Smith Wins Pioneer Coal 100; Flemming Wins Third Tour Title

JAMES RIVER, NS (September 16, 2006) - John Flemming won the 2006 CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour Championship at Riverside Speedway on Saturday night. Flemming finished eighth in the Pioneer Coal 100 to gain enough points to best Wayne Smith in the final points rundown. The Championship is Flemming’s third in the last five seasons.

Smith, from Timberlea, did everything that he possibly could to try and capture his second career championship. He dominated the day and won the Pioneer Coal 100, leading every lap, collecting the Atlantic Tiltload Most Laps led award and the Fast Track RV Sales Halfway award. He also won the Motor Mart Dash for the Pole, featuring the top 10 finishers in Time Trials. Smith was also the fastest qualifier, with an average speed of 93.38 miles per hour on the 1/3 mile oval.

Gordie Ryan of Wellington, NS finished second, ahead of Mike MacKenzie of Dartmouth, NS. Brad Mann of Campbellton, NB and Russell Smith of Halifax, NS rounded out the top five.

Smith’s win was his second of the season. There were eight different winners in the eleven feature events this season in one of the most competitive fields of cars in the Northeast.

Heat wins went to Greg Proude of Charlottetown, PE, Scott Alexander of Dartmouth, NS and George Koszculics of New Glasgow, NS. Thirty three of the Maritime’s top drivers attempted to qualify for the Pioneer Coals 100 on the 1/3 mile oval.

The Urquart MacDonald and Associates “B” Feature determined the final qualifying positions for the Main Feature. Darryl Mahar of Halifax, NS won the event, over Marty Prevost of Fall River, NS and Kris Fournier of Charlottetown, PE.

RESULTS - THE PIONEER COAL 100
RIVERSIDE SPEEDWAY - SEPTEMBER 16, 2006
Pos - No. - Name - Sponsor - Hometown - Prov. - Laps Completed
1. 44 Wayne Smith Trax Construction Halifax NS 100
2. 67 Gordie Ryan Municipal Contracting Wellington NS 100
3. 02 Mike MacKenzie Forbes Chev Olds Dartmouth NS 100
4. 35 Brad Mann Subway Campbellton NB 100
5. 94 Russell Smith Signs by Chris Halifax NS 100
6. 6 George Koszkulics Wearwell Garment Company New Glasgow NS 100
7. 52 Shawn Tucker Rockico Truck and Trailer Fredericton NB 100
8. 97 John Flemming The Roofing Connection Halifax NS 100
9. 29 Greg Proude Challenger Farm Equipment Charlottetown PEI 100
10. 19v Darren Vanderaa Walter Piccott Chev Olds Winsloe PEI 100
11. 66 Daryl Mahar Split Crow Beverage Room Halifax NS 99
12. 72 Stacey Clements Mighty Auto Halifax NS 99
13. 32 Chris Hughes North Shore Trucking Winsloe PEI 99
14. 37 Kris Fournier Taylor Flooring Charlottetown PEI 99
15. 71 Dan MacKay Wilson Titanium Halifax NS 99
16. 89 Donald Chisholm Pioneer Coal Antigonish NS 85
17. 8 Kent Vincent HP Glover Crapaud PEI 83
18. 17 Dave Potter Howard Little Excavating Cambridge NS 77
19. 26 Mike Stevens Lounsbury Truck Centre Moncton NB 73
20. 2 Graham Spinney Harold Newell and Son Barrington Pass. NS 71
21. 23 Lonnie Sommerville Oil Can Harry Saint John NB 70
22. 39 Sandy Livingstone Springhill NS 61
23. 0 Shawn Turple Ledwidge Lumber Enfield NS 51
24. 18 Darren MacKinnon Shaws Towing Charlottetown PEI 45
25. 81 Bob White Russell White Lumber Kennetcook NS 37
26. 7 Rollie MacDonald King Freight Lines Pictou NS 37
27. 01z Dean MacInnis Zuphen Contracting Whycocomagh NS 36
28. 11 Marty Prevost Mega Enterprises Limited Fall River NS 32
29. 21 Shawn Pierce Steve's Ironworks Blockhouse NS 24
30. 9 Stephen Brown Mr. Demolition Halifax NS 15
31. 51 Bob Neilson Island Air Vernon River PEI 11
32. 76 Roger Crane Montague Tire Montague PEI 10
Dale Holmes entered the event, but did not make the feature race.


The race took approximately one hour 43 minutes to complete. There were five cautions and one red flag.

In Legends racing action, it was Cy Harvey scoring a hat trick, winning the heat, the semi and the feature. Scott MacLean was second in the feature and Bobby White (yes, the same one that drives pro stock # 81) was pulling double-duty and finished third.

Event Notes:
A red flag on lap 37 stopped the race for nearly 30 minutes. Ten cars were involved in accident at the start finish line, including: Bobby White, George Koszkulics, Kris Fournier, Russell Smith, Shawn Tucker, Greg Proude, Darren MacInnon, Shawn Turple , Rollie MacDonald and Dean MacInnis. The turmoil started when White and MacInnis got together on the front stretch, with the resulting spin happening square in front of a pack of cars. White, MacDonald and MacInnis were unable to continue; Turple limped around for a few laps to help with points before parking.

Bob Neilsen was planning on driving a different car this weekend. He had a renumbered Scott Alexander car in the pits. However, a broken hand prevented him from getting behind the wheel. Alexander, who is Neilsen’s cousin, ended up driving the No. 51 car to a 31st place finish

After blowing up his motor at Scotia Speedworld last weekend, Dale Holmes drove an Island Modified car that belonged to fellow Charlottetown, PE driver Jonathan Hicken. Hicken has purchased Holmes’ Pro Stock and plans to compete on the tour next season. Holmes has his eye on Gordie Ryan’s second #67 Monte Carlo.

Dan MacKay hit the inside retaining wall in the first practice. His crew worked feverishly throughout the day to get the car back in time for qualifying. MacKay salvaged a 15th place finish in the feature. He was sixth in points going in to the Pioneer Coal 100.

The EIT Race Radio Rookie of the Year was also crowned at the new facility. Russell Smith took the honour over Mike Stevens and Sandy Livingstone, Jr.

Smith, Flemming, Ryan, Tucker and Turple all refused the pole challenge.

Attendance was estimated at 5,000+.

Thomas Weaver from Halifax won the whopping $5,055 in the 50/50 draw.

This concludes the 2006 season for the CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour. A Championship banquet for the top 20 teams will be held at the Glengarry Best Western Hotel in Truro, NS on October 28 to honour those who helped make the season a success, and to award over $50,000 in season ending prize money.