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Barre, VT — The State of Maine is looking to regain the upper hand once again in the fight for the American-Canadian Tour championship. Following the Northeast Racing Expo in Augusta, it was announced Monday that the combined efforts of longtime ACT campaigner Rowland Robinson, Jr. and 2021 ACT Tour Champion Ben Rowe will be behind the wheel of the Rowland Robinson, Sr.-owned Ford Mustang for the 2024 season.
Maine has been a member of the American-Canadian Tour slate since 1980 when founders Tom Curley and Ken Squier first brought the Tour to Oxford Plains Speedway during the days of the fabled Oxford Open Series. In the decades since, Mainers Dick McCabe, Mike Rowe and Ben Rowe have been the lone champions for the iconic international tour to call Vacationland home.
In 2024, Turner’s Ben Rowe is again looking to tackle the ACT championship, but not in the same way he claimed his 2021 title. Alongside Steuben’s Rowland Robinson Jr., the Maine-based duo will share the ride owned by Rowland Robinson, Sr. in pursuit of the owner’s championship and the $10,000 prize that goes with it at the end of 13 events spread across New England and Quebec, Canada.
“Ben and I have been talking for awhile,” said Jr., “It started after he wanted to buy the car and run a few races but we got together and figured we could share the ride for a full season run. It’s Dad’s (Robinson Sr.) car and Ben’s crew chief (Tyson Jordan) turning the wrenches, it’ll be fun.”
“Running the ACT car in 2021 was some of the most fun I’ve had racing in a long time,” said 2021 ACT champion Rowe. “I’ve definitely got the Northeast Classic at Loudon and the Milton CAT 250 at White Mountain circled on my calendar, other than that JR and I will decide who does what from there.”
Along with Rowe and Robinson, Quebec’s Alexendre ‘Fireball’ Tardif visited the ACT booth at the Augusta Show, also officially signing on for his return to full-time competition in the United States this year. ACT officials were also glad to visit with supporters from New England Racing Fuels and AR Bodies while fellow touring drivers Gabe Brown, Richie Murray, Derek Gluchacki, Connor McDougal, Reilly Lanphear and D.J. Shaw stopped by to visit the booth.
2023 American-Canadian Tour Champion DJ Shaw earned the Premier Touring Series Driver of the Year at the Northeast Motorsports Expo from show promoter Steve Perry while White Mountain Motorsports Park Flying Tiger champion Brandon Gray earned the New Hampshire Weekly Support Division Driver of the Year award.
For more information about the American-Canadian Tour, contact the ACT offices at (802) 244-6963, media@acttour.com, or visit www.acttour.com. You can also get updates on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @ACTTour.
