2023 Dual Touring Series Finale Winner & 250 Specialist: Ashton Tucker (Interview)
Night time exposure shot from the Pro Stock Tour Finale leader battle; Photo Courtesy of: JT Racing Pix
October 4th, 2023
In the exciting world of Late Model racing, Ashton Tucker, commanding the wheel of Brad Silliker Motorsports' #2 car, is done sneaking under the radar by this point, if he ever was to begin with. Hailing from Lyttleton, New Brunswick, Tucker catapulted onto the scene back in 2015 at Speedway 660's blockbuster 250-lap event. It wasn't just any starting line-up he found himself against; it was truly star-studded.
From the Stars and Stripes territory of the United States, race enthusiasts will no doubt recognize heavy hitters like Cassius Clark and Johnny Clark (no relation) —finishing 1st and 2nd, respectively. Add Austin Theriault (former NASCAR Cup Series competitor), Ben Rowe, Travis Benjamin, and D.J. Shaw to the mix, and you've got yourself a roster with approximately: ...Too many Oxford 250 wins, and PASS championships to count.
As if those additions didn't make the line-up stacked enough, you had a young Raphael Lessard from Quebec, who would soon after begin driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports: first in a Super Late Model in the United States as a teenager, and later a NASCAR Truck Series ride, also for Kyle Busch Motorsports. Of note: Lessard's Redbud 400 victory in 2018 (following a runner-up finish in 2017) made him only the second Canadian to win the marquee race, joining Junior Hanley. As of 2023, Cole Butcher has made it 3 Canadians.
In fact, Tucker's 12th place finish was enough to beat out: SLMS debut season points champion #91 Dylan Gosbee, 5-time Pro Stock Tour champion John Flemming, 3-time Oxford 250 victor Travis Benjamin, 5-time PASS points champion DJ Shaw, and #23 Lonnie Sommerville - former runner-up in PASS points, 2-time 660 250 feature winner, winner of the Scotia Speedworld 250, and winner in multiple states around the USA, along with an array of other luminaries in the racing constellation.
It's fitting that a then, little known Tucker made his start at 660, because now he's made his car revered on those grounds. Going back to the 2018 Speedway 660 250, his finishes in that prestigious race are: 2nd, 18th, 1st, 1st, 11th, 1st, and 3rd. 9 starts, 3 wins, 5 top 5's. Not to be labelled a one-track wonder, it appears it isn't just 660 where he excels in the 250 lap format. Winning in his debut at the Scotia Speedworld Summer Clash 250 in 2022, and following it up with a nail-biting 2nd place finish this year, that could have easily been a win.
In fact, if he were to be labelled anything: It would be Clean Driver. If a race is run clean, and Tucker is in it, it's probably a wise decision to bet on the #2. He's shown a willingness to beat and bang, and use the bumper, but don't expect it to be him who initiates the exchange. It's clear it is not his preferred style, a fact that I imagine earns him a great deal of appreciation from his fellow racers; besides, his silky smooth driving alone is enough to propel him to big wins.
On the Super Late Model Series (SLMS) side: Tucker has had challenges. With finishes of 7th, 23rd, 22nd, and 2nd. However, he was able to capitalize on momentum and secure the final win on the schedule in race 6 (he ran 5 races).
He won on the Pro Stock Tour late in July at Petty, followed by a DNF at Oyster Bed. Not to be deterred, he finished 2nd in the aforementioned Summer Clash 250 at Scotia Speedworld to #67 Dylan Blenkhorn, 2nd in the SLMS at Speedway 660 to #83 Cory Hall, and now won the Pro Stock Tour finale September 23rd a week prior to winning the SLMS finale as well, beating now 3x, and currently reigning Pro Stock Tour champion, #99 Craig Slaunwhite to the line.
What was the path that you took to get to full-bodied race cars?
Well I first got my start in racing when my father decided to buy me and my brother a Bandolero car for us to try out. After the first season my brother decided to play baseball and I got to run the car every race. We ran the Bando for 3 full seasons, and in my 3rd year we won a bunch of races and 2 championships and had a really good year. Before the summer of 2015 started my dad had traded 2 snowmobiles for a older Pro Stock car. After a successful Bando year, it was the week before the Pro Stock 250 at Speedway 660 when I got my first test in the Pro Stock - at 14 years old. I ended up doing well in it and my dad decided we would make our Pro Stock debut and try and qualify for the 250. Well we did much better than expected, We made the race and finished all the laps and avoided some wrecks and came home with a 12th place finish out of 31 cars. So after that race my father decided to sell all our Bando stuff and the older Pro Stock and we bought a used one off of Johnathan Hicken and went full time Pro Stock racing in 2016 and that’s how we got to the pro stock ranks.
Do you remember how you felt going into your first race, against such a tough line-up?
Well my first Pro Stock race we did not have many expectations. There must have been around 36 cars there trying to make the race and I remember I was very nervous just thinking about going on the track. But there is only one way to learn and that is to get out on the track with other cars. I made sure to stay out of everyone’s way and hold my line and not ruin anyways day. We ended up 12th like I previously said, but it was a great day and looking back now I think if we didn’t make my Pro Stock debut that day I’m not sure if I would of ever got the chance to race in that level and especially still be racing them.
You seem to have a real knack for these 250 lap events, do you know what it is about them that meshes with your style so well?
Yeah we have had some success over the last few seasons in the 250’s, but we also had some bad luck as well. I feel like the 250’s fit my driving style somewhat better than the shorter races because I tend to like to take my time and save my stuff during races and I feel like it really benefits me in the longer races. Usually in the 150’s people can get away with abusing their stuff a bit too much and make it to the end but during the 250’s you really gotta take care of your car and be there at the end to have a shot at the win and I feel like we have been doing well the last few seasons in the 250’s by doing that and being there at the end with a chance to win them, so I feel like that is one of our biggest reasons for having some success during them races.
What is Brad Silliker Motorsports, and how did the deal come to be?
Brad Silliker Motorsports is a family owned and run team out of the Miramichi. Brad, his father Wayne and brother Jeff have been around racing for a long time, and Brad decided to buy his own car and start his own team. Back in 2018 Brad was looking for a driver to run his car at the IWK 250. At the time I had my own car and was having some pretty decent runs in it, and also only a few people who could help me with the car. So Brad asked me a few weeks before the IWK if I was interested in running his car and obviously I was not going to turn that offer down. After that race we ended up running a few more in 2018 together and decided to run his car full time in 2019 and we have had some pretty good fun and success racing together since then.
I watched you in the Oxford 250 in 2019, it was great to see you there, and to qualify for the feature, too - not an easy feat, especially on a first try at that track. I'm sure it wasn't the finish you wanted, but, do you have any plans to go back in the future? I think you were on another entry list, but it didn't end up happening.
Yes that was definitely a pretty cool experience to run the oxford 250. Obviously never got the finish we wanted but would definitely like to get back down again and give it another go. I feel like I was still fairly new to the Pro Stock and not much experience at the time except for running weekly races at Speedway 660. I feel like now we would have a much better chance of going down there and being pretty competitive. It is an extremely hard race to even qualify for, let alone win, but I feel like since I have a bit more experience driving now that I would benefit from that and it could possibly help us find some success down there. But it is an extremely tough track and you see a lot of people go win the 250 down there and then not make the race maybe a year or two after, so that just shows how tough of a place it is to get around.
I enjoy some contact, or hard, physical racing sometimes, within reason. There are a lot of different opinions and feelings about that stuff, and where and what exactly the line is; but I have a great deal of respect for your clean racing style. I've seen you lose races late on several occasions from being the recipient of a bumper moving you up the track, and you always seem to keep your composure. What are your thoughts relating to this subject, and on-track respect?
Yeah I really am not a fan of using people up for wins. I don’t mind trading a little paint because that is racing but you see some people around the Maritimes struggle to pass people clean and are always into a racket with someone new each week. I like to race people how they race me. I feel like it’s very rare for me to make the initial contact, unless it’s a little rub door to door. But recently I have lost a few races by being driven through, so I kind of have to start giving it back when that happens because if I don’t, then, it’s gonna happen to me every week. But I feel like that’s how you gain respect from people and can have some good hard clean races for wins by racing everyone clean. I just feel like if you have to drive someone up the track 3 grooves to get by them, then that isn’t actually racing. It takes zero talent to do that. The Pro Stock division is supposed to be the top division in the Maritimes and that shouldn’t be happening. Yes maybe a little bumper or door rub battling for a win, that’s going to happen, but no need to drive through someone.
What can we expect in 2024, do you have any specific plans? Do you have a long-term bucket list?
We have no set plans yet for 2024, but a few items we would like to check off our bucket list in the next few seasons would be a IWK 250 win and a Mike Stevens Memorial win. Those are about the only 2 ones we are missing in the Maritimes, so hopefully some day we will be able to check them off and get a win in those races.
Please shout out, or thank any one, sponsor, etc. that you'd like, this is your space.
I obviously can’t thank Brad Silliker enough for letting me drive his car the last few seasons. We had a lot of fun and won lots of races, and hopefully lots more to come. All of our crew that comes every week to the track and our sponsors: it would not be possible without all their support.
With the Mike Stevens Memorial 254 looming on October 8th, how will Tucker's current momentum translate? With autumn leaves due to begin falling soon, it's been a hot early-season change at Petty International Raceway in New Brunswick.
