Story of “The Big Three”
Heading into Sportsman 100

It has been a busy few weeks since we came off our Mid Summer Break. This half of our season has seemingly flown by. I attribute it to the weather with our slow start to 2019 and our beautiful forecasts over the past few Friday nights. One thing is for sure, the action has been hot on track all season and on the heels of a very exciting Canadian National Autism Foundation Kids Race, we have built ourselves quite the base for the 20th Annual Toromont Cat 250 weekend.

First of all, does it get any better than the Toromont Cat 250 weekend for those that grew up around racing in Halifax? Every big weekend has something special to it. The Shriners Classic is a big weekend for us here. Next week’s INEX National Qualifiers will be huge for us tied in with the INEX community (not to mention our super close Strictly Hydraulics Legend standings will be magnified next Friday). But this is the 250. Once a Pro All Stars Series race, the event is now a Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour event and while it brings out the best Pro Late Model drivers around, it makes our drivers of the CARSTAR Weekly Racing Series get up on the wheel that little bit more in front of the big crowd. It’s the atmosphere, it’s the racing, and it's the good times. I cannot wait to get this weekend underway!

After two electric Sportsman features, the division heads into the biggest weekend of the season at the Speedworld in the Sportsman 100. With extra money on the line thanks to Craig McFetridge and Dulux Paints Bayers Lake, you know the top drivers will come locked, loaded, and looking for that checkered flag.

Last week was the tale of two features. The first feature, albeit some sported some battle scars, ended status quo with “the Big Three” on the podium. The second feature saw only Matt Vaughan return to the podium for a sixth straight week. Here’s a cool statistic about Matt’s point season before we go any further - his worst finish is third all season. That includes heat races. His consistency is something that wins championships and with a month left to go in that title hunt, he finds himself second by eight points to three-time winner this season in Deven Smith. Keep in mind, Friday’s 100 is a show points race, so every driver who checks in to pre-race technical inspection receives 100 points regardless of their finishing position.

Smith was fifth in the second battle last Friday night. That second 38-lap feature was rough and tumble at times and saw many different players near the front. It is the first feature this season where I think we truly saw that. Sure, we saw Alex Johnson and Jeffrey Breen up front in the first feature as well but they were able to close the deal for podium finishes in the second part of the double header.

Jordan Veinotte’s team showed a night of weakness for the first time this season. Even though he was third in the first feature last week, he was quick to admit the car was not where it needed to be after the race. The second race saw him retire well before the finish. It goes to show that even the most well prepared teams can sometimes have small falters and while a big point cushion is nice, no lead is safe especially with the talented drivers and capable teams we have at Scotia Speedworld. That doesn’t go for just the Late Model teams, the statement can be echoed from the top to the bottom in every division.

So, can “the Big Three” be stopped in this Friday’s Sportsman 100? I think we got the answer last Friday that the answer is yes - but it will take them being off their game to happen.

I think if I had to make a prediction early in the week, it would have to be Matt Vaughan for the win on Friday night. Vaughan is coming off a big win on IWK 250 weekend after battling with Colby Smith late in that NAPA Sportsman Series race. Vaughan was third in the Shriners Classic, hasn’t finished worse than third all year and enters the Sportsman 100 as the defending race winner. The stars are beginning to align and if they fall into line, this Friday night could be another big one for Vaughan.

Smith and Veinotte will be tough to beat too. Deven Smith leads the way with three wins this season and won the Shriners Classic a month ago. Jordan Veinotte is the reigning Sportsman champion at the track and while he picked up the River Glade International at Petty Raceway last year, he is still looking for that big race win at Scotia Speedworld in a Sportsman car.

While it would be hard to bet against those three, you’ve got some really good drivers that could make a big splash on Friday evening.

You’ve got former division champions, the likes of Pete Miller, Aaron Boutilier and Darren Wallage, that will be strong on Friday no doubt. Megan Parrott is a former feature winner in the division, so is Fred Schofield. Travis Roma and Richard Salter are both former Shriners Classic champions. Alex Johnson is the most recent winner in the class. These eight have competed at the Speedworld already this season and would have to be considered contenders when the chips are down on Friday evening.

Do not discount the runs of Jeffrey Breen or Scott O’Neill last week. Breen and car owner Chris McCormick are still dialing in their race car and told me they still have a ways to go. If two top five finishes in one of the most competitive Sportsman class on the East Coast with a car that still needs some tweaks doesn’t say something about that team, I don’t know what will! O’Neill took the Mason Motorsports car to a fourth place finish one week ago and had fans on the edge of their seat doing so. While they might not have winning race cars, yet, expect Breen and O’Neill to try and back up their finishes from last week coming up in the 100.

The question keeps being asked of who we will see stop in from out of town and try to take the checkered flag away. We could have up to a half dozen drivers chasing the 100 win on Friday night. I spoke with Chris Dingle earlier this week and he is hopeful to have the No. 71 out this week. Phil Barkhouse Jr indicated last Friday night that he would be ready for the 100. Steve MacPhee and JP Arsenault have had this race circled on the calendar all season. Word on the street is that we may also see Brady Creamer in a car Friday night. Add those names, plus more, to a list of regulars including Darren Hilchie, Brentley Pirri, Bernie and Joey Livingstone, we should have around two dozen late models for Friday evening.

It’s always a great showcase of Sportsman racing to kick off the Toromont Cat 250 weekend. I firmly believe we have one of the deepest talent pools on a weekly basis and we have some of the best Sportsman racing on the East Coast. Our drivers will get to showcase that in front of the big crowd this weekend.

The Hydraulics Plus Bandoleros are back and they will be eager to get back to racing. The Toursec Thunder drivers always get up on the wheel for the Cat 250 weekend. Did we mention we have five drivers within two points for second place in the Strictly Hydraulics Legends division and we have a point leader in Andrew Lively that is still looking for his breakout victory in the class?!

Saturday, we get treated to, in my opinion, the three top Touring Series based in the Maritimes. The Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour is the show, but the Maritime League of Legends and Passione Flooring & Interiors East Coast Mini Stock Tour drivers always put on a great show at Scotia Speedworld.

I’ve seen a lot of racing cards over the past decade or so, I think this weekend has the best lineup you’ll find anywhere this season in Atlantic Canada. You owe yourself to get out to Scotia Speedworld this weekend to check it out for yourself.

Enjoy the Food Truck Rally and Show and Shine. We’ll see you Friday for the Sportsman 100!

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