By DAVE MOODY

The ACT New England Dodge Tour has released its 2004 schedule, and the new slate contains a few pleasant surprises. Included among the 14 events at nine different tracks are five races at the series’ traditional hubs, Barre’s Thunder Road and Airborne International Raceway in Plattsburgh , NY .

The 2004 Tour will open with the Merchants Bank “Freedom Lynx 150” at Thunder Road on Sunday, May 2, before traveling to Airborne for the 29th “Spring Green 100” the following Saturday night, Saturday, May 8. The Tour’s only other Airborne stop comes on Sunday, September 12 with the annual “Fall Foliage 150” (formerly 200), while Thunder Road hosts the Dodge Tour stars on Sunday, May 30,for the “Memorial Day Classic,” and October 2-3 for the 41’st annual “New England Dodge Dealers Milk Bowl.”

While this year’s Airborne slate is smaller than in years past, ACT President Tom Curley has found a great way to take up the slack. For the first time in 15 years, the ACT Dodge Tour will return to the Claremont (NH) Speedway on Saturday night, May 15, for the "Sonny Fleury Memorial 100.” The race is named in honor of the late Eugene “Sonny” Fleury, who spearheaded the track's creation in 1947, oversaw its transformation from dirt to asphalt in 1973, and managed the speedway for more than four decades.

"We've begun a revival at our track," said Claremont Director of Operations Dennis Fleury, nephew of Sonny Fleury. "We're trying to bring fans who've found `life after racing’ back to the speedway for a special night. I feel the ACT Dodge Tour can make that happen."

The last time ACT sanctioned a race at Claremont , Robbie Crouch steered his Allen Lumber Company Buick to Victory Lane in 1988, and this year’s return has already become one of the most anticipated events of the summer season for northeast race fans. In fact, the announcement of ACT’s return to the Granite State oval produced a standing ovation at the track’s annual awards banquet recently.

In addition to Claremont, three other New Hampshire track return to the Dodge Tour schedule in 2004; White Mountain Motorsports Park in North Woodstock (two races), and Groveton’s Riverside and Lee USA Speedways, with one event each. Maine’s Oxford Plains Speedway has two 2004 ACT dates, including a 100-lapper the night before the legendary True Value “Oxford 250,” while Connecticut’s Waterford Speedbowl and the Seekonk (MA) Speedway round out of the 2004 schedule.

While the return of Claremont to the ACT fold has earned most of the headlines, many ACT racers are talking about what’s not on the schedule. A total of nine “off weekends” throughout the summer --including two “guaranteed offs” that cannot be consumed by rainouts or rescheduled races – have addressed concerns raised last season that the schedule did not allow enough time for families and vacations.

"The 2004 schedule brings us to many of the region's best short tracks, while meeting competitors' desires to have an occasional weekend off during the season," said ACT’s Curley. "It also gives us more flexibility with regard to the weather than we've had in recent years. We're adjusting our purse and point fund allocations in 2004 to provide for larger purses in 2004, and those details will be announced in the near future."

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Look for 1994 NASCAR Busch North Series Champion Dale Shaw to do a significant amount of racing on the ACT Dodge Tour in 2003, in a car fielded by Buzzie Bezanson’s former car owner, David Storey. Shaw, the
1994 and 1999 track champion at New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon, will run a minimum of six ACT races this season in a car owned by Storey and built by Shaw. While a concrete 2004 schedule has not yet been finalized, the Center Conway, NH, driver said both he and Story have certain races on their wish list.

“David builds houses in New Hampshire, so I’m sure he’ll want to run Claremont, White Mountain and Lee, at least,” he said. “He’s not that enthusiastic about Oxford, but I grew up racing there, and I think he’s going to let me have my way to run those two races. After that, we’ll just have to wait and see.”

Shaw spent most of last summer racing on the PASS Pro Stock Tour, after withdrawing from full-time Busch North competition, but said he is looking for “something different” to close out his career.

“The last three years, I’ve had three different crews,” he said. “It’s tough to get people to work for you the way they used to. Busch North is too expensive, and I’ve got a real bad taste in my mouth for the PASS Tour after some of the things that happened there last summer. So when Dave Storey approached me about building him a new ACT car and running it some this year, I jumped at the chance.”

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Short (Track) Subjects…

…ACT’s preseason sojourn to the Hardeeville (SC) Motor Speedway in February is off, after the two parties were unable to come to terms on a rules package to equalize competition between the Hardeeville regulars and the traveling ACT teams. The concept will likely be revived within the next year or two, once Hardeeville brings its Late Model teams into closer alignment with the ACT rulebook.

…Former ACT and Thunder Road champion Pete Fecteau is in the market for a new sponsor, after longtime backer Bucks Furniture informed him recently that they will not return in 2004. The Wolcott retailer will focus instead on rebuilding its physical plant after a major warehouse fire this summer.

… Multi-time Thunder Road Flying Tiger Sportsman champion John Donahue will return to the Thunder Road Late Model wars this season, after a one-year absence. The 2002 Late Model Rookie of the Year will steer a car formerly owned by Mark Lanphear, and recently purchased by Mike Thompson. Thompson has reportedly landed a few associate sponsors, and is still working on landing a primary backer.

…It appears that Tracie Bellerose will not be a part of Thunder Road’s competitive picture in 2004. The former “Queen of the Road” suffered a shattered right forearm in a bizarre crash during qualifying for last fall’s Milk Bowl, and while she continues a rigorous (and painful) regimen of physical therapy, doctors now say they will be pleased if she regains 75-percent use of the arm.

…Former White Mountain Motorsports Park star David Avery will be a weekly Late Model competitor at Thunder Road next summer, in the former Buzzie Bezanson Chevrolet now owned by his father, Don. The Avery Family also owns and promotes WMMP, prompting this writer to predict at least five ACT Dodge Tour starts for the second-generation driver.

…Speaking of White Mountain Motorsports Park, the New Hampshire oval honored its 2003 champions recently at the Beacon Motel and Resort in Lincoln, New Hampshire. The highlight of the evening was the unexpected appearance of Late Model championship car owner Danny Walker, who was seriously injured recently. Walker was wheeled into the hall just before his driver, Fulton Mountain, was to receive his awards, to a thunderous standing ovation. Immediately following the awards ceremony, LMS driver John Keech knelt and proposed to his fiancee, who (thankfully) accepted. Man, those WMMP guys sure know how to throw a party!

…Modified champion “King" Jim Ryan topped the list of honorees at the annual Canaan Fair and Bear Ridge Speedways 2003 awards banquet, held November 22 at the Canaan Fair Speedway function hall. Also honored were Sportsman Coupe champion Adam Pierson – who retired the Bear Ridge Cup with his third consecutive title -- Pro Street king Dan Eastman, Fast Four titlist Chris McKinstry, and Enduro champions Roland Bigelow (8-cylinder) and Roy Holland Sr. (4-cylinder).

…In other news from the rubber chicken circuit, Steve Fisher, Trampas Demers, Roger Brown, and Sam Caron head the list of nominees for ACT’s 2003 Late Model "Most Improved Driver" award. The Award will be presented at the circuit’s annual Banquet of Champions on Saturday, January 17, at the Sheraton-Burlington Hotel and Conference Center. Tickets are $30, and are available through the ACT office in Waterbury.

…And finally, congratulations to two-time NASCAR North Tour champion Harmon “Beaver” Dragon on his recent election to the New England Motorsports Hall of Fame. Dragon will be inducted on February 1, along with Paul Tremaine, Billy Harman, the late Len Boehler, Dick Dixon and Charlie Jarzombek.