Weekly Racing Series
Race Wrap & Full Results

August 22nd: Strictly Hydraulics Night

COORS LIGHT TRUCKS
For the first time in their history, the Coors Light Trucks went 50-laps on Friday night.

Needless to say, their first extended feature was nothing short of explosive.

Up front, Jim MacMillan (Halifax) returned to victory lane for the second time this season. The veteran won previously on Lockhart Truck Center 150 night, meaning MacMillan has taken home two of the biggest races of the Coors Light Truck season in a part-time role.

“This win is pretty big,” said MacMillan in victory lane, with a smile on his face. “Then again, any win is big for an old guy like me!”

MacMillan took the lead early from a returning Ryan Goldsmith (Bridgewater). Goldsmith made his second start of the season, won his heat race, led feature laps and was on his way to a podium finish before a pit stop under green forced him off the track. A caution allowed him to return only one lap down, resulting in a fifth place run.

Behind MacMillan was Tim Hortons at the Airport Rookie Matt Vaughan (Lake Fletcher), who began to reel in the #22 Darkhorse Auto Haulers Dodge but ran out of time to make a move. Two-time and defending champion Dan Smith (Lower Sackville) padded his lead in the points by besting Cory Leonard (Goodwood) in both the heat and the feature.

Half of the 12 truck field fell to mechanical problems around or after the 25-lap mark, with at least three drivers pulling into the pits with transmission problems. Pre-race favorites Kevin Clark Jr (Goodwood), “The Legend” Cy Harvey (Elmsdale) and five-time feature winner Jason Fenton (Eastern Passage) each had transmission issues, while Chris Ainsworth (Elmsdale) blew a motor in practice. “The Animal” Jeff Campbell (Halifax) and Adam Carter (Lantz) also failed to finish the event.

The Coors Light Trucks will return in two weeks to the track. With two races left in the schedule, Smith holds a 20 point lead over Leonard.

STRICTLY HYDRAULICS LEGENDS
The streak is over.

For the first time this season, Cole Butcher (Porter’s Lake) has finished a main feature and has not won said race.

The dragon slayer comes in fellow 17-year old Nicholas Naugle of Dartmouth.

Naugle took the lead on the second restart of the event on Lap Four and never looked back to take the Strictly Hydraulics 50. Butcher, who was involved in a three-wide Lap 21 incident with Arnie Spinney (Coldbrook) and Danny Harvey (Lantz) which saw Butcher attempt to spin the two cars and Harvey spinning.

The #5 car moved his way back to second, but could not get past Naugle for the victory.

The win is the first for Naugle on the Strictly Hydraulics Legends and adds to the three wins he has on the Maritime League of Legends Tour.

Third place in the main feature belonged to Jeff Cruickshank (Hantsport), with Tony Gaudet Jr (Milford Station) and Jeff Atkinson (Port LaTour) completing the top five in the event.

Andrew Warren (White’s Lake) and Naugle took ten lap heat wins.

Butcher still has a commanding lead in the standings, but it is now Cruickshank chasing Butcher for the top spot. “Miss Rawdon Rocket” Emily Meehan fell to fourth in the standings when a seventh place finish after a mechanical problem saw her back off from the top five in the waning laps of the Strictly Hydraulics 50. Naugle moves to third in the standings.

LIGHTNING
Darrell Sullivan (Harrietsfield) is a winner at Scotia Speedworld.

Sullivan finally broke through for his first Lightning car win on Friday night, pulling away from the field and holding off all challenges late in the feature. Sullivan had three top five finishes this season prior to taking his first win in his first full time season.

Sullivan becomes the seventh driver to win a feature in nine races in the Lightning class in 2014.

Scott Thibodeau (Williamswood) brought his car to second place at the end of the 25-lap feature, besting Atlantic Cat 250 weekend winner Richie Moore (Elmsdale) to the stripe. Mike Brown (Urbania) and “Rational” Richard Patrick (Halifax) scored top five finishes over “Big Daddy” Kenny Hopper (Elmsdale), who scored his season best finish with a sixth place run.

Marc MacMillan (Glenholme) returned to the division he won a championship in one season ago to win one of two heat races, with Sullivan completing the sweep with a 10-lap qualifier victory.

The top four in points are only separated by 22 points, with Thibodeau taking the point lead following a 14th place feature finish by Deven Smith (Lakeside).

THUNDER
Finally.

After speed censor problems, electrical issues, power shortages and other mechanical failures, “The Sherriff” Kyle Gammon (Mount Uniacke) finally held the #98 Jarvis Construction Civic together for 25-laps to take the win in the Thunder class, his first of 2014.

Gammon battled Tim Hortons at the Airport Rookie Nic Baker (Middle Sackville) for the lead in the first five laps of the race, and never looked back after dispatching the #88 from the top spot. Only a single caution for Merle Corbin (Halifax) hitting the wall on the front straight could stop the pace of the multi-time feature winner in the class.

A relieved Gammon was chased to the line by Brandon Watson (Windsor Junction), who had a fast car throughout the evening and appeared to be reeling in the #98, but ran out of laps to make his move. Two-time champion Tim Webster (Beaverbank) held off “The Ironman” Drew MacEachern (Dartmouth) and defending division champion Matthew Warren (White’s Lake) for the third place spot.

Fourteen cars started the feature event, which saw qualifying heats won by Gammon and Watson.

Point leader Dave Matthews (Kennetcook) finished sixth on the night and now has a 24 point lead over Webster with two weeks to go. Any championship chances for three-time feature winner Stevie Lively (Shubenacadie) were all but crushed on the pace laps for the feature when the #32 Bud’s Top Soil Civic lost a wheel and finished 14th on the night.