Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl in Barre, VT held it’s annual car show on Main Street in Barre on Saturday, April 29th to kick off the opening weekend for the ¼ mile asphalt oval. The car show provided race fans young and old with something to smile about, with clowns making balloon animals, and mascots greeting drivers and fans on the street. Barre City police report that there were as many as 5,000 fans at the event, which stretched from the Lenny’s Outlet Store location to the corner of Depot Square.

Barre, VT – Thunder Road International Speedbowl, Barre, VT, and the Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company of Burlington, VT are pleased to announce today (April 26), a five-year partnership at the high banked, quarter-mile paved stock car racing oval. The track, which has provided motor racing thrills and entertainment to generation of Vermonters, opens for its 47th year on Sunday, April 30 with the eighth running of the Merchants Bank 150 for the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Late Models. The event is the first of 12 across the Northeast and Quebec for the traveling ACT series.

The Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company was founded in 1936 and to this day, remains a family owned Vermont business. President Skip Farrell is the second generation to sit at the helm of the firm. Like Thunder Road, Pepsi has offered generation of Vermonters soft drink refreshments with its wide variety of beverage choices.

Thunder Road hosts ACT Late Model Tour and Tiger Sportsman Series special events as well weekly competition in its 18-race schedule throughout the spring, summer and early fall. Weekly competition is provided by the Late Models, NAPA Tiger Sportsman, Allen Lumber Street Stocks and PowerShift Warrior divisions.

“On behalf of Thunder Road, I am pleased to welcome Skip Farrell and the Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company back to the “Nation’s Site of Excitement,” commented co-owner and 2004 Auto Racing Promoter of the Year, Tom Curley. “Pepsi was one of the first companies to come on board when Thunder Road began its rebuilding process back in the 1980s. While some things have certainly changed since then, in many ways, others have stayed the same – Thunder Road provides some of the best, affordable family entertainment in the region and Pepsi provides Vermont race fans cool pleasure!”

Sunday’s Merchants Bank 150 opener has a post time of 1:30 pm. Joining the ACT Tour will be weekly NAPA Tiger Sportsmen, Allen Lumber Street Stocks and PowerShift Warrior divisions. The annual “Class Day” celebration, including the “King of the Road” champion’s presentations starts at 1:00 pm. Spectator gates will open at 10:00 am.

BARRE, VT- Hey kids! Is your mother a race fan? Think she has what it takes to be an official at Barre, Vermont’s Thunder Road? Want to give her the `bestest’ Mother’s Day present ever? Then answer this question, “What two jobs at Thunder Road, do you think your mom would be great at, and why?” Ten lucky mothers will be selected from among the essays received and will become an honorary official at Thunder Road on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 14th, at the Casella Mother’s Day 100.

The honorary job positions available include flagger, pace car driver, race director, announcer, pit steward, tech official, scorer, media personnel, back gate official, and handicapper.

All entries should include the first and last name of the mother and a daytime phone number as well as the name and age of the child submitting the entry. Entries must be received at the Thunder Road office no later than Wednesday, May 10th. Track management will announce the names of the 10 lucky moms on Thursday, May 11th. The winning mothers will be treated to a prize package and the job experience of a lifetime.

Entries can be mailed to: P.O Box 296, Waterbury, VT 05676; faxed to: (802) 244-1616 or emailed to: tb@acttour.com. For more information on the Casella Waste Management Mothers Day Extravaganza call (802) 244-6963.