6/12/2014
Ray Parent
Climbing the Ladder
Round four of the American Canadian Tour headed to the Northern New Hampshire oval of Riverside Speedway as Ray Parent looked to continue his consistency after winning his first series race back in May. The Riverside 150 was completed in a blazing fast 36-minutes, earning the 17RI pilot a top-10 finish.
Parent started 10th for the 150-lap main event and spent majority of the race battling lap traffic among the top-10 cars. In a caution free race saving your car till the end was the name of the game. Parent simple ran out laps for a bid on a top-5 finish.
“I think I just waited too long”, he stated. “We had a decent car, much better than we've had before… But with no cautions I just conserved too long. Everyone could have used a yellow to catch our breath and get free of the lapped cars. They were tough for anyone outside of the top-3. In all it was good day and a good finish for us; we don’t have a mark on the car after 150 green laps.”
At the series smallest track the race went start-to-finish without a caution flag. A point Parent was equally proud of competing with the ACT Tour.
“Anytime you can go caution free in any race it speaks volumes about the people you race with”, stated Parent. "150-laps, no yellows and all these cars [24] on a track this small says everything about respect these drivers have for each other… I’m proud to be a part of this series.”
Parent would go on to claim an 8th place finish continuing his recent streak of consistency as he climbs the ladder in the series standings. By one point the Tiverton, RI driver now sits second overall in points for his bid in the 2014 championship.
“Every point counts", stated Parent. "We finished 8th but I don’t think we crossed the finish line in 8th... It got a little crazy there at the end when Emily [Packard] went through the infield. I couldn't see anything when I came down the front stretch; it was a little like Days of Thunder driving through all that dust… I know I was at least 6th in line when we got turn-2 after the checkered waved..."
As the field came to the checker flag Emily Packard spun into the infield causing the track to be covered in dust, rocks and sand. Leaving a difficult situation for scorers to determine the final running order. Ultimately Parent was scored where he was running on the white flag lap, 8th.
The series rounds the halfway mark this coming Sunday when the Annual Spring Green 114 at Devils Bowl Speedway takes place. The Northern Vermont half-mile track has been a favorite stop on the calendar for the Amtrol Ford Fusion driver.
“We've always had great cars there”, stated Parent. “It’s one of my best tracks. We've lead laps and competed for wins there; just had no luck when it counts. I’m really excited to go back there, we have some unfinished business for sure...”
Next Event
What: Spring Green 114
Where: Devils Bowl Speedway - West Haven, VT
When: Sunday June 15, 2014
Ray and the Amtrol Racing Team would like to thank their proud partners in 2014: Amtrol • Carlin Combustion Technology • HydroLevel • Distinctive Auto Body • Phoenix Builders • Bayside Auto Center • Bobs Sea and Ski • Dan Davies Sales • Dominator Diesel • Five Star Bodies • Longacre Racing Products • Hedman Hedders • Ford Racing • Welded Media
Eric LaFleche / Victory Lane Photo's
Article Credit: Jason Lubin / Welded Media
Submitted By: Jason Lubin
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