CHICKENBURGER RACE WRAP

July 8, Inside Track Shootour Night

DARTMOUTH DODGE SPORTSMAN SERIES – SMITH EDGES BOUTILIER IN TWO LAP DASH

In a replay of Opening Day in the Dartmouth Dodge Sportsman Series, Aaron Boutilier (Porters Lake) and Colby Smith (Cape Sable Island) lined up side-by-side for a late race restart. This time though it was last seasons champ getting the best of the Opening Day winner as Smith would take the win by inches over Boutilier. The feature win was the first of the season for the driver of the #77 Wade’s Wire Traps Chevrolet Impala. Crossing the line in third was point leader Russell Smith Jr. (Lakeside), who had his nearest point competitor Jeff Dillman (Middle Musquodoboit) behind him in fourth. Finishing the 30-lap main feature in fifth was Oakfield’s Darren Wallage in his Chevrolet Impala.

Colby Smith started off the night with a heat race win while Kirk Ryan (Enfield) was victorious in the other 10-lap qualifier. The Dartmouth Dodge Sportsman Series are on track this Friday night for the 17th Annual Shriner’s Classic for Sportsman. Last season, Colby Smith won the race in a late race shootout over three-time Classic champ Terry Roma (West Chezzetcook) in the 50-lap affair.

COCO BEACH LEGENDS – BLENKHORN GOES BACK-TO-BACK IN PHOTO FINISH

Dylan Blenkhorn (Truro) backed up his first career Coco Beach Legend car win with his second in as many races Friday night during the Inside Track Shootout. Blenkhorn had his hands full with “The Legend” Cy Harvey during the 25-lap event as the two swapped the top spot multiple times in the final laps. Harvey made a final move out of Turn Four on the final lap but the Elmsdale driver could not complete the pass by the line and had to settle for second in a close finish. Dylan’s father Paul Blenkhorn (Truro) had a front row seat to the battle as he came home in third with point leader Steve Pye (Lantz) and Tony Gaudet Jr (Milford Station) completing the top five.

Harvey in his #37 No Bull Auto Legend got the best of Blenkhorn’s #67 The Cat Shack car in one of the 10-lap heat races while Richard Salter (Centre Burlington) edged out “Miss Rawdon Rocket” Emily Meehan in the other qualifier.

LUMBERMART THUNDER – HARVIE FOURTH WINNER IN FOUR RACES IN THUNDER CLASS

After a late start to the season, Ross Harvie (Kennetcook) has found his stride in the Lumbermart Thunder class. The third place driver from last season captured the feature on Inside Track Shootout Night for the second consecutive season. Harvie, in the #67 AJK Civic crossed the line ahead of Joey Lawson (Porters Lake) who continues to click off top five finishes in his #27 Veinotte Motorsports Civic. Third was Matthew Warren of White’s Lake who made a four point gain on point leader Dave Matthews (Kennetcook), who finished in the tire tracks of Warren in the feature. Sheet Harbour’s Tylor Hawes came home in fifth place.

Three heat races set the 26 car field for the feature and they were taken away by Drew MacEachern (Dartmouth), Harvie and Warren.

LUMBERMART LIGHTNING – SINGER SCORES FIRST FEATURE WIN

Kennetcook’s Cody Singer had come close so many times to victory in the Lumbermart Lightning division. In fact, since his rookie season in 2008 leading up to Friday night, Singer had recorded six podium finishes and 18 top five finishes in the division – but a feature win always seemed to elude the #151 car. The Inside Track Shootout would change that though as Singer would best a 25-car field en route to his first feature win of his Lumbermart Lightning career. Singer held off Lakeside’s Nick Hurshman and point leader Jorden Smith for the win in the 20-lap race. “Crazy” Craig Cordeau (Windsor) finished fourth while Harry Breimer Jr (Stewiacke) recorded his best career finish with a fifth place run.

Breimer started off the night with his first ever checkered flag in a heat race, joining “Rational” Richard Patrick as the #141 Covey’s Auto Recyclers Neon also got to celebrate for the first time in a heat race. Jorden Smith rounded out the winners in the 10-lap heat races.

HYDRAULICS PLUS BANDOLEROS – JARRETT BEATS COLE IN BATTLE OF BUTCHER BROS

Jarrett Butcher (Porter’s Lake) admitted at the start of the season that it would be tough to beat his brother Cole this season in the Hydraulics Plus Bandolero division. Jarrett did just that on Friday though as he bested his brother to score the feature victory in the Hydraulics Plus Bandolero 15-lap main feature. The #3 Top Construction Bandolero came home first ahead of his brothers #5 Atlantic Tiltload Bandolero while rookie Cole Tanner (Shubenacadie) was third in the #33 Sheehy Enterprises ride. Completing the top five was Kennetcook’s Luke Ettinger and Shubenacadie’s Braden Langille.

Langille was victorious in the eight lap qualifying heat race. The Hydraulics Plus Bandoleros are off this week as they prepare to do battle as the undercard to Twin 50’s Night on July 22nd.

Next up for Scotia Speedworld is the 17th Annual Shriner’s Classic for Sportsman. This 50-lap event boasts a champion list with many familiar names on it, such as Gordie Ryan, Troy Slaunwhite, Terry Roma, Ron and Mel Tibert, Harry Ross White, Tony Leonard, James Graves, Craig Slaunwhite, Jeff Dillman and Colby Smith. Smith took the win in 2010 by beating Roma on a late race dash to the checkers. The action gets underway at 7pm with five divisions of Weekly Racing Series cars in action!

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