It sure was nice to finally get some racing in last Saturday night. After two rain-outs in a row, fans, race teams, our marketing partners and sponsors, Speedway 660’s staff, volunteers and owners were more than ready to race. And we weren’t going to let a little cold weather and a brisk northerly breeze stop us!

The thermometer got down to the low single digits in the Geary Woods on Saturday night, but our fans braved the frigid weather and saw a pretty good show during the Riverview Ford Season Opener and Re/Max Kids Night. It was great to see everyone again and finally get the season underway.

I must say young Cory Hall had an impressive outing in the West Wood Estate Apartments Bandolero Division. The youngster from Jolicure, which is way down near the Nova Scotia border, won the Bando feature and finished second in the heat. Cory, spoke like a pro in victory lane, making sure to thank his sponsors, David and Lee Goodine the division sponsors, Speedway 660 for providing a great place to race and his family for supporting his racing efforts.Cory Hall (#08) takes to the outside grooves as he battles hard against MacKenzie Brewer (#55) and Courtney O’Blenis (#48). Cory and his family drove all the way from Sackville so he could put on a show for Speedway 660’s race fans.

Cory wasn’t the only happy kid at Speedway 660 on Saturday night. MacKenzie Brewer, who we featured in a Conversation on www.speedway660,com last week, was third in the Bando feature. It was MacKenzie’s first ever podium and he was pretty stoked about his finish. And Wanda & Brian Campbell are pretty proud Grandparents too!

Speaking of happy kids, how about those little racin rascals who participated in our annual candy scramble? They scooped up a couple hundred pounds of candy in record time and were still wound up when the checkered flag flew to end the pro stock feature!Lots of Kids turned out for the Speedway 660 candy scramble on Saturday night. With their sweet teeth satisfied they watched our feature races from the edge of their seats!

The opening night DMR Auto Sales & Service Street Stock feature was a good race. Justin Cole had the hot hand and it’ll be interesting to see if he can follow up his Jensen Financial hat-trick with another strong performance this Saturday night.

I was a little disappointed with the car count in the Martins Home Heating Sportsman Division, but hear there are a few teams that weren’t quite ready to race. I couldn’t help but wonder out loud, over the PA system, where Richard Atkinson and Randy Moore were. These two veterans have been with us for years. Randy was at Speedway 660 Saturday and told me he has a lot on his plate right now, but expects to make a few races later this season.

As for Richard, I know I shouldn’t share personal health info, but I hear he is recovering from hip surgery and will be out for the season. I hope you heal up quick Richard and want to let you know we all miss you down here in the Geary Woods. Richard Atkinson is one of the most colourful personalities at Speedway 660. His victory lane interviews are always awesome! We wish this proud member of the Canadian Forces great health and hope to see him back in the Geary Woods soon.

It was really surprising, in a strange kinda way, not to see Dave O’Blenis on the Re/Max Group Four Realty Pro Stock podium Saturday night. Dave, during his dominating back to back championship run, has rarely missed the podium on a regular points race. After finishing 2nd, behind Big Kevin Moore in a hotly contested pro stock heat, O’Blenis settled for fourth in both the dash and feature. Not too shabby really, but still not quite what we’ve seen from the 48 in the last couple of seasons. You gotta believe it won’t take Dave and his crew long to get back on the podium!

The O’Blenis family and crew sure are busy on race day. Courtney won her Bando heat and was leading the feature before her car hiccupped down the front stretch and then exited to the pits. Alexandra had a pretty smooth debut in the Sportsman division. She’ll be running for rookie of the year, after moving up from Bando. But she has company because Drew Greenlaw and Dawson McIntee are also from the Bando Graduating Class of 2013 and they are Sportsman rookies too.Courtney O’Blenis visits victory lane after winning her Bando heat on Saturday night. Team O’Blenis brings Courtney’s Bando, Alex’s Sportsman and Dave’s Pro Stock to Speedway 660 every week. That’s a huge commitment and effort for the O’Blenis family!

I usually don’t repeat rumours, but these next tid-bits come from an almost always reliable source. Word has it that the two time Pro Stock champ Larry Gulliver (97&98) is contemplating a return to the Geary Woods. And I also hear that Bradley Logan, the 2000 & 2005 Sportsman champ just might make an appearance behind the wheel of trusty old number 37! Bradley and Larry are two Speedway 660 legends and it sure would make a lot of folks happy to see them strap-up and go racin again.

It sure was nice to see Brad Mann back here in his patented #35 on Saturday night. I hear that our two time Pro Stock champ is looking to run with us all season. And Paul Gahan sure had a unique way of welcoming Brad back to the Gery Woods! Brad Mann won our Re/Max Group Four Realty titles back in 2001 & 2002. After a few years on the Maritime Pro Stock Tour, Brad opened the season back in his old stompin grounds!

You can’t win a title in May, but you can dig a deep hole if you don’t get off to a good start to your season. Speakin of good starts, Steve Halpin won a Pro Stock Jensen Financial Hat-trick on opening night.  I’ll bet he’s still smiling about that.

On Saturday night, championship points are on the line in all five divisions and I`m betting it’ll be much warmer in the stands and a lot hotter on the asphalt. And a week from Saturday night we host the Pro All Star Series Tour, we’ll have much more on that next week.

Have a great week, be safe and we’ll see you at the races!