Geldart wins Nat'l Sprint Car Poll!!!

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - The North American Sprint Car Poll Awards Reception, held in conjunction with the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show in Indianapolis on Thursday, honored the winners in the various categories of 360 and 410 sprint car racing. Among those selected was Southern Ontario Sprints (SOS) regular and current SOS Champion, Cody Geldart from Mossley.

Geldart was named the National Sprint Car Poll 360 Rookie of the Year Award winner for 2004! This is a significant award that is presented to the rookie sprint car driver across North America in the 360 category who has demonstrated excellence and whose accomplishments were outstanding.

Geldart’s first full season behind the wheel of a full-sized sprint car was outstanding by anyone’s standards, particularly for a sixteen year-old. Not only did he capture the SOS Series Title, he won his first ever sprint car feature and backed it up with four more wins during the season. In fifteen SOS points’ events, Geldart finished in the top five, twelve times showing a level of maturity well beyond his years.

Not only did Geldart have a stellar year with the SOS, he also competed internationally during 2004. In February, Geldart, along with Glenn Styres from Ohsweken made the trip to Florida to compete in the 360 Winter Nationals. Geldart, Styres and Warren Mahoney from Lafroy were also invited to compete at Knoxville in the Brobix Tournament of Champions. In a field of over sixty of the best 360 drivers from around the world, Geldart qualified for the “A-Main” and finished a very respectable twelfth.

Looking forward, Geldart has big plans for 2005. He plans to run the 410’s (c.i.) running the full schedule with the All Stars Circuit of Champions where he will compete for Rookie of the Year honors. In addition, he plans on running some World of Outlaw events plus selected 360 (c.i.) special shows.

During the past five years, SOS drivers have been nominated four times for the National Sprint Car 360 Rookie of the Year Award which is a real tribute to our club. Keith Dempster from Alton was nominated in 2000; Billy Krull of Wheatfield NY was nominated and selected as a co-winner in 2002; and last year, Kyle Patrick from Tilbury joined this select group.

Past winners of the National Sprint Car Poll 360 Rookie of the Year Award include:

• 2000 – Jeremy Campbell
• 2001 – Jeff Busby
• 2002 – Billy Krull / Billy Alley
• 2003 – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Congratulations to Geldart and his team for being selected as the winner of this prestigious award! Receiving international recognition is a very special honor indeed, and speaks well for the caliber of drivers who compete on a regular basis with the SOS.

By Bill Oldroyd / SOS

UPDATE: Calabogie MotorSports Park

On October 12th, 2004, the Council of the Township of Greater Madawaska passed the third and final reading of the re-zoning amendment for the new Calabogie MotorSports Park. This was a significant and pivotal step towards the completion of the new road course.

We’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their inquiries, suggestions, and words of encouragement over the past eighteen months, and update you on recent events and new initiatives. Construction is nearing completion, with final grading being completed in October, safety systems being installed in early November, and a projected paving date of mid-to-late May, 2005.

The polymer asphalt surface being used has a cure time of approximately two months, taking us to an opening date of July 2005.

Please take this opportunity to explore our new website at www.calabogiemotorsports.com . Highlights include more detailed specifications on the track, unique video footage, updated pictures of the track, and a video game being designed for CMP.

Trans-Am releases 10-race sked, including Toronto & Edmonton Indys

Trans-Am Executive Director John Clagett has unveiled the 2005 Trans-Am schedule, which includes appearances at the Toronto and Edmonton ChampCar events, with the possible addition of the Montreal ChampCar weekend.

“We’re pleased to announce our 2005 schedule, one of the best on record for Trans-Am’s unprecedented 40th continuous year of competition,” said Clagett.

The Trans-Am Series will kick off 2005 during the Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend, April 8-10, followed by its 22nd visit to Portland Int’l Raceway (June 17-19). Three more traditional venues have been confirmed: Cleveland’s Burke Lakefront Airport (June 24-26), the Molson Indy Toronto (July 8-10) and the Grand Prix of Denver (Aug. 12-14).

The Series will continue the longest continuously running relationship between a track and a racing series, at Road America on an as-yet-to-be-determined 2005 date. The Series has competed every year at the 4.048-mile road course since Mark Donohue won the inaugural event there in 1970.

The Series will return to Edmonton, Alberta, running on a new temporary circuit July 15-17. The Series last competed in the Canadian city in 1973 at a permanent track. Trans-Am will also be on the racing card during the inaugural San Jose Grand Prix weekend (July 29-31).

Trans-Am officials are in serious negotiations with five other venues to fill the two vacant slots. Those venues include the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Quebec during the Molson Indy Champ Car weekend (Aug. 26-28), Road Atlanta during an ALMS weekend, as well as Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in California, the Puerto Rico Grand Prix, and the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

2005 TRANS-AM SERIES SCHEDULE

• April 8-10 Grand Prix of Long Beach Long Beach, CA
• June 17-19 Portland Int'l Raceway Portland, OR
• June 24-26 Burke Lakefront Airport Cleveland, OH
• July 8-10 Molson Indy Toronto Toronto, ON
• July 15-17 Edmonton Grand Prix Edmonton, AB
• July 29-31 San Jose Grand Prix San Jose, CA
• Aug. 12-14 Grand Prix of Denver Denver, CO
• TBA Road America Elkhart Lake, WI

Two races to be announced // Schedule subject to change without notice

Checkered Flag: James Turner Charity Golf Tourney raised over $36,000

BARRIE, ON - Marge Decher passed on a nice note to let us know that the 5th Annual Racing With James Turner Golf Tournament, held a few days after the end of the CASCAR Super Series season, raised over $36,000 for charity.



James Turner and Marge Decher, at the 'Racing With James Turner CASCAR Golf Tournament, this past September at National Pines, in Barrie.

Fifty percent of that amount was donated to the Rick Hansen Man in Motion Foundation, while the balance was shared with the Canadian Diabetes Association and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada. An extra special 'Checkered Flag' to them for their donation to the L&L Society. As many of you know, my wife Melody had non-hodgkins lymphoma and received a bone marrow transplant three-and-a-half years ago.

In her letter thanking people for their support of the golf tournament, Marge noted that in the five years the tournament has taken place, over $156,000 has been raised for various causes. The Committee for The Racing with James Turner CASCAR Celebrity Golf Tournament consists of: Mark & Taunja Dilley, Rick & Marge Decher and Kerry & Susan Micks.

Ask Greasemonkey....

We're trying to get the "Ask Greasemonkey" tech feature rolling and we're looking for reader feedback for questions and issues that you'd like to see discussed.

The issue that is leaving for the printer tomorrow has a lengthy definition of racing terms that are often thrown around without being defined. Greasemonkey has some other ideas for future features, but we're really hoping to be able to deal with specific issues raised by Canadian racers.

So, if you have any suggestions for something you'd like to see covered in an upcoming "Ask Greasemonkey" column, please post them in the Comments area below or drop me a note and I'll pass it on.

And before I get on to other things.... yesterday, I posted a note about a driver and his sponsor. I've been asked by the team that they be allowed to make the formal announcement in their own way.... so I removed my comment.

Confirmed: Indoor Racing a 'go' in London

LONDON, ON – It is with great pleasure that we announce to you the first Indoor Racing event at ‘The Special Events Centre, The London Gardens’ located at Wellington Rd and the 401 in London, Ontario.

The first event of what is hoped to be an annual Indoor Championship Racing Series, is scheduled for January 14 & 15, 2005 (Friday & Saturday).

It is hoped the series will come together to fill out a complete five-race championship series from January to mid April. Future dates will hopefully be confirmed at a later date, will be as follows:

• February 18-19, 2005
• March 4-5, 2005
• March 25-26, 2005
• April 15-16, 2005

The feature event will showcase many drivers from the Lucas Oil Can-Am Midget Club. Additionally, many drivers are expected to make the trip from northern U.S. states like New York, Penn, Ohio, and as far as NJ.

The series will also feature drivers from Ohsweken Speedway and Wonderland Speedway with their Outlaw and Sr. Micro Sprints. As many as 78 race teams have expressed great interest for this first event. Space will be limited so sign up early and get your name in soon as space will be given on a first come first serve basis.

Discount accommodations are available at nearby hotels, including the Holiday Inn (Exeter), Ramada Inn (Exeter), Radisson, Comfort Inn, Days Inn and Hojo. Mention “Indoor Racing” when booking.

For more information, contact Patrick Wood at IndoorRacingLon@aol.com.

Prepared by Patrick Wood

ALSTAR: Delisle to race Shouldice tour in '05

WINDSOR, ON – At the start of December, Dan Delisle, a long-time and well known Canadian stock car driver, announced his official plans to compete in the Shouldice Stone ALSTAR Super Series in 2005.

“It’s great to get back behind the wheel again after a one year break”, commented Delisle, who hails from La Salle, ON, near Windsor. “Over the last year, my marketing manager and I have discussed where we want to race and what series would show us the most competitive spirit. The Shouldice Stone ALSTAR Series continues to grow and the competition is great. Joe Chisholm is doing a fantastic job moving this series forward to the next level.”

Delisle continued, “Running a Super Late Model [in addition to the ALSTAR tour] will allow us to compete in the Shouldice Series… I’m excited to run at Sauble Speedway in May, a track that I have won at several times.”

Delisle is two-time track champion at the high-banked Toledo Speedway (Ohio), and has won numerous events in Canada and the U.S. while competing on several tours, including the ASA and CASCAR.

Delisle will use Speedweeks 2005 at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway as a ‘test session’ for his new team in advance of of the ’05 ALSTAR Series.

Speaking on behalf of the Shouldice Series, promoter Joe Chisholm said, “We at ALSTAR would like to welcome Dan as a series competitor for 2005. We are sure that Dan will be a tough contender, and his past experience will make this team one to watch in 2005.”

- By Ron Lassaline / Pentamark

ChampCar: Alberta bound!

EDMONTON, AB - Today in Edmonton, the organizers of next summer's ChampCar race held a press conference at the Shaw Conference Centre to kick off ticket sales for the event.



ABOVE: Alberta Premier Ralph Klein and our own Paul Tracy were at the press conference...

PHOTO BY PERRY NELSON

Organizer Greg MacDonald was on hand, as was Canadian open-wheel star Paul Tracy and Alberta Premier Ralph Klein.

According to Inside Track contributing photographer Perry Nelson, the event drew every scribe and photographer in the region for a total of more than 200 media-types.

Nelson told me that MacDonald plans to turn the event into the "Long Beach of the North". He also noted that the track that will be used (on the site of the Edmonton City Centre Airport) will be much the same as the one CASCAR used when it raced at the facility a few years back.

The support classes for the Edmonton ChampCar race are reported to be: TransAm, Atlantic... and maybe a major event featuring the Legends, although this has yet to be confirmed.

There has not be confirmation, either way, about the status of CASCAR at the Edmonton Indy.

We're in the process of finding out more details about this major racing weekend for the issue of Inside Track that is in the late stages of production (Volume 8, Issue 10).

In an unrelated piece of information, Nelson said that plans are in the works to have the World of Outlaws appear at Bud Park, in Edmonton, in August of 2006.

F1: Bernie losing his grip?

Sportsnet has a story on the news that Bernie Ecclestone lost a court case that could signal the end of his death grip on Formula 1. Ecclestone has ruled the sport for a quarter-century and has made billions, according to reports.

As a result of the London court decision, Ecclestone may have to relinquish control over the sport to three banks, which collectively own three-quarters of Formula 1's commercial rights.

UPDATE: Is Bernie feeling the heat? SpeedTV has a story that says Ecclestone has offered up $500 MILLION dollars to convince the manufacturers not to break away and form their own series. The piece also contains information about Bernie's defeat in the courts.

DIRT Motorsports acquires United Midwestern Promoters AND Stacker 2® Sponsorship

NORMAN, OK – Boundless Motor Sports Racing, Inc., (OTCBB: BMSR) (Boundless) d/b/a DIRT MotorSportsTM, announced that it has purchased United Midwestern Promoters Motorsports, LLC, (UMP), a late model and modified sanctioning body which includes the Stacker 2® Xtreme DirtCar Series.

The title sponsor for the Xtreme DirtCar Series is Stacker 2, a nationally marketed herbal supplement sold at most convenience, health and drug stores.

For the past twenty years UMP has been a major player within the late model and modified circuits. With more than 3,000 registered open wheel modified drivers, the Xtreme DirtCar Series’ sponsors include Stacker 2, The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company®, Gemini Auto Stores® and Lucas Oil®. The Xtreme DirtCar Series also has a television contract with SPEED Channel.

The UMP acquisition strengthens the Company’s position as the largest and most recognized sanctioning body for sprint, late model and modified dirt track racing in the United States. In 2004, an estimated more than 3.5 million fans attended World of Outlaws and DIRT Series sanctioned events to watch the best drivers in the industry perform. Management expects to be able to build upon the success of its 2004 season and anticipates significant attendance growth for 2005.

“As we’ve moved through the year we’ve been able to make strategic acquisitions that are consistent with the goals we established in our business plan,” said Paul A. Kruger, Boundless’ Chairman and CEO. “The UMP acquisition reflects our commitment to building a sanctioning organization which will take the sport of dirt track racing to a new level both in the United States and abroad.”

“The acquisition of UMP will help us to extend our base of DIRT’s weekly sanctioned tracks as we bring on board a large contingent of modified teams,” said Bobby Hartslief, Boundless’ COO. “However, most importantly, the acquisition unifies the late model series and brings with it marketing opportunities to better serve our fan base.”

For further information on DIRT or this press release contact Terri Metzger at 1-877-5RACING (1-877-572-2464) Ext. 113, email press@dirtmotorsports.com or visit us online at www.boundlessracing.com, www.theworldofoutlaws.com, www.WoOLMS.com and www.dirtmotorsports.com

Di Leo impressive in Daytona Prototype debut

TORONTO, ON - After coming off a great 2004 Star Mazda campaign, open wheel stand out Daniel Di Leo continued to impress. After finishing in the runner-up position in the 2004 Star Mazda championship, Di Leo was offered an opportunity to join four other young open wheel standouts to test for team Ten Motorsports in their Riley / BMW Daytona Prototype.

After weeks of anticipation, Di Leo finally had his opportunity, and made the most of it by quickly getting up to speed. Di Leo posted some of the quickest times of the test and was pleased with his performance.

“I knew it would be difficult to adapt from the open wheel platform that I’ve been accustom to,” Di Leo explained. “This was my first Daytona Prototype experience and with such a busy testing schedule in terms of testing five of North America’s top prospects in one day, track time was very limited. I know that there was more left in the car, but feel that I would have easily reached its potential with a little more time.”

Ten Motorsports team principals were on hand to critique and carefully evaluate the young drivers. The newly established team will look to make an impression in their first year of competition and with such an accomplished group of individuals that form the squad, many feel that they will be championship contenders right from the get go.

“I’ve had the pleasure to work with many of the instrumental people that make up this team,” commented Di Leo. “Their level of professionalism, determination, commitment and experience is truly second to none, and I am absolutely honored to be associated with such a first class organization.”

The test was conducted to fill out the Rolex 24 line-up and perhaps adding a driver from the test to selected races in the up coming season.

“I would like to thank Rob Finlay and all of the Ten Motorsport team for giving me this opportunity. It’s organizations like this that give aspiring drivers like me, the opportunity to chase our dreams.”

The 22 year old Canadian, is working diligently to finalize plans for the up coming season, and hopes that his performance was an indication of things to come . He is entertaining offers in both open wheel and sports car racing, and hopes to announce his 2005 plans in the near future.

To obtain more information on Daniel, sponsorship opportunities and the Di Leo Auto Sports Racing Team please visit www.danieldileo.com or contact Autosports Media via e-mail at autosportsmedia@earthlink.net or by phone at 416-678-4939.

- Prepared by Autosports Media

F1: STOP THE INSANITY!

Ever feel like you were stuck in the movie 'Groundhog Day'?

How often have we seen the headline: "British GP given 48 hour deadline"?

Well, once again, TSN has a story on its site that says, "The owners of the Silverstone race track in England have been given 48 hours to agree to a contract or there will not be a British Grand Prix in 2005. "

Yawn....... Do you wonder how much money someone has to have before they stop squeezing every penny out of everyone they deal with, at every opportunity? Apparently, Bernie's not there yet.

Why racing fans in the regions (i.e. Canada, Britain, France, etc...) that have been jerked around in this manner even bother to attend these races is beyond me. You'd think people would tire of having to deal with these stupid end-game threats every year. What a business!

Feedback?

Hi gang. First of all, thanks for visiting the 'new & improved' Inside Track Motorsport News Breaking News Blog.

Hopefully, it will offer enough information that you and other fans of Canadian motorsport will make it one of your 'Favourite' stops.

If there is anything you'd like to see on the site, please feel free to chime in with comments. There is a place below each post that allows you to do just that.

We're still hoping to get some help from you as we prepare nominations for the Inside Track Readers' Choice Awards. The announcement about the expansion of the new Lucas Oil Weekend Warrior Series growing to six tracks in the first few months is also something we'd love to hear from you about. How will this influence racing in southern and central Ontario in 2005 and beyond?

And if you have a topic that you'd like to discuss, drop me a note and we'll start the ball rolling.

Thanks again for stopping by and we hope to hear from you soon.

Greg MacPherson / Editor ITMN

DRAGS: PMRA confirms first date for '05

CAYUGA, ON - The recently-established Pro Modified Racing Association is pleased to announce its first race venue for the upcoming 2005 season.



The PMRA has confirmed it will hold an event July 1-3, 2005, at Luskville Dragway, situated just outside of Aylmer, Quebec.

“I think this is great thing for drag racing and for Canadian drag strips,” said Luskville owner/promoter Arnie Malcolm. “This event will help bring us to the next level.”

Malcolm, who has operated the NHRA-sanctioned strip for 25 years, added his track has been continually upgraded over the years to present the best in drag racing, and the scheduled PMRA event will provide the stimulus to continue improvements at the track.

“We’re very pleased to get our first race,” stated Bruce Mehlenbacher, PMRA Director of Operations. “We’re looking forward to working with Arnie and his people.”

Over $21,000.00 in guaranteed prize money has been posted, with $5,000.00 to the winner of this event. Only PMRA members will be allowed to compete.

Mehlenbacher, who has been instrumental in the formation of the new series, added the Luskville date is the first set PMRA race to be held in 2005. A five-race series at tracks in Ontario, Quebec, and New York is planned and the list of confirmed PMRA series teams will be announced this week.

The PMRA is a self-governing organization with its own set of technical and safety rules based on the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) Pro Modified division. Cars in the PMRA capture the true spirit of hot rodding, and the class offers a widely-diverse group of race cars with different types of 2000-horsepower engines propelling the cars down the quarter-mile in the 6.20-second range at 230 mph.

Contact Information:

Bruce Mehlenbacher - Director of Operations
Telephone: 905.772.1800 Ext. #22 // Email: mehlenbacher@nas.net

Arnie Malcolm - Luskville Dragway
Telephone: 613.224.1162 // Email: arnie.malcolm@sympatico.ca

Tim Miller - Media Director
Pro Modified Racing Association
Telephone: 905.870.1456 // Email: tmiller@mountaincable.net