(August 9th, 2024) – Mother Nature has been mostly kind to Speedway 660 in 2024, but the remnants of Hurricane Debby have set the stage for a Sunday shootout for the Changing Hands Thrift Shop Sharp Shooter division in the GunSlinger 75.

Originally scheduled for Saturday, the threat of severe weather led to the event being pushed to Sunday August 11th with a 2pm start time. Joining the Changing Hands Thrift Shop Sharp Shooters will be a full card of action including the Re/Max East Coast Elite Realty Pro Stock division, Shur-Fit Automotive, Bumper to Bumper Street Stock division, and Atlantic Modified Tour.

The marquee event on the calendar for the Changing Hands Thrift Shop Sharp Shooter division, fans can expect plenty of entertainment and excitement in the Geary Woods at Speedway 660. Starting from the time grandstand gates open at 1pm, there will be plenty of kids activities including games, face painting, and car rides with the cars and stars of the Sharp Shooter division! Kids Power Wheel races also return to Speedway 660 as part of the intermission, giving the youngest fans a chance to race on the track too!

 

Changing Hands Thrift Shop Sharp Shooters GunSlinger 75 On Tap

When it comes to the GunSlinger 75, all eyes will be on the past three division champions at Speedway 660 who have combined to win five of the six feature events in 2024. BJ Gillespie (#69) has three of those wins, and leads the points through the end of July. The 2021 and 2022 division champion is also the 2022 victor of the GunSlinger, and seeks to become the first two-time winner in event history.

Defending track champion Darren Wilcox (#32) has a pair of feature victories to his credit on the season, but finds himself a little deeper in points sitting in fourth. He looks to earn his third win on the biggest stage of all. The only other winner in Sharp Shooter competition has been Jason Duffield (#91), who is second in points and the biggest threat to Gillespie atop the points standings.

With in excess of twenty competitors expected for the 75-lap affair, patience and survival are key to a successful race. This tends to favor veteran competitors – potentially a driver like Randy Titus (#75), Randy Storey (#92), or past GunSlinger winner Matt Martin (#33). Terry Lawson (#14) also knows his way to Riverview Ford victory lane in big races – being a former SpeedWeekend winner.

A crop of rising talents have been earning a name for themselves – last race it was Tyler Collett (#21) with his first career podium finish. Curtis Tremblay (#00) is third in points and keeps knocking on the door of wins and podiums. Todd Day (#4) has used heat race wins to vault into the top five in points too.

It is sure to be a barnburner of a race for the GunSlinger 75 for the Changing Hands Thrift Shop Sharp Shooter division as everyone fights for the win during their biggest show of the season.

Past Winners of the GunSlinger 75

2019 – Mike Weagle #10

2020 – Kyle Boudreau #92x

2021 – Matt Martin #33

2022 – BJ Gillespie #69

2023 – Alex Gallant #5

 

Shur-Fit Automotive, Bumper to Bumper Street Stock Battles Wage On

Luc McLaughlin (#11) enters as the most recent winner of the Shur-Fit Automotive, Bumper to Bumper Street Stock division having won the Targett’s Windows and Doors Street Stock 100 two weeks ago. McLaughlin has won three of the last five races in the division, and has been picking away and climbing the point standings after a miserable opening day. Up to third, McLaughlin still trails a heated battle for the lead in standings.

Defending champion Justin Cole (#38) leads the points over 2021 champion Riley Goodwin (#77) by just a mere four points. Each driver has earned one feature win on the season while consistently notching podiums in points paying races, and look to be the drivers fighting for the title. But they cannot lose sight of McLaughlin, who has a twenty-six (26) points deficit to overcome in the final races.

It’s been a competitive year with plenty of storylines for the Street Stocks – almost every competitor from Kyle MacKinnon (#22) to Dan Gillespie (#83), Jimmy Sommerville (#5), Jonathan Hanley (#71), Daniel Atyeo (#15), Rick Cashol (#54), Ron Enkel (#52) and more have had an opportunity in the spotlight up front. Expect more excitement over the course of thirty-five (35) laps on Sunday.

 

Rasumussen and Moore Continue Battle For First Championships

Action continues to heat up in the Re/Max East Coast Elite Realty Pro Stock division as the championship duel between Ian Rasmussen (#81) and Kevin Moore (#88) continues to ensue. Both drivers are chasing their first career championship – for Moore, it’s been a decades long elusive fight, while Rasmussen looks to add another chapter to the family legacy. It’s now ten (10) points between the two drivers with just two championship points races remaining. Neither driver has won a feature yet this year, but they look to change that stat on Saturday.

Marcel Leblanc (#30) has been having a very respectable rookie campaign thus far, as he finds himself third in points having had some strong runs with three top five finishes. Leblanc tops Clark Moore (#54) who has had a season mired with mechanical gremlins – Moore hopes to rebound in the stretch run to end the season.

Through four events, Steve Halpin (#03) has scored a pair of features wins while Devin Snell (#10) and Greg Fahey (#20) have each notched a win apiece. Fans will want to see if there will be a repeat winner or a first time winner during Sunday’s 50-lap feature.

 

Atlantic Modified Tour Returns For Round Three

The Atlantic Modified Tour returns to Speedway 660 to contest points racing for both their overall AMT championship fight, while also racing for a Speedway 660 track championship for the first time ever! It’s the same face on top of both races – as Chris Wilson (#2W) leads the way in both point standings. Wilson was the winner on June 22nd at Speedway 660 after posting a runner-up finish during the first trip. 

Chasing Wilson is “Mr. Excitement” Doug Matchett (#75) fresh off a runner-up finish in the Geary Woods, and the winner of round one in the Geary Woods Yves McCray (#58). The trio up front all hail from the Miramichi region, but a local favorite from just down the road in Waasis is very much in the battle in fourth. Joe Hoyt (#17) made his Re/Max East Coast Elite Realty Pro Stock debut a few weeks ago, but continues to be laser focused on winning a track championship at home with the Mighty Modifieds.

Both Atlantic Modified Tour races at Speedway 660 have been hotly contested so far in 2024, with stout competition throughout. Rising talents such as Conrad Murphy (#89), TJ Leighton (#29) and Tristin Harris (#7) all want to knock on the door of a podium finish – while a pair of former Speedway 660 winners are optimistic to rebound from some tough runs. Braxton Stafford (#91) is fresh off a win at Speedway Miramichi and hopes to ride momentum, while Kevin Bailey (#4) seeks to end a multi-year winless drought at his home track.

It will be a 35-lap feature for the Atlantic Modified Tour on Sunday.

Racing begins for the Gunslinger 75 at 2:00pm on Saturday August 11th with heat racing. Grandstands open at 1:00pm while pit gates open at 10:00am. Grandstand tickets are just $20, and as always, kids fifteen (15) years of age and under are admitted free! Pit admission is $25, and please note that pit access is restricted to those aged 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.