MARITME PRO STOCK TOUR: Mike Stevens Gets 1st Tour Victory at Lucas Oil 100

HALIFAX, NS – It was an exciting night under the lights on Saturday night at Scotia Speedworld as Riverview’s Mike Stevens crossed the line first to win his very first CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour race of his career. He battled with Pole Sitter Mike MacKenzie as they swapped the lead for the first 5 laps which saw 2 cautions with multi car pileups to get things started. He finally pulled his R Stevens Mechanical Ford Fusion out front on lap 7 for the second and final time of the evening and ran the remaining 94 laps at the head of the field seeing only one other caution. Stevens’ win gives the 2010 season nine different winners in our nine races.

Fredericton’s Shawn Tucker took over the second position early in the race and tried to make a charge with 5 to go, but lapped traffic came to Stevens’ aid and he left Tucker’s Rockico Truck & Trailer/AL Gullison Chevrolet Impala back in second place for the 5th time in the past 7 races. Timberlea’s Wayne Smith followed Tucker into third place with his JETCO Contracting/ICI Paints Chevrolet Impala. John Flemming flew his Halifax based Roofing Connection Dodge Charger through the masses from the rear of the field after not making it to the line up on time – he was supposed to start 12th – and ended up in fourth place. Springvale, PE’s Greg Proude rounded out the top five in his Atlantic Dodge Dealers/APM Dodge Charger.

Leading 95 of the 100 Lucas Oil sponsored laps gave Mike Stevens not only the Scotia Emergency Most Laps Led Award, but also the Ledwidge Lumber Halfway Award. Sydney’s Jerome Kehoe again found himself just inside the top ten in 8th place to give him the EIT Race Radios Rookie of the Race Award.

Atlantic Tiltload Time Trials kicked off the day’s qualifying and we saw Shawn Turple fly around the track at speed of 75.408 mph which gave him the Fast Time of 14.322 seconds. It was Mike MacKenzie who drew the first position for the Dartmouth Dodge Dash For Cash and maintained the spot for 10 laps of action to secure him the coveted Pole Position for the Lucas Oil 100. Dartmouth Dodge Heat Races went to Jonathan Hicken and John Flemming. All 21 drivers who attempted to qualify raced in the Lucas Oil 100.

From Tara Foster