(FREDERICTON, NB – August 5th, 2020) – The eyes of the Maritime stock car racing community will be fixed on Speedway 660 as the first double header weekend of the 2020 season will take place on Saturday and Sunday. The weekend will be anchored on Saturday, August 8th with the Best of the Best Pro Stock 150 and a visit by the Atlantic Modified Tour. Sunday, August 9th will see the Street Stocks take the spotlight in the Urquhart Construction 75 with the Martin’s Home Heating Sportsman playing support. The Fredericton Gun Shop Sharp Shooters will round out the card on both days. Racing action begins on Saturday evening at 6:30pm with the green flag going in the air on Sunday afternoon at 2pm.
The Best of the Best Pro Stock 150 for the RE/MAX East Coast Elite Realty Pro Stock division is the first race in a four race partnership with Petty International Raceway. The four major stand alone Pro Stock/Super Late Model races left on the schedule will see a four race series formed between them, with over $10,000 in bonus money and prizes being distributed. Even before the racing begins, a draw will be made at the drivers meeting for a set of four Hoosier Racing Tires from Bicknell Racing Products with all Pro Stock teams that are in attendance being eligible for the giveaway.
On paper, Ashton Tucker (Lyttleton, NB) and the Brad Silliker Motorsports team have the most momentum of any team making the haul to Speedway 660 on Saturday. Tucker has won the last two extended distance Pro Stock races in New Brunswick, the Brycon Construction Bubble Buster Round Two at Petty Raceway on July 18th and the Riverview Ford Lincoln Pro Stock 100 on July 12th at Speedway 660. Tucker, who also won the 2019 Pro Stock 250 at Speedway 660, will look to continue his streak of checkered flags into Saturday evening.
Quietly putting together a solid season is Saint John, New Brunswick driver Steve Halpin. In the shadow of Ashton Tucker’s last two wins, Halpin has two podium finishes – a third at Speedway 660 and a second at Petty International Raceway. With the new four race Pro Stock series between the two tracks kicking off this weekend, Halpin could easily contend for the win in not only the Best of the Best 150 but over the four races that comprise the home and home series.
Fans will see history this weekend as a Rowdy Manufacturing chassis will hit the track for competition for the first time in Atlantic Canada. Lonnie Sommerville (Barnesville, NB) will look to dial in his new race car he acquired over the off-season as he makes his first Speedway 660 start of 2020. Rowdy Manufacturing was founded by NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch and their chassis have won several big Late Model races stateside.
Several big names from the Maritimes will be making the trek to the Geary woods for their shot at the checkered flag and the point lead heading back down the Trans Canada Highway. Jonathan Hicken (Brudenell, PE) is a winner already this season in the Brycon Construction Bubble Buster series and will look to pick up his first win at Speedway 660 on Saturday. Dylan Gosbee (Cornwall, PE) has a RE/MAX East Coast Elite Realty Pro Stock win on his resume while two-time Maritime Pro Stock Tour champion Cole Butcher (Hantsport, NS) has a Tour win at Speedway 660 to his credit. Craig Slaunwhite (Terence Bay, NS) also has a win in Geary to his credit in the tune of a Pro Stock 250 triumph and will look to return to Riverview Ford Lincoln Victory Lane on Saturday evening in the Best of the Best.
Several Bandolero and Legend graduates will be looking to make a big splash this weekend. Jarrett Butcher (Porter’s Lake, NS), Nicholas Naugle (Dartmouth, NS), Cory Hall (Jolicure, NB) and Brad Eddy (Lower Sackville, NS) will all be on the hunt for Riverview Ford Lincoln Victory Lane with the hopes of striking a Speedway 660 Pro Stock win off their list.
Do not discount the local favorites, led by “Big Orange” and Ryan Messer (Harvey, NB), who drove to the win in a 50-lap feature at Speedway 660 on July 25th. Brent Roy (Hanwell, NB) was on the podium that night and the two-time and reigning Pro Stock track champion would like nothing more than a big win with some big names in town. Kevin Moore (Fredericton, NB), Andrew Rodgers (Smithtown, NB), Ian Rasmussen (New Denmark, NB), former champion Chris Duncan (Rothesay, NB), Ben Pelletier (Saint John, NB), John Rankin (St. Martin’s, NB) will also look to add their names to the list of contenders when the laps wind down on Saturday.
EXPECTED ENTRY LIST – BEST OF THE BEST PRO STOCK 150 – AUGUST 8TH
03 Steve Halpin – Saint John, NB
08 Nicholas Naugle – Dartmouth, NS
1 Ryan Messer – Harvey, NB
2 Ashton Tucker – Lyttleton, NB
5 Jonathan Hicken – Brudenell, PE
9 John Rankin – St. Martin’s NB
17 Brad Eddy – Lower Sackville, NB
23 Lonnie Sommerville – Barnesville, NB
24 Ben Pelletier – Saint John, NB
26 Brent Roy – Hanwell, NB
42 Andrew Rodgers – Smithtown, NB
53 Cole Butcher – Hantsport, NS
54 Jarrett Butcher – Porters Lake, NS
81 Ian Rasmussen – New Denmark, NB
83 Cory Hall – Jolicure, NB
88 Kevin Moore – Fredericton, NB
91 Dylan Gosbee – Cornwall, PE
97 Chris Duncan – Rothesay, NB
99 Craig Slaunwhite – Terence Bay, NS
The Fredericton Gun Shop Sharp Shooters will compete in their first race of the weekend on Saturday. With the Fairview Jeep Ram Gunslinger 50 next up on the schedule following the Double Header Weekend, several teams will use this weekend to their benefit as a test session. It is not lost on any competitor either that BJ Gillespie (Harvey, NB) is currently perfect in feature competition at his home track, scoring two wins in two events so far in 2020. With Randy Titus (French Lake, NB) holding two podium finishes to Gillespie’s checkered flags in two races along with Randy Storey (Royal Road, NB) and Malcolm Suley (Clarendon, NB) with two top fives to their credits, they are knocking on the door of Riverview Ford Lincoln Victory Lane waiting for someone to answer.
The Atlantic Modified Tour will compete in their second race of 2020, the Fox Chevrolet 35. A complete preview of that race can be found on the online home for the Atlantic Modified Tour, AtlanticModifieds.com.
Speedway660.com will have a complete preview of Sunday’s racing action posted on Thursday evening along with an expected entry list for the Urquhart Construction Street Stock 75 which currently sits at 20 cars.
For the fourth straight season, children aged 15 and under will be admitted to the grandstands for free to every stock car event at Speedway 660. The admission structure makes it easier for families to attend race events at the track and received positive feedback from fans when implemented mid-season in 2017.
Adult grandstand admission price for Saturday’s Best of the Best Pro Stock 150 is $25 (aged 16 and up). Pit admission is $30 and is restricted to those 16 years of age and older. A weekend pass, which includes admission to the Best of the Best Pro Stock 150 on Saturday and the Urquhart Construction Street Stock 75 on Sunday, is available for $40 for Adult Grandstand Admission or $50 for a Pit Pass. Tickets are available at the gate on race day. Pit gates for competitors will open at 1pm on Saturday, grandstand gates open for spectators at 5pm with racing getting underway at 6:30pm. A complete race day format will be available via the track’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/Speedway660, later in the week.
Please note, due to COVID-19 regulations in the Province of New Brunswick, Speedway 660 is required to collect contact information from every individual that attends this event.
For more information about the Saturday’s racing card, or any event at Speedway 660, visit Speedway660.com, like @Speedway660 on Facebook or call the Speedway 660 Raceline at (506) 454-7223.
About Speedway 660:
Speedway 660 is one of Canada’s premier stock car racing facilities. Located in New Brunswick’s Fredericton region, it attracts race teams and fans from the Maritimes, New England and Quebec. The Speedway 660 racing season runs from mid May until Labour Day Weekend. SpeedWeekend, one of the most prestigious short track events in eastern North America, wraps up Speedway 660’s racing season.
