DARTMOUTH, NS – (August 15th, 2018) – The cars and stars of the MJS and Prime Lift East Coast Mini Stock Tour roll up the Trans Canada Highway to Riverside International Speedway on Friday, August 17th for the Passione Flooring and Interiors 50. The 50-lap feature is Round Four of Seven on the 2018 season and first of two stops at the James River, Nova Scotia oval on the year. The Passione Flooring and Interiors 50 is the opening round of the NASCAR Pinty’s Series Bumper to Bumper 300 weekend and will join the NAPA Sportsman Series on Friday night’s card. Racing begins on Friday at 7pm.
Matthew Warren (White’s Lake, NS) has moved to the point lead on the Series after his first career MJS and Prime Lift East Coast Mini Stock Tour victory. Warren battled with Jesse Deveau (Greenwood, NS), his brother Andrew Warren (White’s Lake, NS) and Darren Flemming (Belnan, NS) for the win in the Bruce Honda Showdown on the Shore at Lake Doucette Motor Speedway on August 5th.
Warren, a multiple time champion at Scotia Speedworld, has a two point advantage on Dave Matthews (Kennetcook, NS). Matthews won the opening round for the Tour in May at Petty International Raceway. Andrew Warren, who won the Passione Flooring and Interiors 50 at Scotia Speedworld in June, sits only three points back from his brother in the championship chase.
Andrew Warren finished second in this race one year ago driving the car currently campaigned by his brother. The Honda CRX that now has the No. 85 on it went to victory lane two years ago at Riverside in an invitational four cylinder race, then driven by Matt Watson (Miscouche, PE). Watson, still in search of his first MJS and Prime Lift East Coast Mini Stock Tour victory, will be in the field looking to drive his Honda Civic to victory lane.
Tim Webster (Beaver Bank, NS), who won the inaugural MJS and Prime Lift East Coast Mini Stock Tour race at Riverside International Speedway en route to the 2017 championship, sits fourth in the standings heading into Friday night. Webster had an uncharacteristic “off night” at Lake Doucette Motor Speedway where he finished eleventh after having to pit late in the race. Expect Webster to be back into top form on Friday and not only race to defend his Riverside win but close the 16 point gap between himself and Warren for the championship with four races to go.
Flemming has had a breakout season of sorts when it comes to Mini Stock racing. While he has yet to win an MJS and Prime Lift East Coast Mini Stock Tour event, he has three wins on the season in weekly competition throughout the region. This will be Flemming’s second Riverside start after finishing 17th here one year ago.
Deveau and “The Ironman” Drew MacEachern (Dartmouth, NS) come into Friday with a head of steam. In addition to his podium runs in the last two MJS and Prime Lift East Coast Mini Stock Tour events at Scotia Speedworld and Lake Doucette Motor Speedway, he was a winner last weekend at Scotia Speedworld in the Thunder division. MacEachern has also seen success at Scotia Speedworld with two podium finishes over the last month and looks to turn around another trophy Friday night in the Passione Flooring and Interiors 50.
Cody Byrne (Orwell Cove, PE), Taylor McLean (New Glasgow, NS) and Neil Miousse (Kentville, NS) have competed in all three events thus far on the MJS and Prime Lift East Coast Mini Stock Tour and are looking for strong runs during the Passione Flooring and Interiors 50.
With Scotia Speedworld, Petty International Raceway and Oyster Bed Speedway idle this weekend, a number of their weekly competitors are expected to make the trek to Riverside International Speedway on Friday evening. Chris Garnett (Havelock, NB), Jason Pickles (Meaghers Grant, NS), Greg McKay (Eastern Passage, NS), Jerome Tracey (Port Hawkesbury, NS), Nic Baker (Upper Sackville, NS) and Chris Hatcher (Beaver Bank, NS) will all make their third starts of the MJS and Prime Lift East Coast Mini Stock Tour season in the Passione Flooring and Interiors 50.
Gerald Gallant (Miscouche, PE) and Tyler Larkin (Montague, PE) will make the haul from Prince Edward Island while David “Hibby” Hibbs (Lower Sackville, NS) and former Island Speedway champion Chris Drover (Lower Sackville, NS) will look to add to their trophy cases Friday night. Petty International Raceway regulars JR Lawson (Shubenacadie, NS) and Chantel Ackles (Shubenacadie, NS) will look to transfer success from one high banked oval to another. Alex Landry (Antignonish, NS), driving for James Sample, will make his Riverside debut in the No. 37 car.
The Passione Flooring and Interiors 50 starts a busy four week stretch that will boomerang back to Riverside International Speedway on September 8th to crown a Tour champion. The Series heads to Petty International Raceway next Saturday, August 25th before heading to Speedway 660 for the Pub’s Drive Thru Bottle Exchange 50 on Saturday, September 1st. A champion will be crowned at Riverside International Speedway in a 50-lap feature on Saturday, September 8th.
In addition to the Giles Auto World Pole Challenge and the EIT Race Radios Hard Charger Award being up for grabs, the Passione Flooring and Interiors 50 is a qualifying race for the United Rental Dash for Cash. The top four drivers in Friday night’s 50-lap feature will qualify to race for a $100 bonus courtesy of United Rentals at the August 25th event at Petty International Raceway.
The NASCAR Pinty’s Series Weekend kicks off Friday, August 17 with the Henry’s AUTOPRO 100 for the Napa Sportsman Series and the Passione Flooring Mini 50 for the MJS Holdings/Prime Lift East Coast Mini Stock Tour. On Saturday, August 18 it’s the NASCAR Pintys’ Series Bumper to Bumper 300 and the Maritime League of Legends Celtic Air Services 50.
Racing starts at 7 p.m. on Friday and on Saturday NASCAR qualifying is set for 3:00 p.m., Legends heat races at 4:30 p.m., followed by a NASCAR autograph session at 5:25 p.m., the Legends feature race at 6:15 p.m., NASCAR driver introductions at 7:25 p.m. and the Bumper to Bumper 300 at 8:00 p.m. The grandstand gates and box office opens at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday and 4:00 p.m. Friday. A detailed schedule for the weekend can be found at RiversideSpeedway.ca.
Reserved and general admission tickets are available online at www.RiversideSpeedway.ca as either a weekend pass or single-day tickets. Reserved seats are only available in advance. Advance ticket sales close Thursday at 5:00 p.m. General admission tickets will be available at the gate on race day.
There is plenty of free spectator vehicle and RV parking for this event. RV parking is for self-contained units only and campers must park in the area designated for campers, and must adhere to Riverside camping terms of use which are published online at www.RiversideSpeedway.ca.
Fans are encouraged to follow along with the ECMST on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @ECMiniStockTour. You can also visit the ECMST website for complete series and event information at EastCoastMiniStockTour.com.
About Passione Flooring and Interiors:
Passione Flooring and Interiors offers the highest quality of products from the Quality Sterling Group. Whether it is tile, carpet, hardwood, laminate or the world class service and installation, they can do it all! Their new state of the art location is now open at 64 Burbridge Avenue in Dartmouth’s Burnside Industrial Park. Visit them today or call (902) 482-4093 for expert advice on your next flooring and interior project! The Quality Sterling Group line of products and services can be found online at QSG.ca.
Riverside International Speedway is recognized as a premiere stock racing facility in Canada. The 1/3-mile high banked asphalt oval roars to action several times a year for special events. It is the home for eastern Canada’s only NASCAR event, and of the IWK 250 – widely known as the best stock car race in Canada. Located in James River, between New Glasgow and Antigonish, the facility is easily accessible at exit 30 on Trans Canada Highway 104. For more information call 902.863.2410 or click www.riversidespeedway.ca.
About Prime Lift Limited:
Prime Lift operates as a division of Prime Material Handling Equipment and the exclusive distributor for Rotary automotive lift sales, installation, inspection, parts and service in Atlantic Canada. From the day you decide to go Rotary, from selecting the right automotive lift, installation method, thorough safety inspections and servicing – Prime Lift is dedicated to continuously deliver more value and keep our customers safe! Visit them online at www.Prime-Lift.com
About the East Coast Mini Stock Tour:
The East Coast Mini Stock Tour was formed in December 2016 to give Mini Stock racing in the Maritime Provinces a unified home. Featuring four cylinder Honda models, the series will host events at five oval race tracks throughout Atlantic Canada in their seven race season. For complete information on the East Coast Mini Stock Tour, please visit EastCoastMiniStockTour.com
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