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TCM Three Stars + Weekend Agenda – August 4th, 2016

The Atlantic Canadian racing season has officially crossed the halfway point.

With 20 weekends of racing scheduled in the region, the 11th weekend of racing marked the beginning of the second half of the year. While there are still big events scheduled in the next month, including the Atlantic Cat 250 at Scotia Speedworld, the Bumper to Bumper 300 for the NASCAR Pinty’s Series at Riverside Speedway and the Pro Stock 250 at Speedway 660, the past weekend saw some big features in all three Maritime provinces featuring some exciting Sportsman and Pro Stock action as headlining classes, while the undercard divisions also put on some incredible races.

Three drivers who made it to victory lane, including one who was responsible for helping produce the racing action on the track, have made it to the TCM Three Stars list for the week. Without further adieu, here they are!

Third Star

Shawn Waterfield of Sydney, NS

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Not only did Shawn Waterfield score a big win on the track last weekend, he scored a big win for the Cape Breton Miners Memorial Speedway.

Waterfield, along with Shawn Cole and a number of others, pitched in to put together the event that took place last Saturday at the Sydney oval. The team put together three marquee races on the weekend, raised awareness for Racing Against Autism and honoured Gerald “Poogie” Hache, brought in Tracy and Martina as Grand Marshals, sold laps at $20 per lap for all three features (227 laps total), brought some head turning money to win the three races, put together the first race card under the lights at the track since it re-opened and, in general, brought back some excitement to the track that had been starting to wane a bit.

Sure, bringing back the hype of racing to Cape Breton Island is great and all, but then there’s the fact that Waterfield went out and got up on the wheel to win the race he put together, the Cape Breton Cancer Centre 100 for the NAPA Sportsman Series.

While we do not have complete results from the event, there were some stiff cars in the field, including Chris Reid, Ross Lewis and Dale Richardson. Darren Price and Brian MacLeod joined Waterfield on the podium. The win is also sure to help Waterfield inch a bit closer to Price heading into the NASCAR Pinty’s Series weekend when it comes to the point standings on the series. Waterfield is still in search for his first championship with the series after coming close in recent years to the Reid brothers.

The next event at Cape Breton Miners Memorial Speedway is scheduled for Saturday, August 27th. If Waterfield and his group have any involvement on the promotional side, while they have a tough act to follow, it may further revive some of the excitement for the sport on the Island for upcoming events. For his performance off and on the track during the Cape Breton Cancer Centre 100, Shawn Waterfield receives a TCM Three Stars selection for the week.

Second Star

Alexandra O’Blenis of Boundary Creek, NB

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It was only a matter of time before Alexandra O’Blenis scored a TCM Three Stars selection, joining her father and younger sister by taking a star nod in 2016.

The oldest O’Blenis sibling earned her first TCM Three Stars selection by winning the Caleb Dunn Memorial 150 at Petty International Raceway for her first extended lap Sportsman feature win of her career.

Yes, elephant in the room, there were only 13 cars at the race on Sunday. For a 150-lap Sportsman race that advertised $2000 to win, the car count was quite low and in fact is one of the lowest seen all season long at Petty International Raceway. Here’s the thing though, the 13 cars that were there were quality cars. Anytime you go to a race track and see the O’Blenis name, Laurie Cormier, Luc Bourgeois, Rogers, McIntee and a host of others in the field, you know you are in tough. In a 70 lap run to the checkers in the second half of the race, only five cars remained on the lead lap. Sure, if there were more cars on the track for Alexandra to pass, there may have been more cars left on the lead lap and Andrew Rodgers probably would have completed all 150 laps instead of 149.

To set the pace that she did up in front and keep that rapid run for as long as she did, oh, and to beat her father Dave in the meanwhile, that’s pretty huge.

Alexandra started second and battled with Kenny Mackenzie Jr throughout the first half of the race. While it appeared that Mackenzie may have had something for the #74, he faded to third at the end. While Mackenzie faded, Dave O’Blenis came to life, keeping lockstep with his eldest daughter but could not get to the back bumper of Alexandra at the end when it counted. It was a family affair as Courtney O’Blenis, with limited Late Model experience under her belt, was fifth and the last car on the lead lap at the end.

For her breakthrough win by taking the Caleb Dunn Memorial 150 presented by the Atlantic Dodge Dealers at Petty International Raceway, Alexandra O’Blenis is our second star of the week!

First Star

Austin MacDonald of Pictou, NS

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Friday night marked Austin MacDonald’s return to victory lane at Scotia Speedworld.

After leading the most laps in a pair of main features leading up to the Nitro Circus Pre-Party last Friday night, MacDonald was hungry to hold a checkered flag once again at Scotia Speedworld after taking a win earlier in the year at Petty International Raceway. While the division had been close in competition all season long, including one three wide finish, the #27 car came to party, no pun intended, and gapped the field en route to his first win of the year in a showcase of the youngsters talent at the wheel of a Bandolero.

It had almost appeared as if MacDonald was on his way to doing what he accomplished last season. While racing in the Bandit class, MacDonald really hit his stride in the second half of the season in 2015, essentially winning out with the exception of one feature from the July 31st event and only coming up eight points short of the championship on his march to the front.

While he was on target to do the same thing this year, those plans are on hold indefinitely. After an off-track accident last Saturday, MacDonald suffered a head injury and will be out for the rest of the season, ending his chance at another Canadian championship and a shot at both the Petty Raceway and Scotia Speedworld track titles.

As the rest of the field will race on Friday evening, they will be racing for “the King Commander” and putting on a show for the fans. In honour of his first win of the season at Scotia Speedworld, in dominating fashion we might add, we honour Austin MacDonald with the first star selection on 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 Race on Saturday, August 27th

Lake Doucette Motor Speedway in Salmon River (outside of Digby): Four Cylinder 50 presented by Clare Dodge on Sunday, August 7th @ 1pm; Four Cylinder Ladies and Mens, V8 Stock, Sportsman

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

Scotia Speedworld in Enfield: AMP Energy Night on Friday, August 5th @ 7pm; Toursec Lightning, Strictly Hydraulics Legends, Coors Light Trucks, Hydraulics Plus Bandoleros, Toursec Thunder

Valley Raceway in Kingston: OFF – Next Race on Sunday, August 14th

NEW BRUNSWICK

Petty International Raceway in River Glade: OFF – Next Event on Friday, August 26th and Saturday, August 27th

Shediac CENTRE For Speed in Grand-Barachois: Demolition, Cars Wars and Mini Stocks on Saturday, August 6th @ 7pm; Barrell Race, Nuts on Wheels, Dash for Cash, Demo Drags, Street Drags, Oval Time Trials, Slalom, Demo & Burnouts

Speedway 660 in Geary: Weekly Point Racing on Saturday, August 6th @ 6:30pm; Re/Max Group Four Pro Stocks, Martin’s Home Heating Sportsman, DMR Auto Street Stock, Fredericton Gun Shop Sharp Shooters

Speedway Miramichi in Miramichi: OFF – Next Event on Saturday, August 13th

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

Oyster Bed Speedway in Oyster Bed Bridge: Late Model Super Series 75 + Bandoleros on Saturday, August 6th @ 6pm; Late Models, Street Stocks, Mini Outlaw, Mini Four Fun, Bandoleros

NEWFOUNDLAND

Eastbound Park in Avondale: OFF – Next Event on Sunday, August 14th

Thunder Valley Speedway in Bishop’s Falls: Point Racing on Sunday, August 7th @ 2pm; Sportsman, Hobby Stocks, Bombers

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TCM Coverage Schedule – Weekend 12 of 2016

Friday, August 5th – AMP Energy Night – Scotia Speedworld (NS) – 7pm AT (TCM Race #30 of 2016)

Sunday, August 7th – Sportsman 75 – Thunder Valley Raceway (NL) – 2pm NT (TCM Race #31 of 2016)

**Schedule Subject to Change Without Notice

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