Issue 244

Making Wishes for Victory; Nova Truck Centres 150 Preview

I hope everyone enjoyed their week off, because it is about to get loud again with our first repeat stop at Scotia Speedworld for the 2019 season on deck.

The first trip to Scotia Speedworld three weeks ago was a pretty good race. The Cummins 150 provided some exciting racing while providing some great segments of green flag racing. If we see the same type of race play out, I think we’re in for another great show on Saturday.

Dylan Blenkhorn once again emerged as the winner in the Cummins 150. The No. 67 Quinn Flooring Chevrolet has now won the last two races at Scotia Speedworld and three of the last four dating back to this event one year ago. On paper, this has seemingly been Blenkhorn’s track. Here’s a stat, you have to look back to the very first race in 2014 for the last time Blenkhorn finished outside the top six at a Scotia Speedworld race on the Tour. Over those last five years (and a race if you also include the 2019 Cummins 150), Blenkhorn has seven wins, 11 podium finishes and 15 top fives in the 19 races he’s competed in at the track since the 2014 season opener. His average finish here since 2014 is 3.79, but if you take that 19th place outlier out, his average finish is just under three at 2.94.

Since that timeframe in 2014, five drivers have won Tour races at Scotia. A total of 21 races have been run over the five years plus a few months, with Blenkhorn showing the way with seven wins. Just behind Blenkhorn is Cole Butcher with six, Cassius Clark with five, Shawn Turple with two and Jonathan Hicken with one.

Here’s another cool little mindboggling stat for you - Blenkhorn, Butcher and Turple each finished in the top four in all Scotia Speedworld races in 2018. The trio swept the podium at the Dartmouth Dodge 200, they finished behind Clark at the Toromont Cat 250, Jonathan Hicken was on the podium in third in this race last year and Craig Slaunwhite was third in the Cummins 150 in 2018.

What am I saying here? Obviously, I think you have to look at that trio as ones to watch on Saturday. Cole Butcher ran well until a mechanical issue slowed him down to a 21st place finish. Turple was a fifth place car and Blenkhorn picked up the win. I wouldn’t be surprised to see that trio in the top four again like we have seen in six of the last nine races contested at this track.

But, who joins them?

I like the two drivers that were on either side of Blenkhorn on the Cummins 150 podium. Hicken has shown some really good speed out of his new car this year and has quietly gone about building a second place point run after three races. Jarrett Butcher’s run at Scotia Speedworld during the Cummins 150 speaks for itself. If he can duplicate that and find a little more magic, the No. 54 may be able to punch his ticket to victory lane. Keep in mind, this race has been one that has seen two first time Tour winners since 2014 - Blenkhorn in ’14 and Jarrett’s brother Cole in ’15.

You step off those five drivers and names fly out at me like Craig Slaunwhite, Dylan Gosbee and Kent Vincent as veterans that have been right there knocking on the door of a win. Gosbee was on the podium at Riverside in the Ceilidh Honda Triple 50s, Vincent has some decent speed to finish fourth at Scotia during the Cummins 150 at the start of the month and this is Slaunwhite’s stomping grounds where he’s had so much success.

Chris Hughes has been the pleasant surprise of the season and enters the Nova Truck Centres 150 in fifth in the standings. Not to put the cart ahead of the horse, but we go to Oyster Bed Speedway next weekend for a 150-lap show and the last time we were there it was Hughes leading a pile of laps in that race. Imagine the momentum it would give this 82 team if they came out of Scotia Speedworld with another top ten finish heading home. On a grand scheme of things, this is just another points race but this show has the potential to be big for a guy like Chris and his team.

Ryan Messer has started off his Pro Stock Tour career with two top ten finishes, including one here in the Cummins 150 in June. His brakes started to fade late in the race but still mustered a great finish in the No. 1 Keizer’s Collison - CSN Chevrolet. Are they right there in the conversation of a Jarrett Butcher or Nicholas Naugle to crack the winner’s circle in this Nova Truck Centres 150? I don’t think so, but you put the seat time in here, the Cat 250 and the 200 and I would easily put Messer in that conversation for 2020 as a winner, if not before, if all goes well.

Sarah McKay is expected to return this week after work commitments have kept her from the track over the last two rounds. As some can attest to, Sarah’s racing crew is also her work crew and work comes first in order to pay the bills to race. She ran well at Scotia Speedworld last year and will be aiming for at least another top ten appearance on Saturday.

The year long Exide Batteries Rookie of the Year Award standings see Russell Smith Jr ahead by 39 points over “The Thrillmaker” Craig Ward after three races. By the sounds of it, we may see Craig take a run at the freshman title in his 20th year of racing. It’s a pretty intriguing matchup if you look at it. You have two drivers who have had success and championships up the ranks squaring off for the season long battle. You can give Smith the advantage at Scotia Speedworld though with his Sportsman titles and a couple podium finishes in Tour races subbing in for Daryl Mahar. You never know how these races play out though.

All kinds of stories we didn’t get to here but we’re out of space for this column. Let us know who you pick for Saturday’s race on our social media accounts, then sit back and watch the race unfold this Saturday at Scotia Speedworld. The Nova Truck Centres Make a Wish 150 has the ingredients to be a great race!

Until next time, keep the hammer down and we’ll see you at the track!