October 9, 2009 – Shediac (N.B.) — Over 200 drivers and teams from throughout Atlantic Canada and Maine are making their way to the Centre for Speed (CFS) for this weekend’s 9th annual Maple Leaf Foods / Vance Hanes Auto Parts Atlantic Stock Car “Championships Speed Weekend” on October 10 & 11.

After a review of the current weather forecast from Environment Canada, the CENTRE has decided to move forward with the event as currently planned. While the weather forecast calls for showers to end Saturday morning, the CENTRE is hoping that the trend will continue to improve throughout tomorrow and track management has therefore decided to undertake the event as originally scheduled. Monday, October 12th will continue to be a rain date, if required.

Saturday and Sunday’s stock car racing action will include a number of the top drivers from throughout the four Atlantic provinces, including most area track and tour champions as well as a number of former champions and defending Atlantic Champs. All will be vying for a share of the over $50,000 in payouts and lap sponsorships. This ‘year-end celebration’ for the 2009 stock car racing season in Atlantic Canada will feature teams and drivers in seven stock car divisions of Pro Stock, Sportsman, Streetstock, 4 cylinder Mini Stock and Four Fun, Atlantic Open Wheel (AOW) modifieds and Legends.

Two feature races highlight these 2009 Atlantic Stock Car Championships with the Vance Hanes Auto Parts Sportsman 100 on Saturday, October 10th and the Maple Leaf Foods Pro Stock 150 on Sunday, October 11th, both starting at 1:00 p.m. The October 10th event will also feature Atlantic Championship racing for Legends, Mini Stock and Four Fun division drivers. Sunday’s action will include Atlantic Championship racing for Streetstock (50 lap feature) competitors as well as 35-lap events for Sportsman and AOW Tour competitors.

NASCAR drivers J.R. Fitzpatrick of Cambridge, Ontario, and Donald Chisholm of Antigonish, Nova Scotia highlight a field of top stock car drivers from throughout Atlantic Canada, including for the first time ever, competitors from two Newfoundland speedways – Avondale and Thunder Valley Speedways.

On Saturday, October 10th, a total of 60 of the Maritimes top Sportsman drivers will battle for positions on the 28-car starting grid for the Vance Hanes Auto Parts 100. Top competitors from most of the stock car tracks in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, will be driving hard during the qualifying heats for one of the coveted starting positions in the 100 lap feature. The event will include top competitors and multi time track champs such as Dan Bourque (Grande Digue), Claude Gaudet (Barachois), John Rankin (St. Martin’s), Glyn Nott (Harvey Station), Bradley Logan (Harvey Station) and Jeff Dillman & Terry Roma (Halifax).

The Saturday program will also include drivers from the Atlantic region’s Legends racecar series putting their skills to the test against NASCAR driver, J.R. Fitzpatrick in the Legends 50 feature race.

J.R. Fitzpatrick, the youngest NASCAR Canadian Tire series champion and NASCAR Nationwide and Camping World Truck series driver for the Kevin Harvick NASCAR racing team, will be driving the Vance Hanes Autoparts / RacingTrader.ca Legend racecar during Saturday’s racing action. J.R. will also be competing in the Pro Stock 150 race on Sunday afternoon.

The 4 cylinder Atlantic Championship will also be up for grabs on Saturday, with top drivers and track champions from throughout the Atlantic region, including a few competitors from two Newfoundland speedways, battling it out in the very competitive Four Cylinder 35 for Mini Stock and Four Fun competitors.

Then, on Sunday, October 11th, the action heats up again starting at 1 p.m. with over 40 Pro Stock drivers registered to compete for positions on the starting grid for the Maple Leaf Pro Stock 150. This event will feature Maritime Pro Stock Tour (MPST) champion, Wayne Smith (Timberlea, N.S.), defending his 2008 Atlantic Championship title against the best Pro Stock drivers from our region, including Kirk Thibeau (Fort Fairfield, Maine), Donald Chisholm and John Flemming from Nova Scotia, local favorites Dave O’Blenis (Boundary Creek), Mike Stevens (Riverview) and Brian McNaughton (Lower Coverdale), as well as Bern Hickey of Avondale Speedway (NL).

Other top Pro Stock competitors expected to compete include George Koszkulics (New Glasgow, N.S.) and Craig Slaunwhite (Terrence Bay, N.S.), Fredericton-area drivers Shawn Tucker and Greg Fahey along with PEI competitors Jonathan Hicken, Kris Hughes, Scott Livingston and Kris Fournier.

Sunday’s action will also include top Streetstock track champions and drivers from throughout the Atlantic region in the very competitive Atlantic Streetstock Championship 50. If last year’s ‘photo finish’ is any indication, defending 2008 Atlantic Champ Fred Broussard from Sydney’s Island Speedway will have his hands full in this ‘edge of your seat’ Streetstock feature. Drivers from the AOW ModifiedsTour will also battle it out in the AOW 35.

On Friday afternoon and evening, the CENTRE will hold practice sessions for all divisions, starting at 1 p.m., as well as a pit party.

Weekend passes for adults are $40 while youth (5-15 years old) weekend passes go for $10. Weekend Family Passes for 2 adults and 2 youths are also available for $85 – a savings of $15! Furthermore, a limited amount of advance weekend passes for only $30 can be purchased at Race Time located in Dieppe’s Champlain Mall.

For the Saturday only events, individual day passes are $20 for adults and $10 for youths while day passes for Sunday’s action are $25 for adults and $10 for youths.

The CENTRE for Speed (CFS) is located 5 kms east of Shediac’s Parlee Beach on Route #133 in the village of Grand Barachois, New Brunswick.

Full schedule details are available at www.centreforspeed.com