Petty International Raceway Set for Season Opener Saturday

RIVER GLADE, NB – Petty International Raceway is set to open another exciting season of stock car racing in Southeastern New Brunswick this Saturday. The Canadian National Autism Foundation (CNAF) KidsRace presented by Acura of Moncton will see six divisions in competition to kick off their year of racing on the high banked bullring. The day is headlined with the first race of the Auto World Maritime All Stars Series (MASS) Late Model Sportsman season, the Morse Industrial 100 presented by St Louis Bar and Grill. Racing begins in River Glade, New Brunswick on Saturday, May 20th at 2pm.

The entry list for the Auto World Maritime All Stars Series Late Model Sportsman continues to grow as raceday inches closer. The list is approaching 20 entries and includes drivers from all three Maritime Provinces. Leading the way is reigning MASS champion Deven Smith (Lakeside, NS), who was also the winner of the Series stop at Petty International Raceway last August. Also in the field will be the inaugural Super Late Model Series winner Ryan Messer (Harvey, NB), who will be sliding in for Caleb Urquhart (Harvey, NB) in the No. 11 while Urquhart is out of Province on Saturday. Current Petty International Raceway Sportsman champion Alexandra O’Blenis (Boundary Creek, NB) and Petty Raceway Street Stock Champion Michael Cormier (Grand-Barachois, NB), MASS feature winner Brady Creamer (Miramichi, NB), former Petty Raceway track titlist Kenny MacKenzie Jr (Salisbury, NB) and Petty Raceway Sportsman feature winners Justin Beers (Moncton, NB) and Marcel LeBlanc (Bouctouche, NB) only scratch the surface of the deep field of talent assembling for Saturday.

EXPECTED ENTRY LIST – MORSE INDUSTRIAL 100 PRESENTED BY ST. LOUIS BAR AND GRILL

3 Justin Beers – Moncton, NB
10 Brady Creamer – Miramichi, NB
11 Ryan Messer – Harvey, NB
30 Marcel LeBlanc – Bouctouche, NB
37 Brandon Albert – Summerside, PE
42 Ronnie MacKay – Sydney, NS
44 Trevor Smith – Windsor, NS
48C Courtney O’Blenis – Boundary Creek, NB
51 Dylan Dowe – Bedford, NS
53 Steve MacPhee – Yarmouth, NS
68 Michael Cormier – Grand-Barachois, NB
74 Alexandra O’Blenis – Boundary Creek, NB
78 Dennis Nickerson – Marshy Hope, NS
85 Kenny MacKenzie Jr – Salisbury, NB
87 Kevin Morse – Antigonish, NS
94 Deven Smith – Lakeside, NS

The Auto World Maritime All Stars Series Late Model Sportsman will be racing for several contingency awards during the Morse Industrial 100 presented by St. Louis Bar and Grill. St. Louis Bar & Grill in Moncton and Dieppe has provided $10 to the leader of each lap in Saturday’s feature. PPM Inc. will pay $100 to the driver who leads at the halfway point in the Morse Industrial 100. The Most Laps Led Award is presented by EIT Race Radios and will pay $100. Fastrac Machining will also give a $100 bonus to the top finishing Series rookie in the Morse Industrial 100.

Five of the Petty International Raceway house divisions will get the green flag on their season Saturday during the CNAF KidsRace presented by Acura of Moncton. The Street Stock division will race for 50-laps and $1,000 to win thanks to Stuff Your Stuff Commercial Storage, Old Fashion Meat Market and Arsenault Engine Rebuilders. It is the first of seven races on the year for the division at Petty Raceway with the overall champion receiving a new engine courtesy of Arsenault Racing Engines. Michael Cormier (Grand-Barachois, NB) is the reigning champion of the class. The buzz of the seven race series is expected to attract Street Stock teams from across the region to compete Saturday in the 50-lap shootout.

The four cylinder stars of the Mister Transmission Mini Stocks and Kings County Performance Women on Wheels are sure to thrill fans on Saturday afternoon. Division champions from 2022 in Ryan McKnight (Sussex, NB – Mini Stock) and Gail Thebeau (Moncton, NB – Women on Wheels) return in 2023 to defend their respective track titles. The Mister Transmission Mini Stocks will attack the track for 35-laps on Saturday while the Kings County Performance Women on Wheels will slide around the high banks for 20-laps.

The rising stars of the sport will kick off the show on Saturday as the Leisure Days RV Bandoleros will run the first feature events of the season at Petty International Raceway. While several of the Bandolero stars have moved up to the Legend division in 2023, a new crop of drivers hope to etch their name in the history books. Hudson Ruff took home the Beginner Bandolero title in 2022 and, fresh off a racing trip to Florida in February, will look to apply his skills at his home track on Saturday.

Please note Kids Race is not an actual race, it is just a name the CNAF uses to brand their events at race tracks across the country. On track action will be the same as every other Petty International Raceway event.

Grandstand admission prices for Saturday’s events are $20 for adults and $10 for youth aged eight to 18, while children seven years of age and under will be admitted free. Pit admission is $25 and is restricted to those 16 years of age and older. An eWaiver is required to enter the pit area. This electronic form can be found at www.pettyraceway.com. Pit gates for competitors open at 9am, grandstand gates open for spectators at 12pm with racing getting underway at 2pm.

For complete, up-to-date information on Petty International Raceway, please visit PettyRaceway.com, follow us on Twitter (@PettyRaceway_NB) and like us on Facebook (@PettyInternationalRaceway).

About the Canadian National Autism Foundation:
The Canadian National Autism Foundation (CNAF) promotes the positive enhancement and quality of life for people with autism in Canada. The CNAF was formed in June 2000, by parents of children with autism. The foundation is completely run and administrated by unpaid volunteers. Our foundation is funded by donators, and fundraising events put on by others as well as the foundation. The CNAF has been formed to provide funding for: Educating the general public and professionals; Providing information and resources to families of people with autism; providing funding for Canadian based research and development; Promoting national autism awareness.

About Acura of Moncton:
Acura of Moncton has the pleasure of serving all of New Brunswick & Prince Edward Island, with an exceptional selection of all of today’s finest new Acura models, as well as a meticulously curated selection of Certified Pre-Owned Acura models and premium used cars. We serve Moncton, Dieppe, Riverview, Edmundston, Salisbury, Saint John, Bathurst, Fredericton, and the surrounding towns and rural areas with an unbeatable Acura selection with all of today’s hottest Acura models including the new Acura ILX, the new Acura MDX, the newest Acura RDX, and more. Acura of Moncton is located on 1170 Aviation Avenue in Moncton, can be found online at AcuraOfMoncton.ca and can be contacted toll free at 1-855-431-0234.

About Petty International Raceway:
Petty International Raceway is located on Highway 106, just 40 km west of Moncton, New Brunswick. To learn more about Petty International Raceway, its location, admission, policies, history, and more, please visit www.PettyRaceway.com