Issue 92

Looking Back on 2011 – Part Two

2011 - The Headlines

Obviously, we had our on track stories this season and there are plenty of them (some of those we will look at next week during our look back at the most memorable races of 2011). In sport though, it’s not always the on track events that shape our sport but those off the oval that mold it as well. When looking back at the season that was, three major announcements stuck out to me as off-track events that made their mark on the season and will forever be remembered as moments that happened in this year of racing. I present them to you now in chronological order:

PARTS FOR TRUCKS STEPS UP AS SERIES SPONSOR

After ten years as title sponsor of the Maritime Pro Stock Tour, CARQUEST announced in November of last season that they were stepping down as series sponsor but would continue their involvement in the biggest Atlantic Canadian stock car racing touring division by sponsoring two events during the summer of 2011.

Enter Parts for Trucks.

Parts for Trucks, who, along with CARQUEST, has also been with the Tour since the inaugural season in 2001 filled the void left by CARQUEST and took primary sponsorship of what is now known as the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour. The new title sponsor fits perfectly with the geographical territory of the Tour as Parts for Trucks is not only an Atlantic Canadian owned and operated company but has 15 locations throughout the region – with each stop the Tour makes being within a proverbial stones throw from a Parts for Trucks outlet.

For more information on this story from November 2010, check out the press release at http://www.maritimeprostocktour.com/news/2010/pftrelease.html.

PETTY INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY RE-OPENS DOORS

Prior to this season, the Moncton area of New Brunswick had not received a visit from the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour since 2008. That all changed when Brett Benoit, Craig McFetridge and Wayne Smith partnered together to purchase Petty International Speedway in nearby Petitcodiac, New Brunswick to bring life back to the speedway. After a lot of hard work prepping the grounds and a lot of miles and early mornings from the Halifax area to the far outskirts of the Moncton area, the track saw its grand re-opening on June 4th when the Tour hit the track for the Lucas Oil 100.

The track also hosted the Tour in August as apart of International weekend. The first two winners at the track in Tour history will go down into the record book as two drivers who have raced in every show since 2001 in Smith and Kent Vincent. Outside of the Pro Stock Tour, the track hosted successful shows featuring the Sportsman, Atlantic Open Wheel and Maritime League of Legend Tours along with open events throughout the summer. All told, it was a successful first year for the track and the team at Petty is well underway in planning for the 2012 season.

RACE TIME RADIO COVERS IWK, ATLANTIC CAT 250’S

Two of the biggest stock car racing events in Eastern Canada got international exposure in 2011 thanks to Joe and Sue Chisholm of Race Time Radio.

Canadian motorsports history was made at the IWK 250 Presented by Steve Lewis Auto Body when the race was live to air on Sirius Satellite Radio on The Score – the first time ever in Canada that a race was aired flag-to-flag on Satellite Radio. Joe, Jamie Maudsley and yours truly brought Riverside International Speedway and the “Daytona 500 of Pro Stock Racing” into speakers around North America and throughout the world online, putting the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour and its drivers on the map.

The success of the broadcast saw a second pop up a few weeks later down the road at Scotia Speedworld as Race Time Radio went live during the 12th Annual Atlantic CAT 250. Short track racing fans were once again treated to some of the best stock car racing in Canada with Joe, Mike Kaplan and I on the call for the second longest running event in Speedworld history. The exposure our series, drivers, tracks and sponsors got from these two events was exceptional, the feedback was very positive and shows were well received.

Did you miss the replays of those history making events that put us on the international map? Find them, and more racing coverage at RaceTimeRadio.com. Their weekly racing show goes live Monday nights at 9pm Atlantic – be sure to tune in!

Next week, we take a look at the best races of 2011!

Until next time keep the hammer down and we’ll see you at the track!