This weekend, racing fans in Vermont can get an early start on the 2020 season. Race cars from Barre, VT’s Thunder Road and N. Woodstock, NH’s White Mountain Motorsports Park (WMMP) will be on display at the Berlin Mall Car Show in central Vermont this Friday, February 28 through Sunday, March 1.

Two important registration dates for American-Canadian Tour (ACT) competitors are fast approaching. The first two days of March are also the initial deadlines to reserve garage space at the Northeast Classic and enter the New England Late Model Challenge Cup (NELMCC) presented by American Racer.

Barre, VT – For the fourth time in the past 30 years, a member of the Pelkey family has been saluted for the progress they’ve made behind the wheel of a race car. Barre’s Jason Pelkey received the unexpected honor at the 2019 Thunder Road Banquet of Champions when he was presented with the track’s annual Most Improved Driver Award.

Barre, VT – Pittsfield’s Juan “Paco” Marshall has made big strides in his first two seasons behind the wheel of an Allen Lumber Street Stock at Thunder Road. However, it’s off the track where he has truly shined. Marshall’s all-around great attitude and joy for auto racing made him the winner of the 2019 Ed Carroll Memorial Sportsmanship Award.

Barre, VT – For much of the year, no one in the stands could have predicted who the top Street Stock rookie was going to be. The favorite seemed to change on a weekly basis as young drivers gained experience on the high banks. But down the stretch, it was Berlin’s Keegan Lamson who established himself as the racer to beat and who stood atop the heap as the Allen Lumber Street Stock Rookie of the Year.

Barre, VT – For decades, Thunder Road co-founder Ken Squier has talked about how the track makes heroes out of ordinary people – “common men doing uncommon deeds.” This past November, one of those heroes was recognized at the annual Banquet of Champions, as Swanton’s Amanda Conger was presented with the inaugural CVTsport.net Thunder Road Hero of the Year Award.

Barre, VT – Usually, when a driver moves up a division, there’s at least a short learning curve. They’re adjusting to cars that are faster, bigger and handle differently than their previous car, and are going up against different competition, too.

For Craftsbury’s Stephen Martin, however, there was no such learning curve in 2019. The 2018 Allen Lumber Street Stock Champion burst onto the Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tiger scene in a big way. At season’s end, he was the 2019 Flying Tiger Rookie of the Year and served notice he will be one to watch for years to come.