Photo finish for the win between Tucker, Slaunwhite
RIVERGLADE, N.B.: A racer from Lantz started on the pole for the East Coast International Pro Stock Tour’s Irving Oil 150 at Petty Raceway in River Glade, N.B.
Matt Vaughan won one of the three Atlantic Tiltload Heat Races to mark his starting position to lead the field to green.
While he battled in the top five for the bulk of the race, making a couple pit stops to better the car, the driver of the no. 0 sponsored by East Coast International brought the hot rod home in sixth place. He came into the race second in the points.
In a photo-finish that went to measurement of where the transponders were in each car, Ashton Tucker of Lyttleton, N.B. bested Craig Slaunwhite at the line to capture the checkered flag.
Tucker battled door-to-door with the reigning champ for the final four circuits after a re-start.
Darren MacKinnon of Charlottetown was the only sure finish on the podium in third in the no. 18 as race officials took several minutes to look at video and then confirmed the top two finish in post-race tech.
It was a perfect debut of the season for St. Martin, N.B. racer John Rankin as he drove the no. 9 to a fourth-place finish. Russell Smith Jr in the no. 88 came home in fifth-place finish. Please note race results are currently unofficial.
A late caution saw Nic Naugle try to make it three wide under the lap car of the 36 of Gary Elliott and the 29 of Greg Proude, who Naugle was battling for a top five spot.
However, Naugle tagged the 36 and that sent Elliott and Proude hard into the turn two wall setting up the restart and finish. Proude was taken by the safety crews from the track after walking on his own accord.
Steve Lively of Shubenacadie brought home the no. 30 East Coast Financing machine in 13th place out of the 18 car field.
Besides Vaughan, Tucker and Nic Naugle won the heat races.
Tucker also won the R&D Performancentre Most Laps Led award.
Rankin was the Kenny U Pull Hard Charger, while Ryan VanOirschot of Antigonish in the no. 25 took home the Fleet Brake Atlantic Lucky Dog award.
Ayden Christensen took the checkered flag in the Leisure Days RV Bandolero feature race, which was one of Petty Raceway’s undercards for the Pro Stock tour visit. It is a track division.
Hudson Ruff was the Beginner Bando feature winner.
Ryan McKnight took the Mister Transmission Mini Stock race in the no. 46, while Nathan Blackburn won the first feature for the Legends and it was Darren Sherwood the winner in Legends feature two.
Up next for the East Coast International Pro Stock Tour is the much-anticipated IWK 250 on July 23 at Riverside Speedway, presented by Steve Lewis Auto Body featuring NASCAR’s Mike Skinner.
Tickets are on sale now at www.riversideSpeedway.ca and will be available at gates on race day.
