CARSTAR Weekly Racing Series
Race Wrap & Full Results

August 11th: Affordable Fuels 150 Night

Affordable Fuels Sportsman
A field of 26 drivers started the Affordable Fuels 150 but in the end it was Russell Smith Jr (Lakeside) left standing for his fifth straight Sportsman win on Atlantic Cat 250 weekend.

Smith won his heat race to start on the pole for the 150-lap race, the longest in Scotia Speedworld Sportsman history. Smith had many challengers over the 150-lap race, including point leader Jordan Veinotte (Porter’s Lake), former NAPA Sportsman champion Chris Reid (Fort McMurray, Alberta) and former Sportsman titlist Colby Smith (Cape Sable Island), just to name a few who raced up front throughout the evening.

The distance took a toll on some, with 16 cars starting the second half of the race and the end of the race finishing with six cars. Smith Jr was able to hold off Conception Bay South, Newfoundland’s Waylon Farrell and reigning track champion Pete Miller (Kennetcook) on a number of late restarts to take his first Scotia Speedworld win of 2017. Jeffrey Breen (Antigonish) scored his second top five in Halifax in as many races with a fourth place finish. Jordan Veinotte (Porter's Lake) rounded out the top five while Aaron Boutilier (Porter’s Lake) recovered from a late race tangle to finish sixth.

Smith Jr., Smith and Richard Salter (Center Burlington) won heat races.


HYDRAULICS PLUS BANDOLEROS
Once again, it appeared that a Bandit would snag the overall win again in the Hydraulics Plus Bandolero division, but a wild finish in the division would change that fate.

Colton Noble (Upper Nine Mile River) led the majority of the laps in the 15-lap affair, but two late cautions, the last with two laps remaining, would shrink the gap Noble had built. While Noble would hold on to the Bandit feature victory, Austin MacDonald (Pictou) would get by the #03 and hold on over Josh Langille (Coldbrook) for his second win of the season. Third overall and in class was Danny Chisholm (Canning), followed by Noble, Owen Mahar (Hubley) and Bandit point leader Nathan Langille (Coldbrook).


HYDRAULICS PLUS BEGINNER BANDOLEROS
Matthew Rushton (Dartmouth) used a nifty move on point leader Brooke Dowe (Bedford) to score his fourth feature win of the season in the Beginner Bandolero class.

Rushton closed the gap on Dowe in the second half of the race and was poised to make a move before a late caution came out to set up a green-white-checkered finish to the feature. Rushton would make the pass in the final two laps to seal the win over Dowe, who had to settle for second. Dawson Noble (Upper Nine Mile River) was third, followed by Dylan MacMillan (Glenholme) and Campbell Delaney (Halifax).


PULSE HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS
Dan Smith (Lower Sackville) made it look a bit easier this week as he collected his sixth Pulse Heavy Duty Truck feature win of the season.

Smith took the lead from Megan Parrott (Beaver Bank) on the outside line just shy of the halfway point following a side by side battle with the #10 truck. Parrott would hold on for second as she drove hard to catch Smith in the waning laps. Justin Balsor (Aylesford) made his second Speedworld start and finished third. Gordie Ritchie (Elmsdale) was fourth.


TOURSEC LIGHTNING
A caution free, 25-lap feature in the Toursec Lightning division saw a return visitor to victory lane.

“Rational” Richard Drake (Halifax) passed Jamie Dillman (Carroll’s Corner) in the opening ten laps and held off a hard charging Deven Smith (Lakeside) for his second straight win in the class. Smith, who had his brakes sending off a spark show, finished second ahead of Dillman, who recorded his second podium finish of 2017. Travis Keefe (Clayton Park) continued his impressive Tim Hortons at the Airport Rookie Season with a fourth place finish, ahead of point leader Scott Thibodeau (Williamswood).


TOURSEC THUNDER
For the third time in the last five seasons, the #31 Toursec Thunder car was in victory lane on Atlantic Cat 250 weekend.

Matthew Warren (White’s Lake) drove the #31 A1 Tree Care Civic to victory lane in the Toursec Thunder feature on Friday evening. The win is Warren’s first of 2017 while it is his second on this weekend after winning this race in 2015. His brother Andrew won on Atlantic Cat 250 in the Thunder division in 2013 after stepping in following Matthew’s wedding.

Warren set sail after an early caution to ultimately take the victory. The battle was behind him as Jesse Deveau (Greenwood) and Darren Flemming (Belnan) battled for the runner-up position. Deveau would get by Flemming with four to go as the #22 would slide back in the final laps. Deveau held on to second behind a hungry Dave Matthews (Kennetcook). Neil Miousse (Kentville) picked up his fourth straight top five run of the season with a fourth place finish as the #71 edged out Chris Hatcher (Beaver Bank) for the spot.