SHEDIAC, N.B. – Weekend two of the Centre for Speed’s (CFS) 2011 Atlantic Stock Car Championships was a “rockin” affair with excitement from the opening race on Saturday afternoon until the final race on Sunday afternoon as new Atlantic Champions were declared in five divisions.
Saturday’s action got underway with a bit of “housekeeping” as the local CFS Streetstocks raced to determine the 2011 season points championship, rained out from a few weeks ago. Don Marcoux (#27) from St. Charles-de-Kent, N.B.and James “Cooter” Smith (#50) or Riverview, N.B. were tied in points coming into the race, and the one finishing highest in this race would be declared 2011 Champion. Tyler Rossiter (#14) of Weldon, N.B. grabbed the lead and dominated, coming home the winner, but it was “Cooter” Smith who came home second, after a battle with Marcoux, who came home third, to capture the Crown. A wild burnout showed the emotion felt by Smith after the conclusion of the race.
The Pro Stocks then hit the track for time trials, during which Greg Proude (#29) from North Wiltshire, PEI demonstrated that he was the man to beat, laying down a couple very fast laps on the reconfigured oval. The two 10-lap heats were won by Proude and Dave O’Blenis (#48) from Boundary Creek, N.B. which gave both drivers the top two starting positions for the Wilson’s Fuels / Go Stores Pro Stock 150.
Fourteen of the region’s fastest Pro Stocks then hit the asphalt for their final race of the 2011 season with Greg Proude dominating proceedings, leading every lap to capture victory and the lion’s share of the winnings and bonus money and prizes. The race was a fast one with only a four cautions in the event. The win was Proude’s first in a season that held its share of ups and downs for the PEI driver and his crew, but he finished the season with on a very positive note which had Proude and his crew celebrating long after the conclusion of the event. Second place went to Jonathan Hicken (#5) of Montague, PEI with veteran driver, George Koskulics (#88x) from New Glasgow, N.S. crossing the stripe in third position.
The Atlantic Championship Streetstock 100 delivered the promised action with a full field of these machines from throughout New Brunswick and PEI along with several of the Truck class competitors from Scotia Speedworld in Halifax, doing battle with action all over the track. Joey Rudderham (#67) from Sydney, N.S., who two years ago was third and last year was second, captured the event, while CFS rookie Martin Landry (#00) of Grand Barachois, N.B. came home second and former CFS Champion Rémi Gaudet (#22) also from Grand Barachois, N.B. coming home third. Unfortunately, all top four finishers failed post race technical inspection, leaving fifth place finisher, and defending Atlantic Champion Rick Cashol (#54) of Saint John, as the winner. Claiming second was Kyle MacEachern (#7) from Charlottetown, PEI with third being awarded to Tyler Rossiter (#14) from Weldon, N.B. Streetstock heat winners were Landry, Gaudet, Darren Price (#29) from Louisburg, N.S., and Mike MacLeod (#17) from Sydney, N.S., who led the first 69 laps of the feature before seeing his champions chances end as a result of a flat tire.
Sunday dawned bright and sunny at CFS for day two of this Atlantic Championship weekend and excitement quickly began to grow in the pits as the Bandalero crews prepared to race for the first time on the speedy oval. In practice these 8 to 15 year old youngsters were hitting speeds in excess of 80 MPH on the 3/8th mile oval.
The Modified Sportsman 100 race featured cars that race in the Modified division at Oyster Bed Speedway in PEI doing battle with some beefed up Sportsmen cars from New Brunswick. After dominating the race for over 90 laps, Robbie MacEwen (#40) from Charlottetown, PEI, the 2011 OBS Modified Champion, suffered mechanical failure, leaving John Rankin (#28) from St. Martin’s, N.B., to claim the win ahead of Ron Lane (#46) of Pine Glen, N.B. and Kris Fournier (#37) from Charlottetown, PEI. MacEwen had earlier captured the win in the 10-lap heat.
The Atlantic Open Wheel Modifieds were the first to race with Paul Costain (#64) of Moncton, N.B. dominating proceedings, capturing the Heat, Semifinal, and 50-lap Feature to claim the 2011 Atlantic Championship event honours in this class. In the feature, Ken Deveau (#3) from Saint John, N.B. chased Costain hard but in the end fell short, coming home second with third going to Jamie Weston (#22) of St. Martin’s, N.B.
The Bandaleros put on an exciting show, with Dana Hamm (#46) from Cambridge, N.B., the Speedway 660 season Champion, coming home the winner, just ahead of the Scotia Speedworld season Champion, Cole Tanner (#08) from Shubenacadie, N.S. and Chad MacDonald (#12) from Salisbury, N.B. Afterwards, all Bandalero drivers were presented with trophies, commemorating their first ever competition at the Centre for Speed (CFS). Heat winners were Hamm and MacDonald.
Next Saturday, October 15th beginning at noon (12 p.m.), the final event of the Atlantic Championships and the final event of the stock car racing season in Atlantic Canada, will be presented at the Centre for Speed (CFS), with Atlantic Championships being awarded in both “Four fun” and “Mini Stock” four-cylinder divisions, as well as the Vance Hanes Auto Parts Sportsman 100. Over 35 cars are registered to compete in the Sportsmand 100 with competitors from every track in the Maritimes and one driver from Newfoundland and Labrador, making this a truly Atlantic Championship event.