Riverside International Speedway will close its 48th season this Saturday with the Lucas Oil 150 for the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour (PST) which will see two-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Matt Crafton challenge the best short track stock car racers in the region.
Crafton (Tulare, California) is using an off-weekend from his Menard’s No. 88 Toyota Tundra to make the trek to Riverside in hopes of capturing what has been an elusive checkered flag in his three previous appearances at the track. He’s won the pole and led laps but hasn’t managed to put it all together, yet.
And while winning is all that is on Crafton’s radar, the local racers will be battling for every spot as their season winds down with the Lucas Oil 15 being round 11 of 12 on the series chase for the championship. Local competitors will make Crafton work for a win as they look to score as many points as they can and beat a NASCAR champion while they’re at it. But points don’t matter for Crafton so he will be focused on getting to and staying at the front. This formula is sure to set the stage for an exciting event.
Shawn Turple (Enfield) leads the PST point standings by 44 markers over Cole Butcher (Porters Lake) who has a 51-point lead over Greg Proude (North Wiltshire, PE). Dylan Gosbee (Cornwall, PE) is fourth and Craig Slaunwhite (Halifax) fifth. One hundred twenty-four points separate the top-five contenders.
Dylan Blenkhorn (Truro) has won both PST races at Riverside this season and will be looking to make it a clean sweep hat-trick by winning the Lucas Oil 150. Blenkhorn has three wins on the 2017 PST season.
Donald Chisholm (Antigonish), a local favorite, has won the last two editions of the Lucas Oil 150 and even though he’s a teammate to Crafton in this year’s event, will do all he can to make it three in a row.
Also on the card for the event is the championship points race for the NAPA Sportsman Series, the R & D Performancenter 75. Colby Smith (Pine Grove) leads Dale Richardson (Stellarton) by 12 points heading into the finale. Pete Miller (Kennetcook) is just one marker behind Richardson. Smith is looking for his second series title while Richardson and Miller are hoping to overtake Smith for their first series championship.
This event has an earlier than usual start time of 5 p.m. so fans should plan accordingly.
Fans will have a chance to meet Matt Crafton on Saturday, September 9. Check www.riversidespeedway.ca for timing.
There is an Open Practice Session on Friday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. for both pro stock and sportsman competitors. Grandstand admission is free.
Fans on hand September 9 will also be able to check out the only fully restored vintage race car in the Maritimes, a 1967 Chevelle sportsman car that raced at Riverside during the 1970s.
EXPECTED ENTRY LIST – Lucas Oil 150
- #07 – Allison MacKinnon – Oyster Bed Bridge, PE
- #08Â – Nicholas Naugle – Dartmouth, NS
- #0- Shawn Turple – Enfield, NS
- #8 – Kent Vincent – Westmoreland, PE
- #13 – King Racing – Pictou, NS
- #14 – Terry Dougay – Albany, PE
- #18 – Darren MacKinnon – Charlottetown, PE
- #21 – Shawn Pierce – Bridgewater, NS
- #29 – Greg Proude – Springvale, PE
- #30 – Stephen Lively – Shubenacadie, NS
- #40 – Robbie MacEwen – Charlottetown, PE
- #49 – Harry Ross White – Kennetcook, NS
- #53 – Cole Butcher – Porter’s Lake, NS
- #54 – Jarrett Butcher – Porter’s Lake, NS
- #56 – Josh Collins – Placentia, NL
- #67 – Dylan Blenkhorn – Truro, NS
- #81 – Nevin Scott – Clyde River, PE
- #88 – Braden Langille, Shubenacadie, NS
- #88c – Matt Crafton – Tulare, CA
- #89 – Donald Chisholm – Antigonish, NS
- #91 – Dylan Gosbee – Cornwall, PE
- #94 – D.J. Casey – Prospect, NS
- #97 – John Flemming – Halifax, NS
- #99 – Craig Slaunwhite – Terence Bay, NS
Entry list is subject to change without notice.
Advance reserved and general admission tickets are available for the Lucas Oil 150 using Order & Pay Online. Advance ticket sales end September 9 at Noon. General admission tickets will be available at the gate starting at 2 p.m. on September 9. Racing starts at 5 p.m.
There is plenty of free spectator and RV parking for this event. RV parking is unreserved and is not serviced; RV’s must park in areas designated for RV’s and must abide by the Riverside Camping Terms of Use.
About Lucas Oil:
Lucas Oil is one of the fastest growing additive lines in the consumer automotive industry, carrying a premium line of oils, greases and problem-solving additives as well as a heavy duty line of products for the industrial and agricultural markets. Lucas Oil has long been directly involved in the racing industry, and seeing a need for better lubricants in this industry, Lucas Oil developed a line of high-performance engine oils and gear oils that are second-to-none in the racing industry. Lucas racing products, including high-performance engine oils and gear oils, have proven themselves on NASCAR, NHRA, IHRA, USHRA and ATPA tracks across the country.
About the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour:
The Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour (PST) is the highest level of stock car racing in Canada. The Tour is recognized in the industry as one of the healthiest stock car racing series in North America. PST visits five tracks throughout the Maritimes during its May through September season. The Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour is owned and operated by Maritime Pro Stock Tour Limited. For more information, call our administration office at 902.481.2531 or click www.maritimeprostocktour.com . You can also follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/prostocktour and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/prostocktour.
About Riverside International Speedway:
Riverside International Speedway is 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 or call 902-863-2410.
