There is a new name atop the leaderboard for NASCAR Division I racing at Eastbound International Speedway in Avondale. Brandon McFarlane has powered his No. 23 Wing’n’it ride to the top of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series at the mid-point of the 2019 season.
McFarlane is hoping to extend his lead over three drivers, including two-time champion Wayne Walsh in the A1 Automotive 75, when they take the green flag for the main event Sunday at Eastbound.
McFarlane is in a championship battle heading into the final four races of the 2019 season, with Walsh (No. 99), inaugural Newfoundland NASCAR champion Jason Groves (No. 74) and Josh Collins (No. 56 providing the competition.
All of the Eastbound Stock Car series will be on a Sunday race card that also features the Sun Life Financial Bandoleros, Atlantic Dodge Dealers Hobby Stock and Hanlon Realty US Legends.
There has been a heated battle for top spot in Bandolero division between Joey Arsenault (No. 3) and Nicholas Codner (No. 54). Arsenault only owns a two-point lead heading into the weekend.
The Hanlon Realty US Legends has been a one-trick pony for Michael Neary the past season and a half as the teen sensation’s No. 23 MNR car has yet to lose.
Neary has been a busy of late as he drove six races in four days at three different tracks across the Maritimes.
He started out with two races at Petitcodiac, N.B., where he finished third and fourth; he then grabbed an 11th-place finish at Scotia Speedworld just outside of Halifax, and moved on to Oyster Bed Bridge Raceway in Prince Edward Island where he had an unfortunate early exit as he got caught up in someone else’s carnage. Neary finished up with a return to Petitcodiac, where he ran two more races.
Gavin Anstey (No. 85) is the closest competitor to Neary at Eastbound to Neary. Anstey is 13 points back after having stepped up his performance on the oval.
The Hobby Stock division sees Kevin Lane (No. 96) sitting comfortably out front, 34 points ahead of his teammate Matthew Druken (No. 26)and 39 points in front of Cody Lake (No. 09).
Gates open at noon Sunday, heat race qualifiers commence at 1 p.m. and the main events begin at 2 p.m.
Tickets are available at all OrangeStores location, at the gate or online at www.eastboundpark.com.
Pit Box
Phil Fowler of St. John’s made his Maritime Pro Stock Tour debut earlier this month at Oyster Bed Speedway in the Lucas Oil 150. Fowler is a regular at Eastbound Park and while he may be away from home, where he has Palmer Boys Racing helping him out, he had a familiar voice in his ear as Eastbound owner and avid race fan Pat Squires accompanied him and his crew to the P.E.I. event. Fowler quickly found out how tough it can be to race at Oyster Bed Speedway, where drivers have to deal with a narrow corner entry and an elevation change. He tested on Tuesday , but his own words his car “was terrible.” But Fowler was able to co-ordinate with Matt Palmer, the local champion at Oyster Bed and got the car considerably better. However, it wasn’t enough, Fowler ran the first 32 laps before being forced to retire. That left him 21st of the 23 entries in the race.
