Last lap thriller kicks off Speedweekend 2009 at Speedway 660

Sept 5, 2009
Fredericton, NB -  The 1st leg of Speedweekend 2009 started out with a bang
and end with a bang on Saturday night.  First off it was the 43 cars that
tried to qualify for 28 starting positions.   This created a hectic set of
qualifying heats with several cautions having an impact on the flow of the
night.   Some might say it was the huge crowd and maybe a few nerves to go
with it.  Whatever it was, it ended quickly once feature time hit the Geary
Woods.    The racing action heated up as the temperature dropped.

During qualifying Derek Christie charged his way to a pole position with
Brent Roy "the Camry Kid" on the outside pole.   With the exception of an
early caution because the 12 of Glyn Nott broke the first 75 lap segment
treated the Speedway 660 faithful to some awesome racing.   Derek Christie
led until lap 35 when he got into the back of a lapped car which brought out
the caution and sent him all the way to the back for the restart.  With
Chrisitie's misfortune Brent Roy and Wade Harris would do battle.

The "Camry Kid" made an impressive pass on the outside just out of turn two
on lap 37 to lead the charge and once Harris was passes it looked like he
had used up his rubber as he moved back to 5th. On lap 65, Bradley Logan in
his #37 was exactly where he wanted to be, on the outside of Brent Roy in
2nd place.     Logan would make the outside pass just 1 lap after the green
flag restart.  He would hold this lead barely until lap 75 when the
competition yellow was brought out.   As the competition yellow was coming
to an end, officials at Speedway 660 instructed the #80 of Dan McNeil to
make his way to the pits due to a tire that had been badly damaged during
competition.  McNeil was able to return to the racing surface just prior to
the event going back to green flag racing.  In the end this would prove to
be a crucial event in the race.

As the race resumed it was Bradley Logan leading the way with Wade Harris in
the preferred spot, the upper groove.  Once again it proved to be the place
to be.  Just two laps in Harris made a strong pass on the outside.   As the
leaders made their way around the Geary oval, McNeil back in last place
started to make strong charge to the front with fresh right front tire to
aid in his attack on the remaining field of 22.  A caution late in lap 89
would see the front of the field bunch up once again allowing McNeil to gain
some much needed track position.  On lap 90, out of turn 2, Wade Harris
slipped just so slightly and the no 9 of Derek Christie took it three wide
down the backstretch making the pass on Harris and the "Camry Kid" Brent Roy
on the inside.  With the entire crowd of over 6,500 people on the edge of
their seats, the 5 of Wade Harris made the right move and backed off to
avoid what would most certainly have been a huge wreck.  Meanwhile Logan
took advantage of the side by side racing behind him to take a 3 car length
lead over Christie and the 26 of Roy.

With just 35 laps left, Christie seemed to all but use up what he had left
for rubber as he dropped back one by one in the field.  Logan in his Dairy
Queen ride seemed unbeatable at this point but the top 5 thought otherwise.
Logan going nose to tail with the Harris knew he had to be perfect with only
15 laps to go or the veteran Harris would make him pay dearly.  That slip
looked like it might happen as the leaders crossed the line at 142 but Logan
was able to gather it up and looked like he had it when Wade Harris got the
caution he was looking for on lap 147.   That put the 5 car of Harris in the
preferred outside lane for what looked like a 3 lap shootout between the two
front runners Harris and Logan..boy was I wrong, along with the other Geary
faithful in attendance.  !  On the restart Logan and Harris battled for the
next 1.5 laps when Logan drifted up the racetrack on the backstretch
seemingly to do what any driver might do in that situation; protect the
lead.  Harris had to back off and did everything he could to save the car.
While this happened a complete shuffle took place with the #80 of Dan McNeil
diving for the bottom of the racetrack and a 2nd place position. McNeil with
his newly found rubber post the 75 lap competition yellow made the #80 stick
like glue on the inside lane, something most had not been able to do all
night.   With just a half lap left, the stage was set for the most dramatic
finish in the history of the O'Leary Pontiac Excitement 150.  McNeil made
the unthinkable pass on the inside coming out of turn 4 on the final lap to
win the biggest race of his life not to mention a cool $ 2,000 for his
heroics.   McNeil vibrating from his win arrived on the Auto Pride Victory
Lane stage and proceeded to the rooftop of his Chevy Monte Carlo Snooty Fox
#80.   As he jumped up in celebration, the fireworks display wowed the crowd
and the 1st event of SPEEDWEEKEND 2009 was complete.

The Atlantic Open Wheel modifieds also put on great show in their 30 lap
main event with Shelley Stewart of Emerald PEI taking home the checkers in a
very popular win with the crowd.   Mike Raeburn and Mark Price rounded out
the top three respectively.

On a side note of interest, over 45 pro stocks practiced on Saturday in
preparation for the Peterbilt 250 on Sunday.