CYR BACK ON TRACK WITH ACT TOUR WIN AT WHITE MOUNTAIN

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                          ACT-081206-1

            N. Woodstock, NH – Five-time and defending American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Champion, Jean-Paul Cyr of Milton, VT got back on the winning track Saturday night with a convincing victory in the Late Model Tour’s Kancamaugus 150 at White Mountain Motorsports Park, N Woodstock. NH.  Cyr started on the outside pole by virtue of his performance in one of the four qualifying heats.  He passed five cars for a +5, to earn his front row starting position due to ACT’s unique +/- qualifying system.  Pole sitter Jamie Fisher had the best outing of the 16 drivers who transferred into the 30-car starting grid from the heat races with a +7.

            Fisher led the first two laps of the 150 lap race but was unable to hold off a determined Cyr who was coming off a pair of mediocre finishes in the last two ACT Tour events.  The veteran competitor nosed ahead on the third circuit and continued to inch ahead on each subsequent lap until he was able to complete the pass.   Fisher, a former Late Model champion at Barre, Vermont’s Thunder Road Speedbowl, chased Cyr until the first caution flew on the 30th circuit for a minor incident involving Vermont racers, ACT Tour regular Phil Scott from Montpelier, and White Mountain weekly competitor Howard Switser of Westbury.

            When the green flew, Fisher, in the outside groove, lost second place to Scott Dragon as his car didn’t handle as well on the high side.   Second generation racer Dragon set off after Cyr with several of the quarter-mile track’s weekly racers, including Randy Potter and Stacy Cahoon, in tow.

            A second caution, a few laps later, put Dragon on the outside of the front row for the restart.  Like Fisher before him, he went backwards in the high groove.  Potter took a stab at Cyr when the green flew and was able to maintain his runner-up spot for several laps until Cahoon took over.  While the White Mountain veteran settled into his pursuit of Cyr, local favorite and former Tour Rookie of the Year, Roger Brown entered the fray from his seventh starting position.

            Brown, 27, winner of the ACT Bay State 100 one week ago at Seekonk (MA) Speedway, overtook Cahoon just past the half-way point.  The Lancaster, NH driver bided his time for a yellow to fly over the field and close up the pack.  He got his chance on a 104th lap restart.  The pair crossed the stripe side-by-side but the nose of Cyr’s Chevrolet was inches ahead of Brown’s Ford.

            A spin involving a pair of White Mountain drivers slowed the action on the 110th circuit.  This time Brown was able to make the outside groove work in his favor and passed Cyr for the lead.  But his advantage was short lived as Cyr power back in front one lap later.  From that point on, Cyr was able to hold off Brown’s challenges and he finished second.

            Stacy Cahoon of St. Johnsbury, VT, crossed the line a close third for the best performance by a local racer.  Joey Laquerre from E. Montpelier, VT and Phil Scott of Middlesex, VT rounded out the top five.

            Forty-three drivers attempted to qualify for the Kancamaugus 150, the first long-distance race held at the picturesque speedplant for the ACT Late Models.  All previous ACT Tour events were 100 laps in length.  In another first, the event was the inaugural combination race for both the ACT Tour competitors and their White Mountain counterparts.  Eighteen “locals” joined the 25 “invaders”, which included drivers from five of the six New England states and New York.

            Of the 30 starters in the 150 lap event, 21 were still running when the checkers flew one hour and 13 minutes after the initial green flag, 20 of them on the lead lap.

            Cyr’s victory, his second of the season, pads his point lead to 66 over Dave Pembroke who finished sixth (726-660).  Seventh place finisher, Brent Dragon from Milton, VT retains third in the standings (647), 79 behind the leader.  Dragon, who started 25, earned a $500 “Hard Charger” certificate from Five Star RaceCar Bodies for improving his starting position the most number of positions.  He moved forward 18 spots.

            Ryan Vanasse of Warwick, RI finished eighth in his third consecutive top ten outing, Scott Dragon of Colchester, VT and 16 year-old DJ Shaw from Center Conway, NH completed the top ten.

            The ACT Tour returns to action Saturday night (August 19) at Maine’s Oxford Plains (ME) Speedway for the New England Dodge Dealers 150.  Post time is 6:30 pm.

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The official finish of the ACT Tour’s Kancamaugus 150 at White Mountain Motorsports Park, N. Woodstock, NH showing finishing position, (starting position), name, hometown, car, laps complete and reason out, if any.

1. (2) Jean-Paul Cyr, Milton, VT Chevrolet, 150, Running

2. (7) Roger Brown, Lancaster, NH, Ford, 150, Running

3. (4) Stacy Cahoon, Danville, VT, Dodge, 150, Running

4. (14) Joey Laquerre, E Montpelier, VT, 150, Running

5. (18) Phil Scott, Montpelier, VT, Ford, 150, Running

6. (16) Dave Pembroke, Montpelier, VT, Chevrolet, 150, Running

7.  (25) Brent Dragon, Milton, VT, Dodge, 150, Running

8.  (22) Ryan Vanasse, Warwick, RI, Chevrolet, 150, Running

9.  (3) Scott Dragon, Colchester, VT, Pontiac, 150, Running

10.  (20) DJ Shaw, Ctr Conway, NH, Dodge, 150, Running

11.  (24) Scott Payea, Milton, VT, Ford, 150, Running

12.  (28) AJ Begin, Merrimac, NH, Chevrolet, 150, Running

13.  (17) Eric Chase, Milton, VT, Chevroket, 150, Running

14.  (13) Rich Lowrey, Charlotter, VT, Chevrolet, 150, Running

15.  (12) Tyler Cahoon, Danville, VT, Dodge, 150, Running

16.  (1) Jamie Fisher, Shelburne, VT, Chevrolet, 150, Running

17.  (6) Steve Fisher, Shelburne, VT, Chevrolet, 150, Running

18.  (9) Randy Potter, Groveton, NH, Chevrolet, 150, Running

19.  (26) Eric Williams, Hyde Park, VT, Chevrolet, 150, Running

20.  (15) Mike Gosselin, Derby, VT, Chevrolet, 150, Running

21.  (30) Kendell Legendre, Danville, VT, Chevrolet, 149, Running

22.  (23) Oren Remick, Warner, NH, Chevrolet, 144, Handling

23.  (21) Todd Aldrich, N Haverhill, NH, Chevrolet, 138, Fuel Leak

24.  (5) Mark Lamberton, Mooers Forks, NY, Chevrolet, 138, Wreck

25.  (8) Quinney Welch, Lancaster, NH, Dodge, 137, Rear End

26.  (19) Pete Potvin III, Graniteville, VT, Chevrolet, 106, Sway Bar

27.  (11) Russ Clark, Littleton, NH, Chevrolet, 93, Handling

28.  (29) Ryan Nolin, Georgia, VT, Chevrolet, 44, Sway Bar

29.  (10) Howard Switser, Westbury, VT, Chevrolet, 37, Suspension

30.  (27) Ron Henry, New Gloucester, ME, Chevrolet, 33, Rear End

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Contact:  Marjorie Mulligan Fay                                                       802-244-6963

E-mail:  marjorieatact@aol.com OR Marjorie@acttour.com