Defending American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Champion Scott Payea put himself in the early catbird's seat for the 2018 crown by taking the win in the New Hampshire Governor's Cup at Lee USA Speedway on Saturday, May 12. Colchester, VT’s Payea grabbed the lead from polesitter Eddie MacDonald of Rowley, MA on lap 108 for the 150-lap event. He then held off a final charge for this first win of the season and 14th of his ACT Late Model Tour career.

MacDonald started on the pole and looked to be in control for the first two-thirds of the event, which was run nearly a month after its originally scheduled date due to weather-related delays. After fending off outside polesitter Corey Mason in the early going, he spent most of the race’s middle stages at the head of a 4-car battle that included Payea plus New Hampshire racers Miles Chipman and Rich Dubeau. Despite a series of cautions, which included a 4-car pileup against the turn-3 wall on lap 70, he was able to keep the field at bay.

But the seventh and final caution for Mike Ziter’s spin on lap 106 was the break Payea needed. The veteran put the nose up front for the first time a lap following the restart and cleared MacDonald a few laps later. Payea was able to pull away some on the final green-flag run before heavy lapped traffic in the closing circuits allowed MacDonald, Chipman, and Dubeau to make a final push. The challenge came up short though as Payea led them all to the checkered flag for his second New Hampshire Governor’s Cup win in the last three seasons.

MacDonald finished second to keep pace with Payea in the early standings. Chipman took third for his first ACT podium finish in nearly a decade while Dubeau was right on his tail in fourth. Williamstown, VT’s Jimmy Hebert charged back through the field to finish fifth after multiple mid-race pit stops for a sway bar problem. Pier-Luc Ouellette, Corey Mason, Matt White, Ray Parent, and Bryan Mason completed the top-10.

ACT will head to Maine's Oxford Plains Speedway next Sunday, May 20 at 2:00pm for the opener of the Summer Showdown Series. The 150-lap, $5,000-to-win event is part of a doubleheader with the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) Super Late Models. The PASS Modifieds will round out the card. Admission is $20 for adults, $10 for kids ages 6-12, and $45 for a family of four (2 adults, 2 kids).

NEW HAMPSHIRE GOVERNOR’S CUP

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS

Pos Start Pos Driver Car # Hometown Laps

1. ( 6 ) Scott Payea ( 37VT ) , Colchester, VT , 150 Laps

2. ( 1 ) Eddie MacDonald ( 17MA ) , Rowley, MA , 150 Laps

3. ( 9 ) Miles Chipman ( 0NH ) , Nottingham, NH , 150 Laps

4. ( 10 ) Rich Dubeau ( 30NH ) , Lebanon, NH , 150 Laps

5. ( 16 ) Jimmy Hebert ( 58VT ) , Williamstown, VT , 150 Laps

6. ( 3 ) Pier-Luc Ouellette ( 48QC ) , Terrebonne, QC , 150 Laps

7. ( 2 ) Corey Mason ( 1NH ) , Groveton, NH , 150 Laps

8. ( 7 ) Matt White ( 42VT ) , Northfield, VT , 150 Laps

9. ( 4 ) Ray Parent ( 98RI ) , Tiverton, RI , 150 Laps