(May 28, 2016) Saturday night was a night to remember for a young driver from Smithtown, New Brunswick. Matt Rodgers came to Speedway 660 to drive Drew Greenlaw’s Sportsman car and make his first ever start in a pro stock. When the night was over Rodgers had a big smile on his face after winning the Martins Home Heating Sportsman feature and finishing sixth in a 21 car Re/Max Group Four Realty Pro Stock main event.
“First of all I want to thank Drew and his Dad Gerald Greenlaw for allowing me to drive their sportsman car tonight, that thing was fast and to take it to victory lane for them was awesome” said Rodgers. “Then to get into a pro stock car for the first time and run with some of the best drivers in the Martitimes was a thrill and to bring it home in sixth was an incredible end to one of my most exciting nights in racing.”
Matt Rodgers and Gerald Greenlaw take the 23 car to victory lane with an impressive sportsman feature win.
Drew Greenlaw, who is graduating from high school next month in Eastport, Maine, had a previously scheduled school related activity on Saturday night and was unable to race at Speedway 660. So his friend, Matt Rodgers jumped in the car and brought home the feature victory. Ryan Messer was second while Alexandra O’Blenis drove to a third place finish. O’Blenis and Rodgers won the sportsman heat races.
Lonnie Sommerville, followed up a heat win with a trip to the Riverview Ford Victory Lane in the Re/Max Group Four Realty Pro Stock Division 50 lap feature. Kevin Moore and Greg Fahey finished second and third in the feature, while Derek Christie and Steve Halpin won the other heat races. The sixth place pro stock finish landed Rodgers the Clattenburg Racing Chassis GD Fabrication Award for the top rookie in the race.
“We’re still working hard to learn how to set up this new race car, but it was strong tonight and it was good to have a great run just a week before the Best of the Best 150” said Sommerville. “We had a few more cautions than we would have liked tonight, but I remember how I tore up some race cars when I was a rookie and I know this great group of pro stock rookies are improving every week and just need a little more seat time in these cars.”
Lonnie Sommerville (#23) gets around Dustin Tucker to grab the lead in the Re/Max group Four Realty Pro Stock 50 lap feature.
Courtney O’Blenis won a thrilling DMR Auto Sales Street Stock feature. O’Blenis outdueled Robert Raynes, who had to settle for second place just ahead of Rick Cashol, who was third for the second week in a row. Raynes and Courtney Barton won the street stock heat races.
“Our car was great tonight and to be able to get out front and race as hard as we did and get the win ahead of Rob was a lot of fun” said Courtney O’Blenis. “I want to thank Irving Blending & Packaging, Burger King and all my other sponsors and especially Mom and Dad for giving me this opportunity to go racing every week.”
Kyle MacKinnon had a big night in the Fredericton Gun Shop Sharp Shooter Division. Kyle won his heat race and then took the checkers in the feature. Matt Crocker and Bryan Suttie were second and third. Crocker won the other sharp shooter heat race.
Speedway 660 is back in action next Saturday night. The Best of the Best Pro Stock 150 is up next on the schedule. Fans will also see the Martins Home Heating Sportsman and Fredericton Gun Shop Sharp Shooters. The street stocks have next weekend off.
Speedway 660 Feature Results May 28, 2016
Martins Home heating Sportsman Feature
1. Matt Rodgers (Smithtown, NB), 2. Ryan Messer (Harvey, NB), 3. Alexandra O’Blenis (Boundary Creek, NB), 4. Richard Atkinson (Haneytown, NB), 5. Jacob Logan (Harvey, NB), 6. George Jamieson (Fredericton, NB), 7. Justin Cole (Harvey , NB), 8. Shawn Warren (Waasis, NB), 9. Corey Collins (Fredericton, ), 10. Ryan Raynes, 11. Hudson Weston (Saint John, NB), 12. Darren Beatty (Lakeville Corner, NB)
Re/Max Group Four Realty Pro Stock Feature
1. Lonnie Sommerville (Saint John, NB), 2. Kevin Moore (Fredericton, NB), 3. Greg Fahey (St. Stephen, NB), 4. John Rankin (St.Martins, NB), 5. Derek Christie (Fredericton, NB), 6. Matt Rodgers (Smithtown, NB), 7. Glyn Nott (Burton, NB), 8. Jeff Doherty, 9. Matt Harris (Fredericton Jct., NB), 10. Robert Tomlinson (Arthurette, NB), 11. Michael Kyle (Sussex, NB), 12. Ashton Tucker (Lyttleton, NB), 13. Jon Gahan, 14. Devin Snell (Saint John, ), 15. Dustin Tucker (Fredericton, NB), 16. Steve Halpin (Saint John, NB), 17. Braxton Stafford, 18. Ian Rasmussen, 19. Dave O’Blenis (Boundary Creek, NB), 20. Brandon Skidmore, 21. Brent Roy (Hanwell, NB),
DMR Auto Sales Street Stock Feature
1. Courtney O’Blenis (Boundary Creek, NB), 2. Robert Raynes (Summerville, NB), 3. Rick Cashol (Saint John, NB), 4. Roger Slocum (Chipman, NB), 5. Destiny Enkel (Saint John, NB), 6. Luke Dukeshire, 7. Courtney Barton (Minto, NB), 8. Noah Gillespie, 9. Andre Lahaye, 10. Riley Goodwin, 11. Randy Campbell (Quispamsis, NB), 12. Ryan Richard,
Fredericton Gun Shop Sharp Shooter Feature
1. Kyle MacKinnon, 2. Matt Crocker (Fredericton, NB), 3. Bryan Suttie (Keswick, NB), 4. BJ Gillespie, 5. Kyle Boudreau, 6. Adam Gravel, 7. Brody Levesque (Fredericton, ), 8. Curtis Collins, 9. James McCoy, 10. Aaron Bellville (Saint John, ), 11. Grey Owl, 12. Allison Hall,
