Management for Riverside International Speedway is pleased to welcome Ceilidh Honda to the facilities corporate family as title sponsor for the 2019 season opener on June 8 and to announce an exciting new race format for the event.

The Triple 50’s Presented by Ceilidh Honda will see three 50-lap segments for the 150-lap Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour feature with a brief break at the end of lap 50 and lap 100 where random draws will determine if the running order will be inverted, or not. And, to make it even more exciting, the leader/s at the end of the first two segments will get a $500.00 bonus added to their event winnings.

The event will mark the start of at-track celebrations for Riverside’s 50th anniversary season and the triple 50 format is reminiscent of special events from five decades ago when Riverside first opened.

The Ceilidh Honda 150 will be round three of 12 on the 2019 Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour schedule and the first of three stops for the series this year at Riverside. Series championship points and race results will be based on the order the cars cross the finish line at lap 150.

“We’re thrilled to have Ceilidh Honda join our family,” said Paul McLean, General Manager for Riverside. “It should be a great fit with our fans who are in large part automotive, off-road, and power equipment enthusiasts. And we’re excited to announce this throwback format which should make the event one our most thrilling season openers in years.”

“We at Ceilidh Honda Automotive and Powerhouse are accelerated to sponsor the season-opening race at Riverside International Speedway as they celebrate 50 seasons of racing history,” said Susan Peters, Dealer Principal, Ceilidh Honda, the authorized Honda Dealer in Antigonish and Pictou Counties. “Sponsoring this event will help our marketing efforts in promoting ‘for all things Honda, think Ceilidh Honda’. We will be excited to meet everyone at the track.”

The New Glasgow dealership will showcase its automotive, off-road, and power equipment line-up at Riverside during the event, with displays in the midway area as well as on-track.

Since 2001 and the formation of the PST, the season-opening event at Riverside has seen 12 different winners. From 2001 until 2013 it was a 100-lap event and in 2013 it expanded to a 150-lap event. This will be the 19th edition of the event.

There are six drivers tied at two wins apiece in this event over its 18-year history: defending winner Shawn Turple (Enfield), George Koszkulics (New Glasgow), John Flemming (Halifax), Shawn Tucker (retired, Fredericton NB), Donald Chisholm (Antigonish), and Dylan Blenkhorn (Truro). Six others have one win each: Wayne Smith (retired, Halifax), Rollie MacDonald (retired, Pictou), Mike MacKenzie (retired, Dartmouth), Greg Proude Charlottetown PE), the late Mike Stevens (Moncton NB), and JR Fitzpatrick (Appin ON).

Besides pro stock action, fans in attendance June 8 at Riverside will see support class action with the NAPA Sportsman Series. Tickets for The Triple 50’s presented by  Ceilidh Honda 150 will be available online at RiversideSpeedway.ca in May and at the gate on race day. There is plenty of free parking for this event, as well as free non-serviced camping for self-contained RV’s.

Riverside Speedway opened in 1969 under the helm of Antigonish businessman John Chisholm. It was sold in 1989 and bought back by Mr. Chisholm late in 2005, rebuilt in 2006 and rebranded Riverside International Speedway. For 50 years, the popular 1/3-mile high-banked asphalt oval has provided generations of race fans with some of the best stock car racing entertainment in North America.

Fans can keep up with Riverside news all year long by subscribing to the newsletter, and by following social media accounts on Facebook (riversidespeedwayns) and Twitter (Riverside_NS).

About Ceilidh Honda:
With its Automotive and Powerhouse division under one roof, Ceilidh Honda is one-stop shopping for all things Honda in Pictou and Antigonish Counties. Featuring new and pre-owned Honda vehicles as well as Honda Motorcycles, ATVs, Side by Sides, and Power Equipment the dealership priority has been to deliver exceptional customer service and develop loyal customer relationships. Its team of Honda professionals is dedicated to a positive experience in finding the product or service that suits its customers’ needs. To learn more about Ceilidh Honda please visit them at 393 Westville Road in New Glasgow or online at www.ceilidhhonda.ca.

About Riverside International Speedway:

For 50 years, Riverside International Speedway has been recognized as a premiere stock racing facility in Canada. The 1/3-mile high-banked asphalt oval roars to action several times a year for special events. It is the home of the IWK 250 – widely known as the best stock-car race in Canada, and of the Bumper to Bumper 300 – eastern Canada’s only NASCAR event. 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.