May 25, 2015: It sure was nice to get back to Speedway 660 for the first race day of 2015. After being rained out on the 17^th, everyone was more than a little ready to see some racing last Sunday. And we were treated to awesome action in the Riverview Ford Season Opener.

An Incredible Start to the 2015 Season

 

I want to applaud the “powers that be” at Speedway 660 for changing the race day schedule this year. After using a format that worked for 21 years it must have taken a leap of faith to make changes. And if week one is any indication, drivers and fans alike are enjoying it.

New for 2015, Speedway 660 has increased the features of our three original divisions by ten laps. The Street Stock feature is now 30 laps, Sportsman has been bumped up to 40 and Pro Stock is set at an even 50 laps. The 10 lap dashes for those three divisions have been eliminated.Matt Harris (#87) was glad to have ten more laps in the Re/Max Pro Stock feature. Harris needed the extra laps to get by Lonnie Sommerville and win the race.

Our first test-drive was a resounding success. The Re/Max Pro Stock feature was the most exciting race of the day. Young Brady Creamer led most of the first 30 laps, while being hounded by Lonnie Sommerville. When Lonnie made the pass for the lead it looked like the race was his, but instead of ten to go there were 20 laps remaining.

That extra ten laps made things pretty intense. Dave O’Blenis made a run but faded, Kevin Moore made a bid for the win but settled for third, Greg Fahey was near the front for the entire race and took home second. And in those last ten laps Matt Harris’s car came to life and he rocketed home for the win.An additional ten laps paid dividends for Brent Roy too. The Camry Kid used early pit stops under caution to eventually get the 26 to the Riverview Ford Victory Lane.  

The extra ten laps in the Martin’s Home Heating Sportsman feature also was a factor in the outcome of the race. Brent Roy’s car “was junk” in the early going and after a couple of cautions around lap ten, he gave up track position and came in and out of the pits two or three times for adjustments. He needed the extra ten laps to get past George Jamieson for the win.

The additional ten laps in the DMR Street Stock feature gave those drivers a little more time to get to the front too. But on this day it was all Rob Raynes and I don’t think it mattered if the Street Stock feature was 20, 30, 40 or 50 laps because Rob had the best car and took the checkered flag.Kevin Moore is one of the drivers who likes the extra laps. Big Kevin, who finished 3rd in the Pro Stock feature, says the new format is good for drivers and fans. 

All of the drivers I talked to on the front stretch at Speedway 660 on Sunday like the additional laps in the features. And so do the fans that I chatted with after the races. So we look forward to seeing how these changes play out in the weeks to come and how they affect the championship point races.

Another highlight on Sunday was the West Wood Estate Apartments Bandolero feature. Ashton Tucker made an amazing pass on Braden Langille and then held off the youngster from Shubenacadie to win the race. Levi Rossiter was right there too and these three kids and many others are all amped up to give us a great show next weekend when they line-up for the 25 lap Bando Blast. By the way, come back to the SW660 website later this week for a Conversation with Ashton Tucker.

There were a lot of prime time performances last week, but if I had to pick just one “Sunday Afternoon Hero” it would be one of our young rookie drivers. She’s a graduate of the Bando division and proved to be more than ready to take the next step in her racing career. I’m talking about Courtney O’Blenis who drove home third in the DMR Auto Sales Street Stock feature.Courtney O’Blenis was impressive in her first Speedway 660 Street Stock race. Because she is a rookie she had to start at the back of the field, but she drove hard and used the extra ten laps to get a nice third place podium finish! 

Courtney was up on the wheel all day, she hit her marks and got a podium finish. The youngest O’Blenis often races in the shadow of big sister Alexandra and Dad Dave, but on this day Courtney had the best Team O’Blenis finish and continues to make new fans every time she hits the track. By the way, Alexandra ran both a Sportsman and Pro Stock at the Riverview Ford season opener, so she deserves at least an honourable mention! But Dave’s got some work to do!

Greg Fahey deserves a pat on the back too. After being out of the Pro Stock saddle for a couple of seasons, the six-time Speedway 660 champ came home second in the 50 lap feature. Don’t be surprised if “The Pride of Charlotte County” challenges for the 2015 Pro Stock title.Greg Fahey (#29) has one of the fastest and sharpest looking cars this season. After a two year Pro Stock absence, Greg was right there with Matt Harris and picked up 2nd place in the 50 lap feature.

Now it’s time for yours truly to eat a little crow! In the last Weekly, I said that Lonnie Sommerville’s car had a stunning paint job. Well I had what some people might call a brain ?, because the car I was referring to actually belongs to Drew Greenlaw. Drew (Sportsman) and Lonnie (Pro Stock) both drive a # 23, but that’s no excuse for my miscue. Sorry Drew. By the way I like a big dab of Raye’s Mustard with my crow!Here’s that “stunning paint job” I mentioned last week. Drew Greenlaw, took his 23 to a strong third place in the first Sportsman feature of the year.

So that’s it for week one. This coming Sunday we’ll see the 25 lap Bando Blast plus points racing in our other four divisions. I can’t wait to see the fastest kids in the Maritimes and those longer Street Stock, Sportsman and Pro Stock features.Speedway 660’s candy scramble is always a blast. So come on down and see us in the Geary Woods this Sunday afternoon for lots of great racing and satisfy your sweet tooth too.

By the way it’s also Kid’s Day and that means we’ll host our famous candy scramble on the front stretch! We’ll open the pits from 1 to 1:45PM so kids of all ages can meet their favourite drivers and check out their race cars. Racing gets underway at 2PM.  So spread the word, let everyone know it’s time to head on down to Speedway 660.

We’ll see you at the races!