Green Flag Fast Facts

PST Event # 4 of 12 for 2009

Triple Crown: Round 1 of 3 for 2009

Feature Race Distance: 250 laps

2008 Race Winner: Regan Smith

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

Area Weather Forecast: The Weather Network - click here; Environment Canada - click here


Wayne Smith readies for what was soon to be one of the biggest wins of his racing career...

Wayne Smith Wins Wild IWK 250

JAMES RIVER, NS (July 19, 2009) - Wayne Smith passed NASCAR's Regan Smith on lap 185 and then cruised to victory in front of more than 6,000 fans gathered for Sunday's IWK 250 presented by Steve Lewis Auto Body at Riverside International Speedway. Kent Vincent was second and NASCAR's David Reutimann was third. Greg Proude and Craig Slaunwhite rounded out the top five.

The win is a big one for Wayne Smith, a five-time maritime pro stock turing series champion, for many, many reasons - most obviously over $13,000 of them - his share of the total event purse that topped more than $100,000. The victory also makes Smith the lone driver eligible for a $50,000 bonus if he were to go on to win the second and third legs of the Triple Crown Challenge later this season on the CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour.

Smith's IWK 250 victory also marks the first time in a while the "Oval Outlaw" has won a 250-lap event. Arguably the series winningest current driver, the longer - bigger - races have been elusive for Smith.

Smith celebrated his win with a burnout on the frontstretch ripping donut after donut until his familiar No. 44 was no longer visible to the cheering fans through the clouds of smoke created by burning rubber.

As Smith celebrated there was mayhem in the pit area as the result of a crash that had happaned with with less than 10 laps to go. A heated battle for the second spot had developed between four cars including Regan Smith and Enfield's Shawn Turple. Racing hard for position - and the $7,000 second place prize - the two rubbed each other through the corners for a few circuits until lap 241 when the two got together for the final time. Turple's car ended up in the turn three wall - destroyed. Smith was sent to the rear of the lead lap by series officials, much to the chagrin of his crew, while Turple's car was towed to the pits - much to the chagrin of his crew.

As pit road officials worked to keep order the 78 car driven by Regan Smith made its way to its pit stall - ending the NASCAR driver's hope to defend his IWK 250 title. Smith finished 10th and Turple 11th.


NASCAR's Regan Smith led more than half the laps of the IWK 250...Lots more photos coming this week...

Reutimann battled an ill-handling car all weekend and at one point in the race was lapped by leader Regan Smith, but as the recipient of the series "lucky dog" award Reutimann got his lap back. With only 13 cars on the track and seven on the lead lap at the end Reutimann managed to make his way to third.

Regan Smith led more than half the 250 laps before slipping sideways on lap 176. With more than a 1/2-lap lead he was able to hold the point but it was just a couple circuits before Wayne Smith closed the gap and made the pass for the win.

Many top runners who had been fast in practice and qualifying including John Flemming, Rollie MacDonald, Shawn Tucker, Donald Chisholm, George Koszkulics and Maine's Johnny Clark fell out of the race early through either crashes or mechanical problems.

The IWK 250 saw 11 caution periods and took just over three hours to complete, including a 45-minute red flag when the race was halted to due rain at lap 82. There were six lead changes among five drivers (Turple, Rollie MacDonald, Regan Smith, Mike MacKenzie and Wayne Smith).

Heat race winners included Dave O'Blenis, John Flemming and Mike Stevens. Turple won the dash for the pole. Regan Smith had the fastest lap in time trials circling the 1/3-mile oval in just 14.301 seconds at just over 100 mph. Of the 39 drivers that entered the race, 32 made the starting grid.

The IWK 250 was originally scheduled for Saturday July 18 but postponed by rain.

The second and third rounds of the Triple Crown are set for August 8 at Scotia Speedworld and September 6 at Speedway 660. Wayne Smith - now the guy hoping to claim a $50,000 bonus - is a strong runner at both tracks.

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS - IWK 250
1. Wayne Smith, Timberlea, NS - 250
2. Kent Vincent, Crapaud, PE - 250
3. David Reutimann, Zephyrhill, FL - 250
4. Greg Proude, Charlottetown, PE - 250
5. Craig Slaunwhite, Terence Bay, NS - 250
6. Chris Hughes, Brackley Beach, PE - 250
7. Mike Stevens, Salisbury, NB - 250
8. Shawn Pierce, Bridgewater, NS - 249
9. Lonnie Sommerville, Saint John, NB - 247
10. Regan Smith, Cato, NY - 241
11. Shawn Turple, Enfield, NS - 241
12. Scott Livingston, Charlottetown, PE - 241
13. Robbie MacLean, Charlottetown, PE - 241
14. Pete Miller, Kennetcook, NS - 232
15. Darren MacKinnon, Winsloe, PE - 209
16. Dave O'Blenis, Boundary Creek, NB - 198
17. Roger Miller, Kennetcook, NS - 160
18. Lowell Affleck, Summerside, PE - 150
19. Dan Eddy, Lower Sackville, NS - 139
20. Mike MacKenzie, Dartmouth, NS - 118
21. Kevin Moore, Fredericton, NB - 106
22. Shawn Tucker, Fredericton, NB - 82
23. Paul Gahan, Glen Livet, NB - 82
24. Jason Carnahan, Moncton, NB - 70
25. Rollie MacDonald, Pictou, NS - 49
26. Roger Crane, Montague, PE - 34
27. John Flemming, Halifax, NS - 31
28. Greg Fahey, St. Stephen, NB - 26
29. Donald Chisholm, Antigonish, NS - 26
30. Jonathan Hicken, Montague, PE - 22
31. George Koszkulics, New Glasgow, NS - 21
32. Johnny Clark, Hallowell, Maine - 20

Lap Leaders
Shawn Turple (grid - 18); Rollie MacDonald (19); Turple (20-26); Regan Smith (27-50); Mike MacKenzie (51-83); Regan Smith (84-198); Wayne Smith (199-250).

Finish Line Flash - Smith Wins IWK 250

Wayne Smith has won the IWK 250 at Riverside Int'l Speedway. Kent Vincent was second and NASCAR's David Reutimann was third. Greg Proude and Craig Slaunwhite rounded out the top five. Seven of the 32 car that started the race that took approx. three hours 15 minutes to complete, including a 45-minute red flag for rain at lap 82.

More on the race including complete results Monday...

Event Preview

Saturday Updates

9:30 p.m. The IWK 250 has been postponed to Sunday at 1 p.m. Track officials tried relentlessly to dry the track after late afternoon showers but lost the surface when fog and mist enveloped the speedway. Time trials were completed this afternoon with Regan Smith scoring fast time around the track. The balance of the show (heats races, last chance and the 250) will go Sunday.



Thousands of fans were on hand Saturday and enjoyed an autograph session with all the drivers - in spite of the rain...



The leaderboard after time trials shows the top 10 qualifiers as: 1. Regan Smith; 2. Johnny Clark; 3. Shawn Turple; 4. Rollie MacDonald; 5. Kent Vincent; 6. Wayne Smith; 7. Craig Slaunwhite; 8. Mike MacKenzie; 9. Scott Livingston; 10. George Koszkulics. How these 10 cars finish Sunday's qualifying heat race will determine the top 10 starters in the IWK 250...

Grandstand gates open and 11 a.m. Sunday morning with racing starting at 1 p.m. with heat races, a last chance race followed by the IWK 250.

6:30 a.m. Just spoke with track management who tell us it's clear and dry and Riverside - so we're off to the races! The track event hotline number is 902.867.1635...

Friday Weather Update

4 p.m. It's a beautiful day at Riverside Int'l Speedway. More than 400 RV's have converged on the facility in aticipation of the weekend events starting tonight with the Napa 100 for the Highland Home Hardware Sportsman Series and the Lockhart Truck Centre Legends Challenge. Gates are open now, practice is almost complete and racing starts at 7 p.m. For further updates call the track event hotline at 902.867.1635.


Kids at the IWK Children's Hospital in Halifax prepared a special welcome for NASCAR drivers David Reutimann and Regan Smith - a great NASCAR banner (top picture)...See lots of pictures of the drivers, the kids and the CAT Car for Kids [here]...


Big Money, Fast Cars - and Superstars - Staged for Saturday's IWK 250
Source - Track Communications

JAMES RIVER, NS (July 15, 2009) - All the ingredients for a summer sport “spectacular” are in place for Saturday's IWK 250 presented by Steve Lewis Auto Body at Riverside International Speedway.

Just as the annual 250 at one of Canada’s premier racing facilities is rich in history, the winner of the 2009 edition of the event offers its entrants the chance to become “rich” in their own right. The “winner-take-all” portion of the $100,000+ purse posted for the event exceeds $25,000 and since it is the first of three races in the 2009 Triple Crown of Maritime Pro Stock Racing, the winner of Saturday’s race also becomes eligible for a $50,000 bonus payable if they win all three 250-lap races in the mini-series sanctioned by the CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour.

Be sure to get your copy of the Official 2009 IWK 250 Souvenir Program. Besides providing all the info you need to enjoy the weekend activities, this "must-have" special edition publication includes a section dedicated to Riverside's 40th Anniversary with lots and lots of great photos from the past. The books will be available at the track Friday and Saturday.

The lure of history, tradition, competition – and money – has prompted entries from 41 of the best short track racers in Canada and the U.S., including two of NASCAR’s newest biggest drivers: recent Sprint Cup Series winner David Reutimann and ’08 Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year Regan Smith, also the defending champion of the IWK 250. This trip to Nova Scotia will be Smith’s third – having made the trek for the last two 250s at Riverside, and Reutimann’s first – for the race and to the Province.

"I’ve looked at pictures and heard it's a nice race track that produces some competitive racing,” said Reutimann. “I expect the calibre of competition to be strong.”

With Smith the defending race champion Reutimann feels even more pressure to do well at Riverside.

“Anytime a fellow competitor from your series excels before you it raises the bar higher,” said Reutimann in anticipation of the IWK 250.

Four other drivers on the expected entry list - Rollie MacDonald, Wayne Smith, Shawn Tucker and John Flemming – have a combined 12 titles among them, and Maine’s Johnny Clark, the most recent entry – is a three-time PASS North champ.

The temptation of the significant stature of the event along with one of the most stout entry lists for a Maritime stock car race in recent history has prompted advance ticket sales to exceed previous records.

“If we’re lucky enough to get a great weather day we should have a full house,” said Paul McLean, general manager of the track, which can host upwards of 10,000 spectators.

Both NASCAR drivers will visit with patients of the IWK Children’s Hospital during their stay in Nova Scotia complements of Steve Lewis Auto Body and Riverside International Speedway, which uses its premiere event to raise both awareness and funds for the health care facility. More than $40,000 has been donated to the IWK in the past two years through funds raised in conjunction with the event.

To make the hospital visit even more special the children will be invited to make their mark on Reutimann's IWK 250 "CAT Car for Kids" racecar as honourary co-sponsors with Atlantic CAT.

Weekend activities at Riverside start Friday evening with the Napa 100 for the Highland Home Hardware Sportsman Series along with the Lockhart Truck Centre Legends Tour race. More than 30 teams have entered the two races planned for Friday night, when racing starts at 7 p.m.

Saturday will see a full day for pro stock teams starting at 8 a.m. when the pit gates open. The green flag for the IWK 250 is slated for a little more than 12 hours later, at 8:15 p.m. but not before three rounds of qualifying have taken place to set the 32-car starting grid. The grandstand gates open, and practice starts at 10 a.m., time trials go at 3 p.m., followed by an autograph session and opening ceremonies.

Advance tickets are still available by calling 902.863.2410; general admission tickets will be available at the track Box Office both Friday and Saturday.

IWK 250 EXPECTED ENTRY LIST, by car number
01 - Robbie MacLean, Winsloe, PE
02 - Mike MacKenzie, Dartmouth, NS
09 - David Reutimann, Zephyrhill, FL
0 - Shawn Turple, Truro, NS
1 - David Heino, Barrington Passage, NS
5 - Jonathan Hicken, Montague, PE
6 - Lowell Affleck, Summerside, PE
8 - Kent Vincent, Crapaud, PE
10 - Dan Eddy, Lower Sackville, NS
13 - Rollie MacDonald, Pictou, NS
17 - Brent Wiggins, Fredericton, NB
18 - Darren MacKinnon, Winsloe, PE
20 - Greg Fahey, St. Stephen, NB
21 - Shawn Pierce, Bridgewater, NS
23 - Lonnie Sommerville, Saint John, NB
24 - Scott Livingston, Charlottetown, PE
26 - Mike Stevens, Salisbury, NB
29 - Greg Proude, Wiltshire, PE
32 - Chris Hughes, Brackley Beach, PE
37 - Kris Fournier, Charlottetown, PE
39 - Sandy Livingston, Amherst, NS
44 - Wayne Smith, Halifax, NS
48 - Dave O'Blenis, Boundary Creek, NB
51 - Josh Jaillet, MacDougall Settlement, NB
52 - Shawn Tucker, Fredericton, NB
54 - Johnny Clark, Hallowell, Maine
55 - Jason Carnahan, Stilesville, NB
60 - Cy Harvey, Elmsdale, NS
66 - Paul Gahan, L. St. Mary's, NB
66 - Daryl Mahar, Hubley, NS
76 - Roger Crane, Montague, PE
78 - Regan Smith, Cato, NY
80 - Roger Miller, Kennetcook, NS
87 - Matt Harris, Fredericton Junction, NB
88 - George Koszkulics, New Glasgow, NS
88 - Kevin Moore, Fredericton, NB
89 - Donald Chisholm, Antigonish, NS
92 - Pete Miller, Kennetcook, NS
97 - Chris Duncan, Hampton, NB
97 - John Flemming, Halifax, NS
99 - Craig Slaunwhite, Terence Bay NS

Entry list and schedule subject to change without notice.

Round two of the Triple Crown is scheduled for August 8 at Scotia Speedworld near Halifax, and round three will be September 6 at Speedway 660 near Fredericton, NB. While the Triple Crown races are sanctioned by the CARQUEST Tour, special rules apply, including one which awards an equal number of year-end championship points to each entrant.

About the IWK
The IWK Health Centre, while located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, is an essential resource for women, children, youth and families from across the Maritimes and beyond. Each year, thousands of Maritime children and women come to the IWK requiring emergency care, surgery for critical illnesses, and inpatient care for ongoing medical conditions.

About Steve Lewis Auto Body
Steve Lewis Auto Body is located on Beech Street in Sydney. The company is in their 32nd year of business and proud to support many community and charitable efforts, including a 14-year involvement with the IWK. Call them at 902.539.2848.

About Riverside International Speedway
Riverside International 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. To learn more about Riverside Int'l. Speedway, please visit www.riversidespeedway.ca or call 902.863.2410.

Event Format

Complete Weekend Schedule click here

Event History

2007 IWK 250 Notebook click here

2008 IWK 250 Notebook click here

Ticket Info

Advance tickets are now available from the Riverside International Speedway office in the Antigonish Mall and at the trackside box office on race day. Call 902.863.241 or click www.riversidespeedway.ca for more info.

Track Info
Riverside International 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, compared to the best short tracks in Canada and the U.S. The 2009 schedule includes two CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour events on June 6 and August 15; the IWK 250 on July 17-18, also sanctioned by the CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour; and a NASCAR Canadian Tire Series event on September 19. 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.