Management for Riverside International Speedway are excited to be kicking off the facilities first full-season since 2019 this Saturday with over 250-laps of high-octane excitement at the popular 1/3-mile facility boasting the highest banking of any paved oval race track in Canada.
The R.J. Poirier Heavy Equipment 150 for the East Coast International Pro Stock Tour (PST) highlights the show with a high-horsepower lineup including top racers from throughout the three Maritime provinces, and one from Alberta. Defending series champion and multi-time PST race winner Craig Slaunwhite (Terence Bay) leads the charge to James River undefeated on the season with wins in the first two events. Other series champions on the roster include local favourite Donald Chisholm (Antigonish), and Dylan Blenkhorn (Truro) in his first PST appearance of the season. Two-time series champ Cole Butcher (Hantsport) will visit the high banks fresh off his return from an event at Berlin Raceway in Michigan on Wednesday evening.
Butcher picked up his first “south-of-the-border” win earlier this year in a Pro All Stars Series (PASS) event at Oxford Plains Speedway in Maine. Another ’22 PASS winner Austin MacDonald (Pictou) will make his first PST appearance of the season Saturday at Riverside; MacDonald won a PASS event at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in New Hampshire this spring and is the grandson of regional racing legend Rollie MacDonald, driving a car out of his grandfather’s King Racing shop and bearing his familiar No. 13.
PST winners on the expected entry list include Nicholas Naugle (Dartmouth), Ashton Tucker (Miramichi, NB), Marty Prevost (Fall River), and Greg Proude (Springvale, PE).
Joining Chisholm as local favourites are Ryan VanOirschot (Antigonish) and Nova Racing (Antigonish) driver Russell Smith, Jr. (Lakeside), fresh off a second-place finish last week.
Kyle Reid, a native of Sydney, will make the long-haul from Alberta to race at his favourite track on Saturday. Add to the mix a bevy of other racers looking for their first win either with the series on at Riverside and the stage is set for a fantastic R.J. Poirier Heavy Equipment 150.
EXPECTED ENTRY LIST – R.J. POIRIER HEAVY EQUIPMENT 150
1. (0) Matt Vaughan, Terence Bay, NS
2. (08) Nicholas Naugle, Dartmouth, NS
3. (2) Ashton Tucker, Miramichi, NB
4. (11) Marty Prevost, Fall River, NS
5. (13) Austin MacDonald, Pictou, NS
6. (25) Ryan VanOirschot, Antigonish, NS
7. (29) Greg Proude, Springvale, PE
8. (30) Stephen Lively, Shubenacadie, NS
9. (36) Gary Elliott, Murray Siding, NS
10. (41) Mike Rodgers, Moncton, NB
11. (42) Kyle Reid, Fort MacMurray, AB
12. (51) Mark LeClair, Brackley Beach, PE
13. (53) Cole Butcher, Hantsport, NS
14. (54) Jarrett Butcher, Porter’s Lake, NS
15. (67) Dylan Blenkhorn, Truro, NS
16. (88) Russell Smith, Jr., Lakeside, NS
17. (89) Donald Chisholm, Antigonish, NS
18. (99) Craig Slaunwhite, Terence Bay, NS
Expected entry list is subject to change without notice.
Also on the card Saturday and making their first visit to Riverside since pre-COVID are the Cross Roads Legends Tour and the Passione Flooring Mini Stock Tour. Racers from both series are as excited to be back at Riverside as track management is to have them.
All three divisions will run qualifying heat races to set the starting order for their feature events, all are championship points races en route to the series respective 2022 titles.
Racing gets underway at 4 p.m. on Saturday; the grandstand box office and gate opens at 1 p.m. The pit gate opens at 11 a.m. with practice getting underway at 1 p.m. A complete race day schedule can be found at www.riversidespeedway.ca.
Advance tickets are available online for both the grandstand and pit; tickets will be available at both gates on race day. All advance ticket purchasers will be entered in a draw for a $100 shopping spree for Riverside swag on Saturday. Advance ticket purchases also offer expedited and contactless entry. Adult tickets are $30, youth (8-15) are $10, children 7 and under will be admitted free. Pit tickets are $35.
Spectator parking is always free, and RV parking is free for this event. Camping Section A will be open to self-contained RVs for the weekend starting at Noon on Thursday. A reminder to anyone using an OHV/Golf Cart this weekend that a permit is required for use on Riverside property – get them here: https://www.riversidespeedway.ca/event/ohv/.
About the East Coast International Pro Stock Tour
The East Coast International Pro Stock Tour (PST) is considered 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 four tracks throughout the Maritimes during its May through September season. The East Coast International 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 East Coast International
East Coast International Trucks is an authorized International® dealership with locations in Moncton, Dartmouth, Millbrook, and Charlottetown. They carry a large selection of new and used trucks and trailers and offer one of the largest inventories of truck parts in Atlantic Canada. All of their locations are Cummins certified and service all-make trucks and trailers. Their Idealease division provides truck leasing and rental solutions, and all of their locations offer in-house financing and insurance. For more information on East Coast International, visit www.eastcoastint.com
About Riverside International Speedway
Since 1969 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 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).
