DELAWARE SNOWCROSS: Rescheduled

DELAWARE, ON - The CSRA Pro Snowcross at Delaware Speedway has been rescheduled and will run on Saturday, February 12 and Sunday, February 13. Any tickets already purchased are good for the rescheduled date.

In other Delaware news, the track has released its 2005 tentative event dates. The schedule features a variety of racing, centered around the track’s four weekly divisions, the Cintas Late Models, POWERADE® Modifieds, Kendall Motor Oil Street Stocks and Challenger Motor Freight Trucks.

Scott Lindsay of St. Marys will begin defense of his NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series track championship with the Cintas Late Models on Opening Day; Saturday, April 23. Last year, Lindsay won the first-ever NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series championship in Canada by just 12 points over track legend, Steve Robblee of Dorchester, who was second. Lindsay finished fourth overall in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Heartland Region (won by Andy Bozell from Kalamazoo Speedway in Michigan) and was honoured for the achievement at a banquet in Nashville, Tennessee last October.

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New for the Cintas Late Model division drivers this season is the addition of the Lucas Oil Weekend Warrior Series, a competition and promotional partnership between Ontario race tracks spearheaded by Lucas Oil and Paxton Motorsports Marketing. Delaware Speedway Cintas Late Model drivers will have the chance to compete for an additional $51,000.00 in point fund rewards by continuing to run weekly at their home track. They may also race at other facilities in the program, such as Kawartha Speedway and Flamboro Speedway. In turn, Late Model drivers from Kawartha and Flamboro will be encouraged to participate at Delaware when their schedule allows.

Purses have been raised for all Delaware Speedway weekly divisions. Other changes for 2005 include 50-lap (minimum) Cintas Late Model feature races and 25-lap weekly POWERADE® Modified feature races. The Enduro division will feature its top drivers in a new all-star-style race on Saturday, September 3, as part of the Great Canadian Race Weekend.

Additional details about individual events are yet to be announced. Each weekly division will run some unique events, such as longer races or the occasional invitational race. These details will be announced as they are confirmed.

The CASCAR Super Series will return for its two traditional dates, on the Victoria Day Weekend in May and the Labour Day Weekend in September.

Groups returning to Delaware Speedway in 2005 include the Auto Value Super Sprints (May 20), Canadian Vintage Modifieds (June 10) and the Shouldice Stone Alstar Late Model Super Series (July 22). None of those three series have run at Delaware Speedway in the last two years.

New to Delaware Speedway in 2005 is the Lincoln Welders ARCA Truck Series, who will run as part of an “all-truck night” (the Challenger Motor Freight Trucks will also be in the lineup) on Friday, July 29. Another new twist is the addition of a Demolition Derby on Saturday, October 1, the first day of the two-day Enduro Nationals weekend.

Advanced tickets for specific events will go on sale shortly. 2005 Season Passes are now available.

Delaware Speedway’s Junior Racing League will begin its season on Wednesday, June 1. The Junior Racing League runs each Wednesday night throughout the summer, and will conclude its season with championship races on Friday, August 26. The Friday-night race will provide weekly race fans the opportunity to see the Junior Racing League competitors (ages 8 to 17 years) race in their Wednesday-night format, using a track configuration that runs through the infield and uses the “big” track’s turn two and first half of the back straightaway.

- Delaware Speedway PR

Cdn. Sprint Car Nat'ls Adds Fourth Affiliate Sanction

OHSWEKEN, ON - The Canadian Sprint Car Nationals scheduled for Saturday, September 17th at Glenn & Tina Styres’ Ohsweken Speedway has added a fourth affiliate sanctioning body to the program.

Southern Ontario Sprints who call Ohsweken Speedway their home, have signed on to the 1st Annual Event. Joining the Empire Super Sprints and the Patriot Sprint Group from New York, along with Sprints On Dirt from Michigan, the signing of the Southern Ontario Sprints sets up a showdown between the sanctioning bodies that race at the track throughout the season.

The event that is open to any sprint car team who meets the prescribed rules package is sure to draw some interest from other organizations as well. Knoxville Raceway has also committed to sending a representative team and the NRA and URC Groups both have open dates on their schedules.

- Bill Oldroyd / SOS PR

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DIRT Mods set for Florida Tour Shootout

WEEDSPORT, NY - When the top big-block teams in the Northeast set course for Florida in February they will be waving good-bye to the snow banks at home as they prepare to welcome the familiar clay that is the foundation for Volusia Speedway Park.

DIRT MotorSports' popular Modified mini-tour at Volusia begins Feb. 14 with a 30-lap feature headlining the program. The open-wheel action continues at the Barberville half-mile oval with 30-lap feature events on Tuesday and Wednesday before a big $5,000-to-win 50-lapper brings the curtain down Fri., Feb. 18.

Special appearances by the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series (Feb. 11 & 13) and World of Outlaws Late Model Series (Feb. 18 & 19) complete the big tripleheader that spotlight the biggest short track stars in the nation.
Florida continues to be a second home for open-wheel star Brett Hearn.

Since DIRT MotorSports returned to the Sunshine State in 1998, the Sussex, N.J. veteran has captured DIRT Winter Tour high point honors four times and amassed a record 13 feature wins during those same eight seasons.

Among the 43 drivers competing in three events at Volusia last February, Hearn joined first-time winners Billy Decker and J.R. Heffner in victory lane while New York veteran Pat Ward used a pair of runner-up finishes to garner his first-ever Florida Tour points championship by just two markers over both Hearn and Pennsylvanian Doug Hoffman.

The upcoming DIRT Tour marks the 20th trip to Florida for Northeastern Modified teams since 1978. It will be DIRT's 14th visit to Volusia since staging its inaugural event in 1982 under current owner/operator Dick Murphy.

Expect drivers like all-time DIRT MotorSports big-block Modified feature winner Alan Johnson, younger brother Danny Johnson, teammates Pat Ward and Billy Decker to join Hearn and Heffner while many more open-wheel hotshoes will be in competition hoping to write their own headlines in '05.

Don't be surprized to see former Nextel Cup champion Tony Stewart land another DIRT ride as he has competed in four of the past five Winter Nationals, posting a 5th-place best finish in 2002.

Fans and race teams already planning to attend Volusia Speedway Park (386/985-4402) are encouraged to contact the track public relations offices for area hotel/motel accomodations. Overnight camping at Volusia is available across the road adjacent to the track for self-contained units.

Volusia Speedway Park is located 15 miles west of Daytona Beach on State Road 40 in Barberville, Fla. Mail is received at: 1500 E. Highway 40, DeLeon Springs, FL 32130.

Be sure to check out www.dirtmotorsports.com often to view the Florida Tour pre-race roster as the first edition will be posted later in January. Further information regarding the host track can be obtained from www.volusiaspeedwaypark.com.

By Tom Skibinski / DIRT Motorsports PR

CASCAR: RaceSportz and DJK Racing team up for 2005

DEARBORN, MI – Carhartt Clothing have announced their return as the primary sponsor of Team RaceSportz of Arnprior, ON. The Carhartt name will be on the number “8” CASCAR SuperSeries entry driven by American driver; Marc Miller.

Established in 1889, Carhartt Clothing has become the leading workwear and rugged outdoor apparel company in North America. They look to extend that brand image to the thousands of racing fans and enthusiasts throughout Canada.

"As Carhartt continues to grow in Canada we feel that it is important to not only provide premium workwear for the Canadian worker but to also support that worker's hobbies and past-times,” said Andrius Viskantas, Marketing & Communications Manager for Carhartt. “We’re excited to be working with Marc and Team RaceSportz again in 2005 and look forward to being involved in Canada’s #1 Racing Series; the CASCAR Super Series."

The team will be joining up with veteran driver DJ Kennington and run cars prepared out of their St. Thomas race shop. “We’re excited to be working with DJ, he’s got a ton of experience at all the tracks that Cascar competes in and his equipment is top notch. There’s no doubt that by working with DJ it’s going to save us a lot of time on the learning curve” says Dave Connelly owner of RaceSportz.

“DJ and I got to know each other well during the 2004 season, and I think we’ll have a great synergy going into 2005. We’re both extremely competitive people and I know that we’ll both push each other as hard as we can on the track” states Marc Miller.

“Marc and Dave work very hard at their race program, I think by teaming up next year we can really elevate their on track efforts and get Marc on the podium. Marc ran strong at Mosport, Toronto, and Vancouver last year and I know with my help, we can carry that momentum to the oval tracks as well” commented DJ.

Mark’s Work Wearhouse will be partnering with the team this year and running a national consumer contest featuring the Carhartt #8 CASCAR. Look for the Carhartt Racing Team to be visiting a Mark’s Work Wearhouse in your area.

For more information, contact Dave Connelly and RaceSportz at (613) 623-1511 or visit www.carharttracing.com

Brighton’s 2nd annual Winterfest approaches

BRIGHTON, ON – For the second year in a row, Brighton Speedway Park will host its popular Winterfest event. Scheduled for Saturday, January 25, the 1/3-mile oval will see snowmobile and four-wheel action.

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New classes have been added to the card this year, including youth and four-wheel-drive events. Competitor gates open at 10 a.m. Practice starts at 11 a.m. and racing starts at noon.

Admission for the day is $10. Children under 10 are free. For more information call the speedway’s race line at (613)-475-1102, or email brighton.speedway@sympatico.ca.