Issue 46

The Notebook - Parts For Trucks 100

We have something special brewing this season. In the first eight races in 2010, we have eight different drivers that can call themselves feature winners. With his win on Saturday, Donald Chisholm became number eight as the Antigonish driver showed some muscle at his home track.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said an elated Chisholm after climbing from his #89 Keltic Ford Fusion. “This is our first win at the new track. It’s a huge win.” With the big win, Chisholm will find himself fourth in the point standings, just twenty-four points out of first place and with three races to go the championship is in sights for the Nova Racing team!

A late wreck inside ten laps to go in turn three greatly changed not only the running order in the Parts for Trucks 100 but also shook the ground the championship picture stood on before Riverside. Mike Stevens was having a career night on the high banks of Riverside in his #26 G Bourque-Artic Cat/R. Stevens Mechanical Ford Fusion as he ran a quarter of the race in second before surrendering the position he gained from Greg Proude to Shawn Tucker. Stevens ran in third until lap ninety when he along with Greg Proude and Shawn Turple got tangled up when they were working on the outside of a lapped car. The driver that suffered the most in the second caution of the evening was point leader Wayne Smith. The Oval Outlaw from Timberlea was running seventh at the time while he and Kent Vincent put on a show battling for the sixth spot when Smith got locked into the mess of cars in turn three. With no cars out of the race and Smith’s car not able to continue for the final ten circuits it dropped the #44 Jetco Contracting Chevrolet to fifth in points.

Before we go any farther, a big tip of the cap needs to go to that #26 team. The team has had a fast car at every race this season but has had something happen that has taken the team out of contention. Whether it be an accident like at Riverside, a rear end problem in Prince Edward Island or a mechanical failure at Scotia the Salisbury, New Brunswick based effort has been up front every time circumstance has presented itself. If there is any team that is due and/or deserving of a feature win after the luck they’ve had this season, it has to be Mike Stevens and crew.

Speaking of due for a win, when the subject was brought up at Riverside it was Shawn Tucker’s name that was brought up. When asked during the Dash draw, Enfield’s Shawn Turple said “I’d love to be the first driver to win two races this season but the field is strong. Shawn Tucker is due for his first win.” Tucker brought his #52 A.L. Gullison Disaster Kleenup Chevrolet home in second and even though he hasn’t won a feature yet this season, his consistency has been rewarded with the point lead! Tucker leads Turple by six points heading into the Lucas Oil 100. We’ll have more on the point picture later in the week in my Speedworld preview!

Kent Vincent once again found himself battling with Wayne Smith at Riverside Speedway during the Parts for Trucks 100. While most eyes were looking at the battle brewing for second during the long green flag run, some kept a watch on the incredible battle for the top ten position between the #44 and the #8. When the accident broke out in corner three though, Vincent was able to navigate his #8 Vector Aerospace Dodge around the wreck and went from outside the top five to third. It’s runs like the one in the Parts for Trucks 100 that make champions and with Vincent in the hunt with just three races to go we could very well see car #8 at the top before the end of the season.

Jerome Kehoe got his second checkered flag of his young Pro Stock career on Saturday by winning his Dartmouth Dodge Heat Race. Kehoe scored a heat win at Oyster Bed Speedway but this one has got to be special as it happened in front of his home track crowd. Kehoe, based out of Sydney had one of the loudest cheers from the crowd when it came to pre-race Driver Introductions and will hope to carry that momentum down to Scotia Speedworld as he hopes to lock up the EIT Race Radio Rookie of the Year trophy in the next three events.

A pat on the back also needs to go to everyone responsible for getting the #32 and #45 cars back on track following their crash in their Dartmouth Dodge Heat Race. Chris Hughes appeared to lose the handling out of the second corner in his #32 Pauley Equipment/Pauley Paving Toyota Camry and Leonard Boutilier in his #45 Alpine Auto Glass/Streamline Auto Service – Bert Ettinger Chevrolet Impala had nowhere to go but into the #32. Both crews worked hard at fixing the cars and both were ready to go for the feature. Hughes made big gains early in the event and ran inside the top ten for most of the event before settling for 11th place while Boutilier came home in 15th.

Coming up for the CARQUEST Tour is the postponed Lucas Oil 100 at Scotia Speedworld. Two dozen of the best Pro Stock drivers in the region are set to do battle on the tight 3/10-mile oval on a Saturday night in the HRM. Tickets are available at TicketAtlantic.com for the event which is slated to go green with Dartmouth Dodge Qualifying at 6pm – Atlantic Tiltload Time Trials will get the party started at 5:10. This is one event you will not want to miss!

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