Smith Wins CARQUEST Tour Championship at Scotia Speedworld

Wayne Smith of Timberlea, NS captured his second CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour Championship on Sunday afternoon at Scotia Speedworld. Smith had a 33 point lead going into the final event of the 2008 season and finished the Parts for Trucks 200 in the sixth position to retain his points lead over Lonnie Sommerville of Saint John, NB. Sommerville closed the gap between the two early, by winning the Atlantic Tiltload Time Trials and accepting the Hipertech Pole Challenge to gather extra points and bonus money in his quest to catch Smith for his first championship. Sommerville left his second place starting spot to start 25th in the field to gain an automatic ten points. He finished in the third position to gain five more bonus points. However, it wasn't enough as Smith drove to the front of the field early to earn the Coast Tire Most Laps Led award and five extra bonus points, before falling back to the sixth position late in the race. The Championship was the second on the tour for Smith, who won the inaugural Championship back in 2001. It was also his fifth Maritime Touring championship, tying him with Greg Sewart of Halifax, NS for the most championships in the region. After the race, Smith thanked his sponsors, car owners, crew and his fans for backing him throughout his career.

EIT Race Radio Rookie of the Year Craig Slaunwhite of Terence Bay, NS won the PARTS FOR TRUCKS 200, the 2008 CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour Finale on Sunday afternoon. Slaunwhite took the lead for the final time with two laps remaining in the race to win his second Halcraft Print Checkered Flag of the season. Slaunwhite had an amazing season on the tour, winning twice in his rookie year and finishing in the fourth position in the year end point standings.

Shawn Turple of Enfield, NS lost the lead in the race with two laps remaining, but held on for second, ahead of Sommerville. That was the last of an incredible fourteen lead changes in the race.

John Flemming of Halifax, NS and Donald Chisholm of Antigonish, NS finished their Maritime racing season on a high note, as they rounded out the top five.

Only nine cautions slowed the event, including a competition break at lap 100. The event took just under 1 hour and forty minutes to complete.

Heat wins in the 28 car field went to Marty Prevost of Fall River, NS, Shawn Tucker of Fredericton, NB and Smith. Greg Proude of Charlottetown, PE won the Dash for the Pole, featuring the fastest nine competitors from Time Trials. Sommerville had the fastest lap on the 3/10 mile oval, with a speed of over 73 miles per hour. Brad Mann of Glen Livet won the "B" Feature to determine the final qualifying positions.

The race was delayed a day due to a heavy mist that postponed the events until Sunday at noon.

The 2008 CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour season is now in the history books. Fifty five different competitors attempted to qualify for at least one of the eleven events held this season. Twenty three cars had 100% attendance, which were the most full time cars the series has had in its eight year existence.

The CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour honors its competitors with its Championship Banquet. The Banquet will be held at the Best Western Glengarry in Truro, NS on October 25^th .

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS

Did not come back on Sunday after attempting on Saturday: Car 02, Car 95

Cautions: 9 (Lap 0, 26, 44, 68, 89, 101 (break), 124, 161, 163.

Leaders: Car 29: Laps 1-11; Car 44: Laps 12-45; Car 23s: Laps 46-51; Car 44: Laps 52-100; Car 0: Lap 101-105; Car 23s: Laps 106-108; Car 0: Laps 109-119; Car 97: Laps 120-124, Car 0: Laps 109-119, Car 97: Laps 120-124; Car 0: Laps 125-135; Car 23s: Laps 136-141; Car 23: Laps 142-162; Car 23s: 163-188: Car 0: Laps 189-198; Car 23s: Laps 199-200.

Heat Winners: 52, 11, 44

Dash Winner: 29

Time Trial Winner: 23 (73.620 mph)

FINAL POINTS FOR THE CARQUEST PRO STOCK TOUR 2008
Pos - No. - Name - Sponsor - Make - Hometown - Prov. - Total points
1 44 Wayne Smith ICI Paints Monte Carlo Timberlea NS 2184
2 23 Lonnie Sommerville AE MacKay Builders Impala SS Saint John NB 2167
3 0 Shawn Turple Dexter Construction Impala SS Enfield NS 2128
4 23s Craig Slaunwhite Atlantic CAT Impala SS Terence Bay NS 2071
5 52 Shawn Tucker Rockico Truck & Trailer Impala SS Fredericton NB 2051
6 8 Kent Vincent Atlantic Turbines Avenger Crapaud PE 2003
7 48 Dave O'Blenis Burger King Camry Boundary Creek NB 1997
8 29 Greg Proude Challenger Farm Equip. Charger Charlottetown PE 1991
9 32 Chris Hughes Pauley Equipement Camry Brackley Beach PE 1984
10 5 Jonathan Hicken Reynolds Well Drilling Impala SS Montague PE 1960
11 66 Daryl Mahar Inglis Jewelers Impala SS Five Island Lake NS 1944
12 26 Mike Stevens R. Stevens Mechanical Impala SS Salisbury NB 1942
13 89 Donald Chisholm Nova Construction Impala SS Antigonish NS 1936
14 18 Darren MacKinnon Shaws Towing Monte Carlo Winsloe PE 1927
15 35 Brad Mann Subway Restaurants Monte Carlo Glen Livet NB 1922
16 19v Darren Vanderaa Chappell Construction Monte Carlo Milton PE 1918
17 80 Roger Miller Stan's Auto Monte Carlo Kennetcook NS 1856
18 76 Roger Crane Montague Tire Impala SS Montague PE 1818
19 92 Pete Miller ACL Construction Monte Carlo Kennetcook NS 1786
20 39 Sandy Livingstone, Jr. Key Base Financial Monte Carlo Springhill NS 1732
21 21 Shawn Pierce Steve's Iron Works Monte Carlo Bridgewater NS 1730
22 6 Lowell Affleck Barter Centre Used Cars Monte Carlo Summerside PE 1716
23 O1 Robbie MacLean Robbies Truck and Trailer Monte Carlo Charlottetown PE 1678
24 4 Dale Holmes Castle Building Centres Impala SS West Covehead PE 1378
25 13 Rollie MacDonald King Freightlines Fusion Pictou NS 1290
26 37 Kris Fournier Totally Tile Charger Charlottetown PE 976
27 11 Marty Prevost Mega Enterprises Monte Carlo Fall River NS 968
28 97 John Flemming Certainteed Avenger Halifax NS 946
29 O2 Mike MacKenzie Forbes Chevrolet Impala SS Dartmouth NS 903
30 19 Tim Rodgers Philips Bros Excavating Monte Carlo Upper Coverdale NB 770
31 88 George Koszculics Wear Well Garmet Co. Impala SS New Glasgow NS 745
32 24 Scott Livingstone Dalziels Auto Body Impala SS Charlottetown PE 694
33 81 Bob White Stuart Pontiac Grand Prix Kennetcook NS 672
34 88m Kevin Moore Santucci Tiles Impala SS Fredericton NB 600
35 20 Greg Fahey Rexall Impala SS Saint Stephen NB 578
36 17 Brent Wiggins Sign Factory Impala SS Fredericton NB 546
37 77 Gerry Curtis Monte Carlo Fredericton NB 512
38 1 David Heino Shelburne NS 496
39 87 Matt Harris Harris Estates Fusion Fredericton Jct. NB 432
40 30 Jeff Campbell Kirk Campbell Trucking Monte Carlo Halifax NS 394
41 01z Dean MacInnis Ideal Concrete Monte Carlo Whycocomagh NS 362
42 28 Bobby Nielsen R&S Signs Fusion Winsloe PE 300
43 51 Bob Nielsen Fusion Winsloe PE 252
44 95 Mike Banks Snap On Monte Carlo Kingston NS 244
45 33 Brian Jollimore A.N Construction Monte Carlo Halifax NS 242
46 '08 Regan Smith Komatsu Impala SS Mooresville NC 200
47 17b Travis Benjamin Belfast Variety Fusion Morrell ME 200
48 54 Johnny Clark Clarks Car Crushing Monte Carlo Hallowell ME 200
49 66x Paul Gahan Gahan and Son Trucking Monte Carlo Fredericton NB 200
50 98 Aric Almirola Pioneer Coal Impala SS Tampa FL 200
51 1 Robbie MacLean Robbies Truck and Trailer Monte Carlo Charlottetown PE 182
52 94 Russell Smith Signs by Chris Monte Carlo Timberlea NS 172
53 9 Stephen Brown Pontiac Williamswood NS 152
54 79 Dana Duncan Easy Kleen Monte Carlo Saint John NB 144
55 10 Jim Sommerville Exit Realty Impala SS Fredericton NB 142