After months of anticipation, the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) is ready for the inaugural Commonwealth Classic 65 at Richmond Raceway. Over the next few days, at least 38 ACT Late Model teams from the U.S. and Canada will make the trek to Virginia for the race on Saturday, March 30 at 1:00pm. Officials and fans will join them to see the long-running Northeast series take on the ¾-mile D-shaped speedway for the first time.

Location: Epping, NH

Track: ¼-mile semi-banked oval

Also Known As: All-Star Speedway

Opened:

# of ACT Races Held: 8

ACT Pro Stock Tour – 2

ACT Late Model Tour – 6

Most Wins:

ACT Pro Stock Tour – Dana Patten and Mike Weeden, 1

ACT Late Model Tour – Six drivers with 1 each

A Brief History of Star Speedway

Star Speedway – unofficially the home of Big Block Supermodifieds – owes its existence to the trio of Charlie Elliott, Ken Smith, and Russ Conway. Smith and Conway founded the New England Super-Modified Racing Association in 1965, and along with Elliott, they decided to build a new track in Southern New Hampshire – one that could both show off these high-powered cars in companion with the nearby Lee Raceway. It also aimed to continue the tradition of previous tracks in the area such as Dover’s Granite State Park and Maine’s Sanford Speedway. On June 26, 1965, they purchased Star Brick Yard in Epping, NH and set about transforming it into a race track.

The inaugural American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Commonwealth Classic 65 on Saturday, March 30 will be more than just ACT’s first visit to Virginia’s Richmond Raceway. It will also mark the return for one of the most accomplished ACT Late Model drivers of the past decade.

Three-time ACT Late Model Tour Champion Wayne Helliwell Jr. of Dover, NH was one of the first entries for the Commonwealth Classic. Helliwell and his Bruce Bernhardt-led team last competed with the series on August 6, 2016 at Maine’s Beech Ridge Motor Speedway. But in less than two weeks, he will be back behind the wheel in the division that has brought him some of his greatest success ­– and will do so at one of the biggest events in ACT history.

One of the biggest events in the history of American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Late Models just continues to get bigger. A total of 35 drivers have now officially filed their entries for the ACT Commonwealth Classic 65 at Virginia’s Richmond Raceway on Saturday, March 30. With nearly three weeks still left before the event, the potential is there for even more names to be added to the list by the time the haulers arrive in Virginia.

Location: Ste-Croix, QC

Track: 5/8-mile (1 km) oval (14-degree banking)

Also Known As: Circuit Ste-Croix, Circuit Québec-Ste-Croix, Riverside Speedway Ste-Croix

Opened: 1971

# of ACT Races Held: 34

ACT Pro Stock Tour – 4

ACT Late Model Tour – 13

Série ACT – 22 (includes 6 combo events with ACT U.S.)

Sunoco Regional Series – 1

Most Wins:

ACT Pro Stock Tour – Junior Hanley, 2

ACT Late Model Tour – Brian Hoar, 4

Série ACT – Alex Labbé, 4

Sunoco Regional Series – Derek Lynch, 1

A Brief History of Circuit Ste-Croix

Officially, Circuit Riverside Speedway Ste-Croix opened its doors in 1971 – but it took a long time for the track to make its mark on the Quebec racing community. In the late 1960s, Victoriaville businessman Jacques Bourassa enlisted the help of motorsports journalist Jacques Rainville and Quebec Dragway’s J.A. Drouin to lay out a 1-km (5/8-mi) oval, 2.6-km (1.625-mi) road course, and ¼-mile drag strip in Ste-Croix along the St. Lawrence River. Land clearing and construction for the new motorsports complex took place throughout 1969 and 1970. The group even raised the ground level by 12 feet to reduce the risk of flooding during high tides.

The inaugural American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Commonwealth Classic 65 at Virginia’s Richmond Raceway on Saturday, March 30 is shaping up to be an international showcase for ACT Late Model racing. Of the 32 drivers who have officially entered the $5,000-to-win event, eight of them hail from the Canadian province of Quebec. This means a quarter of the current field will travel as many as 14 hours each way and cross country borders to race at the historic track.

Location: Lee, NH

Track: 3/8-mile semi-banked asphalt oval

Opened: 1984

Preceded By: Lee Raceway, 1964-1979, 1/3-mile tri-oval (dirt and asphalt)

# of ACT Races Held: 28

ACT Pro Stock Tour – 12

ACT Late Model Tour – 16

Most Wins:

ACT Pro Stock Tour – Robbie Crouch, 3

ACT Late Model Tour – Brian Hoar & Scott Payea, 2

A Brief History of Lee USA

The history of racing at Lee USA Speedway is actually a history of two different tracks – three if you want to get creative. Lee Raceway first opened in 1964 as a 1/3-mile dirt tri-oval. The track, conceived by Bob Bonser, was notable for having not one but two elevation changes – one uphill and one downhill. However, Bonser paved the track the very next year in an effort to get the New England Super Modified Racing Association (NESMRA) to come to Lee. This effort paid off in spades, as the NESMRA not only came, but made Lee their home track. The following year, the inaugural NESMRA Super Classic was held. While this event would eventually follow the NESMRA to Star Speedway and become the Star Classic, Lee remains the “Home of the Supermodifieds” to this day.

One of the most accomplished Late Model and Super Late Model racers in North America will be coming to Barre’s Thunder Road Speedbowl this fall. Senoia, GA’s Andrew “Bubba” Pollard has announced plans to enter the 57th Vermont Milk Bowl presented by Northfield Savings Bank on Saturday and Sunday, September 28 and 29.

Location: St-Eustache, QC

Track: 4/10-mile semi-banked oval

Also Known As: Montreal International Speedway, Sportsman Speedway, Circuit Deux-Montagnes

Opened: 1964

# of ACT Races Held: 34

ACT Pro Stock Tour/NASCAR North – 4

Série ACT – 29

ACT Late Model Tour – 1 (Combo event with Série ACT)

ACT Sunoco Regional Series (Region 3) – 1

Most Wins:

ACT Pro Stock Tour/NASCAR North – Beaver Dragon, 3

Série ACT – Patrick Laperle, 11

ACT Late Model Tour – Patrick Laperle, 1

ACT Sunoco Regional Series (Region 3) – Derek Lynch, 1

A Brief History of Autodrome St-Eustache

For more than half a century, Autodrome St-Eustache has been a home for auto racing in greater Montreal. While many outlets list the first year of operation as 1965 or 1966, the facility actually opened its doors in June 19, 1964 with a drag racing event. Here’s what one of the advertisements looked like for the event, as found at http://www.stockcarquebec.com/pistes/steustachephotosjournaux.htm:

The entry list is continuing to grow for the inaugural American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Commonwealth Classic 65 at Virginia’s Richmond Raceway on Saturday, March 30 at 1:00pm. Four more entries have arrived in recent weeks, meaning 31 racers are now officially registered for the $5,000-to-win event.