Issue 72

Notebook - Parts For Trucks 100, Oyster Bed Speedway

What a night it was for Darren Mackinnon!

Not only did Mackinnon win his first career Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour race on Saturday night, he had to pass one of the best in our sport to do so. Mackinnon timed the pass perfectly, setting up five-time Maritime champ Wayne Smith off turn two. With his nose out of two opening the door on the inside of Smith, Mackinnon put the full car to the bottom side of the #44 on the opposite end of the track. The move would push Mackinnon past Smith for the final five circuits of the race, making Mackinnon the 29th driver to etch his name in the history books as a winner on the Tour.

Passing cars was no problem for Mackinnon in the Parts for Trucks 100 though. After all, the Charlottetown driver did pocket the Vortex Brake Pads Hard Charger Award for moving up the most positions during the feature. Not only did he pick up a few spots – he started 24TH on the grid, meaning Mackinnon had to pick up twenty-three spots to stand where he did on Saturday!

For Mackinnon, the timing could not have been better to score his first win. Not only does he get “big mo’” on his side for the upcoming races, he enters Scotia Speedworld this weekend with a legitimate chance to go back-to-back. Remember the run the #18 Shaw’s Towing/First Choice Hair Cutters Chevrolet had back in May when he ran second to John Flemming for most of the event? If you want to follow history, you’ll also note that when Jonathan Hicken scored his first win in this race last season, his team went on to score two race wins at Scotia Speedworld later on in 2010. The win might even help his relationship status. We joke with Darren on the Tour that (according to his crew) one of his hobbies is chasing girls. Maybe the checkered flag will be a chick magnet as he heads back to Halifax on Saturday night.

Mackinnon wasn’t the only Island contingent who excelled at his home track on Saturday. Kent Vincent came from the back at lap fifty-five to finish second. Vincent and Fredericton, NB’s Shawn Tucker put on a show in the first half of the race for the lead. Over numerous restarts, the two swapped the point before the two came into contact in turn two which resulted in the two performing a synchronized spinning act in front of the field. Vincent got up on the wheel of his #8 Vector Aerospace Dodge and drove through the field all the way up to second. With the run, it should move Vincent into the top three in points heading into the fifth round of the Tour at the Speedworld.

Daryl Mahar had a great run going all night long in his #66 K. Hubley Woodworking and Contracting/Inglis Jewelers Chevrolet Impala. Mahar ran up in the top three for many laps in the race before falling back to a very respectable sixth place finish at the end. Mahar has established himself this season as one of the top qualifiers on the Tour and is finding himself more often than not backing up that effort by running in the top ten come feature time. Mahar will head home this weekend and will hope to pull off some home turf magic at Scotia Speedworld!

Brad Mann methodically made his way to the front of the field Saturday to record his second consecutive top ten in the Majestik sponsored ride. Mann, the veteran from Glen Livet, NB, should find himself up in the top ten in points when the standings are released this week as well.

Part-time driver Darren Vanderaa also had a solid run in his #19v Charlottetown Automotive Repair Solutions Chevrolet. Like Chris Hughes said during the Fast Eddie Racewear Hat Draw, it’s hard to be a part time driver on the Tour and expect to be fast every week against drivers who are running every race and gaining knowledge on their cars. Vanderaa took the home track advantage though and kept the #19v in the top ten for most of the event, scoring an eighth place finish at the end.

Give a call out to Cornwall’s Dylan Gosbee. Gosbee is the defending champion of the Modified division at Oyster Bed Speedway and has been nicknamed “Mr. Feature.” We saw why he was named that on Saturday as he worked his way up to win his fourth consecutive Modified feature at the track. He then hopped into Kent Livingston’s #16 Wendell Taylor’s Garage Chevrolet and impressed in his first start by keeping the car clean and even running some mid-race feature laps up in the top ten. Livingston tells me he would love to put Gosbee in the car for more races this season but it all hinges on sponsorship. From what we saw on Saturday night though, expect Gosbee to be a star on the Tour in the near future!

That’ll do it for now. Coming up later in the week we will preview Round Five of the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour as the Lockhart Truck Center 100 from Scotia Speedworld will go green on Saturday!

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