BARRE, VT - Thunder Road's NAPA Sportsmen, Allen Lumber Street Stocks and Powershift Warriors had their season opening events in conjunction with the ACT Late Model Tour's Merchants Bank 150 on Sunday, May 15. Like the traveling teams, the locals were thankful to track management for waiting out the persistent rain. And for three drivers, the patience especially paid off.

Stowe, VT – Power Shift Online Services has agreed to serve as entitlement sponsor for the Power Shift Junkyard Warrior division at Barre’s Thunder Road in 2005. The popular low-cost entry-level division will enter its third season of competition in 2005.

“We are very excited to be a part of Thunder Road and the Power Shift Junkyard Warrior division again,” said Power Shift Marketing Director Mark Poduje. “The drivers are a lot of fun to watch and be a part of, and we’re proud to be associated with them.”

Barre, VT – Barre’s Thunder Road will initiate the use of alternative energy in the 2005 racing season, introducing an optional agricultural grain-alcohol Ethanol and gasoline fuel mix to power race cars in one of its successful stock car divisions, populated by more than 40 race teams. The effort to utilize an environmentally-friendly fuel is believed to be one of the first by a stock car organization in the United States.

“At first, our Allen Lumber Street Stock Research & Development car will be powered by a 9-to-1 gasoline-to-Ethanol mix,” said Thunder Road Promoter Tom Curley, “but we hope to convert the entire division by the end of the season.” That Ethanol requires no changes to conventional gasoline-powered engines for use appeals to Curley. “We want to make a statement that a cleaner burning corn-based fuel will not only help the environment, it will provide the same exciting level of competition to our fans, and at no extra cost to our competitors,” he said.