Thursday, August 18, 2005

PREVIEW: THE ATLANTIC DODGE DEALERS 100 AT CENTRE FOR SPEED

Joan Roue, CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour

SHEDIAC, NB (2005 August 17) - The Saturday will see round nine of 11 in the championship chase for the 2005 CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour. With the season winding down and the points chase tightening up, The Atlantic Dodge Dealers 100 at Centre For Speed could be a turning point for some of the series racers. Whether the turn is for the better or worse we'll know on Saturday.

Typically, Centre For Speed has been a forgiving race track for pro stock racers, and has often offered battles between unsuspecting drivers, so with the strong car counts the series has seen this season and with seven different winners in eight events, The Atlantic Dodge Dealers 100 on Saturday could see yet another new face visit Victory Lane.

The 2005 CARQUEST Tour "Winner's Club" includes inaugural series champion Wayne Smith (Halifax, NS), 04 series champion Shawn Tucker (Fredericton), former series winner Gordie Ryan (Wellington, NS) and first time CARQUEST Tour winners Kevin Moore (Fredericton), Greg Proude (N. Wiltshire, PEI), Dale Holmes (West Covehead, PEI) and Rollie MacDonald (Pictou, NS).

MacDonald is the only repeat winner on the series this year and carries the series points lead to Shediac this weekend. The veteran racer and Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame Inductee (Class of 2005) scored his two victories this year at the series first stops of the year at Centre For Speed, where the series races this week, and Riverside Speedway (Antigonish, NS) where the series races next weekend (August 27).

After 700 laps of competition this year, MacDonald holds a mere 27-point advantage over Smith (1551 vs 1524). EIT Race Radio Rookie of the Year contender Shawn Turple (Enfield, NS) sits third at 1515, just nine markers behind Smith. Tucker and Kent Livingston (Charlottetown, PEI) are fourth and fifth respectively, at 1505 and 1460 points.

Besides the prestige of winning the series championship, the first place finisher in final points after round 11 will get a guaranteed $10,000 share of the 2005 CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour Bonus Fund, which when combined with contingency program awards will exceed $60,000 total cash and awards.

Season-to-date, Smith also leads the Atlantic Tiltload Most Laps Led Award and the GM Goodwrench Service Heat race Award. Tucker holds the lead in the Part For Trucks / Plasti-Kote Challenge and Tim Rodgers (Upper Coverdale, NB) is leading the Atlantic Tiltload Hard Charger Award. All of these contingency programs see points awarded at each event based on performance; all final award standings will be determined after the season finale at Scotia Speedworld on September 10: The Parts For Trucks 100.

A complete rundown on current series championship point standings can be found online at www.maritiemprostocktour.com.

In other series news, Phillip Barkhouse Jr. is expected to be behind the wheel of his racecar after sitting out the past three series events due to a wrist injury on July 9. Veteran racer Frank Fraser (Shubenacadie, NS) is also expected to climb behind the wheel of Bob Riley's No. 50 racecar for this race and next weeks race at Riverside Speedway. The Fraser / Riley combo was a force to be reckoned with when they raced together in the 90s.

This Saturday, the pit gates will open at 12:30 p.m. and the grandstand gates at 3 p.m. The Motor Mart Time Trials will go at 5:10 and racing follows at 6 p.m. Centre For Speed Hobby Stock and Mini-Stock racers will join the pro stocks to complete the line-up for Saturday's racing action.

Once the racing ends, live musical entertainment will begin with two bands playing tributes to Roy Orbison, the Beatles and Elvis Presley.

Grandstand admission to The Atlantic Dodge Dealers 100 is just $20 for adults and $10 for youth from five to 15 years of age. Kids four and under get in free.

Centre For Speed is lcoated just five km from the popular Parlee Beach in Shediac. Follow rte. 133 north past the beach until you come to the speedway, on the right.

With nearly 4,000 locations in North America, CARQUEST Auto Parts supplies the professional automotive service repair industry as well as do-it-yourselfers with replacement parts, tools and equipment.

The CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour is operated by Maritime Pro Stock Tour Limited and features an 11-race series at five different tracks in the three Maritime Provinces. Top drivers from all three provinces compete including former champions Wayne Smith and Shawn Tucker. For more information on the CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour please visit MaritimeProStockTour.com or call our admin office Monday to Friday at (902) 481-2531.

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