Maritime Racing
Petty Season Wraps Up This Weekend with Mike Stevens Memorial
Track Release/Photo by McCarthy Photographic
RIVER GLADE, NB (September 17, 2014) – Petty International Raceway will host its season finale this Saturday and Sunday with the inaugural Mike Stevens Memorial 150 Weekend, sponsored by R. Stevens Mechanical. Highlights are expected to include the 150-lap pro stock feature and the crowning of six Petty racing division champions.
The Mike Stevens Memorial 150 on Saturday is shaping up to be a star-studded tribute to the late Mike Stevens with more than 25 pro stock racers expected to enter including three Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour (PST) champions (John Flemming – Halifax, NS, Shawn Tucker – Fredericton, and Shawn Turple – Enfield, NS), as well as Jonathan Hicken (Montague, PE) – a four-time winner on the PST circuit this year.
Dave O’Blenis (Boundary Creek), a multi-time pro stock champion and race winner who considers Petty home turf is also on the expected entry list, as are local racers Robbie Fraser (Riverview), Michael Kyle (Sussex), Glyn Nott (Burton), Paul Gahan (St. Mary’s), Tim Rodgers (Upper Coverdale), Sarah McKay – PST Rookie of the Year (Quispamsis), Jason Carnahan (Moncton), Kevin Moore (Fredericton), and Chris Duncan (Hampton).
The Mike Stevens Memorial 150 is the last points event of the season for the Petty Pro Stock division which sees Duncan leading Ken MacKenzie by only one point. O’Blenis is third, seven behind MacKenzie and Rodgers is just three behind in fourth. Kyle is fifth, seven behind Rodgers.
Besides pro stocks, Saturday’s show will see a 100-lap feature for the Napa Cmax Sportsman to determine the 2014 division champion. Russell Smith Jr. leads that battle by eight points over Laurie Cormier, and O’Blenis (doing double-duty in pro stock and sportsman) sits third – five behind Cormier.
On Sunday afternoon four more Petty racing division champions will be decided along with a 50-lap feature for the Atlantic Modified Tour.
Cory Hall leads the Leisure Days RV Bandoleros standings by seven markers over Cole Tanner. Adam Meehan and Braden Langille are tied for third – just one point behind Tanner and Ashton Tucker is just one behind them. Courtney O’Blenis (Dave’s daughter) is just two points behind Tucker.
In Mister Transmission Mini Stocks it is JR Lawson on top with a 16-point advantage over Brad Daley. Patricia Taylor is third, only 11 markers behind Daley.
The Petty Street Stock division sees Ken MacKenzie Jr. leading Alexandra O’Blenis (also Dave’s daughter) by just 11 points heading into the final event. Mike Duskey is third, three behind O’Blenis.
Mike Stevens, a multi-time PST winner from Salisbury, passed away August 4, 2013 after being involved in a crash during a race at a track in Prince Edward Island; he was just 30 years old. His life, and his tragic passing, left a mark on the Maritime racing community. He attended Petty Raceway as a boy so having the memorial event at the facility is a natural fit. Members of Stevens’ family, including his wife Sharon and sons Brody and David, as well as his race team will be in attendance. Winners of all the weekends feature races will receive a Mike Stevens Memorial trophy.
A complete pro stock expected entry list along with Petty racing division point standings, and much more about this weekend and the facility, can be found online at www.pettyraceway.com.
Racing starts at 4 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday . There is plenty of free parking for those with RV’s who want to spend the weekend.
About Petty International Raceway:
Petty International Raceway is located on Highway 106, just 40 km west of Moncton, New Brunswick. To learn more about Petty International Raceway, its location, admission, policies, history, and more, please visit www.pettyraceway.com. To get current updates delivered to you directly please follow us on Twitter.