Fans, Championships, Autographs & Prizes! – Wade’s Weekly #15
This weekend is all about fans and drivers. It’s our annual Fan Appreciation Night of Champions. On Saturday at about 5:30PM all of the cars, in every division, will be parked on the front stretch of Speedway 660. Drivers and crews will be out there too for Atlantic Canada’s largest autograph session!
Fans will have a chance to meet the drivers, check out the cars, take photos and get some neat treats and other hand-outs from the race teams. It’s a once-a-year, not to be missed event. And it’s quite a sight to see all of the cars on the track at the same time.
Saturday is Fan Appreciation Night of Champions at Speedway 660. The final points race of the year begins at 7PM, but fans are invited for an on-track autograph session at 5:30. Draws for lots of great prizes will be held all evening and Championships will be awarded in all five racing divisions.
Racing in all five Speedway 660 divisions gets underway at 7PM. Through-out the evening we’ll be giving away a ton of prizes to our fans to show appreciation for their support this year. And here’s a special thank-you to all of the race teams and sponsors who have donated prizes to give to our great fans.
That is reason enough to head out to Speedway 660 this weekend. But wait, there’s more. Five Division Champions will be crowned as well. So, you’ll see some of the most intense racing of the season as drivers go all out to win titles or improve their position in the standings.
The Hanwell Village Mart Bandolero, Four Cylinder, RV World Street Stock, Martin’s Home Heating Sportsman and A.L. Gullison Disaster Kleenup Pro Stock divisions will all see champions crowned. All of the divisions have good point races and we will only know who the champs are after the final point features this Saturday night.
Last weekend the weather turned out great for racing at Speedway 660. We saw awesome action and an emotional win for Kenny MacKenzie in the Martin’s Home Heating Firecracker 150. Almost thirty of the best Sportsman cars in our region were on hand and in the end MacKenzie was able to pass his friend and Pro-Stock teammate Dave O’Blenis to cross the stripe first.
O’Blenis had a pretty good night too, because in addition to 2nd place in the Firecracker, he drove his Burger King Camry Pro Stock to Victory Lane. That puts Dave in a strong position to become a Speedway 660 champion for the third time in his career and the first time since 2006.
Three of our awesome kids had a night to remember at Speedway 660. Justin Cole, from Harvey Station, got his first podium finish in the four cylinder division. Somehow his girlfriend, parents and several friends burst through the gate at the flag-stand to join him for a front stretch celebration.
Then there was 17 year old Peter Martin who won his first-ever RV World Street Stock feature. Peter, whose cousin Steve Halpin was third in last year’s Auto Value 250, has dreams of moving up to Sportsman and then to Pro Stock in the future.
And finally Jordan Gahan – this young man started driving a Pro Stock a couple or three years ago when he was in Grade Eleven! On Saturday night he won his heat, dash and came home third in the feature for his first-ever podium finish.
To see the emotion and passion when kids like Peter, Jordan and Justin have a great night is a part of racing I always enjoy!
Last Sunday afternoon Speedway 660 saw one of the most exciting Enduro 200’s in recent memory. Pat Sharpe’s pit-crew got him back on the track, after being broad-sided, to claim his second win of the year. Pat’s Enduro car is beaten, battered and bruised, but the crew claims they can patch the “old-girl” up for the final Enduro of the season on SpeedWeekend.
Speaking of SpeedWeekend – it’s right around the corner. I hear there are precious few camp sites available, so if you haven’t reserved yours, you best call the raceline (454-7223) asap. You can also purchase advance tickets or sponsor one of our Auto Value 250 laps by calling the same number.
Saturday is our annual Fan Appreciation Night of Champions. The racing gets underway at 7PM, but I encourage you to come early because we’ve got that big on-track autograph session happening at 5:30. So, tell your friends, tell your neighbours and tell everyone they should head out to Speedway 660 for an awesome time this Saturday night. We’ll see you at the races!