The Maritime League of Legends Tour returns to the track this Saturday afternoon for the Atlantic Tiltload 50 at Scotia Speedworld. The Atlantic Tiltload 50 is the first race of 10 on the 2017 schedule and first of three stops at Scotia Speedworld in Enfield, Nova Scotia. The Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour will also open their season with the Lucas Oil 150. Qualifying for both touring divisions begins at 4 p.m. Waylon Farrell (Conception Bay South, NL) brought home the Maritime League of Legends Tour championship in 2016 for his first touring title of his young career. Age restrictions set by Scotia Speedworld kept Farrell out of the car last year at the track which prompted Farrell Racing to put Dylan Blenkhorn (Truro, NS) and Alex Pacheco (Kannapolis, NC) in his car at the tough 3/10-mile oval to keep him in the point hunt. With Farrell now 16 years of age, he will make his first start at the track Saturday as he begins his title defense. Cory Hall (Jolicure, NB) held the hot hand at the end of 2016, winning the last two Maritime League of Legends Tour races that were contested at Scotia Speedworld and Speedway 660. Hall, who won half of the races on the tour and was second in the standings one year ago, is the current leader in the INEX International Semi Pro Legend standings and looks to become the first Canadian to top the standings since Ryan MacKintosh (Amherst, NS) pulled the feat in 2013. His average finish at Scotia Speedworld in Maritime League of Legends competition in 2016 was fourth. A number of familiar faces will return to compete for the championship on the Maritime League of Legends Tour in 2017, including multi-time champion Justin MacNeill (Bedford, NS), siblings Adam and Emily Meehan (Rawdon Gold Mines, NS), Antigonish, Nova Scotia drivers Kevin MacDonald and Craig Chisholm, sophomore Shane Lively (Middle Sackville, NS) and Masters competitors Jeff Cruickshank (Hantsport, NS), Danny Harvey (Lantz, NS), Arnie Spinney (Coldbrook, NS), Paul Goulden (Shelburne, NS) and Darren Sherwood (Cambridge Narrows, NB). Spinney will share his ride this year with former Scotia Speedworld Bandolero champion Josh Langille (Coldbrook, NS) with Spinney beginning the season this Saturday in the Atlantic Tiltload 50. Local favorites Tylor Hawes (Porter’s Lake, NS) and Joey Lawson (Porter’s Lake, NS) will also look to take the checkered flag on Saturday in the first point race of 2017. In addition, Shelby Baker (Fall River, NS) is expected to make his return to Legend competition on Saturday during the Atlantic Tiltload 50. The freshman crop in the Maritimes is strong this year with the potential of up to four drivers making their Legend car debut on Saturday in the Atlantic Tiltload 50. Andrew Lively (Middle Sackville, NS) has moved from the four-cylinder ranks to hop into a Legend car for 2017, as has Kody Quinn (Sydney, NS). Quinn will drive the #2 Overall Experience Dodge, which Craig MacDonald (Waverley, NS) piloted to the Rookie of the Year Award on the series in 2016. Robin Lowthers (Brooklyn, NS) and Kyle Shipley (Spryfield, NS) also shook their new cars down last week at an open practice at Scotia Speedworld. Also included on the Saturday card is also the opening round for the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour as they contest the Lucas Oil 150. Racing action gets underway at 4 p.m. with qualifying races for both feature events. For complete venue information, including a detailed race day schedule, admission prices and much more, visit ScotiaSpeedworld.ca. About The Maritime League of Legends: The Maritime League of Legends Association was formed in 2005 by a group of racer’s wanting to grow the Legends Cars division in the Maritime Provinces of Canada. In 2017, the Maritime League of Legends Tour will visit five venues throughout Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island between May and September during its ten race season. For more information on the Maritime League of Legends, please visit www.maritimelegends.ca. About Scotia Speedworld: Scotia Speedworld (SSW) is a 3/10-mile asphalt oval racing facility. SSW is the only track in Nova Scotia to host a weekly racing series, which runs May through September and features six different classes of race cars. SSW also hosts special events, including Monster Jam and the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour. SSW is located at Exit 6 on Highway 102, across from the Halifax Stanfield International Airport. For more information please click on www.ScotiaSpeedworld.ca or call our Event Hotline at (902) 873-2277 or our office at (902) 481-2514. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sswracing and follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/sswracing. source – series communications
