2015-04-09

Flyin’ Jimmy Ryan Returning to Devil’s Bowl Speedway

ATTACHED PHOTO: Whiting, VT's Jimmy Ryan, shown here after a victory in 2010, is "flyin'" home to Devil's Bowl Speedway this summer.


 
 
Flyin' Jimmy Ryan Returning to Devil's Bowl Speedway

Whiting veteran back home on both asphalt and dirt

 

For Immediate Release                                                                                                                                                                                 DBS-040715-1

 

WEST HAVEN, VT – Jimmy Ryan is coming home to Devil's Bowl Speedway.  One of Vermont's most popular open-wheel Modified stock car drivers for many years, "Flyin' Ryan" plans to end his hiatus from driving in 2015.  He has recently taken delivery of a Teo Pro Car chassis, a brand new Chevrolet "602" crate engine, and has reclaimed his familiar car number 60 with the registration office.

Ryan plans to compete on both asphalt and clay, running in the Bond Auto Parts Modified division of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series (NWAAS) on the pavement, and in the Liberty Street Discount Beverage & Deli Sportsman Modified class in the five-race Optical Expressions of Berlin Dirt Track Series.

The Whiting, VT veteran's most recent season of driving was five years ago.  Ryan is highly regarded as a dirt track specialist – he was a frequent winner on the former half-mile clay track at Devil's Bowl and was a two-time champion at Bear Ridge Speedway – but he won twice during the first year of the new pavement era at Devil's Bowl in 2010 and picked up another asphalt victory at Albany-Saratoga Speedway that season.

Ryan says that his desire to race never went away, but a busy work schedule kept him out of the car.  Though he is hesitant to officially throw his hat in the ring as a full-season championship chaser, he concedes that he will likely be having too much fun to skip any races.

"I'll be at the opener on the asphalt on May 9th for the 100-lapper.  After that, we'll see where it goes," Ryan said with a laugh. "I've been telling everyone that I'm not planning on running every race, but no one seems to believe that.  They're probably right."

Sponsorship for the #60 car will be provided by long-time supporters Foster Motors, Toon's Home Improvement, and Clayton Ryan Trucking.  Ryan's main focus will be on the weekly asphalt events at Devil's Bowl, but he also has the dates of the five-race schedule for The Dirt Track at Devil's Bowl circled on his calendar.  He also hopes to make occasional appearances at Airborne Park Speedway in Plattsburgh, NY.

Devil's Bowl Speedway's 49th season of stock car racing opens with the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series on Saturday, May 9 at 6:00 p.m.  The Bond Auto Parts Modifieds will run 100 laps under the lights, and will be joined by a 50-lap race for the Central Vermont Motorcycles Late Models and championship openers for the Brileya's Chrysler-Jeep Renegade and Portland Glass Mini Stock divisions.

Devil's Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, VT, four miles north of Exit 2 on U.S. Route 4.  For more information, visit www.DevilsBowlSpeedwayVT.com or call (802) 265-3112.  Devil's Bowl Speedway is on Facebook at facebook.com/DevilsBowlSpeedway and on Twitter and Instagram at @DevilsBowlSpeed; follow the action using the #DevilsBowl hashtag.

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Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 9.4.15 0 comments

Helliwell Looks to Reclaim ACT Title in 2015

Helliwell Looks to Reclaim ACT Title in 2015

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                          ACT-040915-25

 

<<ATTACHED PHOTO (db05051304.jpg): Two-time ACT Tour Champion Wayne Helliwell Jr. (27VT) will seek a third title in 2015. (Alan Ward photo)>>

 



Waterbury, VT – The American-Canadian Tour (ACT) will see the return of one of the Northeast's most accomplished drivers this coming season. Wayne Helliwell Jr., the 2012 and 2013 ACT Champion, recently stated that he will be competing full-time on the Tour in 2015.

 

The Dover, NH veteran came out on top of duels with 8-time Tour Champion Brian Hoar in 2012 and Joey Polewarczyk Jr. in 2013, respectively. Helliwell won six races over those two years, including the 2012 Fall Foliage 200 at Airborne Park Speedway in Plattsburgh, NY and three victories at Devil's Bowl Speedway in West Haven, VT.

 

Helliwell ran a partial ACT schedule in 2014, but will seek a third title this year on the 13-race Tour, which will visit tracks in five U.S. states and Canada. The former Lee USA Speedway Champion is looking forward to the challenge of the Tour competition.

 

"I think the competition is going to be even stronger than it has been," Helliwell said. "You'll have Joey (Polewarczyk Jr.) again, he's always a contender. Jimmy Hebert, Ray Parent, and some of the newcomers will be strong as well. It's never a 'give me' or 'here you go'; it's going to be really tough."

 

Despite his partial schedule last season, Helliwell still captured a win in the Merchant's Bank 150 at Thunder Road Speedbowl in Barre, VT, along with five top-5 finishes. His efforts helped his Bruce Bernhardt–owned team finish second in the 2014 ACT owner's point standings. Helliwell also won the 6th Annual Bond Auto ACT Invitational at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in September.

 

A bumper crop of title contenders is shaping up for the 2015 ACT season. Helliwell will have to dethrone 2014 ACT Champion and fellow New Hampshire native Polewarczyk, his closest challenger in 2013. Vermont's Jimmy Hebert and Rhode Island's Ray Parent finished second and third in the 2014 standings and are both chasing their first championship. Maine drivers Travis Stearns, Ben Ashline, and Brad Babb are expected to be factors as well. Young up-and-comers such as Emily Packard, Brandon Atkins, and Kyle Welch will also try to stake their claims as title contenders.

 

"Joey (Polewarczyk) and Wayne (Helliwell) obviously right off the bat, you know those two are going to be right there," Stearns said. "You might as well consider them in the title hunt no matter what. There's a lot; you never know. Jimmy (Hebert) runs great, Ray (Parent)…I honestly think there's six or seven teams that could be right in the hunt. That's a lot of what I like about the ACT Tour. I think it's underrated for some of the caliber of people we have there."

 

Helliwell, Polewarczyk, and the rest of the ACT stars will begin the 2015 championship battle on Saturday, April 18 at the Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, ME. The event will be part of the first-ever doubleheader between the ACT Late Models and the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) Super Late Models, with each series running 150-lap features. The PASS Modifieds, Wicked Cool Midgets, and Oxford Street Stocks are also on the card. Front gates open at 9:30am with a post time of 2:00pm. Admission is just $30 for adults and $15 for juniors ages 6-12.

 

For additional information contact the ACT office at 802.244.6963, media@acttour.com, or visit www.acttour.com.

 

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PASS And ACT Prepare For Historic Doubleheader At Oxford Plains Speedway

PASS And ACT Prepare For Historic Doubleheader At Oxford Plains Speedway 

* For Immediate Release 

NAPLES, ME (April 9) – What once seemed like an impossibility will be a reality in in just over a week when the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) Super Late Models and American Canadian Tour (ACT) Late Models race on the same weekend at the same race track for the first time in history.  On Saturday, April 18 at Oxford Plains Speedway, the Northeast's two premier stock car sanctioning bodies will kick off their 2015 season with Twin 150 lappers.  New series sponsors, AIM Recycling and Kenny U-Pull will present the PASS portion of the history making event, while Dave's Small Engine Repair and Walker Mowers sponsor the ACT Late Model race. 
     
     Hudson, NH's Joey Polewarczyk is the defending ACT Late Model champion, but has raced extensively throughout his career in Super Late Models.  Polewarczyk most recently drove a PASS Super Late Model in last year's Mason Dixon Meltdown.  "Joey Pole" as he is known throughout the racing fraternity, along with Maine's Travis Stearns, plan to compete in both the PASS AIM Recycling Super Late Model Presented By Kenny U-Pull feature and the ACT Late Model race.  Although he knows 300 laps at Oxford Plains Speedway will not be easy, Polewarcyzk is excited about his busy weekend. 
 
     "It's challenging just to run one car and try to get the handling great for the race," says Polewarcyzk.  "But now the challenge is to get both cars, spending as much time on both cars as you can, to try and get them handling the best for a long run and a long race.  But I feel confident with my crew that we'll be able to get both cars running well." 
 
     Polewarcyzk will not be alone at Oxford Plains when it comes to talented ACT Late Model drivers.  Dover, NH's Wayne Helliwell, Jr., the 2012 and 2013 ACT Late Model champion will be there, along with Jeff White of Winthrop, ME.  White is a former Oxford Plains Speedway track champion and winner of the ACT Late Model event at Oxford in 2011. 
 
     Both races will be chalked full of exceptional racers looking forward to being a part of this historic event.  Berwick, ME's Joey Doiron has already gotten three races under his belt this season and sits second in PASS South Super Late Model points.  Having been part of several major races in his career, including the AIM Recycling Oxford 250 Presented By Kenny U-Pull, Doiron realizes how big this event is, not only for New England, but for short track racing in general. 
 
     "I'm excited to get back to Oxford in our family car, we've been really good there the last two years, and we were finally able to get a win at Oxford in the last race there," said Doiron, driver of the JBJ Machine-sponsored #73.  "Hopefully we're able to turn the year around after a few bad runs in front of the huge crowd that should be at Oxford Plains next weekend." 
 
     One of the best fields in PASS AIM Recycling Super Late Model Presented By Kenny U-Pull history is expected on Saturday, April 18 at Oxford Plains Speedway.  Doiron will be joined by defending series champion DJ Shaw, former champions Johnny Clark, Cassius Clark, and Ben Rowe.  Two-time defending AIM Recycling Oxford 250 Presented By Kenny U-Pull winner Travis Benjamin is always a strong contender at Oxford Plains along with 3-time race winner Mike Rowe.  Quebec is represented in the early entries by Eric St Gelais and Raphael Lessard and Nova Scotia's Cole Butcher will be coming from the Canadian Maritimes.  Vermont's Brent Dragon and Connecticut's Dillon Moltz will be joined by a strong contingent from New Hampshire including Matt Frahm, Bryan Kruczek, and Andy Shaw.  And, as would be expected, a strong list of drivers from Maine will be contenders led by Tim and TJ Brackett, Richie Dearborn, Dave Farrington, Jr., Michael Landry, Reid Lanpher, Glen Luce, Shawn Martin, Scott McDaniel, Scott Mulkern, David Oliver, Tony Ricci, and Bobby Timmons. 
 
     Opening weekend at Oxford Plains Speedway begins on Friday, April 17 with rotating practice for the PASS AIM Recycling Super Late Models Presented By Kenny U-Pull, ACT Late Models, PASS Modifieds, Wicked Cool Midgets and Street Stocks starting at 1 PM.  On Saturday, April 18, rotating practice starts at 9:30 AM, with heat races beginning at 2 PM, followed by the main events. 
 
     The Pro All Stars Series is recognized as North America's premier sanctioning body for asphalt Super Late Models and boasts such marquee events as the legendary AIM Recycling Oxford 250 Presented By Kenny U-Pull at Oxford Plains Speedway and PASS South's Easter Bunny 150 at the historic Hickory Motor Speedway.  For technical information concerning all PASS divisions please send questions to passracing@roadrunner.com.  For media or marketing questions, please contact Alan Dietz at 704-231-2039 or alandietzpass@live.com.  
 
     And, don't forget to "Like" the Pro All Stars Series on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @PASSSLM14 to keep up with breaking news as it happens. 
 
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