SpeedWeekend 2011 at Speedway 660 certainly lived up to its hype this year. The racing was fantastic, from the Bandalero class, all the way up to the “Big One”, the Auto Value 250. The Sportsman 150, held Saturday night was an extremely exciting affair, with the outcome in doubt until the checkered flag had flown. Lonnie Sommerville, who normally pilots a Pro Stock on the American PASS Tour circuit, drove his father’s #27 into Victory Lane after coming from the back of the pack late in the race. Dave O’Blenis, led most of the laps in his Late Model Sportsman machine but was unable to hold of Sommerville in the end and had to settle for second. The race ended with a display of fireworks that lit up the sky and gave a fitting backdrop to a very exciting race. In the “Auto Value 250” held Sunday evening, Sommerville and O’Blenis were also entered, but it was raining “Parts for Trucks” Pro Stock tour champion Shawn Tucker who came home the victor. O’Blenis had another strong run in this one, again finishing second to Tucker. When Tucker crossed the finish line, to the wild cheering of the packed house of around 8000 fans, fireworks again exploded, his time bigger than the night before. A big “Well Done” goes out to management and staff of Speedway 660, on a job well done. It was a great weekend of racing. Yesterday, Dave O’Blenis Racing released an announcement which has my blood racing as we head toward the Atlantic championships at Centre for Speed on October 1st. Amherst native, Ryan Macintosh, who headed south a year and a half ago, to pursue his racing career, is coming home for the Championships, and will be piloting the #48 machine of O’Blenis’ that O’Blenis drove at Speed Weekend last weekend. This will be Macintosh’s first race in one of these machines, but Ryan tested it earlier this summer and the tests went “Great!!” Ryan is currently driving an “Allison Legacy” machine in the southern United States and at the young age of fifteen, the future sure looks bright for him. The “Allison Legacy” series has been the proving ground for many of the top stars in racing today. This coming weekend, the action continues to roll at a fever pitch, this time at Scotia Speedworld. Friday night, the final events for most of the regular classes will be held and Champions will be crowned. Then Saturday, the finale of the “Parts for trucks” Pro Stock tour, a 200 lapper, will take centre Stage. Several drivers are still in the running for the Title, including defending champion Shawn Tucker and multi time champ Wayne Smith. Former champion John Flemming and perennial challenger Kent Vincent are also lurking in the “weeds” and should either of the front runners falter, they are poised to snatch the championship out of their grasp. After two days of excitement at Scotia Speedworld, all eyes turn to the “David Lambe Memorial” street stock affair over at Oyster Bed Speedway. Most of the top Street Stocks from Sydney, Speedway 660, and Centre for Speed are headed over to compete with some extremely fast Island boys in this one. It should be a barnburner, and I for one, am not going to miss it!!! The race is in memory of David Lambe, who was killed last spring out west and who was a big booster of racing here in the Maritimes. Well, that’s what happening here in the Maritime auto racing scene this week so come join us at a track near you, and remember “keep the racing on the tracks, not on our streets”.
