Issue 5

2009 Driver Preview: John Flemming

Over the past week or so I have been receiving emails about whether I had heard 2009 racing plans for this driver or that driver. The driver most asked about has been the three time Champion of this series, John Flemming.

John spent most of the 2008 season down south with the Pro All Stars Series (PASS). On weekends that he wasn't racing south of the border he spent racing around the Maritimes. The season did not produce a feature win but included some highlights including a 3rd place finish at White Mountain Motorsports Park (NH) and a 3rd place at the Atlantic CAT 250 at Scotia Speedworld, both races were part of the PASS North schedule. The #97 team was no slouch on the Maritime CARQUEST Pro Tour either, posting three top five finishes in only a handful of races.

So what does 2009 hold in store for the Halifax driver? "Our plans for 2009 begin with the Speedway 95 race in Bangor." John told me last weekend. "Our hopes are to be successful with this race so that we can have a strong start with the Pass North tour this year." The debut last season at Speedway 95 looked promising until Mother Nature interfered while John sat on the pole after winning his heat race and the rains came.

On the side of a PASS North Series run, John adds there will be extra races North and South of the 49th parallel. "We will also be attending some of the races that are being held in the South but haven't finalized which ones they will be yet. Finally we plan on running all of the Super Series races that will be held in the Maritimes." Flemming is the 2000 Champion of the Atlantic CAT 250, one of the three Super Series events on the Maritime Pro Stock Tour in '09.

When the #97 hits the track this season, they will see a bit of change to the Dodge they saw the past couple of years. "We have a new car with a new color this year. We are continuing with a Dodge Charger but chose black as our primary color. The Roofing Connection continues to be the primary sponsor." John, his team, and his fans are looking forward to an exciting season and they will not have to wait long — the PASS North opener is this Sunday, April 19th!

SPEAKING OF SEASON OPENERS

As mentioned here last month, Saint John's Lonnie Sommerville took part in the first race of the PASS National Series last Saturday night at Hickory Motor Speedway in North Carolina. Following a seventh place finish in time trials out of thirty-nine cars that took time, Lonnie drew third in the top ten redraw, which put him inside of row two on the start of the Easter Bunny 150. Lonnie ran upfront and led fiftyseven laps of the race before the right front shock heim broke on the racecar with nine laps to go.

The #23 team, backed once again this season by A.E. Mackay Builders, came home 22nd in a race that was won by multi-time PASS Champion Ben Rowe of Turner, Maine. Sommerville, along with his fellow MPST competitors will get the green on their season May 23rd at Scotia Speedworld for the Lucas Oil 100.

APRIL SHOWERS BRING....

The month of April, the falling snow turning into rain and the Stanley Cup playoffs are sure signs that the summer is coming, which also means the opening of racing season in the Maritimes! We are just over a month away from the Lucas Oil 100 at Scotia Speedworld and with that comes a flurry of excitement from us here at MaritimeProStockTour.com! Stay tuned in the coming weeks to the site as the Spring wears on for the latest racing news and information. Of course, if you have any questions or comments feel free to email me at tim@timterryonline.com and I will do my best to answer them!