Scotia Speedworld Season Closes Saturday with Awards Banquet

(Halifax, NS – October 20, 2016) The 2016 Scotia Speedworld season will receive the checkered flag on Saturday night, October 22nd with the annual year ending Awards Gala. The event at the Best Western Glengarry in Truro, Nova Scotia will bring together over 300 drivers, teams, staff, sponsors and fans to celebrate the accomplishments on track throughout the summer months in the CARSTAR Weekly Racing Series.

Pete Miller (Kennetcook) captured his first Affordable Fuels and Metro Home Heating Sportsman championship in a nail biter on the final night of the season. While Jordan Veinotte (Porter’s Lake) did everything he could to take the championship away from Miller, it was the consistency of the #92 Superior Power Products Chevrolet team over the 2016 season that earned them the title. Miller had one feature win on the year, coming on June 17th. Miller’s brother Wayne (Kennetcook) captured the Tim Hortons at the Airport Rookie of the Year Award in the top class of racing at the track. 

Jarrett Butcher (Porter’s Lake) raced to his second consecutive Strictly Hydraulics Legends championship. Butcher recorded three wins and had a big enough cushion in the standings to hold off Paul Goulden (Shelburne) and his late season charge. Cory Hall (Jolicure, NB), who won a division high four races on the year, finished third in the championship. Craig MacDonald (Waverley), driving for Mark Whynot and the Overall Experience Driver Development Program, took home the Tim Hortons at the Airport Rookie of the Year title in the Strictly Hydraulics Legends division.

Dan Smith (Lower Sackville) recorded a record setting fifth consecutive Coors Light Truck championship in 2016. Smith entered the final night of the season with a comfortable lead on Jason Fenton (Eastern Passage) and was able to close out the championship with a podium finish on the final night of the year. Smith had three feature wins and seven runner-up feature finishes in the 13 race season.

Stevie Lively (Shubenacadie) and Dave Matthews (Kennetcook) put on one of the most exciting championship battles seen in the 29 year history of Scotia Speedworld. The two Toursec Thunder drivers tied for the championship in the division with Lively gaining the edge with four feature wins on the year to Matthews' two, one of those coming on the final night to force the tiebreaker. The title is Lively’s second in the division and first since 2010. In the closest Tim Hortons at the Airport Rookie of the Year battle in the CARSTAR Weekly Racing Series, Mitchell Hopkins (Beaver Bank) edged out the team of Greg McKay and Justin Rowe for the prestigious crown.

Deven Smith (Lakeside) won a see-saw battle in the Toursec Lighting division over Scott Thibodeau (Williamswood) and “Rational” Richard Drake (Halifax) to take his second consecutive Toursec Lightning championship. The trio dominated the class in 2016, winning all but one race on the year in their battle for the season long crown with Smith again leading the pack with five feature wins. Mike Jollimore (Halifax) brought home seventh overall in the standings to lock down the Tim Hortons at the Airport Rookie of the Year Award in the Toursec Lightning class.

Three Hydraulics Plus Bandolero drivers celebrated their first track championships at Scotia Speedworld this season. Tyler Hutchinson (Onslow) won the Beginner Bandit championship after a back and forth battle in the first half of the season with Malcolm Jollimore (Terence Bay). Hutchinson took home seven feature wins on the year. Brooke Dowe (Bedford) is the Tim Hortons at the Airport Rookie of the Year in the Hydraulics Plus Bandolero division.

Nathan Langille (Coldbrook) is a Scotia Speedworld track champion after winning a close battle in the Hydraulics Plus Bandolero Bandit division. Langille and Colton Noble (Upper Nine Mile River) each scored five feature victories over the summer but it was Langille that had the edge by six points when the checkered flag dropped on the season to take the championship. Hubley’s Owen Mahar was a close third, seven points off Noble after collecting his first career feature win on CARSTAR Finale Friday.

Sam Rogers (Lower Onslow) showed no sophomore slump as he cruised to the Hydraulics Plus Bandolero Outlaw championship. Rogers scored eight feature wins and put 14 points between he and 2015 Bandit champion Josh Langille (Coldbrook) to take the title in only his second year of racing.

Various vendor draws and contingency awards will also be handed out as a part of the awards ceremony. All drivers who competed in 80% or more of the completed races within their CARSTAR Weekly Racing Series division will be honoured on Saturday night.

The evening gets started with doors opening at 6pm, followed by dinner at 7pm. The awards portion of the show is scheduled to begin at 8pm and will be followed by a dance featuring DJ Chad White.

For complete information on Scotia Speedworld or the CARSTAR Weekly Racing Series please visit www.scotiaspeedworld.ca.