TCM Three Stars + Weekend Agenda – June 16th, 2016

Photos by McCarthy Photographic unless otherwise indicated

Last weekend was full of popular wins, a couple of first time winners and just plain exciting short track racing with five tracks in action. While there may have only been five tracks in action compared to the seven this weekend, there was lots of drivers that made a compelling bid to be in the TCM Three Stars selection this weekend.  It was a hard decision, but the field was narrowed down to three.

Here are the TCM Three Stars for last weekend’s racing action.

THIRD STAR

Dylan Blenkhorn of Truro, Nova Scotia

It had been a few years since we’ve seen a first time Pro Stock Tour winner at Riverside International Speedway. Last Saturday night, a kid from Truro that grew up watching racing at the high banked oval won his first race on the James River, Nova Scotia track.

It wasn’t hard to tell he was happy about it!

The pure, raw emotion showed by Dylan Blenkhorn when he hopped from the car and hugged every one of his crew members surrounding the car was contagious. His victory lane interview where he tried to find the words about what it meant to him to win at the storied facility showed the gravity of this victory.

Oh, and he had to earn it too.

Blenkhorn, after having fuel issues at Scotia Speedworld in May, rebounded nicely to battle it out with Donald Chisholm for the win in the Ron MacGillivray Chevrolet Buick GMC 150. Both led 75 laps in the race, Blenkhorn had to seal the win on a restart with seven laps to go on a track that just saw stay dry down after rear end fluid lay on the surface and when the #67 Quinn Flooring Chevrolet pulled into victory lane it had its share of tire marks up the right side of the car.

Blenkhorn’s emotional and well earned first win at Riverside International Speedway is deserving of a spot on the TCM Three Stars list.

SECOND STAR

Travis Roma of West Chezzetcook, Nova Scotia

Travis Roma’s second career win was a popular one, one that might not have happened if the feature was 40 laps instead of 38.

Roma, who was on the podium on the first feature of the evening at Scotia Speedworld last Friday night, would win his heat race and start up front in the second Affordable Fuels Sportsman main event on the card. Roma battled with Pete Miller down to the end of the race, only to have an upper control arm break on the left front wheel in the final two laps of the feature. Roma got up on the wheel and still held off a furious charge from Miller to capture his first win of the year.

Not only was the win popular with the local fans and those within the pit area at Scotia Speedworld, it was popular on social media as well. Pictures and result stories of Roma’s win were shared around Facebook and Twitter, reaching tens of thousands over the weekend.

It hard to deny a popular win but in the fashion that he had to earn it, Travis Roma’s Affordable Fuels and Metro Home Heating Sportsman victory last weekend at Scotia Speedworld is worthy of a TCM Three Stars appearance.

FIRST STAR

Destiny Enkel of Saint John, New Brunswick

Photo by Max Roy/Speedway 660

For the second weekend in a row, a female driver hailing from Speedway 660 tops the TCM Three Stars list for the week.

Destiny Enkel, more commonly known in racing circles as “the Port City Princess,” won her first career main feature at Speedway 660 last Saturday night in convincing fashion by holding off hungry veteran Rick Cashol throughout and a quick Rob Raynes at the end for the victory. Enkel looked like a veteran up front, not dipping a wheel or making a mistake en route to Riverview Ford Lincoln Victory Lane.

Her win was popular with the crowd on social media, with the results from Saturday’s event at Speedway 660, with her victory lane picture and name in the headline, being one of the busiest results based piece of content on TCM social media and website so far in this young season.

We’ll see what she can do for a follow-up act this weekend as the undercard to the Martin’s Home Heating Sportsman 125, until then, she sits at the top of the TCM Three Stars for this week!

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. If a track has provided us a pre-race advance or press release by Thursday afternoon, that information will be linked.

NOVA SCOTIA

Cape Breton Miners Memorial Speedway in Sydney: OFF – Next Event, Saturday, June 25th

Lake Doucette Motor Speedway in Salmon River (outside of Digby): Regular Point Racing on Sunday, June 19th at 1pm; 4 Cylinder Mens and Women, V8 Sportsman

Riverside International Speedway in James River: OFF – Next Event on Friday, July 15th

Scotia Speedworld in Enfield: INEX Night on Friday, June 17th at 7pm; Hydraulics Plus Bandolero, Affordable Fuels Sportsman 50, Toursec Thunder (two features, includes May 22nd Make up Feature), Strictly Hydraulics Legends 50
Nova Truck Centres Make a Wish 150 on Saturday, June 18th at 6pm; Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour 150, Toursec Lightning, Coors Light Trucks

Valley Raceway in Kingston: Championship Point Racing on Sunday, June 19th at 1pm; V8, Four Cylinder, Unlimited

NEW BRUNSWICK

Petty International Raceway in River Glade: OFF – Next Event on Saturday, June 25th

Shediac CENTRE For Speed in Grand-Barachois: Car Wars on Saturday, June 18th @ 7pm; Barrell Race, Nuts on Wheels, Dash for Cash, Demo Drags, Drifting, Street Drags, Oval Time Trials, Slalom, & Demolition Derby Finale

Speedway 660 in Geary: Martin’s Home Heating Sportsman 125 on Saturday, June 18th @ 6:30pm; Sportsman 125, Pro Stock, Street Stocks

Speedway Miramichi in Miramichi: RACE SCHEDULED CANCELED DUE TO LOW CAR COUNT – Next Event on Saturday, July 16th

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

Oyster Bed Speedway in Oyster Bed Bridge: Weekly Point Series on Sunday, June 19th @ 2pm; All Classes + Bandoleros + Street Stock 50 Super Series #1

NEWFOUNDLAND

Eastbound Park in Avondale: NASCAR Whelen All American Series Race #3 on Sunday, June 19th at 2pm NT; NAPA Auto Parts Sportsman, Atlantic Dodge Dealers Hobby Stock, Hanlon Realty Legends, Islander RV Bandoleros

Thunder Valley Speedway in Bishop’s Falls: Season Opener on Sunday, June 12th at 2pm; Sportsman 75, Hobby Stock, Bomber

TCM Coverage Schedule – Weekend Five of 2016

Friday, June 17th – U.S. Legend Cars International and INEX Night – Scotia Speedworld – 7pm AT (TCM Race #11 of 2016)

Saturday, June 18th – Parts for Trucks Maritime Pro Stock Tour Nova Truck Centres Make-A-Wish Atlantic Provinces 150 – Scotia Speedworld – 6pm AT (TCM Race #12 of 2016)

 

**Schedule Subject to Change Without Notice