The American Canadian Tour has finalized the invitations for 43 teams who will compete in the third annual ACT Invitational at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday, Sept. 24.
The ACT Invitational will be part of “The Magic Mile” triple header. This action-packed day includes the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series F.W. Webb 175 and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour New Hampshire 100.
The 50 lap event will feature the strongest field of ACT competitors from throughout New England, New York, Ontario and Quebec. There have been three different winners in the three races.
Recently crowned 2011 ACT Champion Brian Hoar from Williston, Vt. is the most recent winner. His first ever NHMS victory came when he won the ACT All-Star Challenge in August. Hoar had many podium finishes during his days with the former NASCAR K&N Pro Series East division and also set the track pole position record for that division.
“Winning the ACT All-Star Challenge at my favorite track was fulfillment of a racing goal, said Hoar. “Getting the ACT title locked in last weekend means the RPM team can really just enjoy the weekend at New Hampshire. Bring it on.”
Eddie MacDonald from Rowley Mass. is a perennial favorite to win at NHMS. Crew chief Rollie Lachance will have his hands full as MacDonald will also compete in the NASCAR K&N Pro East Series New Hampshire 125 on Friday.
“It is a lot of fun. I guess I like the challenge of starting out back, but without the benefit of some yellows it is getting tougher each year to get to the front,” said MacDonald. “I hope to redeem our August effort when I thought Brian (Hoar) and I were going to go at it for the win. That was before my coil burned up and ended our day early.”
Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., from Hudson, N.H. had a dominant car in 2010. Starting 27th on the grid, Pole kept his late season winning streak alive with an incredible run to the front at the speedway.
“It will always be one of my greatest racing memories. Winning the Invitational, at the biggest race track, in my home State of New Hampshire is about as good as it gets,” said Pole. “Our team could sure use a lift from our disappointing season in 2011 and to repeat at this year’s race would be just as great as last year”
Teams representing all six New England states, New York, and the Canadian Provinces of Quebec and Ontario have all accepted invitations to the annual race.
There will be eight 2011 regional track champions for the season-ending laurels competing in the Invitational. Representing Oxford Plains Speedway in Maine is track champion Jeff White from Winthrop, Maine. Seekonk Speedway in Massachusetts will be represented by Ryan Vanasse from Warwick, RI and Guy Caron from Lempster, N.H. will fly the Claremont, N.H. Twin State Speedway colors. Other track champion invitees are Dan McHattie – Kawartha Speedway in Peterborough, Ontario, Wayne Helliwell, Jr. who recently won the Lee USA Speedway championship driving a small block Super Modified weekly, while competing full-time on the American Canadian Tour where he sits second in points. Waterford Speedbowl Late Model point leader and former champion, Bruce Thomas will represent the Bowl. Thomas led the early laps of the original Invitational in 2009 and finished in the top ten. Two other New Hampshire natives, Quinny Welch from Lancaster, NH representing the White Mountain Motorsport Park and Donnie Lashua, who recently claimed double championships at the Canaan Fair Speedway in the Late Model and Pro-Stock divisions have accepted invitations to the biggest racing stage on the ACT schedule.
The ACT Castrol Series will send six of the best teams in the Northeast, led by current points leader Patrick Laperle, St. Denis, QC, Karl Allard driving for the Quebec City based Larue Racing team, along with fellow Quebecois Donald Theetge all have experience in the past three events at NHMS which should provide success for those flying the ‘fleur de lys’.
Great seats are still available for the entire NASCAR weekend which includes the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SYLVANIA 300, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series F.W. Webb 175, the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East New Hampshire 125, the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour New Hampshire 100 and the ACT Invitational. Tickets can be purchased by calling the tracks ticket hotline at (603)783-4931 or by visiting www.nhms.com.
The following lists the 43 invitees for the third annual ACT Invitational:
Car No. Driver
5 RI Richard Staskowski
7 ME Glen Luce
7 NC Ben Lynch
11 RI Ryan Vanasse
12 NH Guy Caron
14 VT Phil Scott
15 ME Ben Ashline
15 VT Joey Laquerre
16 NY Mark Lamberton
17 MA Eddie MacDonald
17 RI Ray Parent
18VT Jamie Fisher
21 MA Pete Yetman
21 QC Jean-Francois Déry
23 ME Dave Farrington, Jr.
26 VT John Donahue
27 NH Wayne Helliwell, Jr.
29 NH Aaron Fellows
31 NH Luke Hinkley
32 VT Jean-Paul Cyr
34 NH Todd Davis
35 CT Bruce Thomas
37 VT Brian Hoar
40 QC David Michaud
40 VT Nick Sweet
41 VT Jamie Aube
48 QC Karl Allard
50 ME Jeff White
51 ME Ricky Rolfe
55 NH Brad Leighton
55 VT Brent Dragon
57 ME Austin Theriault
61 ME TJ Brackett
71 ON Dan McHattie
78 NH Quinny Welch
80 QC Donald Theetge
88 ME Jeff Taylor
89 VT Scott Payea
91 QC Patrick Laperle
94 ME Shawn Martin
97 NH Joey Polewarczyk, Jr.
07 MA Tom Carey, Jr.
08 NH Donnie Lashua
