Touring Series News
Finally, Joey Polewarczyk’s Big Moment At New Hampshire
PHOTO: Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., (front, 2nd from right) earned the ACT Invitiational victory in impressive fashion at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. (Justin St. Louis/VMM photo)
Sylvania 300 weekend coverage presented by New England Dirt Track Championships and Subway of VT/NH
LOUDON, N.H. -- Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., figured he had waited long enough for that big moment in his career to show up.
The 21 year-old from Hudson, N.H., is already a six-year veteran of the American-Canadian Tour and had won some races, but never on the scale -- or in such impressive fashion -- as his victory in the second annual ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday evening.
Polewarczyk started 27th on the 43-car field and stormed his way to the front, often running three-wide on the far outside lane. His No. 97 Pole’s Automotive Ford caught leaders Jamie Fisher and Wayne Helliwell, Jr., in lapped traffic during the final quarter of the 60-lap race, then moved into the lead with an inside pass of Helliwell on lap 54.
From there, Polewarczyk cruised to the win over Helliwell, of Dover, N.H. Shelburne, Vt., veteran Fisher held on for third.
“It’s at the biggest stage I could possibly be on,” said Polewarczyk. “I grew up watching races here from the other side of the fence and it just really 
hasn’t sunk in yet. To be in victory lane here at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the biggest track in New England, it’s amazing. It’s definitely something I’ll always be able to say I did for the rest of my life.”
Polewarczyk started racing Late Models at age 14, graduating to the ACT Late Model Tour soon after. The transition was not an easy one.
“If you would have talked to me back in 2005 when I was wrecking every week… I just can’t believe I’m here right now,” Polewarczyk said. “My whole team has been with me from day one. They just put awesome setups underneath the car, and I’ve learned as I’ve kept going. I’ve learned what I need in the car. I can’t just say, ‘I’m tight in the center.’ I have to say, ‘I’m tight in the center and I need a spring rubber in the left-front,’ or something like that. It all comes with experience. I’m blessed to have this opportunity.”
Only two cautions -- each for hard wrecks -- slowed the race at the outset. Canadian Patrick Hamel got the worst of a four-car scrum as the initial green flag flew, then Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl champion Nick Sweet of Barre, Vt., pounded the wall on lap 2 after contact with Randy Potter; no injuries were reported. The race went without incident for the final 58 laps.
Fisher took the lead from polesitter Glen Luce after the second restart and held the point until Dan McHattie took over lap 18. McHattie, of Cavan, Ont., looked to have the race well in hand until the handle faded on his car. Fisher passed McHattie to reclaim the lead on lap 46 before Helliwell led laps 51-53, unofficially. Polewarczyk led the final seven laps.
ACT Late Model Tour champion Brian Hoar of Williston, Vt., finished fourth with Eddie MacDonald of Rowley, Mass., fifth. Jean-Francois Dery, Ricky Rolfe, Joey Laquerre, McHattie, and Patrick Laperle completed the unofficial top ten finishers.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS -- ACT Invitational
American-Canadian Tour -- New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, N.H.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Pos.-(Start)-Car No.-Driver-Hometown-Laps
1 (27) 97nh Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. Hudson, NH 60
2 (12) 27nh Wayne Helliwell, Jr. Dover, NH 60
3 (3) 18vt Jamie Fisher Shelburne, VT 60
4 (26) 37vt Brian Hoar Williston, VT 60
5 (32) 17ma Eddie MacDonald Rowley, MA 60
6 (10) 21qc Jean-Fran�ois D�ry Quebec, QC 60
7 (15) 51me Ricky Rolfe Albany Twp., ME 60
8 (28) 15vt Joey Laquerre E. Montpelier, VT 60
9 (5) 71on Dan McHattie Peterborough, ON 60
10 (23) 91qc Patrick Laperle St-Denis, QC 60
11 (9) 42ma Jeff Zuidema N. Brookfield, MA 60
12 (22) 48qc Karl Allard St-Felicien, QC 60
13 (11) 8nh Guy Caron Lempster, NH 60
14 (31) 26vt John Donahue Barre, VT 60
15 (1) 7me Glen Luce Turner, ME 60
16 (33) 4me #Brad Babb Windham, ME 60
17 (21) 94me Shawn Martin Turner, ME 60
18 (24) 89vt Scott Payea Milton, VT 60
19 (16) 80qc Donald Theetge Boischatel, QC 60
20 (40) 36qc #Alex Labb� St-Albert, QC 60
21 (8) 52nh Miles Chipman Epping, NH 60
22 (2) 15ct Jeff Smith Old Lyme, CT 60
23 (4) 3me Dennis Spencer, Jr. Oxford, ME 60
24 (18) 44vt Dave Pembroke Montpelier, VT 60
25 (36) 16ny Mark Lamberton Mooers Forks, NY 60
26 (19) 78nh Quinten Welch Lancaster, NH 59
27 (20) 14vt Phil Scott Middlesex, VT 59
28 (29) 55nh Brad Leighton Center Harbor, NH 59
29 (38) 04me T.J. Watson Cundy's Harbor, ME 59
30 (34) 57me #Austin Theriault Fort Kent, ME 59
31 (35) 17on Justin Holtom Ottawa, ON 59
32 (42) 40qc David Michaud Blainville, QC 59
33 (17) 5ri Rich Staskowski Hope Valley, RI 59
34 (41) 84on Larry Jackson Oakville, ON 58
35 (14) 07me Scott Luce Strong, ME 57
36 (6) 03me Travis Adams Canton, ME 55
37 (30) 55vt Brent Dragon Milton, VT 44
38 (13) 32vt Jean-Paul Cyr Milton, VT 25
39 (37) 60me Tim Brackett Buckfield, ME 9
40 (7) 02nh Randy Potter Groveton, NH 2
41 (25) 88vt Nick Sweet Barre, VT 2
42 (39) 51qc Patrick Hamel St-Edouard, QC 0
43 (43) 77nh Mark Hayward Unity, NH 0
