–by T.J. Ingerson (@TJIngerson)
VMM Editor
WATERBURY, Vt. – Forty-three drivers representing all six New England states and the Canadian province of Quebec will make up this year’s field for the eighth American-Canadian Tour Bond Auto Parts ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Currently ACT Late Model Tour point leader Nick Sweet of Barre, Vt. and recently crowned Viau Ford Serie ACT Quebec champion Patrick Laperle of St-Denis, Que., top the list of drivers that have accepted invitations to the 50-lap event.
Four-time ACT Invitational winner and current third place ACT Late Model Tour point driver Eddie MacDonald of Rowley, Mass., is among the entrants, as are former winners Joey Polewarczyk Jr. of Hudson, N.H., Ray Parent of Tiverton, R.I., and Wayne Helliwell Jr. of Dover, N.H.
The state of Vermont leads the way with 12 drivers on the entry list, including Thunder Road Late Model runner-up Sweet. Also on the list is Thunder Road Memorial Day Classic winner Tyler Cahoon of St. Johnsbury, Vt., ACT Late Model Tour race winner Bobby Therrien of Hinesburg, Vt., defending Devil’s Bowl Speedway champion Josh Masterson of Bristol, Vt., Thunder Road race winner John Donahue of Graniteville, Vt., ACT Late Model Tour top-ten point driver Mike Ziter of Barre, Vt., ACT Late Model Tour frontrunner Jimmy Hebert of Williamstown, Vt., reigning Speedway 51 champion Jeff Marshall of Lunenburg, Vt., Emily Packard of East Montpelier, Vt., Brian Tarbell of Springfield, Vt., Chris Riendeau of Ascutney, Vt., and Ricky Roberts of Washington, Vt.
New Hampshire offers a very strong representation of nine drivers with the former race winners of Polewarczyk and Helliwell, along with White Mountain Motorsports Park champion Quinny Welch of Lancaster, N.H. and former New Hampshire Motor Speedway ACT Invitational top-five finisher Aaron Fellows of Croydon, N.H. Also joining the home state contingent are current ACT Late Model Tour rookie of the year leader Ryan Olsen of North Haverhill, N.H., former ACT Late Model Tour race winner Kyle Welch of Newport, N.H., Matt Anderson of Franklin, N.H., Bucky Demers of Cornish, N.H., and Jim Zullo III of Claremont, N.H.
The province of Quebec will see a strong contingent of drivers enter the ACT Invitational and will be represented by nine drivers, including Laperle. Also entered is Serie ACT runner-up and former champion Donald Theetge of Boischatel, Que., former series champion and current NASCAR Pitny’s Series driver Alex Labbe of St-Albert, Que., former series champion Jean-Francois Dery of Quebec, Que., former series champion Dany Trepanier of St-Edouard, Que., front running driver Jonathan Bouvrette of Blainville, Que., former championship contender Patrick Cliché of Levis, Que., newcomer Simon Roussin of Quebec, Que., and Jean-Pierre Ouimet of Terrebonne, Que.
Massachusetts will send six drivers, including four-time winner MacDonald. Also entered from the Bay State include defending Thompson Speedway champion Brian Tagg of Oxford, Mass., current Thompson Speedway runner Tom Carey III of New Salem, Mass., ACT Late Model Tour racer Jimmy Linardy of Somerville, Mass., Monadnock Speedway Super Stock point leader Joel Monahan of Whatley, Mass., and Adam Gray of Granby, Mass.
Connecticut sees a strong list of drivers led by ACT Late Model Tour race winner and former Granite State Pro Stock Series champion Dillon Moltz of Waterford, Conn. NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour driver and reigning Thompson Speedway Sunoco Modified champion Woody Pitkat of Stafford, Conn. is also entered as is New London-Waterford Speedbowl racer Ray Christian III of Norwich, Conn.
Parent leads ACT Late Model Tour driver Mark Jenison of Warwick, R.I. from the state of Rhode Island while Maine sends two drivers with three-time ACT Late Model Tour race winner Brad Babb of Windham, Maine and ACT Late Model Tour mainstay Rowland Robinson Jr. of Steuben, Maine.
The Bond Auto Parts ACT Invitational will complete a tripleheader day that will include the opening round of the Chase for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series as they compete in the UNOH 175 and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour F.W. Webb 100.
The Bond Auto Parts ACT Invitational is scheduled to go green flag at approximately 5:00pm on Saturday, September 24.
No.-Driver-Hometown
3ma Brian Tagg, Oxford, Mass.
3vt Ricky Roberts, Washignton, Vt.
4nh Chris Riendeau, Ascutney, Vt.
5ct Dillon Moltz, Waterford, Conn.
5ma Tom Carey III, New Salem, Mass.
5qc Patrick Cliché, Levis, Que.
5vt Bobby Therrien, Hinesburg, Vt.
6qc Simon Roussin, Quebec, Que.
9me Emily Packard, East Montpelier, Vt.
9nh Kyle Welch, Newport, N.H.
10ny Jim Zullo III, Claremont, N.H.
11ny Josh Masterson, Bristol, Vt.
15nh Brad Babb, Windham, Maine
15me Brian Tarbell, Springfield, Vt.
17ma Eddie MacDonald, Rowley, Mass.
17ri Ray Parent, Tiverton, R.I.
19qc Dany Trepanier, St-Edouard, Que.
21qc Jean-Francois Dery, Quebec, Que.
22ri Mark Jenison, Warwick, R.I.
26nh Bucky Demers, Cornish, N.H.
27nh Wayne Helliwell Jr., Dover, N.H.
28me Rowland Robinson Jr., Steuben, Maine
29nh Aaron Fellows, Croydon, N.H.
31me John Donahue, Graniteville, Vt.
32nh Jeff Marshall, Guildhall, Vt.
38vt Tyler Cahoon, St. Johnsbury, Vt.
41qc Jonathan Bouvrette, Blainville, Que.
48qc Alex Labbe, St-Albert, Que.
49nh Matt Anderson, Franklin, N.H.
54vt Mike Ziter, Williamstown, Vt.
58vt Jimmy Hebert, Williamstown, Vt.
59qc Jean-Pierre Ouimet, Terrebonne, Que.
61nh Ryan Olsen, North Haverhill, N.H.
77ma Jimmy Linardy, Somerville, Mass.
78nh Quinny Welch, Lancaster, N.H.
80qc Donald Theetge, Boischatel, Que.
88vt Nick Sweet, Barre, Vt.
91qc Patrick Laperle, St-Denis, Que.
93ct Ray Chrisitan III, Norwich, Conn.
97ma Adam Gray, Granby, Mass.
97nh Joey Polewarczyk Jr., Hudson, N.H.
03ma Joel Monahan, Whatley, Mass.
07ma Woody Pitkat, Stafford, Conn.
PHOTO: A stacked field that represents all six New England states and the Canadian province of Quebec will make up the 2016 Bond Auto Parts ACT Invitational field. (Steve Poulin photo)
