(Halifax, NS, August 8, 2013) The Atlantic Cat 250, Halifax’s most anticipated stock car racing weekend of the season, returns to Scotia Speedworld this Friday and Saturday for two days of full throttle excitement! The two day event will attract over 5000 fans and the best stock car drivers from the Maritimes and abroad. Friday night the Dartmouth Dodge Sportsman will kick things off as they go head to head on the 3/10th mile oval for 100 laps in the Dartmouth Dodge 100. On Saturday race fans will see the stars of the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour battle for 250 grueling laps in the weekend’s main feature, the Atlantic Cat 250, which has a posted purse of over $50,000.00! Gates open at 5:00 PM on Friday, qualifying for the Dartmouth Dodge 100 will begin at 7:30 PM. Gates open at 2:00 PM on Saturday with Atlantic Tiltload Time Trials for the 14th Annual Atlantic CAT 250 at 4:10 PM.
The Dartmouth Dodge Sportsman will take centre stage on Friday night for the Dartmouth Dodge Sportsman 100. The race, which is a part of the three-race Maritime Sportsman Challenge, is expected to draw over 30 cars from Atlantic Canada. Defending Dartmouth Dodge Sportsman Series champion Aaron Boutilier (Porter’s Lake, NS) leads the Maritime Sportsman Challenge standings over defending Dartmouth Dodge Sportsman 100 winner Colby Smith (Cape Sable Island, NS) and Shawn McLean (Havelock, NB). They will all have to hold off Scotia Speedworld regulars who will be defending their home turf on Friday including point leader Darren Wallage (Oakfield, NS), Harry Ross White (Noel Road, NS) and last week’s first time main feature winner Wade Slauenwhite (Beaverbank, NS). Action on Friday also includes the Coors Light Trucks and the ACE Lumbermart Thunder and Lightning divisions with the green flag set to drop at 7:30pm.
Saturday the stars of the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour will take over the oval for the weekend’s main feature, the Atlantic Cat 250. Over two dozen drivers will have a shot at taking the prestigious trophy, headlined by Turner, Maine’s Ben Rowe, who will be looking to eclipse his own record by taking home his fourth Atlantic CAT 250 crown driving the No. 10 Dexter Construction/Municipal Contracting Chevrolet. Lonnie Sommerville (Saint John, NB) and current Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour point leader John Flemming (Halifax, NS) are currently the only two Canadian winners of the event and will look to add a second Atlantic CAT 250 trophy to their mantles on Saturday night.
Only four races remain in the chase for the 2013 Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour Championship. Flemming (Halifax, NS), a three-time Tour Champion sits atop the current standings with a whopping 102-point lead after his fourth victory of the season one week ago. A slight shake up in the standings after the EXIT Realty PEI 100 sees Shawn Tucker (Fredericton, NB) moving into the second spot in the standings. Tucker can make history Saturday by becoming the first driver to win all three major Maritime 250 lap-races. Shawn Turple (Enfield), Greg Proude (Springvale, PE) and Darren MacKinnon (Charlottetown, PE) complete the top five in the standings after round eight and each will be looking to move up the standings with their first Atlantic CAT 250 win on Saturday.
If you can’t make it to Scotia Speedworld this weekend tune into Sirius/XM Satellite Radio, channel 167 Canada Talks for live for flag-to-flag coverage of the Atlantic Cat 250. Joe Chisholm and the crew from Race Time Radio will be on air with full event coverage starting at 7:00 PM AST.
Drivers and officials will be racing with heavy hearts this weekend after the death of Pro Stock Tour driver Mike Stevens of Riverview, NB last week. Organizers have several tributes planned for Saturday to honour Stevens and will also be raising money for the Trust Fund being set up for Stevens’ two young boys.
Admission for the Dartmouth Dodge Sportsman 100 is $12.00 for adults, $2.00 for youth (8-15 years old); pit admission is $15.00. Admission for Saturday’s Atlantic Cat 250 is $35.00 for adults; $6.00 for youth; pit admission is $40.00. Two day passes are also available – adults are $40.00, two day pit passes are $45.00. Children 7 and under are admitted for free all weekend.
EXPECTED ENTRY LIST – Atlantic Cat 250 (subject to change without notice)
#0 – Shawn Turple – Enfield, NS
#5 – Jonathan Hicken – Brudenell, PE
#8 – Kent Vincent – Westmoreland, PE
#10 – Ben Rowe – Turner, ME
#13- Denver Foran – Edmonton, AB
#14 – Terry Dougay – Albany, PE
#18 – Darren MacKinnon – Charlottetown, PE
#21 – Shawn Pierce – Bridgewater, NS
#23 – Lonnie Sommerville – Saint John, NB
#24 – Steve Ross – Waverly, NS
#29 – Greg Proude – Springvale, PE
#35 – Brad Mann – Glen Livet, NB
#45 – Leonard Boutilier – Dutch Settlement, NS
#51 – Vance Hanes – Kennetcook, NS
#52 – Shawn Tucker – Fredericton, NB
#53 – Cole Butcher – Porter’s Lake, NS
#66 – Daryl Mahar – Hubley, NS
#67 – Dylan Blenkhorn – Truro, NS
#72 – Brad Eddy – Lower Sackville, NS
#77 – Colby Smith –Cape Sable Island, NS
#89 – Donald Chisholm – Antigonish, NS
#91 – Dylan Gosbee – Cornwall, PE
#97 – John Flemming – Halifax, NS
#99 – Craig Slaunwhite – Terence Bay, NS
*Entry list subject to change without notice
Past winners of the Atlantic CAT 250
2000: John Flemming, Halifax, Nova Scotia
2001: Louie Mechalides, Tyngsboro, Mass.
2002: Ben Rowe, Turner, Maine
2003: Ben Rowe, Turner, Maine
2004: Johnny Clark, Farmingdale, Maine
2005: Mike Rowe, Turner, Maine
2006: Johnny Clark, Farmingdale, Maine
2007: Mike Rowe, Turner, Maine
2008: Travis Benjamin, Belfast, Maine
2009: Lonnie Sommerville, Saint John, New Brunswick
2010: Cassius Clark, Farmington, Maine
2011: Ben Rowe, Turner, Maine
2012: Cassius Clark, Farmington, Maine
2013: ?