Tom Curley says he can see the checkered flag ahead

Tom Curley figures he’s got about three good years left. Maybe less.

Curley, the American-Canadian Tour president who was inducted into the New England Auto Racing Hall of Fame earlier this month, said during a recent interview that he doesn’t intend to remain at the helm of both ACT and Thunder Road indefinitely.

"I’ll do this year, and then, honest to goodness, after that the chips are off the table," Curley said. "I truly don’t see myself doing it for more than three more years."

Curley founded the NASCAR North Tour in 1979 – the series that provided the groundwork for today’s Camping World East Series – and he started ACT in 1986 after a messy split from NASCAR. Though ACT has taken on a couple of personalities over the last 20 years, it’s remained Curley’s home.

In a career spanning several decades, he has three times earned national promoter of the year awards.

"I think I’ve paid my dues," Curley said. "I spent a lifetime committed to this business, good or bad, right and wrong. I think I’m leaving it in better shape than when I found it."

Curley said he thinks he’ll stay involved for three more years before hanging up his coat.

"The reason I keep doing this is that I want to finish off this Late Model thing we’ve got going," Curley said. "As a guy that created it, it’s kind of like one of your kids... I want as final a result as I can get, at least so I can know what comes after (where it is now)."

Curley said that one of his goals is to expand the ACT Late Model package in Maine, beyond, perhaps, just Oxford Plains Speedway. Oxford’s top division is an ACT-legal Late Model class and the ACT cars are eligible for the Oxford 250 each summer.

But Curley also said that when he leaves the sport, he will do so completely. It’s likely that ACT and Thunder Road duties will be split into two positions and filled from within the staffing that already exists.

"You have to be realistic, and I’ve dedicated most of my life to this," Curley said. "When I’m done, I’ve got to be (all) done."

Comments

[steve reny]

I guess we all knew this sad news was comming hopefully his three year plan turns into five or six. Tom is a highly respected member of the racing world and his retirement will be felt at many levels. I have enjoyed racing for ACT aswell as watching and in my opinion its the most organized well thought out series the northeast has ever seen. Tom has given fans all over the east coast and canada the best shows short track racing has ever seen. Im sure when tom gives his final drivers meeting there wont be a dry eye in the house. I bet the guy who takes over will be well educated in how to put on a show and carry Toms work into the next decade.
Steve Reny

[Norm]

I know Tom says he's going to retire....but I'll believe it when I see it...

He likes what he does too much!!....

JMO

[steve reny]

I hope your right the latemodel thing is growing quickly and I think we have yet to see how far this can go. He also needs to start another series to join the latemodels to go to the next level. I think there will be so many teams it will be over crowded its time to spread out a little. I also hope ACT moves closer to the true value mods for some joint ventures.

[sonny]

Growing quickly? He has been pushing this lms act series since what '92? If he would of put half the time in the prostock tour when he ran it as he has done with this lms thing you would deffinetly see alot more of the pro stocks around then there currently are. Tom has deffinetly done alot for northeast racing but he has also left alot of bad taste in driver/owners mouths in every series he has run.imo

From TB:

You know what we need more of? We need more "Pro Stocks are better than Late Models" discussion. There just hasn't been enough of that the last couple of years.... Yawn....

[Kevin F]

I worked for Tom on the US Tour this year. Everything Tom does, he does at 100%, heart soul and head too. He is demanding of his staff. They are dedicated and they deliver. He is just as demanding of his racers and they responded with great racing all year. The LMS rules package provides as level of a playing field as I have seen in a touring series. The gap between the "have's" and the "have-nots" is small. This puts more emphasis on the talent and ability of drivers and crews and less emphasis on who has the deepest pockets. If you like true competition you cant ask for much more than that.

[sonny]

Travis i didn't mean for it to come across as a pro vs lms thing. Its just that when tom left nascar north not many drivers went with him. when Tom left the old act driver none of those went with him. He didnt pay the drivers for quit sometime. Upfront it looks like tom has done alot for neracing but he has also hurt alot of his relationships with his drivers on the way there. nice article keep up the good work.

[Jon Spaulding]

As for the end of the ACT Pro Stock tour and Tom's failure to pay mentioned by others, is it not true the Mike Liberty defaulted on money to Tom and the ACT that ultimately lead to the demise of that phase of Pro Stock racing in New England?

[steve reny]

Mr Spaulding your exactly right but anyway isn't that way in the past? The Tom Curly I know is a devoted driven promotor that loves racing aswell as people. Tom has organized many tours in many different forms but each was a success in its own way. The current tour is unique two countrys and 50-60 cars at every event with the upcomming season looking better than the last. Go to an ACT event and tell me you didnt get your moneys worth.

[Victory Lane Forum]

I followed the ACT Tour this past year (except a trip to Canada) and it is by a mile the best racing going...in my opinion. I was intimate with quite a few teams as the Tour photo guy and they are once again very excited to continue the ACT action in 2009 and beyond.

Even with the state of the Country's economy, to average over 40 cars to qualify a race is a result of the hard work of the ACT organization I am sure TC will leave the Tour in very capable hands; if and when he calls it a career.

Those people will continue the tradition of the best show (money for money) on asphalt in New England.