July 23 Race Recaps in Honour of Alvin Williams

(CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – July 25, 2023)

When Mother Nature doesn’t downpour, she burns. Everyone at the high-banked oval in Oyster Bed Bridge certainly felt and showed it.

On the first race day since Canada Day, a humid sun gave PEI’s local superstars quite the challenge in what was SLICK and WICKED racing on a Sunday afternoon in late July.

Every OBS event in 2023 keeps getting more and more memorable as championship battles keep heating up. Here is your recap of every division on July 23, including race results.

This post is in honour of Alvin Williams, who passed away on the morning of July 17 after a short battle against cancer. Alvin rarely missed a race at Oyster Bed Speedway and was an integral supporter of drivers in and out of the family.

A memorial lap was completed prior to the races, featuring Randy Millar, Jeff Bridges, Cash Bridges, and Corey Bridges. There’s no doubt he was watching over us this past Sunday, as Randy claimed his first win in two years and Cash led multiple laps + scored multiple podium finishes.

Our condolences go out to the Williams, Millar, and Bridges families. Alvin, thank you for your incredible support for our track and our drivers. May you rest in peace.

Alvin Williams, 1948-2023

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Reliable Motors Bandolero Division

Two triple victories, multiple crashes, and one new points leader describe the Bandolero division this past Sunday.

In the Beginner division, Mason Gillis (#9) became the new points leader with a triple victory, his first of the season. The sophomore driver had to start within the middle of the field for every race and make his way up to the front. All three times, Gillis did it with ease and was lucky to be ahead of multiple incidents.

Drew Murphy (#14), running his second race day in a row, also had a good day, winning heat #1 and semi #1. In the feature, he was initially involved in a big mid-race crash that collected four cars, but drove away with zero damage and came home second.

Hudson Linzel-Waddell (#57) was also involved in the crash, but he too avoided damage and finished third. He finished fifth in heat #1 and second in semi #2.

Andrew O’Connor (#63) took the brunt of the feature crash, spinning on the high line and getting hit hard by Payton Gallant (#42), suffering severe damage to the front end. He walked away unhurt but lost the points lead. His best finish of the day was second in heat #2.

Four drivers now have a combined 12 wins (three each) after 18 races. The other lone winner is Rhyan Burke (#01). A shoutout to her for scoring two podium finishes on Sunday. Another shoutout to Irelyn Rose (#47) for scoring two runner-up finishes.

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In the Outlaw division, there are zero surprises as Landon Pierce (#19) stomped on the field in all three races, claiming his first triple victory of the season. It was a successful weekend for Pierce as he finished third in the Bandolero feature race at Petty Int. Raceway on Saturday, fighting hard against familiar names in Ethan Hicken and Daniel Vandenburg.

Pierce has won seven of his 12 starts. Hicken and Vandenburg won the other races (three and two, respectively).

Cole Doyle (#12) claimed the runner-up position in all three races. He faced a close call in the heat race in an incident with Hudson Ruff (#83) but drove away unscathed.

The same can’t be said for Ruff, who, on his second race day in the Outlaw division, had a disappointing day with multiple spins throughout the day. His day came to a tragic end on lap one of the feature race, as Ruff took a hard hit into the backstretch outside wall, collecting Wyatt Peters (#33) in the process.

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Chris’s Bobcat Services Mini Stock Division & A&S Scrap Metals Bomber Division

Not only did we witness triple victories in Bandoleros, but we got one in Mini Stocks. If the humid sun hit any division the hardest, it was indeed this one.

Brandon Forsyth (#3) claimed his first triple victory of the season, leaping from sixth to third in points, now 26 behind leader Jeff Bridges (#95). He now has six wins in 11 starts. After a rough start to the season, Forsyth could very well join the title battle with four rounds remaining.

Cash Bridges (#69) had his best race day of the season, scoring two runner-up finishes and three podium results. He led multiple laps in the heat and semi races, but Forsyth’s blistering speed denied him of victory both times. Cash’s results elevated him from seventh to fifth in points.

Jeff Bridges maintains his points lead and extends it to seven over Corey Bridges (#04) after scoring one podium result and three top-5 finishes. Corey keeps second in points albeit a sixth-place finish in the feature due to an incident with Jeff and defending champion Tyler Doucette (#24). Doucette scored one top-5 finish and originally finished seventh in the feature before being disqualified for a pit road infraction.

Rookie Bradley Darrach (#44) was also dealt a disqualification with a similar infraction, losing his top-5 finish in the feature. That wasn’t the only mishap for him, as an incident in the heat race saw his car go on two wheels after contact with Ricky Bedell (#2) on the frontstretch.

Bedell scored his first podium finishes of the season in the semi and feature races, claiming third and second respectively.

Joining the Mini Stocks were the Bombers, as only two cars showed up. A winner had to be crowned, and it was Austin Petipas (#24) from Westville, Nova Scotia.

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Moore Well Drilling Honda Outlaw Division

It was Millar Madness with the Outlaws on Sunday. Might as well change the division name to the “Moore Well Drilling Millar Boyz Racin’ Division.”

Ricky Millar (#17) went to victory lane for the eighth time this season, winning the feature race after starting seventh. It took some patience after he finished third in the heat and semi races and had to make his way through the field in the feature. With four laps remaining, he caught up to Jordan LeClair (#47) and battled hard for the lead, clearing the way with a lap and a half to go.

In the heat and semi races, it would be another Millar getting the job done, as father Rick (#71) showed his best speed in years, claiming his first wins since 2015. He finished third in the feature but lost the result in post-race tech due to a suspension infraction.

Gerald Gallant (#99) had himself a good day with two runner-up finishes and a top-5 result in the feature. He is now third in points, five behind LeClair and 18 ahead of Harley Cornish (#13), who scored two top-5 finishes.

Ryan McKnight (#46m) was absent from Sunday’s races due to a schedule conflict with Petty Int. Raceway. He dropped from second to sixth in points, 97 behind Ricky Millar. He is now likely out of the championship hunt.

Shane Bridges (#4) was also absent from Sunday’s races.

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Central Engine Services Street Stock Division

The Street Stocks have put on a show every single race weekend, and with a slick surface this past Sunday, they gave the fans their best one yet with several different winners and plenty of close racing.

Coming out on top in the feature was defending champion Colton Ford (#35), who claimed his second feature win (first since May 28) and fourth race win of the season. Ford finished third in heat #1 and won semi #2. He moved from third to second in points over Jeff MacInnis (#29), who finished fourth, third, and sixth, respectively.

In heat #2, Ford started fourth and couldn’t match either Tyler Gauthier (#11) or Randy Millar (#77), who battled hard for the lead, with Gauthier prevailing. In semi #2, Ford started third and made his way to first within four laps. A restart for an incident between Gauthier and Nick Chiasson (#27) wouldn’t hurt him one bit.

Heat #1 was won by Andrew Thompson (#4), who claimed his first win of the season while battling a loose car. Semi #1 was, with much popularity, won by Millar, who dominated ahead of Matthew Ford (#86) and Kevin Albert (#31). It was Millar’s first win in two years. He finished second in his heat race and fourth in the feature. In points, he jumped from seventh to a tie for fifth with Chiasson.

Millar and M. Ford fought hard early in the feature, but neither driver could match the speeds of C. Ford and Gauthier. M. Ford originally finished fourth but lost the result in post-race tech due to a tire infraction.

Mike Duskey (#42) and Mitchell Arsenault (#51) returned to the track for the first time in over two months. Duskey scored podium finishes in heat #1 and the feature. Arsenault finished third in heat #1 and fourth in semi #1 but didn’t race the feature.

Gerald MacQuarrie (#50) also returned in his truck-modeled car for his first round of the season, finishing sixth, fifth, and ninth, respectively.

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