Banks takes it to the Bank in Martins Sportsman 100!!

Saturday night was saw some of the best sportsman cars from all over Atlantic Canada make their way to the Geary Woods for the Martin’s Home Heating Sportsman 100.  The first big sportsman event of the year saw 26 cars try to qualify for 24 spots in the main event.     Fans of the speedway were treated to some amazing weather to go along with the great on track racing.   There was racing in four divisions on this night starting with the young guns in the Bandolero division.

In the Leisure FamilyRV.com Street Stock division Smokin’ Joe Albert was strong all night winning his heat and the dash to set him up for a chance to win the Robin’s Inn Hat trick award.   But it wasn’t to be because in the feature, it was Jason Shannon who had the upper hand.   Shannon took his number 28 ride three wide on two different occasions to make his way to the front.   Albert was right there in 2nd place and would challenge for the lead off a restart on lap 12 but it was Shannon who had the car to beat on this night.   Shannon took home his second win of the season while Joe Albert finished 2nd and Kevin McKeen rounded out the top three with his first podium finish of the year.

In the Coastal Packaging and Blending Pro Stock division long time racer Robert Tomlinson was sporting a new ride on this night.  After a bad wreck last week Tomlinson returned with a vengeance winning his heat and if it weren’t for some bad luck Tomlinson was looking like he would contend for first place in the Dash as well.  In the 40 lap main event, Mike Kyle jumped out to an early lead for the first 10 laps when the first caution of the event came out.  Off the restart, Fredericton Junction native Matt Harris took the lead and wouldn’t relinquish that lead taking home the checkered flag.    The story on this night would be the best run of the year for the Nackawic Night Train, Brian Gillespie.  Gillespie came from deep in the field to bring home a second place finish passing several cars.    Rounding out the top three was points leader, Greg Fahey of St Stephen.

In the Martin’s Home Heating Sportsman division, points were not a premium on this night, with the 100 lap affair, the big attraction on this night was cash and bragging rights.  Martin’s Home Heating added an additional $ 1000 to the purse just prior to the event giving everyone a little extra incentive on the night.  Ken MacKenzie from Moncton drew the pole position and followed it up with a win in the first heat to put him on the pole for Martin’s Home Heating Sportsman 100.   Mackenzie would take the lead off the green flag and would lead until lap 19 when the yellow flag came out.   That put Mackenzie head to head with the legend Fearless Frank Fraser off the restart.  Mackenzie held off Fraser but with just one lap in the books the caution came out and the 77 was collected within it.   That sent Fraser to the back of the 24 car field.   To most guys that would be the end but Fraser in one his typical gritty performances took his #77 from last to 4th finishing just off the podium but thrilling the crowd of over 3000.   Mackenzie would lead until lap 39 when Michael Banks off the third and final caution of the night took the lead off the restart.  The two drivers went back and forth jockeying for position with both leading laps until Banks led the halfway mark and took home the Lonnie Sommerville racing half way award.  From there it was all Banks taking home his first big win of the year while Mackenzie stayed right on his tail with a strong 2nd place finish.   Glynn Nott finished up the top three with a 3rd place finish, an event he won last year.   The race finished with an amazing 61 laps of green flag racing.

Speedway 660 resumes action next Saturday night July 10th with the Max 1 Advanced Synthetic Pro Stock 150 presented by COASTAL Blending & Packaging.  The winner of the 150 lap main event will earn a birth into this year’s Pro Stock 250.