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Setting up for a Second Round

So, if we are keeping score, Mother Nature is two for three.

Management last week saw a hole in the forecast early in the day to get last week’s show in – but that hole quickly closed, we saw rain at 6:50pm and the weather boxed us in. Up until 9pm in Enfield, the next exit up, it was dry. As much as it sucks, those are the breaks. Our drivers did get practice in before the rains came, some of whom needed a shake down after the Season Opener.

While our Bay Rentals Late Model Sportsman will have their week off on Friday, we did see an emergence of Deven Smith and Harry Ross White. We may not have seen them race last week, but it was good to see the No. 94 and No. 18 cars get some laps in and we hope to see them next week during their next scheduled race.

The Maritime Auto Glass Bandoleros had a couple of hard hits on night one, but with the competition and with everyone so close, that is to be expected in any division. Bella Pashkoski’s hit was primarily in between the wheels and gave a lot of body/cosmetic damage to the car. While Bella’s slide into the tires wasn’t bad on damage, the hit Hailey Bland took shoved over the rear end of the car a bit. The good news is that the driver was ok and the car took the brunt of the hit as designed.

It appeared that Brett Pashkoski was on his way to a dominating win, but a stripped gear and subsequent tossed chain ended that early and led to a frantic finish between Samantha MacDonald and Avery DeCoste, our youngest driver in the field.

I say this every year, but we have a really good group of kids in this Bandolero class this season. The competition is close and I firmly believe we are going to have multiple winners in this division. The field is tight and any one of them can win. Some may take a couple weeks to get up to speed, but I think this may be the most intriguing Maritime Auto Glass Bandolero season we’ve seen in a while. We’re going to see some big wins and we’re likely going to see some major defeats, but that’s racing and these kids get along in the pits. This is going to be a great season!

Give a tip of the cap to the Beginners as well. McKenna Little, Shelby Chisholm, Bristol Matthews and Irelyn Rose are set to put on a wonderful show this year, much like they did on Opening Night. Ryder Smith is going to get up to speed and join them fighting for wins shortly. Who knows who might get their career started with us or pop in from time to time?! Stay tuned.

The Strictly Hydraulics Legends gave us a first time winner on Opening Night in Josh Langille. Langille has cut his teeth racing at Scotia Speedworld, is a Bandolero champion and is one of those feel good stories. He had to earn that win though, which goes to show that while Owen Mahar and Danny Chisholm might not be here full time, the competition we have is tough and there will be no gimmes this year. When those one-off drivers show up, like a Mahar, Chisholm, Cory Hall, Braden Langille, Waylon Farrell or a Nicholas Naugle, they will have their hands full.

Ayden Christensen is going to win some races this season. After two second place finishes following his success down south, he will add his name to that first time winner list in Halifax sooner rather than later. Chase MacKay has shown some speed and I’m also impressed with the first two races out of sophomore Nate Singer. This Legend field is deep with talent and it will give us quite the racing product this season.

Finally, the Toursec Mini Stocks will light the track tonight for a 50-lap feature, broken up into two 25-lap segments. Management felt that after Opening Night that there were some safety issues with the cars, specifically with hubs breaking, and have put another extended distance night for the class on August 18th to make up for the lost laps tonight. Maybe we can see the return of a 100-lapper in August? A guy can dream…

The experiment of putting the Hondas back on street, DOT tires has worked out to bring them back to the field with Dave Matthews narrowly winning on Opening Night over Jamie Dillman and a stout Ross Moore. Chris McMullin was strong, Chad Sinton was knocking on the door and you’re going to have the likes of Kenny Hopper, Colin Matthews, Cadence Frizzell and Dylan MacMillan, just to name a few, knocking on their doors soon. Travis Keefe had hub issues but it wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if we’re talking to him tonight in victory lane.

A halfway break changes the mindset of this race. We had Jamie Dillman on the Tim’s Corner LIVE! show on Wednesday and he said that a break to check over cars and make adjustments at Lap 25 gives these teams a chance to try some things in the first half and go at it in the second. It’s similar to how we used to run the 250 and the 200 for the Pro Stock Tour when they roll into town where you have a 10-minute break to make a change and you kind of use that first half as a long test session for the second half. Now, I don’t think you can use 25-laps as a test because if you miss it in qualifying, you have a hole to dig out of, but it certainly changes the water on the beans for this event.

Simply put – whether it is 100-laps, 50-laps, two 25-laps segments, whatever it is, this is a statement race. Win this tonight and you send a ripple saying that you are a favorite to the rest of the class.

It is going to be a great night of racing and we hope you can join us at the track, or online at TimsCorner.tv!

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