ROAD COURSE CHALLENGE TO DECIDE 2013 CHAMPION SUNDAY

Feature Photo by Ken MacIsaac

Call it a wildcard if you will, but the Maritime League of Legends Tour is about to close off their season by making some right hand turns.

Granted, the series has run at the 11-turn, 1.6 mile Atlantic Motorsports Park for the past three seasons for their final race of the year, but even for the skilled oval veterans of the circuit, winning at the road course can seem like a daunting task.

Coming into the final race of 2013, which will mark Round Six on the Maritime League of Legends Tour schedule, Justin MacNeill of Bedford is in the driver’s seat. The #10 Cummins/Parts for Trucks Legend has a whopping 39 point lead on “Miss Rawdon Rocket” Emily Meehan. With the way the points are set up, MacNeill must only start to clinch the title in a field of 21 or less. Danny Harvey of Lantz and Jeff Cruickshank of Hantsport sit in a tie for third, just 19 points behind Meehan and could take second place with a good run on Sunday. Darren Sherwood of Berry Mills, New Brunswick completes the top five in the standings.

The winningest driver on the season will look to overcome an 18 point gap to move himself into the top five on Sunday. Cy Harvey of Elmsdale is tied with Paul Goulden of Shelburne in the standings for sixth and both will look to make some big moves to take fifth on Sunday.

While there is a point battle to decide, the three previous winners of this event, all of whom now race full time on the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour, will be in attendance Sunday. Two-time Pro Stock Tour titlist and Dartmouth Dodge 200 winner Shawn Turple of Enfield won the event in 2010, while Dylan Blenkhorn (Truro) and Cole Butcher (Porter’s Lake) each won the race in their 2011 and 2012 championship years, respectively. No driver has won the event twice in the three year history of the October classic.

With this being the only road race for any Maritime oval touring series, combined with every major oval track and series in the region sitting silent on the long weekend, it means the eyes of the region will be on the cars and stars of the Maritime League of Legends. It is one prestigious event you will not want to miss!

Pit gates open at 7am on Sunday for the Maritime League of Legends Tour. The one hour practice begins at 9:15pm, with the10-lap heat race at 11am and the Road Course Challenge presented by R&D Performancentre to follow at 12:30pm. The event is a part of the Jack Canfield Memorial weekend at Atlantic Motorsports Park. A combined sedan and Toyo Tires Spec Miata Championship three hour endurance race is also on the card for Sunday, October 13th at 1pm.

About R&D Performancentre:
Since our inception in 1982 we’ve provided Atlantic Canada with the best in performance products and services. As we continue our tradition in performance and excellent customer service we invite you to explore our website at www.rdperformance.ca, visit us at 12551 Highway #2 in Lower Onslow, or give us a call at (902) 893-3795 for all your performance and racing product and service needs!

About The Maritime League of Legends:
The Maritime League of Legends Association was formed in 2005 by a group of racer’s wanting to grow the Legends Cars division in the Maritime Provinces of Canada. In 2012, the Maritime League of Legends Tour will visit four venues throughout Nova Scotia and New Brunswick between May and October during its seven race season. For more information on the Maritime League of Legends, please visit www.maritimelegends.ca.

The unique, custom made trophy for the event was crafted by Velocity Machining and Welding of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.