(May 22, 2017) Speedway 660 kicked off the 2017 racing season in a big way on Sunday afternoon. The weather was great, the crowd was fantastic and the racing superb! We invite you to check out Michelle Roy’s photo album from the Riverview Ford Season Opener and Kid’s Day in the Geary Woods.
Speedway 660’s Photo Album from Sunday, May 21, 2017
There was lots of action in the pits during Saturday’s practice session and the first race of the season on Sunday. Looks like Mr. Gahan is contemplating an issue with his son’s Pro Stock.
It was great to see some of our “old friends” including five-time DMR Auto Sales Street Stock champ Rick Cashol. “The Villan” is celebrating a milestone birthday this week!
The tech shed was a busy spot on Saturday and Sunday as Donnie Greer and his capable crew inspected all of the cars before allowing them to take to the track for practice and competition.
Fans arrived early on Sunday, waiting for the pits to open for our pre-race autograph session. The fans enjoy seeing the cars and meeting the drivers and crew members before the first race of the season.
We call Richard Atkinson an “old musket” but he’s a big kid at heart. Richard loves meeting the fans, signing autographs and talking to folks about racing.
Curious kids love to go into the pits and this is the one time of the season they can get in there to check things out and hang out with the drivers.
Sarah McKay is back at 660 to compete in our Re/Max Pro Stock division. Sarah is one of our most popular drivers and enjoyed talking with fans on Sunday.
“I brought my car to Speedway 660 too. Someday maybe I’ll drive one of those big horsepower cars, but for now I’m pretty happy to have a Dad-powered ride!”
There’s always a lineup at the O’Blenis pit stalls during these autograph sessions. Everyone wants to get autographs from Alexandra and Courtney. Oh yeah, a few might want to get Dave’s autograph too!
Almost time to go racin, but first we’ve got our “parade lap”. Riverview Ford, one of our long-time marketing partners brought a great line-up of vehicles to showcase in front of a big season opener crowd. 
Brodie Levesque gets the first checkered flag of the 2017 season in the opening Fredericton Gun Shop Sharp Shooter heat race. Believe it or not, he wasn’t sure if he would race this year but his crew threw a new engine in the car Saturday night and encouraged Brodie to fire it up on Sunday afternoon!
Tim Elliot waves the checkered flag for Kyle Boudreau, winner of the second Sharp Shooter heat. Kyle, who won the championship in 2015, gets this new season off to a great start.
The DMR Auto Sales Street Stocks are up next and right off the bat Destiny Enkel (#52) says “Happy Birthday” to her buddy Rick Cashol.
Ricky says “Nice to see you Destiny, I hope you have a great season and enjoy this old-school racing we’ve got going here.”
“Yeah I like old-school racin Rick, BTW I think your car could use a little pink paint and I’ve got lots to spare so go ahead and have some” says Destiny.
That little exchange got everyone excited on opening day and that’s one of the reasons why our fans love Street Stock racing so much.
While Destiny and Rick were having their little conversation Luc McLaughlin sprinted away with the first Street Stock heat race win of 2017. 
Noah Gillespie and Matt Crocker must have been watching that first Street Stock heat because they had a moment of their own during the second heat.
Riley Goodwin, the 2016 DMR Auto Sales Rookie of the Year, wins that second Street Stock heat. Riley would love to follow up his brilliant rookie season with a championship run in 2017. 
Here come the Martin’s Home Heating Sportsman division drivers. Everyone loves this competitive brand of racing with its mix of young guns, veterans and old muskets!
Andrew Rodgers has been racing for several years, but since he is a university student we can still call him a young gun. Andrew, who plans on running the entire season with us, wins the first Sportsman heat race.
These days we can call Matt Maillet a veteran and the driver from nearby Burton scores the victory in the second Sportsman heat. 
Ashton Tucker was the Re/Max Group Four Realty Pro Stock Rookie of the Year in 2016. He starts the new racing season with a win in the first Pro Stock heat race.
There were lots of folks from “Beautiful Charlotte County” in our big season opener crowd and they cheered loudly when Greg Fahey won the second Pro Stock heat race. Greg has four Pro Stock titles, trailing only Dave O’Blenis who has five.
Sarah McKay wins the third Pro Stock heat race. She is the first lady driver ever to run for points in the Re/Max Group Four Realty Pro Stock division. FYI – Alexandra O’Blenis was the first lady to run in a Pro Stock race at 660. 
The little Sharp Shooters are up next with their 20 lap feature. There was lots of side-by-side racing with a couple of exciting lead changes before all was said and done.
Kyle MacKinnon emerges victorious in the first Fredericton Gun Shop Sharp Shooter feature of the season. Check out our Conversation with Kyle that was posted on the 660 web site last week, if you haven’t had a chance to see it yet.
The second fastest Kyle on this day was Mr. Boudreau. The other Kyle broke a coil spring on his car during the heat race and this Kyle lent him a replacement which helped the other Kyle finish first! 
For a guy who wasn’t sure if he was even going to race this season, the opener turned out pretty good. In addition to winning a heat race Brodie Levesque came home third in the Sharp Shooter feature.
Intermission time and the kids gather for the annual Candy Scramble. The little ones get ready at victory lane.
And the bigger kids line up on the front stretch – what a throng and what a pile of candy!
And the mad scramble begins – look at them scoop up that candy.
There is quite a little bee-hive of activity down in victory lane too.
“Hey where did everyone go? Anyone want some candy? I’ve got lots and I’m willing to share!”
Matt Crocker kicks up some dust and goes for a wild spin in the first lap or two of the Street Stock feature. 
Luc McLaughlin follows up his heat win with a trip to victory lane in the first DMR Auto Sales Street Stock feature of the season. Luc is some happy to be back behind the wheel of a race car after spending a little time away from our sport. 
Riley Goodwin picks up a second place finish in the Street Stock feature and shares the moment with some of his littlest race fans on Kid’s Day. 
Roger Slocum has a couple of little fans too. Roger was all smiles after a third place finish in the Street Stock feature.
You gotta love Sportsman racing. This division has been a going concern since we started racing in the Geary Woods back in 94.
Drew Greenlaw shares a moment with Lisa MacIntosh, his number one sponsor from Re/Max, after driving to victory in the Martin’s Home Heating Sportsman feature. 
John Rankin makes a successful return to Sportsman racing by taking home second place in the 40 lap feature. His little guy is pretty pumped too!
Alexandra O’Blenis is happy to have finished up her second year in university, but even happier to get back in a race car. She grabbed third in the Sportsman feature.
The Pro Stocks drive hard down into turn one to start their 50 lap feature. Drivers have to adjust to the new rules package which includes the same softer tire compound that the Pro All Star Series runs.
There were a couple of interesting spin-outs including this one by rookie Ryan Messer. 
Greg Fahey was the dominant car in the race and parks the Patterson Toyota in victory lane. Fahey, who won the last three Pro Stock features of 2016, starts the new season off with a big win.
Big Kevin Moore, who was working out west, flew home to Fredericton on Saturday. Kevin credits his crew for doing a great job preparing the car for the season opener and giving him a second place finish in the Re/Max Group Four Realty Pro Stock feature. 
Dustin Tucker did a nice job in Sunday’s Pro Stock feature coming home third. Dustin is looking forward to more podium finishes in 2017.
After an awesome day at the races, it was time for some of us including little Jace, to take a nappy. We want to thank all of our race teams, marketing partners, staff and especially our fans for making the Riverview Ford Season Opener & Kid’s Day a resounding success. And thank-you for checking out Michelle Roy’s weekly photo album.
