(Press Release from American-Canadian Tour)
The American-Canadian Tour (ACT) has revealed the early-entry list for the Hickory 125 and Easter Bunny 125 on Friday, April 2 and Saturday, April 3. A total of 28 teams have made the early commitment to open their 2021 season by running at least one event at North Carolina’s legendary Hickory Motor Speedway.
The entry list contains a highly-decorated mix of ACT Late Model Tour regulars, weekly Late Model champions, and top drivers who can be found at any big event. Five different states and numerous tracks/series are represented. The events are the first time ever that the ACT Late Models will race at the “Birthplace of NASCAR Stars”.
Vermont leads the way with a whopping 14 drivers that have registered for the Hickory doubleheader. Former Thunder Road Late Model champions Jason Corliss of Barre, VT and Bobby Therrien of Hinesburg, VT are on the list of drivers heading to North Carolina. So are former Riverside Speedway Champion Jeff Marshall of Gilman, VT; former Governor’s Cup winner Brooks Clark of Fayston, VT; and defending White Mountain Motorsports Park Rookie of the Year Andy Hill of Waterford, VT.
Multi-time weekly racing winners Jim “Boomer” Morris, Stephen Donahue, Tyler Cahoon, Chip Grenier, and Derek Ming are working on their travel plans. Venerable veteran Joey Laquerre of E. Montpelier, VT has entered the Saturday portion of the doubleheader. Lanphear sisters Reilly and Peyton of Waterbury, VT and ACT regular Jesse Switser of West Burke, VT round out the Vermont brigade.
New Hampshire, meanwhile, currently has seven Hickory representatives. They include eight-time White Mountain Champion Quinny Welch of Groveton, NH; Riverside Speedway champions Shawn Swallow and Mike Kenison of Lancaster, NH; and multi-track champion Aaron Fellows of Croydon, NH.
Three-time ACT Champion Wayne “The Punisher” Helliwell Jr. of Dover, NH is already on the short list of contenders. Helliwell is a factor in almost every race he enters and undoubtedly will get up to speed fast. Eight-cylinder Street Stock legend Alby Ovitt and his teammate Jimmy Renfrew Jr., both of Candia, NH, complete the list of New Hampshire racers.
Five drivers from the state of Massachusetts have entered the Hickory 125 and Easter Bunny 125. New Salem, MA’s Tom Carey III and North Dartmouth, MA’s Derek Gluchacki are using the events as a tune-up for their sophomore ACT Tour seasons after both finished in the top-10 in points last year.
Rehoboth, MA’s Jake Johnson, the recent Snowflake 100 winner at Florida’s Five Flags Speedway, is planning double-duty with the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) Super Late Models. Carver, MA youngster Trenton Goodrow is looking for a strong showing in his first ACT events since double-ACL surgery last year. They’ll be joined from the Bay State by Star Speedway regular Randy Cole Jr. of Middleton, MA.
Maine and Rhode Island each have one ACT driver heading to Hickory. The Mainer is one of the biggest Northeast racing names of all: Turner, ME’s Ben Rowe, a multi-time Hickory winner in PASS Super Late Model competition. Rowe, like Johnson, plans to compete in all four combined ACT and PASS events, making it a busy trip for the many-time champion. Cumberland, RI’s Mike Mitchell, who can be found at racetracks throughout the region on any given weekend, rounds out the field.
Teams can still register for the Hickory 125 and Easter Bunny 125 by filling out the entry forms at www.acttour.com/forms. ACT entries must be postmarked by Monday, March 22 to ensure that tires will be available.
ACT opens its 2021 season at North Carolina’s Hickory Motor Speedway on Friday, April 2 and Saturday, April 3. The ACT Late Models will run the Hickory 125 on Friday and the Easter Bunny 125 on Saturday. The PASS Super Late Models have a pair of Easter Bunny 150s with one each day as part of the PASS National Championship.
Post time for both days of racing is 5:00pm. Tickets will be available for purchase at the front gate. Prices and event schedules are to be announced.
For more information, 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.
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