Thunder Road Sponsor Spotlights: Contingency Sponsors, Part 1

If you’ve been to a race at Thunder Road (or watched one via pay-per-view), then you’ve surely seen the small stickers that adorn a car’s fenders, nose, and doors. Nearly all of them are contingency sponsors that support the track and/or individual classes. But who are these companies, and what do they award competitors throughout the year? We take a look in the latest installment of our Sponsor Spotlight series. (Note: contingencies are listed in alphabetical order.)

ARBodies

Supporter of the ACT Late Model Tour, New England Late Model Challenge Cup, Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models, and Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers

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

Supporter of the ACT Late Model Tour, Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models, and Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers

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.

Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast

Supporter of Thunder Road and White Mountain Motorsports Park

For the eighth straight year, Coca-Cola will be the official soft drink of Thunder Road and White Mountain. Whenever someone visits the concession stands at either track, they can refresh themselves with a variety of products supplied by Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast (formerly the Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Northern New England). In addition to Coca-Cola and Diet Coke, you can also purchase Sprite, Barq’s Root Beer, Sunkist orange soda, and Dasani water. White Mountain also offers Minute Maid lemonade, Powerade, and Peace Tea. Both tracks made the switch to bottled beverages in recent years, reducing spillage and waste while ensuring fans get a full drink rather than a little soda poured over a cup of ice.

The Coca-Cola name has also been attached to multiple events over the years. From 2014 to 2019, Coca-Cola presented the annual Labor Day Classic at Thunder Road. They also sponsored the New Hampshire Governor’s Cup at White Mountain in 2019.

Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast (CCBN) began in 1977 as single bottling operation in Laconia, NH. They are now one of the largest bottlers of Coca-Cola products in the United States, distributing beverages throughout New England and Northern New York. They also own New England distribution rights for Dr. Pepper, Canada Dry, and Moxie. The company has two production facilities and two dozen sales centers that deliver thirst-quenching beverages to thousands of partners.

The Coca-Cola Company is one of the biggest and most recognized companies in the galaxy. Its original Coca-Cola Classic formula was introduced in 1886 as a temperance drink and headache remedy. It quickly gained popularity as a recreational beverage and has since become a global phenomenon. Today, Coca-Cola owns 5 of the top-10 soft drink brands in the world and also produce juices, teas, sports drinks, and many other beverages. Learn has the refresh the world and make a difference at www.coca-colacompany.com.

FastOne Motorsports

Supporter of the Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers

FastOne Motorsports of Montpelier, VT enters its 11th year of supporting Thunder Road racers through its contingency program. However, their involvement with racing goes far beyond a contingency program. Founder Pete Duto has been a championship-winning crew chief for decades and is was the 2001 winner the Don MacTavish Award, which is the highest honor one can receive from ACT. Hinesburg’s Bobby Therrien won the 2017 Thunder Road track championship in the FastOne Motorsports “house car” and finished second in 2020 points. For many years, the team has also fielded race cars for Vermont Governor Phil Scott. (The three-time Thunder Road champions sat out the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.)

The FastOne contingency program at Thunder Road is the only one exclusive to the Flying Tiger division. Throughout the 2021 season, the winner of each feature will receive a $30 merchandise certificate while the 10th-place finisher gets a $20 certificate.

They can use these certificates on anything at the massive FastOne Motorsports shop, including performance racing parts, chassis, and setup work. The shop is an official dealer of leading brands such as Sunoco, Port City Racecars, Five Star Race Car Bodies, Dale Shaw Race Cars, Lefthander Chassis, Longacre, and QuarterMaster. Many teams at Thunder Road already trust FastOne Motorsports as a local company that can get them what they need fast. Find out more about FastOne by visiting them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Fast-One-Motorsports-164379546939494 or calling 802-223-5888.

Five Star Race Car Bodies

Supporter of the ACT Late Model Tour, New England Late Model Challenge Cup, Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models, and Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers

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.

Hoosier Racing Tire/Hoosier Tire East (NEW!)

Supporter of the ACT Late Model Tour, Thunder Road Speedbowl, and White Mountain Motorsports Park

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.

KONI North America

Supporter of the ACT Late Model Tour, Thunder Road Speedbowl, and White Mountain Motorsports Park

Since 2004, KONI has been an approved shock absorber for ACT competition. In fact, nearly all of the current ACT Late Model shock rules were developed in partnership with ACT. As part of their agreement, KONI supplies three sets of 30 Series shocks (approx. value $660 per set). One set each is raffled off at the ACT, Thunder Road, and White Mountain banquets to drivers who competed in 100% of the point-counting events.

KONI is the world’s premier manufacturer of high-performance and adjustable shock absorbers. They’ve been in business for more than 150 years and started working with automobile damping systems in 1932. In addition to shocks for race cars and street cars, KONI also makes dampers for trucks, buses, RVs, railway vehicles, and defense applications. They developed the first adjustable shocks and electronic drag racing shocks. KONI North America is based in Hebron, KY. Learn more about them at www.koni-na.com.