Over 150 Drivers set to compete
in ‘Atlantic Stock Car Championships’ weekend at Centre for Speed
September 29, 2010 – Shediac (N.B.) – Over 150 drivers from throughout the four Atlantic provinces and the State of Maine will converge on the Centre for Speed (CFS), Atlantic Canada’s Super Speedway and Metro Moncton’s ‘Playground of Power’, for this weekend’s 10th Annual Maple Leaf Foods Atlantic Stock Car Championships, the final event of the 2010 stock car racing season in Atlantic Canada.
A number of current and former track, tour and defending Atlantic Champions, have so far registered to compete in this prestigious event. A total of over $37,000 in payouts will be available for teams in the five stock car racing divisions of Pro Stock, Sportsman, Streetstock, 4-cylinder Mini Stock and Four Fun racing events during this two-day end of season stock car racing extravaganza. Of those already registered to compete, 72 drivers are from New Brunswick, 61 from Nova Scotia, 15 from Prince Edward Island, three from Newfoundland and Labrador and one from Maine.
Two BIG feature races will highlight this Atlantic Stock Car Championships weekend with the Sportsman 100 on Saturday, October 2 and the Maple Leaf Foods Pro Stock 150 on Sunday, October 3, with qualifying heats starting on both days at noon.
On Saturday, October 2nd, 52 teams from throughout the four Atlantic provinces will attempt to qualify for the Sportsman 100-lap Atlantic Championship. They include defending Atlantic Sportsman Champion John Rankin of Saint John, N.B., this year’s Nova Scotia Sportsman Series Champ Steve Ross of Waverly, N.S., CFS track Champion Luc Bourgeois of Memramcook, N.B. as well as two drivers from Avondale and Thunder Valley Speedways in N.L. – Corey Reid of Bishop Falls, N.L. and Josh Collins of Placentia, N.L. This Sportsman 100 event will also feature three of the best up-and-coming young drivers in our region, Steve Halpin of Saint John, Russell Smith Jr. of Kennetcook, N.S. along with CFS and Fredericton raceway Rookie of the Year, Matt Rodgers of Smithtown, N.B.
Saturday’s event will also include Atlantic Championship feature races for Mini Stock (50 lap feature) and Four Fun (75 lap feature) division drivers with 44 drivers from the three Maritime provinces set to compete for the 4-cylinder bragging rights.
On Sunday, October 3rd, upwards of 30 of the top Pro Stock division drivers from the CARQUEST Maritime Pro Stock Tour and from the Fredericton and Saint John areas will compete for a starting position in the Maple Leaf Foods Pro Stock 150. The 2009 Atlantic Pro Stock Champion, Kirk Thibeau of Fort Fairfield, Maine will be out to defend his title against a field of top Pro Stock drivers from all four Atlantic provinces, including former tour and Atlantic champions Wayne Smith of Timberlea, N.S., Craig Slaunwhite of Terrence Bay, N.S., John Flemming of Halifax, Lonnie Sommerville of Saint John, N.B., George Koszkulics of New Glasgow, N.S., Chris Duncan of Rothesay, N.B., Jonathan Hicken of Montague, PEI and Bern Hickey of Avondale, N.L.
Sunday’s action will also include Atlantic Championship racing for Streetstock competitors (75 lap feature) as well as a 50-lap consolation event for Sportsman competitors. A total of 28 of the top Streetstock drivers from the three Maritime provinces, including defending Atlantic Streetstock Champ Jamie Vassallo of Glace Bay, N.S., Fredericton raceway champ Rick Cashol of Saint John, CFS champ Don Marcoux of St. Charles de Kent, N.B. as well as Mike Francis of Oromocto, N.B., this year’s Racing Spectator Driver of the Year, will be out to capture the 2010 championship event.
Admission prices, which are also outlined on the CENTRE’s website, are as follows:
Weekend Passes
Adults (16+) – $45
Children (5-15) – $15
Pit Pass – add $15
Saturday (Sportsman 100 and 4-Cylinders)
Adults (16+) – $20
Children (5-15) – $5
Pit Pass – add $10
Sunday (Pro Stock 150, Streetstock 75 & Sportsman 50)
Adults (16+) – $30
Children (5-15) – $10
Pit Pass – add $10
CFS urges everyone to check the speedway’s web site (www.centreforspeed.com) or call the speedway’s info line (506-532-3032) to check the status of any event before travelling in case of inclement weather. IF inclement weather were to force the postponement of Saturday’s Sportsman 100 event, this event would be moved to Sunday, October 3rd. Consequently, Sunday’s scheduled Pro Stock 150 event would then be pushed forward to Saturday, October 9th.
Full schedule details as well as the list of expected drivers for this two-day event are available at www.centreforspeed.com
A reminder that the final event of the CENTER’s 2010 Atlantic Speed Weeks, the Monster Truck Nationals and Demolition Championships, is set to rumble on Saturday, October 16 (Rain or Shine), starting at 1:00 p.m. with an on-track autograph session followed by ‘car-crushing, high flying’ Monster Truck action at 2:00 p.m. This final event of the 2010 motorsports season will feature six top-level, 1,800 horsepower Monster Trucks, as seen on the Speed Network, in side-by-side car-obstacle course racing, as well as freestyle and wheelie competitions. This ‘crush and bang’ afternoon of action will also include a GIANT Demolition Derby as well as a full set of Thrasher division events including a ‘Full Contact’ race, a ‘Racing Blind’ event and a Burnout competition.
About CFS
The CENTRE for Speed is a 128-acre motor sports park which includes Atlantic Canada’s largest and fastest stock-car oval along with several other racing facilities. The CENTRE overlooks the Northumberland Straight and is located 5 kms east of Shediac’s Parlee Beach in the village of Grand Barachois, New Brunswick.