FIREWORKS TO FLY WITH NEARLY THIRTY ENTRIES FOR 5TH ANNUAL RICKY BOBBY 150!
(June 28th, 2023) – Atlantic Canada’s biggest and most prestigious Street Stock race returns to Speedway 660 this weekend on a new and recognizable date! Saturday July 1st, 2023, it’s the 5th Annual Ricky Bobby 150. Moved to Canada Day for 2023, this bucket list race has found a home on Canada Day weekend – backed by an entry list of twenty-eight (28) cars!
For staff, fans, drivers, and especially competitors in the Street Stock division, this is more than just a race – it’s a celebration honoring a long-time fan and his dedication to the sport. The gravitational pull of this event will attract thirty of the region’s most competitive Street Stock drivers to the Geary Woods on Saturday. Boasting a $20,000 purse, with a guaranteed $1000 first prize to the race winner before the addition of a multitude of potential bonuses, the Ricky Bobby 150 is also the richest Street Stock race in Atlantic Canada.
As a whole, the Ricky Bobby 150 is an entire event that fans simply cannot miss. It kicks off on Friday night with the 4th annual washer toss tournament. In addition, the Auto Value pit party presented by Valvoline will see a free BBQ, live band, and bon fire all happening at zero cost! Saturday will be race day, with the Re/Max East Coast Elite Pro Stocks and Fredericton Gun Shop Sharp Shooters joining the Shur-Fit Autmotive, Bumper to Bumper Street Stock division on the card. Following the conclusion of the Ricky Bobby 150, there will fittingly be a fireworks show to cap off a memorable race and celebrate Canada Day at the track!
Michael Cormier Chasing Three-Peat
Michael Cormier (#68) enters as the two-time defending champion of the Ricky Bobby 150. Cormier picked up wins in 2020 and 2022, book-ending either side of the cancelled 2021 running of the event. His paths to victory were quite different – exchanging the lead many times before using a lapped car with seven laps to go to re-take the lead and the victory in 2020, while cruising to a convincing win that left only four cars on the lead lap in 2022. The questions being asked are can he score an impressive and record setting third Ricky Bobby 150 win? And if so, what will the path to victory look like this time around!
Points Leader Justin Cole Carries Momentum From Big Win
The most recent winner at Speedway 660 sent a statement to the field that they will have to go through him if they want to win the Ricky Bobby 150. Justin Cole (#38) captured a convincing victory three weeks ago in the Tagrett’s Windows and Doors Street Stock 100. The win vaulted the Harvey driver into the points lead and made him a favorite to earn his first Ricky Bobby 150 victory this weekend.
Super Late Model Star Ryan Messer Makes Street Stock Debut
One of the biggest storylines entering the Ricky Bobby 150 is the Street Stock debut of Ryan Messer (#1). Messer isn’t just any driver – he is a former Pro Stock 250 champion who has been dominating the Super Late Model ranks in the region this year. In fact, he is undefeated at Speedway 660 in his last three starts and sits second in points for the Super Late Model Series. Now, driving the Matt Pelletier car, Ryan will cross an item off his bucket list as he readies to compete in the Street Stock class for the first time – doing so in not just any race, but the Ricky Bobby 150!
Speedway 660 Track Champions Seek to Add Ricky Bobby 150 To Their Resumes
While a championship is a huge accomplishment, no drivers resume is complete without a Ricky Bobby 150 win on it. Only one former Speedway 660 Street Stock champion has gone to victory lane in the Ricky Bobby 150 – Luc McLaughlin (#11) accomplished the feat in the inaugural running in 2018, one year after his second track championship. The 2021 champion Riley Goodwin (#77) and 2018 champion Shawn Hyslop (#99) will all be ones to watch as they look for another headline to add to their racing resumes, while defending and six-time champion Rick Cashol (#54) will look to win with a fill-in driver, as Andrew Rodgers takes the reigns for the Ricky Bobby 150!
Prince Edward Island Representation
Several top talents from Prince Edward Island seek to bring the victory across the Confederation Bridge for the first time. Leading the way will be Brodie MacQuarrie (#28), who will be driving the New Brunswick based Tom Nicholls Racing entry that has been fast everywhere it has ran so far in 2023. With limited starts at Speedway 660, MacQuarrie had an impressive performance a few weeks ago prior to a disqualification. Redemption would be sweet for the team that went to victory lane with Courtney O’Blenis in 2019 in this race. Mitchell Arsenault (#51) has been a familiar face for many years at the Ricky Bobby 150, while Mike Duskey (#42) will return to Speedway 660 in his own Street Stock after playing super-substitute for Michael Cormier a few weeks ago. This trio all are talented drivers and all will be in the hunt for the win.
Nova Scotia Duo, Maine Icon, Prepped for Long Haul
A pair of Nova Scotia drivers and a lone Maine contender will represent their respective province / state, giving the Ricky Bobby 150 representation from three Maritime provinces and one US state. Michael Fancy (#47) will make his first Speedway 660 Street Stock start as he represents Nova Scotia alongside Marshall Bezanson (#06) who had a memorable experience in his Ricky Bobby 150 one season ago. Bimbo Look (#33) will haul from the state of Maine – Look has made several starts at Speedway 660 in recent years and keeps the Ricky Bobby 150 on his calendar as a marquee event to attend.
Heavy Hitting Invaders and Local Favorites Galore Amongst Deep Field
Everywhere you look there will be talent in the field for the Ricky Bobby 150. New Brunswick drivers such as Kenny MacKenzie Jr (#85), Logan Power (#58), and Brad MacLean (#13) all have many trophies on their shelves. Martin Landry (#15) is another top star who was runner-up his last trip to Speedway 660, while former Speedway Miramichi champion Darcy O’Neill (#68) looks to build off a top 5 in the 100-lap event three weeks ago. While these drivers look to invade Speedway 660, many more locals look to defend their home turf and pick up the biggest wins of their respective careers. From Jonathon Hanley (#16) to Karl Schaefer (#00), Bill Storey (#53), Ron Enkel (#52), and many more, it is sure to be an electric and exciting race filled with many battles.
Ricky Bobby 150 Always Sees Underdog Spotlights
The big stage that comes with the Ricky Bobby 150 has often seen the spotlight shined on “underdog” drivers, as seemingly every year a driver entering with a unique storyline has punched above their weight class, with an emotional and crowd-pleasing performance. In 2019 it was Kyle MacKinnon (#22) finding his first big breakout performance in a Street Stock with a podium effort in a race that means so much to him. One year later, a pair of performances left fans talking. First it was Mitchell Arsenault (#51) accepting a pole challenge, and driving from dead last on a 31-car field up to second in one of his first starts at Speedway 660, before his race got cut short. That year also saw an emotional and impressive drive from Ricky Bobby’s son, Ricky Arbeau Jr, who made his impressive Street Stock debut in the Ricky Bobby 150 by climbing behind the wheel of Chris Hanley’s car only weeks after Chris’s tragic passing.
Who will break through and make themselves part of the narrative of the 2023 version of the Ricky Bobby 150?
Ricky Bobby 150 Expected Entries
- Karl Schaefer #00 – Woodstock, NB
- Marshall Bezanson #06 – Stewiacke, NS
- Ryan Messer #1 – Harvey, NB
- Jimmy Sommerville #5 – Fredericton, NB
- Luc McLaughlin #11 – Geary, NB
- Brad MacLean #13 – Black River Bridge, NB
- Martin Landry #15 – Scoudouc, NB
- Jonathon Hanley #16 – St. Stephen, NB
- Kyle MacKinnon #22 – Lincoln, NB
- Jason MacCallum #27 – Miramichi, NB
- Brodie MacQuarrie #28 – Brackley Beach, PEI
- Bimbo Look #33 – Jonesport, ME
- Justin Cole #38 – Harvey, NB
- Rob Raynes #41 – Saint John, NB
- Mike Duskey #42 – Albany, PEI
- Michael Fancy #47 – Brookfield, NS
- Mitchell Arsenault #51 – Summerside, PEI
- Ron Enkel #52 – Saint John, NB
- Bill Storey #53 – Nashwaak Bridge, NB
- Andrew Rodgers #54 – Saint John, NB
- Logan Power #58 – Riverview, NB
- Drew Lewis #61 – Moncton, NB
- Michael Cormier #68 – Grand Barachois, NB
- Darcy O’Neill #68x – Miramichi, NB
- Riley Goodwin #77 – MacAdam, NB
- Kenny MacKenzie Jr #85 – Salisbury, NB
- Mark Kingston #97 – Derby Junction, NB
- Shawn Hyslop #99 – St. Stephen, NB
Past Winners of the Ricky Bobby 150
2018 – Luc McLaughlin #11
2019 – Courtney O’Blenis #63
2020 – Michael Cormier #68
2021 – Cancelled due to COVID-19 / Weather
2022 – Michael Cormier #68
Stay in the Know
Action starts at 6:30pm on Saturday July 1st. Pits for competitors will open at 12:00pm with practice getting underway at 2:30pm. Grandstand tickets are $30 for adults, and as always kids fifteen (15) years of age and under will be admitted free to the grandstands. Pit admission is $35 and is restricted to those at least sixteen (16) years of age and older, except for youth who are direct family members of a driver, who can enter the pits with proper signed waivers. All entrants to the pits must complete the e-waiver prior to entering the pits.
For all up-to-date info from Speedway 660, check us out online at Speedway660.com, or find them on Facebook at “Speedway 660”.
About Speedway 660:
Speedway 660 is one of Canada’s premier stock car racing facilities. Located in New Brunswick’s Fredericton region, it has attracted race teams and fans from the Maritimes, New England and Quebec since 1994. The Speedway 660 racing season runs from mid May until late September. SpeedWeekend, one of the most prestigious short track events in eastern North America, is the marquee event of the Speedway 660 season on Labour Day Weekend.
