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The "Shubie Shuttle" Heads for Toledo (07/17/00)
TOLEDO, Ohio. -    It's been less than 48 hours since the biggest weekend in his racing career, but Scott Fraser, known as the "Shubie Shuttle" by race fans in Eastern Canada and Northern New England is already making preparations for his next run in the ASA ACDelco Racing Series at Toledo Speedway in Toledo, Ohio on July 30.

   Fraser, from Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia, surprised everyone at his ASA debut at Chicago Motor Speedway on July 15-16 with a second-place qualifying effort. Backing that up with an eighth-place finish in a race featuring some of the best short track racers in North America, some might assume the 29-year-old would take a day off to reflect on his accomplishments. Or at least to nurse the wounds he suffered after buring both heels during the race from excessive heat coming off the exhaust through the floor of the race car. His right heel was hurting after just 50 laps. After 120 laps, he "switched" feet and drove the remaining 80 circuits working the accelerator with his left foot, resulting in burns to his left heel.

   Once the checkers fell, Fraser loaded his No. 00 King Freight Lines Chevrolet race car in the trailer at Chicago, drove 239 miles to Toledo, Ohio where the team rented the track for testing, before making the 1,432-mile trip back to Nova Scotia for a race on July 22nd.

   "You do what you have to do," said Fraser, a three-time Canadian touring series champion. "It's real important to us to do well wherever we go. We're never really satisifed unless we win. This was on the way home so it was a given that we stop here. Chicago was great, but it won't make any difference when we go through the gate in Toledo."

   Fraser was tagged the "Shubie Shuttle" early in 1997 after a season on the MASCAR (Maritime Association Stock Car Auto Racers) Tour in Maritime Canada where he absolutely dominated, winning 12 of 15 feature events, leading 58.9% of total laps, won six of eight possible year-end awards and had built four of the cars finishing in the top five in final point standings. The most common question asked in the racing community was "Who finished second?"

   Fraser decided then it was time to make a move. Of utmost importance was his desire to make sure that when he did make a move he was going to be competitive.

   "We started looking at different avenues but there was always a missing piece in the puzzle," said Fraser. "Early in 1999 we got together with Rollie MacDonald (team owner) and started working on this deal. We both agreed, though, we weren't going racing anywhere until we could do it right."

   In 1997, he raced part-time with MASCAR and won four of the six events he participated in. In 1998, he picked up the series championship for the second time with six victories, three second-place finishes and an average finish of 2.7 in 13 races. In 1999, Fraser focused on the International Pro Stock Challenge (IPSC) series where he could hone his talents on a different group of drivers including short track icons from the eastern half of Canada and New England. Fraser won the series championship with an average finish on the season of 3.3. He also raced part time on the regional MASCAR Tour, capturing two wins in six starts. Both the IPSC and MASCAR are pro stock type race cars, similar to those used in the ASA.

   The Canadian motorsports press have long recognized Fraser's talents, referring to him as "Wonder-boy," Great Scott," "Smooth Scotty," and "Born to Race." He was named Up and Coming Canadian Racer of the Year in 1996, and Nova Scotia Male Athlete of the Year in 1999. Junior Hanley, short-track legend and native of Fraser's home province, has said Fraser has more racing talent in his little finger than anyone he's ever seen behind the wheel in Canada.

   In Chicago, the most common question asked was "Who the heck is Scott Fraser?" His racing talents have answered that question. The second most popular question was "Shube-what," in reference to Fraser's home town. Phonetically speaking, one would say "SHOE-BEN-ACK-ADEE." Located less than an hour from Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia, the small community has been put on the map by Scott Fraser - the "Shubie Shuttle."