Weekly Racing Series
Race Wrap & Full Results

August 29th: Kiddie Rides Night

HYDRAULICS PLUS BANDOLEROS
After a high speed game of chess, weaving in and out of lapped traffic, Adam Meehan (Rawdon) pocketed his fourth Hydraulics Plus Bandolero win of the season.

Meehan, who won six races in 2013 en route to the championship, set up his winning pass on Braden Langille (Shubenacadie) on the front straight as the two weaved through slower traffic. Langille, the point leader in the class looking for his first championship, held onto second in the feature after winning the high handicap heat earlier in the evening. Wyatt McCulloch (Stewiacke) made in roads on the leaders but had to settle for third, ahead of Jolicure, New Brunswick’s Cory Hall and Beaverbank’s Dylan Sutherland.

Sixteen cars started the 20-lap event, which had five extra laps tagged on due to being an INEX Bandolero Nationals Qualifier. With his win, Meehan locks himself into the 2015 INEX Bandolero Nationals (date and location to be announced).

Langille and Nathan Blackburn (Timberlea) took heat race victories on the evening.

Meehan gained one point on Langille with two races to go on the season.

STRICTLY HYDRAULICS LEGENDS
With a month between races on the Maritime League of Legend Tour, Justin MacNeill (Bedford) kept his skills sharp by winning his first feature of the season Friday night on the Strictly Hydraulics Legends.

MacNeill, who had track position from his heat race victory, ran away from Danny Harvey (Lantz) and Cole Butcher (Porter’s Lake), who continued their budding rivalry that began a week prior. Nicholas Naugle (Dartmouth) made a late race charge, but had to settle for fifth behind Port LaTour’s Jeff Atkinson.

MacNeill and Butcher took heat race victories in the 15 car field.

The point standings shuffled a bit after the 25-lap feature on Friday, with Butcher now having a 60 point lead over Naugle, “Miss Rawdon Rocket” Emily Meehan and Jeff Cruickshank (Hantsport), who will be battling for the runner-up spot this season.

LIGHTNING
Richie Moore (Elmsdale) became the third two-time winner on the Lightning car season when he pulled into victory lane on Kiddie Night.

Moore, who won the main feature on Atlantic Cat 250 weekend for the Lightning division, had leading Tim Hortons at the Airport Rookie Steve Matthews (Bedford) and fellow Moore Family Racing driver “Big Daddy” Kenny Hopper (Elmsdale) chasing him to the line. For Hopper, the podium finish was the first in nine years for the four cylinder veteran at Scotia Speedworld.

Point contenders “Rational” Richard Patrick (Halifax) and Mike Brown (Urbania) completed the top five. With Scott Thibodeau (Williamswood) finishing 14th on the field after early contact with another car sent him to the pits, the points will shake up again with Brown taking the point lead. The margin between the top four, which will also include Deven Smith (Lakeside), is eight points with two races to go in the season.

Matthews and Moore each won qualifying heat races to kick off the afternoon.

Next week, the Lightning cars will take to the track for a 50-lap feature.

DARTMOUTH DODGE SPORTSMAN
Jordan Veinotte (Porter’s Lake) is finally a Dartmouth Dodge Sportsman feature winner!
After eleven years of racing in the premiere division at Scotia Speedworld, Veinotte found the right combination to put his #11 Veinotte’s Truck and Auto Ford Fusion into victory lane, in dominating fashion by leading a majority of the 38-lap feature. “Jordanica” had to hold off a veteran in Harry Ross White (Noel Road) and fellow “Eastern Shore’r” in Brentley Pirri (Three Fathom Harbour) to take the win. Veteran Tony Leonard (Goodwood) and sophomore DJ Casey (Prospect Road) completed the top five.

Pirri and Leonard took heat wins in the 18-car field.

Veinotte was quick to thank his crew, parents and 1997 Late Model champion Steve Ross (Waverley) for set up tips on his Fusion to get him to victory lane.

Darren Wallage (Oakfield) entered with the point lead, which will shrink to nine points over Casey after a 12th place finish. Adding White to the mix, and we have a three way battle heading into the final two weeks of the 2014 season.

THUNDER
After eleven years of trying, Drew MacEachern (Dartmouth) is a Thunder on the Hill champion.
Returning to its roots thanks to a rainout, the Thunder 50 was run on Labour Day weekend for the first time in years. It may have only been fitting that “The Ironman,” a driver that had seen many Thunder on the Hills through its many formats, was in victory lane Friday night.

It wasn’t easy for MacEachern to collect his third win of the year though.

Stevie Lively (Shubenacadie) was setting up MacEachern up for his trademark late lap pass, getting under the #13 car in Turn Four in search of his fourth win. The move appeared to be timed a bit too late though, as MacEachern was able to get the drive off Turn Four to the checkered flag.

Tim Webster (Beaverbank) led the most laps in the race, but had to settle for third after his car fell off slightly in the second half of the event. Brandon Watson (Windsor Junction) and “The Sheriff” Kyle Gammon (Mount Uniacke), who were on the podium the week prior, fell just short in the 50 by finishing fourth and fifth.

Tim Hortons at the Airport Rookie Shane Lively (Middle Sackville) and Stevie Lively took qualifying heat races.

With Webster’s third place run combined with Dave Matthews (Kennetcook) and his eighth place run, the point lead that Matthews had is now down to ten points over the former two-time champion, heading into Finale Friday.