(DARTMOUTH, NS – May 14th, 2019) – The Passione Flooring & Interiors East Coast Mini Stock Tour will open their 2019 season this Saturday at Petty International Raceway in River Glade, New Brunswick. The 60-lap feature race for the Series is the first of nine events for the Honda Four Cylinder touring series and one of two trips to the Province of New Brunswick in 2019. The Season Opener at Petty International Raceway, which is headlined by the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour’s Lucas Oil 150, has a post time of 4pm on Saturday, May 18th.
With reigning champion Matthew Warren (White’s Lake, NS) stepping back to spend more time with family this year, the championship is open for the taking in 2019. Inaugural Passione Flooring & Interiors East Coast Mini Stock Tour winner Tim Webster (Beaver Bank, NS) is expected to have his car at Petty International Raceway but has yet to confirm whether he will be behind the wheel of the No. 86 car at press time. Webster is a former Petty International Raceway winner with the Series, winning the first race for the Series at the track in September 2017.
The two visits to Petty International Raceway by the Tour in 2018 were split by Dave Matthews (Kennetcook, NS) and Cody Byrne (Orwell Cove, PE). The pair each won two races on the Series last year. Matthews followed up his River Glade win with one at Geary in the Pub’s Drive Thru Bottle Exchange 50 at Speedway 660 last September while Byrne took the Season Finale at Riverside International Speedway in thrilling fashion. Byrne also took home the Mike Stevens Memorial Mini Stock open event at Petty International Raceway last September while Matthews was a winner in an Open Mini Stock event outside of Shediac, New Brunswick last October.
The Finish Line Vinyl Design Rookie of the Year fight will kick off on Saturday with three drivers beginning the battle for top freshman honors. Geographically, the three hail from opposite points of the Province of Nova Scotia and have different racing backgrounds, creating one of the most intriguing battles this Series has had in its short history. Shay MacPhee (Yarmouth, NS) is coming off a Four Cylinder Men’s championship at Lake Doucette Motor Speedway and his family has a racing history within the Province. Stephan Somerset (Nictaux, NS) got the itch to go racing last season and made limited starts between Lake Doucette Motor Speedway, Valley Raceway and the CENTRE For Speed with Team Sonic. Darrell Hulme (Sydney, NS) is new to the driver’s seat but has shown drive and determination over the off-season needed to succeed on the track. The trio have yet to cut race laps around Petty International Raceway’s high banked quarter mile bullring in their careers. They will look to etch their name alongside 2018 Finish Line Vinyl Design Rookie of the Year Taylor McLean (New Glasgow, NS) as the most recent winner of the award.
From rookies to the more experienced drivers, Chris Garnett (Havelock, NB) and Mike Edwards (Penobsquis, NB) will look to carry the checkered flag around their home track in the 60-lap season opener. Neil Miousse (Kentville, NS) has deep roots in New Brunswick and is a former Speedway 660 Sharp Shooter regular. Miousse would like nothing more to take his first Passione Flooring & Interiors East Coast Mini Stock Tour victory in his home province on Saturday afternoon.
The Scotia Speedworld Thunder car championship battle from 2018 will continue on track this weekend at Petty International Raceway with Darren Flemming (Belnan, NS) and Jesse Deveau (Greenwood, NS) each looking to strike first and take the checkered flag. Deveau has one Passione Flooring & Interiors East Coast Mini Stock Tour win to his credit at Valley Raceway in 2017 while Flemming drove to victory lane at Petty Raceway in weekly competition last season.
Dave Timmons (Inverness, NS) and Douglas Webb (Sydney, NS) are hoping to take the hardware from the Season Opener back to Cape Breton Island. Timmons is a former NAPA Sportsman Series competitor and has teamed up with Jeffrey Davidson for the season in the No. 47 entry. Webb will look to get some seat time at Petty International Raceway ahead of his home track of Sydney Speedway re-opening in July. Drew MacEachern (Dartmouth, NS) is sure to have his No. 13 ready for a run towards the front in Saturday’s opening event.
Please note that the Passione Flooring & Interiors East Coast Mini Stock Tour (along with the house A.E. McKay Builders Late Model Sportsman and Street Stock divisions) will not run qualifying heat races on Saturday. The starting lineup for the 60-lap feature for the Passione Flooring & Interiors East Coast Mini Stock Tour will be set by a random draw.
The driver who draws the pole position will be the first driver offered the Giles Auto World Pole Challenge. The first driver to accept the challenge will fall to the back of the field and pick up cash bonuses based off where they finish the event. The EIT Race Radios Hard Charger and RockAuto.com Hard Luck Awards will also be offered during the Season Opening, and every other, event on the Passione Flooring & Interiors East Coast Mini Stock Tour.
Grandstand admission prices for Saturday’s events at Petty International Raceway are $30 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 $35 and is restricted to those 16 years of age and older. Grandstand gates open for spectators at 2pm with racing getting underway at 4pm. A complete race day format can be found later in the week at PettyRaceway.com.
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) 832-9091 for expert advice on your next flooring and interior project! The Quality Sterling Group line of products and services can be found online at PassioneFlooring.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 six oval race tracks throughout Atlantic Canada in their nine race season. For complete information on the East Coast Mini Stock Tour, please visit EastCoastMiniStockTour.com
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.
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