Courtesy Mike Ledwidge
Truro, NS – John Flemming of Halifax, NS was honored as the 2006 CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour Champion on Saturday night during the season’s end banquet.
Flemming was the only three time winner on the tour this season and fittingly enough, becomes the first three time champion on the tour. Flemming received a standing ovation from his peers to go along with the $10,000 check and big trophy that were given to him from CARQUEST’s John Garnhum and Mike Perrin. In his speech, Flemming thanked his car owner, Pat Ryder, and his Roofing Connection team for their support, as well as the fans, his family and the other competitors and officials that make the tour what it is.
The sixth season of the CARQUEST Maritime Pro Stock Tour came to a close with the awarding of the year end point and contingency bonuses totaling nearly $60,000. A capacity crowd of over 300 people including sponsors, car owners and drivers, crew members, tour staff and dignitaries enjoyed an incredible buffet at the Glengarry Best Western Hotel in Truro before the presentations celebrating the 2006 season.
The top twenty positions in final point standings were all included in the $50,000 points fund direct from CARQUEST. Twenty-three cars attempted to qualify for all eleven events of the 2006 season. The car count in the competitive CARQUEST Pro Stock tour has continued to grow every season that it has been in operation. For the third year in a row, eight different drivers took home a checkered flag in the main feature.
Finishing second and third in the final point standings was Wayne Smith of Timberlea, NS and Brad Mann from Campbellton, NB.
Flemming also won several contingency awards that were handed out at the banquet for various accomplishments throughout the season. He won the Parts For Trucks/Plasti-Kote Challenge, combining points from each of the Parts for Trucks races (at four different venues on the tour). He also captured the Atlantic Tiltload Most Laps Led Award and shared the Fast Track RV Sales Halfway Award with Smith.
Smith won the Atlantic Tiltload Hard Charger Award, gaining the most positions throughout the season. He also won the Pole Challenge Award, as he took the challenge to start twenty-fifth on the grid four times throughout the season. Three out of the four attempts, Smith elevated himself into a top five position from the twenty fifth starting spot to gain money and valuable points. The move helped elevate him from third to second in the year-end championship.
The EIT Race Radio Rookie of the year went to Russell Smith of Timberlea, NS. He also receives a new LEAF driving suit, courtesy of R&D Performancentre. Mike Stevens of Salisbury, NB and Sandy Livingstone of Springhill, NS were first and second runners up, respectively.
A special tribute was also given to Dave Potter of Cambridge, NS. The retiring Potter has been a fixture in auto racing in the Maritimes since 1988. In that timeframe, he never missed a points race at any level in which he competed. Potter started racing in 1988 in the old “Dukes” Division at Scotia Speedworld, before moving to Street Stock and then to Maritime Modified before turning to a Pro Stock car. Potter announced his retirement to his fellow competitors midway through the season and a slideshow of his racing career was shown in his honour. His fellow competitors also awarded Potter his sixth Most Sportsmanlike Driver award of his illustrious career.
This concludes the 2006 season of the CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour. Drivers can look forward to rules meetings in December and January. Following those meetings, they can expect the updated rules and procedures to be released. A schedule for the 2007 season is taking shape and should be made public in February or March.
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