Sweet Racing 88 - Thunder Road Late Model
Home
Nicholas Sweet
Press Releases
Schedule&
Results Pit Crew Photos Sponsors Fan Club Contact Us
Past Season News
2012 Thunder Road2011 Thunder Road
2010 Thunder Road
2009 Thunder Road
2008 ACT Tour
Sweet Sponsors
Sweet wins awards
Posted By Anthony Sweet On January 14, 2009
The 2008 Banquet of Champions was held on January 10, 2009 at the Sheraton Hotel & Conference Center in South Burlington, Vermont. This event was held for all teams that participated on the American Canadian Tour, or at Thunder Road Speedbowl in the 2008 racing season. The master of ceremonies duties were performed by Troy Germain.
During the evening, Nick was presented with the 2008 ACT Late Model Rookie of the Year award, and the prestigious Gordon R. Nielsen Rookie Achievement award. This was the second time that Nick has been presented this award, as he was presented this award in 2003 as a Street Stock driver. Nick was also presented a plaque for his 9th place overall finish on the ACT Late model Tour.
At the presentation of awards, Nick expressed his appreciation to his crew members and their spouses, for their commitment during the 2008 season, as he stated that the time that they are working on race car, attending the races, and traveling to and from events is no small task. He also expessed his appreciation to John and Mike Loschiavo of the Saint J Auto Group, and Larry and Marie Fortier of Fortiers Community Care Home for their support during the 2008 season. His statement was 'without my sponsors and crew support, I would never be able to achieve my dream'.
Other notable award winners were:
ACT Late Model Tour Champion - Patrick Laperle
Thunder Road Speedbowl, 'King of the Road' - Eric Williams
Ken Squire Award - John Walker
MacTavish Award - Brent Dragon
ACT Crew Chief of the Year - Pete Knights
ACT Late Model Tour Sportsmanship - Eric Chase
ACT Late Model Tour Most Improved - Pete Potvin III
Thunder Road Sportsmanship - Mike 'Beetle' Bailey
Thunder Road Most Improved - Brooks Clark
Thunder Road Late Model Rookie of the Year - Matt White
The Saint J Auto Group offers new GMC-Pontiac-Buck and Subaru cars, trucks and SUV’s, as well as over 150 pre-owned vehicles throughout its three locations in Vermont and New Hampshire, with a fourth being constructed in Littleton, NH. Their entire inventory can be found at www.stjauto.com.
SWEET TAKES 9TH IN MILKBOWL, Crowned Rookie Champion!
Posted By Anthony Sweet On September 29, 2008
Barre, VT - Saint J Auto Group driver Nick Sweet captured the American-Canadian Tour Rookie of the Year Championship yesterday, after a strong 9th place finish in the 45th Annual Chittenden Milk Bowl at Thunder Road International Speedbowl on Sunday, the final race of the 2008 racing season.
It was a challenging weekend for the rookie team, headed by Nick’s father, Shayne Sweet, as the team struggled to qualify on Saturday, forcing them to run the last-chance B-Feature on Sunday. Thirty cars started the 30-lap ‘B’ feature, with only 4 positions available to transfer to the Milk Bowl. Sweet raced from his seventeenth starting position to the top 10 to earn the final provisional starting birth, and a 28th starting position in the 28-car field for the main event.
“We really struggled with our tires on Saturday, we just could not get a handle on the race car,” stated Shayne Sweet. “On Sunday however the car was completely different and we just kept our heads up and focused on getting qualified through the ‘B’.” That determination paid off, as Nick Sweet raced the wheels off his STJAUTO.com Pontiac in that first of three 50-lap segments that make up the “Toughest Short-track Race in America.”
Sweet raced from 28th to 19th in Segment One, and with the inverted start of Segment two, raced up to 4th. In segment 3, he raced from the back of the pack again, up to 11th, to earn a cumulative score of 34, beating out 2-time Milk Bowl Champion, and 5-time ACT Champion Brian Hoar in a segment-3 tie breaker for 9th overall.
“We are thrilled with the turnout of today,” states Nick Sweet. “We had a tough battle all weekend, and to come home 9th is definitely like a win for us. To top it off, we got the Rookie Championship too, so all in all it was a great weekend!”
Patrick Laperle of St. Denis, QC, was the overall winner of the Milk Bowl, his second straight, and 3rd carerr Milk Bowl Champsionship. Laperle also edged out ACT young-gun Scott Payea in an upset for the overall ACT Champsionship title, by one point.
John Loschiavo, principle owner of the Saint J Auto Group was ecstatic about Nick’s performance this season, and his determination this weekend. “We saw that determination and dedication in Nick when we agreed to offer our support last winter, and he didn’t let us down. We are very pleased with Nick’s season, and congratulate him and his entire team on the Rookie of the Year Championship.”
The Saint J Auto Group offers new GMC-Pontiac-Buck and Subaru cars, trucks and SUV’s, as well as over 150 pre-owned vehicles throughout its three locations in Vermont and New Hampshire, with a fourth being constructed in Littleton, NH. Their entire inventory can be found at www.stjauto.com.
SWEET LOOKING TO END ROOKIE SEASON WITH TOP FINISH
Posted By Anthony Sweet On September 23, 2008
Barre, VT - American Canadian Tour Top Rookie, and STJAUTO.COM driver Nick Sweet is ready for the challenge of the 45th Chittenden Milk Bowl at Thunder Road this weekend, the final race on the 2008 ACT Late Model Tour. Sweet has all but clinched the 2008 Rookie of the Year Championship, with several top 10’s, and his most recent second place effort at Oxford Plains Speedway in Maine earlier this month.
“This is a race I’ve been waiting 10 years to compete in,” states the 23 year old Barre, VT native. “I’m really proud of my team this year, that we’ve been able to finish the season as a top ten point contender, and to be leading the rookie points coming into the Milk Bowl.” The ACT Late Model Tour had a 12-race season, but points were only counted for each driver’s best -10 finishes of the year. Sweet did struggle in some events throughout the season, but the ‘Pick-10’ system surely benefitted the team. Sweet sits 9th in points, 15 markers behind 8th place Glen Luce, of Maine and 77 ahead of fellow Vermont driver Pete Potvin. In the rookie standings, the STJAUTO.COM team sits a solid 31 points ahead of St. Johnsbury driver Tyler Cahoon.
This weekend’s event at Thunder Road is unique to the ACT Late Model Tour drivers, as it is a two-day affair. Multiple qualifying events take place on Saturday with pole position time-trial qualifying first, which locks in the top 3 starting positions for Sunday’s Milk Bowl segment 1. Triple 50-lap qualifying races, and a last chance b-feature, will determine the majority of the starting field. Those with the fastest time, who had yet to qualify, will be given starting positions to fill the 30-car field.
On Sunday, the Milk Bowl will consist of 3-50 lap segments, with the winner of each segment scoring 1 point, 2nd place earns 2 points, down to 30 points for the 30th finisher. After the 3 segments, the driver with the lowest combined score, is crowned the winner, and has the honor of kissing a Champion Vermont Dairy Cow.
Mike Loschiavo, co-owner of the Saint J Auto Group is excited about Nick’s rookie accolades that will be secured this weekend. “Nick and his crew have shown such diligence and determination this year, he has definitely earned the Rookie of the Year honors.” “ Everyone here at Saint J Auto and Saint J Subaru are very proud to have him represent us this season, and we wish him the best of luck at the Milk Bowl!”
Saint J Auto Group is one of Vermonts fastest growing dealerships, selling new Subaru, Pontiac, Buick and GMC Cars, trucks and SUV’s, as well as having over 150 pre-owned vehicles available at all times. Their complete inventory can be found at www.stjauto.com.
Lee USA Speedway (4/20)
Posted By Anthony Sweet On August 7, 2008
That STJAUTO.COM race team had a VERY EXCITING and action-packed opening weekend at Lee USA Speedway. Nick Sweet and the team traveled down to the speedway by the NH Seacoast on Saturday to take in a full day of practice. Every time Nick took to the track, his comfort with his new ride increased, and his times got better and better. By the end of the day, he was going as fast as some of the top American-Canadian Tour Veterans!
All was looking good for a great day on Sunday!
Sunday morning came around, the weather was perfect, the pit area was full of 49 teams, all who will be attempting to qualify for a 30 car starting field for the NH Governer’s Cup 100.
In round 1 qualifying Nick wheeled his STJAUTO.COM Pontiac from 9th position up to 5th position before the ½ way mark in the race. He was set to move on the outside to make a pass for 4th (the final qualifying position) when the third place driver, #55 Brad Leighton started to overheat, causing his car to spray water onto the racetrack. That mechanical failure caused Leighton’s car to be disqualified, which moved Nick up into that 4th and final qualified spot! That move from 9th to 4th earned Nick a +5 in the ACT handicapping system, which placed him 2nd in the starting lineup for the main event, the NH Governor’s Cup 100.
“The car was fast, and handled perfectly!” Sweet said of his ride through the qualifier. “I can’t believe that I was able to qualify in round one qualifying! This car was so fast!”
It appears as though all of Nick’s luck was used up in qualifying however. Soon after the green flag dropped on the 100 lap event, Nick and eventual race winner Joey Pole made contact in turn 4, causing Nick to lose control and spin out.
Nick did a great job keeping the car from spinning into the wall. He was able to regain control of the car, and fall back in line just outside of the top 20 positions on the track. “After I spun, I figured I would just settle in towards the back of the pack, and get some valuable seat time, and slowly work my way back up through the field.”
Nick’s plans and his race-day came to an end shortly after that spin. In turn 2, Jean-Paul Cyr spun out, and when Nick tried to slow down to avoid the spinning car, he was hit from behind, spinning him into the turn 2 wall.
“It was a disappointing day,” added Sweet, “but we will get the car fixed and be ready to try again in Oxford, ME this Saturday.”
The STJAUTO.COM Team heads to Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, Maine this Saturday afternoon, for a 100 lap event, race #2 on the ACT Late Model Tour.
HOME SWEET HOME FOR SAINT J AUTO RACE TEAM
Posted By Anthony Sweet On August 7, 2008
Barre, VT - American-Canadian Tour rookie Nick Sweet is looking forward to the next 3 events on the tour, all at track’s that he has called home during his racing career. When the Saint J Auto Pontiac rolls into Thunder Road International Speedbowl in Barre, VT this coming Sunday, the 23 year old Barre native will be taking laps at the track he was crowned “Champion” last fall. Sweet earned the track title in the competitive Tiger Sportsman division in 2007, prompting his move up to the ACT Late Model Tour this season.
“I’m really looking forward to coming back to Thunder Road” states Sweet, “So far we’ve been to tracks on the tour that I’ve never raced on, I grew up on the high banks of Thunder Road.” The high-banked quarter mile track is hosting the 10th annual Merchants Bank 150, the season opener at the Barre Speedplant. “We have had a lot of success at Thunder Road in the Tiger car, so I’m really looking forward to getting the Saint J Auto Pontiac on the race track and having a good day.”
Sweet stunned the crowd at the Tour’s first stop of the season, New Hampshire’s Lee USA Speedway by qualifying 2nd for the 100 lap main event. Sweet would not finish as well, getting caught up in an early race incident, sidelining the team for the day. This past weekend Sweet narrowly missed the starting field in Oxford, ME, another new track for the team. Although it was a set-back, the eager driver is looking to return. “I can’t wait to get back to Oxford, and I wish we were going back to Lee this year. After having been to each track once, I know we can do better when we go back.”
In two weeks, the team will travel on May 17th to Plattsburgh, NY’s Airborne Speedway, a flat ½ mile track that Sweet has plenty of time on. “We have run at Airborne many times on the Tiger Series, that is very fast exciting track we are looking to return to.” From there, the schedule brings the team back to Thunder Road, for the Mekkleson RV Memorial Day Classic on Sunday May 25th.
Sweet currently sits second in the ACT Late Model Tour Rookie Of The Year standings, 2 points behind Northwood, NH driver Ricky Wolf.
A WEEKEND OF UPS AND DOWNS FOR SAINT J AUTO RACE TEAM
Posted By Anthony Sweet On August 7, 2008
A rookie American-Canadian Tour Late Model stock car pit crew defeated the reigning ACT
championship team to win Saturday’s Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl Pit Stop Contest in downtown Barre City, VT, part of the 10th Annual Merchants Bank 150 and Car Show weekend. The STJAUTO.COM #88 team, led by Crew Chief Shayne Sweet, completed a two-tire change, washed the windshield, and simulated a fuel refill in 25.44 seconds to take the victory over the seven-time ACT Champion Ehler’s RV/RPM Racing Engines #32
team.
Pitting a race-ready Late Model show car owned by veteran Joey Laquerre, the seven-man “over the wall” crews were each tested by Mother Nature as a light mist fell during the competition. The winning crew members were jackman Brandon Surprenant, tire changers Craig Deyo and Keith Fortier, tire carriers Anthony Sweet and Nathan Sweet, gasman Normand Fortier, and windshield cleaner Aaron Holden.
Their driver, ACT rookie and 2007 Thunder Road NAPA Tiger Sportsman Champion Nick Sweet of Barre, was proud of his team. “I’ll take credit for that win,” he joked. “As many mistakes as I’ve made learning how to drive these cars this year, those guys have learned how to fix things in a hurry. They did a great job.”
The SJTAUTO.COM team was kept busy on Sunday, as Sweet qualified for his second career ACT Start, and his first at his home track. After starting 19th in the Merchants Bank 150, Sweet was involved an incident early in the race, causing the Saint J Auto Pontiac to slide through the wet infield grass. Once Sweet was able to rejoin the track, he had fallen a lap down to the field. “At that point I figured I would fall into line and ride and get some quality seat time.” That plan worked out well, as Sweet was able to keep up with the lead cars during much of the race. However a restart late in the race would bring more trouble.
“My spotter told me of two other drivers near me on the restart that were upset with each other,” explains Sweet. “He told me to be careful and to watch for trouble.” The moment the race resumed, those two drivers did have contact, which sent #97 Joey Pole into a spin, collecting Sweet, careening both into the front-stretch wall. “It is just so disappointing to come to our home track and have such bad luck.” Sweet and the team have the upcoming weekend off, and will be headed to Airborne Speedway in Plattsburgh, NY for the 34th annual Spring Green on Saturday May 15th. Sweet is again looking to return to a track the he did well at with his Tiger car. “I hope that our luck changes when we are at Airborne, that’s such a fun track to be at.”
SWEET SCORES TOP 10 FINISH ON ACT TOUR
Posted By Anthony Sweet On August 7, 2008
Plattsburgh, NY- STJAUTO.COM Driver Nick Sweet scored his first top 10 finish of his young rookie career on the ACT Late Model Tour Saturday Night in the 34th Annual Spring Green 100 at Airborne Speedway in Plattsburgh, NY. Sweet, from Barre, VT drove his Pontiac Grand Prix from the 16th starting position up to as far as fourth place by lap 75, before being shuffled back through the field during a number of late race restarts. Jean Paul Cyr from Milton won the event.
“It feels so good to have some good luck this year,” commented Sweet. “We didn’t have the best start to the season, but it’s good to have things start turning around for us.” Sweet qualified the STJAUTO.COM Pontiac by finishing second in his qualifying heat on the ½ mile flat asphalt track. During the 100 lap main event, Sweet used both the inside and outside lanes to advance position, and raced against many of his mentors in the sport, including Milton, VT’s Bobby Dragon, Montpelier, VT’s Phil Scott and many others. John Loschiavo, one of the owners of the Saint J Auto Group was thrilled to hear about Sweet’s run on Saturday. “I know that Nick and the team had a tough start to the season, I was thrilled to hear about their 10th place finish on Saturday.”
This week, the STJAUTO.COM team travels back to their home track, Barre, VT’s Thunder Road for the Memorial Day Classic, a 100 lap event on the high-banked quarter mile. “After this strong finish, we are definitely pumped to get back to Thunder Road and have a strong finish there” commented Sweet. Nick Sweet is the 2007 Thunder Road Tiger Sportsman Champion, and has numerous main event wins at his home track.
STJAUTO.COM TEAM RIDING MOMENTUM TO CONNECTICUT
Posted By Anthony Sweet On August 7, 2008
Barre, VT - Driver Nick Sweet and the Saint J Auto race team are poised and ready to return to Waterford, CT this weekend as the ACT Late Model Tour makes its first visit to the Waterford Speedbowl after a several year hiatus. Sweet, 23 from Barre and his team traveled down to the speedway for a pre-season test session earlier this year. “We did really well in our test session back in April,” stated Sweet. “I really liked how the car handled.”
The STJAUTO.COM team is riding a pretty big wave of momentum right now, after scoring 2 consecutive top-10 finishes on the Tour. “I feel that we have been able to gel really well as a team, and have gotten rid of the bad luck that plagued the start of our season,” Sweet explains. “Plus, I’m continuing to get quality seat time in the Late Model, I’m more and more comfortable every lap I race.”
Sweet sits on top of the Rookie of the Year point standings on the ACT Tour after 5 events of the 12-race schedule, and is 17th in overall points coming into the 100 lap event in Waterford. This is a remarkable turnaround for the team after finishing poorly in two of the first three events on the calendar, and failing to qualify for the third one. “If we can continue to score top 10 finishes, we can bring the SJTAUTO.COM Pontiac into the top 10 overall, which has been our goal from the beginning.”
Sweet began racing in his teens, and was the 2007 Thunder Road Tiger Sportsman Champion. This is his first year in competition on the ACT Late Model Tour.
SWEET SCORES TOP 5 FINISH IN CONNECTICUT RACE
Posted By Anthony Sweet On August 7, 2008
Waterford, CT - ACT Late Model Tour Rookie driver Nick Sweet drove his STJAUTO.COM Pontiac to his best career finish on Saturday night, racing from his 10th starting position up to 5th in the Nutmeg State 100 at the Waterford Speedbowl, in Waterford, CT.
This was Sweet’s 6th start of the season, and his third consecutive top 10 finish as he and the crew continue to ride a wave of momentum into the second ½ of the 12-race touring schedule. “I am so excited and happy with our performance tonight,” stated the 23 year old Barre, VT driver. “I really love this race track, and the car ran so well!” The event was won by 26-year Scott Payea of Milton, VT, the current point leader on the tour. Thirty-eight drivers attempted to qualify for the 30-car starting grid.
Sweet qualified in the first round of qualifying early in the day, enduring 95 degree temperatures at the southeast CT speedway. He started the main event in 10th position, and wasted no time in moving up through the top 10. Groton Connecticut’s Ron Yuhas, Jr, a regular competitor at Waterfrord finished ahead of Sweet in 4th. “I thought I could get around the 96 car (Yuhas), but we just didn’t have enough grip left in the closing laps, but 5th is great, we are very happy with our run tonight.”
Mike Loschiavo, co-owner of the Saint J Auto Group was delighted with Sweet’s performance this weekend. “It’s great to see that Nick is bettering himself with every race! He is definitely in his groove now.”
The ACT Late Model Tour will be in action again on Saturday night July 21st when they return to Oxford Plains Speeday in Maine, a track that Sweet feels owes him one. “I can’t wait to get back to Oxford, we came up short in qualifying yet we were very strong there. I just know that we will do well when we get back there.” This 150 lap even is the last time the ACT Cars will be at Oxford before the July 20th TD Banknorth Oxford 250, the richest short track race in New England. Sweet will be attempting to qualify for that event as well.