(August 17th, 2023) – It’s an epic Saturday night of competition lined up at Speedway 660 Saturday night. With the season winding down, all eyes are on points championships and the prestigious Speedweekend event coming up on Labour Day Weekend.
This weekend has extra emphasis when it comes to competition, as the Super Late Model Series is back in town for their fifth race of 2023. The ReCar 150 presented by Wonder Auto and Tire boasts an impressive twenty-seven (27) car entry list of elite Super Late Model talent. The Super Late Model Series has received rave reviews all summer, and the Riverview Ford Season Opener at Speedway 660 is still talked about as a highlight, so you will not want to miss this one.
A complete card of competition is on-tap, that also features action in three Speedway 660 house divisions – Late Model Sportsman, Shur-Fit Automotive, Bumper to Bumper Street Stocks, and Fredericton Gun Shop Sharp Shooters – plus a visit from the Atlantic Modified Tour for their seventh race of the summer.
Fans, please take note of the special start time for this event. Action will get underway at 6pm on Saturday August 19th, so be sure to arrive early so you don’t miss a lap of the excitement!
Super Late Model Series ReCar 150 presented by Wonder Auto and Tire Headlining Saturday
The return of the Super Late Model Series to Speedway 660 will be a dynamite race. Twenty-seven (27) drivers have signaled intent to compete in Saturday’s race, setting up a massive field of cars. With the SLMS season winding down, points battles are heating up. Last trip to Speedway 660, local favorite Ryan Messer (#1) scored the win over Steve Halpin (#03) and Lonnie Sommerville (#23). Find a full preview of the ReCar 150 presented by Wonder Auto & Tire on the SLMS website, SLMS.ca!
Greenlaw Striving for Sportsman Perfection
Drew Greenlaw (#23) is undefeated at Speedway 660 in 2023, and has garnered a points lead for his efforts. Greenlaw sits eighteen points ahead of “The Old Musket” Richard Atkinson (#40) through the first two races after winning both features thus far. Atkinson has long chased a points championship, and sees possibly his best opportunity ahead of him, but he has to track down Greenlaw to do it.
The C.B. Warrens Auto Care 100 was a rough race for O’Blenis Motorsports, as Alexandra and Courtney both ended up finishing at the rear of the field. Siting third and fourth in points, they have their work cut out for them if they want to keep the Sportsman championship in their team. Michael Cormier (#68) and BJ Gillespie (#69) follow next in points, along with Brody Seveck (#44) who posted a top five in the 100-lap race.
Seventy-five (75) laps is the distance this week for the Sportsman class, and serving as a final tune-up before Speedweekend, expect to see plenty of drivers roll into the pits on raceday!
Bumper to Bumper Street Stock Action Continues
One week ago, Luc McLaughlin (#11) finally had his perseverance pay off, as he returned to Riverview Ford Victory Lane over a competitive field of Street Stocks. As McLaughlin crossed the line ahead of Kyle MacKinnon (#22), who also put up one of his best career performances, both of their efforts perhaps were overshadowed by last lap calamity collecting points leader Justin Cole (#38) and his camping buddy Shawn Hyslop (#99).
While Cole chases the championship, the last lap episode relegated him from a probable podium finish to an eighth-place finish. All is not lost yet, but he has a more challenging path to glory now. Cole and Michael Cormier (#68) each have two feature wins, with Hyslop joining McLaughlin with one win each.
As chaos ensued, Karl Schaefer (#00) and Rick Cashol (#54) each came home with top five efforts, and Ron Enkel (#52) followed in sixth. This trio has consistently hovered around the top five every week and seeks a little bit more to win.
A very respectable field of Street Stocks competed last week, with thirteen (13) total entries, and possibly more new faces partaking this weekend. Last week, Dan Gillespie (#60) made his debut to fans’ delight, bringing another new entry to the division.
Thirty-five laps will be clicked off before the checkered flag waves Saturday for the Street Stocks, which continue to be a highlight of each event week in and week out!
Titus and Wilcox Head to Head for Sharp Shooter Championship
As the season draws to a close, the points battles heat up. None is closer than the Fredericton Gun Shop Sharp Shooter championship, which sees two points separating two of most respected fan favorites in Randy Titus (#75) and Darren Wilcox (#32). Titus has used season long consistency to propel himself to the points lead, while Wilcox did score a feature win along his journey to second overall. This duo will race head to head for the championship – with many drivers lurking should they slip up.
Evan Gallon (#9), Todd Day (#4), and Alex Gallant (#5) all sit within thirty points of the lead. Gallant is fresh off a Gunslinger 75 victory – making him the sixth different winner of 2023 – so he carries momentum with him into this weekend’s race.
Is a seventh different winner in the cards? Or do we see a repeat winner for the first time in 2023? It will be a superb twenty-five (25) lap feature for the Fredericton Gun Shop Sharp Shooter division, with storylines to watch all throughout the field!
Atlantic Modified Tour Makes Third Stop of 2023
The Atlantic Modified Tour will contest their third of five races at Speedway 660 this weekend. Chris Wilson (#2W) has owned the Geary Woods in 2023, capturing both feature wins at the track thus far. Wilson is fresh off a win at Speedway Miramichi, one week ago, and will be the driver everyone is chasing.
The Atlantic Modified Tour always brings a competitive field of cars, with anyone being able to win. Local veteran and fan favorite Joe Hoyt (#17) saw Wilson surpass his lead as the winningest Modified driver at Speedway 660 in June – and also chased him across the line last week in Miramichi, and will be itching to reclaim home track glory. The winner on Speedweekend in 2018, Kevin Bailey (#4) is also a local standout who is chasing an end to his winless streak. Tristin Harris (#7) and Brody Levesque (#05) are familiar faces to Speedway 660 fans, and have been competing part-time on the Atlantic Modified Tour in 2023.
Former series champions Yves McCray (#58) and Braxton Stafford (#91) have found themselves in Riverview Ford Victory Lane on many occasions in the past, and are always threats to win, as is “Mr. Excitement” Doug Matchett (#75). They will be joined by strong rookie contenders Conrad Murphy (#89) and TJ Leighton (#29), among others as Speedway 660 feels the thunder of the Atlantic Modified Tour for the their thirty-five (35) lap feature.
Stay in the Know
Action starts at 6:00pm on Saturday August 12th. Pits for competitors will open at 11:00am with practice getting underway at 1:00pm. Grandstand tickets are $30 for adults, and as always kids fifteen (15) years of age and under will be admitted free to the grandstands. Pit admission is $40 and is restricted to those at least sixteen (16) years of age and older, except for youth who are direct family members of a driver, who can enter the pits with proper signed waivers. All entrants to the pits must complete the e-waiver prior to entering the pits.
For all up-to-date info from Speedway 660, check us out online at Speedway660.com, or find them on Facebook at “Speedway 660”.
About Speedway 660:
Speedway 660 is one of Canada’s premier stock car racing facilities. Located in New Brunswick’s Fredericton region, it has attracted race teams and fans from the Maritimes, New England and Quebec since 1994. The Speedway 660 racing season runs from mid May until late September. SpeedWeekend, one of the most prestigious short track events in eastern North America, is the marquee event of the Speedway 660 season on Labour Day Weekend.
