Maillet and Tingley Among Victors at Petty Raceway

RIVER GLADE, NB – After an early season of struggles, it was a night of redemption for Matt Maillet.

The Burton driver capitalized on a Lap 43 caution flag in the 50-lap Sportsman feature Saturday night at Petty International Raceway to lead the final seven laps en route to his first win of the season. Maillet, who won a heat race to kick off the evening, had to come from the rear of the 12-car field following a complete inversion of the starting grid.

Windsor, Nova Scotia’s Fred Schofield led the field to green and appeared to be well on his way to his first career Sportsman victory. That all changed with seven laps remaining though when he and Luc Bourgeois (Memramcook), who won the first race of the season back in May at Petty Raceway, tangled for the top spot. Maillet would inherit the lead and hold off the Rodgers brothers, Andrew and Matt (Smithtown) to lock down the win in his #29 Doorcraft Chevrolet.

Matt Rodgers and Maillet won the qualifying heat races in the Sportsman division, with three cautions within the final seven laps of the race slowing the pace of the event.

Gary Tingley (River Glade) knows that the only lap that pays the points and the checkered flag is the last one, and he reminded his competition of such on Saturday when he only led the final two laps to victory in the CMax Street Stock feature. Tingley passed reigning champion Kenny MacKenzie Jr (Salisbury) to take his second victory of the season and first since May. MacKenzie was second in the 30-lap feature, followed by Shawn Lewis (Salisbury), who scored his first podium finish in the CMax Street Stock division for 2015.

Lewis and Nick Cudmore (Petitcodiac) won the two 10-lap heat races for the CMax Street Stock division, with only two cautions slowing the main feature.

It was a big night for Logan Power in the Mister Transmission Mini Stock division as the youngster from Riverview won his first career feature at Petty International Raceway. Power took the lead from multiple time Nova Scotia Mini Stock champion Tim Webster (Beaverbank, NS) with five laps to go and held on to win the 25-lap, caution free affair. Rob Poirier (Irishtown) slid by Webster late in the race to pick up second while Webster held on to third.

Eugene Weagle (Salisbury) picked up a popular heat race victory in the Mister Transmission Mini Stock division.

Ashton Tucker (Lyttleton) returned with a vengeance to the Leisure Days RV Bandolero division by dominating the 20-lap feature en route to victory. Tucker, who entered the race as the point leader, led the final 16 laps en route to the victory over Luke Ettinger (Kennetcook, NS) and Josh Langille (Coldbrook, NS) – who each scored their best finishes at Petty International Raceway.

The feature was slowed by three early yellow flags, with the final 12 laps being run under consecutive green. Levi Rossiter (Salisbury) and Tucker each scored heat race victories.

The event was highlighted by Petty International Raceway’s first Women on Wheels event and Demolition Derby. Fourteen female drivers with no previous racing experience took the green flag in the 15-lap Women on Wheels feature with Janet McFetridge (Timberlea, NS), wife of Petty International Raceway co-owner Craig McFetridge, taking the victory. Brooke MacLean (Truro, NS), girlfriend of Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour point leader Dylan Blenkhorn was second, with Amanda Tingley (River Glade), wife of CMax Street Stock feature winner Gary Tingley, was third.

The cars were then turned over to the Demolition Derby drivers for a winner take all, smash and bash showcase on the front straightaway of Petty International Raceway. When all the dust and stray car parts came to a rest, the #41 car driven by Josh Lounsbury of River Glade was declared the winner of the Demolition Derby and the $1,000 payday.

Petty International Raceway returns to action on Sunday, August 2 with the third annual Caleb Dunn Memorial card, featuring Round Two of Three on the New Brunswick Short Track Challenge for Sportsman. The Late Model boys and girls will be on track for 100-laps, while the CMax Street Stocks, Mister Transmission Mini Stocks and Leisure Days RV Bandoleros will also contest point paying features. The event will also feature visits from the Eastern Super Mini Cup Series and Atlantic Modified Tours.

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.