Riverside International Speedway roars into action for one last time this year on September 6 for the Back to School Spectacular presented by NAPA Auto Parts Antigonish-New Glasgow-Port Hawkesbury. And it’s jam-packed with something for everyone – from championships to big bucks to vintage stock car racing to enduro racing, and kiddies rides. Free grandstand admission for kids 15 & under makes for an exciting evening of affordable family fun at the races.

Over $16,000 is on the line for the Auto World MASS Sportsman Series competitors as they crown their 2025 champion in the NAPA/Henry’s AUTOPRO 100. The race purse is $10,300 with $2,500 guaranteed to the winner, with an additional $6,100 available in bonus programs. All told, the winner could take home as much as $6,250. 

Event sponsor NAPA Auto Parts Antigonish-New Glasgow-Port Hawkesbury has posted $3,000 in NAPA Bonus Bucks for teams that race in both MASS Sportsman Series races at Riverside this year. The first was on July 19, with 30 teams entered. Five of those teams will share the $3k in bonus bucks, with $1,000 going to the team with the best cumulative finish, $500 each to second and third, and an additional $500 to two other teams that compete in both events, determined by random draw. Plus, laps in the NAPA/Henry’s AUTPRO 100 are being sold for $25 each, with all of that going to the car that leads each sponsored lap, for an additional $2,500 bonus money.  

And, Fastrac Machining and Fabrications is sponsoring an additional $750 bonus for sportsman racers to be distributed by three random draws.

Race Purse/ NAPA-Henry’s AUTOPRO Sportsman 100: 1 $2,500.00 2 $1,500.00 3 $1,000.00 4 $600.00 5 $500.00 6 $450.00 7 $400.00 8 $350.00 9 $300.00 10 $250.00 11 $250.00 12 $250.00 13 $250.00 14 $250.00 15 $200.00 16 $200.00 17 $200.00 18 $200.00 19 $200.00 20 $150.00 21 $150.00 22 $150.00 23 $150.00 24 $150.00 PLUS NAPA Bonus Bucks ($3,000) PLUS Lap Leader Bonus ($2,500), PLUS Fastrac Machining Bonus ($750).

The Whispering Winds MASS Mini Stock championship will also be decided on September 6 in the Fastrac Machining and Fabrication Twin 25s. The champion will be presented with a custom “battle-style” belt at the conclusion of the second 25-lap feature.

Fans will also enjoy seeing the only stop this year at Riverside for the region’s only vintage car racing series, the Hot Rod Classics presented by Kimco. They’re fashioned after race cars from 1985 and older; some are tribute cars and others are unique in their own right – all dedicated to helping preserve Maritime motorsports history by rekindling memories for veteran fans and creating new memories for new fans.

The show will start with Kiddies Rides, where children can ride along (at low speed) for a few laps in a stock car with their favourite driver, and the show will end with an Enduro race where veteran and novice racers can experience the thrill of low-buck racing on the highest-banked asphalt oval in Canada. Building rules and the race registration form for Enduros are available at www.riversidespeedway.ca.

The pit gate opens at 1 p.m. on Saturday, September 6, with practice from 2:30 p.m. until 4:25 p.m. The grandstand gate opens at 2:30 for advance ticket holders; the box office opens at 3:30 for those purchasing tickets at the gate. The show starts with Kiddies Rides at 5 p.m.

Tickets and pit passes for the Back to School Spectacular are available in advance here and at the gate on race day. Camping is free and unreserved for this event; restrictions will be in place to comply with provincial guidelines and in consultation with DNR regarding local conditions.

Fans should stay tuned to Riverside’s website (www.riversidespeedway.ca), social media (Facebook, X, and Instagram) for the latest news from Riverside.

About Riverside International Speedway:

For 56 years, Riverside International Speedway has been recognized as a premier stock racing facility in Canada. The 1/3-mile high-banked asphalt oval roars to action several times each year for special events. It is the largest outdoor entertainment venue in eastern Canada and the home of the IWK 250 – widely known throughout North America as a “bucket list” event for racers and fans alike. It also hosts the NASCAR Canada Series in its only stop on the East Coast. Located in James River, between New Glasgow and Antigonish, the facility is easily accessible at exit 30 on Trans-Canada Highway 104. For more information, please visit www.riversidespeedway.ca or call 902-863-2410 (May to September) or 902-404-7049 (October to April).