Atlantic Stock Car Season Update as of May 16

Originally published May 1; updated May 2 – Scotia Speedworld & Pro Stock Tour; update #2 May 2 – Speedway 660, Petty Int’l Raceway, East Coast Mini Stock Tour; update #3 May 5 – Riverside; May 11 – Petty & Speedway 660; May 13 – MST; May 16 – Speedway Miramichi

We’ve turned the calendar to May when under normal circumstances we’d be eagerly anticipating the vroom vroom start of stock car racing in just a couple of short weeks. But this year, with COVID-19, life is anything but normal so we really have no idea when, or even if, we’ll be able to get to the track to see our favourite sport.

While many major festivals and sporting events in the region have been canceled there has so far been only one track in Atlantic Canada suspend its season. The others remain hopeful they may be able to open the gates at some point this year. That said, there will almost certainly be a new normal with distance and other restrictions.

Understand that track and series promoters have many things to consider when making such decisions, including but certainly not limited to the health of its fans and competitors, and will not make those decisions lightly, so please be patient with them and be thankful that they are willing to wait this out and see what they can do, and when they can do it.

With daily updates by government and health officials the situation is fluid, so expect changes, but this is what we know, so far…

Tracks

New Brunswick

• Petty International Raceway – scheduled to start May 16; as of April 16, …With the status of the racing season unknown… launched a three-part iRacing series; as of May 2, May events canceled – potential new start date is June 14; May 10 – open for track rentals
• Speedway 660 – scheduled to start May 24; as of May 1 doing daily countdowns on Facebook; as of May 2, canceled May events – potential new start date June 7; May 11 – opening for track rentals May 16
• Speedway Miramichi – scheduled to start May 30; statement issued April 30 – changes inevitable, status quo for now (complete statement here); May 16 – May 30 postponed, hopes to open June 20

Newfoundland

• Eastbound Speedway – scheduled to start May 17; as of April 30 start postponed to June 7 (see FB post here)

Nova Scotia

• Lake Doucette Motor Speedway – as of March 24, wait and see…
• Riverside International Speedway – scheduled to start June 6; as of March 17 monitoring restrictions – will post adjustments if necessary; as of March 25 updated refund policy for pre-season reservations, if COVID-19 forces cancellations; as of May 5 no changes as yet – expect the status of June 6 soon and IWK 250 by the end of May (complete update here)
• Scotia Speedworld – scheduled to start May 17; as of March 21 monitoring the situation; May 2 – May events canceled – potential new start date June 5
• Sydney Speedway – scheduled to start June 13; no updates
• Valley Speedway – as of April 8, season postponed

Prince Edward Island

• Oyster Bed Speedway – as of April 29, on hold until at least mid-June

Series

• Atlantic Modified Tour – scheduled to start May 30 at Speedway Miramichi
• East Coast Mini Stock Tour – scheduled to start May 16 ay Petty; as of May 2 season opener at Petty canceled – potential new start date is June 13 at Sydney; May 13 – canceled 2020 season
• Hot Rod Classics – scheduled to start July 18 at Riverside
• Maritime League of Legends – scheduled to start May 16 at Petty
• Maritime Pro Stock Tour – scheduled to start May 16 at Petty; May 2 – May races canceled – potential new start date June 6 at Riverside
• Napa Sportsman Series – scheduled to start June 6 at Riverside

race dates subject to change without notice