INSIDE TRACK PREVIEW

Give me two weeks.

That’s what Dylan Blenkhorn told me when he came into the pits on Friday. I had brought up the fact to him that his dad was ahead of him in points. “Hmmmm, give me two weeks,” said the younger Blenkhorn in regards of the points situation. “I don’t think I can make it up (eleven points) in one night. Give me two races and I’ll be ahead of him.”

He nearly closed the full gap in one race though. After his first Coco Beach Legend car win, combined with second in his heat race, Dylan knocked seven points off his father Paul’s advantage. When asked Saturday about his chances to overtake the #13 car in points this Friday at Inside Track Night, he said “I’m sticking by the two weeks!” Can Paul keep the advantage on Dylan or can he close in those final four points he needs to take the lead and hold true to his word? Find out Friday at the Speedworld!

WEBSTER RETURNS TO THE SPEEDWORLD

One of the best four cylinder drivers to ever strap on a helmet in the last decade in these parts is back at the wheel of a grey and red #86 car. Tim Webster is back at the Speedworld after a hiatus and will be one to watch as we get into the summer stretch of the season. The driver of the #86 Car R Us Honda Civic recorded back-to-back titles in the Lumbermart Thunder division in 2005 and 2006 while a third consecutive was just four points away when Darren Leonard took away the title.

The three time Thunder 100 and former Moosehead track champion had mechanical problems on his Civic last Friday, which prevented him from getting a front running finish. “We have something wrong with the car,” said Webster during Kiddie Rides. “There was some smoke coming from it in practice. We’re just going to do our best and see where we end up!” Webster finished 23rd in the 25-lap feature on Kiddie Night.

LIVELY’S VICTORY MAY HAVE CAME AT A PRICE

You can’t blame 2010 Lumbermart Thunder champ Stevie Lively for being excited after his victory last Friday night.

After all, Lively had just won his first main feature in the class in over a year (June 25th, 2010 was his last win prior) and had done so by beating veteran Tylor Hawes. If you stuck around to see the celebration, you saw something that most of us have never witness before on a victory lap.

“I was excited man,” said Lively after climbing from his car with the checkered flag. “I went into Turn Three there with one hand on the wheel and got in a little too hot and spun it. I think I may have cooked the transmission there when I tried to get it going again, but it doesn’t matter now, I won the race!”

Lively had said pre-race during Kiddie Rides that the crew had worked hard on the #32 Hubley Auto Sales Civic to get it ready for the night and the crew will likely have to put some hours in at the Shubie shop to get the car ready to defend his “double down” he earned this past week at the Speedworld!

MEEHAN DOES TALKING ON THE TRACK

Interviews? Pfft. Who needs ‘em?

When you’re a stock car driver, your talking is usually done on track with the effort put in from flag-to-flag. A fine example of this was on Friday night when “Miss Rawdon Rocket” Emily Meehan had few words pre-race during Kiddie Rides but displayed the exact opposite on track minutes later. The rookie showed veteran prowess as she piloted her #75 Ocean Truck Equipment/Meehan’s Garage and Trucking Legend car to a heat win – her first ever checkered flag in the Coco Beach Legend class.

After the dust settled on Canada Day, Meehan found herself gaining a single point on Dan Michaud Jr in the Cathy Ledwidge Memorial Rookie of the Year chase. This duel is set to go down to the wire and if the Rawdon teen keeps obtaining those checkered flags, the interviews will become pretty easy – just ask Cy Harvey!

PREVIEW: INSIDE TRACK NIGHT

DARTMOUTH DODGE SPORTSMAN: SMITH, DILLMAN, BOUTILIER EDGE AWAY

It is very early in the season, but three drivers are beginning to separate themselves from the rest of the pack. After two consecutive wins in the class, Russell Smith Jr. has taken a two point lead on former champion Jeff Dillman. After breaking last week, Aaron Boutilier is only eight points behind Smith.

Don’t count out the likes of former Hobby Stock champs Larry Fisher and Mike Alexander, who run fourth and fifth after the first three races. Fisher has been consistent and sits 18 points out of Boutilier for fourth while Alexander had a run last week that champions are made of after having to come from the rear of the field at halfway to finish in the top five.

Sixth to tenth is tight in the standings as well with Jordan Veinotte leading Mike Banks by three points, Banks leading rookie Brentley Pirri by two points and Pirri leading Chris Dingle and Fred Schofield by two points. With Veinotte only 21 points out of Fisher for fourth, one misstep by any of these five drivers could spell trouble for their championship chances.

COCO BEACH LEGENDS: PYE HOLDS COURT ON TOP

The Coco Beach Legend cars see an early runaway by Lantz’s Steve Pye – but that’s just it, an early runaway. Pye has a 20 point advantage on Paul Blenkhorn with son Dylan just four points behind the #13 but as we’ve seen before, one bad break will quickly bring the #6 Payless Automotive car back to the field.

Matt Moore sits third, just 14 points up on a logjam between fifth and eleventh in the standings. Tony Gaudet Jr is having a fantastic season and sits fifth in the tally, just two points up on “The Legend” Cy Harvey. Shelby Baker is just four behind Harvey and possesses six points more than Jeff Atkinson. Jeff Cruickshank is just a single marker behind Atkinson while last seasons Rookie of the Year Derek MacCallum sits ten points back of ninth and eight points ahead of this years leading rookie Dan Michaud Jr. Michaud is just 30 points behind fifth place Gaudet heading into Inside Track Night.

LUMBERMART THUNDER – WARREN CHIPS AWAY AT LEAD

Matthew Warren chipped away three points off Dave Matthews point lead last week following the 25-lap Lumbermart Thunder main feature on Canada Day. The big jump though was made by defending champ Stevie Lively, who obtained maximum points on Kiddie Night to vault from twelfth to sixth in the standings, tied with veteran Kyle MacMillan for the spot. The two find themselves 38 points out of the lead which can be overcome by steadily finishing ahead of the drivers in front of them from now til the end of the season.

Andrew Warren is third, just six points out of brother Matthew for the second spot. Joey Lawson continues a great run this season as another one of the four cylinder veterans finds themselves in the thick of the championship hunt. Lawson and his #27 car sit two points out of third and 18 markers from the lead spot. Completing the top five is Tylor Hawes, who also made a big leap from ninth to fifth after last weeks runner up finish to Lively.

Dwayne Flemming dropped from the top five in the standings to ninth as he finds himself as the meat in a Bonin sandwich when it comes to the standings. Cousins Troy and Jon are eighth and tenth in the standings respectively and find themselves with three points between them with Troy having a two point gap on Flemming. Kyle Gammon’s #98 car sits two points out of a top ten spot.

LUMBERMART LIGHTNING – SMITH LEADS LIGHTNING

Like Steve Pye, Jorden Smith is looking to walk away early from his competition in the Lumbermart Lightning division. Smith has 17 points on Cody Singer for the lead while Singer has his hands completely full with Craig Cordeau just five points back and Jamie Dillman ten points behind the #151 Leo J Beazley Neon for second.

Close point battles are scattered throughout the popular division, including the battle between fifth and eighth. John Poan, Mike Umlah, Nick Hurshman and Marc MacMillan have only 15 points between them as they get ready to attack the track this weekend. Mark Campbell and BJ Nicholson have a duel going for tenth as they are both tied for that spot while Mike Brown, Harry Bremier Jr and JR Lawson are in a three way tie for sixteenth in the standings.

HYDRAULICS PLUS BANDOLEROS – BUTCHER PULLS AHEAD

After two weeks of finding himself in a tie for the point lead, Cole Butcher has put the hammer down and pulled out in front of his peers after Kiddie Night. Butcher’s lead is a slim one at five points as he has the edge on Adam Meehan heading into combat on Friday. Cole Tanner is third, just four back of Meehan while it’s two point steps back to Jarrett Butcher and Luke Ettinger who complete the top five in the “young gun” division.

Friday night is anticipated to be a barnburner, so you’ll want to make sure you are there. Action for the Inside Track Shootout kicks off at 7pm at the Speedworld.

Until then, keep the hammer down and we’ll see you at the track!