Dartmouth Dodge 100 Preview

The competition in the Dartmouth Dodge Sportsman Series notches up each and every week. With that being said, the Dartmouth Dodge 100 should be one of the best 100-lap Sportsman races this facility has ever seen!

Who to watch? Well, out of the over two dozen cars expected it’s hard to predict who could win the thing. The safe approach could be going with one of the top three in the Dartmouth Dodge Sportsman Series points. Russell Smith Jr. of Lakeside will look to fill his hand with victories this weekend as he already has four on the season. Aaron Boutilier (Porter’s Lake) is always a strong competitor in the series while Jeff Dillman (Middle Musquodoboit) already has the 50-lap, 17th Annual Shriners Classic under his belt from earlier in the season.

Kirk Ryan (Lantz) has turned heads in the last few weeks and comes off a runner-up finish last Friday to the #44. Former champions of the Speedworld like Terry Roma (West Chezzetcook) and Larry Fisher (Porter’s Lake) should be strong come Friday night. Rookie Brentley Pirri (Three Fathom Harbour) has been impressive this season by running up front and leading laps and it wouldn’t surprise me if the former Lumbermart Thunder car driver came home with a great finish in the marquee Sportsman event of the season at the Speedworld.

Speaking of former Lumbermart Thunder drivers, Kyle Gammon’s (Middle Sackville) second Sportsman start is expected to take place this Friday night. Gammon did exactly what he set out to do last Friday night – get seat time and gain experience aboard his #98 Ashley Wambolt Photography Chevrolet. Gammon will be joined in the field by former Lumbermart Lightning Champion Andrew Starks (Truro) who will look to log all 100-laps in his #04 this Friday night!

Jordan Veinotte (Porter’s Lake) and Mike Banks (Wilmot) have been having outstanding seasons at the helm of their Sportsman cars and find themselves sitting in fourth and fifth in the standings after last Friday. Even after an accident last week, Fred Schofield (Windsor) has his Ford positioned in sixth after the August 5th race. Laurie Hutt (Belnan), Chris Dingle (Elmsdale), Wade Slauenwhite (Beaverbank) and Tony Mason (Nine Mile River) have also turned in great performances this season as regulars of Scotia Speedworld.

Part-time drivers who had formerly called the Speedworld home on a weekly basis will be on the hunt for the checkered flag this Friday night as well. Colby Smith (Cape Sable Island) was the winner last season which really vaulted him to the 2010 championship at the track. Mike Alexander (Cole Harbour), Darren Wallage (Oakfield) and Kyle Butler (Lake Egmont), Steve Ross (Waverley), Tony Leonard (Halifax) and Frankie Fraser (Shubenacadie) will be among those to watch this Friday night.

The Trucks will also be on the track for a 25-lap main feature on Friday night. Dan Smith (Lower Sackville) and JP Arsenault (Church Point) have been trading the point lead back and forth throughout the season and now it is Smith with the advantage by five points over Arsenault. Feature winners Vernon Brown (Antrim) and Jason Fenton (Eastern Passage), along with Ryan Goldsmith (Bridgewater), who scored his best career finish last week with a second place run in the Truck feature, Matthew Scott (East Dover) and Dana Isenor (Enfield) will be drivers to watch when Ralph Vokey throws the green on Friday night.

It all happens at Atlantic Canada’s Action Centre starting at 7:30pm on Friday night. Don’t forget that on Saturday, the Atlantic CAT 250 goes green starting at 5pm with qualifying (with Atlantic Tiltload Time Trials at 4:10pm). Well over two dozen Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour drivers will be taking the green, including former Speedworld track champs Russell Smith Jr and DJ Casey – who are both expected to make their first career Pro Stock starts in the big dance on Saturday evening!

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