(CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – August 31, 2023)
It’s hard to believe we’ve reached the month of September. Time flies by when you’re on the roll and having fun.
Speaking of fun, there’s A LOT of that to be experienced this upcoming Monday with the annual Labour Day weekend racing and demolition derby! From the return of Power Wheels kid races (back by popular demand) and the Tim’s Corner Motorsports Bandolero September Shootout to championship point racing between three house divisions and the annual demolition derby, this Monday’s race card features CAN’T-MISS action!
Here is a preview of the facts you must know and the action to expect prior to race day this weekend. The points standings for each division (if any) are at the bottom of each section.
Note: For stats, starts mean all heat, semi & feature races combined for one driver. Rounds mean every race day/weekend. Mini Stock drivers will have “races” instead of “starts” as they haven’t had to run multiple heat/semi races yet.
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Reliable Motors Bandolero Divisions
The Bandoleros are not running for points this weekend, however, they are running for a coveted title that will be fought hard for by local and mainland drivers.
The Tim’s Corner Motorsports Bandolero September Shootout is back once again! The Beginner division will be running a 12-lap feature to begin the race card on Monday (after the Power Wheels races), and several drivers will be allowed to race with the big boys and girls in the Outlaw division, which will be running two 25-lap races.
Trophies will be given to the top three finishers in each feature. The driver with the best average finish between the two races will be crowned the overall TCM Bandolero September Shootout winner and be given a trophy courtesy of Plasma Works Metal Art in Salisbury, New Brunswick. The tiebreaker will be most laps led if needed.
With many mainland drivers expected to come over on Monday, Oyster Bed Speedway’s future stars will have lots of competition to face. In the Beginner division, Mason Gillis (#9) is the points leader, carrying nine wins (two features) and 12 podium finishes. Hudson Linzel-Waddell (#57), two points behind, carries four wins (one feature) and 12 podium finishes. Andrew O’Connor (#63), five points behind, carries six wins (two features) and 15 podium finishes. All three drivers carry 17 starts and all three visited victory lane on August 19, but O’Connor came out on top in the feature after avoiding a lap-one incident.
Rhyan Burke (#01) and Payton Gallant (#42) are battling for the fourth spot and have been steadily progressing over the year. Burke earned her first career win in a Canada Day semi race. Gallant has seven podium finishes within 17 starts. Irelyn Rose (#47) has also seen progression, coming off an August 19 semi win. She is also fifth in Scotia Speedworld Beginner points.
The Outlaw division is where things get interesting, especially when it comes to the local and mainland dynamic. 2022 OBS points runner-up Landon Pierce (#19) has absolutely dominated the region as arguably the top Bandolero driver. This year at OBS, he has seven wins and 13 podium finishes within 14 starts. His point lead shrunk on August 19 due to unavailability (substituted by Rory Coats), but as long as he shows up on the makeup date and finishes with a clean car, he should be safe. Pierce finished third in both 2022 TCM September Shootout races and is currently first in Bud’s Speedway points and second in both Petty Int. Raceway & Scotia Speedworld Outlaw points.
Taking advantage of Pierce’s August 19 absence was Cole Doyle (#12), who earned not only his first win of the season but his first triple win. The fourth-place finisher in last year’s September Shootout races is now 25 points behind Pierce. He’ll unlikely have enough to go for the title, but second place looks secured as brother Simon (#91) is 31 points behind Cole. Wyatt Peters (#33) has experienced such an up-and-down campaign, but he does carry a long-awaited July 29 feature win and nine podium finishes within 17 starts.
Those four OBS regulars will have plenty of weight on their shoulders when some familiar mainland drivers intervene. 2022 Mike Stevens Memorial Beginner Bandolero winner Ethan Hicken (#5) has been a major challenger of Pierce during every one of his OBS starts, as both drivers have given the fans some incredible photo finishes. Hicken has two OBS feature wins this year and is currently fourth in Petty Outlaw points. 2022 Petty Int. Raceway Beginner Bandolero champion Hudson Ruff (#83) will look to find a resurgence in what has been a struggling transition from Beginner to Outlaw at OBS this year. He also currently leads the Petty Beginner points.
Scotia Speedworld regulars Daniel Vandenburg (#97) and Samantha MacDonald (#14) are ready to spoil the party. Vandenburg earned two wins during his one visit to OBS on June 24 and is currently the Outlaw points leader at Petty and Scotia. Other mainland regulars Lily Whynot (#2) and Hailey Bland (#27) made a one-off appearance on July 29 and will look to have improved performances. Whynot is third in Petty Outlaw points and eighth in Scotia Outlaw points, while Bland is fifth in Scotia Outlaw points.
As for anyone else, we’ll find out once race day arrives. Last year, Andrew O’Connor won the Beginner feature and Caden Tufts (#00) was the overall 2022 TCM September Shootout winner (won both races!). Tufts is now a Legends driver, so we’ll be getting a new winner this year! To all Bandolero fans out there, Monday will be your final big opportunity to catch the future racing stars of Atlantic Canada in the spotlight!
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Central Engine Services Street Stock Division
There is one division that will be deciding a champion this Monday, and it’s quite possibly the best one of them all.
Due to recent schedule conflicts because of Mother Nature, the Street Stock division will be having its championship finale THIS Monday! This is the only division to have a confirmed points finale date, but it will not be their final round of the season as the prestigious, non-point Piston Cup 100 (postponed from Aug. 26) is scheduled to run on the makeup date (Sept. 9 at the moment).
Considering all of that, two drivers will have their hands full on Monday. Separated by eight points are 2010 champion Tyler Gauthier (#11) and defending champion Colton Ford (#35).
This year is Gauthier’s first in a street stock in a long time after years of Modified and Pro Stock racing. It’s been 13 years since his last title, and his 2023 campaign feels as if 2010 was just last year. Seven wins and 17 podium finishes within 21 starts, including four heat wins, one semi win, and two feature wins. Meanwhile, Ford is looking to add a third division championship to his resume (2015, 2022). With six wins (two heats, one semi, three features) and 14 podium finishes within 21 starts, the five-time award winner has experienced consistency flaws throughout the year. Despite that, when his #35 black car is fast, that’s an understatement. It’s usually a matter of where he is randomly placed at the start of his races, which is frequently mid-pack.
Six-time award winner Jeff MacInnis (#29) looks settled in his third-place position, which is also what he claimed last year. A few mishaps and a lack of wins (only two semi wins) have held MacInnis back from earning his first championship, but it’s not too late for the black-and-gold #29 car to find good fortune and earn a late-season win. Plus, the two-time Piston Cup runner-up finisher will look to use this Monday as practice for a “third time’s the charm” situation on the makeup date.
Not only does first place have a battle, but so does fourth. 2021 points runner-up Andrew Thompson (#4) and 2008 champion Randy Millar (#77) are separated by four points, currently sitting in the exact spots they finished last year. Millar will look to move up a spot and conclude the roller coaster he’s experienced this year on a high note. From early-season car troubles and multiple incidents out of his control to earning a semi win in honor of his father-in-law and collecting several podium finishes within the past few rounds, the points finale and Piston Cup are two rounds where he’ll be eager to pounce.
Thompson has struggled to find long-run speed all year albeit earning a heat win on July 23. Luck hasn’t been on his side in a while, so one perfect round on Monday would do him wonders in keeping the fourth position.
Behind him, Brian Arsenault (#03) looks to have sixth place secured as long as he shows up with his car repaired enough after a big crash on August 19. Three-time champion and 2017 Maritime Street Stock Showdown winner Nick Chiasson (#27) has done everything he can to be competitive while facing personal priorities, earning a Canada Day triple win but lacking speed in almost every other round plus missing two rounds. Last year’s Piston Cup winner Mike Duskey (#42) has two wins within five feature starts and will have another round to practice defending his Piston Cup title.
Brandon Albert (#37) has been very fast every time he’s raced, including when he dominated the June 17 feature, but he hasn’t shied away from a few controversial moments. Drivers such as 2019 champion Alex Sheehan (#06), Randy Snow (#26), and Matthew Ford (#86) have shown good speed in their part-time runs. Rookie Tyler Doucette (#24) had a decent start to his street stock career beginning in late July, but he’ll be hoping to return to a clean slate after a controversial incident on August 19.
Two drivers, one championship — a driver who hasn’t won the division title in 13 years — a driver who wants to defend his crown — WHO will be walking away as the 2023 Central Engine Services Street Stock CHAMPION? #11 Tyler Gauthier versus #35 Colton Ford. Make your pick!
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Reliable Motors Mini Stock Division
It’s an understatement to say a lot happened two Saturdays ago for the Mini Stocks, especially at the top of the standings.
Jeff Bridges (#95) extended his points lead to +17 with finishes of third, first, and second respectively. His win in the semi race was his first since May 28, breaking a 12-race winless streak. He is the only driver in the field with a top-5 finish in every race, and if that momentum continues, he may very well walk away with his second division title (first since 2021).
17 points behind is Brandon Forsyth (#3), who scored runner-up finishes in the heat and semi races and initially had third place in the feature until a post-race incident sent him to fifth. Forsyth’s six-race win streak came to an unfortunate end, but he still remains the only driver with 10 or more podium finishes. Had he not had issues on season-opening day, he would either be leading or barely behind Jeff Bridges.
Corey Bridges (#04) remains in a struggling phase after scoring finishes of fifth, fifth, and sixth on August 19. He initially scored fourth in the feature until the earlier-mentioned post-race incident. He carries one win and eight podium finishes within 16 starts. With no victories since his May 28 feature win, he’ll look to finally break the curse this weekend.
Randy MacTavish (#76) was a mid-pack car for most of August 19, but the conflict between the top three drivers in points helped him surge to his first feature win since June 24. He has Corey Bridges in his sights for the third spot if the #04 continues to struggle, while behind him is Cash Bridges (#69), who earned his first win of the season in the August 19 heat race. A second win was in hand during the semi race until an incident took him out. A winner on Labour Day last year, Cash is another driver gaining more and more speed every race.
Ricky Bedell (#2) has been solid recently, scoring third-place finishes in last Saturday’s semi and feature races. Although there have been some dramatic moments for the blue-and-white car, Bedell is always ready to strike when top drivers have their conflicts.
Note: Aug. 26 on the above graphic is now Sept. 9, subject to change.
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Moore Well Drilling Outlaw Division
In the Outlaw division, this year has been all about domination and surprises, which will no doubt continue this Monday.
2018 Mini Stock champion Ricky Millar (#17) has done everything he can to prove his racing talents, knowing it’s been four years since his last track championship. Although he never visited victory lane on August 19 (but did manage good finishes whilst facing a loose car & track surface), his statistics remain bonkers, carrying nine wins and a podium finish in every one of his 18 starts. Incredible redemption, so far, after falling short of a title last year.
A battle for the runner-up spot in points is ramping up, as Jordan LeClair (#47) and Ryan McKnight (#46m) are separated by seven points. McKnight earned a triple win on August 19 and he carries five wins and 10 podium finishes within 12 starts. LeClair carries five wins and nine podium finishes within 18 starts but has yet to earn a feature win.
A battle is also brewing for the fourth spot, with Gerald Gallant (99G) and Jessie LeClair (#46) separated by one point. On August 19, Gallant finished fifth, fourth, and 11th, respectively, while Jessie finished third, third, and sixth respectively. Gallant’s pace has been far off versus last year, but a lot has happened out of his control. Jessie was caught up in an incident in August 19’s semi #1 race (he still finished third), so he’ll look to be incident-free this time around.
Although ninth in points, Bradley Richard (#49) had his best round yet on August 19 with runner-up finishes in a semi #1 photo finish and the feature. Multi-time track champion Matt Palmer (#5) made his 2023 debut on the same night and earned a semi #1 win and fifth-place feature finish. Harley Cornish (#13) failed to make a start last round after a practice incident that involved leaking fluid. 2019 Mini Stock champion Shane Bridges (#4) returned to the track for the first time since Canada Day and earned a seventh-place feature finish.
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Power Wheels Kid Races & Demolition Derby
Alongside the TCM Bandolero September Shootout and house division championship point racing, there’s plenty of entertainment to witness between the beginning of racing careers and a last-man-standing battle.
The Power Wheels kid races are back by popular demand! After a successful running on Fan Appreciation Night in June, we might as well bring them back one final time this year. The same rules apply with an age requirement of 3-6, one 12V category, and one 24V category. There is no pre-registration, so show up with your kid(s) and car(s) and you’ll be directed on where to go.
The annual Labour Day demolition derby is also here! It felt as if the season-opening derby took forever to complete under cloudy and windy conditions, as two drivers never gave up in the wet and muddy infield grass. This time around, the sun is expected to put a full blaze on the Labour Day competitors. Hard hits, near flips, and one champion to conclude what should be a thrilling and memorable day.
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Labour Day promo:
Race day format:
Prices: Adults $20, Youth 8-15 $10, 7 and under FREE, pit admission $25.
For pit area access, you must fill out the online e-waiver form and have it ready to show at pit entry. Link: https://os.speedwaiver.com/dtopx
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Race days remaining per division (as of August 19)
NOTE: September 9 is the TENTATIVE makeup date. Decisions on both that date plus the Outlaw Division points finale will be determined in the near future.
Beginner & Outlaw Bandolero: 2 (Sept. 4, Sept. 9)
Note: Sept. 4 is a non-point event for the Bandoleros (the TCM Bandolero September Shootout).
Mini Stock: 2 (Sept. 4 & 9)
Outlaw: 2 (Sept. 4 & 9)
Street Stock: 2 (Sept. 4 & 9)
Note: Sept. 4 is the points finale, Sept. 9 is the non-point Piston Cup 100.
Legends: 1 (Sept. 9)
Bombers: 1 (Sept. 9)
Pro Stocks: 0
Hot Rods: 0
Points leaders
Beginner Bandolero: Mason Gillis (#9)
Outlaw Bandolero: Landon Pierce (#19)
Mini Stock: Jeff Bridges (#95)
Outlaw: Ricky Millar (#17)
Street Stock: Tyler Gauthier (#11)
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Stay up-to-date on our social media platforms and the website as we continue to reveal news and information, and continue the HYPE during a THRILLING racing season!
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok. You can also check out our merchandise website at obsmerch.ca. Shop Samantha Busch merch is now available there and will be at the race track every race weekend.
About Oyster Bed Speedway:
Oyster Bed Speedway is Prince Edward Island’s premier auto racing facility and features fun and excitement with weekly stock car racing special events throughout the season. The 1/3 mile paved oval is located in Oyster Bed Bridge at the intersection of routes 6 and 7, halfway between Cavendish and Charlottetown on beautiful Prince Edward Island.
Email: oysterbedspeedwaypei@gmail.com
Website: www.oysterbedspeedwaypei.ca
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