(GEARY, NB – June 3rd, 2019) – On a day where Speedway 660 saluted their youngest fans, it was two rising stars of this sport who stole the show with one of the closest finishes in the track’s 26 season history.
Alexandra O’Blenis (Boundary Creek, NB) used a last lap, high side pass on her sister Courtney O’Blenis (Boundary Creek, NB) to take home her first Martin’s Home Heating Sportsman victory of the season. According to the electronic scoring system, Alexandra bested her younger sister to the line by a thousandth (0.001) of a second at the finish line.
“I thought she had me,” said Alexandra O’Blenis in Riverview Ford Lincoln Victory Lane. “I sailed it in to Turn Three on the last lap and hoped it would stick. Somehow, I managed to get a run off Turn Four and got her at the line.”
Behind the two O’Blenis Motorsports entries at the line was a battle between two Lonnie Sommerville Racing cars with reigning Martin’s Home Heating Sportsman champion Drew Greenlaw (Eastport, ME) racing to the final podium position over Curtis Collins (Saint John, NB). Riverview Ford Lincoln Season Opener winner Richard Atkinson (Geary, NB) completed the top five in the 40-lap feature.
Ryan Raynes (Saint John, NB) and Courtney O’Blenis captured heat race victories in the 12 car Martin’s Home Heating Sportsman field.
Not to be outdone, the RE/MAX East Coast Elite Realty Pro Stock 50-lap feature wasn’t without late lap excitement. Greg Fahey (St. Stephen, NB) inherited the lead in the race with a lap and a half remaining after Dave O’Blenis (Boundary Creek, NB) had a right front wheel come loose. Fahey battled Brent Roy (Hanwell, NB) for second for most of the waning laps before that battle became the one for the lead. Fahey was able to finish ahead of Roy and Steve Halpin (Saint John, NB) for his first feature win of the year.
Shawn Tucker (Fredericton, NB) made his return to the driver’s seat on Sunday with a fourth place finish in the RE/MAX East Coast Elite Realty Pro Stock division. Tucker, a multi-time McLaughlin Roof Trusses 250 champion, raced a newly built race car that he and his son Dustin will split in part-time appearances in 2019. Ian Rasmussen (New Denmark, NB) finished fifth in the Pro Stock main event.
Kevin Moore (Fredericton, NB) and Halpin took home heat race victories for the RE/MAX East Coast Elite Realty Pro Stocks.
Michael Cormier (Grand-Barachois, NB) made some magic of his own by taking home his first DMR Auto Street Stock feature victory in the Geary woods. Cormier, a Bandolero division graduate, waited until two laps to go to make his move on Justin Cole (Harvey, NB) that ultimately sealed his victory. For Cormier, it was his second straight night racing to a Street Stock win in the province following a victory Saturday in River Glade. Defending track champion Shawn Hyslop (St. Stephen, NB) was third, followed by Riley Goodwin (McAdam, NB) and Roger Slocum (Chipman, NB).
Heat races in the 13-car DMR Auto Street Stock field were won by Cormier and Luke Dukeshire.
Matt Martin scored a popular feature victory in the Fredericton Gun Shop Sharp Shooters division. Martin seemed to have control of the 20-lap feature before a caution bunched up the field with six laps remaining. Martin was able to use the restart to his advantage to build a lead, one that a hard charging BJ Gillespie was unable to overcome in the final laps. Ryan Bernard joined Martin and Gillespie on the podium, while Ricky Arbeau and Brody Levesque raced to top five finishes.
Three heat races set the feature grid for the 19 car Fredericton Gun Shop Sharp Shooters. Bryan Suttie, Malcolm Suley and Martin raced to the win their respective ten lap qualifiers.
Fans were treated to a pre-race cold pit autograph session prior to the racing action while hundreds of kids packed the front straight for the annual Kids Day Candy Scramble at intermission.
The next event at Speedway 660 takes place on Saturday, June 8th at 6:30pm. The first show of the season under the lights on Saturday night is highlighted by a 50-lap feature for the Fredericton Gun Shop Sharp Shooter division. The RE/MAX East Coast Elite Pro Stock, Martin’s Home Heating Sportsman and DMR Auto Street Stock divisions will also be in action.
For more information about Kids Day, or any event at Speedway 660, visit Speedway660.com, like @Speedway660 on Facebook or call the Speedway 660 Raceline at (506) 454-7223.
About Speedway 660:
Speedway 660 is one of Canada’s premier stock car racing facilities. Located in New Brunswick’s Fredericton region, it attracts race teams and fans from the Maritimes, New England and Quebec. The Speedway 660 racing season runs from mid May until Labour Day Weekend. SpeedWeekend, one of the most prestigious short track events in eastern North America, wraps up Speedway 660’s racing season.
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