Saint-Pie, QC … Despite a 2007 season marked by several bad lucks, Alain Bergeron never gave up and he will be part of the honored drivers at the annual ESS Banquet of the 'Empire Super Sprints' that will take place November 10th at Syracuse NY. After two important accidents at the beginning of the season in the nights # 1 and 3, the Saint-Pie QC driver was way far in the series points standing but his tenacity allowed him to finish the season in fifth place in the series championship and to finish first in the DASH series. A long season that had begun last January while the 2006 champion had succeeded qualifying himself for the A-Main in the big final night at the WinterNationals at East Bay, Florida. Altogether, Bergeron will have accumulated 8 wins in heat races and 12 Top10 in 21 ESS programs.
'To be able to complete a season so loaded would not have been possible without the constant support of my team and my sponsors.' to note Alain Bergeron. Those sponsors are Coffrage Daniel Lampron, Domaine de L'Érable, Castrol, DMI, Tufoil, Permatex, Metaux A.D. Picard, Garage Réal Barré, Entreprises J. Boucher, Concept Fini Meubles, BR Motorsports, Fast Wings, Rod End Supply, Pro Shocks, Real Wheels, Red Bear Hand Cleaner, Emballages Pro-Cart, Carl Graphic, BDJ Ménard, Buropro Drummondville, Megatech, Imprimerie Chicoine, Déco-Plus, Dumoulin St-Hyacinthe and Tarkett.
From Alain Forcier
ALMS: Canada's Ron Fellows named most popular for fourth straight year
The Most Popular Driver Award was one of two honours presented to Fellows at the annual season-ending banquet following the Monterey Sports Car Championships in California. Fellows also took home a specially commissioned Corvette painting, awarded by American Le Mans Series founder Dr. Don Panoz in recognition of the efforts Fellows and his wife Lynda made at the Le Petit Elegance charity fundraiser at Petit Le Mans earlier this month. Fellows wore a specially designed pink race helmet that he signed and was auctioned off after the race with the proceeds going to Emory University School of Medicine's Department of Surgery and its Program for Breast Cancer Research, based in Atlanta.
Fellows has competed at every American Le Mans Series race at Mosport (his home track) since 2000. In 2008, the American Le Mans Series returns for their only Canadian event as part of the Mobil 1 presents the Grand Prix of Mosport, August, 21-24.
For Further Information: Lee Bailie, Mosport 1-800-866-1072 or email lee@mosport.com
Jacques Villeneuve: Atlanta Truck Preview
Race/Date: EasyCare Vehicle Service Contracts 200 - Oct. 27, 2007 (NCTS)
Location: Atlanta Motor Speedway - Atlanta, Ga.
NOTES:
This week's race will be Jacques Villeneuve's fourth NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start in 2007. He did not finish the last two races due to other drivers' accidents, so he is ready for a good finish.
- Atlanta is another new track to Villeneuve. He has tested other 1.5-mile ovals, including Chicagoland Speedway, the track at which he had his first NASCAR test.
- A huge ice hockey fan, Villeneuve will not be sneaking away from the track Saturday night to see the Atlanta Thrashers – they are playing in Chicago. While he was based in Switzerland during his Formula 1 career, Villeneuve started his own hockey team, The Monks of Bretaye.
- "Villeneuve" means "new town" in English… "Newtown" is the name of Villeneuve's bar/restaurant, located on Crescent Street in the heart of Montreal's social scene. The venue is under pressure to start hosting NASCAR-themed evenings, enabling fans to watch 'JV' in action on the big screen. Watch this space for more details.
- Buckle up… Suggestions that the hand driers in the Newtown washrooms are the most powerful in the world are unconfirmed, but if you find yourself in there, consider yourself warned!
- "Old friends" is how some would describe Remus and Sonax –European-based sponsors of Villeneuve's No. 27 Toyota Tundra Truck. Remus first sponsored the Canadian in the F1 series in 2001. Sonax has been with Villeneuve even longer – since 1996.
- Hamilton matches Villeneuve… On Sunday, British F1 rookie Lewis Hamilton narrowly missed the F1 driver's championship. In 1996, Villeneuve also finished second in the drivers' standings in his first attempt. Coincidentally, both drivers each won four Grand Prix in their debut season.
- Music to your ears… Villeneuve released his first musical album "Private Paradise" earlier this year. Europe's leading motorsports memorabilia site is now selling it, as fan interest reaches new highs.
- NASCAR fans will have to wait until the 2008 season before they can buy JV/27 merchandise. Expect to find some very unique items when the range hits the shelves.
Jacques Villeneuve on Atlanta Motor Speedway:
"It's a fast track, so it'll be very different than Martinsville! Although this season is about gaining experience, I'm a racer, so a good result would be a bonus. I'll be out to cover as much mileage as possible, to learn as much as I can, and to keep building for 2008. Right now, BDR has a strong package, and I'll hopefully get to run some laps with Mike [Skinner, teammate] and Johnny [Benson, teammate]. If I can do that, I'm sure we can do well."
From: James McArdle, Advantage Management
Location: Atlanta Motor Speedway - Atlanta, Ga.
NOTES:
This week's race will be Jacques Villeneuve's fourth NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start in 2007. He did not finish the last two races due to other drivers' accidents, so he is ready for a good finish.
- Atlanta is another new track to Villeneuve. He has tested other 1.5-mile ovals, including Chicagoland Speedway, the track at which he had his first NASCAR test.
- A huge ice hockey fan, Villeneuve will not be sneaking away from the track Saturday night to see the Atlanta Thrashers – they are playing in Chicago. While he was based in Switzerland during his Formula 1 career, Villeneuve started his own hockey team, The Monks of Bretaye.
- "Villeneuve" means "new town" in English… "Newtown" is the name of Villeneuve's bar/restaurant, located on Crescent Street in the heart of Montreal's social scene. The venue is under pressure to start hosting NASCAR-themed evenings, enabling fans to watch 'JV' in action on the big screen. Watch this space for more details.
- Buckle up… Suggestions that the hand driers in the Newtown washrooms are the most powerful in the world are unconfirmed, but if you find yourself in there, consider yourself warned!
- "Old friends" is how some would describe Remus and Sonax –European-based sponsors of Villeneuve's No. 27 Toyota Tundra Truck. Remus first sponsored the Canadian in the F1 series in 2001. Sonax has been with Villeneuve even longer – since 1996.
- Hamilton matches Villeneuve… On Sunday, British F1 rookie Lewis Hamilton narrowly missed the F1 driver's championship. In 1996, Villeneuve also finished second in the drivers' standings in his first attempt. Coincidentally, both drivers each won four Grand Prix in their debut season.
- Music to your ears… Villeneuve released his first musical album "Private Paradise" earlier this year. Europe's leading motorsports memorabilia site is now selling it, as fan interest reaches new highs.
- NASCAR fans will have to wait until the 2008 season before they can buy JV/27 merchandise. Expect to find some very unique items when the range hits the shelves.
Jacques Villeneuve on Atlanta Motor Speedway:
"It's a fast track, so it'll be very different than Martinsville! Although this season is about gaining experience, I'm a racer, so a good result would be a bonus. I'll be out to cover as much mileage as possible, to learn as much as I can, and to keep building for 2008. Right now, BDR has a strong package, and I'll hopefully get to run some laps with Mike [Skinner, teammate] and Johnny [Benson, teammate]. If I can do that, I'm sure we can do well."
From: James McArdle, Advantage Management
MOTO-ST: GO BIG RACING’S 8-HOUR RUN ENDS IN HEARTBREAK
With seven minutes remaining in the race, Go Big Racing saw their shot at winning their first SunTrust Moto-ST Endurance Series race fall short as the bike suffered what the team believed was an electrical related failure and was forced to retire with a third place finish.
�At this point, we are not sure what went wrong with the bike,� commented Millson moments after learning that they were out of the race �the most important thing is that Karl is fine and we were still able to finish on the podium for our hardworking crew and for our sponsors.�
An early pit stop penalty saw the Go Big Racing Suzuki drop to as low as sixth in the ST Class, but some determined racing by all three team members allowed the team slowly work their way back to the front of the pack where they waged a lengthy battle with the #87 Speedworks entry.
Buoyed by the support of Phil and Rose Kurucz (and family) of Summit Gearworks and Mike and Imma Rice of Infinet Designs, all of whom made the trip to Daytona to support the team, and the Ready Fastener and AVAcore Technologies - CoreControl teams back in Canada and Michigan respectively, Go Big Racing was able to eventually use great racing and pit stop strategy to carve out almost a full lap lead on the #87 entry before the technical issues arose.
�It was great to be able to be here in Daytona to see Go Big Racing in action and to see how much heart they have as a team,� said Summit Gearworks� President, Phil Kurucz �We are extremely proud of these remarkable racers and crew!�
The third place finish in Daytona allowed Go Big Racing to finish the inaugural season in second place in the ST Class championship point standings.
�Overall we are very happy with the results this season,� commented Glenn �We would like to thank all of our sponsors for their support, which allowed us to run in this new series and gain valuable experience that we can take forward. We also once again have to thank our crew for their tireless effort each week. We would not be able to run up front in an eight hour race without the hard work of Mark Millson, Scott Laidman, Blaine Groves and Angie and Mike Hallman.�
Speed TV will broadcast of all 6 rounds of the SunTrust MOTO-ST Endurance Series with The 8-hour finale from Daytona airing January 8, 2008. Visit www.speedtv.com for complete broadcast details.
Go Big Racing now heads into the off-season after a very successful year that saw Paul Glenn win the 2007 International Motorcycle Supershow Amateur 600 Canadian Championship and Ross Millson finish his rookie season in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship in 3rd in the HJC Rookie of the Year standing. Throughout the winter, you can catch up with Go Big Racing at the International Motorcycle Supershow and the Toronto Motorcycle Show where they will be displaying their bikes and signing autographs.
Visit: www.gobigracing.ca. for additional information and to learn more about the sponsors that support the team, including Suzuki dealer - Milton Motorsports, Summit Gearworks, Infinet Designs, Ready Fastener, AVAcore Technologies, Turn 2 Sportbike Rentals, Mimic Industries, Ultimate Cycle, Bickle Tire Warmers, Accelerated Technologies, Bagshaw Performance Inc., MotorcycleCourse.com, JD Graphics and Corner 2 Racing.
###
Photos available at: http://gobigracing.ca:7080/users/pressreleases@gobigracing.ca/Pictures/Daytona8hour/
From Go BIG Racing
John Graham Returns to #37 Kickbutt Amped Energy Ballz / GNC Ford Fusion at Memphis
Driver: John Graham
Car: No. 37 Kickbutt Amped Energy Ballz / GNC Ford Fusion
Event: Sam's Town 250
Date: October 27, 2007
Track: Memphis Motorsports Park
Time: 3:30 PM EST
TV: ESPN2 3:00 PM EST
Notes: Brewco Motorsports is currently in its 12th season of competition in the NASCAR Busch Series. This weekend will mark Graham's eighth NASCAR Busch Series start. Graham previously raced at the Memphis Motorsports Park in 2004. Graham's last NASCAR Busch Series race was at Richmond International Raceway in September.
John Graham: "It is good getting back in the car and I am excited to be behind the wheel of the #37 Kickbutt Amped Energy Ballz / GNC Ford Fusion this weekend in Memphis. We are focused on getting good results this weekend and have high hopes going into the race. I am looking forward to going to Memphis because I have experience at this track. I previously ran a NASCAR Busch Series event here in 2004 and we tested in Memphis earlier this year; we are expecting a good run this weekend."
About Fun Energy Foods, Inc.: Fun Energy Foods Inc. was created in 2004 with the goal of developing a niche energy food with the same attributes as the most effective energy-enhancing products on the market. The company�s �Kickbutt Amped Energy Ballz� consists of a proprietary blend of top-quality energy-enhancing ingredients in a great tasting and totally unique delivery format. Kickbutt Amped Energy Ballz are currently available at select GNC Retail Stores throughout Canada and will be available at GNC Stores and other select retailers in the U.S. later this year. For More Information on Kickbutt Amped Energy Ballz visit www.funenergyfoods.com
From: Tiffany Bouldin // Media Relations, Brewco Motorsports
PODCAST: Toronto Star motorsports writer Norris McDonald interviews veteran race photographer Dave Franks
Click on this podcast link to hear legendary Canadian motorsports photographer Dave Franks discuss his career, Don Biederman, Dick Trickle and his most famous shot with Toronto Star racing writer Norris McDonald.
ACTion News - Wed., Oct. 24, 2007
ACTion News - Wednesday, October 24, 2007
By Justin St. Louis
Joey Becker had a good season in the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Late Model division at Thunder Road, maybe his best one yet.
"I'd say it was," he said. "It sort of depends on how you look at the numbers, though. I almost think we ran better last year, but we ended up better this year. It was weird how it worked out."
A month shy of his 34th birthday, Becker is paving the way for Thunder Road's "new breed" of Late Model talent. Having just completed his fifth season steering the familiar #16 Richard Green Trucking Fords out of the far northern reaches of Vermont's Franklin County, he finished a surprising third in the "King of the Road" championship race at Thunder Road, and has placed himself among the elite Late Model title contenders. In fact, the effort was so surprising it went virtually unnoticed.
"Some of the newspapers and radio stations first reported that Jamie Fisher had finished third in points, and I think it's because they didn't even consider me to be a contender (entering the Thunder Road finale)," Becker laughed. "Jamie and Dave (Pembroke – the eventual champion) and (Cris) Michaud were in such a tight battle, the media sort of forgot about me. That's okay, that means there's no pressure on us. That's how I like it, that's how my crew guys like it. We just show up and do our job, and then people say 'Where the heck did you come from?' when it's all over."
The numbers Becker spoke of initially were impressive: An opening-day victory at the Casella Mother's Day event in May highlighted the year's eight top-ten finishes and three top-fives in 14 starts, and a third-place showing in points was a career best. But the Jeffersonville, VT racer was right, the statistics were a little strange. In the same number of events in 2006, Becker posted two more finishes in both the top-five and top-ten, but still ranked only fifth overall.
"I think the difference is that nobody had that outstanding, record-setting year this season," Becker philosophized.
And again, he's right: Dave Whitcomb, with just six top-fives, led all drivers in the Late Model class at Thunder Road, and finished seventh in points. Pembroke's title-winning season saw only five top-fives, as did Michaud's runner-up campaign. Marcel Gravel and Kip Stockwell also earned five. By comparison, 2006 "King of the Road" Chad Wheeler had a whopping nine top-fives, as did Michaud the year before that. In 2004, Michaud had an even-better 10.
"It's tough to win races when everyone is so good all of the time," said Becker. "Look at the cars that didn't qualify for the Milk Bowl this year, that should tell you how hard it is to be successful at this level." Included on the list of DNQs at the Chittenden Milk Bowl were Trampas Demers and John Donahue – winners of the two most recent events at Thunder Road prior to the Milk Bowl.
So, as far under the radar as he has been, how does Becker feel his team will stack up against the "headliners" in 2008?
"We're coming out fighting for the championship from day one," he said. Given his quiet success throughout the past two seasons – say nothing of his sometimes dominant victories in the NAPA Tiger Sportsman division years ago – it seems like Becker knows how to do just that.
***
Unfortunately, last week's deadline prevented us from touching on the big news regarding the True Value Modified Racing Series event at Thunder Road's Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic, May 26, 2008, but hey, we've got plenty of time now! The TVMRS will be sharing the doubleheader bill with Thunder Road's Late Models, each running a 100-lap main event.
Series founder and competitor Jack Bateman tested his open-wheeled machine at "The Nation's Site of Excitement" last week, and inked the date with Thunder Road bossman Tom Curley on the spot.
"I wanted to test my Modified at the track before we made the decision to have a race there, and it went extremely well, better than I expected," said Bateman.
Using old tires, Bateman's lap times were in the 12.6-second range – three-tenths of a second quicker than the current Late Model track record held by Joey Polewarczyk. "It wouldn't surprise me to see lap times in the 12.1s and 12.2s for cars on new tires," said Bateman excitedly. "If the guys are really hooked up, the laps could be even faster."
Top True Value Modified Racing Series drivers include three-time series Champion Kirk Alexander of West Swanzey, NH, 2006 Champion Dwight Jarvis of Ascutney, VT, Windsor, CT's Les Hinckley, Andy Seuss of Hampstead, NH, and Massachusetts drivers Louie Mechalides and Vinnie "Who?" Annarummo. Top-ten Série ACT Castrol driver Marc-André Cliche of Vallée-Jct., QC is also a part-time racer with the series.
The last Modified race at Thunder Road was in June 1965, won by former National Champion Dick Nephew of Mooers Forks, NY. Canadian legend Jean-Paul Cabana won the Memorial Day Classic in 1965 at the wheel of a Modified car, as well. A special "match race" was held at Thunder Road ten years later between the full-bodied Late Model Sportsman car of Dave Dion and the open-wheeled Modified of Donnie "The Golden Jet" Miller – Miller won in a landslide. A full list of race winners in open-wheel Modified events held in Vermont is currently available at www.thunderroadspeedbowl.com.
***
We spoke with Ryan Vanasse, who was one of 31 Late Models in the pits at the Lee USA Speedway "Oktoberfest" last weekend. Vanasse reports that after a last-lap bout with another car, he spun from the second position in his qualifying heat and was forced to start on the tail for the feature. By the lap 10 mark of the 50-lapper, he was just outside the top ten and making headway when the steering rack began to stick on his Team V Transportation car.
Finally, with about six laps remaining, the rack stuck completely, spinning the car out of sixth place in Turn 2. After a trip to pit road under the caution flag, the crew freed up the steering enough for Vanasse to finish the race and then watched their driver march from 23rd at the restart to finish 15th.
"It was a typical way to end our season," Vanasse lamented, "but we ran really well and got the car figured out for next year."
Vanasse, who along with maybe Ron Henry, Jamie Aube, Brian Hoar, and Scott Dragon, helped carry the banner for drivers with the worst luck all season, used his back-up car at Lee, the car he campaigned full-time on the ACT Late Model Tour in 2006. His primary ride for 2007, a Race Basics chassis has been overhauled and dialed in for another go next season.
Vanasse also reports that Jimmy "Scruffy" Linardy, one of the most likeable guys in northeastern short track racing, was in attendance at the Oktoberfest, running his ACT #77 car. "He ran well, and finished somewhere close to where I ended up in 15th," relayed Vanasse. (Results of the race were not available at deadline time for this column, sorry!)
Linardy, in his first full year of Late Model racing, qualified for a pair of ACT Late Model Tour events in 2007, at Airborne Speedway in May and at the season-closing New England Dodge Dealers 150 at Oxford Plains Speedway a few weeks back. The former A.J. Begin crewmember and Lee USA Roadrunner (four-cylinder) driver finished 22nd at Airborne and 27th in Oxford, making solid gains every time out on the track.
Incidentally, multi-time Lee USA Speedway Track Champion J.R. Baril won the race. Andy Seuss won the True Value Modified Racing Series season finale.
***
Did you know…?
-Eight full-time Thunder Road Late Model competitors earned the best points finishes of their careers in 2007. Champion Dave Pembroke and third-place Joey Becker led the way, ahead of Rookie of the Year Chip Grenier (6th overall), Mike "Beetle" Bailey (8th), Marcel Gravel (12th), Shawn Fleury (13th), Brooks Clark (23rd), Doug Murphy (24th). Their previous bests had been Pembroke: 2nd in 2004; Becker: 5th in 2006; Bailey: 15th in 2006; Gravel: 13th in 2006; and Fleury: 20th in 1999. Grenier, Clark, and Murphy had never attempted more than two races in a season prior to 2007.
-The 29 drivers that comprised the finishing order of the 44th Annual Chittenden Milk Bowl at Thunder Road in September have combined for – get this – no fewer than 35 touring series championships and at least 29 track championships. That does not take into account Rookie of the Year titles, mini-series titles (like Roger Brown's L/A Harley-Davidson Challenge championship this year, or Jean-Paul Cyr's Am/Can Challenge title in 1996), state championships, or titles in a "support" division like the NAPA Tiger Sportsman, Allen Lumber Street Stock, or Power Shift Warrior classes. Add in the titles from the drivers that failed to qualify, and the numbers top 40 and 35, respectively.
-Nick Sweet became the first Barre, VT driver to win the Thunder Road Sportsman title since, well, technically he's the first. Greg "Burger" Blake was the 1989 Thunder Road Champion, but lives just across the line in East Barre. Beede brothers Chuck (1985) and Dan (1987) have long claimed Williamstown and/or Graniteville their homes, although when both men were in their ACT Tour days in the late '80s and early '90s, they were "relocated" by the media the Barre. Bobby Therrien is the first Street Stock champ from the town of Hinesburg, VT, and is the third Chittenden County resident to win the crown. Before him were Joe Small (Milton – 2004-05) and Jason Gibbs (1994). Bunker Hodgdon is the second Hardwick, VT driver in a row to win the Warrior title, following Maynard Bartlett, Jr.
By Justin St. Louis
Joey Becker had a good season in the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Late Model division at Thunder Road, maybe his best one yet.
"I'd say it was," he said. "It sort of depends on how you look at the numbers, though. I almost think we ran better last year, but we ended up better this year. It was weird how it worked out."
A month shy of his 34th birthday, Becker is paving the way for Thunder Road's "new breed" of Late Model talent. Having just completed his fifth season steering the familiar #16 Richard Green Trucking Fords out of the far northern reaches of Vermont's Franklin County, he finished a surprising third in the "King of the Road" championship race at Thunder Road, and has placed himself among the elite Late Model title contenders. In fact, the effort was so surprising it went virtually unnoticed.
"Some of the newspapers and radio stations first reported that Jamie Fisher had finished third in points, and I think it's because they didn't even consider me to be a contender (entering the Thunder Road finale)," Becker laughed. "Jamie and Dave (Pembroke – the eventual champion) and (Cris) Michaud were in such a tight battle, the media sort of forgot about me. That's okay, that means there's no pressure on us. That's how I like it, that's how my crew guys like it. We just show up and do our job, and then people say 'Where the heck did you come from?' when it's all over."
The numbers Becker spoke of initially were impressive: An opening-day victory at the Casella Mother's Day event in May highlighted the year's eight top-ten finishes and three top-fives in 14 starts, and a third-place showing in points was a career best. But the Jeffersonville, VT racer was right, the statistics were a little strange. In the same number of events in 2006, Becker posted two more finishes in both the top-five and top-ten, but still ranked only fifth overall.
"I think the difference is that nobody had that outstanding, record-setting year this season," Becker philosophized.
And again, he's right: Dave Whitcomb, with just six top-fives, led all drivers in the Late Model class at Thunder Road, and finished seventh in points. Pembroke's title-winning season saw only five top-fives, as did Michaud's runner-up campaign. Marcel Gravel and Kip Stockwell also earned five. By comparison, 2006 "King of the Road" Chad Wheeler had a whopping nine top-fives, as did Michaud the year before that. In 2004, Michaud had an even-better 10.
"It's tough to win races when everyone is so good all of the time," said Becker. "Look at the cars that didn't qualify for the Milk Bowl this year, that should tell you how hard it is to be successful at this level." Included on the list of DNQs at the Chittenden Milk Bowl were Trampas Demers and John Donahue – winners of the two most recent events at Thunder Road prior to the Milk Bowl.
So, as far under the radar as he has been, how does Becker feel his team will stack up against the "headliners" in 2008?
"We're coming out fighting for the championship from day one," he said. Given his quiet success throughout the past two seasons – say nothing of his sometimes dominant victories in the NAPA Tiger Sportsman division years ago – it seems like Becker knows how to do just that.
***
Unfortunately, last week's deadline prevented us from touching on the big news regarding the True Value Modified Racing Series event at Thunder Road's Mekkelsen RV Memorial Day Classic, May 26, 2008, but hey, we've got plenty of time now! The TVMRS will be sharing the doubleheader bill with Thunder Road's Late Models, each running a 100-lap main event.
Series founder and competitor Jack Bateman tested his open-wheeled machine at "The Nation's Site of Excitement" last week, and inked the date with Thunder Road bossman Tom Curley on the spot.
"I wanted to test my Modified at the track before we made the decision to have a race there, and it went extremely well, better than I expected," said Bateman.
Using old tires, Bateman's lap times were in the 12.6-second range – three-tenths of a second quicker than the current Late Model track record held by Joey Polewarczyk. "It wouldn't surprise me to see lap times in the 12.1s and 12.2s for cars on new tires," said Bateman excitedly. "If the guys are really hooked up, the laps could be even faster."
Top True Value Modified Racing Series drivers include three-time series Champion Kirk Alexander of West Swanzey, NH, 2006 Champion Dwight Jarvis of Ascutney, VT, Windsor, CT's Les Hinckley, Andy Seuss of Hampstead, NH, and Massachusetts drivers Louie Mechalides and Vinnie "Who?" Annarummo. Top-ten Série ACT Castrol driver Marc-André Cliche of Vallée-Jct., QC is also a part-time racer with the series.
The last Modified race at Thunder Road was in June 1965, won by former National Champion Dick Nephew of Mooers Forks, NY. Canadian legend Jean-Paul Cabana won the Memorial Day Classic in 1965 at the wheel of a Modified car, as well. A special "match race" was held at Thunder Road ten years later between the full-bodied Late Model Sportsman car of Dave Dion and the open-wheeled Modified of Donnie "The Golden Jet" Miller – Miller won in a landslide. A full list of race winners in open-wheel Modified events held in Vermont is currently available at www.thunderroadspeedbowl.com.
***
We spoke with Ryan Vanasse, who was one of 31 Late Models in the pits at the Lee USA Speedway "Oktoberfest" last weekend. Vanasse reports that after a last-lap bout with another car, he spun from the second position in his qualifying heat and was forced to start on the tail for the feature. By the lap 10 mark of the 50-lapper, he was just outside the top ten and making headway when the steering rack began to stick on his Team V Transportation car.
Finally, with about six laps remaining, the rack stuck completely, spinning the car out of sixth place in Turn 2. After a trip to pit road under the caution flag, the crew freed up the steering enough for Vanasse to finish the race and then watched their driver march from 23rd at the restart to finish 15th.
"It was a typical way to end our season," Vanasse lamented, "but we ran really well and got the car figured out for next year."
Vanasse, who along with maybe Ron Henry, Jamie Aube, Brian Hoar, and Scott Dragon, helped carry the banner for drivers with the worst luck all season, used his back-up car at Lee, the car he campaigned full-time on the ACT Late Model Tour in 2006. His primary ride for 2007, a Race Basics chassis has been overhauled and dialed in for another go next season.
Vanasse also reports that Jimmy "Scruffy" Linardy, one of the most likeable guys in northeastern short track racing, was in attendance at the Oktoberfest, running his ACT #77 car. "He ran well, and finished somewhere close to where I ended up in 15th," relayed Vanasse. (Results of the race were not available at deadline time for this column, sorry!)
Linardy, in his first full year of Late Model racing, qualified for a pair of ACT Late Model Tour events in 2007, at Airborne Speedway in May and at the season-closing New England Dodge Dealers 150 at Oxford Plains Speedway a few weeks back. The former A.J. Begin crewmember and Lee USA Roadrunner (four-cylinder) driver finished 22nd at Airborne and 27th in Oxford, making solid gains every time out on the track.
Incidentally, multi-time Lee USA Speedway Track Champion J.R. Baril won the race. Andy Seuss won the True Value Modified Racing Series season finale.
***
Did you know…?
-Eight full-time Thunder Road Late Model competitors earned the best points finishes of their careers in 2007. Champion Dave Pembroke and third-place Joey Becker led the way, ahead of Rookie of the Year Chip Grenier (6th overall), Mike "Beetle" Bailey (8th), Marcel Gravel (12th), Shawn Fleury (13th), Brooks Clark (23rd), Doug Murphy (24th). Their previous bests had been Pembroke: 2nd in 2004; Becker: 5th in 2006; Bailey: 15th in 2006; Gravel: 13th in 2006; and Fleury: 20th in 1999. Grenier, Clark, and Murphy had never attempted more than two races in a season prior to 2007.
-The 29 drivers that comprised the finishing order of the 44th Annual Chittenden Milk Bowl at Thunder Road in September have combined for – get this – no fewer than 35 touring series championships and at least 29 track championships. That does not take into account Rookie of the Year titles, mini-series titles (like Roger Brown's L/A Harley-Davidson Challenge championship this year, or Jean-Paul Cyr's Am/Can Challenge title in 1996), state championships, or titles in a "support" division like the NAPA Tiger Sportsman, Allen Lumber Street Stock, or Power Shift Warrior classes. Add in the titles from the drivers that failed to qualify, and the numbers top 40 and 35, respectively.
-Nick Sweet became the first Barre, VT driver to win the Thunder Road Sportsman title since, well, technically he's the first. Greg "Burger" Blake was the 1989 Thunder Road Champion, but lives just across the line in East Barre. Beede brothers Chuck (1985) and Dan (1987) have long claimed Williamstown and/or Graniteville their homes, although when both men were in their ACT Tour days in the late '80s and early '90s, they were "relocated" by the media the Barre. Bobby Therrien is the first Street Stock champ from the town of Hinesburg, VT, and is the third Chittenden County resident to win the crown. Before him were Joe Small (Milton – 2004-05) and Jason Gibbs (1994). Bunker Hodgdon is the second Hardwick, VT driver in a row to win the Warrior title, following Maynard Bartlett, Jr.
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