The high banks of Riverside International Speedway will roar into action one more time this year on Saturday for the Thanksgiving Special event. Named for the facility’s season finale on the same date in 1969, the show will feature East Coast International Pro Stock Tour championship racing in the $5500 to win Scotia Diesel 155, along with the only stop this year for Dulux Paint Street Stocks in the Nickerson Auto 55, and the Eastern 2.0 Waste Systems 55 for the Whisperings Winds MASS Mini Stocks.
As part of the 55th-anniversary celebrations at Riverside this year and to help mark the significant occasion of this year’s season finale falling on the same date as the finale in 1969, the Scotia Diesel 155 will pay $5500 to win. The race will feature top teams from the three Maritime provinces. Atlantic Tiltload heat races will set the stage for the feature race.
The event will culminate with the crowning of the East Coast International Pro Stock Tour 2024 Champion – a title that will be decided in the Scotia Diesel 155. While Jarrett Butcher holds a commanding 39-point lead over Austin MacDonald, it’s not insurmountable between available bonus points and the feature points. Besides the accolades and notoriety of being a series champion, they get $15,000 from the $58,000 season-long point fund. Whoever wins the title, it will be their first.
Gage Gilby is third in the standings 21 points behind MacDonald. Gilby is the leading contender in Rookie of the Year standings, and by starting the Scotia Diesel 155 will lock that title down. Complete and current point standings can be found on the series website at www.maritimeprostocktour.com.
EXPECTED ENTRY LIST – SCOTIA DIESEL 155
- (0) Sam Rogers, Lower Onslow, NS
- (11) Marty Prevost, Fall River, NS
- (11v) Jordan Veinotte, Porter’s Lake, NS
- (13) Austin MacDonald, Pictou, NS
- (25) Ryan Van Oirschot, Antigonish, NS
- (25g) Gage Gilby, Enfield, NS
- (29) Greg Proude, Springvale, PE
- (30) Stephen Lively, Shubenacadie, NS
- (32) Chris Hughes, Brackley Beach, PE
- (40) Robbie MacEwen, Charlottetown, PE
- (41) Mike Rodgers, Pine Glen, NB
- (49) Harry Ross White, Kennetcook, NS
- (51) Tyler Smith, Hunter River, PE
- (54) Jarrett Butcher, Porter’s Lake, NS
- (88) Russell Smith Jr., Lakeside, NS
- (89) Donald Chisholm, Antigonish, NS
Entry list is subject to change without notice.
Besides ECI Pro Stock Tour racing, the Thanksgiving Special will see the first visit to the high banks of Riverside this year for the Dulux Paint Street Stocks in round 4/5 of its season. 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 Eastern 2.0 Waste Systems Mini 55 for 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. Both street stock and mini stock will compete for a special Hard Charger Award $137 bonus, compliments of J’s Hydraulics and Machine Shop.
Besides the action on the track, 55th-anniversary celebrations for Saturday also include:
- FREE admission for 15 & under
- 55 door prizes, by random draw – gas cards, tools, swag, hotel stays, and more
- Pit Stop Canteen specials, including $2 hot dogs
- Blow-out specials on select RIS swag
Management for Riverside thanks its marketing partners that have generously donated door prizes to help thank fans for their unwavering support, since 1969.
The Thanksgiving Special is a makeup event for one that was rained out on September 7; tickets and pit passes issued in advance for September 7 are valid for October 12.
Tickets and pit passes are still available online at www.riversidespeedway.ca and will be available at the gates on race day.
The pit gate opens at 9 a.m., the grandstand gates at Noon, and racing starts at 2 p.m. A complete schedule can be found at www.riversidespeedway.ca.
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).
About the East Coast International Pro Stock Tour:
The East Coast International Pro Stock Tour (PST) visits five tracks throughout the Maritimes during its season. The East Coast International Pro Stock Tour is owned and operated by Maritime Pro Stock Tour Limited. For more information, call 902.481.2531 or visit www.maritimeprostocktour.com, or follow them on X www.twitter.com/prostocktour and Facebook www.facebook.com/prostocktour
