Cyr Wins ACT Opener at T-Road           

 BARRE, VT – Sunday, at Barre, Vermont’s Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl, Milton, Vermont’s Jean-Paul Cyr made it an every other year habit of winning the American-Canadian Tour’s (ACT) season-opening Merchants Bank 150.  Cyr had previous carried the checkers in the event in 2002 and 2004 and is the lone driver in the event’s eight year history to repeat a win.  Scott Payea, the 2005 ACT Rookie of the Year, served notice he was not going to be the victim of the sophomore jinx by finishing second.  Pete Fecteau, the 2001 ACT Tour Champion from Morrisville, VT was third.  Completing the top five were Dave Whitcomb from Essex Jct, VT and Shelburne, VT’s Dennis Demers.
            Cyr started on the outside of the front row along side long-time racing nemesis and childhood friend Brent Dragon in Thunder Road’s 47th season opener.  The veteran racers swapped the lead back and forth nine times in the first 62 circuits around the high banked, quarter-mile oval which kept the packed house on their feet.   Cyr was able to pull ahead for good when the left rear tire on Dragon’s Dodge Charger lost air pressure which affected the handling of his car.  Young Payea took advantage of Dragon’s misfortune and was able to pass him a few laps later.  The 24 year-old racer set off in search of leader Cyr.
            Several cautions, all for minor incidents kept the field close but Payea wasn’t able to seriously challenge Cyr.  Then fact that Cyr was at and had qualified for the Merchants Bank 150 was a testament to his multi-time Championship winning team.  During Saturday’s first ACT Late Model practice session Cyr was involved in an on-track incident which caused significant damage to his Chevrolet Monte Carlo.  The crew packed up the pieces and returned to their Milton shop for repairs.             Ironically, runner-up Payea was involved in the same practice crash.  Unfortunately for the sophomore competitor and team, they were forced to burn the midnight oil to affect repairs. 
            “Today’s race was a lot of fun,” remarked Cyr in Victory Lane.  The 40 year-old winner was complimentary of the youngster who chased him over the half of the race, “Scott (Payea) for a sophomore proved today that he is the real thing – he really made me work for my victory.”
            Cyr’s win gives him a jump-start in his quest for Robbie Crouch’s record of six ACT Championships.  Cyr, winner of the past three consecutive ACT Tour titles (as well