TCM Three Stars + Weekend Agenda – July 21st, 2016

It was a big weekend of racing during the ninth week of racing in Atlantic Canada. From the IWK 250 Superweekend at Riverside International Speedway, demolition action at Speedway Miramichi, Scotia Speedworld highlighting four cylinder racing and a full card of racing at Oyster Bed Speedway, among other tracks in action, there was something for everyone around the region last weekend.

While two of the winners from Riverside International Speedway made the TCM Three Stars selection, we also give kudos to one of the Four Cylinder drivers that made a splash during Weekend Nine.

Who is on the TCM Three Stars list this week? Take a look!

Photos by McCarthy Photographic unless otherwise indicated

Third Star

Cody Byrne of Orwell Cove, Prince Edward Island

TCM Photo

The Outlaw division at Oyster Bed Speedway has seen quite the growth in the last 12 months between the car count growing and the quality of the racing the class produces on the race track.

One of those drivers that continues to make his mark on the class is Cody Byrne. Byrne not only won the main feature last Sunday at Oyster Bed Speedway over a hard charging Kendell Palmer but pulled off the triple win by winning his heat and the only Semi contested for the class. Byrne had to earn the feature victory after racing hard with Ritske deBoer and after a little contact the pass was completed for the top spot. A strong Palmer #45 car could not top Byrne as he went on for his second straight win in the class.

Byrne heads into Saturday night at Oyster Bed with the point lead over Palmer – we cannot tell you by how much because Oyster Bed Speedway is the only track in Atlantic Canada that does not publish point totals – but you best believe Byrne, Palmer, deBoer and the rest of the field will put on a show for the Island fans.

For his performance in the Outlaw division at Oyster Bed Speedway on Sunday afternoon, Byrne has earned the third star nod on the TCM Three Star list for the week.

Second Star

Braden Langille of Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia

Langille photo

After Thursday night, Braden Langille was not even racing in the Upper Clements Parks Maritime League of Legends Tour Maritime Legends Challenge at Riverside International Speedway.

When the checkered flag flew about 24 hours later, he was in victory lane with the big trophy.

Langille and defending series champion Jarrett Butcher were involved in a practice incident on Thursday evening in the final Legends practice. The two hit head on coming out of Turn Two and it caused extensive damage to both race cars. While Butcher packed his car up, Langille and his team hauled back to Shubenacadie after thinking their weekend was over on Thursday night.

Needless to say, the crew burned the midnight oil to get the driver who celebrated his 15th birthday on Monday to the track.

They left the rest to their driver and he made the hard work pay off. After starting up front in the race, he held off a hungry Dylan Blenkhorn, who was looking for his second straight victory on the series, and Nicholas Naugle for his first Legends win at Riverside International Speedway in the biggest race weekend of the year.

To top it off, Langille headed down the road to Charlotte Motor Speedway to run in the Young Lions division at the Bojangles’ Summer Shootout on Tuesday night, where he finished fifth. As we type, Langille is on track now at the Atlanta Motor Speedway during the finale of Thursday Thunder presented by Papa John’s.

It takes a whole team effort but Braden Langille for his run to the top of the Maritime Legends Challenge at IWK 250 weekend receives a mention on the TCM Three Stars for the week.

First Star

Donald Chisholm of Antigonish, Nova Scotia

This week’s first star selection in the TCM Three Stars is a pretty easy choice.

Donald Chisholm was lightning quick all day long at Riverside International Speedway. Chisholm was flying in practice, drew fourth in the fifth heat, won that, started fifth in the big dance and led 231 of the 250 laps en route to his first win at the IWK 250 presented by Steve Lewis Auto Body.

Chisholm had been there before. He’s led the most laps in the big race. He’s been within five laps of winning the race. Finally, Saturday night, everything fell into line.

It wasn’t just Chisholm up front late though, Craig Slaunwhite, racing for his shot at completing the Maritime Triple Crown, shadowed Chisholm late in the race but would wind up finishing second to the #89 Nova Racing Ford Fusion. Two-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series star Matt Crafton was strong as well but would finish third on the evening – his best in the three years he has been to Riverside in July.

While the big picture of the IWK 250 was the focus Saturday night, the smaller picture on the evening was the championship standings. With Chisholm leading the most laps and Cassius Clark blowing a motor, it puts Chisholm right back in the thick of the championship discussion after half of the races have been run on the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour. With the series heading to Petty Raceway this weekend, another high banked track that Chisholm has seen success at in the past, look for the #89 car to be near the front again in the Irving Blending & Packaging 150.

For finally putting the IWK 250 win and the John W. Chisholm Memorial Cup on his resume, the reigning Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour champion is the first selection in the TCM Three Stars of the 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.

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): OFF – Next Race on Sunday, August 7th

Riverside International Speedway in James River: OFF – Next Race on Friday, August 19th

Scotia Speedworld in Enfield: Canadian National Autism Foundation Night on Friday, July 22nd @ 7pm;  Toursec Thunder, Strictly Hydraulics Legends (including May 22nd makeup feature), Coors Light Trucks, Hydraulics Plus Bandoleros, Affordable Fuels Sportsman

Valley Raceway in Kingston: OFF – Next Race on Sunday, July 31st

NEW BRUNSWICK

Petty International Raceway in River Glade: Irving Blending & Packaging 150 on Saturday, July 23rd @ 6pm; Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour, Extreme Window and Entrance System Street Stock, Mister Transmission Mini Stock, Leisure Days RV Bandoleros

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

Speedway 660 in Geary: Clark Chevrolet Firecracker 150 on Saturday, July 23rd @ 6:30pm; Martin’s Home Heating Sportsman, DMR Auto Street Stocks, Fredericton Gun Shop Sharp Shooters

Speedway Miramichi in Miramichi: OFF – Next Event on Saturday, August 6th

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

Oyster Bed Speedway in Oyster Bed Bridge: Regular Point Racing plus Outlaw Super Series and Enduro 200 on Saturday, July 23rd @ 6:30pm; Enduro, Late Models, Street Stocks, Mini Four Fun, Mini Outlaw.

NEWFOUNDLAND

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

Thunder Valley Speedway in Bishop’s Falls: NAPA AutoPro 75 on Saturday, July 23rd @ 4pm; Sportsman, Hobby Stocks, Bombers
Islander RV 50 on Sunday, July 24th @ 2pm; Sportsman, Hobby Stocks, Legends, Bandoleros

TCM Coverage Schedule – Weekend Ten of 2016

Friday, July 22nd – Canadian National Autism Foundation Night – Scotia Speedworld (NS) – 7pm AT (TCM Race #25 of 2016)

Saturday, July 23rd – Irving Blending & Packaging 150 – Petty International Raceway (NB) – 6pm AT (TCM Race #26 of 2016)

**Schedule Subject to Change Without Notice