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Barre, VT-- Race #1 of the 1999 ACT LMS Series was held today at the Nation's Site for Excitment, Thunder Road, under a beautiful, sunny sky. 33 LMS cars were on hand to try to qualify for 26 starting spots. Before the heats began the best appearing cars were chosen. Finishing first was the beatiful #22 Kinney Drugs Chevy of Mike Bruno. Second was the #54 Subway Chevy of Chuck Beede, with the #21 Starr's Chevy of Jimmy Young taking third. Three heats, a consi, and a B-feature were held to determine the starting lineup.  Click here for full qualifing results.

Mark Lanphear, who had qualified the #49 Lanphear Racing Chevy for the main event, was doing double duty in the LMS and the Flying Tigers. During the Flying Tiger feature, Lanphear was involved in a very nasty looking accident on the front stretch where he flipped his car and tore down part of the retaining fence. Mark was alert and appeared to be OK, but was taken to Central Vermont Hospital for observation. This allowed the first alternate, Fred Lagoy to start the main event.

When the main event rolled to the line, Pete Fecteau and Eric Williams started on the point. With the drop of the green, Fecteau grabbed the early lead, but Williams stayed right on his rear quarterpanel. Fecteau led the first nine circuits until Williams gained the advantage. They stayed side by side until the first caution of the day slowed the field at lap 10 when Fred Lagoy spun in turn 4. On the restart, Williams raced side by side, followed by Tracie Bellerose and Pat Corbett. On lap 18, a multi-car accident on the front stretch, involving Rich Lowrey, Bill Marsha, Phil Scott, Fred Lagoy, and Dwayne Lanphere, slowed the field once again. All were able to continue, with Lanphear sustaining heavy body damage.

On the restart, Williams and Fecteau continued their battle, swapping the lead back and forth several times until a single car spin involving fourth place Pat Corbett on lap 28. Fecteau took the lead on the restart, but spun in front of the field on lap 34 involving Bellrose, Jim Cilley, and Mike Bruno. Bellerose was unable to continue. By this time, 1998 Riverside Speedway Rookie of the Year Derek Ming, had moved up to 4th place from his 19th place starting spot. Ming would continue to show strength throughout the day.

On the restart, Williams picked up a new challenger in veteren Joey Laquerre. The two did battle side by side for 50 laps until Williams had ignition failure and dropped out of the race on lap 95. By this time Phil Scott, who had started 15th, had moved to the front and took the lead from Williams. A yellow on lap 137 was brought out when second place Chris Fisher spun in turn three. Race officials deterimined that Beede, Dave Whitcomb, and Ming were also involved, and all four cars were sent to the rear.

Phil Scott then went on to claim the victory, with Laquerre second, Jimmy Young third, Burger Blake fourth, and Chris Fisher rounding out the top five.

The next race for the ACT LMS Series will be the Eggelfield Spring Green at Airborne International Speedway in Plattsburg, NY on Saturday May 8. Post time is 7pm.

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Initial creation: April 5th 1996 - revised April 13 1997
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