The Community Bank N.A. 150 at Barre’s Thunder Road Speedbowl on Sunday, April 29 has gotten even bigger. With the NH Governor’s Cup at Lee USA Speedway recently postponed for a second time, the track’s 59th season opener will now also serve as the opening event for the American-Canadian Tour (ACT), adding further fanfare to the occasion.

The cars and stars of the ACT Late Model Tour will take on many of the weekly racers from the Maplewood/Irving Late Model division at the “Nation’s Site of Excitement” for nearly $30,000 in posted awards. Thunder Road has long been the “home track” for ACT and is sure to kick off the sanctioning body’s 33rd year of competition in style. And with every driver looking to start 2018 on a high note, a little extra intensity will surely be in the air.

The beginning of the 59th season of racing at Barre’s Thunder Road will also mark the return of a kid favorite: the Race to Read program. Now entering its ninth year, the nonprofit educational program uses race cars and drivers to encourage children to read. With thousands of books read during that time, it has become a centerpiece for both the track and the region.

Thunder Road is less than two weeks away from the Community Bank N.A. 150 on Sunday, April 29. As part of an action-packed card currently scheduled, the Allen Lumber Street Stocks will be one of the divisions kicking off their 2018 season. The popular 4-cylinder division has been a mainstay at the speedway since 1993, but will see many new faces this coming season when they tackle the high banks.

A combination of rookie drivers and competitors returning from a high banks hiatus are in line to join the Street Stocks in their 26th season. They will replace the fleet of racers who have moved up to either the Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers or Maplewood/Irving Late Models, assuring the division will continue to provide the thrills fans expect.

Thunder Road officials announced today that multiple new event sponsors have signed on for the 2018 season. Some have current previous ties to the speedway while others will be joining the Thunder Road family for the first time.

The biggest change is the addition of Bolduc Metal Recycling as the title sponsor of the annual Enduro 200 scheduled for Sunday, August 5. Bolduc has signed a multi-year deal to replace M&M Beverage, who had been the underwriter for the event since its inception in 1986. The company will also sponsor the 50-lap Street Stock Special held on that date.

The Community Bank N.A. 150 on Sunday, April 29 at 1:00pm will kick off the 59th season of racing at Barre’s Thunder Road. While the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Late Models headline the card, the track’s famed Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers are certain to shine as well. One of the largest Opening Day fields in years is anticipated for Thunder Road’s longest-running racing class.