(July 13, 2015) There’s a new generation of short-track drivers who are the rising stars in our sport. That was really evident last week when we had a number of moments to remember and significant accomplishments at Speedway 660.
Growing up right before our eyes!
Before 2010, racing was dominated by the veterans, the guys who had been around this game for several years. There were very few young drivers and even fewer women. But that all changed when we introduced the Bando and Sharp Shooter divisions to racing fans in the Geary Woods.
And that’s a good thing, because the veterans aren’t going to be around forever. As a matter of fact we’re starting to see them retire one by one. Brian Gillespie and Brad Mann are two champions who hung up their helmets at the end of last season. There have been others in the recent past and yet more to do the same in the years to come.
Brad Mann, a three-time Speedway 660 Pro Stock champ, called it a career after the 2014 season. A new generation of racers are now coming along to replace our heroes of the past.
Last Saturday was an incredible night at Speedway 660. Hudson Weston won his first-ever Bandolero feature. Noah Gillespie got his first-ever heat win and then for good measure nailed down his first-ever Sharp Shooter feature victory. James McCoy got his first-ever podium in a Sharp Shooter and Braxton Stafford won his first-ever Sportsman heat race. And the cherry was placed atop the cake by John Rankin who got his first-ever Pro Stock feature win.
Noah Gillespie did a nice job in his first-ever podium interview on Saturday night. Noah said the Sharp Shooter feature win was a lot more exciting than his graduation ceremonies at Harvey High School back in June.
But that’s not all folks, because the first lady ever to win a feature in one of our top three divisions, won her second straight and third career Sportsman main event. Alexandra O’Blenis, who is also running for Rookie of the Year in Pro Stock, finished fourth in what we used to call “The Big Boy Feature”. Alex’s sister Courtney is also a rising star and it won’t be long before she grabs a Street Stock feature win. 
Alexandra O’Blenis is setting the Geary Woods on fire these days. She’s won the last two Martin’s Home Heating Sportsman features and is leading the Rookie of the Year points in the RE/MAX Group Four Realty Pro Stock Division. Keep it goin Girl!
Earlier this season Devin Snell won his first-ever Sportsman feature and followed it up with another trip to Victory Lane the very next week! Rookie Ryan Messer won his first-ever Sportsman heat race a few weeks ago and he’s going to grab the checkers in a feature one night soon. I’m sure there have been many other first-ever moments in 2015 and I know there are more to come before the curtain comes down on this season.
I’m amazed by what we’re seeing at Speedway 660. A couple of weeks ago Cole Butcher and Dylan Blenkhorn dominated the Parts for trucks Pro Stock Tour race. “Kid Cole” is still a teenager, while Dylan just turned twenty. The veterans of the tour must be scratching their heads as they try to play catch-up with these kids.
Cole Butcher, a former Bando Boy, won the Cummins 100 earlier this month at Speedway 660. Cole, who’s won two Maritime Tour races so far this season, will make a run for the IWK 250 this weekend at Riverside International. Good-Luck Cole from your fans at 660!
In amongst all of the moments to remember, last Saturday night, I was touched by John Rankin’s interview in the Riverview Ford Victory Lane. After his first-ever Pro Stock feature win, John expressed his gratitude to Brad Silliker for giving him a chance to run in our top division.
After Brad Mann retired last season, Silliker Motorsports went on the hunt for a new driver and when they called John he was, to say the least, surprised and probably shocked. But the car owner knew what he was doing and knew that John Rankin has the talent to be a contender every week.
John Rankin had lots of success as a Sportsman driver at 660. He won the Martin’s Home Heating Sportsman title in 09. This year John received an invitation from Silliker Motorsports to drive their Pro Stock car and take his racing career to the next level.
I mention this because Rankin works for wages just like most of us do. He had taken his racing as far as he could, but as he said Saturday night there is no way he could afford to go racing Pro Stock on his own. But now, thanks to Brad Silliker, John is racing a Pro Stock car every week. And that’s exactly where he belongs!
John Rankin is the most humble guy I’ve met in our sport. He’s always quick to offer respect to everyone else and in my opinion (if I may) he downplays or even under-estimates his own driving skill and talent. Rankin is no longer a teenager, but he’s still one of the brightest young stars in our sport. Congrats and best wishes to the native of beautiful St. Martin’s on the Bay of Fundy.
You gotta love it when a plan comes together! Racin is a team sport and here’s a Team that now knows what it feels like to win a RE/MAX Pro Stock feature. With John Rankin behind the wheel, Silliker Motorsports has got a bright future.
I’ve used the words first-ever a lot this week, but that’s where it’s at, at Speedway 660 in 2015. All of our weekly division drivers have this weekend off. They’ll be back in the Geary Woods on Saturday, July 25th for a full night of racing, including the McLaughlin Roof Trusses Best of the Best Pro Stock 150.
But this weekend, we’ve got the Capital City Auto Parts ENDURO 200. It goes Saturday at 6:30 and don’t be surprised if we get another first-ever winner! So please let everyone know what’s shakin at Speedway 660 and please encourage them to come down to the Geary Woods, especially if it will be their first-ever time!
We’ll see you at the races!
