Team AC is proud to announce the official release of our new 2014 T-shirt design, featuring our very own Uncle Rick in superb five color silkscreen on very high quality 6oz all cotton T’s.  The layout highlights our WCPCA World Champion logo in addition to Uncle Rick riding a pumpkin Dr. Strangelove style….YESSAAAH!   

We truly feel this is our best shirt design yet, and compliments other exciting new merchandise additions this year, such as laser engraved logo bottle-opener keychains, high quality AC logo koozies, and much more.

 Uncle Rick can watch your back too…but please note that high quality AC merchandise is ONLY available at public appearances…so check our Schedule & Events page to be sure you get your AC SWAG while it lasts.   

YESSAAAH!

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Dover International Speedway announced today that it has reached an agreement to become the new host site for the annual WCPCA World Championship event.  The official announcement was made late Thursday morning in a news release;

http://punkinchunkin.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Punkin-Chunkin-in-Dover-release-final-09.11.14.pdf

The scheduling reflects that Air-Cannons and other “long range” teams will be competing Wednesday 10/22 and Thursday 10/23, with the short range and youth teams tossing on 10/24 through 10/26.  This exciting new venue has a larger infrastructure than previous sites and a vast experience hosting large-scale events which should make for a terrific World Championship.

A BIG THANKS TO THE LEADERSHIP AT THE WCPCA AND DOVER DOWNS FOR GETTING THIS DONE! 

http://delaware.newszap.com/centraldelaware/134942-70/punkin-chunkin-officially-coming-to-dover-speedway-grounds

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We performed our first long range testing of the season last Saturday, and are excited to report it was a total success on every level.  The cannon & team performed flawlessly, and the 2014 cannon upgrades were not only effectively vetted and validated, but significantly exceeded our expectations.  The results were a terrific indication of our readiness to defend the World Champion title and break our own World Record next month in Delaware.   Check out the pictures at the link below…

Testing - Somewhere New England 9-6-14

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Team AC is pleased to announce a new addition to our video, photography, and extensive analysis capabilities…a fully outfitted DJI Phantom 2 aerial UAV drone.  This is not a toy, it boasts the following notable specifications;

•  *7” LCD First Person View (FPV) Monitor
• *Integrated On Screen Display (iOSD) overlay for flight parameter monitoring
• *Zenmuse H3-3D Three Axis stabilized gimbal for Go-Pro
• *Go-Pro 3+ Black Edition  (Up to 60 fps at 1080p resolution)
• *NAZA-M-V2 GPS Autopilot 

While augmenting our video and photography production capabilities, this tool is also expected to be invaluable during test sessions for performing analysis at elevation/angles previously not possible.  It will also aid in test projectile locating and aerial recon and troubleshooting.  This tool is another example of how Team AC stays on the cutting edge and forefront of punkin chunkin…

Team AC is very proud to announce that our very own ballistics expert, Pete Colantonio, will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming Concept2Design Conference at Foxwoods Tower in Mashantucket Connecticut on August 21st and 22nd.  C2D is THE PREMIERE Solidworks event and users conference held annually in New England, presented by our sensational support partner CADD Edge.  Pete will be presenting some interesting information and data regarding how Solidworks design and simulation tools have helped hone the recent AC cannon design enhancements as we prepare to defend our World Championship Title at the upcoming 29th Annual Punkin Chunkin World Championship.  This promises to be an informative and interesting presentation and two day event, and marks the first time Punkin Chunkin will be presented and highlighted at this conference.

For more information please check out the link below;

http://www.caddedge.com/c2d-foxwoods/

Team American Chunker is proud to formally announce that punkin chunkin veteran Jim Moreau has officially been promoted to co-captain.  Jim has been with Team AC since day one, and always shouldered more than his share of the load on many day-to-day tasks and responsibilities.  The goal of this move is to maintain our teams high standard of operation and expectations without compromising attention to any detail.  Joining existing captains Brian Labrie and Dave Bingham, this promotion will allow our team to get more accomplished with greater efficiency as the team continues to grow.

 Congratulations to Jim!

Team AC headlined the opening of the Cheshire Fair in Swanzey New Hampshire last Wednesday night with a BANG.  Actually there were many bangs…as the cannon took aim at a large mobile home and remodeled with some very large ventilation holes.    

Uncle Rick hosted the festivities and provided play-by-play, informational interviews with crew members, and some rockin musical renditions of the American Chunker theme song as well as classic rock-n-roll hits tailored for punkin chunkin.  The show also included the much anticipated debut of Dr Steve PhD, providing educational information with a comic relief spin for the grandstand crowds.  Rounding out the fun between shots was AC Jr shooting various fruits, Krazy Kyle™ on his stunt motorbike, the AC Micro Cannon, the AC mini trebuchet, and the AC aerial drone UAV video platform. 

It was a really fun and educational event for all, amid the charming backdrop of all the fair events.  Special thanks to The Cheshire Fair, The Boston Globe, FLIR, CADD Edge, and the terrific Fair staff for the help and hospitality.  Check out the pictures from the event in the newly posted gallery at the link below…

Cheshire Fair - Swanzey NH 7-30-14

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SolidWorks offers complete 3D and 2D software tools that enable creation, simulation, publishing, and management of data.  For these reasons, SW is a perfect fit for a partnership with Team AC, and will greatly help with 2014
upgrades as we defend our World Championship title. 

SolidWorks products are widely known for their ease of learning, functional use, and how well they work together to design products better, faster, and more cost-effectively. The SolidWorks focus on ease-of-use allows more engineers, designers and other technology professionals take advantage of 3D in bringing their designs to life. SolidWorks is currently used by over 2 million engineers and designers at more than 165,000 companies worldwide.

 For more information on their products please contact them or visit their website…

 Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corporation
175 Wyman Street
Waltham, MA 02451

 Toll Free: 800-693-9000
http://www.solidworks.com

Team AC is very proud to announce sponsorship support for the very worthy Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) charity.  The Wounded Warrior Project  serves veterans and service members who incurred a physical or mental injury, illness, or wound from military service on or after September 11, 2001.  With the mission to honor and empower Wounded Warriors, WWP is the hand extended to encourage wounded military persons as they adjust to their new normal and achieve new triumphs. Offering a variety of programs and services, WWP is equipped to help with every type of injury – from the physical to the invisible wounds of war.  Their key mission is;

• To raise awareness and enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured service members.
• To help injured service members aid and assist each other.
• To provide unique, direct programs and services to meet the needs of injured service members

Team AC is proud and honored to support such a worthy cause.

For more information please see our Charity Page, and the website below…

http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/

Team American Chunker was personally recognized last week by New Hampshire Governor Maggie Hassan.  This was truly a distinctive honor for Team AC, and we appreciate this acknowledgment immensely.  Special thanks to Governor Hassan, Benjamin Belanger, and the rest of her wonderful staff for taking the time out of their busy schedules to provide such a memorable visit to the NH Capital Building.

For more information on Governor Hassan please click the link below; http://www.governor.nh.gov/about/

Team American Chunker was personally recognized last week by Nashua New Hampshire Mayor Donnalee Lozeau.  This was genuinely a special honor for Team AC, and we appreciate this salutation tremendously.  Thanks to Donnalee and her terrific staff for such a memorable visit to City Hall, as well as all her hard work and everything she does for the good of our wonderful city and communities.

(Click Here for More Info)

Team American Chunker would like to send our sincere thanks for the recent recognition received from US Senator Kelly Ayotte from New Hampshire!  It’s a truly special honor for this distinction, and we appreciate this acknowledgment deeply.

http://www.ayotte.senate.gov/

On Thanksgiving night the Punkin Chunkin special aired across the country, within 2 hours our website had thousands of hits and we received hundreds of emails from fans suggesting helpful ideas on how to better the machine and our distances. The biggest question we kept getting in those emails was “What was your secret this year?”  

Well, here is your answer…..The secret to team American Chunker’s success over the last few years is simple! Our TEAM has worked together and produced incredible results because there is no one person more valuable than another on our team. We all win together and we all lose together. The Team’s chemistry this year was awesome. Team AC has the hardest working, and one of the most innovative groups of guys on the firing line period. This Team is comprised of brilliant, dedicated, hard working folks that had the ability to keep their eyes on the prize!

 TEAMWORK is why The American Chunker won in 2013!

 To a great group of guys and to a great season!

 Cheers,

 Brian Labrie 

Team American Chunker set a new world record with a monster 4,694.68-foot shot at the 28th annual WCPCA world championship last weekend in Bridgeville Delaware.

It was a spectacular event with near record crowds, great weather, and 115 dedicated teams competing for the coveted prize.  When the dust settled, American Chunker was crowned World Champion in our fourth season competing.  The entire team and cannon performed flawlessly.  Hats off to all the teams competing…you drove us to work harder than ever and pushed us to the limits.  Special congrats also to New Hampshire based Team Yankee Siege II for their world record trebuchet shot of 2835.81 feet.

Special thanks to John Huber, the entire WCPCA staff, and the countless volunteers for all you guys and gals do, as well as terrfic farm owner and host Jeff Wheatly.  There wouldn’t be an event without you all!  Thanks also to our tremendous sponsors (FLIR, D.R. Guilbeault, Ring Power Cat, Bingham Lumber, and Cape Ann Brewery), as well as our awesome Punkin growers.  Most importantly we would like to thank all of our fans.  Your loyalty and support have been overwhelming all year long!

Count on Team AC to continue with our signature determination and hard work in 2014 to attempt to retain the title next year.  We are firmly committed to humbly do our best possible job to represent the outstanding sport of Punkin Chunkin!

New pictures have been posted to the gallery of the 2013 World Championship, please check them out at the link below.

WCPCA World Championship Nov 1-3 2013

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