Divisions and Other Information Announced for Thompson Event on September 2
Waterbury, VT and Naples, ME — The American-Canadian Tour (ACT) and the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) have announced the divisions, start times, and pricing for the Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park season opener on Wednesday, September 2. The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour headlines a five-division card with the first green flag flying at 5:00pm.
The Thompson 150 will be the 147th visit for the NASCAR Modifieds in the touring era (1985-present), more than any other race track. All the biggest stars of the Whelen Modified Tour are expected to be in attendance, including current point leader Justin Bonsignore, six-time and defending champion Doug Coby, and former Thompson Speedway winner Timmy Solomito.
N. Woodstock, NH — Barre, VT’s Nick Sweet showed once again that you can never count him out as he roared to his fourth Pro All Stars Series (PASS) Super Late Model win of the season at N. Woodstock, NH’s White Mountain Motorsports Park on Sunday, August 9. Sweet overpowered defending champion D.J. Shaw on a restart with 11 laps to go to capture the PASS Midsummer Classic 150 as seen live on the Northeast Sports Network.
As a previous 2020 winner, Sweet started 11th on the grid for the main event. The veteran steadily worked his way through the field, moving into the top-five on lap 29 and grabbing the third spot from polesitter Ben Ashline on lap 52 with Ben Rowe right behind him. At that point, Sweet trailed only Joey Doiron and Shaw, who had combined to set a torrid pace in the early going.
Moltz Takes Control Late for Big Payday in ACT Midsummer Classic
American Canadian Tour
N. Woodstock, NH — New Sharon, ME’s Dillon Moltz was in it for the long haul at N. Woodstock, NH’s White Mountain Motorports Park on Saturday, August as he took control late to win the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Midsummer Classic 250. Moltz grabbed the lead for good from Williamstown, VT’s Jimmy Hebert on a lap-183 restart and steadily pulled away down the stretch to snag the $10,000 payday on day one of Midsummer Classic Weekend.
The multi-time ACT winner started back in 16th for the 250-lap showdown and steadily worked his way through the field as polesitter Ryan Kuhn set the early pace. When the first caution flag on lap 61 after Joey Polewarczyk suffered a mechanical failure and left oil all around the race track, Moltz was up to the sixth spot, trailing Kuhn, Christopher Pelkey, D.J. Shaw, Scott Payea, and Hebert.
ACT, PASS Reach Agreement to Promote Multiple Events at Thompson Speedway
Waterbury, VT and Naples, ME — The American-Canadian Tour (ACT) and the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) have reached an agreement with Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park to promote multiple events at the Thompson, CT oval track this season. The events will be the first held on the historic 5/8-mile speedway in 2020 after multiple postponements and cancellations due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.
The first event ACT and PASS are hosting at Thompson Speedway has been set for Wednesday, September 2 and features a visit from the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. They will then promote the 58th annual World Series of Speedway Racing from Friday, October 9 through Sunday, October 11. The organizations are currently in talks with track ownership regarding the 2021 season and beyond.
Top ACT Racers Continue to Sign Up for Midsummer Classic 250
American Canadian Tour
Waterbury, VT — The American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Midsummer Classic at N. Woodstock, NH’s White Mountain Motorsports Park continues to get bigger as the day approaches. A flurry of new entries have arrived in recent days for the $10,000-to-win Midsummer 250 on Saturday, August 8 that will make it a showcase for Northeast Late Model stock car racing.
The ACT Late Model Tour kicks off the weekend with its longest, richest race of the summer. Championship contenders such as Center Conway, NH’s D.J. Shaw, Northfield, VT’s Jimmy Hebert, and Plainfield, NH’s Rich Dubeau will be challenged by a flurry of touring champions and outstanding local racers who are just as eager to get their hands on the five-figure prize.
Big Money & Bigger Names Coming to White Mountain for Midsummer Classic
American Canadian Tour
Waterbury, VT — One of the largest and richest race weekends of the year in the Northeast is just around the corner. The American-Canadian Tour (ACT) and Pro All Star Series (PASS) are joining forces at North Woodstock, NH’s White Mountain Motorsports Park for the Midsummer Classic this Saturday, August 8 and Sunday, August 9.
For the ACT Late Model Tour, the 250-lap, $10,000-to-win Midsummer Classic is rapidly becoming a signature series event. Last year’s edition — the second running of the event and first as part of the ACT calendar — went down to the wire. After the leaders tangled on a restart with four laps to go, three-time ACT Champion Wayne Helliwell Jr. emerged as the winner, edging then-rookie Stephen Donahue for the five-figure prize.
MCLAUGHLIN TAKES LONG AWAITED SEASON-OPENER AT WISCASSET SPEEDWAYby Ken Minott
Opening day at Wiscasset Speedway finally arrived last weekend. But similar to the landscape seen around the business and sports world, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic it was met with changes and restrictions that everyone would need to adjust to. The 2020 season, which was originally scheduled to start in late April, was put on hold while track officials worked with State of Maine officials to help find a safe way to include fans in the stands. The final weekend of July the state released guidelines that restricted grandstand seating to just 200 fans, separated into 4 distinct sections of 50 people. Other standard coronavirus safety protocols were implemented to keep people safe while enjoying a day they had waited over 3-months to arrive. Track officials made the decision to start up the schedule wherever it happened to fall in the season, so Group 2 divisions got the nod to race. The show included a 50 lap main event for the Wood Pellet Warehouse Late Model Sportsman, along with races in the Modified, Outlaw Mini and Strictly Street divisions.
The Granite State Pro Stock Series invaded Monadnock Speedway for a mid summer affair and DJ Shaw finally conquered a track that had stymied him for several years.
On a hot and sunny afternoon practice went smoothly for everyone except rookie Casey Call. At the end of the final practice session the bracket that attaches the track bar to the rear end broke sending the team scrambling to make repairs. The part failure would cause him to miss time trials but the young driver would make the call for his heat race.
The Crazy Horse Racing Fast Time Challenge would be the first laps of competition for the series competitors and it was former champion Devin O’Connell setting fast time for the day. O’Connell came up short of Mike O’Sullivans track record by less than a tenth of a second but was the fastest man on this day.
LOUDON, N.H. – Brad Keselowski battled Mother Nature, fuel mileage and Denny Hamlin, but came out victorious against all three at the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday.
New England’s first major sporting event with fans since the start of the pandemic was briefly paused by a rain shower early in the second stage, but the delay didn’t deter excited race fans – and Keselowski didn’t disappoint, leading a race-high 184 laps and holding off Hamlin for the win.
“We’ve had a lot of great races this year with the No. 2 car and we just haven’t really gone out and dominated a race, you know?” Keselowski said. “I was talking to (crew chief) Jeremy Bullins and said that’s what we really need to get to that next level. We’re right there. We just need to go out there and dominate a race; that’s what today was for us.”
BRAD KESELOWSKI, No. 2 Western Star/Alliance Parts Ford Mustang — VICTORY LANE INTERVIEW
WHAT KIND OF STATEMENT WAS THAT TODAY? “We’ve had a lot of great races this year with the 2 car, but we just haven’t really went out and kind of dominated a race. Talking to Jeremy Bullins and like, ‘Man, what do we need to get to that next level? We’re right there. We need to go out and just dominate a race,’ and that’s what today was for us with the Western Star/Alliance Parts Ford Mustang. I’m really proud of my team and the effort that they gave today. A great race car and to all of Team Penske, thank you. Its so great to be racing back in front of fans again. It feels like forever, so welcome back, guys.”
Coby Takes Control Late for White Mountain Showdown Win
Hill Earns First Career Late Model Victory
N. Woodstock, NH — Milford, CT’s Doug Coby began his drive for a seventh NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship in earnest by capturing the White Mountain Showdown 200 at North Woodstock, NH’s White Mountain Motorsports Park on Saturday, August 1. Coby dove underneath polesitter Jon McKennedy to get the lead on the 135th circuit and then held on through a late restart to pick up his 30th career NASCAR Modified victory and first as an owner-driver.
Coby took the green flag fifth on the 28-car starting grid and was content to maintain his position early as McKennedy and outside polesitter Chris Pasteryak duked it out at the front. McKennedy was able to keep the top spot through a trio of cautions for single-car spins spread over the first half of the race. When the field went back to full song on lap 94 following the third yellow, Coby ducked underneath Lisbon, CT’s Pasteryak for the second spot.
