Issue 31

FIVE FOR THE FIFTH

LUCAS OIL 100 PREVIEW

It’s finally time to let the cars and stars of the CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour loose on the 2010 season. The tenth season of the CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour is set to begin Saturday evening at Scotia Speedworld with the first 100-lap affair of the season sponsored by Lucas Oil. But who will be the drivers to watch? Well, I’ve crunched the numbers from the last four years of CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour races (fourteen events) at Scotia Speedworld and bring to you five drivers to watch, by the numbers, on Saturday evening!

#0 – Shawn Turple – Enfield, Nova Scotia
The Skinny – 14 Starts, 1 Win, 9 Top Fives, 10 Top Tens, 2 Time Trial Wins, 3 Dash Wins, 2 Heat Wins
The Pro Stock Tour champ from one year ago will look to pull into Victory Lane at his home track for the first time since the season opening event two seasons ago. As we saw last season with the #0 team, consistency goes a long way in winning championships – a strong run in race one can build the momentum up for a season long run at the crown!

#02 – Mike MacKenzie – Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
The Skinny – 13 Starts, 1 Win, 5 Top Fives, 5 Top Tens, 2 Time Trial Wins, 5 Heat Wins
The veteran driver from Dartmouth will look to return to the top of the podium for the first time at Scotia Speedworld since the ’07 Parts for Trucks 200. When the Tour comes to the track in the Halifax Regional Municipality, MacKenzie always finds his way to the front of the pack before the event is over!

#44 – Wayne Smith - Timberlea, Nova Scotia
The Skinny – 14 Starts, 4 Wins, 11 Top Fives, 12 Top Tens, 1 Time Trial Win, 2 Dash Win, 3 Heat Wins
In the last fourteen races at his home track, the Oval Outlaw has some staggering numbers. The multi-time Tour champ has a feature winning percentage of just over twenty-eight percent. Combine that with eight other finishes of sixth or better makes Wayne a favorite every time the Tour hits Scotia.

#52 – Shawn Tucker - Fredericton, New Brunswick
The Skinny – 14 Starts, 2 Wins, 6 Top Fives, 8 Top Tens, 1 Time Trial Win, 1 Dash Win, 3 Heat Wins
The #52 won two events last season at the Speedworld, his first two at the Enfield track since his season finale win in 2005 (not included in stats above). Shawn is coming into the race with a truckload of momentum after finishing 2009 with four Tour victories along with last Saturday’s 2010 Season Opening triumph at Speedway 660. Keep an eye on the Fredericton based team on Saturday night as they will be a contender for the top spot at Scotia!

#97 - John Flemming – Halifax, Nova Scotia
The Skinny – 13 Starts, 2 Wins, 9 Top Fives, 11 Top Tens, 1 Time Trial Win, 2 Dash Wins, 4 Heat Wins
The Roofing Connection Dodge currently has the longest running streak of top five finishes with six races, dating back to the ’08 Parts for Trucks 200. Of those six starts though, Flemming has not scored a victory – his last of those coming at the Speedworld on September 16th, 2006. Expect the #97, driven by multi-time Tour champion Flemming to be a front runner this Saturday night!

Other winners at Scotia Speedworld in the last four seasons include Greg Proude, Craig Slaunwhite, Gordie Ryan, and Lonnie Sommerville.

OTHER NUMBERS FROM THE LAST FOUR YEARS AT THE SPEEDWORLD

2 – The amount of “B” Features won by Sleepy Hollow, Prince Edward Island’s Darren MacKinnon at Scotia Speedworld, the most of any driver in the last four seasons.

3rd – The finishing position of Scott Alexander in his last Tour race at Scotia Speedworld in 2006. Alexander is expected to make an appearance or two in his #15 Ford this season after his duties as Race Director one season ago.

4 – The number of different winners in season opening CARQUEST Tour events at Scotia Speedworld in the last four years. The last time the event was held in June was in 2006 – won by Wellington’s Gordie Ryan. Other winners include Proude, Turple and Smith.

4 – The finish Shawn Turple has recorded once in each of the last four seasons at his home track.

6 – The most qualifying race wins by one driver in the last four seasons. John Flemming has won two Dash races and four heat races. Mike MacKenzie, Wayne Smith, Shawn Turple and Kent Vincent each have five.

6 – The average finish of Wayne Smith in the last fourteen Speedworld events.

9 – The number of drivers who have recorded wins in the last fourteen races at the 3/10-mile oval.

10 – The number of drivers who have attempted to qualify for all fourteen races in the last four summers. Another two have been present at thirteen of the fourteen events.

11th – The finishing position of Dan MacKay in his last appearance in a race car at Scotia Speedworld. MacKay drove the Pace Car on the Tour last season but will sport a helmet on Saturday behind the wheel of his familiar #71.

23 – The amount of years that Scotia Speedworld is celebrating this weekend. Come over Friday night to the Inside Track Magazine Shootout. The first 250 fans through the gates receive a copy of Inside Track Motorsport News with the kids receiving cake and balloons!

65 – The number of drivers who have run or attempted to run a Main Feature at Scotia Speedworld.

81 – The amount of laps Greg Proude led to seal his victory in last season’s Lucas Oil 100.

All that is left now is to throw the green silk on the 2010 season. Be there Saturday at 4pm as we set the field for the first main feature of the season – the Lucas Oil 100! The Maritime League of Legends Tour will also be contesting their first main feature of the season, making the event a must see this weekend!

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