UPDATED WITH ENTRY LIST – JAMES RIVER, NS – Riverside International Speedway is gearing up for the biggest double-header weekend of stock car racing it has hosted in several years. This Friday and Saturday will see a combined 600 laps of feature race action with four of the nation’s top touring series. The Ron MacGillivray Chev Olds 150 for the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour and the Highland Building Centres 100 for the Napa Sportsman Series is Friday and on Saturday it’s the Wilson Equipment 300 Support Red Cross Disaster Relief for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series and Maritime League of Legends 50-lap Invitational.
At least four drivers will do double-duty in the double header; pro stock drivers Donald Chisholm, from Antigonish, and John Flemming, from Halifax, will both enter the NASCAR race as well driving NASCAR race cars from their own stables; and NASCAR drivers Jason Hathaway and J.R. Fitzpatrick will also run Friday night with Hathaway in a Nova Racing pro stock as a teammate for Chisholm and Fitzpatrick in a Reid Racing sportsman as a teammate to Chris Reid and Kyle Reid.
Flemming leads the pro stock tour point standings heading into Riverside with a 30-point lead over Shawn Tucker (Fredericton, NB). With only four races remaining on the 12-race series schedule both former series champions are looking to add another title to their resume – a fifth for Flemming or a fourth for Tucker.
The most recent winner on the series, Truro teenager Dylan Blenkhorn, will look to add to his series high three wins on the season after beating both Flemming and Tucker, along with New England hotshoe and multi-time PASS champion Ben Rowe to the checkered flag in Halifax this past weekend. Blenkhorn sits third in the series standings, 46 markers behind Tucker.
New for the Ron MacGillivray 150 is the Bonus Dash. The final three cars from each Dartmouth Dodge Heat Race will qualify for the 10-lap Bonus Dash. The six cars will race for a cash bonus awarded to the top three finishers.
EXPECTED ENTRY LIST – RON MacGILLIVRAY CHEV BUICK GMC 150 (subject to change without notice)
#0Â – Shawn Turple – Enfield, NS
#3 – Jason Hathaway – Appin, ON
#5 – Jonathan Hicken – Brudenell, PE
#8Â – Kent Vincent – Westmoreland, PE
#14 – Terry Dougay – Albany, PE
#18 – Darren MacKinnon – Charlottetown, PE
#21 – Shawn Pierce – Bridgewater, NS
#24 – Steve Ross – Waverly, NS
#29 – Greg Proude – Springvale, PE
#32 – Sarah McKay – Quispamsis, NB
#40 – Robbie MacEwen – Charlottetown, PE
#51 – Vance Hanes – Kennetcook, NS
#52 – Shawn Tucker – Fredericton, NB
#53 – Cole Butcher – Porter’s Lake, NS
#55 – Jason Carnahan – Moncton, NB
#66 – Daryl Mahar – Hubley, NS
#67 – Dylan Blenkhorn – Truro, NS
#88 – George Koszkulics – New Glasgow, NS
#89 – Donald Chisholm – Antigonish, NS
#97 – John Flemming – Halifax, NS
#98 – Jerome Kehoe – Sydney, NS
#99 – Craig Slaunwhite – Terence Bay, NS
*Entry list subject to change without notice
In the Napa Sportsman Series only 19 points separate the top five title contenders with Chris Reid (Fort MacMurray, AB/Sydney) leading the standings over Ross Lewis (Prime Brook) and Kyle Reid (Fort MacMurray, AB/Sydney). Dave Timmons (Inverness) and Dale Richardson (Stellarton) round out the top five. The Highland Building Centres 100 is round three of seven for the 2014 season. An added twist for the sportsman will see a one-hour limit imposed for the feature – which means the driver may be racing against the clock as well as each other.
The pro stocks will see two rounds of qualifying to set the starting grid for the Ron MacGillivray Chev Olds 150 – time trials and heat races, and the sportsman will run heat races to set their lineup. Pro stock time trials start at 6:20 p.m. and racing starts at 7 p.m.
On Saturday NASCAR makes its only appearance east of Quebec when the cars and stars of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series visit Riverside for the Wilson Equipment 300 Supporting Red Cross Disaster Relief. The facility is one of the favourite stops of the season for the series. The Wilson Equipment 300 has produced six different winners in its seven year history – only D.J. Kennington (St. Thomas, ON) has made two trips to Riverside’s Victory Lane. Series point leader L.P. Dumoulin (Trois Riviere, PQ) will be looking to add his name to the winners list at Riverside, as will a host of other top national competitors.
Added to the mix on Saturday is an unprecedented $1,000 to win 50-lap feature for the Maritime League of Legends. The Invitational race features a total purse of $8,750 for as many as 20 cars and pays $300 just to start.
Heat races for the Legends get underway at 2:35 p.m. Time trials will set the starting grid for the Wilson Equipment 300; they start at 4:40 p.m. followed by a driver autograph session at 5:15. The Legends feature is set for 6:30 p.m. followed by opening ceremonies for the Wilson Equipment 300 at 7:30 and a green flag at 8 p.m.
Advance reserved and general admission tickets are now available for both Friday and Saturday, or fans who plan to attend both events can take advantage of a discounted weekend pass. Advance tickets are available until Thursday. On race day general admission tickets will be available at the box office. Anyone holding a ticket for the rained out June 14 date needs to redeem their ticket in advance for this weekend. The procedure and ticket order information is available at www.riversidespeedway.ca or by calling 902.863.2410.
RV parking (unserviced) is available, and free, this weekend.
The disaster relief services provided by the Canadian Red Cross offer a layer of support for people during times of hardship and help give them the resources that they need to overcome challenges. With help from Canadians, the Canadian Red Cross is able to respond to emergencies and disasters wherever they strike and give assistance to those who need it most. To show your support for the Canadian Red Cross, and to make a difference in someone’s life today, please online at www.redcross.ca or in-person at your local Canadian Red Cross office. Each contribution can benefit people in the aftermath of crises and give them the ability to better prepare for future emergencies.
Wilson Equipment is an authorized dealer for Komatsu, Takeuchi, and Dynapac. Since 1955, with their incredible team of proud Nova Scotians, they have established a reputation for providing top notch service and selling quality equipment to road builders, foresters, mining companies and other industries. They have a new leader with the same commitment to service. Visit them at 66 Atlantic Central Drive in Truro, NS, online at www.wilsonequip.ns.ca, or call 902.895.1611.
Riverside International Speedway is recognized as a premier 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 for eastern Canada’s only NASCAR event, and of the IWK 250 – widely known as the best stock car race in Canada. 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 call 902.863.2410 or click www.riversidespeedway.ca.
