“JOEY POLE” LIVES UP TO HIS NAME AT MILK BOWL by Justin St. Louis
17-year-old New Hampshire racer beats veteran Dragon by three-hundreths for top spot
pole,” joked ACT announcer Troy Germain.  “He finally got it, I’m proud of him.”
Note - The 43rd New England Dodge Dealers Milk Bowl scheduled for Sun. Oct 1st has been postponed due to rain. Track management has announced the event will be held on Sun. Oct 8th. Post time 1:00pm.  Speed51.com will have full coverage next weekend of the 2006 Milk Bowl, Take #2.

A record 63 American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Late Models filled the pit area for the 43rd running of the New England Dodge Dealers Milk Bowl at Barre, VT’s Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl on Saturday afternoon.  Teams representing Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario made an attempt to get into the $10,000-to-win, three-segment event.
43rd Annual ACT Late Model Tour New England Dodge Dealers Milk Bowl Starting lineup

Pos.-#-Driver-Hometown-Car-Starting berth

1. 97 Joey Polewarczyk Jr., Hudson, NH, Pole’s Automotive Chevrolet 12.935 seconds
2. 55 Brent Dragon, Milton, VT, Kinney Drugs Dodge, 12.956 seconds
3. 78 Ryan Nolin, Georgia, VT, Mountain Air Systems Chevrolet, 12.984 seconds
4. 86 Dennis Demers, Shelburne, VT, Shelburne Limestone Corp. Chevrolet, Qualifier #1 Winner
5. 14 Phil Scott, Montpelier, VT, Northfield Savings Bank Ford, Qualifier #2 Winner
6. 85 Trampas Demers, So. Burlington, VT, Jiffy Mart Chevrolet, Qualifier#3 Winner
7. 50 Jay Laquerre, E. Montpelier, VT, Jeff Laquerre Motorsports Chevrolet, Qualifier #1 2nd place
8. 91 Patrick Laperle, St. Denis, QC, Demers Ambulances Chevrolet, Qualifier #2 2nd place
9. 26 John Donahue, Graniteville, VT, Routhier’s Quick Lube Dodge, Qualifier #3 2nd place
10. 32 Jean-Paul Cyr, Milton, VT, Sticks & Stuff Chevrolet, Qualifier #1 3rd place
11. 15 Joey Laquerre, E. Montpelier, VT, Domino’s Pizza Pontiac, Qualifier #2 3rd place
12. 45 Dave Wilcox, Fairfield, VT, NEHP Chevrolet, Qualifier #3 3rd place
13. 99 Roger Brown, Lancaster, NH, Roger Brown Trucking Ford, Qualifier #1 4th place
14. 6 Cris Michaud, Williamstown, VT, Merchants Bank Ford, Qualifier #2 4th place
15. 52 Dave Pembroke, Montpelier, VT, Trenchless Technologies Chevrolet, Qualifier #3 4th place
16. 10 David Avery, Lincoln, NH, White Mountain Motorsports Park Dodge, Qualifier #1 5th place
17. 27 Marc Curtis Jr., Worcester, MA, Curtis Snow Plows Chevrolet, Qualifier #2 5th place
18. 29 Mark Lamberton, Mooers Forks, NY, Jeffords Steel Chevrolet, Qualifier #3 5th place
19. 57 Doug Coombs, Livermore, ME, Construction Consultants, Inc. Ford, 13.082 seconds
20. 75 Pete Fecteau, Morrisville, VT, Fecteau Homes Pontiac, 13.097 seconds
21. 8 Rich Lowery, Charlotte, VT, Imagistics Dodge, 13.112 seconds
22. 89 Scott Payea, Milton, VT, AC Sports Ford, 13.152 seconds
23. 60 D.J. Shaw, Center Conway, NH, American Air Systems Dodge, 13.170 seconds
24. 24 Steve Fisher, Shelburne, VT, Days Inn Dodge, 13.179 seconds
25. 12 Steve Reny, Boothbay, ME, Cusick Plumbing Chevrolet, “B” Feature Winner
26. 95 Craig Bushey, Cambridge, VT, Robinson’s Fuel Chevrolet, “B” Feature 2nd place
27. 16 Joe Becker, Jeffersonville, VT, Richard Green Trucking Ford, Thunder Road Provisional
28. 66 A.J. Begin, Merrimac, MA, Hillcrest Chevrolet, ACT Provisional
29. 18 Jamie Fisher, Shelburne, VT, S.D. Ireland Cocnrete Chevrolet, ACT Provisional
30. 21 Jean-Francois Dery, Val Belair, QC, Piscines Trevi Pontiac, Serie Castrol Provisional

Did not qualify:

0 Grant Aither, Exeter, NH
1 (R) Mark Anzalone, Malden, MA
5 (R) Marcel Gravel, Wolcott, VT
5vt Bob Ailes, St. Johnsbury, VT
7 Eric Williams, Hyde Park, VT
7 Daniel Bergeron, St-Benoit, QC
11 Ryan Vanasse, Warwick, RI
23 Joe Perreault, Plainfield, VT
25 Dave Whitcomb, Essex Jct., VT
30 Dean Weber, Weare, NH
33 Quinny Welch, Lancaster, NH
38 Tyler Cahoon, Danville, VT
41 Mike Jurkowski, Claremont, NH
41 Pete Potvin, Barre, VT
46 David Chagnon, Colchester, VT
56 Dale Verrill, South Paris, ME
59 Rusty Berger, South Burlington, VT
70 Scott Dragon, Milton, VT
77 Scruffy Linardy, Malden, MA
81 Grant Folsom, Waitsfield, VT
82 Bobby Baillargeon, Nottingham, NH
83 Stacy Cahoon, St. Johnsbury, VT
87 Cal Poulin, Braintree, VT
90 Mike Rollins, Graniteville, VT
94 Shawn Martin, Turner, ME
98 Steve Dickey, Londonderry, NH
00 Mike Bailey, Barre, VT
00 Steve Munro, Carp, ON
01 Chip Grenier, Northfield, VT
02 Russ Clark, Littleton, NH
05 Ron Henry, New Gloucester, ME
07 Sam Caron, Colchester, VT




Due to the larger-than-expected turnout, the Milk Bowl’s unique qualifying format was further complicated, requiring time trials, three 50-lap qualifying heats, two consolation heats, a 24-car last-chance “B” Feature, and six provisionals to set the 30-car starting grid.

Seventeen year-old Hudson, NH driver Joey “Pole”  Polewarczyk, Jr. surprised a few people when he set a new Thunder Road and Milk Bowl time trial record on Saturday (12.935 seconds), but there was nobody that he stunned more than himself.
“I can’t even tell you how much it means to me (to be on the pole),” said Polewarczyk.  “I knew we had a good car and everything, but our goal was just to get in the Top 10.  To pull off a pole for the most prestigious race in New England, to beat 63 cars, it’s so great, I can’t even tell you.”

Since the second-generation driver’s name is as tough to say as it to spell, he was given the much easier “Joey Pole” moniker during his days racing go-karts.

“I’ve been waiting forever to say ‘Joey Pole is on the
The pits were full and the weather was beautiful at Thunder Road - on Saturday at least.  (51/ Justin. St. Louis Photos)
Polewarczyk has made great strides campaigning under the ACT banner since mid-2004, but has had little to show for his efforts until recently.  After running strong before crashes or mechanical failure in 2005, three solid Top 10s this season have shown critics that the youngster can finish what he starts.  The Alvirne (NH) High School student has been flirting with a Top 10 points finish this season, and is in the middle of a tight race with veterans Joey Laquerre and Jamie Fisher entering the final event of the year.

“We’re going for it, and we want to finish well in the points,” said Polewarczyk.  “We’re borderline Top 10 (ninth, just four points ahead of Fisher), and we just want to be there at the end.”

Veteran ACT racer Brent Dragon on Milton, VT will start outside Polewarczyk on Sunday with a best time of 12.956 seconds, while 19 year-old Ryan Nolin of Georgia, VT starts third at 12.984 seconds.  Qualifying event winners Dennis Demers, Phil Scott, and Trampas Demers complete the first three rows.

Speed51.com will have full coverage of Sunday’s events (if Mother Nature cooperates, that is…which it did not), so stay tuned.
D.J. Shaw (60), Eric Williams (7), and Scott Dragon (70) raced hard for several laps in their qualifier...
. ...but Williams eventually wrecked his car and failed to qualify.

Polewarczyk (97) and Dragon (55) will start from the front row next Sunday.