When Jason Corliss’ mechanical troubles set off a multi-car collision early in Sunday’s American-Canadian Tour Community Bank, N.A. 150, it seemed unlikely that the Vermont veteran would be celebrating anything at the finish.
But Corliss bounced back.
The three-time Thunder Road International Speedbowl “King of the Road” took command in the closing laps to win the second race of the ACT Late Model Tour season and cap off a stellar opening weekend at the “Nation’s Site of Excitement.”
Corliss’ day took a turn for the worst only 49 laps into the feature, when power steering problems soaked the track behind him. The ensuing wreck handed Corliss a lengthy caution under which the team got to work. But with track position always at a premium on the high-banked oval, a comeback story would be a challenge to put together. And a flat tire on an ensuing caution further dulled Corliss’ chances.
But the Danville, Vt. racer soldiered on while early leaders Bobby Therrien and Jimmy Hebert squared off with Cody Blake. Hebert settled into the mid-race lead with Blake battling Therrien for second, ultimately clearing the former Thunder Road champion.
Corliss crept back into the top ten by halfway, and into the top five with 25 laps left to go. Blake took the lead from Hebert on a restart, with Corliss slipping into second just as a caution flew with 17 laps to go. With the outside line at his disposal, Corliss went to work, outdriving Blake to take the point as Hebert challenged for second.
And while the field battled for second on back, Corliss drove off to his sixth career ACT Tour win.
Hebert, who still seeks a home-track Tour victory, finished second, putting the 2020 ACT Tour champ in the points lead after only two races. Whether Hebert runs the full schedule or not remains to be seen, as he stepped back from full-time competition last year.
Marcel Gravel emerged from the pack to finish third, with Shawn Swallow and Cody Blake rounding out the top five.
Reigning Thunder Road track champion Chris Pelkey was sixth, ahead of Tour full-timer Gabe Brown. Brandon Lanphear was eighth for car owner Richard Green. Veteran Chip Grenier finished ninth, with defending ACT Tour titlist DJ Shaw tenth.
Thunder Road has long favored its weekly challengers in Tour trim, and Sunday’s race was no different, with only four ACT Tour sure-shots placing in the top ten. Championship hopeful Derek Gluchacki, who has struggled to find success at the bullring, retired early with electrical issues, while rookies Tanner Woodard and Bryan Wall, Jr. were sidelined after wrecks.
But with only thirty slots on the starting grid, plenty of contenders packed up before the green flag, including Connecticut rookies PJ Evans and Reese Bogue. Joining them was three-time track champ Derrick O’Donnell. And anticipated full-season racers like Tom Carey III, defending top rookie Alexendre Tardif, and former Tour champion Joey Polewarczyk were not in attendance. So tough luck for the Tour regulars may work itself out in the long run.
Corliss’ first ACT Tour win since his obscured-view triumph at White Mountain Motorsports Park in 2021 was also his fourth win in the Community Bank, N.A. 150, tying fellow Thunder Road great Nick Sweet. All but one of his Tour victories have come at the track he calls his weekly home. None, however, came in his lone full season on the Tour in 2017. The veteran racer plans to run for the ACT Tour title this year after moving to an “outlaw” schedule in 2022.
After two races, Corliss sits fifth in the standings, with three sure title contenders ahead of him, and plenty of weeks ahead.
Those title contenders have but a few short days to turn around for the next race, with ACT trucking south to Stafford Motor Speedway in Connecticut for a rain-postponed Friday-night tilt in support of the Modified-centric Spring Sizzler. The sanctioning body, then backed by NASCAR, has visited the fan-favorite half-mile before, but the ACT Late Model Tour has never raced at Stafford.
Forty drivers are entered for the 75-lap feature, and only a handful have any laps at the track. Friday night, then, could be a massive equalizer for most of the field, while still playing into the hands of experienced contenders like Shaw and Gluchacki.
Corliss will be looking for a first top-ten finish on one of ACT’s larger tracks. But after Sunday’s performance, he can’t be counted out.
Unofficial Results
American-Canadian Tour Community Bank, N.A. 150
Thunder Road International Speedbowl
1. (66VT) Jason Corliss
2. (58VT) Jimmy Hebert
3. (86VT) Marcel Gravel
4. (04NH) Shawn Swallow
5. (99VT) Cody Blake
6. (64VT) Chris Pelkey
7. (60ME) Gabe Brown
8. (16VT) Brandon Lanphear
9. (9VT) Chip Grenier
10. (04VT) DJ Shaw
11. (5VT) Bobby Therrien
12. (36NH) Erick Sands
13. (41QC) Jonathan Bouvrette
14. (27NH) Cam Huntress
15. (68VT) Brooks Clark
16. (94VT) Brendan Moodie
17. (00NH) Jimmy Renfrew, Jr.
18. (31CT) Andrew Molleur
19. (18VT) Kaiden Fisher
20. (4NH) Jamie Swallow, Jr.
21. (03MA) Derek Gluchacki
22. (55VT) Keegan Lamson
23. (68NH) Tanner Woodard
24. (0NH) Quinny Welch
25. (77NH) Bryan Wall, Jr.
26. (27VT) Kyle Pembroke
27. (0VT) Scott Dragon
28. (01VT) Stephen Martin
29. (38VT) Tyler Cahoon
30. (48VT) Jean-Paul Cyr
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