TCM Three Stars + Weekend Agenda – July 14th, 2016

With three race tracks in action in a slower weekend, there were still 14 stock car features contested between Eastbound Park, Speedway 660 and Petty International Raceway. While there was exciting stock car racing at all three tracks, this TCM Three Stars edition is an all Speedway 660 one with some thrilling action taking place in the Geary woods last Saturday, though as you’ll see, it wasn’t without rivals from other tracks that tried to upset the apple cart.

Here is the TCM Three Stars list from Weekend Eight in Atlantic Canada.

Photos by Max Roy/Speedway 660

THIRD STAR

Courtney O’Blenis of Boundary Creek, NB

Comparisons between the season that Courtney O’Blenis is having at Speedway 660 and the run put together by Sara Thorne at Eastbound Park are pretty similar. Both scored their fourth win in their respective divisions over the weekend, both have one major competitor they are competing against and are pulling away with them not only on track but in the standings. While Thorne may have had a closer finish on the weekend with Owen Groves on her tail at the finish in the Islander RV Bandolero class, it was O’Blenis scoring the big win in the Street Stock 75 at Speedway 660 and earning the third star on the TCM Three Stars for the week.

One caution in the middle of the Street Stock 75 bunched the field together but even with the competition on her bumper, O’Blenis proved to be too much for the field, pulling away from Rob Raynes by a straightaway and putting all but a handful of drivers a lap down by the time the checkered flag flew in the race. The win marks the second major extra distance Street Stock win for O’Blenis, which also includes the Atlantic Championships 100 last year at Shedaic’s CENTRE For Speed.

In addition to her Street Stock win, O’Blenis took part in the Sportsman feature on the evening, subbing in for her sister Alexandra who was racing at another track on the night. The younger O’Blenis sister impressed in her second Late Model start at Speedway 660, running up to the third place spot before being swept up in a wreck. O’Blenis took a couple of hard hits in the wreck, which left her sore but still with the drive and determination to win the Street Stock 75, which she would moments later.

For her performance on Saturday night on Speedway 660, Courtney O’Blenis is the TCM Third Star of the Week.

SECOND STAR

Ryan Messer of Harvey, NB

Where did Ryan Messer come from?!

In a race that was headlined by two rookies battling side-by-side for most of the Martin’s Home Heating Sportsman feature at Speedway 660, it was Ryan Messer edging out in front at the completion on Lap 40 for his third win on the season.

Ryan Raynes and Jacob Logan battled side-by-side in the feature event after a hotly contested battle in their heat. The two exchanged the lead back and forth before a late caution flag and ensuing restart which saw Logan sprint out to the lead. Messer quickly worked to the outside of Logan as the two Harvey youngsters went side-by-side for the lead.

When Tim Elliott waved the checkered flag, the scoring team had to go to the transponders to find that Messer had won the feature by only 0.090 over Logan. Oh, and by the way, Drew Greenlaw had stuck his nose under Logan to cross the line less than a car length from his first career Sportsman win.

The win for Messer might be bigger than one thinks. With Greenlaw and Messer battling for the championship, the one spot on Logan puts an extra two points between the youngsters going for the top spot in the standings. As close as they are, those two points could be the difference between first and second when the season has completed. The thrilling photo finish just makes it that much better.

For his charge to the line for his third win of the season in the most thrilling of nature, Ryan Messer has earned a spot on the TCM Three Stars for the week.

FIRST STAR

Brent Roy of Hanwell, NB

Brent Roy not only joined the ranks as a Pro Stock winner at his home track, he scored a TCM Three Star win to end the big week.

Roy, a rookie in the class, won his heat race and began to move early in the feature. Roy passed veteran driver Robert Tomlinson by the tenth lap of the 50 lap affair in what would turn out to be the final lead change of the feature. From green to checkered, the feature ran caution free but that did not mean Roy went uncontested. Once the field began to find a groove in the feature, Roy would look in the rearview to see not only Greg Fahey but point leader Kevin Moore making gains on the #26 car.

When Roy was smooth, the gap stabilized or even grew between he and Fahey. When the #26 would bobble, the #29 would visibly gain on Roy but with Moore behind Fahey, when the two began racing for second, Roy would begin to pull away. All of this happened under green and happened while the field worked their way through lapped traffic.

Ultimately, Roy would go to victory lane for his first time in a Pro Stock and the celebration would be on.

Not to mention for the last five years, every time TCM was in the house to cover an event, Roy and his #26 team would struggle, except for last season when they appeared on the podium during the Firecracker Sportsman 150. Needless to say, the TCM jinx has been snapped. With that, Roy leads the TCM Three Stars selections for Weekend Eight!

WEEKEND AGENDA

The Weekend Agenda takes a bit of a different look this year, but will give you a quick glance at the basics. If a track is racing, you’ll see the track name and location in green and if a track is not running an event on a weekend, their name and location will be red. The line proceeding will display the divisions running on the weekend and a start time, or a date of when the next event is at the track.

NOVA SCOTIA

Cape Breton Miners Memorial Speedway in Sydney: OFF – Next Event on Saturday, July 30th.

Lake Doucette Motor Speedway in Salmon River (outside of Digby): Point Racing on Sunday, July 17th @ 1pm; Sportsman, V8, Four Cylinder Mens, Four Cylinder Ladies

Riverside International Speedway in James River: Highland Home Building Centres 100 on Friday, July 15th  @ 7pm; NAPA Sportsman Series, Upper Clements Park Maritime League of Legends Tour
IWK 250 on Saturday, July 16th @ 4pm (Qualifying); Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour

Scotia Speedworld in Enfield: Toursec Twin 50’s Night on Friday, July 15th @ 7pm;  Toursec Thunder, Toursec Lightning, Coors Light Trucks, Hydraulics Plus Bandoleros

Valley Raceway in Kingston: Championship Point Racing on Sunday, July 17th @ 1pm; V8, Unlimited, Four Cylinders

NEW BRUNSWICK

Petty International Raceway in River Glade: OFF – Next Event on Saturday, July 23rd

Shediac CENTRE For Speed in Grand-Barachois: OFF – Next Event on Saturday, August 6th

Speedway 660 in Geary: OFF – Next Event on Saturday, July 23rd

Speedway Miramichi in Miramichi: Demolition and Stock Car Racing on Saturday, July 16th @ 4pm; Demolition, Atlantic Modifieds, Street Stocks, Mini Stocks, Dukes, Mini Cup.

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

Oyster Bed Speedway in Oyster Bed Bridge: Regular Point Racing on Sunday, July 17th @ 2pm; Wild Women on Wheels, Late Models, Street Stocks, Mini Four Fun, Mini Outlaw – Kid Rides at 1:30pm.

NEWFOUNDLAND

Eastbound Park in Avondale: OFF – Next Event on Saturday, July 30th

Thunder Valley Speedway in Bishop’s Falls: OFF – Next Event on Saturday July 23rd and Sunday, July 24th

TCM Coverage Schedule – Weekend Nine of 2016

Friday, July 15th – Toursec Twin 50s – Scotia Speedworld – 7pm AT (TCM Race #22 of 2016)

Saturday, July 16th – IWK 250 – Riverside Speedway (NS) – 4pm AT (TCM Race #23 of 2016)

Sunday, July 10th – Point Racing – Oyster Bed Speedway (PE) – 2pm AT (TCM Race #24 of 2016)

**Schedule Subject to Change Without Notice