2012-01-22

Brian Hoar and Patrick Laperle Crowned ACT Champions

PATRICK LAPERLE ET BRIAN HOAR, LES CHAMPIONS DE L’ACT

Burlington, VT – Patrick Laperle de St-Denis-sur-Richelieu, champion de la série ACT-Castrol et Bran Hoar de Williston, VT, le monarque du tour américain de l’ACT ont été les héros du Banquet des Champions de  l’ACT qui s’est déroulé, samedi soir au Double Tree Inn de Burlington. Les deux champions ont empoché un chèque de 10,000$ pour leur exploit.

 

Brian Hoar and Patrick Laperle Crowned ACT Champions

Jimmy “Scruffy” Linardy Receives MacTavish Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    ACT-012112-1

Burlington, VT – The American Canadian Tour (ACT) crowned Brian Hoar of Williston, VT and Patrick Laperle of St-Denis, Quebec as the ACT Tour and Série ACT Castrol stock car racing champions respectively, at the ACT Banquet of Champions on Saturday, January 21 at the Double Tree Inn in Burlington, VT. It was the first ever combined banquet for the sister championship stock car racing series. Both champions cashed a point fund check of $10,000.

 

Laperle a mérité son deuxième titre en carrière dans la série ACT-Castrol. Il a clôturé sa saison avec un dossier que quatre victoires en douze departs, incluant son premier triomphe lors de la finale québécoise du championnat, le St-Eustache 300 de ce complexe motorisé des basses-Laurentides. Laperle et son chef d’équipe Éric, ont maintenant une fiche de 13 victoires dans la série ACT-Castrol. Patrick est également champion 2008 du tour américain de l’ACT et trois fois vainqueur du Milk Bowl.

Toujours dans la série ACT-Castrol, Yannick Tremblay de Chicoutimi a été officiellement reconnu comme étant la «recrue de l’année». En route pour cet honneur, Tremblay a terminé au neuvième rang du championnat et s’est assuré le respect de ses adversaries en raison de sa conduite sans reproche. Il n’a connu qu’un abandon.

Le 43e Don MacTavish Award est au vétéran Jimmy ¨Scruffy¨ Linardy pour son support continuel à l’ACT et au stock-car dans le nord-est. Ce dernier a fait l’objet de la page frontispice du magazine Late Model Racer de ce mois-ci.

En ce qui concerne la Coupe Ford Blue Oval, Wayne Helliwell jr. et son propriétaire Bruce Bernahardt ont été honorés pour avoir mérité cette marque de distinction pour une deuxième  année consecutive. Ce programme instauré à l’intention des participants qui utlisaient des moteurs spec Ford lors des deux championnats de l’ACT ou sur l’une des douze pistes affiliées. Multiple champion à la piste de Lee USA Speedway, Helliwell s’est joint à l’ACT en 2011. Alors qu’il visitait les pistes du tour américain pour une premiere fois, il a enregistré une saison remarquable en réalisant une place parmi les dix premiers en dix occasions pour ainsi terminer deuxième au cumulitif. Ils ont également triomphé à la piste Twin State Speedway et Waterford Speedbowl.

 

Pour la premième fois dans la série ACT-Castrol, Tom Curley et son groupe ont décidé d’honorer le chef mécanicien qui travaille dans l’ombre, mais qui s’avère le grand responsible des succès son pilote. En effet, si les ajustements sur la voiture ne sont pas «sur la coche» comme on dit en langage commun, le conducteur a beau se battre avec sa monture mais sans success.

Cette première marque de distinction dans la série ACT-Castrol est allée à Éric Laperle pour les deux titres ACT-Castrol réalisés avec la complicité de son frère Patrick.

La série ACT-Castrol, édition 2012, prendra son envol à l’Autodrome Montmagny pour une confrontation de 100 tours, le 26 mai prochain. Cette série comportera douze épreuves alors que le tour américain sera composé de 10 courses. Parmi les confrontations spéciales sanctionnées par l’ACT, on remarque la 50e édition du People’s United Bank Milk Bowl à la piste Thunder Road, le quatrième ACT Invitational au New Hampshire Motor Speedway, le Showdown de l’Autodrome Chaudière ainsi que le Oxford 250 à la piste du même nom dans le Maine.

 

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Hoar earned his eighth career championship on the U.S.-based ACT Tour during another strong season in which he earned five wins in 12 events. With those five wins he solidified himself on top of the ACT Late Model career wins list with 33 and added wins at four new tracks including New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He also won the Showdown at Chaudiere in Vallee-Jct., Quebec and the 49th Annual People’s United Bank Milk Bowl at Barre, VT’s Thunder Road. Hoar and car owner Rick Paya earned their third straight ACT Tour title.

Laperle earned his second career title on the Quebec-based Série ACT Castrol. He finished the season with four wins in his 12 events, including his first ever win in the Quebec season finale St-Eustache 300 at Autodrome St-Eustache. Laperle and his crew chief brother, Eric, now have 13 career wins on the Série ACT Castrol. Patrick is also the 2008 ACT Tour (U.S.) Champion and three-time People’s United Bank Milk Bowl Champion.

The 43rd Annual Don MacTavish Award went to ACT veteran Jimmy “Scruffy” Linardy of Somerville, MA. The prestigious MacTavish Award is named for legendary New England racer Don MacTavish who was killed in 1969 while racing at Daytona International Speedway. Linardy received the award for his continued support of ACT and Northeast stock car racing and his always positive attitude. Those qualities also helped Linardy grace the cover of this month’s edition of Late Model Racer magazine.

Wayne Helliwell, Jr. of Dover, NH and car owner Bruce Bernhardt were honored for their second straight Ford Blue Oval Cup Championship. The special program was designed for competitors who ran the Ford crate engine on the ACT Late Model Tour, Série ACT Castrol Edge or any of the twelve ACT affiliated tracks. Helliwell is a multi-time Lee USA Speedway Champion and joined the ACT Tour full-time in 2011. While visiting most of the tracks on the ACT schedule for the first time, they put together an impressive season with 10 top tens in 12 starts and earned second in the ACT Tour standings. They also earned feature wins at Twin State Speedway and Waterford Speedbowl on their way to the Ford title.

Rookie of the Year honors went to Ben Ashline of Pittston, ME and Yannick Tremblay of Chicoutimi, Quebec for the ACT Tour and Série ACT Castrol, respectively. The 21-year-old Ashline and his family team claimed 9th in the final standings of the ACT Tour. They also earned a career best 5th place finish in the Spring Green at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven, VT. Tremblay finished 9th in the Série ACT Castrol standings on his way to the Rookie title. He also gained the respect of the veterans with his clean driving on his way to just one did not finish for the year.

The Crew Chief of the Year Awards were awarded for the fourth consecutive season on the U.S. tour and for the first time on the Série ACT Castrol. Eric Laperle earned the first ever Castrol Crew Chief Award as part of the two-time Série ACT Castrol Championship team with his brother Patrick behind the wheel. Bruce Bernhardt received the fourth ACT Tour Crew Chief of the Year Award as part of the second place ACT Tour and Ford Blue Oval Cup Championship team with driver Wayne Helliwell, Jr.

Teams will continue to prepare their cars for the 2012 seasons during the winter months. The U.S.-based ACT Tour will start their season at Lee USA Speedway in Lee, NH with a 150-lap event on Sunday, April 15. The Quebec-based Série ACT Castrol kicks off their season with a 100-lap event at Autodrome Montmagny in Montmagny, Quebec on Saturday, May 26. The 2012 Série ACT Castrol schedule will consist of 12 events, while the ACT Tour will hold 10 events. Special events include the 50th People’s United Bank Milk Bowl at Thunder Road, the fourth annual ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the Showdown at Chaudiere at Autodrome Chaudiere, and the Oxford 250 at Oxford Plains Speedway.

For more information contact the ACT office (802) 244-6963, media@acttour.com or visit www.acttour.com.

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