iMassRacing.com

Under this partnership agreement, RacingJunk.com will provide the online classifieds for Lebanon Valley Dragway, located just east of Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Visitors to Lebanon Valley Dragway’s website at http://www.dragway.com can link to the RacingJunk.com classifieds and RJ RaceSpace, the social networking site for racers and fans, by clicking on the RacingJunk tab on the homepage.

“Our racers and fans are truly dedicated to the sport, so most of them are already very familiar with RacingJunk.com, since it’s such an essential resource. Having direct access to RacingJunk.com from our homepage is a valuable feature to offer our site visitors, plus it makes a statement that we’re a track that delivers what our racers and fans really want,” said Lebanon Valley Track Promoter Howard Commander. “And of course we’re especially pleased to partner with RacingJunk.com since we consider them a neighbor. Their headquarters in North Adams, Massachusetts is just a short drive away, and many of our racers and fans come from North Adams and the surrounding towns.”

“Adding Lebanon Valley Dragway to our growing group of partners and affiliates is an honor,” said Matthias Czabok, Raceway Media’s Vice President of Business Development. “This is a well-operated dragstrip with terrific drivers and fans — the people who are at the heart of drag racing. These are the same people who have made RacingJunk.com the nation’s foremost online motorsports marketplace, so we are pleased to welcome Lebanon Valley Dragway to our expanding network.”

In addition to their new partnership with Lebanon Valley Dragway, RacingJunk.com has teamed up with more than 225 affiliates and 98 strategic partners including sanctioning bodies, tracks, racing-related websites and publications.

About Raceway Media:
Raceway Media, LLC, a Boxcar Media, LLC Company, is a multimedia publishing firm serving the racing and performance enthusiast industries. It is a free ‘one-stop shop’ for those looking to buy, sell, trade, entertain or interact with people throughout the automotive and motorcycle racing and performance communities.

The company’s holdings include RacingJunk.com and MotorcycleAds.com, which together receive more than 70 million page views per month and have more than 285,000 members. Raceway Media also owns RJRaceSpace.com, the social networking site for performance racing enthusiasts, BoatingJunk.com, MuscleCarJunk.com, RacingJunkRides.com and the soon to be launched CollectorCarNation.com.

About Lebanon Valley Dragway:
Located between Pittsfield, Massachusetts and Albany, New York, Lebanon Valley Dragway is an asphalt dragstrip featuring a full slate of NHRA sanctioned racing. On August 16-17, the Dragway will feature 1320X, two days of racing, rock and roll and a celebration of the American Muscle car. Pullin Television will be there to film the events for internet broadcast and a future television pilot. The dragway’s website is located at http://www.dragway.com.

Scenedaily.com, the leading source of information and interesting NASCAR facts for loyal fans, has announced a contest for fans to submit a 250 word essay on why they deserve to become the next guest columnist. The contest will be presented by NOS Energy Drink and in addition to the coveted column, the winner will receive a trip to the 2008 Ford 400 Championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The prize package includes airfare and accommodations for two for two nights along with Garage Credentials and a $500 Visa Check Card. The online resource has opened the invitations to all loyal NASCAR fans who are 18 years or older and in the . For those who are interested in becoming a guest columnist, visit www.SceneDaily.com/fancolumnist to submit your essay.

Scenedaily.com has become one of the top online resources for NASCAR fans to follow all the drivers and read up on the latest race results and Chase for The Cup points. By becoming a guest columnist, fans will be able to voice their opinions to millions of other NASCAR faithful about driver’s news, race insights, and feelings towards point leaders.

“This is an opportunity for everyone to get involved and make the site even more interactive for loyal NASCAR fans,” said Jeff Owens, Executive Editor of NASCAR Scene. “There are many fans out there with strong, thought-provoking opinions. This will provide an outlet for one of them to publish their observations and views.”

The contest started on July 24th and runs through August 31st. The winner will write a weekly column throughout the 10-race Chase For The Sprint Cup focusing on the Chase, the latest race, the sport’s top drivers, the news of the week or other issues centering around the world of NASCAR. The fan column will appear in SceneDaily.com’s daily e-mail newsletter beginning Sept. 11, 2008.

About SceneDaily.com:
This has become the website for loyal NASCAR fans. It plays host to information about every NASCAR driver and race result along with commentary on what’s to come and breaking news and interesting NASCAR facts. To become a member of the online community and begin receiving the free NASCAR news eNewsletter visit www.scenedaily.com.

With seven guaranteed starting positions established, the qualifying trail ending Saturday night with a rainout at Seekonk, two former series champions will be joined by five other race qualifiers when the True Value Modified Racing Series invades the Thompson International Speedway, Thompson, CT Saturday and Sunday, Sept 6 and 7. This weekend’s two day event will be the third appearance by the fifth year series at the Connecticut oval.

In April, in the season opener, three-time champion, Kirk Alexander, W.Swanzey, NH., was victorious in the first qualifier, winning the event at New Hampshire’s Lee USA Speedway. When the series visited the famed Thunder Road International Speedbowl, Barre, VT., Memorial Day weekend May 25, home state favorite and 2006 series champion Dwight Jarvis earned the right to represent T-Road at the Big T.

When the series made its annual pilgrimage to Monadnock Speedway, Winchester, NH., to celebrate our nations independence, July 5, series founder Jack Bateman, Canaan, NH., earned the right to celebrate with a guaranteed starting spot for this Sunday’s race.

Buxton, ME, veteran David Pinkham picked up the Sunoco honors and guaranteed spot mid-summer at the Oxford Plains Speedway, in Pinkham’s home state, July 19. Les Hinckley, Windsor Locks, CT., would earn the same honor at Wiscasset Maine Raceway, three weeks later, Aug 9.

Present series point leader, Chris Pasteryak, Lisbon, CT., earned the right to represent his home track, Waterford, CT., Speedbowl on August 16 while the final guaranteed spot was nabbed by Rob Goodenough, W.Swanzey, on Saturday August 23 at his home track, Monadnock.

In addition to the TVMRS, the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, the RoC Modifieds, Pro-4 Modifieds, Sunoco Modifiieds, and Thompson Modifieds will compete. Fans will be treated to 400 laps of feature races.

Grandstand gates open at 10:00 AM Saturday morning with TVMRS practice scheduled from 10:00-11:00 AM. Qualifying is scheduled immediately following NASCAR WMT and RoC time trials which begin at 2:30 PM.

Race fans will be treated to a Fan Appreciation Party Sunday morning. All of the race cars in competition and their drivers will be assembled on the track for a meet and greet, photo and autograph session beginning at 10:30 AM.

Alexander won the 2006 event while Louie Mechalides, Tyngsboro, MA., held off Thompson regular Tommy Cravenho, Raynham. MA., in a crowd pleaser to win the 2007 event. For more info log on to www.thompsonspeedway.com

New England auto racing legend Ollie Silva will be remembered Friday night Aug 15, when Lee USA Speedway, Lee, NH., hosts it’s annual “Ollie Silva Memorial Classic” 75 lap race for ISMA Supermodifieds. Drivers from throughout the Northeast and Canada are expected to compete. The special race will be presented by E.F. Shea Concrete Systems.

Silva, long considered one of the greatest supermodified drivers to come out of New England, was the first driver inducted into the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame in 1998. Winner of over 500 feature races in 12 states and Canada, Silva passed away four years to the night he will be remembered.

Drivers from throughout the northeast and Canada are expected to compete in the prestigious race.

Local drivers, familiar to long time supermodified fans, are expected entries. Veteran Pelham, NH, hot shoe Russ Wood will return to Lee as will “Super” Dave Sanborn, Tilton, NH, Jamie Timmons, North Andover, MA., Justin Belfiore, Ipswich, MA., Artie Rousseau, Ipswich, Rob Summers driving Essex. MA., car owner Howie Lane’s car, and ISMA champion Chris Perley, Rowley, MA., a former Silva race winner, who will pilot a car owned and prepared by Vic Miller, Atkinson, NH. Silva saw much success with Miller in the late 60’s and early 70’s.

Also expected are NY drivers Jeff Abold and Jeff Holbrook as well as Canadian racers, Dave McKnight and Mike Lichty.

Legendary driver Bentley Warren will stage his annual motorcycle run from Bentley’s Saloon in Arundel, Maine, to the speedway benefitting the Victory Junction Camp and children with chronic medical conditions and serious illnesses.

The ISMA supermodifieds will be joined by the weekly small block supermodifieds and the second of three $1,000 to win races sponsored by Locke Cranes Services. The NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, the tracks weekly divisions will also be in action.

Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance to avoid long lines that occur each year the ISMA supermodifieds appear at Lee. Tickets can be obtained at the speedways box office on Friday night or by calling and reserving seats at 978-462-4252. Ticket prices are $25.00. Gates will open at 2:00 PM with practice beginning at 4 PM. Because of the special race, qualifying will begin at 7:00 PM

If anyone has doubts about the fan base of racing in the Merrimack Valley, check out this piece in the Eagle Tribune about a historic race cars return to the City of Lawrence.

Gateway Pub will bring back the race car that once stood atop its roof for a long-awaited visit this Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m.

The car, which was actually just a shell of the entire car, stood as a landmark on Merrimack Street to passers-by and was bought last year by Bob Crawford, a professional driver for the Super Streets Division at the All-Star Speedway in Epping, N.H.

Winchester, NH - One of the northeast’s all time modified greats will return to his old stomping grounds Saturday night, July 5, when Ken Bouchard,voted one of NASCAR’s all-time top 50 modified drivers, competes in his first TrueValue Modified Racing Series event at Monadnock Speedway, Winchester, NH.

Saturday’s traditional race, the “Firecracker 100,” will be a guaranteed starter event for the Sunoco Mod-Mania weekend at Thompson, CT., Sept 6, 7. Monadnock fanswill also be treated to a gigantic digital fireworks show, one of the best in the state.

Bouchard, 53, Fitchburg, MA., a former competitor on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Craftsman Truck Series, will compete in the Turcotte Motorsports modified driven recently by TVMRS champion Kirk Alexander, and earlier this year by Louie Mechalides.

Bouchard is certainly no stranger to the tight quarter mile speedway winning races there through his long illustrious career, the most notable being the day he suffered a flat tire with 20 laps remaining in a 100 lap race. That day he beat his older brother Ron, driving the famed Boehler No.3 to the checkered flag.

Several former weekly racers at the track known as “Mad Dog” will return to the high-banks to compete in the festive event. Les Hinckley, Dwight Jarvis, Rob Goodenough, and Alexander are expected entries. Alexander won the Firecracker event in 2004, 2005, 2007, with Jim Boniface capturing the 2006 race.

Ted Christopher, Ed Dachenhausen, Mike Holdridge, Jack Bateman, and Peter Jarvis also are expected entries. In their quest for the series championship, David Pinkham, takes a 12 point lead into Saturday nights race over young gun Chris Pasteryak, with three-time and defending champion Alexander 20 points back from the leader. Kenny White Jr, Weare, NH., leads the standings in the Koszela Speed Rookie-of the Year points chase.

Starting lineups will be determined by 12 lap heat races with the feature race going 100 green flag laps. Monadnock Speedway is located on Rte 12, Winchester, NH. Race time is 6:00 PM.

We know - we’re asking the same question - what’s up with Odeo.  Up until recently - Odeo has been a pretty good provider for podcasting services.  But since their tech support has been…um…lacking (to say the least) and upfront with when the upgrades are coming to their service, we decided to move forward with an in-house version of things…  Sorry! In any case - without further ado - here’s our long-awaited podcast with Charli Brown from simodified.com

Update: July 4th - Without any prompting on my part (i.e. contacting Tech Support for Odeo) I received this email on the holiday:

Hi, I’m Greg from Odeo. I wanted to see what the problems were that you were having and how I could help get them resolved. I apologize for the trouble we’ve had recently in migrating our data from the old system to the new system; we’re almost there, but I’m happy to help you out in anyway I can to try and get your issues resolved as soon as possible. Feel free to contact me at (email) or (phone) . Sorry again, let me know how I can help.

Maybe it’s because I seemed a little P.O.’d in my initial post - but I really wasn’t.  I never usually complain (too much or too loudly) about something I get for free - and up until a week or so ago - Odeo has been pretty good with ease of use, etc.  I know I had promised putting up Charli’s podcast on 6/25 and I waited about a week before finding an alternative.  Anywho - pretty cool response from Odeo.  In a subsequent email from Greg - things should be back up and running by the weekend, which means those poor SOB’s are working on July 4th - helluva an Independence Day for them!  Once they’re back up - we’ll get Charli’s podcast migrated into the Odeo system and we’ll be back up and running…kudos to Odeo.

Wiscasset, ME. (June 24, 2008) The True Value Modified Racing Series swings back into action Saturday night July 28, making its first appearance at yet another new venue, Wiscasset Raceway, Wiscasset, ME. The series drivers will compete in a 100 lap green flag race presented by Wiscasset Ford. The race is also a qualifying event for the prestigious Sunoco Mod-Mania event at Thompson, CT., in September.

Maine drivers David Pinkham, Buxton, and Tony Ricci, Westbrook, lead the list of expected entries. Additionally, Kirk Alexander, the all-time series winner, and a three-time champion, will try to add the Wiscasset oval to his win list. To date Alexander has won at every track competed on by the series. Pinkham has been victorious as both Beech Ridge and Waterford Speedways while Ricci has won series events at Lee and the former Star Speedway.

Expected entries include Vinnie Annarummo, recent winner at Seekonk, MA., who will drive the Gary Casella # 25. Veteran Jack Bateman, Mike Douglas Jr., 2007 Rookie of the Year, Peter Jarvis, Waterford, CT., winner Les Hinckley, Mike Holdridge, Ed Dachenhausen, Chris Pasteryak, Koszela Speed Rookie of the Year contender Kenny White Jr, and Sean Bodreau, who will drive a backup car from the Kenny White team. Bodreau’s car was heavily damaged last weekend at Waterford.

On Friday June 27, race sponsor Wiscasset Ford will host a pre-race party at their dealership on Rte 1 in Wiscasset. From 8AM til 4PM, fans will have the opportunity to meet series stars, Pinkham, Ricci, and Bateman personally, get autographs, pictures, and see their racers up close and personal. Wiscasset Ford will have giveaways, race tickets, kid’s prizes, and a chance to be Grand Marshall for the next day’s big event. Hot Dogs and Soda will be available from 11-2 on Friday.

Racing starts at 5 PM Saturday. The True Value Modified Racing Series will compete in 12 lap qualifying heats to determine starting lineups for the Wiscasset Ford 100 feature race.

Seekonk Mass - (June 15, 2008) — Vinnie Annarummo, the 37 year racing veteran from Swansea, MA., let it be known last week that Seekonk Speedway is “my house” and he made that clear Saturday night, June 14, winning a hard fought battle with Chris Pasteryak, Lisbon, CT., to capture the 100 lap True Value Modified Racing Series event at the famed Bay State oval. The win was Annarummo’s first this season. He was a three-time winner in 2007.

Pasteryak jumped into the early lead from his pole starting position and led the first seven circuits until yielding the top spot to Annarummo. It set the stage for a torrid battle between the former five-time Seekonk pro-stock champion and the second generation Connecticut hot shoe that would last until the finish.

Pasteryak took back the lead on lap 10 with Annarummo keeping pace. On lap 15 Annarummo powered by and would hold the point until lap 28 when Pasteryak went to the front again. On a lap 29 restart, Annarummo took the top position with great side by side racing going on throughout the 26 car starting field.

Eddie Dachenhausen, Les Hinckley, and 2006 champion, Dwight Jarvis, were battling for position and dealing with traffic drawing the attention of the large crowd on hand. All three were hunting down the leaders. Hinckley motored by Dachenhausen as D.Jarvis followed. Jarvis would eventually move to third and battle Pasteryak for the runner-up position.

The 100 lap grind would feature caution free racing from lap 30 to lap 70. The top seven cars often raced in heavy traffic bringing those sitting to their feet. The leaders diced and darted through slower cars on occasion creating three wide situations.

The race was slowed on lap 70 when Jarvis spun in traffic and Chris Wenzel struck the first turn wall. Jarvis returned to the field while Wenzel retired to the pit area.

Annarummo held on to win by a 0.104 margin over Pasteryak with Jon McKennedy, who overcame a lap 3 incident, finishing in a close third by a 0.178 margin behind the leader. Hinckley finished fourth for his best run of the year, and point leader David Pinkham rounded the top five. Kirk Alexander, a former Seekonk winner, Dale Evonsion, Dachenhausen, Peter Jarvis, and Jimmy Kuhn finished sixth through tenth.

Heat races were won by Pasteryak, Tommy Cravenho, and Annarummo, with Jimmy Dolan capturing the 15 lap consolation race.

The TVMRS next races at Waterford Speedbowl, Waterford, CT., Saturday, June 21.

Race Summary: Seekonk MA Speedway

Race Distance: 100 laps
Caution Periods: Laps 6, 13, 28, 29, 70, 71, 95.
30 cars entered the race.26 cars started the event with 15 of the 26 starters
finishing on the lead lap

Race Time - - 1:00:15:766.

Next Event: Waterford Speedbowl Waterford, CT June 21, 2008

Order of Finish: Seekonk 100

1. 12 Vinnie Annarummo Jr.
2. 15 Chris Pasteryak
3. 73 Jon McKennedy
4. 06 Les Hinckley
5. 22 David Pinkham
6. 43 Kirk Alexander
7. 35 Dale Evonsion
8. 10 Eddie Dachenhausen
9. 9NH Peter Jarvis
10.72 Jimmy Kuhn
11. 25 Tommy Cravenho
12. 28 Dwight Jarvis
13. 0 Mike Holdridge
14. 55 Joe Doucette
15. 69 Jim Dolan
16. 13 Stephen Masse
17. 77 Kenny White Jr.
18. 17 Jack Bateman
19. 1 Sean Bodreau
20. 83 Chris Wenzel
21. 46 Dick Houlihan
22. 36 Robert Drown
23. 6 Rob Goodenough
24. 4 Tony Ricci
25. 82 David Berghman
26. 23 Mike Douglas Jr.
27. 76 Shelly Perry

-by Justin St. Louis

Many fans of northeastern short track stock car racing have been wondering: “When will someone else win the American-Canadian Tour title?” Jean-Paul Cyr has had a stranglehold on the championship since 2003, and has been the face of ACT for the last half-decade.

The heir-apparent may be here in the form of Scott Payea. The 26 year-old, who happens to be from Cyr’s hometown of Milton, VT, earned his second ACT Late Model Tour victory of the year, the fourth
of his career, and increased his point lead over his cross-town rival at Waterford Speedbowl in Connecticut on Saturday night. Payea’s win was also his fifth top-five finish in six ACT events this year.

“It’d be nice to win the title, it’s my goal to eventually win it,” said Payea after the Waterford win. “But for now we just keep going to the next race to see what happens. We’re having fun right
now, and everyone on this team is enjoying what we’re doing.”

***

Can you wait for Thursday night at Thunder Road? Because we can’t! Ferguson Waterworks kicks off the 49th season of Thursday night stock car racing tradition at “The Nation’s Site of Excitement” at
6:30pm. A full card of ACT Late Models, NAPA Tiger Sportsmen, Allen Lumber Street Stocks, and Power Shift Online Junkyard Warriors is on tap, along with the annual visit by the New England Antique Racers. General admission is just $9.50 for adults, $3 for kids (6-12), and just $20 for a family of four!

Also on Saturday, the Série ACT Castrol gets back into gear with the Coors Light 100 at Autodrome Chaudière in Vallée-Jonction, QC. They say Chaudière is like Québec’s version of Thunder Road –
beautiful scenery, great crowds, and lots of side-by-side action… sort of a “can’t miss” isn’t it? Post time is 6:30pm.

***
A nice surprise awaited the American-Canadian Tour staff as they rolled into Waterford Speedbowl on Saturday morning – a whopping 38 Late Model teams were in the pit area intending to run the
Nutmeg State 100. The field was expanded from 26 starters to 30 to accommodate the larger-than-expected turnout, and the racers didn’t disappoint.

Without the benefit of power steering, Donald Theetge drove from ninth (last) in his heat race to finish fourth, transferring into the feature race and earning an event-high “+5” handicap to start on the pole. That Theetge was able to turn a lap was something of a surprise, as his Auto Frank et Michel/le
Centre Honda #80 Chevrolet battled severe power steering issues throughout the day. The “plus/minus” pole was his second of the season and the third of his career. Bruce Thomas, Jr., the 2007 Waterford Speedbowl Track Champion, earned a “+4” in his heat start alongside Theetge.

There was plenty of passing in the Nutmeg State 100 as well, as half of the top ten finishers started outside the top ten, including 8th-place finisher Jonathan Urlin. The Ontario rookie passed 16 cars from his 24th-place starting position for his best career ACT Late Model Tour finish.

Thomas and ACT point leader Scott Payea waged a sensational back-and-forth battle during the middle stages of the race. In fact, the lead changed hands five times in six laps just before and just
after the halfway point before Payea finally took over for good. From there, he sped to his second win of the year. Thomas was second over former ACT Champion Brad Leighton, who made his first main event start of the year. Waterford jack-of-all-trades Ron Yuhas, Jr. finished fourth in his ACT debut, just ahead of another hard-charging rookie, Nick Sweet. For good measure, Yuhas also finished sixth in the SK Modified 35-lapper and sixth in the 30-lap non-points Late Model feature that night.

***

First-year ACT Late Model Tour driver Mark Hudson of Norton, MA missed qualifying for the Nutmeg State 100 by just one position, but made up for it later in the night by notching a career-first
victory in the Waterford 30-lap Late Model main. It was his third “weekly” event of the year at Waterford Speedbowl; his other two finishes were 10th-place runs (May 10 and May 31). He also finished 13th in a regular show at Lee USA Speedway on May 30.

That brought to mind an idea, one that we’ll do our best to keep track of throughout the summer – We’re going to start a little “ACT Tracker” in this column space, keeping an eye on the ACT
fraternity in weekly events at tracks throughout the region. Also in action in the weekly event at Waterford were ACT’s Mark Anzalone, Jr. and Jim “Scruffy” Linardy, who finished seventh and eighth, respectively. Thunder Road regular Chip Grenier did a little moonlighting at New Hampshire’s White Mountain Motorsports Park on Saturday as well, taking 5th in the weekly Late Model division’s 50-lap main event.

Stay tuned this year as we keep watch on our racers!

***

Did you know…?

-ACT rookies Nick Sweet and Jonathan Urlin made some major strides at Waterford: With Sweet’s 5th-place effort, he jumps from 17th in points into a three-way tie for seventh overall with Ron Henry
and Donald Theetge. Jonathan Urlin, with an 8th-place result, jumps from 27th in points to 18th.

-The ACT Late Model Tour has now seen 94 drivers compete so far this season. Drivers that made their first feature event start of the year at Waterford were: Bruce Thomas, Jr. (2nd), Brad
Leighton (3rd), Ron Yuhas, Jr. (4th), Joe Curioso (24th), Richard Staskowski (26th), Allen Coates (28th), Tim Jordan (29th), and Ed Reed, Jr. (30th).

-With 38 cars attempting to qualify at Waterford Speedbowl, the 2008 season’s average attendance through six events (halfway already!) is a whopping 42.2 cars per event, up from an average of
38.6 cars per event at this time last year.

Stay up to speed online at www.acttour.com, www.laserieactcastrol.com, and www.thunderroadspeedbowl.com!