On Sunday, October 10th, Shawn participated in the 150-lap Pro Stock Invitational at Shediac's Centre for Speed - it was our last 2004 season race! In the SFR car, Shawn was ready for a good race day and it turned out not all too bad. Shawn qualified for the outside pole in the first heat by having the 2nd fastest time of the day (14.37 seconds). Although the team was pleased with having a fast time, it would have been better to have at least one more guy beat us so we could have started on the inside because at the Centre for Speed there is NO outside groove. Anyway, Shawn hung on to a respectable 5th place finish in the heat and was happy to be starting on the inside of the main race. After a few cautions and eventually falling back a bit because of a restart on the outside, Shawn got caught up with the #79 car and had to pit. From there Shawn started at the back and slowly but surely worked his way back up to where he started, ending with a decent 5th place finish.

1. Scott Chubbock  2. Dave O'Blenis  3. Lonnie Sommerville

On Saturday, October 2nd, Team 72 ventured up to New Brunswick's International Speedway for their first-ever 200-lap Sportsman Invitational with the hopes of making a little bit of money to make up for our end of season bad luck. With 62 sportsman cars showing up from every corner of the Maritimes and only 28 cars being able to qualify for the starting grid, what number you drew for a starting position in one of the six heats - was all too important. Shawn drew number 27, putting us in position 4 in heat 3. With the top 3 cars automatically qualifying for the 200-lap feature, Shawn knew he had some racing to do. The heats were 15 laps, and Shawn gained the lead on lap 8, qualifying the #72 Ledwidge Lumber Monte Carlo for the #3 starting position for the main feature. After a long, challenging afternoon for a lot of race teams, the 28 cars who would start the race were decided. With $5,000 to win, and $20 a lap to lead, (by far the largest purse ever offered to sportsman car drivers) Shawn could feel the heavy pressure to get out front as soon as possible. Early in the race, Shawn was challenging #37 Bradley Logan for the lead and was able to get around him on the outside on lap 15. Shawn held onto that lead despite losing his brakes for a number of laps and despite strong challenges from #31 Myles Harris, #23 Lonnie Sommerville, and #5 Wade Harris. However, the first-ever NBIS Sportsman 200 race belonged to Team 72, and there was no way Shawn was going to let it go. On the night of Saturday, October 2nd, it was "Turple Time again" and Team 72 would walk away with $8, 700.00 in winnings and the satisfaction of knowing we FINALLY got our win at NBIS.

 1. Shawn Turple  2. Wade Harris  3. Bradley Logan  

On Saturday, September 25th, Team 72 participated in the C&R Auto Supply 100-lap open sportsman race at Scotia Speedworld. After having problems with gears (the car wouldn't go into second gear because of a loose bolt) Shawn was allowed just one lap for time trials. With that one lap he achieved fastest time: 15.51 seconds. Shawn then drew the 5th starting position for the dash and earned a second place finish. Starting on the outside poll for the main feature, Shawn and Sheldon Pemberton battled for the lead for over 20 laps until Shawn made his way by on the inside groove. Shawn held onto the lead for the majority of the race until a bad restart on a caution put Craig Slaunwhite, Terry Roma, and Shawn to the back, which was fortunately still 4th, 5th, and 6th place. However, Shawn could not get by Sheldon and Terry to reclaim his lead.

1. Sheldon Pemberton  2. Terry Roma  3. Shawn Turple

On Saturday, September 11th, we had the worst race yet of this season at Scotia Speedworld. However, it wasn't too bad because we held onto both the C&R Auto Supply Sportsman Championship and the Dominion Auto Auctions SuperSeries Championship!!!!! Woohoo! What a great year this has been; all of our hard work in the garage this summer paid off! What happened in the race was bad luck - we started 16th, captured the lead in 10 laps and on a caution restart the engine started smoking and Shawn had to pull into the infield. With no caution - Shawn pulled his hood off and used his fire extinguisher to put out a small fire on a plug wire cover. Apparently, one of the valve cover gaskets blew and oil spewed out onto the plug wires and everything, causing a small fire. Shawn then put his hood back on and did laps in the infield just to get some laps in to ensure we had the points championships. We ended up with a 16th place finish in the race - no worse than where we started I guess!

1. Sheldon Pemberton  2. Dan Harvey  3. Harry Ross White

On Saturday, September 4th, Shawn and both the SFR team and Team 72 were in Geary, New Brunswick, for NBIS's 4th Annual Speedweekend. On Saturday, Team 72 participated in the Modern Electric sportsman 150 for the 2nd year in a row. Shawn also planned on racing the SFR pro stock car on Sunday in the Irving Oil 250 - so again, we were on double duty and loving it! On Saturday, Shawn started 2nd in the 2nd heat and won, which qualified him for the outside poll of the Modern Electric 150. During the main feature, Shawn wasted no time capturing the lead on the first lap. With the Ledwidge Lumber Monte Carlo working to perfection, Shawn was able to hold onto that lead through a lot of green flag laps, a few cautions, and some major lap traffic for 131 laps. During a restart, Bradley Logan (#37) edged ahead of Shawn for one lap and then another caution came out, which meant Logan was given the lead. Then Logan slowly pulled away as Shawn couldn't keep up on the outside groove. Team 72 settled for a 2nd place finish and can't wait to return in October for the Sportsman 200.

1. Bradley Logan  2. Shawn Turple  3. Lonnie Sommerville

On Sunday, September 5th, Shawn was excited to have another chance at a first place trophy during the 2004 NBIS Speedweekend in the Irving Oil 250. With Shawn's last race in the SFR car a meaningful one - since Scott had won the Irving Oil 250 last year, he was looking forward to race at one of his favorite maritime race tracks in a much more powerful car than his own. Qualifying during the 2nd Consi race by earning a 2nd place finish - Shawn was set to start 19th in the Irving Oil 250. However, that dream would fail to come true as the SFR car quit before the green flag was thrown. The powerful engine had seized and the SFR team was out of the race before it even begun.

1. Shawn Tucker  2. Darren Sherwood  3. Leon Christie

On Saturday, August 28th, Team 72 was in Antigonish at Riverside Speedway for a 50-lap Dominion Auto Auctions SuperSeries race. Team 72 participated in the pre-race car show at the Antigonish mall Saturday morning and raced Saturday night. During practice our set up was a little off but the car wasn't too bad. We started 7th in our heat and finished 5th. At Antigonish we always seem to miss the setup, but we still have fun. For the main feature we qualified for 11th but Craig Slaunwhite had battery trouble so we started 10th. The feature was a clean one with only a few cautions and Shawn was able to hang on to a 5th place finish.

1. Bill Vasil  2. Kevin McLean  3. James Graves

On Sunday, August 29th, Team 72 was back in Halifax for a 25-lap weekly race at Scotia Speedworld. These double-header weekends seem to be creeping up all over the place! Shawn started 6th in the second heat and finished 5th - the car is still not all there. We then started somewhere near the back for the feature (as usual) and had a small accident on the second or third lap with Darren Wallage #3. With everyone checking up, and Shawn on the inside of Darren, Darren got loose and got into Shawn and they both headed towards the wall. Luckily, we never hit it but there was still damage on the right front side. The right front tire was toed way in and took us a few laps to fix. We think a tie rod got bent or something along those lines - we haven't had time to investigate yet. Anyway, Shawn went back out 3 laps down (it was a fast caution) and the car was ok but still not what we wanted. We finished somewhere at the back - probably 13th.

1. Darren Bezanson  2. Aaron Boutilier  3. Terry Roma

On Sunday, August 22nd, Shawn started on the pole of the continuation of the Shriner's Classic race that was rained out at Scotia Speedworld on July 25th. With only 15 laps remaining in the race it was a quick one. The #72 Monte Carlo had a bad push and was near impossible to get around the turns during the first 10 laps of the race so Shawn pitted on the caution and we switched the two inside tires for hopefully some better handling. Fortunately the car was slightly better but still not what it could have been. Shawn was able to finish with a 5th place. We then had our regular racing program underway and started 7th in the heat and finished in 4th - the car still had a bad push. With a few changes we prepared for the feature and started in 10th. With the car being a little loose and the track greasy we ended up with a 4th place finish and were happy to see Craig Slaunwhite get his first win of the season!

Shriner's Classic: 1. Terry Roma  2. Sheldon Pemberton  3. Harry Ross White      25-lap Weekly: 1. Craig Slaunwhite  2. James Graves  3. Terry Roma

On Saturday, August 14th, Shawn competed in the acclaimed Atlantic Cat 250 PASS race at Scotia Speedworld. Qualifying for a starting position of 7th on Friday, Shawn was happy to be starting on the inside of Ben Rowe. Before the 1st lap was completed, #88 Jeff Taylor spun in turns 3 & 4 taking Shawn with him. Shawn then had to start from the back and try to work his way up through. With a large field of 29 cars starting the race it wasn't long before the leader was able to catch up to the back of the pack and Shawn was a lap down. With a bad push, the car wasn't what it could have been so Shawn pitted a number of times so the SFR team could get the car back to where it was in practice. With the car improving slowly, Shawn held on to the end of the race with a good 8th place finish - being the 2nd top finishing Canadian. The SFR team was happy with the results and is looking forward to our next race on the long weekend in Fredericton at NBIS for the Irving Oil 250.

1. Johnny Clark  2. Mike Rowe  3. Walt Hammond

On Friday, August 13th, Shawn had a very busy day. In between interviews with Q104's morning crew and ATV's Liz Rigney, Shawn prepared to race both his sportsman Monte Carlo and the SFR pro stock of the late Scott Fraser's. In the PASS time trials the SFR car qualified 9th with a time of 14.059 seconds, putting Shawn in place to draw for a position in the dash. Shawn drew 5th and finished with a solid 7th place in front Ben and Mike Rowe, and Gary Smith - all from the United States. Then Shawn hopped into his #72 sportsman and competed in the Lockhart 100 SuperSeries race. Qualifying for 6th position, Shawn raced his way up to the top 3 quickly and stayed there for most of the race. Near the end we thought Shawn would get by James Graves, who led every lap of the Lockhart 100, but with no outside groove it never happened and we settled for a well-earned 2nd place.

1. James Graves  2. Shawn Turple  3. Sheldon Pemberton

On Saturday, August 7th, Team 72 ventured up to NBIS for the 200-lap Sportsman race only for it to be rain-delayed until October 2nd. So instead we decided to rush to Antigonish for the 50-lap Dominion Auto Auctions SuperSeries Sportsman  race. Making our way to Riverside Speedway with an hour to spare before race time - we changed gears, shocks, tires, and brakes, went through tech and lined up for our heat. Starting 7th and finishing 4th, the heat was our only practice for the feature. Starting in 8th for the main feature we slowly worked our way through the pack and caused the only caution of the race (sorry Troy!). We then had to start at the back and work our way up to the front again, finishing 3rd.

1. Bill Vasil  2. Craig Slaunwhite  3. Shawn Turple

THEN on Sunday, August 8th, we had a 25-lap weekly race at Scotia Speedworld. Starting last in our heat we finished 4th qualifying us for an 11th place start with our points handicap. The feature had only one caution that Shawn came close to getting caught up in but thankfully he made his way through after scuffing by the back stretch wall. Shawn patiently raced up to 3rd place behind James Graves and tried to get around him but with no outside groove Shawn had to settle for 3rd.

1. Sheldon Pemberton  2. James Graves  3. Shawn Turple

On Monday, August 2, Shawn raced the SFR car in a 125-lap PRO STOCK RACE at Shediac's Centre for Speed. With many rounds of practice Shawn was working on feeling comfortable in the car and getting use to its awesome power! Shawn then started on the outside pole in the 2nd heat and won! The field for the feature was then inverted slightly with Jason Silliker staring 6th instead of on the pole, and Shawn starting 5th instead of on the outside poll. The race was off to a good start when Shawn had made his way up to 3rd and the two cars in front of him pit during a caution. With Shawn having the lead he didn't let it go until there was ten laps left and John Flemming got him on the restart. With Jason Silliker, Shawn, and John Flemming being the only cars left on the lead lap and being tight together - the end of the race was an exciting one. Shawn ended up with 3rd and couldn't be happier. What an awesome way to debut in the late Scott Fraser's car!

1. John Flemming  2. Jason Silliker  3. Shawn Turple

On Sunday, July 25th, the 25-lap weekly racing at Scotia Speedworld got rained out halfway through the race when Shawn was leading! What a bummer. The remainder of that race will be at the beginning of the show on August 22nd, hopefully Shawn can hold the rest of the pack off for a win!

On Sunday, July 18th, Shawn finished 4th in the weekly 25-lap C&R Auto Supply Sportsman race at Scotia Speedworld. I actually missed it so I don't have a great recap of the events but I believe Shawn finished 6th or 7th in his heat and then won his semi. Then had a solid finish of 4th in the main feature.

1. Dan Harvey  2. Craig Slaunwhite  3. James Graves

On Saturday, July 10th, Shawn won the 50-lap SuperSeries Sportsman race at Scotia Speedworld! Starting about 2nd from the back and working his way up to the front, Shawn wowed the crowd and had a helluva good time. Which is what racing is all about. It was an awesome finish with Shawn and Terry Roma racing door-handle to door-handle for at least the last 15 laps. We gotta hand it to Terry - he is one clean guy to race beside. You gotta love it!!!

1. Shawn Turple  2. Terry Roma  3. Sheldon Pemberton

On Sunday, July 11th, We decided to make our way up to Miramichi for the postponed Maritime Sportsman Tour 100-lap race. However, again I guess we should have stayed home. Here's the scoop: Shawn won his heat and started on the outside poll of the race, quickly taking over the lead for about 35 laps until Robert Tufts got down on the inside of a lapped car, pushing the car up into Shawn, resulting in Robert taking over the lead. Then soon after, Robert caused a caution by pushing his way through lapped cars, however, officials did not warrant these actions as requiring a black flag. Okay, whatever. Shawn then started on the outside of Robert after the caution and Robert refused to give him a lane pushing him up against the wall twice and giving him a flat tire. Shawn had to pull into the pits and lost 3 laps. Shawn was not impressed and went back out onto the track to tell Robert so by giving him a couple of rubs. We then called it a day to save the car from getting wrecked even more.

  1. Gary Hicks  2. Todd Tufts  3. Yves McCray

On Saturday, July 3rd, the scheduled 100-lap Can-Fan Maritime Sportsman Tour race at the Centre for Speed in Shediac was postponed until Sunday because of the weather. So Team 72 headed up to Fredericton to race in their 125-lap sportsman feature at NBIS and then go back to Shediac that night to race the next day. Although this was a lot of travelling we love to race so we did it anyway. However, it turns out we should have just stayed at home. In Fredericton, the 2003 Monte Carlo was working good until a local driver didn't see Shawn passing him on the outside and gave him no room putting him up into the dirt. Shawn was currently in 8th or 9th but because he got hung up he had to get towed out and moved to the back. A few laps later Shawn was spun out by a car near the back and had to come into the pits briefly to remove a loose brake duct and nose brace. Eventually Shawn had a good run making his way up to second to chase down the race leader Lonnie Sommerville. When a lapped car spun Lonnie around with 8 laps remaining Shawn was on his way to a great win when the car lost its fire under caution. Having to get a push start meant Shawn had go to the back. He was able to run a few more laps until the car lost its fire again causing Shawn to be unable to finish the race. What a disappointment.

  1. Michael Banks  2. Glyn Nott  3. Wade Harris

Following a late night drive back to our rented cottage in Shediac Saturday night, Team 72 gathered enough steam to start in the Maritime Sportsman Tour 100-lap race at the Centre for Speed. Shawn started 9th and had made his way up to 3rd when our problems from the night before came back to haunt us. We should have stopped there but instead Shawn went back out into the race being 6 laps down and ran a few laps until he was half way up on the inside of a slow car at the back and the car cut down on Shawn causing him to go into the dirt infield. This caused some serious damage including the radiator being twisted and busted, a tie rod getting bent, and lots of other fun stuff. Needless to say we were done with New Brunswick for the weekend.

  1. Gary Hicks  2. Andre Boudreau  3. Calvin Rankin

On Saturday, June 26th, Shawn won the 50-lap SuperSeries Sportsman race at Scotia Speedworld during the famed Forbes 200 PASS Weekend! With no heat races and many of the drivers feeling the need for speed, the race started off rough with too many cautions and a few bad restarts. With a 15th place start, Shawn slowly but surely battled his way up to the front, showing that patience and a good car can win out in the end.

1. Shawn Turple  2. Dan Harvey  3. Terry Roma

On Sunday, June 20th, Shawn finished a tight 3rd place in a 25-lap feature at Scotia Speedworld. Starting near the back in 12th position the Sunset Motorsports 2003 Monte Carlo was working well and easily climbing up the pack until a spinout in turn 4 caused Shawn to come to a stop. With no caution Shawn was left on his own to catch the rest of the pack. In no time he did and a caution with 2 laps left to go tightened up the lead Harry Ross White had on the field and a smooth move to the inside behind Terry Roma seen Shawn race Sheldon Pemberton to the finish line for 3rd.

  1. Harry Ross White  2. Terry Roma  3. Shawn Turple

On Sunday, June 13th, Shawn won a quick 25-lap feature at Scotia Speedworld! With a 5th place start, Shawn won his heat and went on to start last in the 2nd round of heats (semis). He was able to make his way up to 4th and start the feature in 7th. After less than a quarter of the race, Shawn had a half a track lead on the rest of the pack. Despite a caution that let everyone else catch up, Shawn still pulled away and won his 2nd ever main feature in the Ledwidge Lumber 2003 Monte Carlo! This win put him at the front of the line for Scotia Speedworld Sportsman Series points.

1. Shawn Turple  2. Todd Tufts  3. Terry Roma

On Sunday, June 6th, at Scotia Speedworld the Can-Fan Maritime Sportsman Tour held their first 100-lap race of the season sponsored by MaritimeMotorsports.com. With a full field of 27 cars the day was action-packed and Shawn once again had a lucky heat draw starting 2nd. Shawn quickly took the lead and won his heat race, granting him a starting position of 3rd. Throughout the main feature Shawn had held onto 2nd position - lost it - gotten it back again - and lost it again at the end of the race to Todd Tufts. Overall, a great race day with a solid 3rd place finish.

1. Robert Tufts  2. Todd Tufts  3. Shawn Turple 

On Saturday, May 29th, Shawn's home track: Scotia Speedworld opened their season with a rain-delayed 50-lap Sportsman SuperSeries race. Shawn started off the day with the luck of the draw and began the 50-lapper with the outside pole, taking the lead from the start. Even with a lot of cautions Shawn was able to hold on to the lead for 44 of the 50 laps. On lap 44 there was a caution and Todd Tufts, who had been gaining on Shawn took the lead with James Graves following right behind him. "The car was working great off the start and was awesome getting out of the corners but slowly went away and just got too loose, Todd's car was just better than mine by the end of the day." - Shawn Turple

1. Todd Tufts  2. James Graves  3. Shawn Turple

Our 2004 season opener was a 50-lap Sportsman SuperSeries race at Riverside Speedway near Antigonish on Sunday, May 23. During practice on Saturday and the races on Sunday, Team 72 was chasing a miss in the engine. With all of the Team's time spent on the miss and little practice time to work on handling - the 2003 #72 Ledwidge Lumber Monte Carlo was super loose and a handful just to get around the track. However we think we still might have finished around 6th or 7th.

1. Chris Reid  2. Bill Vasil  3. Troy Slaunwhite