A1GP VISITS GERMANY FOR ROUND 2

By James Neilson

The A1GP circus has arrived at the EuroSpeedway Lausitz hot on the heels of their highly successful inaugural race to try and tame the 4.53 km road course which uses a part of the banking from the oval that was the site of Alex Zanardi's horrific Champcar crash where he lost both his legs.

The teams practised Friday in what will be a season of first’s as this fledgling series attempts to get off the ground. Last week was their first race and visit to the Brands Hatch circuit in England. This week marks their first visit to the EuroSpeedway Lausitz in Germany.

The European squads dominated Friday’s practise sessions with Great Britain’s Robbie Kerr, a former British F3 title protagonist, setting the fastest time in the first session. France’s Nicolas Lapierre, a Team Arden GP2 pilot, set the quickest time in the second practise session.

Rounding out the top 5 in the first session was Lapierre in second, Brazil’s Nelson Piquet Jr. who currently races in GP2 with Lapierre in third, Germany’s Timo Scheider who has raced in the DTM in fourth and Switzerland’s Neel Jani who also races in GP2 with Lapierre and Nelsinho.

Ex-Jordan F1 pilot and Irishman Ralph Firman was free of his commitments in both Formula Nippon and Super GT in Japan and set the second fastest time of the second practise session. Rounding out the top five was Germany’s Scheider in third, Ex-F1 pilot Jos Verstappen in fourth for Team Holland and Indonesia’s Ananda Mikola who races in the Asian Formula 3 Series.

Canada’s representative, Formula Renault UK frontrunner Sean Macintosh, had a steady run in both practise sessions setting the tenth and eleventh quickest times respectively.

Results – Session 1:
1. Great Britain (Robbie Kerr / 1.34.675); 2. France (Nicholas Lapierre / 1.34.698); 3. Brazil (Nelson Piquet Jr / 1.34.784); 4. Germany (Timo Scheider / 1.35.043); 5. Switzerland (Neel Jani / 1.35.063); 6. Indonesia (Ananda Mikola / 1.35.125); 7. Netherlands (Jos Verstappen / 1.35.155); 8. Czech Republic (Tomas Enge / 1.35.321); 9. Italy (Enrico Toccacelo / 1.35.543); 10. Canada (Sean McIntosh / 1.35.614); 11. USA (Scott Speed / 1.35.631); 12. Ireland (Ralph Firman / 1.35.795)

Session 2:
1. France (Nicolas Lapierre / 1.34.150); 2. Ireland (Ralph Firman / 1.34.525); 3. Germany (Timo Scheider / 1.34.722); 4. Netherlands (Jos Verstappen / 1.34.783); 5. Indonesia (Ananda Mikola / 1.34.788); 6. Great Britain (Robbie Kerr / 1.34.800); 7. Switzerland (Neel Jani / 1.34.864); 8. USA (Scott Speed / 1.34.932); 9. Brazil (Nelson Piquet Jr / 1.34.988); 10. Italy (Enrico Toccacelo / 1.35.047); 11. Canada (Sean McIntosh / 1.35.054); 12. Czech (Republic Tomas Enge / 1.35.375)

For more info visit www.a1gp.com.

DOUBLE-DUTY PAYS OFF FOR CHRIS SPIEKER WITH NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES DIVISION II CHAMPIONSHIP

Courtesy Jeremy Davidson, NASCAR Public Relations

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 20, 2005) – Racing twice a week at two different NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series race tracks is nothing new for Chris Spieker. In addition to competing on Saturdays at Adams County Speedway, where he won three consecutive track championships (2003-2005) – Spieker has been racing on Sundays at I-80 Speedway at Nebraska Raceway Park, where he finished either first or second in the final track standings the same three years.

Racing at both tracks paid off in a big way this season for the 35-year-old Massena, Iowa, driver with the 2005 NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Division II championship and a $25,000 bonus.

Under the point system instituted in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series this year, divisional point standings were calculated using each driver’s best results from any races held at tracks within their division. Adams County Speedway, located in Corning, Iowa, and I-80 Speedway, in Greenwood, Neb., are both in Division II. Consequently, drivers were able to race at both tracks and accumulate points towards the Division II title.

The new program allows that each driver’s best 16 finishes are used to determine their point total towards the divisional title. In addition, bonus points were awarded based on the number of cars in a given race. For each event with 15-20 cars in the field, each driver received 10 bonus points; 20 bonus points were awarded for events with 21 or more cars.

Racing in the Late Model class on the half-mile dirt oval at Adams County Speedway and in the Super Late Model class on the 4/10-mile dirt oval at I-80 Speedway, Spieker was able to accumulate a combined record of 36 starts, 14 wins and 29 top-five finishes. Spieker’s best 16 finishes netted him 1,088 points and the Division II title.

Although Spieker led the Division II point standings throughout the season, the championship came down to the final weekend of racing as he battled two former NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series national champions, brothers Joe and Ed Kosiski.

Spieker and the other three NDWS divisional winners will be honored at the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series awards banquet, scheduled for Nov. 5 in Nashville.

Final NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Division II Leaders:
1. Chris Spieker, Adams County Speedway, 1,088
2. Joe Kosiski, I-80 Speedway, 1,070
3. Mike Hansen, Park Jefferson Speedway, 1,056
4. Jeff Strunk, Grandview Speedway, 1,030
5. Scott Bonney, Lee USA Speedway, 920
6. Eric Richardson, Mesa Marin Raceway, 916
7. Pete Anderson Jr., Stockton 99 Speedway, 894
8. Jonathan Bouvrette, Autodrome St. Eustache, 888
9. Scott Lindsay, Delaware Speedway, 878
10. Robert Barker, San Antonio Speedway, 838
11. Jeremy Lapainis, Edmonton International Raceway, 822
12. Stacey Gerken, Lorain Speedway, 816
13. Travis Sharpe, Concord Motorsport Park, 804
14. Mark Bliss, Holland International Speedway, 786
15. Dennis Pelphrey, Watsonville Speedway, 772
16. Brent Brinson, Myrtle Beach Speedway, 736
17. Alan Pyszora, Shasta Raceway Park, 728
18. Patsy Catalano, Spencer Speedway, 680

PEYTON SELLERS WINS NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Courtesy Jeremy Davidson, NASCAR Public Relations

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 20, 2005) – At age 21, Peyton Sellers has achieved a major milestone in his auto racing career by winning one of NASCAR’s most prestigious annual titles. Sellers, of Danville, Va., won the 2005 NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series national championship after a winning season in Late Model Stock Cars at South Boston (Va.) Speedway and other area tracks.

Sellers claimed the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Division I championship by recording the highest point total, based on his best 16 finishes of the year, in Division I. For this honor, Sellers will receive a $25,000 bonus from NASCAR and Dodge. Sellers’ point total (1,114) was also the highest among the four NDWS divisional champions, giving him the national crown and an additional $50,000 award – for a total of $75,000 in post-season prize money.

Sellers will be honored at the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series awards banquet, scheduled for Nov. 5 in Nashville. The gala event, one of NASCAR’s largest post-season functions, will be a triumphant return to Nashville for Sellers. His father, Bert Sellers, was a crew member for 1988 NASCAR Busch Series champion Tommy Ellis, who was honored in a similar affair in Nashville. Then-five-year-old Sellers attended the event and now, 17 years later, he takes center stage.

“At an early age, when I started racing go karts, I remember going to Nashville,” Sellers said. “To come back as a champion feels pretty good.

“Really, this was a breakout season for us. We won one 200-lapper last year. We got to the point where we could be a good top-five contender every week, everywhere we went. For whatever reason – my experience level, my ability to work with my crew chief, H.C., who is my brother – we just couldn’t put a lot of wins on the board.”

Sellers’ family-run team stuck with their program in 2005 and scored big under NASCAR’s new points format.

“This year, we’ve had the same equipment and the same sponsors have stuck with us,” Sellers said. “Now, we’re able to give them a little bit more. The chemistry that’s there is a little better and things have been going smoother this year.”

Overall, Sellers recorded 15 wins and 20 top-five finishes in 28 races this season – including 12 wins at his home track in South Boston. His best 16 finishes netted him 1,114 points towards the Division I and national titles.

Sellers is the youngest national champion in series history, surpassing the age mark set by then-23-year-old Robert Powell in 1988. He is also the second Virginia driver to win the title in the past three years. Mark McFarland, a native of Winchester, Va. who is scheduled to race full-time in the NASCAR Busch Series in 2006, was the Commonwealth’s first national champion in 2003.

The talented young star began his driving career at the age of seven, in go karts. By age 13, Sellers was racing in open wheel mini sprints and he moved up to Super Stocks, at South Boston, at age 15. By 2004, at the age of 20, Sellers had advanced to Late Model Stock Cars and had also made his debut in the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) RE/MAX Series. Sellers finished fifth in the track championship point standings at South Boston in 2004.

This season, under NASCAR’s re-vamped format for the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series, Sellers was able to branch out and compete at other tracks in Division I. Drivers could collect points towards their divisional title by racing at other tracks in their Division. Sellers’ occasional trips to Motor Mile Speedway, in Radford, Va., and Caraway Speedway, in Asheboro, N.C., helped him pad his points lead and win the title.

In addition to his racing career, Sellers graduated from Danville Community College in 2004 and currently attends Averett University in Danville, where he studies business management. Sellers also works as a heavy equipment operator for his family’s business, Sellers Brothers Inc., and is an active member of the Ringgold Baptist Church.

Final NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Division I Leaders:
1. Peyton Sellers, South Boston Speedway (South Boston, Va.), 1,114 pts.
2. Tim Karrick, Linn County Speedway (Pleasanton, Kan.), 1,092
3. Nick Parker, Rocky Mountain Raceways (West Valley City, Utah), 1,064
4. Tom Charles, Lakeside Speedway (Kansas City, Kan.), 1,058
5. Philip Morris, Motor Mile Speedway (Radford, Va.),1,056
6. Tommy Cherry, Langley Speedway (Hampton, Va.), 1,052
7. Duane Howard, Big Diamond Raceway (Minersville, Pa.), 1,012
8. Tim Brown, Bowman Gray Stadium (Winston-Salem, N.C.), 944
9. Travis Swaim, Caraway Speedway (Asheboro, N.C.), 936
10. Clay Dale, Lanier National Speedway (Braselton, Ga.), 914
11. Robert Turner, Ace Speedway (Altamahaw, N.C.), 902
12. Shane Harding, Evergreen Speedway (Monroe, Wash.), 870
13. Blair Addis, Greenville-Pickens Speedway (Greenville, S.C.), 818
14. Bobby Babb Jr., Beech Ridge Motor Speedway (Scarborough, Maine), 794
15. Ricky Bilderback, Rockford Speedway (Rockford, Ill.), 788
16. Steve Whitener, JAX Raceways (Jacksonville, Fla.), 200

WWS to Unveil Lucas Cup at Final ’05 Event

Courtesy Joshua Paxton, Paxton Motorsports Marketing

Toronto, ON – This Sunday October 9th the Lucas Oil Weekend Warrior Series will make Canadian motorsport history when they crown the first ever grassroots stock car racing champion and unveil the Lucas Cup.

In its inaugural year the WWS, an organization that came to life in October 2004 with the mandate of uniting and strengthening grassroots stock car racing, has accomplished more than any one imagined. The series’ original group of three (Flamboro Speedway in Hamilton, Peterborough Speedway and Kawartha Speedway of the Peterborough area) swelled to a group of seven within the first three months of the program’s existence (adding Barrie Speedway and Sunset Speedway of the Barrie area, Delaware Speedway in London, and Mosport Speedway in Bowmanville), and has since climbed again with an addition this past August (adding Varney Motor Speedway of Mount Forest to the fold), bringing the total participating Ontario speedways to eight.

The promoters and technical directors have worked diligently over the past few months, and will continue through the winter, to bring the rules packages of the WWS Late Models, the premiere grassroots division of Ontario, in line to allow competitors to visit facilities freely with minimal changes to their equipment. So far this program has attracted more than 200 race car drivers to its roster, each excited about the opportunities presented, and each focused on becoming the Lucas Cup champion of Lucas Oil WWS grassroots stock car racing.

The Lucas Oil WWS will celebrate its first anniversary this weekend at Peterborough Speedway’s Autumn Colours Classic, presented by Lucas Oil Products, the grand finale of the 2005 WWS grassroots stock car racing season. Heading into the event, which will host races for both conferences of WWS Late Model competition, drivers Tom Walters (of Barrie) and David Elliott (of Acton) lead their respective conferences, with Walters leading overall. Both Walters and Elliott are new to the point lead, having bumped off previous top contenders John Gaunt (of Barrie) and Pete Vanderwyst (of St. Thomas) the weekend before in competition at Lucas Oil Flamboro Speedway in Hamilton. Championships will be determined this weekend in the final races of the season, with Elliott and Vanderwyst just six points apart for a WWS Conference title, and Tom Walters and John Gaunt separated by 60 points for the overall Lucas Cup title.

One of the most exciting aspects of the WWS program is that the battles don’t stop at the top. The WWS will award the top 40 grassroots drivers of the program, split 20 to each conference of competition. With over 100 competitors to each conference there are serious scraps through the middle and at the bottom of the top 20 standings for paying positions. To come first overall and win the conference championship (and potentially the Lucas Cup) pays $3500; to finish 20th in your conference pays $1600; with $100 increments for each place in between. To finish 21st overall earns a handshake, a pat on the back, and a “Best of luck next year.”

The Lucas Cup, which will be unveiled for the very first time this weekend, was specially ordered by the Lucas Oil WWS, a glimmering vision of pride and achievement that will rival any other award in sports. The cup itself is just one of three in the world, and after this weekend will become all original when it receives the name of the first ever Lucas Oil WWS grassroots stock car racing champion.

The Lucas Oil Weekend Warrior Series, the BEST in grassroots stock car racing, see you there!

PETERBOROUGH SPEEDWAY – AUTUMN COLOURS CLASSIC
PRESENTED BY LUCAS OIL PRODUCTS

SATURDAY – QUALIFYING, STARTING AT 3:30PM
SUNDAY – MAIN EVENTS, STARTING AT 1:30PM

WWW.PETERBOROUGHSPEEDWAY.COM

OR VISIT www.WeekendWarriorSeries.com

CASCAR ON TV!

Watch the final event of the 2005 CASCAR SUPER SERIES Season on Saturday October 16th on SPORTSNET!

EAST and ONTARIO Regions on Saturday October 16th @ 1:30PM EST
WEST and PACIFIC Regions on Saturday October 16th @ 12:00PM MST

***this is a 90 minute program***

REPLAYS:
EAST – Monday October 18th @ 2:30PM EST
ONTARIO – Thursday 21st @ 1:00PM EST
WEST – Sunday 17th @ 1:00PM MST
PACIFIC – Thursday 21st @ 1:00PM PST

For more info visit www.cascar.ca

Canada to host TT style motorcycle race

By John Hopkins

SYDNEY, NS – A motorcycle road race in the classic tradition of the Isle of Man is slated for Canada next fall.

The Cape Breton Festival of Speed was unveiled at a press conference in Sydney, NS yesterday. The event, which will be headlined by a motorcycle race on a 52km road circuit, is due to run Sept. 20-23.

“This is such an important day in motorsports in Canada, and in particular in Nova Scotia,” said Maureen Carroll, chair of the Cape Breton Festival of Speed.

Present at the announcement were Isle of Man TT veteran Ian Lougher of Wales, Isle of Man Tourism Minister David Cretney and Canadian racer Pat Barnes, who tackled the fabled Isle of Man event in 2004.

“With some paving, these beautiful roads will offer a suitable challenge for some of the best riders in the world,” Lougher, a seven-time Isle of Man TT champion and the current Production 600 lap record holder, said in a press release accompanying the announcement.

“There are some fast stretches and the only things I don’t see which are part of the Isle of Man are the pubs around the circuit, which I’ll miss, and the stonewalls lining the roads, which I won’t miss. I definitely want to come back next year for the race.”

Lougher toured the track on Tuesday and said he expects it to be faster than the Isle of Man circuit. Barnes predicted a top speed of 210 mph.

“An Isle of Man style competition and the Festival of Speed will raise the profile of racing in Canada, giving more exposure to Canadian riders,” said Barnes in the release.

Practice for the Cape Breton Festival of Speed is slated for the Wednesday and Thursday of the race week (Sept. 20-21), with a motorcycle charity ride planned for the Friday. Race day is Saturday, Sept. 23, and the week will conclude with a “Show and Shine” for cars, trucks and motorcycles on Sunday.

The event is the brainchild of the Membertou First Nations community and Canadian car racer and event promoter John Graham. Bernd Christmas, CEO of the Membertou Development Corporation had been working with Graham on a separate project earlier this year when they hit upon the idea of a TT-style motorcycle race.

Graham traveled to the Isle of Man for this summer’s TT event along with Membertou Chief Terry Paul.

Yesterday’s press conference was held in the Membertou Trade & Convention Centre in Sydney.

NEWS FLASH: CSC Racing Products Inc.

Jenn at CSC Racing Products has announced that they now have SA 2005 SNELL rated helmets in stock!

The shipment arrived yesterday afternoon and are on display in the CSC showroom, in a variety of sizes and styles.

CSC is located in Newmarket, ON. CLICK HERE for directions.

SUPER DIRT WEEK: Decker Fastest For Third Straight Year In Eckerd 200 First Round Time Trials

By Tom Skibinski, DIRT Modified Series Reporter

Syracuse, NY — October 5, 2005 — For the third straight year, three-time Eckerd 200 Billy Decker set fast time in first round qualifying for big-block Modifieds during Super DIRT Week at the New York State Fairgrounds. The Unadilla, N.Y. speedster hopes he can finally put the two together on Sunday and drive away for his fourth career victory in DIRT MotorSports NorthEast's biggest event of the season.

"We haven't won from the pole yet so we've still got some work to do," said Decker, 40, who set back-back-back records the past two Octobers before settling for a single-lap clocking of 28.588 sec. (125.927 mph) in the 34th edition of Super DIRT Week. Last year Decker set the all-time Syracuse standard of 126.993 mph (28.348 sec.) around the historic Moody Mile but finished 11th after placing fourth the previous year. He scored wins in 2001, 2000 and 1998, time trialing among the six fastest on each occasion although never securing the pole.

Decker will make his third straight pole-position start in DIRT MotorSports NorthEast's signature race on Sunday, with Danny Johnson, Brett Hearn, Todd Burley, Pat Ward and Jimmy Phelps joining him in the front three rows to begin the 200-mile main that boasts a lucrative $50,000 first-place prize.

"Our recent success around here is just a product of a good team and I'm fortunate to be surrounded by some really good people. During practice I saw a lot of cars were in the 29s (seconds) and I thought I might just have a chance at another record. But the track stayed a little too narrow and I took what I could get. You're always on the edge running at Syracuse, I didn't want to get too wild because one slip up could drop you back as far as 20th," said Decker, who led only six laps in the 2003 Eckerd 200 before pacing last year's field for the initial 31 circuits.

For his fast time in winning the traditional Dick "Toby" Tobias Memorial Pole Award, Decker earned $2,500 from Burdick Ford. Ironically, Tobias (1975-77) is the only other driver to set fast time on opening day for three consecutive years. Johnson, driving a brand new TEO mount, kept pace by claiming the $1,500 Behrent's Performance Warehouse Outside-Pole award. Johnson will start second in Sunday’s big event after posting a time of 28.651 seconds in Bridgeport (NJ) Speedway owner's Jay James' no. 27 J&J Shop-Planned Poultry Renovations machine.

"I'm involved with a great team, that and a good motor are what it takes to be successful at Syracuse," said Johnson, 45, who only time trialed among the six-fastest on two other occasions --- third in 1989 and fifth in 1990. The open-wheel veteran from Rochester, N.Y. captured the prestigious Eckerd 200 in 1997. "Its a brand new car so I was mostly concerned with getting comfortable going into the corners. We got some tips from Bobby (Hearn, chassis builder) and the car got better as the day went on. I might've been able to go faster getting into the turns a little better but I was still cautious, you just don't want to put a white stripe on your car for no reason."

Hearn was the 39th car out of 64 to take time and the Sussex, N.J. standout posted the third fastest lap (28.804 sec.) steering the no. 1 Gable Auto Stores-Page Trucking/TEO around the smooth Syracuse Mile. "Any time you can get in the top-six on the first day is a great way to start the week," said Hearn, 47, the all-time career leader at Super DIRT Week with six pole awards. However, his last Eckerd 200 triumph came in 1995. "Maybe we can finish it off this time with a win on Sunday for a change. Last year we over-drove in the turns so that was on my mind this time around. And at Syracuse you have a lot of time for your mind to rewind the laps and try to see where you could've gained more speed. Still, a front row spot in our heat (Friday) is a good place to be."

1992 Hoosier-Sunoco Mr. DIRT Sportsman champion Todd Burley chauffeured the 11th car to take time and emerged as the first of those same top-six drivers to go under the 29-second barrier, ending up fourth quickest (28.854 sec.) on the day. Just two cars later, Decker's teammate Pat Ward (28.878 sec.) was clocked with the eventual fifth-fastest time while Jimmy Phelps (28.941 sec.) from Baldwinsville, New York took the final position up for grabs for Sunday’s Eckerd 200. The 2005 SDW field was the fastest in history as a record 44 cars were clocked under 30 seconds.

Burley from Spencerport, New York set his best time in a secondary no. 62 Mullen Industrial Handling-Industrial Tire/Bicknell car that sported a JanCen motor from Buffalo, N.Y. builder Mike Janis. "We've got some good equipment so I was looking at a top-15 run coming in, but after timing sixth fastest in practice I had some higher expectations," said Burley, whose primary Enders-powered BRP entry soured before running under the clocks. Enders was still featured in three of the top-six drivers (Decker, Hearn, Ward) while Johnson boasted Morrison power and Phelps had another JanCen powerplant under the hood. "Fourth is great in a back-up car, but that's just one day. I've never been good saving fuel or tires at Syracuse and that's what it takes to survive out here. Other than that, its not too hard to get around when the motor's running good."

Aboard John Wight's second Gypsum Express Special, Ward quietly settled into the top-six with one of the best opening-day performances of his 30-year short-track career. "I'm happy to be locked into the race already, its a lot of pressure off right from the start," said Ward, 48, who hopes to improve upon his best-ever third-place finish from a year ago. "I screwed up in turn two, just didn't lift enough in the middle and got too high. I might have had a chance at a front row spot but I knew Billy was going to be the one to beat. I'm pretty satisfied because at least we're in the ballpark and can fine tune a little more during the week."

While Decker, Hearn and Ward ---and even Johnson for a few weeks--- have been members of DIRT MotorSport NorthEast's Elite 11 throughout the season, Phelps was granted that same status in late September and his six-place timing did nothing to diminish his new role. "It's kind of neat being in the group now, these guys are certainly the best of the best," said Phelps, a season-long follower of the Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Series. The Baldwinsville, N.Y. pilot registered his fast lap aboard the H&H Motorsports no. 98H Mohawk NorthEast-New England Race Fuels/Troyer ride. "We were still a little bit off today but we have a super motor that made up for it. I think we definitely have a car that's capable of winning. If we can execute our plan and get a little luck, we'll just hope for the best and see what happens on Sunday."

Seventh and eighth-place starting positions will be awarded following Thursday’s second round of time trials with the remainder of the Eckerd 200 field coming from Friday’s Dynomax Triple 20’s and the 'Dig Safely New York Shootout' last-chance qualifier on Sunday.

Super DIRT Week XXXIV action continues on Thursday with DIRT 358-Modified time trials also scheduled in the afternoon beginning at 3pm. Action then moves over to Brewerton Speedway for a 75-lap 358-Modified Super DIRT Series event. Round two of the big-block DIRT Modified time trials are slated to start at 12:30pm with practice opening up the day's activity beginning at 10am.

SKIDMARKS: Rookie campaigner Carey Terrance was the lone casualty in the morning practice session as his LaFrance powered no. 66x T&D Enterprises/TEO entry careened into the first turn wall and was knocked out for the remainder of the week. Terrance acted quickly, opening up his wallet in time to purchase a new TEO chassis that had been on display in the pits. The replacement of a motor and other key components could not be made in time to afford the Akwesasne, N.Y. newcomer a chance to run under the clocks ..... Of the DIRT 358-Modified entries currently registered, most cars took advantage of a special small-block practice session staged following Modified time trials. Frenchman David Hebert from St. Damase, Quebec in his no. 1H Equipe de Course-Freightliner Granby/Bicknell entry posted the fastest (30.305 sec.) time on the smooth Syracuse Mile for an average speed of 118.792 mph. Big-block regular Vic Coffey took time alongside the small-block brethren and his 32c Sweeteners Plus machine finished second quickest among those that took participated in the special small-block 'Happy Hour.'

The DIRT MotorSports™ Advance Auto Parts Modified Series is brought to fans across the Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Advance Auto Parts, Dynomax Performance Exhaust, Hoosier Racing Tire and Sunoco Race Fuels. Promotional Partners include Stacker 2®, AMB i.t., RACEceiver, Zippo Lighters and F.X. Caprara Car Companies and the contingency sponsors are DART Machinery, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, MSD Ignitions and Wrisco Industries.

SUPER DIRT WEEK XXXIV MODIFIED TIME TRIALS: DAY 1
FAST AVE
TIME MPH CAR# DRIVER AWARD
1 28.588 125.927 91x Billy Decker / Unadilla,NY $2,500 - Burdick Ford Pole
2 28.651 125.650 27J Danny Johnson / Rochester,NY $1,500 - Behrent's Performance Outside Pole
3 28.804 124.983 1 Brett Hearn / Sussex,NJ
4 28.854 124.766 62 Todd Burley / Spencerport,NY
5 28.878 124.662 42P Pat Ward / Genoa,NY
6 28.941 124.391 98H Jimmy Phelps / Baldwinsville,NY
7 29.017 124.065 39x Tim McCreadie / Watertown,NY
8 29.037 123.980 M1 Tim Fuller / Edwards,NY
9 29.055 123.903 91 Billy Decker / Unadilla,NY
10 29.085 123.775 1J Bobby Varin /Sharon Springs,NY
11 29.097 123.724 7X Steve Paine / Waterloo,NY
12 29.119 123.631 4 Andy Bachetti / Sheffield,MA
13 29.153 123.486 98 Eddie Marshall / Ridgefield,CT
14 29.168 123.423 74B Frank Cozze / Wind Gap, PA
15 29.172 123.406 1H David Hebert / St. Damase,QUE
16 29.204 123.271 1y Gary Tomkins / Clifton Springs,NY
17 29.218 123.212 2 Ronnie Johnson / Duanesburg,NY
18 29.256 123.052 32C Vic Coffey / Leicester,NY
19 29.260 123.035 115 Kenny Tremont / West Sand Lake,NY
20 29.272 122.984 12A Jack Johnson / Duanesburg,NY
21 29.285 122.930 62T Todd Burley / Spencerport,NY
22 29.297 122.879 19 Kenny Brightbill / Sinking Spring,PA
23 29.317 122.796 44Sx Matt Sheppard / Waterloo,NY
24 29.327 122.754 1Ha Tim Hindley / Monticello,NY
25 29.359 122.620 1b Gary Tomkins / Clifton Springs,NY
26 29.426 122.341 77X Dale Planck / Cortland,NY
27 29.490 122.075 3H Justin Haers / Phelps,NY
28 29.494 122.059 USA1 Richie Tobias,Jr. / Annville,PA
29 29.496 122.050 125 Kyle Strickler / Sinking Spring,PA
30 29.552 121.819 86 Billy Pauch / Frenchtown,NJ
31 29.553 121.815 44S Matt Sheppard / Waterloo,NY
32 29.556 121.803 3B Chad Brachmann / Wheatfield,NY
33 29.572 121.737 26 Ryan Godown / Ringoes,NJ
34 29.576 121.720 45 Wayne Jelley / Pittsfield,MA
35 29.724 121.114 29H Jimmy Horton / Neshanic Station,NJ
36 29.744 121.033 85 Ricky Elliott / Seaford,DE
37 29.781 120.882 24 Chris Shultz / Pawling,NY
38 29.783 120.874 14J Alan Johnson / Phelps,NY
39 29.808 120.773 20 Stewart Friesen / Niagara-o-t-Lake,ONT
40 29.840 120.643 00 Doug Manmiller / Wyomissing,PA
41 29.873 120.510 5 Rick Laubach / Quakertown,PA
42 29.961 120.156 1H Tim Hindley / Monticello,NY
43 29.975 120.100 99B Chuck Bower / Lansing,NY
44 29.982 120.072 56 Vince Vitale / Phoenix,NY
45 30.031 119.876 21 Donnie Corellis / Averill Park,NY
46 30.085 119.661 96 Todd Milton / Auburnn,NY
47 30.227 119.099 41 Keith Brightbill / Mohnton,PA
48 30.342 118.647 29B Jeff Brownell,Jr. / Waterloo,NY
49 30.377 118.511 151KB Brian McDonald / Cornwall,ONT
50 30.483 118.099 42 Pete Bicknell / St.Catharines,ONT
51 30.589 117.689 29Bx Jeff Brownell,Jr. / Waterloo,NY
52 30.612 117.601 5a Rick Laubach / Quakertown,PA
53 30.697 117.275 37 Scott Flammer / West Milford,NJ)
54 30.699 117.268 32Cx Vic Coffey / Leicester,NY
55 30.911 116.463 44 Sebastien Gougeon / Drummondville,QUE
56 30.994 116.152 88x Jeff Strunk / Bethel,PA
57 31.174 115.481 18 Sean Beardsley / Central Square,NY
58 31.187 115.433 1X Todd Stone / Middlebury,VT
59 31.397 114.661 37x Scott Flammer / West Milford,NJ
60 31.708 113.536 10X Richie Pratt,Jr. / Sewell,NJ
61 31.923 112.771 66P Jared Petruska / Wayne,NJ
62 32.036 112.374 48too Dave Rauscher / Waterloo,NY
63 33.106 108.742 55 Perry Francis / Akwesasne,NY
64 33.460 107.591 USA1 Bob Hamm,Jr. / Windsor,NY
65 -NT- ----- 3 Brett Hearn / Sussex,NJ
66 -NT- ----- 6J Tom Sears,Jr. / Clay,NY
67 -NT- ----- 7Xx Steve Paine / Waterloo,NY
68 -NT- ----- 26 Rick Richner / Niagara Falls,NY
69 -NT- ----- 27 Danny Johnson / Rochester,NY
70 -NT- ----- 37K Kyle Jacobs / Hogansburg,NY
71 -NT- ----- 39 Tim McCreadie / Watertown,NY
72 -NT- ----- 42Px Pat Ward / Genoa,NY
73 -NT- ----- 66 Vince Gagliardo,Jr. / Kenhoist,PA
74 -NT- ----- 66X Carey Terrance / Akwesasne,NY
75 -NT- ----- 74 Frank Cozze / Wind Gap, PA
76 -NT- ----- 88 Jeff Strunk / Bethel,PA
77 -NT- ----- 98Hx Jimmy Phelps / Baldwinsville,NY
*Top-6 locked into front three rows.
- 77 Cars Entered

KARTING: Oktoberfest Grand Prix Preview

They’re Back! For the final chance to descend on the go kart track at Bingeman’s Park in 2005 for the 24th running of the Oktoberfest Grandprix hosted by the Waterloo Regional Kart Club.

The kart racing community looks forward to this opportunity to not only attend a great racing event but also the chance to participate in all of the activities that Oktoberfest has to offer.

Many of the host clubs top racers will be anxious to show what they can do on their home track. The result will be close exciting racing that will provide lots of excitement for enthusiastic racing fans from the tri-city area who have supported this event for years.

The event starts with an open practice for all competitors on Friday October 7th from 3PM to 6PM. The racing starts at 7:30 AM on Saturday October 8th with heat races to determine starting positions for the feature race in each class. The feature races are starting at 9:30 AM. In the case of rain the races will be held on Sunday October 9th.

To stage an event of this magnitude takes a lot of planning and preparation. Many people are required to supervise the on track activities and to keep the racing safe and fair. As with any event of this size it takes many others behind the scenes to make sure the event is a success for all those that participate. All of the volunteers are members of the Waterloo Region Kart Club.

Those who take the time to come out and watch the stars of tomorrow are sure to go away with a smile on their faces.

For more information contact:
Brad Buckler 416-209-4058
Website www.wrkc.on.ca
Email bbuckle@asco.ca

McIntosh races into Europe with Team Canada

Courtesy Stuart Morrison Public Relations

Vancouver, Canada (October 05, 2005) Vancouver’s Sean McIntosh arrived in Germany today ahead of the second round of the inaugural A1 Grand Prix Series, hosted at the EuroSpeedway, Lausitz this weekend, 7th-9th October.

Promoted as the ‘World Cup of Motorsport,’ the A1GP Series debuted at the end of September before a sell-out crowd at Brands Hatch, England with 25 nations represented on the maiden grid. McIntosh steered Team Canada to a top-ten finish in the hour-long feature race having tested the team’s Lola-Zytek for the first time just a handful of days before the first round.

Sean returned to Brands Hatch last weekend for the season finale of the 2005 Formula Renault UK Championship. The five-time winner just missed out on the title, having challenged all the way to the final round, but he comfortably sealed the runner-up position courtesy of his eighth podium finish of the year.

With his regular-season commitments completed, Sean’s attention quickly turned to this weekend’s A1 Grand Prix event on the 14-turn, 4.53km road-course configuration at Germany’s EuroSpeedway in Lausitz.

”I’m excited to be getting back into the Team Canada car in Germany,” McIntosh said. “I’m now totally free to concentrate on competing in the A1 Grand Prix Series and I look forward to getting more valuable seat-time in the car. Brands Hatch was a real learning experience, especially given our limited time testing the car but the team really came together and we met our objective of a top-ten, points-scoring finish.”

The 20-year-old added, “I’m sure our learning curve will continue at the EuroSpeedway, it’s a new track for me and it’s the first time I’ve raced on a half oval, half road course circuit since I competed at Phoenix back in 2002. At least with the Brands A1GP race under my belt I know what to expect from practice, qualifying and the sprint and feature races. It’ll be another challenging weekend but I can’t wait to get back on track for Team Canada!”

Germany marks the second stop on A1GP’s 12-round, six-continent schedule.

MEYERS TRANSPORT/PETERBOROUGH HOMES/PARKVIEW HOMES DODGE TEAM HAVE MEMORABLE SEASON

By Todd Lewis, TL Sports & Entertainment

September 29, 2005. Bryan Cathcart with new sponsorship from Meyers Transport/Peterborough Homes/Parkview Homes returned to competition in the CASCAR Super Series in 2005 with tremendous enthusiasm, and a plan to be a strong competitor in each and every race they participated in. It was a season of great success with several highlights along with a few disappointments and importantly a year of significant exposure for their sponsors and a great team atmosphere for each member of the crew.

“The Meyers Transport/Peterborough Homes/Parkview Homes Dodge team was put together rather quickly” said driver Bryan Cathcart. “You’d almost like a whole year to get ready to compete because CASCAR is such a high level racing series. But our crew chief Bill Burns did a great job preparing our cars and getting them ready each week, we also had help from Tim Ellas and our equipment was very good all year.”

From the start Cathcart knew that qualifying was going to be the toughest part of their race weekends. “That all falls on me” said Cathcart. “I’m used to running heat races to determine starting order, and I don’t have a lot of experience running a single hot lap”. But even though Cathcart would often start toward the back of the pack he wouldn’t stay there for long.

Whenever the green flag dropped for the main event Cathcart was always among the most aggressive making his way to the front in the Meyers Transport/Peterborough Homes/Parkview Homes Dodge. “There were so many races that we gained a lot of spots” reflected the driver. “We picked up five the opening race at Delaware and just missed a top ten finish, and then at the Indy weekend in Toronto we gained eleven spots. At Kawartha it was fifteen places we picked up during the race; that was a nice way to finish the season”. In fact over the course of the racing season Cathcart would gain a total of fifty eight race positions in the Meyers Transport/Peterborough Homes/Parkview Homes Dodge.

Now into the off season for racing competition there is still work to be done. Planning for the 2006 campaign has already begun and the usual engine and body maintenance of the race cars is underway. “Without the support of all the people at Meyers Transport, Peterborough Homes and Parkview Homes this year wouldn’t have been possible” said Cathcart. “I’ve got to thank our others sponsors that have been with us for a long time at National Fast Freight and JJ Stewart Motors for their continued support. Right now we’ll wait and see how the NASCAR influence continues to grow with CASCAR and make plans for an even more successful year in 2006.”

The CASCAR Super Series is the only National Touring Series of Stock Car Racing in Canada. All CASCAR Super Series Races can be seen on Rogers Sportsnet and SPEED TV. For more information and to follow the progress of Bryan Cathcart and the CASCAR Super Series log onto www.cascar.ca.

RYAN LITT: 9th Place for Ryan Litt at Mansfield

Live Chat this Week on www.PitGate.com

From Litt PR (October 3, 2005), by Tommy Goudge:

More mechanical gremlins plagued Ryan Litt and the #07 BRR Media, Velocity Wings, BS&B Radiator Sprint Car this weekend at the Mansfield Motorsports Speedway, but the 18 year old Lyons, Ontario native and his crew were able to overcome the problems and finish the night on a high note with a strong 9th place finish.

One last remnant of the big crash in late August at Baer Field reared it’s ugly head as the rear end flange – one of the only parts left intact on the car after the incident – was found to be out of alignment, which resulted in a very ill-handling race car.

Even so, Ryan managed the 14th fastest qualifying lap out of 33 entrants for the Hoosier Outlaw Sprint Series event, and made it into the feature through his heat. After the heat, the rear end was changed and in the feature Ryan was able to make a nice run from 14th to 9th.

Coming up next on Ryan’s schedule is a live internet chat with his fans on www.PitGate.com on Wednesday, October 5th at 6:00pm Eastern Time, then a weekend off, followed by a trip to the famed Winchester Speedway in Indiana for a USAC National Sprint Car series event on Sunday, October 16th. The chat is open to anybody and can be accessed by following the links at www.PitGate.com. For more information, photos, and news, visit www.RyanLitt.com.

Media Contact: Tommy Goudge, PR Manager, www.RyanLitt.com

Good news for the Tiemersma clan!

Not much to report on racing, Tony raced last weekend in the Limited Late Model at Flamboro Speedway. The biggest news of the week is that Tony and Kim Tiemersma welcomed the addition of a new baby boy to the family today (Oct 4th, 2005). Nathaniel (spelling) was born around 1pm this afternoon in Newmarket.

Derrick and Steve will be in action starting this Friday at Peterborough Speedway for Autumn Colors. The main features will start on Sunday afternoon, while qualifiing will be Saturday night. We do not expect the Limited Late Model to be there though with the birth of Kim and Tony's new baby boy.

I will keep everyone updated on news from Tiemersma Motorsports after thsi weekend.

Thank you

Mike Sutton
Crew Chief
Tiemersma Motorsports

www.tiemersmamotorsports.com

CHAMPIONS CROWNED AT PETIT LE MANS

Courtesy The American Le Mans Series

Braselton, Ga. - Emanuele Pirro and Frank Biela won the battle and the war Saturday. The Champion Racing duo won Petit Le Mans and captured their first LMP1 drivers championship together in the American Le Mans Series with a convincing victory at Road Atlanta.

Each have each won previous ALMS titles: Biela in 2003 with Marco Werner, and Pirro in 2001. The No. 2 Champion Racing Audi R8 won for the fourth time this season and has finished in the top three of each ALMS round this year, a model of title-winning consistency.

"All we had to do was keep it on the track," a joyous Pirro said after climbing out of the winning car. "I want to thank our mechanics for a great job. Winning this championship is an absolute dream."

The No. 2 Audi was a 12-lap winner over Chris Dyson and Guy Smith in the No. 20 Dyson Racing Lola. They finished second, followed by the No. 1 Champion Audi of Lehto and Werner. The car was involved in a first-lap accident that collected Lehto and the pole-sitting No. 15 Zytek of Hayanari Shimoda and Tom Chilton.

James Weaver, in the No. 16 Dyson Lola, also was involved in the incident and lost significant time, as well. That left Pirro and Biela up front by themselves.

"For us, its not so easy with such a big lead," Biela said. "Sometimes it's a little bit easier when there's a lot of competition. You're not concentrating on not making mistakes, but having to overtake and keep them behind you. Our guys did a brilliant job. Finally we won it. When we came to Audi this season, all we wanted to do was win. We didn't think we could win here (then), but we did it."

Clint Field is on the verge of becoming the youngest American sports car champion ever as he, father Jon Field and Liz Halliday won in P2 with the No. 37 Intersport Racing B05/40. That victory, combined with a DNF by Miracle Motorsports' No. 10 Courage, launched the 22-year-old into first in the drivers championship standings by 22 points over B-K Motorsports' Guy Cosmo and Jamie Bach, who finished second with Elliott-Forbes Robinson.

Field is four months younger than when John Paul won the 1982 IMSA GTP championship.

"With all that was going on out on the track, it was very satisfying to finish and cross the finish line first," Field said.

Field posted his fifth class victory of the season and fourth in the last five events. Finishing third Saturday was the No. 7 BAT Competition Lola of Mike Johnson, Georges Forgeois and Bob Woodman.

B-K Motorsports' No. 8 Mazda-powered Courage placed second in class. Jamie Bach and Guy Cosmo moved up to second in class past Jeff Bucknum and Chris McMurry from Miracle Motorsports. Finishing third Saturday was the No. 7 BAT Competition Lola of Mike Johnson, Georges Forgeois and Bob Woodman.

In the highly anticipated third meeting between the two, Corvette Racing bested Aston Martin Racing in GT1. Olivier Beretta, Oliver Gavin and Jan Magnussen won in class for the second straight year in the No. 4 Corvette C6-R. A valiant effort by the No. 57 Aston Martin DBR9 of David Brabham, Darren Turner and Jonny Kane resulted in a second-place finish. The car was heavily damaged during practice Thursday.

"This team is unbelievable. All the pit stops they have done since the beginning, and they've never failed," Beretta said. "They did a fantastic job in preparing the car. Jan and Oliver are very fast and very clever. They know when it's time to push and when it's time to save the car. We want the same thing on the car, and that makes for an easy life on the car."

Third was the No. 63 ACEMCO Motorsports Saleen of Terry Borcheller, Johnny Mowlem and Ralf Kelleners.

Gavin and Beretta now take a 15-point lead into the final round in two weeks at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, which pays 23 points to the winner. Their closest challengers, Ron Fellows and Johnny O'Connell in the No. 3 Corvette C6-R, lost drive and finished sixth.

"The championship is looking good," Gavin said. "We didn't want to get in this position with having something bad happening to the sister car. You want to win it on the track."

In GT2, Patrick Long and Jorg Bergmeister drove the No. 31 Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Porsche to its third victory in a row and fourth of the season. They now lead Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas, in the No. 23 Alex Job Racing Porsche, by 22 points heading into the season finale.

Bernard and Dumas started on the pole but lost significant time repairing the lower control arm assembly just past the four-hour mark. That left Long and Bergmeister to run their usual consistent race to a victory.

"I can't say enough about this Porsche," Long said. "This car is indestructible. (The points race) is never over until it's over, and we don't talk about it until it's over. Winning Petit Le Mans is a big feather in my cap and the rest of the team."

The final round of the 2005 American Le Mans Series is the Monterey Sports Car Championships on Oct. 15 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif. The race is scheduled for 3:15 p.m. PDT Oct. 15, with SPEED TV broadcasting the race from 3 to 7 p.m. EDT Oct. 16. Qualifying scheduled for 2:10 p.m. PDT. Oct. 14. American Le Mans Radio, and IMSA Live Timing and Scoring, will be available at www.americanlemans.com.

FORMULA RENAULT UK: Podium performance secures McIntosh runner-up spot

By Stuart Morrison Public Relations

Brands Hatch, England (October 02, 2005) In the closest fight for the Formula Renault UK Championship in its fifteen year history, Canada’s Sean McIntosh valiantly took the 2005 title battle with Britain’s Oliver Jarvis all the way to the final race of the season, Round 20, held today on the Grand Prix circuit at Brands Hatch.

Despite the respective title-rivals locking out the front-row for today’s 17-lap race, with Sean scoring his fourth pole position of the year, it was Sweden’s Sebastian Hohenthal who would lead into the first turn and from there take the race win with McIntosh second and Jarvis third.

As a result, and after a thrilling season of racing across the United Kingdom, Jarvis beat McIntosh to the 2005 Formula Renault UK title by a mere 19-points, the Manor Motorsport driver heading the series points table by 436 to the Canadian’s final tally of 417, including three dropped scores.

Sean captured the championship runner-up position comfortably while holding the ‘most-wins’ record for the season with five victories from a total of eight podium finishes with four pole positions and 16 top-five starts also to his credit. The 20-year-old’s successes this year follow on from winning the Formula Renault UK ‘Graduate Cup’ Championship for rookie drivers last season.

Sean’s title aspirations were ultimately dealt a serious blow in Round 19 yesterday. Having qualified in eighth place on a damp 2.4-mile Grand Prix circuit in the morning, the Team Firstair racer bolted to fifth overall at the start of the race later in the afternoon. A brief safety car period disrupted the on-track proceedings, subsequently allowing Sean to get the jump on Stuart Hall for fourth place at the re-start.

From there the Vancouver-native focused on the leading trio, attacking Stephen Simpson for third but unable to pass. With just over a lap remaining Sean’s race was to turn from a solid points-scoring run to a title-wrecking outing as an over ambitious move by Sebastian Hohenthal forced McIntosh to take avoiding action as they raced through Clearways, the final turn before the start-finish straight.

Off track and into the gravel, impressive car control from Sean enabled him to get back into the race but not before a train of cars had rushed by demoting him to thirteenth on the final lap. Fortec’s Yelmer Buurman won the 17-lap race followed by Alex Storckenfeldt and Stephen Simpson. Sean’ drop from fourth to thirteenth would prove costly in the title fight as series leader Oliver Jarvis finished ahead in tenth place, the Brit then starting alongside Sean today on the front-row in Round 20.

Overnight changes to the set-up of Sean’s car didn’t quite produce the performance gains he was hoping for as Round 20 kicked off this afternoon. Sebastian Hohenthal leapt ahead of both McIntosh and Jarvis as the pack raced towards Paddock Hill Bend, from there the Swede remained in control of the season finale.

Two safety car periods interrupted the flow of the 17-lap race but Sean, sitting second, kept the champion-elect firmly behind him despite struggling for grip in the latter stages. As the checkered flag fell Hohenthal claimed his maiden win with Sean crossing the line in second just seven tenths behind him. Jarvis completed the final podium of the year, two seconds adrift of his Canadian rival.Having taken the title all the way to the final round Sean remarked:

”I really wanted to end the season with a win but it wasn’t to be. We made some changes to the car since yesterday and it wasn’t as quick as it had been in qualifying for the last race. That said I successfully kept Oliver behind me and made Hohenthal work for the win today I was fighting right up until the very end.”

”It’s been a great season for me in the Formula Renault UK Championship. I’ve proved I can win races and run consistently at the front of the field. I’ve also learned a lot and I really believe that the series has given me a platform from which to progress my racing career. People know that if you run at the front in a series as competitive as Formula Renault then you’re capable of competing at the highest level of motorsport.”

Straight after today’s race at Brands Hatch Sean headed to the airport to fly to Portugal for two days of testing with the Red Bull Junior Team at Estoril, 3rd-4th October. Sean then heads from Portugal to Germany to compete for Team Canada in the second round of the A1 Grand Prix Series next weekend at the EuroSpeedway, 8th-9th October.

Speed Channel Delays Coverage Of Super DIRT Week Modified Main Events

By DIRT MotorSports PR

WEEDSPORT, N.Y. (October 2) – Open-wheel action during Super DIRT Week XXXIV at the New York State Fairgrounds will once again be televised during the weekend. In showcasing the 2005 edition, SPEED Channel will offer 3-1/2 hours of tape-delayed coverage including the headline Eckerd 200 DIRT Modified Championship and ITT Industries/Goulds Pumps 150 Championship for DIRT 358-Modifieds.

With the small-block race scheduled to be run Oct. 8 and the big-block finale slated to go Oct. 9 on the Syracuse Mile, SPEED Channel will air the ITT Industries/Goulds Pumps 358-Modified Championship (1-1/2 hrs.) on Sunday, Nov. 20 and show the Eckerd 200 (2 hrs.) on Sunday, Nov. 27. Both races are scheduled to be aired beginning at 3:00pm, EST.

SPEED Channel continues to be recognized as one of the nation's fastest growing cable networks. It is the first and only 24-hour cable network devoted exclusively to motorsports and is currently seen in more than 75 million homes in the United States and Canada.

DIRT MotorSports special events television broadcaster Rick Benjamin will join popular color analyst Shane Andrews in the booth to give lap-by-lap coverage while roving trackside reporters Mark Kenyon and Andy Fusco will be teaming up to provide exclusive pit notes throughout both Super DIRT Week specials.

Along with the tape-delayed television coverage carried across the country, both autumn attractions are expected to reach thousands more race fans world-wide via the internet with a "live" connection to www.dirtvision.com for the CyberSeries webcast.

Pikes Peak International Raceway Sold, Closing... Competitors react

PIKES PEAK INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY, LOCATED IN FOUNTAIN, COL., JUST SOUTH OF COLORADO SPRINGS, HAS ANNOUNCED IT HAS BEEN SOLD AND WILL BE CLOSED. THE SPEEDWAY HOSTED NASCAR BUSCH SERIES AND INDY RACING LEAGUE EVENTS WITH MIXED RESULTS IN THE GRANDSTANDS.

HERE IS WHAT SOME COMPETITORS HAD TO SAY:

SAM SCHMIDT, Car Owner (IRL/IPS):

“My initial reaction is it is a shame. Pikes Peak is the type of track that makes for good racing, especially for the open wheel cars. The one-mile layout was one that really brought the drivers into it, and I think the IRL fans saw some pretty good races there.
“From what I was seeing in the grandstands, the open wheel cars were making some headway there. There was a lot of appreciation for our style of racing from the fans in that area. I hated to see it off the schedule to begin with, and really hate to hear it’s going to be closing.
“I’ll be anxious to see what happens. This leaves a pretty big void for major league motorsports in the Rocky Mountain area.”

T.J. BELL, Driver (NASCAR):

“It’s sad news. Pikes Peak is a real driver’s track and they had some pretty good racing there.
“You didn’t always see the crowds on a regular basis but it sure looked like they were making some inroads. There is a pretty big base of racing fans there, and it doesn’t leave them a whole lot of options. The next closest track isn’t very close.
“What the problem was, I don’t know. The track is on the south side of Colorado Springs, so it’s a pretty good ride from Denver, which is the largest city in the area. Maybe if somebody built something between Denver and Colorado Springs . . . I don’t know. I just know there is one less race track in the world, and that’s never a good thing.”

JEFF GREEN, Driver (NASCAR):

“Anytime a race track goes away it’s a pretty sad day. Riding past North Wilkesboro or Rockingham is pretty sad these days. Riding past Pikes Peak isn’t going to be a happy time either . . . then again, maybe that was the problem. There isn’t much ‘riding past’ where that race track is located. It’s kind of off by itself on the south side of Colorado Springs, and that didn’t help it any.”

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Williams Company of America, Inc. (704) 660-0796