SLAUNWHITE WINS THE IWK 250

OnJuly 15, Riverside International Speedway hosted the biggest stock car race on the annual Atlantic Canada racing schedule, the IWK 250. The event is known for huge fields, large crowds and celebrity NASCAR racers.

This year’s NASCAR star was Carson Hocevar, a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series regular who hails from Portage, Michigan. During time trials, Hocevar was the fastest of the 26 racers who took part in the race, won the Dash for the Pole, and looked set to win the race after pacing the field for 212 laps around the beautiful, high-banked Antigonish, NS oval.

But Craig Slaunwhite wasn’t about to let Hocevar walk away with the win. The Terence Bay, NS racer battled hard in the final laps, bided his time and, in the end, got

Cars Plm Tour Canucks

Canadians Austin MacDonald (Pictou, NS) and Cole Butcher (Hantsport, NS) have both taken part in CARS Pro Late Model Tour events in the US this season. MacDonald is doing the full tour, while Cole Butcher – who also competes on the ASA STARS National Tour – has run a couple CARS races, as well.

MacDonald posted his first top 10 result of the season on May 26 at Tri-County Motor Speedway (Granite Falls, NC) and by Hocevar with 14 laps to go.

Slaunwhite led the rest of the way en route to becoming the 34th champion of the prestigious IWK 250 presented by Steve Lewis. Hocevar would end up finishing 13th.

Coming home in second place was Nicholas Naugle (Dartmouth, NS) who registered another impressive run. Russell Smith Jr., from Lakeside, NS, rounded out the podium finishers. Greg Proude (Springvale, PE) and Mike Rodgers (Moncton, NB) finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

Prior to the main event, time trials saw Hocevar post the fastest lap of the 26 participants with a time of 14.364 seconds. After that, the top ten fastest cars were shaken up with a redraw prior to hitting the track for a 15-lap Dash for the Pole.

Hocevar crossed the finish line first in followed that up with a sixth-place finish at Dillon Motor Speedway (Dillon, SC) on June 10. His best result came July 9 at Wake County Speedway (Raleigh, NC) when he took fourth.

Cole Butcher finished fourth on May 26 at Tri-County and backed that up with another fourth-place result on June 28 at Caraway Speedway (Sophia, NC). On July 15, Butcher made history becoming the first Canadian to win an ASA race since 1992 when he won the ASA STARS that sprint to claim to coveted pole position for the IWK 250. The remaining 16 cars competed in Atlantic Tiltload Heat Races. Antigonish, NS racers Ryan VanOirschot and Donald Chisholm (Antigonish, NS) claimed heat wins.

In the IWK 250, Brad Eddy (Halifax, NS) won the Kenny U-Pull Hard Charger Award by picking up the most spots on the field. He advanced 19 spots during the 250-lap chase.

Tanton Wooldridge had an outstanding run in his first long distance race and was awarded the Lucas Oil Rookie of the Race Award. Ryan VanOirschot picked up the Fast Eddie Racewear Lucky Dog Award. The race was slowed by eight cautions and took two hours to complete. IT

-From Riverside Int’l Speedway

National Tour ‘Redbud 400’ at Indiana’s Anderson Speedway. John Cadman won an ASA race in 1992. The only other Canadian to reach Victory Lane on the long-running tour was Junior Hanley.

Austin MacDonald is also busy competing in the INEX Cook Out Summer Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway (CMS), in the Semi-Pro Legends Car division. His best result there was a runner-up finish on July 11. IT

-With files from Ian Readey