CARSTAR Weekly Racing Series
Race Wrap & Full Results

May 19th: Season Opener

STRICTLY HYDRAULICS LEGENDS
History was made on Sunday afternoon when Cory Hall (Jolicure, NB) drove to victory lane in the Strictly Hydraulics Legends feature during the Season Opener at Scotia Speedworld.

Hall has driven his Legend and Bandolero cars to dozens of feature wins at the track over the years, but this time he did so powered by a Yamaha FZ09 motor, becoming the first Legend car on Atlantic Canadian soil to do so. The motor package, which was unveiled by US Legend Cars International back in 2018, had not made it into shops within Atlantic Canada until after the checkered flag flew locally in September. Four drivers, including Hall, defending track champion Paul Goulden (Shelburne), Emily Meehan (Rawdon) and Braden Langille (Shubenacadie) ran the motor package on Sunday.

The former INEX Winter Nationals and Spring Battle at Texas champion had the field virtually covered over the 25-lap distance. Even with a final restart with four laps to go, Hall was able to keep the No. 08 Total Lubricants Legend out front to hold on for his first victory of the season.

The battle for most of the race was for second with Adam Meehan (Rawdon) and reigning Maritime League of Legends Tour titlist Shelby Baker (Fall River) swapping the runner-up spot late. While Meehan gave Baker a run in the final stint to the finish, it wouldn’t be enough as Baker took the second spot over the No. 6. “The Legend” Cy Harvey (Elmsdale) recovered from a mishap on Lap Five to come home fourth in the feature with Andrew Lively (Middle Sackville) racing to a top five finish.

A total of 22 Strictly Hydraulics Legend cars signed in for competition on Sunday. Hall, Tylor Hawes (Porter’s Lake) and Baker took home heat race victories. Greenwood’s Tanney Spinney was the top Tim Hortons at the Airport Rookie in the feature event, topping three others for the honor on Race One.


HYDRAULICS PLUS BANDOLEROS
BANDITS/OUTLAWS
The defending champion of the Hydraulics Plus Bandolero Outlaw division may have new colors on his car but he still had the same speed. Colton Noble (Upper Nine Mile River) was up front early and often, taking home the 15-lap Hydraulics Plus Bandolero feature. Noble faced a few tense moments late, including his brother Dawson spinning out in front of him coming to the checkered flag after working heavy lap traffic in the waning laps.

Behind the No. 03 Edward Collins Contracting Bandolero at the finish was Owen Mahar (Hubley) and Bandit winner Gage Gilby (Enfield). Mahar had a busy day after coming from East Coast Karting hours before where he competed in an Karting event at the track outside Dieppe resulting in no practice in his Bandolero prior to the eight lap heat and 15-lap feature.

Gilby was pressured throughout the race by Brooke Dowe (Bedford), who put up a solid run to come home second in class and fourth overall in the race. Campbell Delaney was third in the Bandit class while Jordan Rushton (Dartmouth) was fifth overall and third in the Outlaw division.

Chase MacKay (Bear Cove) won the Bandit heat race while Colton Noble swept the day by also winning his heat race.


BEGINNERS
Miles MacKenzie (Porter’s Lake) scored his first career feature win at Scotia Speedworld on Sunday afternoon, turning in an impressive performance in the Hydraulics Plus Beginner Bandolero division. MacKenzie battled with Emily Chisholm (Antigonish) from start to finish in the 15-lap feature.

Chisholm looked poised to drive home the win in the feature, but carried a bit too much speed into Turn Four on two runs to the checkered flag. Chisholm spun her No. 89 Bandolero on two attempts at a finish in the feature with the second going staying green until the checkered flag.

Brett Pashkoski finished second in his first career Bandolero race. Caden Tufts (Timberlea) was third, followed by Emma MacMillan (Noel) and Chisholm.

Chase Livingston (Springhill) made his debut on the day but a mechanical problem kept him from running in the feature. Livingston led laps in the heat race, which was ultimately won by MacKenzie.


SPORTSMAN
Picking up where he left off last Summer, Jordan Veinotte (Porter’s Lake) parked his No. 11 Veinotte’s Truck and Auto (con)Fusion into victory lane during the CARSTAR Weekly Racing Series season opener.

The 38-lap feature turned into a heavyweight bout between the past three champions of the division in Veinotte, Pete Miller (East Gore) and Matt Vaughan (Bedford). As the race went on, reigning Tim Hortons at the Airport Rookie of the Year Deven Smith (Lakeside) positioned himself within the battle and was able get by Miller before the end of the main. Vaughan would take the runner-up position, followed by Smith and Miller. Richard Salter (Centre Burlington) held off sophomores Megan Parrott (Beaver Bank) and Darren Hilchie (Lake Charlotte) for the final top five spot.

Fourteen Late Model Sportsman drivers checked in to compete on Sunday afternoon. Heat races were won by Miller and Brentley Pirri (Three Fathom Harbour).


TOURSEC LIGHTNING
Being prepared in the shop paid off for “Rational” Richard Drake (Halifax) on Sunday as he took home the 25-lap Toursec Lightning division season opener.

Drake won his heat race, built a lead early and would eventually lead wire to wire en route to his 17th career feature win in the class. Reigning division champion Steve Matthews (Bedford) and sophomore Matthew Barkhouse (Dartmouth) put on a classic battle for second with Matthews edging the winner of the 2018 Season Finale. Barkhouse’s No. 115 Neon unveiled his car Sunday as a tribute to the late Allan Curry.

Chevy MacDonald (Stewiacke) made history by becoming the first driver to race a Chevrolet Cobalt in the Toursec Lightning class. MacDonald brought the No. 172 home with a solid fourth place finish on Opening Day with Jamie Dillman (Lantz) returning with a solid top five run in the 17 car field.

Barkhouse and Drake took home heat race victories.


TOURSEC THUNDER
The handle was fading away on Darren Flemming’s (Belnan) Toursec Thunder car ride, but the defending champion had just enough left to hang on for the win on Opening Day. Flemming, who said his car freed up on him late in the race, had an eye on his rearview mirror in the late laps to see Dave Matthews (Kennetcook) and Jesse Deveau (Greenwood) duke it out for the second spot. Matthews would edge Deveau out for the spot. Neil Miousse (Kentville) and Jason Pickles (Enfield) would bring their Civics home in the top five on Opening Day.

Deveau and Flemming drove to heat race wins on Opening Day.

The Toursec Thunder division saw entries from a broad geographical spectrum, including Cody Byrne (Orwell Cove, PE), Taylor McLean (New Glasgow) and Tim Hortons at the Airport Rookie Shay MacPhee (Yarmouth).