St-Denis, QC’s Patrick Laperle outdueled defending American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Champion Scott Payea during a final 4-lap sprint to win the Caron Fabrication 151 at Groveton, NH’s Speedway 51 on Saturday, June 2. Payea got the initial edge on the outside following a lap-147 restart, but Laperle powered back by him to take his 19th career ACT Late Model Tour victory.

American-Canadian Tour (ACT) and Thunder Road Speedbowl officials announced today that they have reached an agreement to broadcast the 2018 Vermont Milk Bowl presented by Northfield Savings Bank on MAVTV Motorsports Network. It is the first time in the event’s 56-year history that it will air on national TV.  The event is scheduled to take place at the famed racetrack from Friday, September 28 through Sunday, September 30.

The 1-hour tape-delayed broadcast will feature the 3-segment Milk Bowl plus highlights from Booth Bros./H.P. Hood Qualifying Day. It will be produced by Speed51 TV using a multi-camera format that includes replays, network TV–style graphics, and on-board cameras. A full broadcast team will be on hand for the Milk Bowl. The broadcast premiere date is to be announced soon.

After a weekend off to catch its breath, the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) gets right back to action this Saturday, June 2 at Groveton, NH’s Speedway 51 powered by the Autosaver Group. The Caron Fabrication 151 is the first of two visits to the ¼-mile speed plant in 2018, meaning that “Grovetona” will play a big role in the ACT championship battle.

With three events in the books, a trio of the top Late Model drivers in the Northeast are closely bunched together atop the standings. Defending ACT Champion Scott Payea of Milton, VT sits at the head of the pack after a 5th-place finish at Oxford Plains Speedway on May 20. While that would be considered a great day for many drivers, in Payea’s case, it allowed his two closest competitors to gain some ground in the title hunt.

Rowley, MA’s Eddie MacDonald held off Williamstown, VT’s Jimmy Hebert in the closing laps to take the Summer Showdown Series opener at Maine’s Oxford Plains Speedway on Sunday, May 20. The win made MacDonald $5,000 richer and also makes him eligible for an additional $5,000 bonus should he go on sweep the 3-race series.

MacDonald seemed to have the race in hand after taking the lead from Barre, VT’s Nick Sweet using a 3-wide move in lapped traffic just past the halfway point of the 150-lap event. But a pair of lap-132 cautions allowed both Sweet and Hebert to close back in.

Some extra green will be on the line for American-Canadian Tour (ACT) competitors this Sunday, May 20 when they head to Maine’s Oxford Plains Speedway. The Oxford 150 will kick off this year’s Summer Showdown Series, with $5,000 ready to be awarded to the winner.

With increased payouts throughout much of the field and more than $30,000 in total posted awards, drivers from throughout the Northeastern United States and Canada will have plenty to shoot for on Sunday. Plenty of big names will be on hand to gun for the top prize, which will surely lead to sizzling action throughout the field.

Defending American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Champion Scott Payea put himself in the early catbird's seat for the 2018 crown by taking the win in the New Hampshire Governor's Cup at Lee USA Speedway on Saturday, May 12. Colchester, VT’s Payea grabbed the lead from polesitter Eddie MacDonald of Rowley, MA on lap 108 for the 150-lap event. He then held off a final charge for this first win of the season and 14th of his ACT Late Model Tour career.

After finally kicking off the 2018 season this past Sunday, the American-Canadian Tour will be right back in action just six days later. The New Hampshire Governor’s Cup 150 at Lee USA Speedway this Saturday, May 12 will continue a busy early-season stretch for ACT teams created by multiple postponements. As such, their mettle will be tested as they set up their summer-long charge for the ACT Late Model Tour championship.

While the top teams should have no trouble getting back in the ring following Sunday’s Community Bank 150, the latest arena will present its own unique challenges. The 3/8-mile speedway is known for being tough on drivers and equipment, especially over 150 laps of green-flag racing. Should anyone slip up or grow overconfident, Lee USA Speedway has a way of bringing them down to earth.

Hometown driver Jason Corliss showed why he’s considered one of the top drivers at Barre, VT’s Thunder Road on Sunday, May 6 with a dominating win in the 20th Community Bank 150. It was the first American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Late Model Tour win of his career, but his ninth Late Model win at the “Nation’s Site of Excitement” in his young career.

 Corliss started on the pole after earning a +5 in his qualifying heat under ACT’s plus-minus system. But while he eventually led 142 laps, he had to head off several challenges along the way. The first was a rain delay that halted the event during a lap-two caution. Once the race resumed, he then had to contend with Williamstown, VT’s Jimmy Hebert, who was looking for a home track win of his own.

Cars from throughout the Northeastern United States and the province of Quebec converged at Barre, VT’s Thunder Road Speedbowl on Saturday, May 5 for a Test & Tune Day in preparation for the 20th Community Bank 150. More than 110 cars were in the pits across all four divisions. With more expected tomorrow, the event is shaping up to be one of the biggest Thunder Road Opening Days in recent memory.

The field included 40 American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Late Models, with many invaders joining the tracks’ local Maplewood/Irving Late Models. But at day’s end, it was hometown driver Jason Corliss who stood atop the speed charts. The defending Vermont Milk Bowl Champion led three out of the four practice sessions and set the fast time of the day with a lap of 12.477 seconds in the third session.

After multiple delays due to the effects of a long, snowy Northeast winter, both Thunder Road Speedbowl and the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) are ready to finally drop the green flag on the 2018 season. The 20th Community Bank N.A. 150 will go to post this Sunday, May 6 to kick off the 59th season at Thunder Road and the 33rd year for ACT racing.

 Both the track and series spent much of April waiting out lingering snow, water, and mud throughout the region. But better conditions have finally arrived over the past week with a promising weekend forecast in store. All the while, the excitement has continued to build for one of the biggest events of the year.