Issue 249

Cummins 200 Preview @ Petty Raceway

This Cummins 200 at Petty International Raceway might be the most pivotal event in the racing careers of both Dylan Blenkhorn and Jonathan Hicken so far.

Okay, I might be overselling it a bit. But this is a huge event for both when it comes to the Series championship.

Both teams are good at these next three race tracks and I fully expect top five finishes from both in each of the next three races. One will ultimately have to capitalize on any small mistake the other makes. With 14 points being the difference right now with three events to go, the difference is pretty slim. For example, if Jonathan was to finish one spot ahead of Dylan in both heats and features over the next three weeks, that would only leave five points to the good for the No. 67. Throw in a lap lead here or there and that closes the gap again.

Here’s the thing though, they are both really good at Petty International Raceway and while there is a point championship on the line, they could ultimately battle it out for the win at the end of the Cummins 200. But I don’t think they’ll be alone battling for the win.

With the 18 cars we have, I think you could make a solid bid for any one of them to go to victory lane. The last time we were at Petty International Raceway, Terry Dougay sat on the pole and ran a majority of the first half of the Irving Blending & Packaging 150 in the top five. Traditionally, Nicholas Naugle has run strong here in the past, was fourth at our last race at Petty Raceway and sixth at the Toromont Cat 250. Robbie MacEwen is still riding the high of his first Pro Stock Tour victory three weeks ago and has put up some solid numbers at Petty Raceway in the past.

When it comes to the first two stops at Petty Raceway this season, only one driver has finished in the top five on both races, that is Dylan Blenkhorn. In fact, he was on the podium in both races, finishing third and second. When you expand that to the top ten, four drivers have finished in the top ten in both races. Along with Blenkhorn, Craig Slaunwhite, Jarrett Butcher and Russell Smith Jr. have two top ten finishes at the high banked bullring. Slaunwhite and Butcher are locked into a battle for third in the standings and with only ten points between them, a top five run on Saturday in the Cummins 200 may give one of those drivers the momentum they need to lock down third place in the final two races. Russell Smith Jr has been quietly going about his business in his first full time season and will look to put another top ten run under his belt on Saturday evening in the No. 44 car.

On the opposite end of trivia questions and finishing statistics at Petty Raceway this season is Dylan Gosbee. Arguably, Gosbee and the Hynes Racing team is one of, if not the, best this season on our Tour to not win a race yet. I say yet because I think they can put it together and I think their best shot is going to be Saturday. Not saying that they won’t win Riverside or Scotia, because they’ve been stout there too, but they led over half the Irving 150 here in July only to have circumstance take them out of the lead. With this being a 200-lap race, a lot can happen, but I have the No. 91 near the top of my list as a favorite on Saturday evening.

Other drivers to keep an eye on include Darren MacKinnon, who has a top five finish here in July. Shawn Turple, Sarah McKay and Chris Hughes all have one top ten here this season and could be a factor for the win when the chips are down on Saturday. Of note, MacKinnon and Turple are both coming off top ten runs at our last event in the Toromont Cat 250.

Greg Proude, Waylon Farrell and Shawn Pierce each have had solid runs at one point or another this season but have yet to lock down a top ten finish at Petty International Raceway this season. Pierce hasn’t been able to buy a break as of late, including getting swept up in a mess that wasn’t his own doing early in the Toromont Cat 250. The most recent top ten finish for Proude and Farrell came on Prince Edward Island at the start of the month and with our next event being at Riverside Speedway in two weeks, the pair could whip off a couple of top tens back to back in quick order, even maybe a top five or two, if everything works in their favor. Kent Vincent is also due for a good run after their string of bad luck this season has them working overtime to dial in their new to them car in “Betty White.”

That leaves us with Craig Ward. “THE THRILLMAKER” will enter this 55th running of the River Glade International as the Exide Batteries Rookie of the Year point lead and will be the final time in his 20 year career that he’ll race at his home track as a rookie. As one of the only two New Brunswick drivers on the entry list for Saturday, you best believe he is looking for a good run as he inches one step closer to clinching the top rookie honors in 2019.

So, how do you handicap this race? It is going to be a great Cummins 200 with some strong names looking to capture the checkered flag. As I said, and a lot can change between now and the green flag in the Cummins 200 keep in mind, I like Dylan Gosbee for the win but I think Jonathan Hicken and Dylan Blenkhorn will play a factor in the finish. There are also a good five or six others I would put as knocking on the door for a podium run. Either way, it will be a race you will not want to miss.

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