WATERFORD, Conn. — American-Canadian Tour driver Scott Payea continued a dream season by winning the Nutmeg State 100 at Waterford Speedbowl Saturday night.
Payea held off defending Speedbowl track-champion Bruce Thomas, Jr. for his second ACT victory in six starts this year.
Thomas jumped from his outside- pole starting position to lead the opening 48 laps, at times stretching his lead out to nearly a full straightaway.  Payea, who started seventh in the 30-car field, drove forward in the early laps and came even with Thomas for the race’s final three restarts just before the halfway point.
Following a lap-48 restart, Payea nudged ahead to take the lead from Thomas. The final caution flag on lap 50 drew the pair together again, beginning an intense, multi-groove, lead-swapping duel that lasted until Payea regained control for good on lap 55 and held on as the race remained green to the finish.
“I knew I had a good car right from practice in the morning,” said Payea following the victory, the fourth ACT Late Model Tour win of his career. “I was pretty confident once I got near the front that it would be up to me to lose the race, but Bruce Thomas really impressed me. He and the rest of these Waterford guys were very goodtonight.”
Thomas finished second in his first ACT Late Model Tour start. Brad Leighton, Ron Yuhas, Jr. and rookie Nick Sweet completed the top five.
The finish:
Scott Payea, Bruce Thomas, Jr., Brad Leighton, Run Yuhas, Jr., Nick Sweet, Randy Potter, Ron Henry, Jonathan Urlin, Jean-Paul Cyr, Brent Dragon, Scott Dragon, Patrick Laperle, Jamie Fisher, Glen Luce, Pete Potvin, Eric Chase, John Donahue, Rick Thompson, Jr., Leon Heckbert, Joe Becker, Donald Theetge, Steve Fisher, Trampas Demers, Joe Curioso, Tyler Cahoon, Richard Staskowski, Ricky Wolf, Jr., Allen Coates, Tim Jordan, Ed Reed, Jr.