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Universal Truck and Trailer 150 Race Day Preview

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UPDATE: Races postponed to Sunday, August 6 at 2 PM.

(CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – August 3, 2023)

Three weekends in a row of racing at Oyster Bed Speedway… can you believe it!?

Remember the all-time super late model classic known as the Chapman Bros. 150 presented by Hynes Paving on Saturday, June 17? The Super Late Model Series’ debut at the high-banked bullring was phenomenal, with competitive racing all across the field and a dramatic ending.

Greg Proude may have won the battle… but has he won the war?

This weekend, the boys are back, being joined by the Heart of a Champion Hot Rod Classics powered by Conrad Bros, the Chris’s Bobcat Services Mini Stock Division, and the Central Engine Services Street Stock Division.

Here is a preview of the facts you must know and the action to expect prior to race day on Saturday, August 5.

The points standings for each division are at the bottom of each section.

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Super Late Model Series

SERIES RELEASE (August 2, 2023) Crossed flags are in the air as the Super Late Model Series (SLMS) superstars race into the second half of the inaugural season. With three of six races in the books – one race at each of the three host tracks – everyone has gotten an appetizer of the SLMS and is ready for the stretch run to cap off the season.

The second half of the season kicks off at Oyster Bed Speedway on Saturday, August 5th with the Universal Truck and Trailer 150. When SLMS rolled into Oyster Bed Speedway for round two on June 17th, Greg Proude (#29) came out on top of an army of PEI stars in a dramatic ending. Fans are still talking about that race, which set the bar high for the series’ return to the ¼ mile bullring. An elite field of two dozen entries is prepping to congregate and battle for victory and the $4000 first prize!

OBS RELEASE – The Universal Truck and Trailer 150 will be round four of six on the Super Late Model Series’ inaugural schedule. Leading the points is two-time OBS Late Model champion and nine-time LM race winner Dylan Gosbee (#16), who has been on a consistent tear through three races, with finishes of fourth, third, and second. With his momentum, his finishing trend could very well see him finally blossom under the lights, as he has multiple heat victories, but no feature victories to date.

Right on his tail, 15 points behind, is another two-time OBS Late Model champion, and the 2019 Pro Stock 150 winner, Robbie MacEwen (#40). MacEwen has also been consistent with finishes of sixth, fourth, and fourth. One of Oyster Bed’s more popular drivers, MacEwen will look to earn his first-career SLMS victory.

He’ll have hefty competition battling him as fellow OBS Late Model legends Greg Proude (#29) and Darren MacKinnon (#18) will look to battle again after entertaining the fans to a tee back in June. The Screaming Demon came out on top to earn his sixth-career Late Model victory at the track. MacKinnon will look for redemption in front of his giant fan base. He hasn’t won at OBS since 2015. Proude is 11th in points and MacKinnon is seventh.

Troy Burke (#01) is another popular man who claimed the EIT Race Radios $150 pole and finished sixth in June. He is the third driver representing PEI in the top-5 in SLMS points, sitting in fourth between New Brunswick drivers Steve Halpin (#03) and Ryan Messer (#1), who look to spoil the PEI party.

Other notable PEI entries include Allison MacKinnon (#07), local favourite Kenny Snow (#7), Brodie Lewis (#22), young gun Tanton Wooldridge (#28), and full-time Maritime Pro Stock Tour drivers Chris Hughes (#32) & Mark LeClair (#51).

24 cars are on the entry list. 11 of them are PEI drivers. Notable drivers who ran in June but will not enter into this weekend’s race are New Brunswick drivers Devin Snell (#10) and Kevin Moore (#88), and Nova Scotia drivers Brad Eddy (#7E), Nicholas Naugle (#08), and Gary Elliott (#36).

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Heart of a Champion Hot Rod Classics powered by Conrad Bros

The Heart of a Champion Hot Rod Classics returns to Oyster Bed Speedway for their first and only stop on PEI this year.

The Subaru of Charlottetown Classic will be round three of seven on the 2023 HOAC Hot Rod Classics schedule. The series is very popular, entertaining fans with carefully crafted hot rod race cars from 1985 or before; some original, some replica. The series offers fans an opportunity to witness the cars that built the foundation for regional racing.

According to a recent promo, drivers that will enter this weekend’s races include 2021 feature winner Jeff Ainslie, 2022 feature winner Chris Dingle, 2022 feature podium finisher Stacey Clements, Doug Fischer, Steven Curtis, Jim Rankin, and Patty Lawrence.

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Chris’s Bobcat Services Mini Stock Division

The Mini Stock Division returns to action this weekend for the first time since July 23, after getting a break last weekend.

2021 champion Jeff Bridges (#95) leads the points by seven over 2022 points runner-up Corey Bridges (#04). For a few weekends, it was a one-point gap, but an incident on July 23 led to Corey losing six points. It’s unknown whether Corey’s car will be ready or not for action this weekend, which would be a huge points situation.

Brandon Forsyth (#3) has been leaping spots in points ever since he began a stretch of six victories within eight starts between June 17 & July 23, which include two feature victories. He sits third, 26 behind Jeff Bridges. Coming off two rounds where he earned a combined 178 total points, Forsyth will have a lot of momentum heading into the weekend.

Randy MacTavish (#76) struggled on July 23, losing 14 points and dropping to fourth in points after finishes of eighth, sixth, and fifth. Being 26 points back of Jeff Bridges, he’s not out of the championship hunt yet. He has two wins, five podium finishes, and six top-5 finishes in 10 starts.

Cash Bridges (#69) is fifth in points. The top rookie in Mini Stock points had his best runs on July 23 with two runner-up finishes and a podium in the feature. If the momentum continues, he could very well earn his first win since Labour Day weekend in 2022.

Ricky Bedell (#2) also had his best runs on July 23 with two podium finishes, including a runner-up result in the feature. The seventh-place driver in 2022 points, Bedell sits eighth and will look to move his way up as defending champion Tyler Doucette (#24) has moved on to the Street Stock division and rookie Bradley Darrach (#44) will be absent with a commitment to Bud’s Speedway in Cape Breton this Saturday.

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Central Engine Services Street Stock Division

If there’s a house division at Oyster Bed Speedway to pay attention to the most, it’s this one.

The Street Stocks put on a show for the ages last Saturday, with multiple photo finishes and consistent side-by-side racing. The battle for the 2023 championship continues to remain heated, although the leader has remained the same for several rounds.

2010 champion Tyler Gauthier (#11) has led the points since June 17 (five rounds in a row!). He didn’t visit victory lane last Saturday, but he did earn third-place finishes in both the heat and the feature. He has four wins, 12 podium finishes, and 15 top-5 finishes within 16 starts.

Close behind (six points back) is defending champion Colton Ford (#35), who won last Saturday’s feature after a post-race tech inspection disqualified Mike Duskey (#42). So far, Ford has five wins, 11 podium finishes, and 12 top-5 finishes within 16 starts. Consistency has been questionable, but Ford’s #35 car has proven to shine when it counts.

Although falling back four points in the standings last Saturday, veteran Jeff MacInnis (#29) has maintained consistency with 14 top-5 finishes within 16 starts. His speed hasn’t been as on par as Gauthier and Ford (only one win compared to a combined nine), but his distance behind the two is still within the mix in case misfortune strikes either of the top-two points drivers.

Fellow veterans Andrew Thompson (#4) and Randy Millar (#77) are the only other drivers to be less than 100 points behind Gauthier. Thompson struggled last Saturday with eighth and sixth-place finishes, but he did claim his first victory of the season on July 23. Millar also claimed his first victory on the same day, and he’s been on a surge ever since, earning runner-up and fifth-place finishes last Saturday.

Behind them, it’ll be a matter of earning the winner’s trophy and a photograph. Brian Arsenault (#03) has dealt with an extremely loose car in recent weeks and Nick Chiasson (#27) missed last Saturday’s races. Unfortunate for Chiasson as he earned a triple victory on Canada Day and was drastically leaping through the points. Brandon Albert (#37) returned to the track last Saturday for the first time since Fan Appreciation Night, finishing sixth and second respectively.

One name that is possible this weekend is Petty Int. Raceway Street Stock points leader Michael Cormier (#68). Cormier ran on June 17, the SLMS’s first stop at OBS, claiming a heat race victory and finishing fifth in the feature. If he does in fact race this weekend, he will most certainly be competitive and provide a challenge for the OBS drivers.

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Race day format (UPDATED FOR SUNDAY):

NOTES:

  • Hot Rod, Mini Stock & Street Stock practices begin at 10:30 AM and will run 10 minutes per division (10:30-11, 11:20-11:50, 12:10-12:40)
  • OBS drivers meeting will be shortly after the track closes

Prices: Adults $30, Youth 8-15 $10, 7 and under FREE, pit admission $40.

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 July 29)

Beginner & Outlaw Bandolero: 3 (Aug. 19 & 26, Sep. 4)

Mini Stock: (Aug. 5, 19 & 26, Sep. 4)

Outlaw: 3 (Aug. 19 & 26, Sep. 4)

Street Stock: 4 (Aug. 5, 19 & 26, Sep. 4)

Legends: 1 (Aug. 26)

Bombers: (Aug. 26)

Pro Stocks: 1 (Aug. 5, SLMS)

Hot Rods: (Aug. 5, HOAC)

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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 FacebookInstagramTwitterYouTube, 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

 

Reegan MacAulay

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