PEMBROKE OUTLASTS RAIN TO WIN ACT TOUR'S MERCHANTS BANK 150
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ACT-051505-2
BARRE, VT - While ACT's Dave Pembroke of Montpelier, VT will get the most kudos for his victory in Sunday's Merchants Bank 150 at Thunder Road, the track's devoted fans were also victorious.  A surprisingly large crowd turned out for the quarter-mile oval's 46th season opener and their dedication through four-plus hours of rain delays was rewarded with a highly competitive Late Model race.  The ACT Late Model Tour event, which had originally been scheduled for May 1, had 43 Late Model competitors vie for just 26 starting positions.
Chad Wheeler of Waterbury, VT started on the pole and with no cautions on the horizon, the veteran Thunder Road competitor jumped to a sizeable lead.  He was chased by a succession of drivers including Mark Lamberton, Jamie Fisher, Pembroke, Brent Dragon, Cooper MacRitchie and John Donahue but none was able to seriously challenge the leader.
The first of five cautions and the most serious of the lot, flew on the 43rd circuit.  Lamberton, MacRitchie and former ACT Late Model Champions, Phil Scott and Pete Fecteau were all involved in the front stretch wall-banging incident.  For all but Fecteau, it was the end of the night.  On the restart Fisher lined up along side Wheeler, but the 2003 Thunder Road "King of the Road" wasn't able to mount a serious threat in the outside groove, which left Wheeler to again extend his advantage.
A pair of cautions, on the 78th and 80th laps, dramatically changed the complexity of the Merchants Bank 150.  The first came out for two-time defending ACT Late Model Champion, Jean-Paul Cyr who flew off the first turn in a shower of sparks with a suspension failure taking him out of the hunt.  The second was for second place Jamie Fisher who had spun on the restart while battling for the lead.  The lap 80 restart put Pembroke on the outside of the front row.  When the green flew, Pembroke shot past Wheeler and into the lead, a position he would not relinquish.
From the 10th starting spot, 2005 ACT point leader, Cris Michaud methodically worked his way in to the top five, then top three.  On the 103rd circuit he overtook Wheeler with Brent Dragon surpassing Wheeler on the following lap.  Michaud and Dragon set their sights on Pembroke who was putting as much real estate between himself and the pair as possible.
The final caution, for Ken Dufour's spin, came out on lap 131.  On the final restart, Michaud lined up beside Pembroke with Dragon in third, directly behind.  When the green flew, Pembroke surged ahead pulling Dragon with him. Michaud was left to chase the pair over the final circuits.  Dragon made several runs at Pembroke, but with Michaud in hot pursuit he had to protect his rear bumper.  The finishing order showed Pembroke, Dragon and Michaud taking the top three spots.
Rookie competitor Scott Payea from Milton, VT had another stellar outing.  After starting 12th, the 23 year-old driver posted a steady fourth place finish.  Rounding out the top five was Swanton, Vermont's Dave Wilcox.
"I had my hands full with both Cris and Brent at the end," stated Pembroke.  "Brent got up on the outside and leaned on me a bit, but I think it hurt him more than it bothered me.  We had set the car up for the wet and rainy conditions and it held up even though the track improved and the race went on," he concluded.
Dragon concurred with Pembroke's observation, "With about five or six to go, I messed myself up.  I got alongside him and I leaned on him a little to let him know I was there but it slowed my momentum.  It took a couple of laps to get the car going again, plus I had Cris right there looking to capitalize on another mistake.  I just ran out of time," Dragon finished.
The ACT Late Model Tour next travels to Maine's Oxford Plains Speedway on Saturday (May 21) for a 100-lap event.  Post time is 6:30 pm.
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