By Joan Roué, Scotia SpeedworldHALIFAX, NS (2005 August 9) - A stellar cast of champions and race winners is expected to compete this Saturday at Scotia Speedworld in the sixth annual edition of The Atlantic CAT 250. All tolled there are 10 series championships represented among five drivers and one veteran racer that has earned the title of "the greatest driver in the 56-year history of Oxford Plains Speedway" in Maine: Mike Rowe.
Rowe (Turner, Maine) put the exclamation point on the title July 31 with his third victory in the prestigious, and often elusive, Oxford 250, also the 54-year-olds 150th trip to victory lane at the famed facility. The momentum gained from the Oxford win combined with Rowe being the most recent winner of a Pro All Stars Series (PASS) event at Scotia Speedworld (June 25) would place him as a favourite contender for this Saturday's race at Scotia Speedworld.
But there are numerous others that will have something to say about who takes the checkered flag and the $6,000 (U.S.) winners share of the $40,000 purse for The Atlantic CAT 250.
Former pro stock series champions from both sides of the international border Johnny Clark (Hallowell, Maine), John Flemming (Halifax, NS), Dave Gorveatt (Charlottetown, PEI), Ben Rowe (Turner, Maine) and Wayne Smith (Halifax, NS) all have scored wins at Scotia Speedworld and are hungry for another - especially considering the newly added honour of having their name engraved on the Scott Fraser Memorial Cup.
Top racers from PASS and the top touring series in the Maritimes, the CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour, as well as a smattering of independent racers will be represented at the event. The expected entry list follows...
Car # Driver Hometown SERIES-PTS
0 Shawn Turple Enfield, NS PST-3rd place
6 George Koszkulics New Glasgow, NS n/a
8 Cassius Clark Farmington, ME PASS-4th
9 Stephen Brown Williamswood, NS PST-18th
11 Marty Prevost Fall River, NS n/a
15 Scott Alexander Dartmouth, NS n/a
17 Travis Benjamin Morrill, ME PASS-7th
23 Lonnie Sommerville Saint John, NB n/a
24 Mike Rowe Turner, ME PASS-3rd
28 Matt Eaton Little Deer Isle, ME PASS-11th
44 Wayne Smith Halifax, NS PST-2nd
47 Corey Williams Boothbay, ME PASS-8th
53 Alan Wilson Hebron, ME PASS-5th
54 Johnny Clark Hallowell, ME PASS-2nd
67 Gordie Ryan Wellington, NS PST-7th
72 Stacey Clements Five Island Lake, NS PST-11th
77 Dave Gorveatt Charlottetown, PEI n/a
83 Donnie Whitten Biddeford, ME PASS-6th
84 Scott Mulkern Falmouth, ME PASS-13th
88 Chris Hughes N. Winsloe, PEI PST-21st
89 Donald Chisholm Antigonish, NS n/a
97 John Flemming Halifax, NS n/a
99 Phillip Barkhouse, Jr. Sackville, NS PST-8th
0 Ben Rowe Turner, ME PASS-1st
2 Mike MacKenzie Dartmouth, NS PST-14th
8 Donnie Lashua Canaan, NH PASS-9th
Expected Entry List Subject To Change Without Notice
The Atlantic CAT 250 is round 12 of 18 en route to the 2005 PASS championship. Two-time PASS champ Ben Rowe leads the pack after 11 events by just two points over Johnny Clark (2160 vs 2158). Mike Rowe follows in third a mere 12 markers behind Clark. With as many as 220 points awarded the winner of each event, and only two points separating each finishing position, The Atlantic CAT 250 could be pivotal in deciding the 05 series champ. The complete PASS point standings and more information about PASS can be found online at http://www.proallstarsseries.com/.
Former Atlantic CAT 250 winners include John Flemming (2000), Louie Mechalides (2001), Ben Rowe (2002 and 2003), and Johnny Clark (2004).
The Atlantic CAT 250 is the culmination of a busy Speedweekend 2005 at Scotia Speedworld. Activities kick off Friday at 5 p.m. with the Lockhart Big Rig Show'N'Shine in the main parking lot. All truckers are welcome to participate and those that show their rigs will receive complementary tickets to Friday nights show at Scotia Speedworld, compliments of Lockhart Truck Center.
Feed Nova Scotia will also be on hand and those that make a cash or non-perishable donation will get a chance to be the honourary Grand Marshall for The Lockhart Truck Center 100, giving the "Start Your Engines" command and waving the green flag.
Racing action begins Friday at 7 and will feature two rounds of qualifying for The Atlantic CAT 250 (time trials and heat races), championship points racing for Budweiser Weekly Racing Miller Tire BFGoodrich Thunder and Lightning Cars. The C&R Auto Supply Sportsman division will see qualifying heat races set the starting grid for The Lockhart Truck Center 100 - also round 4 of 5 in the Sportsman Super Series.
For the first time ever, sportsman racers will receive a $10 bonus per sponsored lap led in The Lockhart Truck Center 100. A limited number of laps remain available to be sponsored. Call 444-0703 to reserve your lap today.
On Saturday a special Pepsi Pre-Race Show will kick things off at 5 p.m. featuring the music of popular local entertainer Paul Eisan and Tribute, an autograph session and the Atlantic CAT Equipment Parade.
Racing action begins at 6 p.m. The format includes championship points racing in two Budweiser Weekly Racing divisions, the RV Contacts Legends and the Nova Automotive Hobby Stock. Then the sixth edition of what has become the most prestigious stcok car race in the Maritimes: The Atlantic CAT 250.
Once the racing stops, the party starts with the new for 2005 Atlantic CAT 250 Tailgate Party featuring Paul Eisan and Tribute.
A detailed Speedweekend 2005 event format can be found online at http://www.scotiaspeedworld.ca/.
Special two-day grandstand admission tickets are just $35 for adults and $6 for youth aged 8 to 15. Friday only tickets are $15 for adults and $2 for youth aged 8 to 15. Saturday only tickets are $30 for adults and $5 for youth (8 to 15). Children 7 and under are admitted free both nights. All children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Pit admission is $45 for a two-day ticket, $20 for Friday only and $35 for Saturday only. Pit admission is restricted to those 16 and older. Pit tickets are not available in advance.
HST is included in all admission prices.
The grandstand gates open at 5 p.m. on Friday and 3 p.m. on Saturday.
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