–by T.J. Ingerson (@TJIngerson)
VMM Editor
LOUDON, N.H. — Vermont driver Mike Ziter and Massachusetts driver Adam Gray will lead the 40-car ACT Invitational starting field to green on Saturday afternoon at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Ziter, of Barre, Vt., pulled chip number one out of the bag during the pre-race draw for starting positions which awarded him the pole position for the 50-lap event.
“At first it was nerve racking (pulling number one), but then I thought about it,” Ziter said. “Man, we’ve been here before. We know how to drive in traffic. We know how to race. We just need to hit our marks and be safe.”
It will be Ziter’s third appearance in the ACT Invitational. He finished 30th two years ago before and 15th one year ago.
“We have an idea of traffic, but we know who’s coming,” Ziter said. “We just have to be there in the end. We just have to hold our marks and if they go by, they go by. We just need to bring it back in one piece.”
Ziter has had a tough 2017 ACT Late Model Tour campaign that has only seen him finish inside the top-ten once. Saturday’s pole position start Ziter said will mean a lot to his sponsors, Jefford’s Steel and Ziter Masonry.
“It’s good for our sponsors,” Ziter said. “Our sponsors love this place. If we can at least come down to the green flag in the first spot, we’ll be happy with that.”
Gray, of Granby, Mass., will make his second start in the ACT Invitational after he finished 18th one year ago.
White Mountain Motorsports Park competitor Matt Anderson of Franklin, N.H. will start third while ACT Late Model Tour fourth place point driver Rich Dubeau will roll off fourth. Rowland Robinson Jr. of Steuben, Maine will start in the fifth position.
Ray Christian, John Donahue, last year’s polesitter Kyle Welch, Brian Tagg, and Jeff Marshall will complete the top-ten starters.
Five-time ACT Invitational race winner Eddie MacDonald will roll off 26th while 2012 race winner Ray Parent will start 20th.
The ACT Invitational is slated to go green at 5:00pm. VtMotorMag.com will have coverage on Twitter at @VMMUpdates.
STARTING LINEUP — ACT Invitational
American-Canadian Tour
New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, N.H.
Saturday, September 23, 2017
Pos.-Driver-Hometown
1. Mike Ziter, Barre, Vt.
2. Adam Gray, Granby, Mass.
3. Matt Anderson, Franklin, N.H.
4. Rich Dubeau, Lebanon, N.H.
5. Rowland Robinson Jr., Steuben, Maine
6. Ray Christian, Norwich, Conn.
7. John Donahue, Graniteville, Vt.
8. Kyle Welch, Newport, N.H.
9. Brian Tagg, Oxford, Mass.
10. Jeff Marshall, Lunenburg, Vt.
11. Bucky Demers, Cornish, N.H.
12. Chris Riendeau, Ascutney, Vt.
13. Patrick Cliche, Levis, Que.
14. Tom Carey Jr., New Salem, Mass.
15. Andy Seuss, Hampstead, N.H.
16. Joel Monahan, Whately, Mass.
17. Aaron Fellows, Croydon, N.H.
18. Josh Masterson, Bristol, Vt.
19. Woody Pitkat, Stafford, Conn.
20. Tom Carey III, New Salem, Mass.
21. Ray Parent, Tiverton, R.I.
22. Jean-Francois Dery, Quebec, Que.
23. Jonathan Bouvrette, Blainville, Que.
24. Michael Lavoie, Saguenay, Que.
25. Dany Trepanier, St-Edouard, Que.
26. Eddie MacDonald, Rowley, Mass.
27. Jimmy Hebert, Williamstown, Vt.
28. Patrick Laperle, St-Denis, Que.
29. Dillon Moltz, Waterford, Conn.
30. Ricky Roberts, Washington, Vt.
31. Mathieu Kingsbury, Blainville, Que.
32. Mark Jenison, Warwick, R.I.
33. Gaetan Gaudreault, Quebec, Que.
34. Allen Fellows, Croydon, N.H.
35. Jimmy Linardy, Somerville, Mass.
36. Seth Bridge, Mendon, Vt.
37. Scott MacMichael, Newbury, N.H.
38. Stephen Donahue, Graniteville, Vt.
39. James Capps, Penacook, N.H.
40. Mark Hudson, Norton, Mass.
PHOTOS:
1 – Mike Ziter of Barre, Vt. will lead the 40-car ACT Invitational starting field to green on Saturday evening at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. (T.J. Ingerson/VMM photo)
2 – Mike Ziter draws chip number one during the ACT Invitational draw. (T.J. Ingerson/VMM photo)
