American Canadian Tour
Waterford, CT – American-Canadian Tour (ACT) point leader and defending champion Scott Payea came on strong late to score his second win of the season and a $5,000 winner’s prize on Saturday, June 16 in the New London-Waterford 150. The Colchester, VT veteran took the lead for good from Williamstown, VT’s Jimmy Hebert on the final restart, then withstood a late surge from Rowley, MA’s Eddie MacDonald to capture round 2 of the ACT Summer Showdown Series at Connecticut’s New London-Waterford Speedbowl.
After steadily working his way into the top-5 from his 10th starting position, Payea got serious as the race neared its halfway point. Once he’d stormed through a pack of cars battling for the second spot, he began reeling in Hebert, who had built up a big lead on a long green flag run following several early cautions.
A lap-86 yellow for Ray Parent’s spin put Payea alongside Hebert, and he quickly motored to the lead on the restart. But Hebert wasn’t done, and on a lap-97 restart two cautions later, he went back around Payea to reclaim the top spot.
Hebert was able to hold on through two more caution periods, but following the event’s 10th and final caution on lap 105 for Keith Scalia’s spin, Payea put the power down and retook the lead. MacDonald, who was looking to go 2-for-2 in the Summer Showdown Series, got around Hebert for second some 14 laps later and looked to be gaining on Payea as the laps wound down. But his drive stalled out, and Payea motored home for his 15th career ACT Late Model Tour victory.
MacDonald ended up second while Hebert settled for third after leading the most laps. Barre, VT’s Mike Ziter was strong all night and matched his ACT career-best with a 4th-place finish. Stark, NH’s Bryan Mason had his best run of the season with a 5th-place effort.
Lebanon, NH’s Rich Dubeau led the first 24 laps after taking the top spot on the start from surprise polesitter Peyton Lanphear, but faded to sixth in the final rundown. Ryan Morgan, Corey Mason, Tyler Chapman, and top ACT rookie Dylan Payea rounded out the top-10.
The American-Canadian Tour has now reached the halfway point of the 2018 season. It will return from its upcoming mid-summer break with the J.P. Sicard/Kingdom Gravel 151 at Groveton, NH’s Speedway 51 on Saturday, July 14. Post time for the year’s second visit to Speedway 51 is 6:00pm.