O’Blenis Wins SpeedWeekend Sportsman Race

Last Updated: August 31, 2014By

Dave O’Blenis had to be his best on Saturday night to pick up a thrilling victory in the Irving Oil Blending & Packaging 150. O’Blenis held off Colby Smith to cross the finish line first in SpeedWeekend’s Sportsman race. Russell Smith was third.

 

“I’m just glad this race wasn’t 155 laps because I’m not so sure I would have been able to hold Colby off for an extra five laps” said O’Blenis from the Riverview Ford Victory Lane. “To win the Irving Oil Blending and Packaging 150 in front of these great fans is one of the biggest thrills of my racing career and to see my daughter Alexandra finish sixth made for an awesome night for Team O’Blenis.”

SpeedWeekend Sportsman podium 2014Dave O’Blenis (center) has reason to smile after winning the Irving Oil Blending & Packaging 150. Colby Smith (left) and Russell Smith (right) were second and third.  O’Blenis will be back on the track today for the Re/Max 250.

Colby Smith, winner of the 2013 Irving Oil Blending & Packaging 150, tried everything in the book to over-take O’Blenis late in the race. The two leaders had to work lapped traffic in the final few laps and Smith just wasn’t able to get around O’Blenis for the win.

“I pretty much wore Dave out in the last 20 laps or so, but he was tough tonight and deserves this win” said Smith. “I am so proud of this race team for giving me a great car and I just love coming up here for SpeedWeekend to run in the Irving Oil Blending and Packaging 150, we’ll be back next year to see if we can win it for the second time in three years.”

O'Blenis and Colby Smith side by side 2014 SpeedWeekend SportsmanDave O’Blenis and Colby Smith thrilled SpeedWeekend fans in Saturday night’s Sportsman race. They ran side by side or bumper to bumper throughout much of the second half of the race with O’Blenis claiming a hard fought victory!

O’Blenis, Smith, Andrew Rodgers and Russell Smith won the qualifying heats, while Corey Little took the checkered flag in the Last Chance race. Russell Smith took the Modern Electric five hundred dollar half-way challenge. Thirty-one Sportsman cars were at Speedway 660 for the biggest Sportsman race of the season. The race was red-flagged on lap one when Dylan Gosbee smashed into the retaining fence on the exit of turn four.

The Westwood Estate Apartments Bandolero drivers also put on an amazing show for SpeedWeekend fans. Cory Hall won the feature ahead of Braden Langille and Cole Tanner. Cody Price took the checkered flag in the Atlantic Modified Tour feature, while Joe Hoyt and Robert Miner finished second and third.

Today SpeedWeekend continues at 2PM with qualifying for the Re/Max 250. More than 30 of the best Late Model/Pro Stock drivers in eastern North America will be out for the win. The DMR Auto Sales & Service Street Stocks and Fredericton Gun Shop Sharp Shooters will also race this afternoon. The green flag for the Re/Max 250 will drop at 7PM.

Irving Oil Blending & Packaging 150 Results
1. Dave O’Blenis (Boundary Creek, NB), 2. Colby Smith (Cape Sable Island, NS), 3. Russell Smith (Lakeside, NS ), 4. Matt Rodgers (Smithtown, NB), 5. Greg Fahey (St. Stephen, NB), 6. Alexandra O’Blenis (Boundary Creek, NB), 7. Brent Roy (Hanwell, NB), 8. Lonnie Sommerville (Saint John, NB), 9. Laurie Cormier (Grand Barachois, NB), 10. Luc Bourgeois (Moncton, NB), 11. Andrew Rodgers (Smithtown, NB), 12. Sarah McKay (Quispamsis, ), 13. Shawn McLean (Havelock, NB), 14. Matt Maillet (Burton, NB), 15. George Jamieson (Fredericton, NB), 16. Justin Cole (Harvey , NB), 17. Steve Seveck (Temperance Vale, NB), 18. Dawson McIntee (Moncton, NB), 19. Corey Little (Rowley, NB), 20. Shawn Burke, 21. Cal Hatfield (Rothesay, NB), 22. Drew Greenlaw (Eastport, ME), 23. Daniel Clark (Fredericton, NB), 24. Devin Snell (Saint John,), 25. Dylan Gosbee (Cornwall, ), 26. Cody Price (Campbell Settlement, NB).

Westwood Estate Apartments Bandolero Results
1. Cory Hall (Jolicure, NB), 2. Brady Langille (Shubenacadie, NS), 3. Cole Tanner (Shubenacadie, NS), 4. Courtney O’Blenis (Boundary Creek, NB), 5. Ashton Tucker (Lyttleton, NB), 6. Levi Rossiter, 7. Mackenzie Brewer (Quispamsis, NB), 8. Hudson Weston (Saint John, NB), 9. Kyle Orr (Saint John, NB), 10. Riley Goodwin, 11. Michael Wright (Halifax, ), 12. Austin MacDonald.

Atlantic Modified Tour Results
1. Cody Price, 2. Joe Hoyt, 3. Robert Miner, 4. Ryan Messer, 5. Ken Deveau, 6. Brandon Skidmore, 7. Mike Raeburn, 8. Paul Costain, 9. Doug Matchett, 10. Dustin Phillips, 11. John Lyons, 12. Mike Phillips, 13. Larry Gulliver, 14. Tom Betts, 15. Mark Day.