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(August 16th, 2023) - Super Late Model Series superstars are racing into round five of the inaugural 2023 season. The penultimate race on the calendar will see the series travel back to the Geary Woods and Speedway 660 for the ReCar 150 presented by Wonder Auto and Tire.
Speedway 660 served as the site for the historic first race in series history in May - a race deemed by fans as one of the best they had witnessed after seeing Ryan Messer (#1) outduel top talents to secure the win. Upwards of 26 competitors have signalled their intent to battle for glory and the $4000 grand prize in Saturday’s event. With the popsicle sticks of the 2023 season being in the air, the stakes continue to raise as drivers battle for every position in points.
Fast Facts
Date: Saturday August 19th, 2023 | Start Time: 6:00pm
Pit Gates Open: 11:00am | Grandstands Open: 5:00pm
Event: ReCar 150 presented by Wonder Auto and Tire / Super Late Model Series Round Five
Track: Speedway 660
Location: 588 Branch Road, Geary, New Brunswick, Canada
Track Size: 1/3 Mile | Race Distance: 150 Laps
Support Classes: Sportsman, Street Stock, Sharp Shooter, Atlantic Modified Tour
Race Day Tickets: Purchased at the Speedway 660 ticket booth at the track, debit/credit is accepted.
Past SLMS Winners at Speedway 660: Ryan Messer #1
SUPER SIX Super Late Model Series Storylines
Dylan Gosbee Closing on Inaugural Points Championship, But It’s Not Over Yet…
He’s been a model of consistency all season, and in round four, Dylan Gosbee (#16) finally broke through to victory lane by winning the Universal Truck and Trailer 150. Having led the points since round two - with finishes of fourth, third, second and now first - Gosbee has opened a comfortable 33-point lead over Robbie MacEwen (#40).
Once again sporting the yellow SLMS points leader banner and trim, Gosbee returns to Speedway 660 where he scored his fourth place showing after leading 16 laps in the race. This team has improved every race, but execution will continue to be crucial as one bad race would change everything.
Many of Gosbee’s closest competitors also had good showings in May, and while they try to chase him down, are locked amidst their own battles. Robbie MacEwen (#40) finished sixth in May, and continues to reign second in points, but he has a slim one-point margin over Steve Halpin (#03). Halpin led the most laps last trip to Speedway 660 but had to settle for second at the end.
While the top three have broken away, battles ensure all throughout the standings, and mathematically any driver in the top 15 in points and beyond theoretically has a shot - even if it’s a long one. From heated battles in the mid-part of the top ten, a tight race for tenth itself, and a continually intensifying Castrol Rookie of the Year battle, fans will be entertained with many races within the race on Saturday.
Messer and Halpin Set to Battle Again
When the Super Late Model Series launched at the Riverview Ford Season Opener in May, the closing stages of the race saw a battle unfold between Ryan Messer (#1) and Steve Halpin (#03). Halpin would lead the most laps, but Messer would emerge victorious. These two drivers would again find each other in round four, crossing the line nose-to-tail for third and fourth at Oyster Bed Speedway.
With each driver having one DNF hampering an otherwise stellar season, both still are within striking distance of a championship as Halpin sits third in points with Messer in fifth. They will be looking to repeat the performance of May and set up another classic Speedway 660 duel.
For Messer, he has not lost a feature at Speedway 660 in almost a year, which puts him in position to be a pre-race favorite - but Halpin will be hungry to change that stat.
Ashton Tucker Enters Best Track with Nothing To Lose
Ashton Tucker (#2) has long dominated big races at Speedway 660 over the past half decade. The three-time Pro Stock 250 champion has scored over ten victories in the Geary Woods in Super Late Model competition. However, 2023 has been an uncharacteristic season marred with tough luck for Tucker and the Brad Silliker Motorsports team. Tucker sits deep in points after a pair of DNF’s at Oyster Bed Speedway - including a transmission issue relegating him to a last place finish on a day with much potential two weeks ago.
The rough luck puts Tucker in a unique position heading into the end of the season. With a points championship being a long shot, there is no pressure for the Miramichi driver, meaning this team will be focused on nothing but winning races - something Tucker has done at Speedway 660 better than anywhere else!
Sommerville Aspires to Bounce Back from Back-to-Back Engine Failures
It was a year that started with much promise for Lonnie Sommerville (#23), but the middle portion of the season has quickly derailed the veteran drivers title hopes. Last trip to Speedway 660 - a track where Sommerville has many wins and championships - the #23 car was parked on the podium, followed up with a top five effort in round two at Oyster Bed Speedway.
Since those top five runs, Sommerville has posted two consecutive DNF’s, both attributed to engine failures. In fact, Sommerville has only completed 54 of the last 300 laps. The best medicine is winning, and there’s no better spot for this driver than Speedway 660 to do so. Will the #23 team bookend the season with strong runs?
Speedway 660 Ringers Join the Field
With the prestigious Speedweekend Pro Stock 250 only a few weeks away - and the Speedway 660 Pro Stock division taking the night off - a swath of competitors are joining the field for the ReCar 150 presented by Wonder Auto and Tire to shake down and hopefully steal a victory from SLMS regulars.
Castrol Rookie competitors Curtis Collins (#27) and Clark Moore (#54) have been making laps all summer and are set for their second starts with the Super Late Model Series. Andrew Rodgers (#14) will also return, with hopes of improving on a seventeenth-place finish in May. Two new competitors - who are no stranger to Speedway 660 - will make their SLMS debuts on Saturday. Those drivers will be multi-time Speedway 660 Sportsman champion John Rankin (#9), and Calvin Rankin (#45).
While some new drivers will join the field, some regular SLMS competitors have been double dipping and tearing up the Speedway 660 Re/Max East Coast Elite Realty Pro Stock division. Dave O’Blenis (#48) is a six-time champion in the division and is mere races away from a record setting seventh title. O’Blenis has three wins in four races contested thus far in Speedway 660 competition. On the SLMS side of things, the results may not show it, but O’Blenis has been fast every race and may be able to change his fortunes this weekend.
Hot on O’Blenis’s tail is Hudson Weston (#43), who is fresh off his first top ten on the Super Late Model Series at Oyster Bed Speedway. Despite his first three SLMS races being marred by horrible fortunes, Weston has posted four podium finishes at Speedway 660 and is chasing O’Blenis for the points lead. This young driver will be worth watching during round five as he aims to climb the Castrol Rookie of the Year rankings.
Can PEI Stars Tame the Geary Woods?
Prince Edward Island drivers have been tearing up the Super Late Model Series, holding down three of the top four, and five of the top nine positions in points. However, their achilles heel has been Speedway 660. At the Riverview Ford Season Opener, only two PEI entries finished in the top ten - those being the top two in points in Dylan Gosbee and Robbie MacEwen.
Troy Burke was the next best finisher, but regular contenders such as Darren MacKinnon, and rookie Kenny Snow (#7) faced adversity and nursed home finishes of nineteenth or worst. Brodie Lewis (#22) was unable to make the call to round one, and he will look forward to a long-awaited Speedway 660 debut.
It has been seen that New Brunswick drivers improved their performance during the second trip to Oyster Bed Speedway, can these PEI stars improve their results when they roll back into the Geary Woods?
Stay Up To Date!
As raceday nears, fans are encouraged to stay tuned to social media for breaking news as it happens! Super Late Model Series can be found on social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter at @SLMSeries. Also be sure to check out our official website at SLMS.ca.
For more information on the ReCar 150 presented by Wonder Auto & Tire, check out Speedway 660 on Facebook, and online at speedway660.com.
ReCar 150 presented by Wonder Auto & Tire Entry List
ReCar 150 presented by Wonder Auto & Tire Event Format
