When Mother Nature caused the postponement of the season finale at Riverside International Speedway a couple of weeks ago the October 12 makeup date was one of necessity. As it turns out it was seemingly meant to be falling on the exact 55th anniversary of the track’s inaugural season finale in 1969. To help celebrate the momentous occasion, the event has been named the ‘Thanksgiving Special’ as it was in 1969, and the winner of the Scotia Diesel 155 will take home a whopping $5,500.00.
“It was an uh-huh moment when we recently came across the newspaper clipping for the 1969 event,” said Joan Roue, Riverside manager. “Riverside is well known for celebrating our history as well as that of Maritime motorsports, so we had to mark the occasion. This one-time $5500-to-win a 155 on the 55th anniversary is a unique opportunity of happenstance that will most certainly add to the lure of the event. Many thanks to management for the East Coast International Pro Stock Tour for working with us on this part of the celebration.”
The Scotia Diesel 155 is the championship event for the East Coast International Pro Stock Tour. This title guarantees prestige and $15,000.00 to the driver who has accumulated the most points from their finishing positions over 10 events held from May through October at five tracks in the three Maritime Provinces. With the top 10 in the current point standings never having won a championship and with only one more race to go before Riverside on October 12, the 2024 champion will be a first-timer. Fans will witness the celebration on the front stretch, post-race. The rest of the field will battle for the race purse and, for series regulars, their share of the $58,000 point fund. Complete and current point standings can be found on the series website at www.maritimeprostocktour.com.
Besides ECI Pro Stock Tour racing, the Thanksgiving Special will see a champion decided in the Dulux Paint MASS Street Stock 5 Race/5 Track Maritime Championship; it will be the first visit to the high banks of Riverside this year for the series and is expected to be a popular one for racers and fans. Keeping with the ‘55’ theme, the street stock feature race will be the Nickerson Auto Salvage 55.
Also on the card for the day is the Whispering Winds Campground MASS Mini Stock Series, a non-points event held over from events rained out on June 30 and September 7. They will also run a 55-lap feature in two segments, 30-laps, and 25-laps, with top-three trophies for both segments.
To be eligible for the $5500 payout, pro stock teams must register in advance for the event. Racer registration is open for all three divisions is open with a special – you guessed it – $55 rate for two pit passes; additional pit passes are $35 each. The promo price ends on October 2.
Additional Thanksgiving Special promotions will be announced as details are finalized. Sponsorship opportunities are available – please email info@riversidespeedway.ca for more information.
Racing starts at 2 p.m. on October 12. Tickets and pit passes are available now at www.riversidespeedway.ca and at the gates on race day. Camping is free and unreserved from Noon Thursday (October 10) until Noon Monday (October 14).
About Riverside International Speedway
In 2024 Riverside International Speedway is celebrating 55 years as Canada’s premiere stock racing facility. The 1/3-mile high-banked asphalt oval roars to action several times a year for special events. It is the largest outdoor entertainment venue in eastern Canada and the home of the IWK 250 – widely known throughout North America as a “bucket list” event for racers and fans alike. Located in James River, between New Glasgow and Antigonish, the facility is easily accessible at exit 30 on Trans-Canada Highway 104. For more information, please visit www.riversidespeedway.ca or call 902-863-2410 (May to September) or 902-404-7049 (October to April).
