The NERSC Top 25 ACT Drivers of 2006

It’s that time of year again – I take my “know-it-all” … uh, -ness… and put together a list of who I feel were the best 25 drivers racing under the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) banner during the 2006 racing season.  To be eligible for this list, drivers must be considered “regulars” of ACT competition, which basically mean if somebody showed up to race with ACT more than once or twice, they were welcome.  Competing divisions and series for this list included the ACT Late Model Tour, the Tiger Sportsman Series, and Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl’s four weekly divisions – Late Models, NAPA Tiger Sportsmen, Allen Lumber Street Stocks, and Power Shift Online Junkyard Warriors.

This year was a little different, though.  With a lot of extracurricular activities going on in my life this summer, I didn’t make it to as many races as I wanted to.  So I called upon the troops to help me out, and asked a few folks to give me their Top 10 drivers for the year to aid in my decision making.  Helping to make this list possible this season were the following very qualified individuals:

Bethany Bell –Thunder Road’s #1 race fan

Gene Gagne – Racing photographer, owner and operator of OutsideGroove.com

“Lil Gene” Gagne, III – Thunder Road crewmember, former car owner and driver

Dave Moody – Thunder Road announcer, MRN Radio personality

Alan Ward – Team sponsor, racing photographer

Many thanks to you folks for your help this year, I hope I represent your choices well.  Each driver’s introduction line will include any Top 10 votes and any 1^st-place votes received (my votes are included), and the number of times the driver has made the Top 25 list.

Without further ado, the Top 25 ACT Drivers of 2006…

9.  Maynard Bartlett, Jr., #23 Power Shift Online VW Junkyard Warrior.

(Top 10 votes – 2; 1^st Top 25 appearance)

The top Warrior this year is, to hopefully no one’s surprise, Maynard Bartlett, Jr.  Posting 11 Top 5 finishes, a pair of wins, and a victory in the “team” race, Mayne became the first driver in several years to clinch a Thunder Road championship before the final event.   Bartlett has a smooth driving style that precious few Warrior drivers possess, and it could take him places in the future.  A definite threat for which ever Rookie of the Year title he campaigns for in 2007.

11.  Pete Ainsworth, Jr., #80 Froggy 100.9 FM Ford Tiger Sportsman.

(Top 10 votes – 3; 2^nd Top 25 appearance)

Seemingly always the bridesmaid, Pete Ainsworth has yet to put that magic combination together to rip off a championship, but he came close again this year.  A feature win early in the year set the tone for Ainsworth’s typically consistent and smooth season.  Many feel that it’s simply a matter of time before Ainsworth’s fluorescently-colored Ford brings him the King of the Road crown.

12.  Joey Laquerre, #15 Domino’s Pizza/Laquerre’s Marine Pontiac Late Model/Tiger Sportsman.

(Top 10 votes – 1; 2^nd Top 25 appearance)

It’s impressive when any driver can succeed in two types of race car in the same season, but when that driver is a 63 year-old one-man team, it’s nothing short of amazing.  Joey Laquerre became only the second driver in ACT history to win a feature event in two divisions in the same season, capturing his first Tiger Sportsman Series event at Thunder Road in June, and winning just three weeks later in his Late Model.  Had he been given the chance, Laquerre would likely have seriously challenged Chuck Beede for the Sportsman Series title.  Laquerre sauntered home second overall on the Sportsman Series, 10^th on the ACT Late Model Tour, and 17^th in the weekly Thunder Road campaign.  In his spare time, Laquerre could be found racing at Ontario’s Kawartha Speedway – an exhausting seven hours from his Central Vermont home.

13.  Matt White, #42 Little League Excavating/White’s Heating Chevrolet Tiger Sportsman.

(Top 10 votes – 1; 1^st Top 25 appearance)

Where did Matt White come from?  If you had placed a bet in 2005 that Matt White would be a championship challenger in 2006, you’d be doing pretty well for yourself right now.  Entering the season, those odds were around 50-to-1 based on White’s rookie season.  If the second-generation youngster is capable of building upon what he did this year, get ready to crown a new Thunder Road champion.

14.  Joey Becker, #16 Richard Green Trucking Ford Late Model.

(Top 10 votes – 1; 1^st Top 25 appearance)

Another Late Model driver that was due to enjoy a solid, consistent season, old Berzerko Becker did car owner Richard Green proud in 2006.  Although he went winless, Becker turned in strong runs on a nearly weekly basis, and it may be thanks in no small part to a hard crash at Circuit Ste-Croix in May.  After getting a new Dale Shaw clip built on his car in record time, Becker went on a tear at Thunder Road.  In fact, he did so well that the team decided to forgo their Tour plans and focus solely on the King of the Road title.  While they came up short, they grabbed five Top 5 finishes and finished in fifth place overall, which is good for any team.  Joey Becker’s story gives a bit of inspiration to any kid looking to get into short track racing – start small, race a lot, practice and get better, and maybe one day your efforts will pay off for you.  Becker has done that, and should be just as proud as Richard Green.

15.  Kyle Tatro, #97 Tatro Bros. Concrete Contractors Ford Street Stock/Tiger Sportsman.

(Top 10 votes – 3; 1^st Top 25 appearance)

In keeping with the unofficial tradition started by his fellow Lamoille County racers, young Kyle Tatro ruffled a few feathers in 2006.  But along the way, Tatro also showed that he has some of what it takes to become a great racer.  At just 17 years old, Tatro earned seven Top 5s and finished as the Thunder Road championship runner-up with his potent Street Stock, and also pulled off a 5^th-place finish at the ultra-big, ultra-fast Sanair Super Speedway in his Tiger Sportsman car.  Tatro, however, has sold his inventory and moved south to attend college.

16.  Dave Pembroke, #44/#52 Trenchless Technologies/Twinstate Voice Data Chevrolet Late Model.

(2^nd Top 25 appearance)

For the second year in a row, Dave Pembroke won the ACT Late Model Tour’s Championship For Everyone That Can’t Find A Way To Beat Jean-Paul Cyr.  Pembroke turned in an excellent season  with his Dave Storey-owned #52 car on the Tour, taking Top 5s at Ste-Croix, Sanair, Seekonk, and Thunder Road before finishing second to Cyr overall.  Plagued by setup woes with his family-owned #44 Thunder Road car, however, Pembroke never really got to show his hand during most of the Thursday night season.  A hard-fought win in the Casella Mother’s Day/Father’s Day event did little in the way of points, and Pembroke came home 10^th overall (barely) at the end of the season.  A strong 4^th-place finish at Lee USA Speedway’s Late Model National 100 in October has the Pembroke team looking forward to a fresh start next season.

17.  Joel Hodgdon, #36 Watson Real Estate/Tofani’s Used Furniture Ford Street Stock.

(2^nd Top 25 appearance)

A strong campaign by high school basketball star Joel Hodgdon was highlighted by his first career win on Memorial Day weekend.  While collecting seven Top 5 finishes with his Street Stock, Hodgdon also made the first starts of his NAPA Tiger Sportsman career at the helm of a Smitty McKay-owned Joe Steffen team car.  Hodgdon impressed many with his quick adaptability, and is the early favorite for the Rookie of the Year title in 2007.

18.  Bunker Hodgdon, #20 Hay’s Service Station VW Junkyard Warrior.

(Top 10 votes – 1; 1^st Top 25 appearance)

Like Maynard Bartlett, Jr. and so many of the dominant Warrior racers of late, Bunker Hodgdon hauls a battered Volkswagen out of the Lamoille County woods and puts on a great show for his fans.  Hodgdon matched champion Bartlett’s 11 Top 5s and even did one better in the win column with three victories, but his struggle with consistency kept him out of the championship.  A move to the more talent-rich Street Stock division seems like the only logical thing for Hodgdon to do in 2007.

19.  Mark Lamberton, #29 Jeffords Steel/Dragoon’s Farm Equipment Chevrolet Late Model.

(1^st Top 25 appearance)

It’s the same story of a driver desperately needing a solid season from start to finish and pulling it off in fine style.  One of the ACT Late Model Tour’s veteran nice guys, Mark Lamberton represented the Empire State very well in 2006 and brought his car home in fifth place overall.  Podium finishes at White Mountain in June and Lee USA in July, coupled with five more Top 10 runs kept Lamberton in view all year long, something that hasn’t happened for him on the Tour until now.

20.  Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., #97 Pole’s Automotive Chevrolet Late Model.

(Top 10 votes – 1; 1^st Top 25 appearance)

The popular 17 year-old Joey “Pole” really came into his own in 2006, and should be a shoo-in for the “Most Improved Driver” award at the ACT awards banquet.  A surprising-but-not-shocking track record lap in Milk Bowl qualifying sent the media (this writer included) into a wordplay frenzy, screaming “POLE ON THE POLE” to the masses.  Those that said the time trial was a fluke were eating crow at the end of the event, as Polewarczyk won the first segment and finished third overall.  The youngster also finished in the Top 10 in both Oxford events as well as the season opener at Thunder Road.  Another couple seasons’ worth of consistent seat time, maybe some wins, and the marketable “Joey Pole” could realistically contemplate a move south.

21.  Phil Scott, #14 Northfield Savings Bank/Formula Ford Truckland Ford Late Model.

(Top 10 votes – 1; 4^th Top 25 appearance)

All in all, The Sailing Senator had another decent year, but he really needs to step up his game if he plans on regaining the form that turned him into a New England superstar.  For the third straight year, Scott drops significantly on this list (2^nd in ’03, 8^th in ’04, 15^th in ’05), but yet remains a constant force in both the Thunder Road and ACT wars.  In fact, despite a season that could be considered mediocre when compared to the rest of his career, Scott finished 7^th overall in both campaigns and was the only Late Model driver to earn multiple wins at Thunder Road.  …And that brings up the next point: When is Phil Scott going to kick the monkey off his back and win a Tour race?  With the passing of this year’s Milk Bowl, it has now been six full seasons since the #14 car was in Victory Lane in an ACT Late Model Tour event.

22.  Chuck Beede, #53 Got Milk? Chevrolet Tiger Sportsman.

(Top 10 votes – 1; 2^nd Top 25 appearance)

Entering 2006, everyone knew Chuck Beede would be the man to beat on the Tiger Sportsman Series.  Now that the season is over and Beede is the champion, everyone was right.  But everyone, including the veteran Beede himself, was disappointed with how the championship was won.  Beede ripped off Top-6 finishes in each of the first four races and had the points lead firmly in hand… but then nothing happened.  Races at Ste-Croix, White Mountain, and Airborne were cancelled, and the points were deemed final.  “I feel like I didn’t earn it,” Beede said in ACT press release, “I’d much rather have won or lost it on the track.”  Regardless of how the schedule played out, Beede was definitely the man to beat in 2006 (and was just as good in 2005) – but let’s see how it plays out for him next year.

23.  Dennis Demers, #86 Shelburne Limestone Co. Chevrolet Late Model.

(1^st Top 25 appearance)

Papa Dennis had a great year in 2006, finishing third in Thunder Road’s Late Model championship chase, despite going scratch in the win column.  The veteran’s hard-charging style and willingness to pass on the outside allowed him to stay within striking distance of the point lead throughout the year.  Demers also showed a lot of class during the Independence Day feature, running young upstart Marc Curtis and veteran Eric Williams like a gentleman, but leaving a couple donuts on their doors at the same time.  Demers came up just shy in second as Curtis took his first career win, but his efforts earned him a standing ovation.

24.  Nick Sweet, #50 Fortier’s Community Care Home/Sweet’s Service Chevrolet Tiger Sportsman.

(3^rd Top 25 appearance)

For the first time in his young career, hometown racer Nick Sweet failed to finish second in points at Thunder Road.  A devastating crash in July set Sweet back, forcing him to borrow a ride in a Joe Steffen team car while his machine was repaired, but not before a dominating win on the Tiger Sportsman Series at Sanair.  Upon returning to the seat of his own car, Sweet earned a pair of victories, including a 50-lap win on Milk Bowl weekend.  Even though his missed out on his familiar runner-up position, Sweet still made a big splash, finishing 4^th overall on the Sportsman Series, and 7^th at Thunder Road.  Better luck in 2007 will aid in the youngster’s quest to land a Late Model ride.

25.  Joe Steffen, #00 Winooski Press/Northern Coal & Oil Co. Chevrolet Tiger Sportsman.

(3^rd Top 25 appearance)

“Double-0 Joe” returns to the Top 25 list for the third time after missing the cut last year.  More importantly, though, the former champion returned to the Top 5 in Thunder Road points after falling out of the Top 10 in 2005.  Steffen grabbed the win on Memorial Day weekend and followed it up with four more Top 5 finishes throughout the season, including a runner-up showing to quasi-teammate Nick Sweet on Milk Bowl weekend.  Steffen and car owner Smitty McKay went the extra mile for their competitors in 2006, lending help, parts, and even entire racecars to drivers in need, as Sweet and Street Stock racer Joel Hodgdon each took turns behind the wheel of a NO CO & O team car.

And now, the best 10 that didn’t make it… (in alphabetical order)

Jason Bonnett, #79 Desorcie Emergency Products/Peoples Trust Co. Chevrolet Tiger Sportsman.  The former Airborne champion finished third on the Tiger Sportsman Series in 2006, and almost certainly would have been on the Top 25 list had he run more ACT-sanctioned events during the year.  Bonnett took second in the Spring Green at his home track, then earned Top 10 finishes at Thunder Road and Sanair before his season was cut short by cancelled races.

Trampas Demers, #85 Jiffy Mart Chevrolet Late Model.  (Top 10 votes – 1)  The decision to concentrate on Thunder Road events only was a good one for Trampas Demers, as he nailed down career win #3 in the opening Thursday night feature.  Demers also had two more podium finishes in regular-season action, and then very nearly won his first ACT Late Model Tour race, finishing a close third in the Labor Day Classic in September.  More consistency in 2007 will help elevate Demers into title contention.

Jamie Fisher, #18 S.D. Ireland Brothers Concrete Chevrolet Late Model.  (Top 10 votes – 1)  A feature win at Thunder Road (on Fisher/Federated Auto Parts night, ironically) helped the former “King of the Road” finish fourth in points.  A heart-breaking loss at Oxford in July was somewhat solaced by a third-place finish there a month later, and a fifth-place run in the season-ending Milk Bowl placed Fisher ninth overall on the ACT Late Model Tour.  Hopefully, the S.D. Ireland gang can push their yellow and red Monte Carlos a little bit harder in ’07, and get Fisher back into championship-caliber status.

Chris Gendreau, #72 J&H Automotive/Duxbury AutoTech Pontiac Tiger Sportsman.  Chris Gendreau had another good year in 2007, finishing fifth overall on the Sportsman Series and sixth overall at Thunder Road.  A third-place finish at Sanair can be a feather in Gendreau’s cap for quite some time, and five Thunder Road Top 5s are nothing to sneeze at, either.  Early rumors have Gendreau’s equipment headed to either Bill Sawyer’s or Craig Bushey’s shop, and have Gendreau himself either moving up or moving out.  Hopefully, Gendreau moves up.

Chip Grenier, #7 Streeter Concrete/Thompson Chassis Chevrolet Tiger Sportsman.  A two-win season for Chip Grenier prefaced a full-time switch to the Late Model division for 2007, as he purchased the entire championship team of Chad Wheeler.  Grenier’s season was up and down, however.  While the highlights included the pair of victories, they were countered by several finishes in or near last place, including two of the three Series events he entered.  So far, Grenier is favorite to win Late Model Rookie of the Year honors at Thunder Road.

Rich Lowrey, #8 Imagistics/FYE/Benoure/Fox 44 Dodge Late Model.  A strong start and a very strong finish book ended Lowrey’s tough mid-season.  A scintillating duo of performances to end the year kept race fans thinking that Rich Lowrey could eventually win a championship some day.  Could that day come in 2007?

Scott Payea, #89 AC Sports/Wendell’s Furniture/Newman Associates Ford Late Model.  While he trailed off just a bit from his “Wonderboy” rookie season last year, Scott Payea was no slouch in 2006.  Two strong performances at Thunder Road (2^nd in the Merchants Bank 150 opener, 4^th with a segment win in the Milk Bowl) kept the Chris Companion-led team in good spirits, while Top 10 finishes at White Mountain and Oxford helped Payea finish sixth overall on the ACT Late Model Tour.

Tom Therrien, #48 Scudder Parker for Governor/Autoworks Chevrolet Tiger Sportsman.  Former go-kart racer Tommy Therrien earned two feature wins at Thunder Road in 2006.  Unfortunately for Therrien, those wins were his only visits to the Top 5, and his struggling consistency kept him from finishing higher than 8^th overall.

Ryan Vanasse, #11 Team V Transportation Chevrolet Late Model.  (Top 10 votes – 1)  Usually traveling the farthest of any ACT Late Model Tour competitor, Vanasse began to come into his own on the Tour in 2006.  While he still was unable to shake the setup gremlins and bad luck that plagued him the year before, Vanasse also had bright spots in May at Thunder Road, as well as during the middle of the summer at Oxford and his home track at Seekonk Speedway, turning in consecutive Top 5 finishes.  A solid start-to-finish performance is coming out of Vanasse, just wait and see.

Robin Wood, #61 Ganienkeh Territorial Bingo Chevrolet Tiger Sportsman.  Running the same vein as Jason Bonnett, Robin Wood would likely have made the Top 25 list had he been given a chance to defend his Tiger Sportsman Series championship of 2005.  A second win in the Spring Green at Airborne was complimented by a Top 10 finish at Sanair before the season was cut short.  In the mean time, Wood ran well in selected regular-season events at Airborne, earning a feature win in July.

Drivers receiving Top 10 votes:

Pete Ainsworth, Jr.

David Allen

Eric Badore

Maynard Bartlett, Jr.

Joey Becker

Chuck Beede

Roger Brown

Doug Crowningshield

Jean-Paul Cyr

Jamie Davis

Trampas Demers

Brent Dragon

Jamie Fisher

Shawn Fleury

Bunker Hodgdon

T.J. Ingerson

Patrick Laperle

Jay Laquerre

Joey Laquerre

Skip Liberty

Cris Michaud

Joey Polewarczyk, Jr.

Ben Rowe

Phil Scott

Kyle Tatro

Ryan Vanasse

Chad Wheeler

Matt White

Eric Williams