March 9, Brockton, MA--- Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl was named the winner of SpeedwayEXPO’s second annual “Best Weekly Show” award at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, MA on Sunday, March 2. The Barre, VT stock car track, known as the “Nation’s Site of Excitement,” is set to begin its 49th season with the Merchants Bank 150 for the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Championship Late Models on May 4.

First opened in 1960, Thunder Road is highly regarded for its fast-paced and entertaining programs, affordable family ticket prices, high car counts, and exciting action every summer Thursday night. Four racing divisions compete at the high-banked 1/4-mile asphalt oval from May to September.

Only two seasons old, SpeedwayEXPO has already established itself as the northeast’s premier annual stock car racing trade show and exposition. Hosted by the award-winning staff at Dick Berggren’s Speedway Illustrated magazine, SpeedwayEXPO’s “Speedy Awards” are designed to honor grassroots race teams, tracks, organizers, fans, and supporters. Race fans submit nominations and votes for 11 Speedy Award categories, with the winners determined by a combination of fan votes and Speedway Illustrated staff collaboration.

“It is a special honor for Thunder Road to be recognized by its loyal fan base as well as the media not just in Vermont, but throughout New England and the northeast,” said Thunder Road promoter Tom Curley. “Our staff, racers, fans, and sponsors are the very best in the business, and winning the ‘Best Weekly Show’ award is a
tribute to them all.”

ACT’s Patrick Laperle was named “Best Northeast Touring Racer” at Speedway as EXPO Series ACT Castrol Champion beats open-wheel racers Don Lia, Brett Hearn, Ben Seitz and Chris Perley for the award

Chris Perley is the dominant force of the International Supermodified Association (ISMA), taking a record 11 ISMA victories last year and ten the year before. “The Rowley Rocket,” a Massachusetts native, is a four-time ISMA Champion, the all-time wins leader, and was the inaugural recipient of the SpeedwayEXPO “Best Northeast Touring Racer” award last year.

Another Rowley, MA driver Eddie MacDonald plans on a very busy 2008 season. Eddie will be taking in a lot of the NASCAR Camping World Series races up and down the eastern seaboard and some mid-west venues. Also in the plans are some Late Model Sportsman events in northern New England.

Londonderry (NH) Raceway is now closed and will not be open for the 2008 season. Instead the owners of the track have moved the operation to Route 106 Raceway Park in Pembroke, NH. Londonderry is the former Manchester Motodrome which operated as a oval race track for 50 years until it was reopened a few years back and hosted several divisions of miniature motorsports.

Lee Speedway in NH has moved their Car Show at the Lilac Mall in Rochester, NH to Friday, Saturday and Sunday, March 28-30.

Bear Ridge Speedway in Bradford, VT was successful in getting its operating permit signed for 2008. A lot has happened over the past week, and with the town permit approved, it's now time to shift into second and get ready to race.

Several things will be happening in 2008 with the signing of Wells River Chevrolet as the official divisional sponsor of the Sportsman Coupes, LaValley Building Supply returns as the sponsor of the “Rising Star Award” to be presented weekly to one lucky competitor in each division, Gilmour Ford Jeep Dodge will be returning as a 2008 sponsor, and Booth Brothers Dairy will be sponsoring the Auto Mall of Brattleboro car give away night in August.

The Speedway Expo (formally Race-a-Rama) has always been for most the kick off to the racing season for those fans in the northeast. In 2008 saw thousands of people stopping at the Bear Ridge Speedway display, and the enthusiasm for 2008 is already quite high. Thanks to all who stopped by to say hello, several lucky winners will be receiving free one race passes or monster truck ticket receipts in the mail shortly.

The Ridge is expected to be represented at several more car shows over the next couple of months. The next place to see one of your favorite drivers will be, this weekend, March 14-15 at the Diamond Run Mall in Rutland, Vermont. From there the Ridge will have a display at the 2008 Home Life show held at the Leveron Field House in Hanover NH on March 20-21 and 22. Moving into April fans will be able to see the cars and star from the Ridge, Riverside (Groveton), Devils Bowl, Twin State Speedway, New England Karting Association, Thunder Road and more at the Upper Valley car show hosted by Bear Ridge Speedway and sponsored this year by US Cellular.

Bear Ridge will be returning to the Price Chopper/Borders/Wal-Mart Plaza in West Lebanon, and are truly excited to be returning to the plaza. From there it will be quiet until the official Bear Ridge Speedway Car Show to be held at the Bradford Mini Mart in Bradford VT on May 3 followed by a “test and tune” session at the track which will be FREE to the fans (general grandstands).

When the season’s opening flag waves on May 10 general admission tickets will be for adults (ages 17 to 61) $10.00 a person, children 11 and under free, $8.00 for teens 12 to 16 and seniors 62 and older. Season passes are available for general admission. Adults $150, Seniors and Teens $130. Bear Ridge Speedway continues to offer the best source of good inexpensive high quality entertainment for families.

The 2008 season is quickly approaching and the management of Monadnock Speedway in Winchester, NH is gearing up for a season filled with action. The Spring Dash will kick off the season on Saturday, April 12 featuring the 100 lap True Value Modified Racing Series along with the Outlaw Pros, Late Models, Super Stocks, Mini Stocks and both enduro divisions.

The Spring Dash will mark the first event of a very busy racing schedule on tap at Monadnock Speedway. Every Saturday Night throughout the 2008 season will feature one special touring event which will include True Value Modifieds, NEMA Midgets, All Star Race Trucks, Allison Legacy North and Pro 4 Modifieds. The 2008 schedule will guarantee to offer fans very diverse events along with the competitive NASCAR Whelen All American Weekly Racing Series and Enduros.

Practice will be held on Saturday, April 5 from 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. and all divisions, including Enduros and Touring divisions are welcome to test and tune their race machine. On the practice date, general admission is free for all the fans to check the 2008 competition.

Let's check to see what else is happening this weekend in the North Country. Up at Spud Speedway in Caribou, Maine it's Vintage Sled Racing all day Saturday and a SnoX on Sunday. The Lakes Region Ice Racing Assn. (stockcars) offers stockcar action on the Berry/Lee ponds in Moultonborough, NH on Sunday afternoon.

    Lou Modestino is a long-time columnist and Public Relations person, working for numerous tracks in the northeast, and now writes for The Enterprise in Brockton, MA.  He may be reached at lmodestino@hotmail.com. 

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