July 29 Race Recaps & Results

(CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – July 31, 2023)

For the first and only stop on the island by the East Coast International Pro Stock Tour and Cross Roads Maritime League of Legends Tour, this past Saturday was their one chance at giving Oyster Bed Speedway’s loyal fans a show of lasting memories for 2023.

To say the least, they over-fulfilled expectations and hopes.

Between two regional tours and three house divisions on aging pavement with traction compound on the inside line, July 29 was quite possibly the best event of the 2023 season thus far. With incredible racing, multiple photo finishes, crazy moments, and our best crowd yet, there is so much to talk about and remember from the high banks of Oyster Bed Speedway.

Here is your recap of every division on July 29, including race results. The updated points standings for the Outlaw & Street Stock divisions can be found on our “POINTS STANDINGS” page.

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East Coast International Pro Stock Tour

After running two races at the track in 2022, the East Coast International Pro Stock Tour was reduced to one date at OBS this year, giving many of Atlantic Canada’s top pro stock drivers only one shot at the BJ’s Truck Centre 150 trophy. It’s no wonder the race turned out so competitive and intense.

Jarrett Butcher (#54), brother of multi-time ECIPST OBS winner Cole Butcher, stole the show with 13 laps to go, passing both Darren MacKinnon (#18) and Troy Burke (#01) en route to his second win of the 2023 ECIPST season and his first win at Oyster Bed Speedway.

For most of the race, it was a P.E.I. party, as MacKinnon, Burke, and Greg Proude (#29) all took shots at leading the race. The 2022 Fleetrite 150 winner, Proude claimed the pole after earning the Atlantic Tiltload Heat #1 victory but faded back towards the bottom of the top-5 after about 20 laps.

A common battle at OBS for many years in the former local Pro Stock division, MacKinnon and Burke showed off their, arguably, best battle of them all, never getting away from each other on the long runs and the restarts. Unfortunately, the battle finally ceased on lap 138, as contact between the two cars in Turn 2 gave room for Butcher to take advantage and sail into the distance.

Russell Smith Jr. (#88) also took advantage, bringing home a runner-up finish, while MacKinnon settled for third and Burke for fifth (also the winner of Heat #2). Proude finished seventh. Mark LeClair (#51) fell short of a top-10 finish in 11th.

Other P.E.I. drivers such as Robbie MacEwen (#40), Chris Hughes (#32), Tanton Wooldridge (#28), and Allison MacKinnon (#07) struggled throughout the race due to multiple incidents, including two flat tires for Hughes and a mid-race incident involving Wooldridge and Matt Vaughan (#0). A rough result for Wooldridge in 17th as he was running as high as third early in the race.

Other award winners include Burke (most laps led & rookie of the race), Mike Rodgers (#41, hard charger), and Stephen Lively (#30, lucky dog).

Craig Slaunwhite (#99), who started 12th and finished fourth albeit with a rough performance within the first half of the race, continues to lead the points, now by 42 over Butcher.

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Cross Roads Maritime League of Legends Tour

One of the more popular stops for Legends drivers in the region, the 2023 Island ICF 50 may very well be one of the more popular races in Maritime League of Legends Tour history at Oyster Bed Speedway.

Caden Tufts (#00) claimed his first tour win in a heated race that saw many battles up front and across the field. It’s Tufts’ second feature win at OBS this year, having won the house division feature on Canada Day. He started fifth in the feature after finishing third in heat #1.

Nathan Blackburn (#44) won the pole after winning heat #1 and led almost every lap before Tufts approached and stole the lead on lap 22. From there, Tufts led the rest of the way as Gage Gilby (#25) stayed close behind. On lap 44, heat #3 winner Chase Livingston (#39) spun exiting Turn 2, collecting both Owen (#66) & Daryl Mahar (#66M). The late restart wouldn’t be a challenge for Tufts, taking the win with ease.

Rounding out the podium were Gage Gilby and points leader (heading into the race) Ayden Christensen (#24). Tanton Wooldridge (#0), running double duty on Saturday, finished fifth. Danny Chisholm (#87), winner of both MLOL OBS dates in 2022, won heat #2 but left for the pits early in the feature.

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Reliable Motors Bandolero Division (Mid-Summer Shootout)

This past Saturday was an additional night for the Beginner & Outlaw Bandolero divisions, being called the “Bando Mid-Summer Shootout,” a non-points night. Despite that, there were still trophies and victory pictures to chase, along with names written in the history books.

In the Beginner division, Andrew O’Connor (#63) returned to victory lane for the first time since Canada Day, earning wins in heat #2 and the feature. It was quite the turn-around after a rough day on July 23, spinning multiple times and being involved in a scary crash in the feature. O’Connor now has five wins in 14 starts thus far, three wins being for points.

Points leader Mason Gillis (#9) won heat #1 in dominating fashion but failed to finish the feature after an incident with Hudson Linzel-Waddell (#57), who finished third in the feature.

Drew Murphy (#14) failed to visit victory lane just like on July 23, but he scored runner-up finishes in heat #2 and the feature. Rhyan Burke (#01) finished third in heat #2 and fourth in the feature.

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In the Outlaw division, Wyatt Peters (#33) grabbed a long-overdue feature victory after so many close calls within 14 tries. Peters started fourth in heat #1 and finished third, one position higher than expected as Lily Whynot (#2) crashed hard into the outside wall on the final lap.

Peters started on pole for the feature and was originally en route to a third-place finish as Ethan Hicken (#5) and points leader Landon Pierce (#19) were fighting hard for the win. Unfortunately, with three laps remaining, a loose moment in Turn 4 and contact sent Pierce hard into the outside wall, preventing what could’ve been an eighth win in 2023.

That wouldn’t be Hicken’s only moment of contact in the feature, as contact with Hailey Bland (#27) in Turn 4 on the final lap sent both drivers spinning, giving Cole Doyle (#12) third and Hudson Ruff (#83) fourth. Hunter MacKinnon (#07) rounded out the top-5.

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Moore Well Drilling Outlaw Division

Three different drivers visited victory lane this past Saturday, but the one who did in the feature was no surprise.

Points leader Ricky Millar (#17) continues to have a dream season, earning his ninth overall win and fifth feature win. Millar started eighth and was up to third by lap 10, using a daring three-wide move down the backstretch to slide into the lead, barely getting by father Rick Millar (#71) and Jordan LeClair (#47) en route to victory. In heat #2, he started fifth and finished third.

Kendall Palmer (#45) claimed his first win of 2023 in heat #1, while LeClair claimed his fourth win in heat #2. Ryan McKnight (#46m) returned to the track after missing the July 23 races, earning second in heat #2 and third in the feature. Rick Millar’s fast speed (ever since his July 23 wins) continued to show, finishing second in heat #1 and fourth in the feature.

Millar earned one more total point than LeClair, only extending his points lead by one point to 70. McKnight jumped from sixth to fourth.

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Central Engine Services Street Stock Division

Will Oyster Bed Speedway’s Street Stock superstars ever stop putting on a show? We and the fans certainly hope they don’t, as we may have very well witnessed the best one this year.

Although losing the feature win due to a post-race tech infraction, Mike Duskey (#42) still had his most successful day of 2023 at the track, earning the heat race win and, initially, the feature win. The latter would end up going to Colton Ford (#35).

The feature race was wild from start to finish, as Duskey started third and Ford started sixth, and both drivers had to claw their way up to the front in a span of 25 laps, which included an early caution for an incident involving Brandon Albert (#37) and Tyler Doucette (#24). For several laps, Duskey and Randy Millar (#77) fought hard for first, while a seven-car pack kept things fun at the back.

Eventually, Duskey sailed away as Ford began catching up, passing Millar for second and getting right on Duskey’s rear-end, taking advantage of the inside-line traction compound for superior grip. As the two battled within the final four laps, Albert joined the fight. Coming to the checkered flag, Albert sent his car into the final turns underneath both leaders, resulting in a three-wide photo finish. Despite Duskey’s disqualification, it was one heck of a finish.

Ford earned his fifth overall win and third feature win of the season. Albert, making his first start since Fan Appreciation Night (June 24), returned in successful fashion, finishing sixth in the heat and second in the feature.

Millar experienced two photo finishes throughout the night, second over Tyler Gauthier (#11) in the heat (one of the closest finishes in track history) and fifth in the feature (fell short against Jeff MacInnis, #29).

2022 Mini Stock champion Tyler Doucette made his debut in the Street Stock division, moving over from the Mini Stock division after many weekends of poor luck. He finished seventh in the heat and eighth in the feature (both out of nine cars), keeping a conservative run and taking advantage of other driver misfortune, albeit having a few close calls himself.

In points, Gauthier remains the leader, but Ford gained three more points on Saturday, closing the gap from nine to six points. MacInnis has fallen back by four points from 17 to 21 behind Gauthier. The tie for fifth has been broken as Millar now holds it, Nick Chiasson (#27) falls from fifth to seventh, and Brian Arsenault (#03) moves from seventh to sixth.

Only five drivers remain under 100 points behind Gauthier with four rounds remaining.

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