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(August 12th, 2024) - Ashton Tucker (#2) is ready to regain what has been his all season long.
After winning his heat and feature at the Fog City Auto Spa 150, the 23-year-old competitor hailing from Miramichi, N.B. found himself atop the point standings since May - that is, until the conclusion of the Chapman Bros. 150 presented by Hynes Paving one week ago. Tucker watched his points lead evaporate from the fourth position as Cory Hall (#83) captured the win to steal the top spot heading into the season finale, the ReCar 150 presented by Wonder Auto & Tire.
“Honestly, we were pretty happy with our result leaving Oyster Bed Speedway,” Tucker said. “Obviously, we didn’t like to lose the points lead, but we struggled all day. To salvage a fourth place finish and keep Cory close heading back to Speedway 660 was a win to us all things considered. We just need to do exactly what we did last time at 660 and we’ll be in good shape.”
The last trip to Speedway 660 was for the Castle Building Centres 150 presented by Taiga Building Products, and that was certainly a memorable day. Tucker joined Hall and Ryan Messer (#1) at the back of the starting grid for the race, and methodically picked his way to the front, passing every car and taking the lead with 46 laps to go en route to an impressive victory.
“It will be nice to not have to start at the back this time,” Tucker said. “Cory being the most recent winner will be starting pretty deep, so hopefully we can capitalize on heat races and stay ahead of him for 150 laps.”
Tucker - who works at the local Sheriff’s department by day - has blossomed into an elite caliber driver and fan favorite in the region. Ranked as the third best Super Late Model driver in Canada by Racing America in 2020, Tucker has continued to achieve greater success with every season. With a knack for saving his equipment and tires until the closing laps of the race, Tucker has pulled off many wins in seemingly unlikely scenarios.
Tucker started his racing career in Bandoleros in 2012 - making a few starts before jumping in full-time in 2013. He would score his first feature win at Speedway 660 en route to earning Rookie of the Year honors during that initial campaign. Quickly a dominant force, Tucker captured two championships in the same season, picking up the Bandolero championships at Speedway 660 and Petty International Raceway in 2015. That year, at 14 years old, Tucker would make his debut in the Super Late Model division during Speedway 660’s Yard Gear 250, surviving a wild race to post a 12th place result.
Moving into a full commitment to the Super Late Model ranks, Tucker ran the Re/Max East Coast Elite Realty Pro Stock division full-time at Speedway 660 in 2016 - earning his first podium and Rookie of the Year honours during the season finale. That momentum translated into a monumental 2017 season that truly vaulted the then-teenager to star status - two Speedway 660 wins, podium finishes in the Yard Gear 250 and the Best of the Best 150, and posting a runner-up result in points.
However, everything changed over that off-season with the sudden passing of Ashton’s father. Determined to persevere and continue, the then-17-year-old continued to compete weekly at Speedway 660 - but it would be during that summer when Tucker would first become aligned with Brad Silliker Motorsports. On the surface it was a match made in heaven - but it was a relationship that was tested early and often, with DNQ’s, DNF’s and engine failures plaguing their initial runs.
In 2019, Tucker and the Brad Silliker Motorsports team finally broke through to victory lane, conquering the Yard Gear 250 for the first time, and etching the beginning of a dynasty. Since then, Tucker has gone on to capture eighteen (18) feature wins - including three (3) Yard Gear 250’s, the 2022 Summer Clash 250, the 2023 Mike Stevens Memorial, and four (4) Easy-Kleen Super Late Model Series wins.
Tucker and team also have a championship to their credit - earning the 2020 four-race points series held between Petty International Raceway and Speedway 660 during the COVID season. But this is different - this is for the Easy-Kleen Super Late Model Series title and the stakes are high.
“This has been a major goal since the series was announced to be in this position,” Tucker said. “We started 2023 rough with a broken foot and car issues which really set us back, but we found our groove by the end of the season and knew we had a good piece for this year.”
“It’s been a lot of fun battling with Cory every week - I got to thank him for the respect he’s shown all season. I hope to see the same respect going both ways racing for the championship - but stakes are high and I think we both acknowledge we both want to win and leave it all on the line and give the fans a great show.”
Much like Hall, Tucker did not overlook the possibility of third place in points upsetting the dynamic duo. Robbie MacEwen (#40) has kept it a three-horse race all season, and enters twenty-two (22) points behind Hall and nineteen (19) behind Tucker. While it would take some circumstances to get MacEwen to overcome his deficit, anything can happen on the track.
“Robbie has had a great season too. He’s a great driver with a strong car and strong team, and he’s raced everyone with a lot of respect,” Ashton commented. “I think for Cory and I, Robbie having a bit of a shot to take it from us forces us to race with a bit of restraint so that we both don’t end up losing it.”
With so many storylines and stakes, fans are in for an incredible show with the ReCar 150 presented by Wonder Auto & Tire - with Tucker noting the fitting excitement set to wrap up the first season of the series’ partnership with Easy-Kleen Pressure Systems.
“What more could you ask for - for our fans and our great series sponsor Easy-Kleen Pressure Systems in their first season onboard than an exciting battle like this at the end of the season. It’s not very often the final race is this close. The atmosphere and excitement is going to be unreal, this is going to be a race you don’t want to miss.”
When asked about what message he’d like to share with his competitors, Tucker made note of one that got away last year in the ReCar 150 presented by Wonder Auto & Tire.
“We come to win every week, and this is no different. We feel the ReCar 150 owes us one, and we’re going to go get it.”
The ReCar 150 presented by Wonder Auto & Tire on Saturday August 17th at Speedway 660 will be round six of six on the 2024 Easy-Kleen Super Late Model Series calendar. Action will get underway at 4pm with heat races for the Easy-Kleen Super Late Model Series.
As race day nears, fans are encouraged to stay tuned to social media for breaking news as it happens! The Easy-Kleen Super Late Model Series can be found on social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and X (formerly known as Twitter) at @SLMSeries. Also be sure to check out our official website at SLMS.ca.
For more information on the ReCar 150 presented by Wonder Auto & Tire, check out Speedway 660 on Facebook, and online at speedway660.com.
About the Easy-Kleen Super Late Model Series
The Easy-Kleen Super Late Model Series is Atlantic Canada’s newest stock car racing series. Formed in Fall of 2022 through a partnership between Oyster Bed Speedway, Petty International Raceway, and Speedway 660, the Easy-Kleen Super Late Model Series contests a six-race schedule with some of North America’s top racing talents. The 2024 season will mark the second season of competition. Fans can find more info online at SLMS.ca, or through Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and X at @SLMSeries.
About Easy-Kleen Pressure Systems
Easy-Kleen Pressure Systems Ltd. has been manufacturing high pressure wash systems since 1982. Over 100,000 companies spanning various fields in both the commercial and industrial sectors are utilizing our machines for their everyday cleaning needs. Easy-Kleen is dedicated to continuing to build the world’s most heavy duty, hardworking, reliable, and efficient high pressure cleaning systems. Our machines are known by our customers to last decades, with many units performing for over 25 years. Visit EasyKleen.com to learn more about the products and services offered by Easy-Kleen Pressure Systems.
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