LAKE DOUCETTE, NS (August 17, 2010) – With a winner-take-all potential of $7,750 Saturday's Wedgeport Lobster 100 at Lake Doucette Motor Speedway may be the richest sportsman stock car race ever held in Nova Scotia. And the big bucks are attracting big names – the best sportsman racers in the region – and even drawing a Maritime racing legend, Frank Fraser, out of semi-retirement to take a run at the checkered flag.
The total purse for the race is now more than $21,000, a direct result of volunteer efforts of those involved with the South West Stockcar Association, the promoters of Lake Doucette Motor Speedway.
"We're absolutely thrilled with the community support for the track and especially this event," said Adam Blooi, president of the Association. "Our efforts have been well received by our corporate community who have jointly contributed to our purse. The racers are excited and we're ready to see how it unfolds this Saturday. All of the elements are in place for what should be a fantastic show."
Twenty-seven top teams have stated their intention to be on hand when the pit gates open Saturday morning. And since the race is round five of six on the Napa Sportsman Superseries, championship points will be just as valuable as the cash prize – at least for more than half the expected field that are running full-time with the series; the rest of the competitors are there for the money; and they will all be there for bragging rights - all ingredients for what should be the sportsman showdown of the year.
"The leader won't want to see a caution with less than 10 to go," chuckled Shubenacadie's Frank Fraser. "With that kind of money on the line it would be a wild restart. There will be a bunch of guys there planning to take the winner's cheque home."
Guys like series point leader Antigonish's Scott Allen and second-place Frank Fraser Jr., from Shubenacadie, and third-place Steve Ross, from Waverley; and local hot shoe Colby Smith from Clark's Harbour, a young man just starting to make his mark on the Maritime racing scene. While Smith is not in the hunt for the sportsman series title this year, he is the current sportsman division point leader at Scotia Speedworld. And – he's working on a racing apprenticeship at the Fraser shop in Shubenacadie – so time, and talent, will tell if he's to be their next protégé.
At ½-mile, Lake Doucette Motor Speedway is the largest paved stock car racing oval in the Maritimes, and so will present a unique set of challenges to competitors. With $5,000 guaranteed to the winner, plus lap leader bonus money, plus a $500 half-way bonus, plus Napa Sportsman Series championship points on the line – well, the stage is set for the Maritimes largest track to present what has the potential to be one of the most exciting stock car races Nova Scotia has seen for a long while.
The Napa Sportsman Super Series 2010 schedule sees six events, with four races at Riverside International Speedway and two at Lake Doucette Motor Speedway. Frank Hurlburt, Frank Fraser Jr., and Colby Smith were the top three finishers, respectively, when the series visited Lake Doucette earlier this year, on June 26.
Qualifying heat races will set the starting order for the sportsman feature; the local 'Outlaw' division will provide support class action. Racing starts at 1 p.m.
Admission for the Wedgeport Lobster 100 is just $15 for adults, $10 for youth aged 13-16; kids 6-12 will be admitted for $5, and children five and under will be admitted free.
Lake Doucette Motor Speedway is located in Lake Doucette NS, 25 km north of Yarmouth at exit 32 on Highway 101. For more information about the event or the track please visit www.lakedoucettemotorspoeedway.com.
EXPECTED ENTRY LIST – WEDGEPORT LOBSTER 100
Scott Allen
Mike Banks
Aaron Boutilier
Corey Breen
Fred Brossard
Kyle Butler
Carmen Comeau
Frank Fraser Jr.
Frank Fraser Sr.
Claude Gaudet
Marc Gautreau
James Graves
Frank Hurlburt
Ron Lane
Tony Leonard
Ross Lewis
Paul Morris
Brian Northrup
John Rankin
Hughie Richards
Dale Richardson
Steve Ross
Kirk Ryan
Fred Schofield
Colby Smith
Andrew Starks
Darren Wallage
Harry Ross White
* Driver names in bold font are Napa Sportsman Series conpetitors
Expected Entry List Subject to Change Without Notice.
