(Press Release from American-Canadian Tour)
The American-Canadian Tour (ACT) and Pro All Stars Series (PASS) have released the latest round of information for the Thompson Speedway Icebreaker on April 9-11 and the New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) Northeast Classic on April 17. Both events are expected to attract some of the biggest, most talented fields of the year as they kick off the 2020 New England racing season.
As part of the updates, ACT and PASS also have created a new Thompson Outlaw Open Modified Series information page. Teams and fans can visit www.acttour.com/outlaw-open-modifieds for the latest about all six of the big-money events, including the 46th Annual Icebreaker and the $20,000-to-win Thompson 300. This page will be updated throughout the year. The Northeast Classic also has an information page at www.acttour.com/northeast-late-model-classic.
The biggest piece of the puzzle now available is the complete Tour-Type Open Modified rules. The Icebreaker is headlined by a 125-lap, $10,000-to-win Outlaw Open event. The inaugural Northeast Classic includes a 50-lap, $5,000-to-win Modified Open.
Both events will largely follow the Tri-Track Modified Open Series rulebook. Tour-Type Modified cars must follow the 2021 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, Race of Champions, Modified Racing Series, or Weekly track rules. Certain exceptions are outlined in a PDF on the series information page. Rules may not be combined between series. SK Modified–legal cars may also compete using any carburetor.
A gear rule will also be in place for the Outlaw Open Series and Northeast Classic. The Thompson events require a 4.64 gear for built engines and a 4.52 gear for spec engines. At NHMS, built engines must use a 3.98 maximum and 3.74 minimum gear. The range for spec engines is a 3.83 maximum and 3.63 minimum. No restrictor plate will be required at either track.
Greg Felton, the Head of Race Tech for the Tri-Track Open Modified Series, will serve in the same rule for the Open Modified events at both Thompson and NHMS. He can be reached at (413) 695-2272 or [email protected] with any Modified tech questions.
The Open Modified entry form for the Northeast Classic has also been released. It can be found on the official Northeast Classic page at www.acttour.com/northeast-late-model-classic. The 50-lap event will pay $5,000 to win and $600 to start with almost $29,000 in posted awards. Teams that enter by Thursday, April 1 receive a discount on their entry fee.
The entry form for the $10,000-to-win Icebreaker 125, which opens the Thompson Outlaw Open Modified Series, was recently released and can be found on the series information page. More than a dozen drivers had already entered the event at press time, including six-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Doug Coby, multi-time Thompson Speedway champion Keith Rocco, 2020 World Series Modified Open winner Mike Christopher Jr., and four-time Modified Racing Series champion Jon McKennedy. The first 26 teams that file entries will receive a garage stall for the weekend. More information about the rest of the weekend’s like-up is expected soon.
Finally, ACT and PASS have released the rules and entry form for the 8-cylinder Street Stock Open at the Northeast Classic. The rules are nearly identical to what was originally planned in 2020, with the only change being that a 3.73 maximum gear is required. The 25-lap Street Stock Open will pay $1,000 to win with a total purse of more than $7,500.
For more information about the American-Canadian Tour, contact the ACT offices at (802) 244-6963, [email protected], or visit www.acttour.com. You can also get updates on Facebook and Twitter at @ACTTour.
For technical information concerning all PASS divisions, and for media or marketing questions, please contact [email protected] or visit www.proallstarsseries.com. Don’t forget to “Like” the Pro All Stars Series on Facebook or follow on Twitter @PASSSLM14 to keep up with breaking news as it happens.
I am wondering….??? Will NASCAR put pressure on their Tour Teams and Drivers to NOT RACE in the
ICEBREAKER ????? Will they try to stop them with fines as they did in the past …. ?????? or maybe try to keep their Stars in check with with meetings to rally the troops at Martinsville against Open Shows…. ????
Knowing NASCAR, none of the above would surprise me…. They threw out Richie Evans their top STAR for running in non sanctioned NON nascar Tracks…. The Owners and Drivers Meeting should be Interesting …
No restrictor plate at nhms… will they be faster or will the gear rules keep them around a similar speed?
I’d bet the gears help compensate for the lack of a restrictor plate, but that should mean better acceleration and maybe even more passing than normal for NHMS. I would think that gives more racers a fair chance to compete without needing a “plate engine”. I would think in the days of “built engines” being used at NHMS, there probably were some differences between engines with vs. without a plate.
PASS has used the gear rule at Loudon the couple of times they have ran there. That has kept the Super Late Model lap times pretty close to what the NASCAR K&N East cars turning.(which I guess is pretty close to what the Trucks were running when they still raced at Loudon too)
Yeah, folks are going to be dusting off those big motors…
What is the secret to getting tickets for The Icebreaker? I looked on the Thompson website and the ACT Tour website and see nothing about ticket sales. Are you interested in having fans attend the events? Are you trying to make money?
With Covid limitations I can’t beleive your group makes it so difficult to purchase your tickets!
Peter,
The promoters are expected to make tickets available before the end of the month. I don’t think they’re trying to make it difficult. Outside of tracks that offer season passes, I don’t think most short tracks are at the point where they’re offering single event tickets for 2021 yet.