With just three weeks until the Lee USA Governor’s Cup opening event, we still have lots of snow, cold weather, and not many signs of melting and warmer times in Vermont. In spite of this, there is a lot of enthusiasm and some very positive and healthy signs for the upcoming season. I am particularly excited about the schedules we have put together for 2011; the many specials we have for the ACT Late Models on both sides of the border; the healthy expansion we are experiencing on the US Tour into Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts; and the emergence of some of the new talent we have been fostering over the past few years on our Castrol Edge Series. I am also very excited about the apparent addition of as many as a half dozen new quality ACT Late Model teams heading to Thunder Road; the expansion of the Bond/Wix Tiger Tour; the new Street Goodyear tire, and the introduction of new rules for the Allen Lumber Streets; and the specials we have coming to Thunder Road for the coming season. It should be a great year for all our teams and fans. We can’t wait to get started, and appreciate all the effort and support you continue to give ACT Late Model racing. FLORIDA We continue to get very positive feedback from the two events we promoted at the New Smyrna Speedway a couple of months ago. I wrote a full report when we returned, so I will just mention again how much we appreciated all the teams that made that experiment such a success. I am sure those that participated have also enjoyed hearing from many people, both fans and industrial types, letting them know just how impressed they were with your efforts to put on a couple of high quality race events. I read this week about Pat Summit, the very successful Tennessee Vols Women’s basketball coach. Apparently her team was not playing up to her standards in an early NCAA Tournament playdown game during the first half. She pretty much unloaded on them with a patented ‘rant’, which captured headlines around the country. The second half was considerably different. The Vols went on the win easily and will probably make it to the Final Four for the woman’s NCAA Tournament. It reminded me of a few ‘rants’ I have had over the years, but sometimes you just have to do what you have to do!!! The bottom line is that the Florida trip was a great success, and we all appreciate the efforts made. SCHEDULES We have tried to put together for all divisions a manageable schedule for the upcoming season. Here are a few thoughts: ACT AFFILIATE WEEKLY RACING - I want to remind competitors that our first priority at ACT has always been to have a strong program for racing weekly at our weekly affiliate tracks. The reality is that with our kind of program, if there is not a lot of support for our weekly tracks, there would, in all likelihood, not be much incentive for promoters to offer ‘tour type’ events. We make an effort to try and ‘front load and back load’ our schedules to accommodate that philosophy so that many of you can race your weekly tracks during the bulk of the race season. We hope you will support your weekly tracks, they are the backbone of short track racing and the foundation of any success we have enjoyed with the ACT tours and special events. Although we have lost Lee USA as an ACT weekly affiliate track in 2011, they will continue to support ACT Late Model racing with the traditional opening New Hampshire Governor’s Cup over the April 16-17 weekend. (Entries have been sent or can be found on line at acttour.com). We also have added Riverside Speedway in Groveton, New Hampshire, Canaan Fair Speedway, Devil’s Bowl Speedway and Albany Saratoga Speedway to our list of ACT affiliate tracks who have fully incorporated, or are in the process of integrating, the ACT Late Model rules package into their programs. They join long-time supporters Thunder Road, White Mountain, Oxford Plains, Seekonk, Waterford Speedbowl, Twin State Speedway, Capital City in Ottawa, and Kawartha Speedway in Ontario. We urge Late Model teams to support these tracks whenever they can…again, they make up the foundation of our touring and special event opportunities. TOURS A quick addition of the purse and prize money being posted for the 2011 season shows that between the US and Castrol Edge tours and ‘special events’ (Oxford TD Bank 250, NHMS Challenge, NHMS Invitational, Chaudiere Showdown, point funds etc.,) there will be over $900,000.00 up for various purse and prize money during the 2011 campaign. We will be announcing the criteria for the August New Hampshire Motor Speedway Late Model Challenge before the opening of the season at Lee USA on April 17th. This is the time of year when we ask race teams to ‘give back’. Events like the Autism Foundation Casino Night in Barre has been supported by the ACT Late Model teams for the past three years, various Car Shows, New Hampshire Motor Speedway fan appreciation day, press conferences are all important parts of the overall short track racing program that we involve ourselves with. For most, time has become less and less available, and while that is understandable, the business of short track is not just about racing, and more than ever before, the race industry is fragile and all the promotional events that lead to the racing events are equally important and necessary…please lend a hand when and where you can. ACT - US Beyond the repeat events of past years, like those taking place at TR, Oxford, Twin State, White Mountain, Lee, Airborne, Beech Ridge, Riverside, QC etc., we are very much looking forward to the first-ever ACT US event at the Devil’s Bowl Speedway on May 22. Some of you participated in the Thunder Road event last year and had a very positive experience. Management has told us they plan to change some of their spectator gate policies that were of concern and we hope our fans will give them credit for these decisions based on your remarks and concerns of last year. I am sure your event support at Devil’s Bowl will be rewarded with another spectacular ACT Late Model event on May 22nd. In addition, the second race at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway has generated a lot of interest and enthusiasm. The format for the August NHMS event is going to be similar to the New Smyrna Speedway events. The major difference is that the NHMS event will pay a very large purse for ‘QUALIFING’! Based on the large number of teams that we hope will take advantage of the opportunity to race at NHMS, we have designed a program that will provide: a) lots of laps of practice and racing, even if after qualifying, because of the large number of entrants a team does not qualify for the feature, there is still a great racing experience, and b) the money paid for heat races and last chance races is significant enough to help underwrite some of the expenses of this first-ever NHMS Late Model Challenge. The NHMS experience should be one to always remember, we will be joining the NASCAR Whelen Modifieds and will also be in the garage area with the Indy cars and Indy Lights. The weekend should be one of the most anticipated ever for short track fans and teams that support ACT Late Model racing. The 3rd ACT Invitational at NHMS now has some history. After the first two Invitationals, the third edition should really be the one that will cement ACT racing at New Hampshire for years to come. We will be announcing the details for this year’s Invitational soon. We do know that whoever wins the opening event at Lee will once again be the first to receive the Invitational bonus money and a spot in the 2011 ACT Invitational. OXFORD TD BANK 250 With the surprise announcement that the PASS Super Late Models will be appearing at the Oxford 250 on the Saturday night before the 250 (sound familiar older ACT Late Model teams??!!!), this is going to be a defining moment in the multi-year debate between the ACT Late Models and the Super Late Models (Pro Stocks). Because ACT was responsible for Pro Stock racing for over a decade during the 80s and 90s, I know how well they are capable of racing at the Oxford oval. I also have seen some of the best ever racing by the Late Model division at OPS. Never again as a full group of Late Model supporters will we have the opportunity to show the region’s Super Late Model fans how successful our teams have been at OPS and in particular the ‘250’. This season should be one of the great 250 experiences. I hope as many Late Model teams as possible will put the date of July 24th on their calendar and support what has always been one of the signature races, not only in our region but throughout the country. CASTROL EDGE SERIE The Castrol Edge Série has produced some of the best young race teams in the overall ACT organization. The growth and maturity of those teams over the past few seasons has made the four years of work well worth the effort for those of us at ACT who manage that series. The Quebec promoters are very supportive of the ACT Castrol Edge Série and continue to present very team and fan friendly events. The mix of veterans and competitive young teams in the Castrol Edge Series has also given depth to some of the US events like Airborne, NHMS and certainly the Florida project. They have also provided the Quebec and Ontario fans with some very exciting racing and we are looking forward to the coming season. Castrol management has agreed to become more involved with the Series in 2011 and that can only be very healthy for the future of racing in the region. COMBO EVENTS Events like the TD Bank 250, Chaudiere Showdown, and the ACT Invitational are non-point events, which have posted the largest purses of the season and have been well-supported by ACT teams from both sides of the border. That continued support will be appreciated by fans, promoters, and ACT. In 2011 there will be three ‘combo’ point-counting events. As in 2010 there will be the $40,000 Riverside Speedway 200-lap event with points for both the US teams and the Castrol teams. Two additional venues will be added this coming season. The NHMS Late Model Challenge in August will carry points for both the ACT and Castrol Edge touring series, and the Airborne Fall Foliage will be the concluding events on both the ACT US and Castrol Series. TIRES I had a very interesting trip last week to Akron, OH. I was invited to go through the Goodyear plant and see exactly how the tires that we use for all our divisions are manufactured. From the high security to enter the facility until the end of the day, which was full of meetings, it was a very productive, interesting and educational trip. With early indications from the initial orders we have received this year and after the Akron trip I am very encouraged that we have three of the best tires on the short track market. Sizes look great; construction of the new Street Stock unit has been completed with all the items we tested throughout last summer; Tiger tires were tested with the new ‘venting’ at both Thunder Road and Riverside, (Groveton) last fall, and the 2011 LM tires look great as well. The Late Models and Tigers will have strict tire usage controls put in place for the 2011 season in the interest of costs. The Street/Warrior tire tested so well that we do not expect the need for tire limits, but if usage gets out of control, it may be implemented. There will be tire memos sent to both the Thunder Road Late Models and Tiger- Sportsman outlining the tire policies in both divisions for the coming season before the opening of Thunder Road weekly point races. Any suggestions will be appreciated. TIGER SPORTSMAN The Sportsman will have a great opportunity to do some touring at different tracks in 2011 with the Bond/Wix Tiger Tour. We are very pleased to have White Mountain, Thunder Road, Canaan and Riverside (Groveton) back on the schedule. We are also very excited about taking the ACT Tigers to Airborne on the new ½ mile in October, along with the Late Models for the Fall Foliage. The rules for participation in this series will be 100% ACT legal Tiger Sportsman cars ONLY and there will be no exceptions at any BOND Tour events. SS/WARRIORS The Allen Lumber Streets and Warriors enter a new era. The introduction of the OHC option and the new tire will make for a very interesting Thunder Road season. ACT had meetings and discussions with several area tracks during the off season to try and start the process of a ‘universal’ 4-cylinder set of rules for all the tracks in our region. Although we did not get a full understanding between all the tracks, both Thunder Road and Riverside (Groveton) have gotten their rules very close. Plans are for a ‘home and home’ series with Riverside in 2011. There is another event being worked on for the Thunder Road Street Stocks, hopefully before the weekly season begins on Memorial Day weekend at Thunder Road. There will be more information on these events in the next few weeks. THUNDER ROAD TR had such a great 50th anniversary year in 2009. Last year we caught our breath, worked through the recessionary issues like most other businesses, and like many racers did also. We are encouraged by the prospects of an increase in Late Model teams, the maturity and signs of growth in the Tiger Sportsmen and the excitement generated in the SS/Warrior division with the new rules and tires. We are working on some drivers for the June Vermont Governor’s Cup Event. Hopefully, we can have an announcement on that within a month or six weeks. We will also have the NEMA Midget group coming back to TR for the first time in many, many years. The Airborne Renegade division was started back when we owned Airborne and has turned into one of the most competitive and fun divisions at AIR. We are going to have them at Thunder Road for a special event, and then again on our Fall Foliage program in October, along with the ACT BOND Tiger Tour and ACT US. The People’s United Bank Milk Bowl will finish the season at TR the first weekend of October. In 2012, it will be the 50th anniversary of the Milk Bowl. The celebrations for that historic event are already in the planning stages. CONCLUSION Ken and I had a target goal to be involved with Thunder Road for the 50th anniversary. With your help we were able to celebrate that with what became a very memorable season. Following that season, I set a goal of wanting to be a full time promoter and manager through the 50th anniversary of the Milk Bowl at TR. As long as my health allows, that still remains a target goal for me personally. The end of 2012 will also be the end of 35 years of being involved on a full time basis in the race promotion and organizing business. In the interest of keeping the racing programs we have established over the years viable for the future, my hope is that over the next two seasons we can aggressively put some people in positions to take over and/or share much of the grueling 7 months of nearly 7 days a week work that is required to organize and run some 42-45 events per year. My goal would be to begin to phase out some of my responsibilities following the 2012 season. It is a necessary decision and certainly not an easy one. I feel an obligation to all the race teams to keep you informed of what I see for the future of the various businesses we all have helped establish over the past three plus decades. The goal is to try and make sure they remain successful and available to all who enjoy the sport at the levels we offer for many years to come. That will be very much in my planning and efforts over the next couple race seasons. For now it is get ready for the 2011 season opener at Lee on April 16-17, the Merchants Bank 150 at Thunder Road on April 30-May 1st, and the Oxford opening on May 15th. The anticipation of beginning another season for the 34th time is just as exciting for me today as it used to be when we would try to open the season with the Spring Green at Catamount Stadium in mid-April many years ago! I hope you all can share in that same kind of anticipation and enthusiasm as you prepare for your opening events. See you at Lee. Tom | 
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