East Coast Mini Stock Tour Opens Cap on September with Pub’s Drive Thru Bottle Exchange 50
Series Release/Featured Photo by Tanya Everett Photography
(Dartmouth, NS – August 30th, 2018) – The MJS and Prime Lift East Coast Mini Stock Tour races their way to Speedway 660 this weekend for Round Six of the 2018 season. The Pub’s Drive Thru Bottle Exchange 50 for the MJS and Prime Lift East Coast Mini Stock Tour on Saturday, September 1st is a part of SpeedWeekend 2018 at the Geary oval. Racing begins on Saturday evening at 6pm.
The MJS and Prime Lift East Coast Mini Stock Tour comes off a StickerFool.com 50 which not only saw a fifth different winner in as many races this year but also a first time winner. Cody Byrne (Orwell Cove, PE) and the LDR Racing crew was emotional at Petty International Raceway as they celebrated their maiden voyage to victory lane on the MJS and Prime Lift East Coast Mini Stock Tour. Byrne had to hold off a hard charging Chris Hatcher (Beaver Bank, NS), Andrew Warren (White’s Lake, NS) and Tim Webster (Beaver Bank, NS) for the win, making the win even more satisfying.
Looking forward, those four drivers via their top four finishes at Petty International Raceway have qualified for the United Rentals Dash for Cash finale. The top finishing driver amongst the four in the Pub’s Drive Thru Bottle Exchange 50 at Speedway 660 will receive a $100 cash bonus. Hatcher, driving the No. 31 Multi-Tech Automotive Civic for Matthew Warren, won the United Rentals Dash for Cash bonus at Petty International Raceway in the StickerFool.com 50 while Jesse Deveau (Greenwood, NS) took the inaugural bonus home at the Bruce Honda Showdown on the Shore at Lake Doucette Motor Speedway.
Hatcher will return to the seat of the No. 31 car this weekend and will have a ten point lead in the standings over Andrew Warren and a 15-point advantage over 2017 Tour champion Webster. Dave Matthews (Kennetcook, NS) has slid to 28 points behind the leaders in fourth while Darren Flemming (Belnan, NS) continues to hold down fifth with Byrne closing in with a move to sixth in the standings following his victory.
With five different winners this season in as many races (Matthew Warren, Andrew Warren, Matthews, Webster, Byrne), the drivers within the Pub’s Drive Thru Bottle Exchange 50 will either be looking to be the one to extend the streak or, in the case of the previous winners, will look to become the first two-time winner on the season. Flemming came within two laps of winning this event one year ago before Matthews slipped by with a thrilling outside pass that had fans on the edge of their seats coming to the white flag. Deveau, who won the TJ Greenlawn Dirt Clash in 2017 and finished on the podium at the Bruce Honda Showdown on the Shore, is looking for their first Tour win this year and could steal the SpeedWeekend show if the cards fall his way.
It is a home track of sorts for Neil Miousse (Kentville, NS). Miousse raced in the Fredericton Gun Shop Sharp Shooters division at Speedway 660 before relocating to the Annapolis Valley. Miousse, driving for Bob Landry, will enter Saturday’s Pubs Drive Thru Bottle Exchange 50 as not only a favorite to extend the winner’s list but as a “hometown favorite” of sorts amongst those in the stands and in the pits.
Chris Garnett (Havelock, NB) is the only New Brunswick based car on the pre-entry list for Saturday. Garnett rebounded from a motor issue at Riverside during the Passione Flooring and Interiors 50 to find speed in his car enough to take the Giles Auto World Pole Challenge at Petty International Raceway. While he did not get the finish indicative of his speed throughout practice and qualifying, he will look to roll the momentum he is building to Speedway 660 for the Pub’s Drive Thru Bottle Exchange 50.
“The Ironman” Drew MacEachern (Dartmouth, NS) and Taylor McLean (New Glasgow, NS) have both shown speed in recent rounds but have aspirations of cracking the podium in one of the final two races of the MJS and Prime Lift East Coast Mini Stock Tour season. Jerome Tracey (Port Hawksbury, NS) will make the long haul from Cape Breton with hopes of giving the younger generation on the Tour a run as a part of New Brunswick’s biggest motorsports event of the season.
Drivers will be racing for numerous contingency awards during the Pub’s Drive Thru Bottle Exchange 50. These awards include the United Rentals Dash for Cash, Giles Auto World Pole Challenge, the EIT Race Radios Hard Charger Award and the Rock Auto/Team 29 Hard Luck Award.
Fans that cannot make it to Speedway 660 on Saturday evening can watch every lap live from the track online through Pit Row TV. The premium video broadcast will feature multiple camera angles of the action, live scoring, replays and a feed from the track’s public address system. Fans can tune in to all the racing action this weekend at PitRow.tv.
It is a full card of racing to kick off SpeedWeekend 2018 on Saturday evening. In addition to the Martin’s Home Heating Sportsman 150, action will include the Tim’s Corner Motorsports Bandolero Blast INEX National Qualifier, the MJS and Prime Lift East Coast Mini Stock Tour Pub’s Drive Thru Bottle Exchange 50 and the Maritime League of Legends King Freight Line 50 INEX National Qualifier. Post time is 6pm on Saturday.
The McLaughlin Roof Trusses Pro Stock 250 will anchor Sunday’s racing as a part of SpeedWeekend 2018 and will have support on Sunday afternoon from the Atlantic Modified Tour, DMR Auto Street Stocks, Fredericton Gun Shop Sharp Shooters and Tim’s Corner Motorsports Bandolero Blast finale. Qualifying on Sunday in all divisions begins at 2pm with Opening Ceremonies for the McLaughlin Roof Trusses 250 slated for 6:30pm on Sunday evening.
The annual SpeedWeekend 2018 corn boil, bonfire and pre-race concert kicks off festivities in the infield of Speedway 660 on Friday, August 31st. DJ Dale Case will be spinning tunes in between sets by The Walking Contradictions. Admission to the event is FREE and will run from 7pm to 12am on Friday.
Fans are reminded that SpeedWeekend 2018 tickets and campsites are now available. An order form for both can be found on the front page of Speedway660.com or on the SpeedWeekend page on the website. Those that would like to order in person can order at the Speedway 660 office. For more information about Speedway 660, visit Speedway660.com, like @Speedway660 on Facebook or call the Speedway 660 Raceline at (506) 454-7223.
Fans are encouraged to follow along with the ECMST on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @ECMiniStockTour. You can also visit the ECMST website for complete series and event information at EastCoastMiniStockTour.com.
About Prime Lift Limited:
Prime Lift operates as a division of Prime Material Handling Equipment and the exclusive distributor for Rotary automotive lift sales, installation, inspection, parts and service in Atlantic Canada. From the day you decide to go Rotary, from selecting the right automotive lift, installation method, thorough safety inspections and servicing – Prime Lift is dedicated to continuously deliver more value and keep our customers safe! Visit them online at www.Prime-Lift.com
About the East Coast Mini Stock Tour:
The East Coast Mini Stock Tour was formed in December 2016 to give Mini Stock racing in the Maritime Provinces a unified home. Featuring four cylinder Honda models, the series will host events at five oval race tracks throughout Atlantic Canada in their seven race season. For complete information on the East Coast Mini Stock Tour, please visit EastCoastMiniStockTour.com
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.