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TCM Best of Awards

#TCMBestof2020 – Ashton Tucker Races to Ninth Annual TCM Power Performer of the Year Award

When asked about his 2020 season during an iRacing event in December, Ashton Tucker told Eastbound Park’s Mike James that it was a “pretty good season.”

That “pretty good season” was enough to capture the Ninth Annual TCM Power Performer of the Year Award, given to a driver based on their on track performance over the Atlantic Canadian race season.

Tucker, driving the No. 2 Pro Stock for Brad Silliker Motorsports, started nine Pro Stock races in 2020, each of those being extended distances races of 100 laps or more. In eight of those races, he finished second or better with half of those resulting in trips to victory lane. Tucker won all three events at Speedway 660, including his second straight RE/MAX 250, becoming the first driver to win that event in back-to-back years. The No. 2 won the second Brycon Construction Bubble Buster 150 and finished second in the three other Pro Stock division races at Petty International Raceway on the season. His performance was enough to lock down the Petty Raceway and Speedway 660 Home and Home Pro Stock Four Race Series.

At a facility where Tucker had never raced on the big track, Tucker was second in the Jim Hallahan 250 Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour race at Scotia Speedworld. Save for a 13th place run at the Toromont Cat 150 at Riverside, his average finish on the year was a 1.6.

Tucker battled Jonathan Hicken and Cole Butcher for most of the Pro Stock headlines in those big races all season. Hicken, the 2014 TCM Power Performer of the Year, put up three wins at Petty International Raceway in 2020, including the Mike Stevens Memorial for the fourth time in the last seven years. Butcher was the winner of the Jim Hallahan 250 at Scotia Speedworld, was runner-up at the RE/MAX 250 to Tucker and third in the Best of the Best at Speedway 660. A honorable mention to Nicholas Naugle, who finished off 2020 strong with two podium finishes, including a Riverside win, in the two Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour races in September.

Photo by Tanya Everett Photography

Several names were discussed when deciding the winner of the TCM Power Performer of the Year. The discussed “finalist” drivers also included, but were not limited to;

Cole Butcher – Hantsport, NS – Winner of the Jim Hallahan 250 at Scotia Speedworld, second in RE/MAX 250 at Speedway 660, third in the Best of the Best at Speedway 660, runner-up in Petty/660 Pro Stock Home and Home Series.

Michael Cormier – Grand-Barachois, NB – His 2020 Street Stock wins include big events like the Ricky Bobby 150 at Speedway 660, Mike Stevens Memorial at Petty International Raceway and Poogie Hache Memorial at Sydney Speedway.

Jonathan Hicken – Brudenell, PE – Three Pro Stock victories at Petty International Raceway including the Seventh Annual Mike Stevens Memorial – his fourth win in the race. Hicken is the 2014 TCM Power Performer of the Year.

Braden Langille – Shubenacadie, NS – Langille continued his double digit season win total after a 17 win performance in 2019. In 2020, the driver of the No. 51 won four at Petty International Raceway, three races at Scotia Speedworld (plus his car won one with Sam Rogers at the helm), two at Sydney Speedway and SpeedWeekend at Speedway 660 for 10 feature victories.

JR Lawson – Shubenacadie, NS – Speedway Miramichi Mini Stock Champion, five feature wins between Speedway Miramichi and Petty International Raceway.

Steve MacPhee – Yarmouth, NS – Only “two-time” champion this season, winning track titles at Lake Doucette Motor Speedway in the Late Model Sportsman and newly formed Honda division.

Kody Quinn – Sydney, NS – Six Mini Stock and one Legend win during season at Sydney Speedway.

Jordan Veinotte – Porter’s Lake, NS – Three Late Model Sportsman victories at Petty International Raceway, including the 56th Jones Auto Body River Glade International and the Seventh Annual Mike Stevens Memorial.

Tanton Wooldridge – Summerside, PE – Wins at six different tracks Bandoleros competed at in 2020. His major wins included the TCM Bandolero Blast Off at Speedway Miramichi, the Thanksgiving Thunder at Sydney Speedway and a Saturday win at the TCM Bandolero Blast at Speedway 660.

TCM Best of Awards Fast Facts:

  • Tucker is the fourth different winner of this award from New Brunswick in its nine year history, joining Dave O’Blenis, Shawn Tucker and Cory Hall as winners. It is the first time the award is going to a New Brunswick driver since Hall’s win in 2016.
  • Tucker is the first driver to win the award based off Pro Stock accomplishments since Hicken won the award in 2014.
  • For Tucker and the Brad Silliker Motorsports, this is their second TCM Best of Racing Award of 2020, matching a feat only done once after Megan Parrott of Beaver Bank, Nova Scotia and Number One Racing won two awards in the same year in 2019.
  • For Tucker, this is his fourth TCM Best of Racing Award after two previous Breakout Performer of the Year Award wins. The mark of four award leads any driver in the nine year history of the TCM Best of Racing Awards.

Past Champions:

2020 – Ashton Tucker of Lyttleton, NB
2019 – Braden Langille of Shubenacadie, NS
2018 – Josh Collins of Placentia, NL
2017 – Tim Webster of Beaver Bank, NS
2016 – Cory Hall of Jolicure, NB
2015 – Dave Matthews of Kennetcook, NS
2014 – Jonathan Hicken of Brudenell, PE
2013 – Shawn Tucker of Fredericton, NB
2012 – Dave O’Blenis of Boundary Creek, NB

About Tim’s Corner Motorsports:
Tim’s Corner Motorsports (TCM) is your destination for all your regional stock car racing news in Atlantic Canada. From Bandoleros to Super Late Models, from New Brunswick to Newfoundland, TCM covers it all. Be sure to follow TCM on all social platforms for content from the track at @TimsCornerCA.  For more information on Tim’s Corner Motorsports or to get up to date on all local stock car racing news, visit TimsCorner.ca! Until next time, keep the hammer down and we’ll see you at the track!


Photo by Michelle Roy

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