oxford champion Shawn Martin finishing 11th; Ricky Rolfe in 19th; Glen Luce finishing 24th; and Ben Rowe a disappointing 25th. The reason I say disappointing for Rowe is this; the man had the fastest, best-handing machine at Lee. He led from lap 73 to lap 118 and ended up caught up in somebody else’s mess and parked at lap 132. A tough break for David Avery’s team, they had one of the hottest rockets in the entire pit area.

I was bummed when Joey Polewarczyk Jr. got into the back of Eddie MacDonald coming off turn 2 on lap 130. When he got sent to the rear, it handed Hoar a golden opportunity. Sure, he had to earn that win by keeping Helliwell at bay, but we would have seen a different outcome had Joey not spun Eddie Mac. I just wonder if Eddie asked crew chief Rollie Lachance if he was high after leaving him out on old rubber with 20 to go? The surface at Lee chews tires like Darlington, and I’ll bet he won’t ever do that again.

Bottom line: this race had more twists and turns than U.S. Route 2 between St. Jay and Mount-peculiar, and more surprises than a blind date with a shemale. Oh well, life would be boring if we knew what to expect every day.

On a sad note, one of my longtime media colleagues suffered a tough loss late last week. Speed51.com reporter Mike Twist lost his father, and on behalf of everybody associated with NERacer.com, our thoughts and prayers go out to Mike and his family. Racing becomes secondary during these times; it is indeed family and friends that get us through what can often be a difficult and harsh world. Godspeed, Mr. Twist.

LEE, N.H. – Eight-time and defending American-Canadian Tour champion Brian Hoar held off a hard-charging Wayne Helliwell Jr. to claim his second straight victory in the New Hampshire Governor’s Cup 150 Sunday afternoon at the Lee USA Speedway.

Hoar inherited the lead on lap 130 when second-place Joey Polewarczyk Jr. spun [...]]]> By Phil Whipple

LEE, N.H. – Eight-time and defending American-Canadian Tour champion Brian Hoar held off a hard-charging Wayne Helliwell Jr. to claim his second straight victory in the New Hampshire Governor’s Cup 150 Sunday afternoon at the Lee USA Speedway.

Hoar inherited the lead on lap 130 when second-place Joey Polewarczyk Jr. spun leader Eddie MacDonald coming off turn 2. With several late-race cautions, Hoar had to sweat as Helliwell, and eight-time champion here at Lee, applied the pressure in a big way.

“This is the same car we’ve run here the last four years,” Hoar said in Victory Lane. “That was nervewracking, running side-by-side with Wayne. He’s the best there is here, and it’s awesome to win. I didn’t think we had the car today, it was a little too free. The guys made some great changes, and here we are in Victory Lane. It’s a great way to start the new season.”

Maine native Austin Theriault started 19th on the 28-car grid and drove to a solid third place finish. Polewarczyk recovered from being sent to the rear to claim fourth, while Ben Ashline was fifth.

Finishing sixth through 10th in the Governor’s Cup 150 was Jeff Taylor, MacDonald, Jean-Paul Cyr, Jeff Lebrecque and Ray Parent. Eight cautions slowed the pace, while the feature was completed in 1 hour and 23 minutes.

Ten of the 28 starters finished on the lead lap, with Hoar’s margin of victory over Helliwell a mere .366 seconds. More details on the race and expanded quotes from the top three will be posted Monday.

Next up for the ACT warriors is a trip to the famed Thunder Road International Speedbowl (Barre, VT) for the annual Merchants Bank 150. Hoar is now the first two-time winner in 10 editions of the Governor’s Cup 150.

Official finish:
ACT NH Governor’s Cup 150
Lee USA Speedway – Lee, N.H.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
1. Brian Hoar, Williston, VT
2. Wayne Helliwell Jr., Dover NH
3. Austin Theriault, Fort Kent, ME
4. Joey Polewarczyk Jr., Hudson, NH
5. Ben Ashline, Pittston, ME
6. Jeff Taylor, Farmington
7. Eddie MacDonald, Rowley, Mass.
8. Jean-Paul Cyr, Milton, VT
9. Jeffrey Lebrecque Jr., Rochester, NH
10. Ray Parent, Tiverton, R.I.
11. Shawn Martin, Turner, ME
12. Randy Potter, Groveton, NH
13. Karl Allard, St. Felicien, QC
14. Quinny Welch, Lancaster, NH
15. Todd Patnode, Richmond, NH
16. Luke Hinkley, Claremont, NH
17. Eric Chase, Milton, VT
18. Jamie Fisher, Shelburne, VT
19. Ricky Rolfe, Albany Township, ME
20. Donald Theetge, Boichatel, QC
21. Brent Dragon, Milton, VT
22. James Linardi, Somerville, Mass.
23. Mike Kenison, Lancaster, NH
24. Glen Luce, Turner, ME
25. Ben Rowe, Turner, ME
26. Derek Lynch, Warkworth, ONT
27. Nick Sweet, Barre, VT
28. Mark Lamberton, Moorers Forks, NY

THE STORY
GEORGIA, Vt. – Brian Hoar of Williston, Vt., begins his title defense in search of a fourth straight ACT Late Model Tour championship when the Tour kicks off 2012 with the NH Governor’s Cup 150 at Lee USA Speedway in [...]]]> RPM Motorsports: ACT Late Model Tour
Lee USA Speedway Race Preview

THE STORY
GEORGIA, Vt. – Brian Hoar of Williston, Vt., begins his title defense in search of a fourth straight ACT Late Model Tour championship when the Tour kicks off 2012 with the NH Governor’s Cup 150 at Lee USA Speedway in Lee, N.H., on Sunday, April 15. Hoar owns the ACT career records for both championships (8) and race wins (33), and he is the defending champion of the NH Governor’s Cup 150. Rick Paya, crew chief on the RPM Motorsports No. 37 GossCars.com Dodge, also owns eight championships as a car owner – the last three of which he’s won with Hoar in the driver’s seat. New to this year’s race, ACT will allow teams to change two tires during the event.

WHO: Brian Hoar, Williston, Vt.
TEAM: RPM Motorsports No. 37 GossCars.com Dodge
CREW CHIEF: Rick Paya, Georgia, Vt.

BEST CAREER LEE USA SPEEDWAY FINISH: 1st (April 2011)
LAST RACE AT LEE USA SPEEDWAY: 1st (April 2011)

WHAT: ACT Late Model Tour NH Governor’s Cup 150
WHERE: Lee USA Speedway, Lee, N.H. (.375-mile oval)
WHEN: 2 p.m., Sunday, April 15

ACT LATE MODEL TOUR
NEXT RACE: Sunday, April 29, Merchants Bank 150, Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl, Barre, Vt. (.25-mile oval)
FINAL 2011 POINTS POSITION: 1st

DID YOU KNOW?

Brian Hoar won six races races in 2011 en route to the ACT Late Model Tour title.
Brian Hoar has led the ACT Late Model Tour standings since midway through the 2010 season.
Rick Paya has 26 career victories as owner and crew chief for RPM Motorsports.
Brian Hoar spent the past winter training to run in the Vermont City Marathon over Memorial Day Weekend.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

BRIAN HOAR, Driver of the RPM Motorsports No. 37 GossCars.com Dodge, On returning to Lee USA Speedway to begin the 2012 season: “I’m looking forward to it. We’ve got a really good setup there, and we’ve always run well there in the past. I really enjoy that kind of track. It eats up tires and it makes multiple grooves as the race goes on, so you can pass people inside and outside and run two- and sometimes three-wide there.

“It’s always a clean slate every time you go (back to a track). Winning there last year was cool, it was a great event, but it doesn’t mean anything this time around. I know we’ll have a good setup – I’m sure other guys will, too, but I believe we’ll be better than most. The The pit stop strategy is really going to be a big thing. It will be interesting to see how it works. Sometimes Lee goes for long runs of green, so it will be interesting to see how it plays out (late in the race).”

On the importance of getting off to a good start to the season: “Every year you know you’re going to have a bad event or two or three during your championship run, but I guess I’d rather always put those off to the end. It’s kind of like an insurance policy. If you’re going to have to use it, you want to be able to use it later on.

“I’d rather go and lose (a big points lead) at the end of the year than try to climb out of a hole every week. We haven’t been in that position the last three years, but it’s happened to me before. I’d rather start off strong and get the ball rolling – momentum, chemistry, all the guys staying positive. It’s important for everybody to come out of the season-opening events really strong.”

On staying motivated to win another ACT championship: ““There’s lots of guys that are going to try and knock us off the pedestal again this year, but that’s part of what motivates us. It’s a challenge, and we can’t wait for it.

“You either have the passion for the sport, or you don’t,” Hoar said. “It’s that simple. You want to be part of the sport, or you don’t. It seems like a silly question. It’s not like I’m going to hang my hat up now.”

RICK PAYA, Owner and crew chief of the RPM Motorsports No. 37 GossCars.com Dodge, On the keys to winning the ACT Late Model Tour championship: “Really, it’s all about consistency. I know we’re consistent now, but you can always make yourselves better. Every time we go to the race track, we’re always learning. Every race. We motivate ourselves to do better and better and better. Our motivation is to be better than we were last time out.”

UP NEXT

The ACT Late Model Tour heads to its up at Thunder Road International Speedbowl for the Merchants Bank 150 on Sunday, April 29… RPM Motorsports won the final two events of the season at Thunder Road in 2011, with Nick Sweet winning the Labor Day Classic 200 and Brian Hoar winning the season-ending Milk Bowl.

Visit NERacingForum.Com for latest New England Racing community News and updates.

After an unusually mild winter that left northern New England’s snow-based industry in a world of pain, it’s time to end the suffering and hopefully lift everyone’s spirits with the start of a new season of racing.

Red and Judy MacDonald are putting a spring polish on their fabulous facility, as the [...]]]> By Phil Whipple

After an unusually mild winter that left northern New England’s snow-based industry in a world of pain, it’s time to end the suffering and hopefully lift everyone’s spirits with the start of a new season of racing.

Red and Judy MacDonald are putting a spring polish on their fabulous facility, as the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) gets set to kick things off with the New Hampshire Governor’s Cup 150 this Sunday, April 15, at the Lee USA Speedway.

Lee is perhaps the best possible place to kick off a new season, with multiple racing lines and a smooth surface as drivers shake off the cobwebs while dialing in their new or rebuilt machines. From the first time I visited Lee in 1992 to see the old ACT Pro Stock tour, I knew Red and Judy had a very racy oval.

What makes this coming Sunday’s version of the ACT opener so special is the tremendous talent and depth in the field. There are an amazing 13 teams already entered with weekly or touring series championships under their belts. With a combined 48 titles between them, “depth in the field” isn’t just hype, it’s actually true. These guys are good!

Top-ranked Late Model teams from across the northeast converge on Tom Curley’s ACT circuit each spring to do battle, and race fans are the real winners. Eight-time ACT champion Brian Hoar; four-time Lee champion and 2011 ACT runner-up Wayne Helliwell Jr., who many feel is a legitimate threat to unseat Hoar from the throne; young Maine-based star Austin Theriault; a re-focused Joey Polewarczyk Jr.; Groveton, NH-based veteran Randy Potter, another pilot many feel will be a title contender in 2012; and many others too numerous to mention will all be at Lee this weekend.

Once again, ACT appears to have a strong mix of veterans and new faces in 2012. We can be delighted that Quebec natives Donald Theetge and Karl Allard have filed entries, bringing their great skills down from north of the border.

Hoar is the defending winner of the Governor’s Cup 150. The skilled multi-time champion from Williston returns with Rick Paya’s RPM team again in 2012 with sights set squarely on securing their ninth title. Hoar will be a factor when we get down to the final 20 laps on Sunday, as well, I suspect. While he doesn’t often get the credit he deserves; Hoar’s ability to drive an ill-handling car up into the top five is unreal.

Since Lee USA was added to the ACT schedule back in 2003, there have been nine different winners in nine races. With his championships there and momentum from 2011, Helliwell is the odds-on favorite to become the event’s first two-time winner.

Previous winners of the New Hampshire Governor’s Cup include Patrick Laperle (2003); DJ Kennington (his only ACT start, 2004); Cris Michaud (2005); Jean-Paul Cyr (2005); Maine native Ben Rowe (2006); Joey Polewarczyk Jr. (2008); Brad Leighton (2009); and Miles Chipman (2010).

Over 50 drivers attempted to qualify for one of 30 starting positions last April at Lee. As for my own personal experience with ACT at Lee, I was there in 2008, 2009, missed 2010 because it was rained out in April and run in July, and was there in 2011 to see Hoar jump-start his eighth title run with a victory. I feel Lee provides the most side-by-side racing on the entire ACT schedule, with the exception of an equally-racy Oxford Plains Speedway.

The 2012 New Hampshire Governor’s Cup 150 is a must-see race for Late Model fans. This year’s version should deliver just the excitement we all need after a cold, windy March that was kind of a slap in the face to winter enthusiasts. Spectator gates open at 10 a.m. Sunday, with qualifying races getting under way at 1:15 p.m.