On a scorching Saturday night at Seekonk Speedway (Seekonk, MA) near Providence, RI, Hudson, New Hampshire's Joey "Pole" Polewarczyk sizzled en route to his first career ACT Tour win.
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| Joey "Pole" Polewarczyk waves to the Seekonk crowd after winning the Phil's Propane Bay State 100 - the first of his ACT Tour career. |
Following the early practice sessions and his qualifying heat race Pole commented about his car, "My car is just perfect, I'm able to run just about anywhere. If I have to run the low groove to pass I'll be able to, but the high groove is also working well for me." It turned out the recent high school graduate was prophetic in his remarks as he moved his way forward from his fifth place starting position.
At the drop of the green flag on the ACT Tour's seventh race of the season, pole sitter Cyr set off with Payea, who started on the outside of the front row, in tow. Lincoln, New Hampshire's David Avery passed Payea for the runner-up spot on the sixth circuit, a spot he would hold until lap 53 when young Pole motored around him in the high groove for position. Once solidly in second, Pole set his sights on the race and championship point leader.
As the laps sped past the youngster stayed solidly in the high groove of the 1/3 mile slightly banked seacoast speedplant as he reeled in Cyr. In spite of his point lead Cyr was looking for his first win of the season. On the 62nd lap, Cyr's car bobbled exiting the second turn which gave Pole the break he was looking for. He nosed his Chevrolet ahead of Cyr's as the pair crossed the stripe. A few quick circuits later Cyr's car was again loose, this time as he exited the fourth corner. This allowed Payea to move into second and Pole to solidify his advantage. Once he was out front, Pole never looked back.
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| ACT Tour announcer Troy Germain interviews Joey Pole in the Winner's Circle as event sponsor Phil Viveiros waits to present the first place trophy to the youngster. |
Patrick Laperle of St-Denis, Qc finished sixth after starting 17th at the helm of the Maine-based Mike Lux/Jerry Hicks machine. Laperle, who has spent the majority of the 2007 season racing in his native Canada on the Serie ACT Castrol, has been contracted to pilot the car in several of the ACT Tour events remaining on the schedule. Second place pointman, Randy Potter from Groveton, NH, came from 23rd in the 25 car field after qualifying through the "B" Feature. He worked his way into seventh after getting into the groove of the slightly banked oval after racing there for the first time in his lengthy career. Local favorite, Kevin Casper from Somerset, MA, was the lone weekly competitor from the track to qualify for the main event. He was eighth. Donald Theetge of Boischatel, Qc and Avery rounded out the top ten.
The ACT Tour returns to action on Saturday (August 11) at Maine's Oxford Plains Speedway for the rescheduled Time Warner Cable 100. The event fell to rain on July 7. Post time is 6:30.
Unofficial Finish of Saturday's Phil's Propane Bay State 100, Seeonk Speedway.
The unofficial finish of the ACT Tour’s seventh event of the season showing finishing position, driver, hometown, laps complete and status:
1. Joey Polewarczyk,
2. Jean-Paul Cyr,
3. Scott Payea,
4. Roger Brown,
5. Kip Stockwell,
6. Patrick Laperle,
7. Randy Potter,
8. Kevin Casper,
9. Donald Theetge,
10. David Avery,
11. Brent Dragon,
12. Marc Curtis Jr,
13. Steve Fisher,
14. Gary Caron,
15. Pete Potvin,
16. Phil Scott,
17. A.J. Begin,
18. Eric Chase,
19. Mark Anzalone Jr,
20. Ron Henry, New
21. Ryan Vanasse,
22. Jamie Fisher,
23. Jamie Aube, Bow, NH, 73, Panhard Bar
24. Brian Hoar,
25. John Donahue,
Four drivers did not qualify.