Pioneer Coal 100 Saturday, June 9 at 6 p.m. Riverside Speedway James River, Nova Scotia

PST Event # 2 of 10, for 2007

Feature Race Distance: 100 laps

Year-To-Date Results & Point Standings: click here

MacKenzie Wins Pioneer Coal 100


Mike MacKenzie's winning racecar shows signs of the battle involved in winning the Pioneer Coal 100. More pix following this story...

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UPDATE June 11 - Results published late Sunday for the Pioneer Coal 100 show Wayne Smith as disqualified, dropping him from 1st to 25th in the point standings...

STATEMENT FROM CARQUEST PRO STOCK TOUR MANAGEMENT
Wayne Smith, Timberlea, NS was found to have an unapproved part on his car during post race technical inspection. The carburetor on Smith’s car did not meet the specifications as required by the CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour rules, resulting in Smith being disqualified.

STATEMENT FROM WAYNE SMITH
ON THE CARBURETOR - "I understand their decision; they use five guages to check the carburetors. We passed four and one didn't pass, so they had no choice to do what they did. It was a carb we ran last year and it passed then so we didn't think to get it checked before we used it this year for Riverside. Obviously something changed; something as simple as fuel and air wear could make the difference. We were as surprised as anyone."

ON THE DIFFERENCE IN THE FIRST AND SECOND RACES - "The engine and carburetor were totally different for the second race than for the first. We used the crate engine for the first with a four barrel carburetor. We put the big motor back in the car for Riverside, and it uses a different carburetor than the crate. They checked us at Scotia after the first race and everything was good."

ON BEING 25TH IN POINTS - "We're in a bit of a hole, but now we'll dig hard to make it up - like taking every pole challenge we're offered. That's 10 bonus points right there. We're only 91 points back and just two races into the season so it's not as bad as it would be if it were later in the year."

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JAMES RIVER, NS (June 9, 2007) - Mike MacKenzie won a thrilling victory in the Pioneer Coal 100 for the CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour at Riverside Speedway Saturday night. MacKenzie had the capacity crowd on their feet as he held off a hard charging Wayne Smith who had battled from the back of the pack after a mid-race mishap; while Smith was busy keeping Bobby White in his rear view mirror. The top three finished under a blanket with fourth and fifth place runners Shawn Tucker and Donald Chisholm just a car length back.

"It was a heck of a race," said MacKenzie (Dartmouth). "There were three of us battling side by side right ’til the end. It was a lot of fun for the fans and a lot of fun driving if you can do that and pull out the victory. I don’t think I had the fastest car but I was at the right place at the right time. We got on the outside and we could run the outside real good. It was a spot we could stay in and it worked out good for us."

A heck of a race it was.

Thirty-three of the top stock car racers in the Maritimes entered the Pioneer Coal 100, a stellar field indeed. It was Shawn Turple (Enfield) setting the pace in qualifying time trials with a blazing lap of 14.531-seconds around the high banked 1/3-mile oval; Turple was making his debut in the Steve-Henderson owned racecar. By virtue of his finish in the Dash heat race, Turple started the feature race from the fifth place on the grid; rookie Lonnie Sommerville (Saint John, NB) won the Dash, and the pole position for the Pioneer Coal 100.

Sommerville led the 26-car field to the green flag but was overtaken by Smith (Halifax) on the first lap. In a 46-lap green flag run to start the race, Smith stretched his lead by as much as 10 car lengths. A couple more quick cautions bunched the field back together and saw Turple on Smith's rear bumper. Lap 57 saw Smith low and Turple high on a restart. Turple got the edge when the green flag flew and the two battled side-by-side through turns one and two and down the back stretch. Turple had the edge on the high side going through three when Smith got into him; Turple spun sideways in front of the hard-charging pack. Eight cars ended up in the melee. Smith was sent to the rear by Tour officials for his part. Most of the carnage was cosmetic and six of the eight cars involved were able to continue.

Sommerville inherited the lead for the restart, leading lap 58, with MacKenzie second. MacKenzie and George Koszkulics (New Glasgow) ducked to the bottom and got by Sommerville, with MacKenzie leading laps 59-63. Then Koszkulics got by MacKenzie to lead laps 64 to 89; White (Kennetcook) moved to second and MacKenzie stayed a close third. All the while Smith was blazing his trail through the pack from the rear and by lap 70 he was fifth; on the 88th circuit he was third.

White got by Koszkulics on a lap 89 restart and was moving away from the field, looking like the veteran racer might win in just his second race out after several years off. But the seventh and final caution flag flew on lap 93 - for Koszkulics - who had slipped back to fourth. The restart saw MacKenzie and White battle with MacKenzie gaining the advantage to lead lap 95. Smith followed MacKenzie by White and then dogged MacKenzie all the way to the checkers.

It was MacKenzie's first feature win on the series since 2004, and first win at Riverside Speedway in over 10 years.

Sommerville was the EIT Rookie of the Race, finishing sixth. The Pioneer Coal 100 took one hour, 14 minutes to complete.

Tucker (Fredericton, NB) and White won the heat races; Darren MacKinnon won the B Feature.

Support class action was provided by the Riverside Sportsman Series and the Atlantic Open Wheel Cars; Craig Slaunwhite and Dave Burnham won those features, respectively.

OFFICIAL RESULTS - PIONEER COAL 100 - JUNE 9, 2007 posted June 10 at 7:07 p.m.
shows finish spot, car number, driver name and laps completed
1. O2 Mike MacKenzie 100
2. 81 Bob White 100
3. 52 Shawn Tucker 100
4. 89 Donald Chisholm 100
5. 23 Lonnie Sommerville 100
6. 32 Chris Hughes 100
7. 0 Shawn Turple 100
8. 8 Kent Vincent 100
9. 1 Dean MacInnis 100
10. 11 Marty Prevost 99
11. 72 Stacey Clements 99
12. 99 Cy Harvey 99
13. 23f Frank Fraser 99
14. 66 Daryl Mahar 98
15. 5 Jonathan Hicken 98
16. 4 Dale Holmes 98
17. 81m Darren MacKinnon 98
18. 88 George Koszkulics 96
19. 19v Darren Vanderaa 96
20. 37 Kris Fournier 88
21. 13 Rollie MacDonald 85
22. 97 John Flemming 80
23. 35 Brad Mann 77
24. 26 Mike Stevens 53
25. 29 Greg Proude 46
DQ - 44 Wayne Smith 100

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS - PIONEER COAL 100 - JUNE 9, 2007 posted June 10 at 6:45 a.m.
Pos - No. - Name - Make - Hometown - Prov. - Sponsor
1. O2 Mike MacKenzie Monte Carlo Dartmouth NS Forbes Chev Olds
2. 44 Wayne Smith Monte Carlo Halifax NS Trax Construction
3. 81 Bob White Monte Carlo Kennetcook NS Russell White Lumber
4. 52 Shawn Tucker Monte Carlo Fredericton NB Rockico Truck and Trailer
5. 89 Donald Chisholm Monte Carlo Antigonish NS Pioneer Coal
6. 23 Lonnie Sommerville Monte Carlo Saint John NB Oil Can Harry
7. 32 Chris Hughes Fusion Winsloe PEI North Shore Trucking
8. 0 Shawn Turple Monte Carlo Enfield NS Municipal Contracting
9. 8 Kent Vincent Charger Crapaud PEI HP Glover
10. 1 Dean MacInnis Monte Carlo Whycocomagh NS Zutphen Contracting
11. 11 Marty Prevost Monte Carlo Fall River NS Mega Enterprises Limited
12. 72 Stacey Clements Monte Carlo Halifax NS Atlantic Undercar
13. 99 Cy Harvey Monte Carlo Elmsdale NS Logan Trucking
14. 23f Frank Fraser Monte Carlo Shubenacadie NS Atlantic CAT
15. 66 Daryl Mahar Monte Carlo Halifax NS Split Crow Beverage Room
16. 5 Jonathan Hicken Monte Carlo Charlottetown PEI Reynolds Well Drilling
17. 4 Dale Holmes Monte Carlo Charlottetown PEI Castle Building Supplies
18. 81m Darren MacKinnon Monte Carlo Charlottetown PEI Shaws Towing
19. 88 George Koszkulics Monte Carlo New Glasgow NS Pioneer Coal
20. 19v Darren Vanderaa Monte Carlo Winsloe PEI Walter Piccott Chev Olds
21. 37 Kris Fournier Intrepid Charlottetown PEI Taylor Flooring
22. 13 Rollie MacDonald Monte Carlo Pictou NS King Freight Lines
23. 97 John Flemming Charger Halifax NS The Roofing Connection
24. 35 Brad Mann Monte Carlo Campbellton NB Subway
25. 26 Mike Stevens Monte Carlo Moncton NB Lounsbury Truck Centre
26. 29 Greg Proude Charger Charlottetown PEI Challenger Farm Equipment

The CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour returns to action next Saturday June 16 for the Parts For Trucks 100 at New Brunswick International Speedway (Geary, NB) - round three of 10 for the 07 chase for the series championship.

Riverside Speedway sits idle until July 21 when NASCAR champion Bill Elliott will challenge the cars and stars of the Pro All Stars Series and top Maritime racers in the IWK 250 Presented by DuPont Refinish.

Stay Tuned to CheckersToWreckers.com For More From the Pioneer Coal 100, including...

Andy Campbell's "View From the Tower"

Ken MacIsaac's Photo Gallery

Post-Race Point Standings

Photo Gallery


A picture perfect day greeted the capacity crowd at Riverside Speedway...


Lonnie Sommerville and Shawn Turple talk on the starting grid...The two young guns started first and second...


Turple's car...


Second-place finisher Wayne Smith congratulates MacKenzie...


The top three finishers (left to right): Bobby White (3rd place), Mike MacKenzie (winner), Wayne Smith (2nd place)...

Preview: The Pioneer Coal 100

JAMES RIVER, NS (June 6, 2007) – Round two of the 2007 CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour is set for Saturday night at Riverside Speedway with the running of the Pioneer Coal 100.

Thirty-four teams have registered for the race including three-time series champion John Flemming (Halifax) and current series point leader and inaugural series champ Wayne Smith (Timberlea), who won the season opener at Scotia Speedworld May 26 and is out to make it two-in-a-row. Shawn Tucker (Fredericton, NB) - the series 04 champ - and Mike MacKenzie (Dartmouth) are second and third in point standings behind Smith, and always run well at Riverside.

Fourth-place points runner Shawn Turple (Enfield) - who won a race at Riverside last year - will debut his new Henderson ride; and fifth-place points guy Lonnie Sommerville (Saint John, NB), a rookie - will be driving a car that has won at Riverside.

Local contenders include the Nova Construction team - a double threat this year with a two-car posse featuring drivers Donald Chisholm (Antigonish) and George Koszkulics (New Glasgow). 2005 series champ Rollie MacDonald (Pictou), has more laps at Riverside Speedway than any other driver competing entering the race.

Frank Fraser (Shubenacadie) is hoping his luck is better than on May 26 when the engine in his car developed fuel problems; Fraser had a good test at Riverside last Saturday.

Prince Edward Island drivers expected to enter the Pioneer Coal 100 include Greg Proude (North Wiltshire), Chris Hughes (Winsloe), and Kent Vincent (Crapaud).

Race time is 6 p.m., with the Atlantic Tiltload time trials at 5:10 p.m.

Race Day Format...
11:00 a.m. Pit Gate Opens

AOW / Sportsman Tech

Pro Stock Tech
1 p.m. to 5 p.m. July 21st Ticket Sales (Tower)
1:00 p.m. Grandstand Advance Tickets Gate Opens
2:00 p.m. Grandstand Box Office Opens
2:10 p.m. AOW Practice
2:20 p.m. Sportsman Practice
2:30 p.m. Pro Stock Practice
3:10 p.m. AOW Practice
3:20 p.m. Sportsman Practice
3:30 p.m. Pro Stock Practice
4:00 p.m. AOW Practice
4:10 p.m. Sportsman Practice
4:20 p.m. Pro Stock Practice
4:35 p.m. Track Closes
4:40 p.m. Drivers Meeting

5:10 p.m. Atlantic Tiltload Time Trials

6:00 p.m. Racing

Pro Stock Dash

AOW Heats 10 laps

Pro Stock Heats

Sportsman Heats 10 laps

AOW Semis 12 laps

Pro Stock B Feature

AOW Feature

Sportsman Feature

Pioneer Coal 100

Tour Race Control frequency number is 463.4250

Format subject to change without notice.

Etc...

• 6/6: Riverside Speedway reports 35 pro stocks are expected to enter the Pioneer Coal 100...
• See Shawn Turple debut his new ride...the Steve Henderson-owned racecar...
• Shawn Pierce's website reports he plans to make his first start on the 07 CARQUEST Tour season...

Track Info...
Riverside Speedway, a 1/3-mile high banked asphalt oval, is located in James River, between New Glasgow and Antigonish, at exit 30 off Trans Canada Highway 104. Opened in 1969, the facility was totally rebuilt in 2006 to become a premiere motorsports site, comparable to the best short tracks in Canada and the U.S. The 2007 schedule sees three CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour events (June 9, August 4 and August 11), a NASCAR Canadian Tire Series event (September 15) and the IWK 250. For more information about Riverside Speedway, please visit www.riversidespeedway.ca or call 902.863.2410.



IMPORTANT: All information, schedules and/or scheduled events is/are subject to change without notice. To confirm, please check with venue.