(Aug. 26, 2015) Anticipation is building for fans, race teams and marketing partners as Speedway 660 gets set to host Atlantic Canada’s biggest weekend of racing. The countdown is on for the Irving Blending & Packaging SpeedWeekend and the three podium finishers in last year’s Pro Stock 250 are making plans to head to the Geary Woods for the 2015 edition of the race. 

 Maine Drivers Love Speedway 660!

 

Travis Benjamin, Ben Rowe and Austin Theriault put on some show for race fans during the 2014 SpeedWeekend. All three Maine drivers are counting down the days until the Irving Blending & Packaging 250 goes green on Sunday, September 6^th.

“Our victory in the 250 last year at Speedway 660 was one of the biggest wins in my career and I’m looking forward to heading up to Canada again in early September” said Benjamin. “Irving Blending & Packaging has supported my racing career for several years and now that they are the sponsor of the 250, it gives me an extra incentive to try to win it again.”Travis Benjamin was the big winner on SpeedWeekend in 2014. Travis can’t wait for Irving Blending & Packaging SpeedWeekend and a chance to go to victory lane again. 

“SpeedWeekend has become a regular stop on my racing schedule and I’m hoping this is the year we finally get to victory lane” said Ben Rowe. “It’s a lot of fun coming up there and driving for Hal O’Neal and his race team deserves to win this big race, so we’ll give it our best shot.”Ben Rowe finished second last year in the 250. This year he’d like to improve that finish by one spot and give his good friend Hal O’Neal a SpeedWeekend victory. 

“Last year was my first trip to Speedway 660 and I had a blast, the fans were awesome, the competition in the race was incredible and I learned a lot about what it takes to get around this tough little track” said Austin Theriault. “We led some laps last year, but we faded a bit down the stretch so I’m excited to go back up there, use the lessons I learned and hopefully win the Irving Blending & Packaging 250.”Austin Theriault led a bunch of laps last year in the 250, including the Modern Electric Half Way Challenge. Austin is anxious to come to the Geary Woods and lead lap 250!

Two BIG 250’s in a row! 

But first the three Maine drivers and the rest of the Pro All Star Series drivers have got some business to take care of down in southern Maine this weekend. The Oxford 250 is on their schedule and soon after the checkers come out in that race several of the PASS drivers will set their sights on the Irving Blending & Packaging 250.

Several PASS drivers including Joey Doiron, Eric St-Gelais, Patrick Leperle and Johnny Clark are considering making the trip north in less than two weeks.  For a lot of the PASS drivers it will depend on how they fare down at Oxford Plains Speedway this weekend. If they get through that race, without a lot of damage, several drivers are considering a trip to Speedway 660.Johnny Clark has two Irving Blending & Packaging 250 wins under his belt. Clark and several other PASS drivers would like to come to 660 for SpeedWeekend, but will have to wait until after this weekend’s Oxford 250 to see if they’ve got enough car left for our big race.

Probable Maritime Tour Entries

Several Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour drivers are expected to make the trip to Geary for SpeedWeekend. Most notable are Craig Slaunwhite, a former Irving Blending & Packaging 250 winner; John Flemming, who has won the IWK 250 and Atlantic Cat 250 but is still looking to win the big 660 race; Dylan Gosbee, one of the bright young stars of our sport; Cole Butcher, a kid who won the Maritime Tour race in Geary earlier this season; DJ Casey, who has some work to do after wrecking last week in Petty and; Sarah McKay, a former 660 Sportsman Rookie of the Year and one of the most popular Pro Stock drivers in the region.Back on July 4th Cole Butcher won the Cummins 100 at Speedway 660. This awesome young Maritime Pro Stock Tour driver can’t wait to return to the Geary Woods on SpeedWeekend and make a run for the 250.

RE/MAX Pro Stocks

Speedway 660’s weekly pro stock division drivers are also looking forward to SpeedWeekend. There should be 20 or more RE/MAX Group Four Realty Pro Stockers making a run for the Irving Blending & Packaging 250. Lonnie Sommerville, Matt Harris, Kevin Moore, Greg Fahey, Dave and Alexandra O’Blenis, John Rankin and Glyn Nott are just some of the drivers 660 fans are familiar with. This could be the best chance in recent years for a Speedway 660 weekly Pro Stocker to pull off a SpeedWeekend win!Remember 2009? Lonnie Sommerville fans sure do. That was the year Lonnie won his second 250. With Irving Blending & Packaging on the hood of the 23, Lonnie wants to make another great run in 2015. 

The AMT is coming back!

In other SpeedWeekend news, the Atlantic Modified Tour will be part of the Saturday night show. The AMT and the West Wood Estates Bandolero drivers will be the support classes for the Irving I24-150 Sportsman race. The DMR Auto Sales & Service Street Stocks and Fredericton Gun Shop Sharp Shooters will be part of the schedule on SpeedWeekend Sunday.

“We’re excited to welcome the Atlantic Modified Tour race teams and their fans back to the Irving Blending & Packaging SpeedWeekend” said Speedway 660’s Max Roy. “The tour continues to grow and they put on a great show for our SpeedWeekend fans in 2014, so we’re anticipating another good race from them this year.”The Atlantic Modified Tour will once again bring their unique brand of racing to SpeedWeekend. Fans will see the AMT cars run on Saturday night (Sept. 5th), before the Irving I24-150 Sportsman race.

It’s time to reserve your laps!

Fans, race teams, small businesses and major corporations are reminded that there is still time to reserve and sponsor laps for the Irving Blending & Packaging 250. Each lap costs $50 and drivers who lead laps accumulate the lap money during the race.

“This is a great way for people to get involved in the richest Pro Stock 250 in our region and the drivers really want to get out front and lead as many laps as possible to get that bonus money” said Wanda Campbell, Speedway 660’s Office Manager. “Laps are going quickly so I encourage people to contact us as soon as possible to reserve their laps and be an active participant in the Irving Blending & Packaging 250.”Every lap pays! Drivers always go full-out to lead as many laps as they can during the Irving Blending & Packaging 250. You can sponsor a lap for just 50 bucks and that money goes directly to the driver who leads your lap! 

Anyone interested in sponsoring laps should call the Speedway 660 raceline at 506-454-7223 and press one to speak to Wanda or another member of the 660 staff.

Keep coming back to www.speedway660.com for Irving Blending & Packaging SpeedWeekend updates, interviews and other information.