RIVER GLADE, NB – (August 22nd, 2018) – One of the biggest weekends of stock car racing in Southeast New Brunswick is days away. Petty International Raceway will be the stage for the 54th River Glade International weekend presented by Jones Auto Body. The two day show on Friday, August 24th and Saturday, August 25th will see four of Petty International Raceway’s house divisions and four of the region’s top touring series race on the high banked bullring to be called an International champion. Friday’s program, which begins at 7:30pm, is highlighted by the Jones Auto Body Late Model Sportsman 125 for the A.E. McKay Builders Late Model Sportsman. Saturday’s racing action, which goes green at 6pm, is capped by the Cummins 200 for the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour.
With just three point races to go in the A.E. McKay Builders Late Model Sportsman division, the extended distance Jones Auto Body 125 will not only be a test of man and machine but will also be pivotal in deciding a track champion. Brady Creamer (Miramichi) would love nothing more but to add his name to the long list of River Glade International champions but would also like to keep his 11 point lead in tact in the season long title bout. Jordan Veinotte (Porter’s Lake, NS) and two-time International champion Laurie Cormier (Riverview) find themselves knotted in second place in the point championship standings with reigning International champion Kenny MacKenzie Jr (Salisbury) in fourth place. Neal Crawford (Salisbury), only four points off the pace of MacKenzie Jr., is fifth in the championship standings after five point nights thus far in 2018.
Six-time River Glade International champion Frank Fraser Sr. (Shubenacadie, NS) is expected to make a bid for a seventh title in a Scott Fraser Racing prepared Late Model on Friday night. Luc Bourgeois (Memramcook) will look for a second River Glade International title after winning his first in 2016. Justin Beers (Moncton) is the most recent winner at Petty International Raceway in a Late Model Sportsman, winning the prestigious Caleb Dunn Memorial on August 5th. Andrew Rodgers (Smithtown) and Dylan Blenkhorn (Truro, NS) are among the stars that will look to win their first River Glade International title on Friday night.
The Westwood Estates Street Stock division will warm up the track for the Late Models on Friday night with a 50-lap feature of their own. Michael Cormier (Grand-Barachois) will lead the field into battle with a two point lead over Nick Cudmore (Petitcodiac). Logan Power (Riverview) enters third in the standings, 14 points out of a spot he occupied last year as division champion. With Power eying a jump up the stock car ranks by season’s end, he is looking to close off his Street Stock career with a big win on Friday evening. Brandon Carter (Moncton), the leading rookie in the class, sits fourth in the points and is 11 points up on the No. 55 car and Alexandra O’Blenis (Boundary Creek) with just two point race nights remaining in the 2018 season.
The Caleb Dunn Memorial saw a massive shake up in the point standings for the Mister Transmission Mini Stock division. Rob Poirier (Irishtown) has moved to the top of the four cylinder class by a single point over Patricia Taylor (Salisbury). A rough night for Chantel Ackles (Shubenacadie, NS) on August 5th has dropped the No. 30 from first to third in the standings but still in the thick of things as she sits seven points out of Poirier. The trio have separated themselves a bit from the pack with Chris Garnett (Havelock) and former champion Mike Weagle (Salisbury) fourth and fifth with 27 and 38 points deficits, respectively.
The Atlantic Modified Tour will race a 35-lap feature on the Friday night of Jones Auto Body River Glade International weekend. Joe Hoyt (Waasis) scored the most recent win for the Series on August 11th at Speedway 660 and will lead the Tour standings by 17 over the Stafford Racing No. 91 team. The No. 91 team with Braxton Stafford (Blackville) leads the Petty International Raceway track standings for the Modifieds by four over Hoyt, 11 over Kevin Bailey (Minto), 14 over Cody Price (Nackawic) and 16 over Greg Butler (Hoyt). Price is the most recent winner for the Atlantic Modified Tour at Petty International Raceway after scoring the victory on Caleb Dunn Memorial weekend.
Grandstand admission prices for Friday are $20 for adults and $10 for youth aged eight to 18, while children seven years of age and under will be admitted free. Pit admission is $25 and is restricted to those 16 years of age and older. Pit gates for competitors open at 4pm, grandstand gates open for spectators at 5:30pm with racing getting underway at 7:30pm.
The Leisure Days RV Bandoleros will open the show on Saturday evening for Night Two of the Jones Auto Body River Glade International. Sam Rogers (Lower Onslow, NS) is in firm control of the point lead and has been the driver to beat all Summer in the class. Rogers has a 19 point lead over Colton Noble (Upper Nine Mile River, NS) with Danny Chisholm (Canning, NS), Owen Mahar (Hubley, NS) and Evan Lane (Salisbury) completing the top five. Kelsea Lewis (Salisbury) is the top rookie in the class and sits just outside the top five in the standings after six race meets.
A complete preview for Saturday’s Cummins 200 for the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour can be found on the official website for the series, MaritimeProStockTour.com. The preview for the 50-lap Maritime League of Legends event can be found at MaritimeLegends.ca. A preview for the 50-lap MJS and Prime Lift East Coast Mini Stock Tour event can be found on their website at EastCoastMiniStockTour.com.
Grandstand admission prices for Saturday’s events at Petty International Raceway are $35 for adults and $10 for youth aged eight to 18, while children seven years of age and under will be admitted free. Pit admission is $40 and is restricted to those 16 years of age and older.
For complete, up-to-date information on Petty International Raceway, please visit PettyInternationalRaceway.com, follow us on Twitter (@PettyRaceway_NB) and like us on Facebook (@PettyInternationalRaceway).
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.pettyinternationalraceway.com. To get current updates delivered to you directly please follow us on Twitter.
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