ALL Irving Oil Coca Cola 250 Laps HAVE BEEN SOLD!!!!

Lap Purchase includes web site listing, 250 lap sign listing and PA plugs during event!!!

 

HISTORY

2002   2001

 
 2003 IRVING 250 PICTURES 
 
 
 
 
 

PRESENTS
SPEEDWEEKEND 2003

FRASER WINS IRVING OIL COCA COLA 250

August 31^st, 2003

Fredericton, NB – On a beautiful night in front of a record breaking capacity crowd, Shubenacadie’s Scott Fraser dominated the final three quarters of the Irving Oil Coca Cola Pro Stock 250 to take home checkers and a huge payday. The NBIS facility was packed with fans, cars, and motorhomes as fans from all over the Maritimes came to watch the premier stock car event of the season unfold.

Fraser wheeled his #08 King Freight Lines Monte Carlo around the #81 Norfolk Motel Dodge Intrepid piloted by Glenn Rasmussen on lap 63 to take a lead he would never relinquish. Dave O’Blenis in the #48 Burger King Monte Carlo and Shawn Tucker in the #52 Rockico Trailer Monte Carlo took repeated runs at Fraser, including several re-starts, only to see Fraser pull away. Although both took shots at the top spot, the battle evolved into a duel for second with both of them exchanging positions several times. In the end, O’Blenis prevailed for another strong showing in the longest race of the year, one year after winning the event. It was a remarkable achievement considering that the 48 team spent much of the week putting the Flying Hamburger back together after a hard hit in last weekend’s regular feature. Tucker rounded out the top three. Both drivers remarked on the professionalism of the duel as they ran hard, but very clean.

            Early in the race it looked like Wayne Smith in the #33 Colour Your World Monte Carlo had the car to beat as he started on the pole and led the first 25 laps until Kirk Thibeau in the #28 Grower’s Exchange pulled around on the outside to take the lead. However, one lap later Smith and Thibeau touched going into turn 3, leading to a multi car pileup that forced several cars to the pits including the #28 and #33 and leaving Lonnie Sommerville to inherit the top spot on the re-start. However, as the green flag waved, Sommerville turned into the infield when he realized that his #23 Oil Can Harry’s Monte Carlo was not up to the challenge, giving Rasmussen the lead. Sommerville retired from the race with clutch problems while Rasmussen led the next 36 laps and was running a great race until Fraser caught him.

Fraser did not pit once during the event although his crew encouraged him to do so during a caution around the 100 lap mark. Fraser refused to come off the oval and his strategy paid off in the end although he admitted he was feathering the throttle as the race drew to a close after he had built up a substantial lead. Following the race Scott’s father Frank Fraser said he was proud of his son’s victory although he certainly had different thoughts around the 100 lap mark when he was trying to get his son to the pits.

Although Fraser took home a winner’s cheque of $15,000, he had an even better payday through the contingency awards. He cashed in a $1,000 for the Riverview Lincoln Ford Halfway Challenge and a sizeable cheque for leading most of the laps. NBIS sold each lap of the 250 lap event for $50 a piece with every dollar of that sale going directly to the driver who led that lap. Local businesses and fans showed incredible support by purchasing each lap of the event, including a drove of people just after the qualifying completed. For leading 188 laps, Fraser pocketed an extra $24,500. Rasmussen led 36 laps for an extra $1,800 while Smith took home $1,250 for his early race start.

The race also featured the appearance of 2002 Oxford 250 Champion Scott Robbins who ran an effective race for a fourth place finish on a track he had never raced on before. Scott Chubbuck and Thibeau did the cross border voyage, while MPST regulars John Flemming, Wayne Smith, Chris Hughes, Chris Duncan, and Brent Wiggins made the trip to the Geary woods in addition to Fraser and Tucker.

As the pro stocks qualified during the afternoon session of the event, NBIS ran the second Atlantic Open Wheel (AOW) feature of the weekend and a Coast Tire Street Stock feature. Rob Halpern took home checkers in the final event of the AOW season with Corey Little finishing second and Lowell Affleck third. Saint John’s Chris Garnett also became the first ever AOW points champion. In the Coast Tire Street Stock Division, Jack Lane took home checkers for the second time this season with a great run in the #13 Kia sponsored entry while rookie Josh Arbeau continued his development with a second place finish in the #61 Auto Pride entry. Terry Collet rounded out the top three with another solid run in the #48 Greco Pizza entry.

All in all it was a record setting day for NBIS as fans sat shoulder to shoulder in the grandstands all over the facility and cars were parked all along the road leading to the speedway. As the day progressed, the anticipation grew to excitement as the Irving Oil Coca Cola 250 approached. The 50/50 prize dwarfed any previous record by over $1000 as the winner took home $5,800. Fans also walked home with a bounty of prizes as Irving Oil and Coca Cola presented fans with over 40 prizes over the evening including a bike, mountain board, and kayak as well as coolers and chairs.

New Brunswick International Speedway is please to announce that Irving Oil and Coca Cola will sponsor the 2003 Pro Stock 250 at Canada’s Fastest Short Track.

The Irving Oil Coca Cola 250 is billed as the Largest Racing Event in Atlantic Canada. The purse for 2003 will be OVER $60,000 with a possible winner’s cheque of $27,500. This includes a guaranteed $15,000 to the event winner.

“We are extremely excited to have the support of Irving Oil and Coca Cola for the 250 event. This is the start of a great partnership that will take this event to the next level.” said Chris Johnston.

The Irving Oil Coca Cola 250 event will remain a one day event as part of SPEEDWEEKEND and be held on Sunday August 31st. It will again be an invitational event that will showcase the NBIS CARQUEST Pro Stocks against the best of the Eastern Canada and the New England. It will include a full day of qualifying capped off by the 3rd Annual Pro Stock 250 event Sunday evening.

TO ORDER ADVANCE TICKETS
CALL 1-888-NBIS250
(1-888-624-7250)

LAPS FOR SALE!!

NBIS will be selling laps to increase the award package and provide fans and local companies with an opportunity to give something back to the teams.  Each lap for the 250 will be sold for $50 dollars and the drivers will receive $50 for each lap they lead.