Over the next two weeks, the American-Canadian Tour is shining a light on the contingency sponsors that help make each season possible. You’ve probably seen the small decals of these companies covering the fenders, nose, and doors of ACT Late Models at each event. But who are they, and what have they put on the line for ACT competitors? Read on to find in part 1 of our 2-part series. (Note: contingencies are listed in alphabetical order.)

Allstar Performance

Allstar Performance is entering its 10th year supporting ACT. Each year, they make a contribution to the ACT Late Model Tour point fund. A total of six $50 product certificates are also awarded at season’s end — one each to champions of the following divisions:

·         ACT Late Model Tour

·         Thunder Road Late Models

·         Thunder Road Flying Tigers

·         Thunder Road Street Stocks

·         White Mountain Late Models

·         White Mountain Street Stocks

When drivers want to go fast, they choose Allstar Performance. The Watervliet, MI–based company makes an assortment of specialty parts for the shop, trailer, and track at affordable prices. Allstar serves every class of four-wheeled motorsports, including circle track asphalt and dirt, road racing, drag racing, open-wheel racing, and even tractor pulls. You can find Allstar Performance online at www.allstarperformance.com.

ARBodies

ARBodies joined ACT and Thunder Road as a contingency sponsor in 2018. When White Mountain Motorsports Park became a part of the family the following year, ARBodies gladly came along for the ride. This nationally-known company posts several prime year-end packages for competitors at the weekly and touring series levels. At season’s end, the ACT Late Model Tour and both weekly Late Model classes raffle off a Late Model “A” Body package to one lucky competitor. The winner can also instead choose a $900 discount on an “M” body package. One Flying Tiger racer at Thunder Road will receive an ‘88 Monte Carlo Re-Skin Kit while a $500 product certificate will be raffled off among White Mountain Flying Tiger teams. To be eligible for these raffles, drivers must attempt to qualify for at least 75% of the point-counting events for their respective track or series.

In addition, ARBodies gives out product certificates at each of the ACT Tour point-counting events. The feature winner receives a $75 product certificate while the 10th-place finisher gets a $25 certificate. In 2021, the company has also posted a $500 merchandise certificate for the inaugural New England Late Model Challenge Cup. This will be raffled off among competitors who finish in the top-10 in Challenge Cup points and who run ARBodies products throughout the year. All told, ARBodies will award nearly $9,000 worth of packages for ACT-sanctioned events, tracks, and series.

The 2021 calendar year marks the 40th year of motorsports for ARBodies of Greenbrier, TN. Norm Desjardin’s company has manufactured race car bodies since 1982. Their line-up of asphalt and dirt bodies includes products for ABC Late Models, Late Model Stock, Muscle Cars, NGB, Sportsman, and Truck series. ARBodies is known for custom-made race winning bodies that come in many different packages to suit a team’s needs and budget. Visit www.arbodies.com to learn more.

Bassett Racing Wheels

For more than 20 years, Bassett Racing Wheels has been a proud partner of ACT and its sanctioned tracks. The company began its support in 1999 and now enters its 23rd year of association with an extensive set of awards. Throughout the season, Bassett awards $30 off the purchase of two wheels to the 2nd-place finisher in each ACT Late Model Tour event. Meanwhile, the 2nd-place finisher in both the Late Model and Flying Tiger features at Thunder Road and White Mountain will get $15 off the purchase of one wheel.

At season’s end, the ACT champion receives a certificate for $100 off the purchase of four Bassett wheels. The ACT runner-up gets $60 off the purchase of four wheels while third place enjoys $30 off the purchase of two wheels. A set of four powder-coated wheels is also raffled off among competitors who attend 100% of the point-counting ACT Tour events. At Thunder Road and White Mountain, the runners-up in both the Late Model and Flying Tiger point standings are awarded $30 off the purchase of two wheels. The total certificate awards come to well over $2,000.

Bassett Racing Wheels has been crafted the world’s finest steel racing wheels since 1965. They’re based in Burlington, WI where they build wheels for NASCAR touring series, tour-type Modifieds, pavement Late Models, dirt Modfieds, Mini Stocks, and other classes. In addition to ACT, Bassett is also the official racing wheel of IMCA, the Amsoil Wissota Dirt Track Series, the DIRTcar Modified Nationals, and the ARCA Midwest Tour among others. Learn more at www.bassettwheel.com.

Driven Racing Oil

In 2021, Driven Racing Oil celebrates their 10th year with ACT — and they’re doing so by stepping up their involvement. In past years, Driven has made a contribution to the point fund along with providing their oil, Race Wax, and Speed Clean products for the top-10 ACT points finishers. This year, they will also award a $50 merchandise certificate to the 7th-place finisher at each ACT point-counting event. This gives even more drivers a race to try their high-performance oils, lubricants, additives, and cleaning products.

Driven Racing Oils has had a top pedigree since day one. The brand was born from Joe Gibbs Racing, filling a need for high-performance oils in high-performance engines. By emphasizing on a real-world understanding of how its oils are used and “Putting the Motor Ahead of the Molecule”, Driven has become a leader in its field. The Driven oils found in ACT Late Models are based on the same proven formula used at the top levels of NASCAR, sports car racing, and off-road racing. Learn more at www.drivenracingoil.com.

DRP Performance Products

Another company celebrating 10 years of ACT support is DRP Performance Products. At each ACT point-counting event and the non-point Vermont Milk Bowl, a $75 DRP product certificate will go the 5th-place feature finisher. The 5th-place driver in final points also receives a $100 product certificate. This totals more than $1,000 in potential free product to drivers for running their decals throughout the year.

DRP has a simple purpose: make race cars faster. Their large assortment of products includes hub tools, pull-down systems, alignment systems, set-up tools, suspension components, and data acquisition devices through both the DRP Performance and Real Square brands. All products are designed, developed, and manufactured in the USA with a 100% satisfaction guarantee to give you “The Competitive Edge”. Official DRP dealers in the Northeast include FastOne Motorsports and RPM Racing Engines in Vermont, Crazy Horse Racing and RB Performance in Maine, Bernhardt Automotive of New Hampshire, and SSR Suspension Development in Connecticut. See full inventory of DRP products at www.drpperformance.net.

Edelbrock Corporation

Edelbrock completes a quartet of companies that joined ACT in 2012 and now enter year #10 of their partnership. In that times, Edelbrock has given ACT drivers thousands of dollars in product discounts through their contingency program. This year, the 3rd-place finisher in each point-counting event receives a $25 merchandise certificate. A $200 certificate goes to the 3rd-place driver in the final point standings.

Since 1938, Edelbrock has been a leader in aftermarket performance products. Founded by Vic Edelbrock and based in California, the company has Automotive, Motorcycle, and Russell Performance divisions to serve its customers. Edelbrock became the first engine tuner to achieve one horsepower per cubic inch in 1958 and has won numerous “Manufacturer of the Year” awards. Their core products are made in the USA at company-owned foundries to ensure the highest quality. Learn more about Edelbrock at www.edelbrock.com.

Five Star Race Car Bodies

Five Star Race Car Bodies is one of the longest-running supporters of ACT and its sanctioned tracks. The partnership began way back in 1991 with the former ACT Pro Stock Tour and continued non-stop through 2017. After a two-year hiatus, Five Star returned in 2020, making this coming season the 29th year they have been associated with the sanctioning body.

This year, Five Star is posting a variety of awards for competitors throughout New England. Three complete ABC NextGen Body packages (minus windows and spoiler) will be raffled off — one each to Late Model racers with the ACT Tour, Thunder Road, and White Mountain who compete in at least 75% of the point-counting events. A $500 product certificate has also been posted for the New England Challenge Cup. This will go to a driver who finishes in the top-10 in points and uses a Five Star body. During the ACT Tour season, the winner of each point-counting event will receive a $75 product certificate. On the Flying Tiger side, one lucky Tiger driver at both Thunder Road and White Mountain will receive a $500 product certificate (must attend at least 75% of point-counting events to be eligible). This comes to nearly $8,000 in products and merchandise certificates.

Five Star is one of the pioneers of modern aftermarket race car bodies. They were founded in 1978 in Twin Lakes, WI as a division of Five Star Fabricating, Inc. Five Star began supplying body panels to the NASCAR Cup Series in 1992 and are an official supplier for many other series. Among other firsts, they created the ABC Body program in 2003 to design affordable body panels for short track racing. The company also developed the first all-composite body for stock car racing, which debuted in 2014 with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series. Find out more about their products at www.fivestarbodies.com.

Ford Performance

After a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ford Performance returns as an ACT contingency partner in 2021. This will mark the 11th year where drivers who run Fords can be rewarded for doing so. Any driver running a Ford spec engine and body, along with the required decals, receives bonus cash for finishing in the top-3 at an ACT point-counting event — $200 for first, $100 for second, and $50 for third. Furthermore, the winner of the non-point Vermont Milk Bowl at Thunder Road earns and extra $500 if they’re driving an approved Ford. Drivers such as Wayne Helliwell Jr., Joey Polewarcyk Jr., and Jason Corliss have taken home a pretty penny over the years for choosing Fords in ACT competition.

Ford Performance (formerly Ford Racing) is the high-performance division of the Ford Motor Company, producing both purpose-built race cars and street-legal cars. Ford teams have been winning races and championships since 1901. Jim Roper won the first NASCAR Cup Series race (then the Strictly Stock series) in a Lincoln in 1949. The Ford GT40, which was co-developed by legendary designer Carroll Shelby, won four straight 24 Hours of Le Mans from 1966-1969. To this day, the GT40 is the only car designed and built entirely in the U.S. to win the overall title at Le Mans. Ford also has drag racing, rally, off-road racing, and drifting teams. Visit www.performance.ford.com to learn all about their heritage of excellence.

Hoosier Racing Tire (NEW!)

ACT and its sanctioned tracks are proud to welcome Hoosier Racing Tire and Hoosier Tire East in 2021. Hoosier has been a respected name among short track racers for decades and now will grace the wheels of our race cars that use a track tire. The ACT Late Model Tour and weekly Late Models are running an 8-inch tire that was specifically developed in partnership with Rob Summers of Hoosier Tire East. The tire will go into use beginning at the Thunder Road Community Bank N.A. 150  on Sunday, May 2. The Flying Tigers at both track will run the Hoosier 790 7-inch partially treaded tire. The Thunder Road Street Stocks will use a 7x14 Hoosier tire with a 790 compound while the WMMP Dwarf Cars are switching to an 8-inch Hoosier tire with a 700 compound.

Hoosier Racing Tire was founded by Bob Newton in 1957. Over the years, they have designed and provided tires for numerous series, from regional Late Models to the NASCAR Cup Series. Hoosier tires can be found in stock car racing, dirt track racing, rally racing, drag racing, and many other disciplines. They are headquartered in Lakeville, IN and were purchased by Continental Tire in 2016.  Visit www.hoosiertireeast.com to learn more.

Hoosier Tire East was formed in 1982 by the late Bob Summers following a 26-year stint with the Firestone Tire Company. His son Rob now runs HTE and has also been a tour-type Modified competitor for more than 20 years. From its home base in Manchester, CT, Hoosier Tire East distribute tires to a variety of tracks and touring series throughout the Northeastern United States. Learn all about HTE at www.hoosiertireeast.com.

Kirkey Racing Fabrication

Kirkey Racing is back for another year supporting the ACT Late Model racers of the Northeast. The company was originally a partner of the former ACT Pro Stock Tour from 1991-1995; they returned to the ACT fold in 2010 and have been a loyal contingency ever since. Kirkey awards a $125 product certificate to the ACT points champion, $75 to the runner-up, and $50 to the third-place finisher. They also make a contribution to the season-ending point fund.

Kirkey Racing Fabrication was founded more than 40 years ago as a general speed and fabrication shop. Since the early 1990s, they have been a worldwide leader in custom aluminum racing seats and covers. Kirkey produces more than 15,000 seats annually that are built entirely in-house at a 17,500-square-foot modern manufacturing facility. They have a well-earned reputation for making seats that are strong, lightweight, and comfortable — and most important, are the safest seats possible for motorsports use. Learn more about Kirkey Racing at www.kirkeyracing.com.