ACT: Dragon, Pole Head List of Contenders at White Mountain

NORTH WOODSTOCK, NH – American-Canadian Tour (ACT) stock car drivers Brent Dragon and Joey “Pole” Polewarczyk, Jr. enter Saturday’s Kancamaugus 100 at White Mountain Motorsports Park at the top of the list of potential race winners. The pair finished 1-2 in their most recent appearance at the picturesque ¼-mile facility in June.
“We’re looking forward to getting back to White Mountain,” said Dragon, a veteran racer from Milton, VT. “Jean-Paul Cyr has won a race here every year since 2003, and I don’t believe anyone has ever swept both ACT races at White Mountain in the same season. It would be nice to stop Jean’s streak and set our own record at the same time with a win.”
Dragon won the White Mountain 150 in June after an exciting battle for the top spot with Polewarczyk, Randy Potter, and Ryan Vanasse. He currently ranks fourth overall in ACT Late Model Tour point standings.
Hudson, NH driver Joey “Pole” Polewarczyk, just 18 years old, turned in what was his best career finish at the time in second place at the White Mountain 150. Just two races later, he raised the bar with his first victory at Massachusetts’ Seekonk Speedway. The youngster races with extra inspiration this weekend.
“We’re trying harder to win this race than any other so far,” Polewarczyk said. “Our crew member, Eric, lost his 17 year-old brother unexpectedly two weeks ago, and we want a win to dedicate to his family. We usually run well at White Mountain, and we’re making sure the car is right to get that win for Eric. He’s a big part of this team.”
White Mountain Motorsports Park has turned into a community-strengthening place for ACT Late Model Tour teams. Dragon dedicated his June victory to fallen friend Mark Arsenault, while Cyr’s team received overwhelming support and help from competitors after a hard crash in qualifying.
“(White Mountain) has been a pretty magical place,” said Cyr, the six-time ACT Late Model Tour Champion and current point leader. With help from no less than eight ACT race teams, Cyr rebounded from his crash to finish third on the heels of Dragon and Polewarczyk at the White Mountain 150. He leads Scott Payea, Potter, Dragon, and “Rocket” Roger Brown in point standings. Polewarczyk sits in seventh place behind five-time ACT Champion Brian Hoar.
Green flag qualifying action for the ACT Late Model Tour Kancamaugus 100 begins at 5:00pm on Saturday. White Mountain Motorsports Park is located on Route 3 in North Woodstock, NH just five minutes from Interstate 93. For more information, call (802) 244-6963 or visit www.acttour.com.
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From Justin St. Louis / ACT Tour

Another Podium for Twofast Racing!

MONTREAL, QC - The Twofast Racing team as completed another profitable run at the Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship presented by Toyo Tires in Mosport over the past weekend. With a great podium finish for the Subaru and another top 10 for the underpowered MAZDA, all eyes are on this team for the battle for the championship’s lead.

Éric Leblanc, driver of the # 140 Subaru WRX/STI had this to say: « The weekend went well overall even with the little set back we had in qualifying and the Saturday race. I was slower then the first Mosport race we had in may in the first race so everybody had to work real hard on Saturday to get better results on track. We got a second a lap faster on Sunday morning, proving the hard work had paid off. » Starting from the 6th position, Éric gave a great show going up to 3rd and grabbing the last podium spot.

« I’m very pleased with the Sunday race. I had a great fight with Charles-André Bilodeau, driver of the GT Racing BMW and current points leader and I’m very happy to have kept with podium spot against such a good driver. My 2nd place in the championship is more secured than ever and the gap with Charles-André as closed up a bit. We will work hard to reduce this variation and to try to rise in the first place, but it will not be easy! » concluded Éric.

As for the 04 MAZDA driver, Christian Raymond who got yet another top ten, this is what he had to say: « I had a bad qualifying session, never getting any clear laps to really attack because of all the traffic. I started 12th for the Saturday race and gained 2 positions off the start. The race was rather uneventful for me, no one was behind me and I couldn’t get anyone in front of me, so I was basically alone doing laps, I finished 10th. »

The St-Jérôme native was then starting in 10th position for the Sunday race. After a poor start, Raymond finally woke up: « I lost 2 positions off the start and 1 more the lap after to end up in the 13th spot. But with a 40 minute race ahead of me I didn’t panic. I caught up to the pack and started passing. I got up to the 8th position and then the fun really started. I was in an amazing fight for the 7th position with the BMW of Jordan Marrison. We had a great clean fight, exchanging positions a few times. In the end he beat me, but we gave a great show to the crowd, no doubt about it. As for the points standings, I’m still 5th overall in the standings and the 3rd and 4th position are still in reach. It won’t be easy but nothing is impossible. »

The next race will be held in Mosport on September 1st and 2nd.

The drivers want to thank their loyal crew Yves Bédard, Dominic Brazeau, Alexandre Boiteau and Mathieu Ouellette, as well as all of our precious partners for there support: Rythme Urbain, Rack’N’Roll, InMotion Promotion, Motul, Lettra dSign, TwoFast Performance, Mazdaspeed, International Allstars, mazdatuning.com and Rire en Coeur.

Visit us online www.twofast.ca // Visit the championship online www.touringcar.ca

From: Valérie Vachon // TwoFast Racing- valerie@twofast.ca

TV SCHEDULE CHANGES FOR NCATS COVERAGE ON TSN

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 15, 2007) – The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series event coverage on TSN and TSN HD has been changed. Please note that the event schedule has not changed, just the tape delayed television coverage. The revised schedule for premiere dates is as follows:

· NAPA AUTOPRO 100 (Circuit Gilles Villeneuve) – Sunday, Aug. 19 at noon.
· Full Throttle Energy Drink 200 (Mosport Speedway) – Saturday, Aug. 25 at 11 a.m.
· GP3R 100 (Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres) – Sunday, Aug. 26 at 11 a.m.
· Subway 200 (Cayuga Speedway Park) – Saturday, Sept. 8 at 11 a.m.
· ATTO 300 (Barrie Speedway) – Saturday, Sept. 15 at 11:30 a.m.
· Atlantic Dodge Dealers 300 (Riverside Speedway) – Saturday, Sept. 22 at 2 p.m.
· Dodge Dealers of Ontario Dodge Charger 250 (Kawartha Speedway) – Saturday, October 6 at 1 p.m.

The NAPA AUTOPRO 100 from Circuit Gilles Villeneuve broadcast will also air on Monday, Aug. 20 at midnight and Tuesday, Aug. 21 at 2 p.m.

All times are Eastern and subject to change. Check local listings or www.nascar.ca for the latest information.

For more information, contact: Shon Sbarra, NASCAR Public Relations, (253) 377-9128 or ssbarra@nascar.com

FREE CAR GIVE AWAY THIS SATURDAY at Brighton Speedway!

Sundance Auto Sales of Trenton, Peterborough and Pickering is helping Brighton Speedway celebrate its 40th Anniversary Season and commitment to giving back to the fans throughout the 2007 season. On Saturday, August 18th the biggest prize of the year will be given away as Sundance Auto Sales presents the first ever FREE CAR GIVE AWAY.

To be eligible to win the car all adult fans have to do is visit the speedway on Saturday Night and purchase an adult admission ticket. Each adult ticket will go into a draw and five finalists will then be pulled to participate in the winner’s ceremony on the front straight. All five finalists will receive a key. Only one lucky fan will have the key that starts their new car.

“It is great that Sundance Auto Sales has chosen to be part of our 40th Anniversary Season. Since we brought this idea to them back in the early spring they have been as anxious as we have to see it through.” says track General Manager, Angela Rinaldi. “In a season that has seen the fans receive retro price cuts, free bumper stickers, free seat cushions, free fan busses to other tracks and a host of other prizes in celebration of 40 years of continuous racing, this one takes the anniversary cake!”

Fans are encouraged to attend and to tell everyone else that there is no better place to be than at Brighton Speedway on Saturday August 18th. The best priced family entertainment in the Northumberland and Quinte areas will start with the green flag at 7:00 pm. Gates open at 5:30 pm. For more information on this great event and more, including the Hotch’s Autoparts Summer Slam Enduro and the fast approaching three day Labour Day Classic Weekend, visit http://www.brightonspeedway.com/.

STAR MAZDA AT MOSPORT – CANADA’S RACING STARS OF TOMORROW BATTLE FOR A SHOT AT THE BIG TIME

The Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear at the Mobile 1 Presents Grand Prix of Mosport

This year’s crop of young lions clawing their way to the top of the Star Mazda Championship includes three Canadians – Toronto’s Marco Di Leo, Devin Cunningham from Quebec and Vancouver racer Lorenzo Mandarino. All three, though accomplished racers, are rookies in the Star Mazda series - but each has won a race, all are in the top-10 in the championship battle and all are a threat to repeat that victory on any given weekend.

The Star Mazda Championship is now in its 17th year as one of the most competitive and successful open-wheel driver development series. Star Mazda graduates include Marco Andretti, Graham Rahal and the 2007 Champ Car Atlantic champion, Raphael Matos, who won the Star Mazda championship in 2006 and moved up to Atlantic via the Mazda Motorsports Ladder program. Other graduates include 2004 Star Mazda champion Michael McDowell who just won back-to-back ARCA stock car races and is challenging for the championship in his rookie year.

Mazda, this year celebrating the 40th anniversary of the rotary engine that powers both the Star Mazda race cars and the RX-8 sports car, has so thoroughly embraced racing as a core corporate value, that they have created a ‘motorsports scholarship ladder’ reaching all the way from karting, through Star Mazda, to Champ Car.

The rising Canadian stars of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear will be battling for their shot at the big time as a support race at one of Canada’s premier racing events – the Mobile 1 Presents Grand Prix of Mosport, August 24 – 26.

The Star Mazda Championship is the Junior A hockey of open-wheel racing, an exciting, competitive and well-established training ground for future stars of the sport. The cream of the crop will graduate to the AHL Champ Car Atlantic series, and from there to the NHL Champ Car World Series.

Graduates of the Star Mazda Championship include such top open-wheel racers as Champ Car star Graham Rahal and IRL standout Marco Andretti, as well as Canadian Atlantic series racers James Hinchcliffe and Kevin Lacroix. Proving its versatility as a training ground, other Star Mazda standouts have also gone on to high profile careers in various areas of racing; 2002 Mosport winner Guy Cosmo is now a top sports car racer while 2004 Mosport winner and series champion Michael McDowell has raced both prototypes and Champ Cars and is now making a name for himself as a front-runner in the ARCA stock car series with recent back-to-back victories.

This year’s crop of young lions clawing their way to the top of the Star Mazda Championship includes three Canadians – Toronto’s Marco Di Leo, Devin Cunningham from Quebec and Vancouver racer Lorenzo Mandarino. All three Canadians competing in the 2007 Star Mazda Championship are accomplished racers; all have one win, all are in the top-10 in the championship battle and all are a threat to repeat that victory on any given weekend.

Toronto’s Marco Di Leo, driver of the #21 Maxwell Paper Racing/Nugett Mazda, won the season-opener in Sebring. He was the 2006 Skip Barber National Championship runner-up and in 2005 was the 2005 Skip Barber Scholarship winner, Team Sunoco Ultra 94 member and F2000 Bridgestone Series champion.

Quebec racer Devin Cunningham won the Discovery Channel’s ‘Star Racer’ competition in 2006, and is racing his prize – the #33 Discovery Channel/SH Karting Mazda fielded by AIM Autosport. A top kart racer, Cunningham won Round Five of the Star Mazda Championship at Portland. Lorenzo Mandarino, driver of the #23 Newway Forming/Team G.Fro Mazda, won Round Four at Salt Lake City. Like Cunningham, he has an extensive karting background with eleven karting championships since 1966 and winner of the Super Pro class in the 2005 SKUSA Supernational.

Dominating the Star Mazda Championship battle so far is 18 year-old Dane Cameron, the young Californian who has scored three wins, four poles and four top-5 finishes. Hot on his heels – including the Canadians -- are two dozen top young drivers from across the U.S. and around the world, including last year’s winner of this race, Ron white of Santa Clara, California, who will be piloting the #69 Maxwell Paper Racing/Maxwell Paper Products Mazda.

Also top contenders for victory at Mosport are Australian James Davison (#7 Easternats/Velocity Motorsports Mazda), England’s Jonny Baker (#6 Andersen Racing Mazda) and even an extremely fast young lady from Switzerland, Natacha Gachnang (#35 AIM Autosport Mazda), who made Star Mazda series history by scoring back-to-back podium finishes in Rounds 5 and 6.

At the other end of the age spectrum, Star Mazda Championship “Master Class” racers include 50 year-old Steve Hickham of Corpus Christi, Texas (#17 HB Turbo/Hickham Motorsports) and 64 year-old Dan Tomlin Jr. of Dallas, Texas (#56 Team Tomlin). Tomlin races with his son and business partner, 42 year-old Dan Tomlin III (#58 Team Tomlin). Also in the Master Class is Gerry Kraut, 56, from North Oaks, Minnesota (#55 Dougherty and Company/JDC Motorsports). These ‘gentlemen racers’ may not be fighting for the win, but do run regularly in the top half of the field – and they love to race, happy to be out there and mixing it up with drivers who will be the stars of tomorrow.

All the drivers in the 12-race 2007 Star Mazda Championship are racing identical high-tech open-wheel cars. The Star Mazda race car features a carbon fiber chassis, fully-adjustable suspension and paddle shifters on the steering wheel, just like both Champ Car and Formula One. Powering all of the Star Mazda race cars is Mazda’s legendary rotary engine that produces 240 horsepower, top speeds of 150 mph and 0 to 60 mph acceleration of 2.4 seconds. And the engine is so reliable that it can last an entire racing season, or longer, between re-builds. This helps keep the cost of racing in Star Mazda down to a fraction of the budget required to compete in any other open wheel series in the U.S. or Europe.

And here’s the story on what the young lions are all fighting for; forty years ago, on May 31, 1967, Mazda introduced the first street car with a rotary engine, the Cosmo Sport. Since then, they’ve built two million rotary-engined vehicles and the company has built its very identity on the idea of Zoom-Zoom and every vehicle they produce having the soul of a sports car.

In pursuit of that ideal, Mazda has created a unique, company-sponsored ‘motorsports ladder’ that reaches all the way from karting to Champ Car. The winner of a shootout among 2007 karting champions will get a scholarship in the 2008 Skip Barber series, while the Skip Barber champion moves up to Star Mazda, the Star Mazda champion moves up to the Champ Car Atlantic Series Powered by Mazda and the Atlantic champion gets $2 million toward a Champ Car drive. So they’re all racing for a dream, and the opportunity of a lifetime.

Mosport is Round 10 of the 12-race 2007 Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear, the third of three back-to-back races that also included Road America and Trois Rivières. On-track action at Mosport begins with a pair of practice sessions on Thursday, August 24, followed by one more practice session on Friday the 25th. Qualifying to set the starting grid takes place from 9:15 am to 10:00 am, Saturday, August 26. The 45-hour Star Mazda Championship race is scheduled to take the green flag at 3:50 pm Saturday afternoon.

Exhausted teams and drivers will then have the entire month of September off to rest and re-build race cars before heading down the home stretch with the final two races of the season, Road Atlanta on October 4 – 5 and the season finale at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Northern California October 19 – 20.

Star Mazda races are broadcast on the SPEED Channel, with the Mosport event scheduled to air on Saturday, September 11 at 12 pm Eastern. To find out when future Star Mazda races will air, log on to www.speedtv.com/programs.

For more information on the Star Mazda Championship and its drivers, as well as the Mazda Motorsports ladder system, please visit www.starmazda.com and www.mazdausa.com. For more information please contact: Peter Frey, (818) 398-5733 (Pacific Time), Bstorm2000@aol.com

NCATS: Dodge-sponsored Avenger driver Mark Dilley bounces back with a second-place result at Mosport Speedway

BARRIE, ON – Mark Dilley ended his run of rough luck in recent NASCAR Canadian Tire Series action with a hard-fought second-place finish in Saturday night’s scheduled 200-lap race at Mosport Speedway.

In a car that had sustained heavy damage in its most recent outing at Vernon, BC’s Sun Valley Speedway, in mid-July, Dilley’s #9 Dodge / Mobil1 / Exide / MOPAR / Leland / Wild Wing / CRS Dodge Avenger was back in fine form for the season’s seventh race.

The Barrie, ON driver – who races for Whitlock Motorsports – started second in the field of 20 and battled through the pack in the final laps to finish second to Don Thomson at the checkered flag.

After pitting for tires (from sixth-place) on lap 123, Dilley’s car made quick progress through the field. Running in eighth on lap 160, he tangled with another car as they carved through traffic, sending the #9 Dodge-sponsored Avenger spinning in turn 4.

Fortunately, Dilley’s car wasn’t damaged and he was able to resume the chase, breaking into the top five on lap 185. Three laps later, Dilley was into third. At that point, a flurry of caution flags emerged that would extend the race by an additional nine laps, all of which featured intense racing action at the front.

During one restart, on lap 208, Dilley got into the back of Jim Lapcevich, knocking the #25 Chevy off-strike and securing second-place for the #9 Dodge-sponsored Avenger driver.“It was a little wild, but that’s the way this racing is right now,” said Dilley, of recent NASCAR Canadian Tire Series races. “The double-file restarts are going to create that. You’re going to make some friends and you’re going to lose some friends; that’s the way it goes. I feel bad for Jimmy [Lapcevich]; he had a good run going. I ran behind him for 50 laps earlier in the race and we didn’t get into him.”

Prior to taking his place on the post-race podium, Dilley complimented his team and his sponsors. “I have to hand it to the crew tonight, they really nailed the tire change during our pitstop. I’m really happy to get this finish for Dodge and all of my sponsors who have supported us all year.”

MOSPORT NOTEBOOK: Don Thomson Jr. won Saturday night’s Full Throttle 200 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race at Mosport Speedway. The five-time Canadian National stock car champ started third in the field of 20 at the half-mile oval and dominated the second-half of the race to earn his second NCATS checkered flag of the season. Mark Dilley’s #9 Dodge-sponsored Avenger came across the line 0.7 seconds behind Thomson, and just in front of Kerry Micks. Following seven NCATS races, stock car rookie Andrew Ranger leads the points chase by 37 markers over Thomson. Mark Dilley sits sixth in the standings, with five events remaining.

LOOKING AHEAD: NASCAR returns to Quebec... The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series returns to action this weekend for its fourth and final road course race of the season, at the legendary Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec.

Prepared by Inside Track Communications // For more information about the #9 Dodge team and its sponsors, visit www.whitlockmotorsports.com. For more on the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, including complete race results, reports, point standings, event schedules and upcoming broadcast times for races on TSN, see www.nascar.ca

NASCAR on TSN: Edmonton and Montreal

Watch the NASCAR CANADIAN TIRE SERIES 100 repeat broadcasts from EDMONTON on TSN

Repeat 1: Monday Aug 13 @ Midnight

Repeat 2: Wednesday Aug 15 @ 12:00 PM EST

Watch the NAPA/ Autopro 100 from Montreal

Premiere: Sunday, August 19 @ noon

Repeat 1: Tuesday, August 21 @ 00:00 (or Monday at Midnight)
Repeat 2: Tuesday, August 21 @ 2pm

Hathaway Fights to the End for First Top 5

Courtesy Jamie Hakonson

BOWMANVILLE, ON – Team 3 Red and driver Jason Hathaway were back in action this weekend at the 1/2 mile paved oval of Mosport Speedway for the Full Throttle Energy Drink 200 on August 11.

Under the hot August sun, the #3 Snap on Tools Dodge practiced well and the Team ended their session well placed on the board. Hathaway arrived at the track feeling under the weather, but found the strength to climb into his race machine. " I am happy to get back to the ovals. The road course races are fun, but it is good to get back to turning left!"

In qualifying Hathaway put down the fastest lap the Team had turned that day and qualified in the 12th position. The 200 lap event would start in the early evening and end under the lights of the 1/2 mile oval. On lap 57, Hathaway spun his car trying to complete a pass in torturous corners 3 & 4. The caution allowed the Team to come in and put right side tires on the car along with fuel. With a renewed vision, Hathaway settled in and worked his way through traffic. Making his debut as Team Spotter Mark Bosse helped Hathaway avoid the accidents on the track and move toward the front.

After falling one lap off the leaders, Crew Chief Giulio Montanari made adjustments on the car and Hathaway raced his way into a position to get his lap back when the next caution flag flew. At the half way point, Hathaway had earned his lap back and was running 15th in the running order. Several times during the race, the #3 Snap on Tools Dodge was one of the fastest cars on the track.

With 20 laps to go, Hathaway was running 11th and poised to post another well earned top 10 finish. With some great driving Hathaway moved his way up to 9th. The caution flag flew on the field on lap 195 and the field tightened back up. The finish was declared a green, white, checkered finish. The first attempt at the finish did not go according to plan and NASCAR officials made a second attempt at a green, white, checkered finish to complete the race. On the final and successful restart, Hathaway make it through a huge collection of spinning cars in corners 1 & 2 and jumped up to the 4th spot in the running order. Hathaway held on to the position and recorded the Team's first top 5 of the season.

Crew Chief Giulio Montanari was excited in tech lane when the car rolled in after the 200 lap event. "I am so proud of this team tonight. This finish is a true testament to the calibre of Team and driver that we have here at EHR. We adjusted on the car throughout the night and Jason really pulled it together for us out there. He never gave up and as sick as he was today that was pretty amazing. I congratulate Jay for sticking with it and never giving up!"

A very tired and drained Hathaway emerged for his racing machine to the cheers of his crew. "What a race. Giulio kept making adjustments and we fought back. It is a great finish for this Team and a great moral boast for the crew."

Based on their 4th place finish at Mosport, Hathaway solidified his position in the top 10 in driver standings moving from 10th up to 8th. Team 3 Red/EHR will head to Trois Rivieres next Sunday August 19th for their forth and final road course of the 2007 season.

Team Mopar Bitten by Mechanical Woes

By Todd Lewis - TL Sports & Entertainment

BOWMANVILLE, ON - Ron Beauchamp Jr. and the Mopar Parts team embarked on the second half of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series looking to put recent troubles behind them, and focus on a new start at Mosport Speedway on August 11. The start of the day and the race were strong, but then mechanical gremlins crept back in.

The Mopar Parts Team opened the day struggling for speed on the half mile oval. After several adjustments and a mock qualifying run the team made a significant discovery. “The tire temperatures were not coming up as quickly as we needed to get a good run” said Ron Beauchamp Jr. “So we made an adjustment in air pressure and it really paid off”. Beauchamp would qualify the Mopar Parts Dodge with the fourth fastest time.

As the Green Flag waved to begin competition Beauchamp set out to establish a consistent race pace and maintain contact with the front runners. “Everything was working just fine through the first part of the race” said the driver. “I was trying to take it easy in the first part of the race, this track is a little bumpy and if you’re not careful it will cause you some problems but everything was good. Beauchamp continued to circulate at a strong and consistent pace and then trouble appeared.

With absolutely no warning or indication of any kind of problem, the Mopar Parts Dodge began to slow. Unable to continue at speed Ron Beauchamp Jr. was forced to stop along pit road where the Mopar Parts Crew scrambled under the hood to seek out the problem. As has been the case lately, the mechanical troubles were too serious to continue.

“This one is totally frustrating” said Beauchamp. “Our oil pressure was fine, the car wasn’t running hot, and there was absolutely no warning that anything was wrong. This is definitely one of the most frustrating times I’ve ever experienced, but we’ll be ready to go next week. We’ll take the positives from this event, we were fast, we qualified well and we’re looking forward to the race at Trois Rivieres”.

The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series will run the final road course event of the season this coming weekend, August 19th at the Grand Prix of Trois Rivieres. The 12 race schedule will take the teams from coast to coast and will consist of ovals, road courses and temporary street circuits. For the complete schedule, results and other information log onto nascar.ca. Also, all twelve races this season will air TSN.

Thomson Scores Second Win of Season in Home Hardware Chevrolet

By Todd Lewis – TL Sports & Entertainment

BOWMANVILLE, ON – Don Thomson Jr. and the Home Hardware Chevrolet team began the second half of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series (NCATS) season as they did the first; with a victory at Mosport Speedway on August 11.

Thomson has enjoyed success at the tricky half mile speedway before but commented prior to the race that the track was a little bumpier than in previous years. “Coming out of turn two is a little tricky” said the Home Hardware Chevy driver. The Home Hardware Chevrolet was among the quickest cars during practice and Thomson posted a the third quickest qualifying time and lined up for the 200 lap feature event on the inside of row two.

Thomson would move the Home Hardware Chevy into top spot on lap 10. It is a position he hold for a total of 181 laps although he stated later that the car didn’t really behave the way he would like in the early part of the race. “That first set of tires really didn’t agree with the car, but after our pit stop when we changed right sides the Home Hardware Chevy was great.

The race proved to be a battle of aggression for a number of drivers and teams, but with as dominant a car as the Home Hardware Chevy, Thomson simply stayed out front of the troubles. “I didn’t watch the rear view mirror too much” he smiled when asked about the tough racing, “but I guess there was a lot of action back in the pack”.

The race was scheduled for 200 laps but a pair of late race cautions actually stretched the event to a total of 209 as NASCAR officials worked to ensure a green flag finish. “I was a little concerned on those late restarts” said the Home Hardware Chevy driver. “Sometimes the car likes a couple of laps to really get rolling but it all worked out. This really was a great effort by the Home Hardware team, I’ve got to thank all my guys for the job they did and of course for the great support from Home Hardware and Fitzpatrick Motorsports.”

After posting their second win of the season Don Thomson Jr. and the Home Hardware team climb to second in the championship point standings after seven events.

You can watch the Home Hardware team race to victory at Mosport on TSN on Sunday, August 19 at Noon Eastern. The NCATS run a 12 event schedule on ovals, road courses and temporary street circuits across Canada. For information about the NCATS including schedule, results and more log onto nascar.ca.

Another Podium for Micks at Mosport

By Bruce F. Mehlenbacher

BOWMANVILLE, ON – Kerry Micks finished third in the Full Throttle Energy Drink 200 at Mosport Speedway on August 11, despite an early race incident which left him an ill-handling race car. The race was the seventh event in the 12-race NASCAR Canadian Tire Series.

“We got hit in the first ten laps of the race and struggled with a poor handling race car all night,” said Kerry Micks, driver of the Beyond Digital Imaging Ford Taurus who started seventh in the 209-lap event. “To be honest, I really don’t like racing like we did tonight, most of the teams got pretty beat-up.”

Don Thomson Jr. led 181 of the 209 laps to win the race Mark Dilley in second, followed by Micks in third.

“I don’t think anyone was going to beat Donnie (Thomson Jr.) tonight, he was the class of the field,” Micks added. “You take a good finish anyway that you can get it.”

Only four drivers shared the lead in the race on the half-mile paved oval, but the event was slowed considerably with eight cautions for 59 laps, more than a quarter of the race. The third place finish kept Micks in seventh position in the Top 10 Driver Points in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series.

The next event for Micks Motorsports will be race eight in the 12-race NASCAR Canadian Tire Series at the Grand-Prix de Trois-Rivières in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, August 17-19.

For more information on the Grand-Prix de Trois-Rivières call (819) 370.4787 or visit online at gp3r.com.

Whitlock Caught Up in Early Race Incident

Courtesy Linda Jones

BOWMANVILLE, ON – Dave Whitlock driver of the No. 39 Dickies/Hamilton Tiger Cats/NMT Dodge Charger was caught up in an early race incident when two cars in front of him got together. The contact happened at lap 12 and made for a very long night for the Whitlock team.

During practice and qualifying earlier in the day, Whitlock was not quite as quick as they wanted to be. However they qualified under the hot sun in the afternoon in ninth position. Whitlock and his team knew the car would come to them as the day turned into night during the 200 lap Full Throttle event.

On lap 12 J.R. Fitzpatrick spun around collecting the No. 02 of Kerry Micks. Whitlock went high but by the time he got there as so often happens the hole had closed up and the left front of the car sustained brake line and front steering damage. He brought the No. 39 Dickies Dodge to the attention of his team and they made quick repairs however upon returning to the race track Whitlock would find himself down seven laps. It was a long night as all they could do was stay out of the lead lap drivers way and hope for the best. A disappointing seventeenth place finish was the result. "I know we would have had a car to contend tonight," stated a very disappointed Whitlock after the race. "We started ninth and the car was really good we were just waiting for opportunities to move up. It is really tough getting taken out of a race so early and having to just run around at the back all night. It has been that kind of year for us but we are looking forward to moving on to Trois Rivieres and the final four oval events to try and turn it around."

Don Thomson Jr. dominated the show leading the most laps, followed by Whitlock teammate Mark Dilley. Kerry Micks, Jason Hathaway and Derek Lynch rounded out the top five.

Next event for the No. 39 Whitlock team will be at the Grand Prix de Trois Rivieres this weekend starting with practice on Friday, qualifying on Saturday and the main event on Sunday.

For more information on the team, series or sponsor visit nascar.ca, whitlockmotorsports.com or dickiescanada.com.

Late race punt keeps Lapcevich off Mosport podium

By Bruce F. Mehlenbacher

BOWMANVILLE, ON – What appeared to be a great second place finish for Jim Lapcevich turned into a dismal 12th place finish in the Full Throttle Energy Drink 200 at Mosport Speedway on August 11.

“We went from hero to zero in a fraction of a second,” explained Jim Lapcevich, team driver for Fastline Motorsports in Hamilton. “The team was on top of their game today, and the driver wasn’t bad either, until the hockey game broke out on the final laps of the race.”

Lapcevich, started 14th in the 20-car field of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race, worked his way to the front, and led the 20-car field for some laps around the halfway mark. But the stock car veteran, who was running in second place, got involved in a mishap, being spun out near the end of the race.

“The EMCEA – Tim Hortons Chevy Monte Carlo was strong tonight,” added Lapcevich, who encountered a couple of set-backs during the race. “The team did a great job, the car was good in race trim and the fact we pitted later than most of the competitors had us in great shape for the finish.”

Don Thomson Jr. won the event, Mark Dilley finished second, and Kerry Micks was third.

“Donnie (Thomson) had his act together tonight; he was the class of the field. I don’t think anyone was going to touch him. Unfortunately, for us it turned into a fight to the finish, which we lost costing us a top-three finish.”

Lapcevich, who resides in Grimsby, ON, led for 12 laps of the 200-lap race on the half-mile paved oval saw seven lead changes between four drivers.

Andrew Ranger and Jacombs Racing 13th in Full Throttle 200

Courtesy Linda Jones – LJM Marketing

BOWMANVILLE, ON – Andrew Ranger driver of the Jacombs Racing No. 27 Wal-Mart/Tide Ford Fusion posted their lowest finish of the season on August 11 with a thirteenth place. It was a night of frustration for the rookie driver who had up until this point in the season finished no worse than ninth and had posted five top five finishes and six top ten finishes in six events.

Ranger quickly caught on to the challenges that are the Mosport Oval with a tight turn one/two and a wider sweeping turn three/four as he was seventh on the practice charts after two hour-long sessions. The No. 27 Ford Fusion driver would back that up with an 8th quickest lap in qualifying to line up on the outside of row four for the start of the Full Throttle 200 later in the evening.

By lap eighty-five Ranger had worked his way up into the top five and a caution on lap 90 would see him head to the pits to the attention of the Jacombs Racing crew. While the team would eventually make quick work of tires and fuel for Ranger, it took several tries to get the No. 27 Wal-Mart/Tide car fully into the pit box so that the team could do the service. NASCAR rules that you must be fully inside the lines of your pit stall before making your changes or you will be penalized after the fact. Ranger rejoined the field in thirteenth where he would again have to start making his way to the front. By lap 165 Ranger had worked his way back up to fifth again but on a restart Ranger and the No. 02 car of Kerry Micks got together doing right front damage to the Ranger machine. On the ensuing caution period he brought the car again to the attention of the crew for repairs. The Wal-Mart/Tide Ford restarted again back in the field in twelfth. The car was just to damaged to make another run for the front and Ranger had to settle for a disappointing thirteenth place finish.

"We had a really good car out their tonight," stated Jacombs after the event. "There was a bit of rubbing and banging going on but that's what short track racing is all about. Andrew will rebound next week at Trois Rivieres on the road course and then we will have to work really hard for the last four ovals to stay on top in the points."

RESULTS: 1. #4 Don Thomson Jr.; 2. # 9 Mark Dilley; 3. # 02 Kerry Micks; 4. # 3 Jason Hathaway; 5. # 77 Derek Lynch.

The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series point standings having tightened up again as the teams head to event #8 the Grand Prix de Trois Rivieres this weekend August 17-18 and 19. Ranger's lead in the points has been reduced to just 37 with five events remaining in the 12 race season.

Alex Tagliani will again join Ranger as a teammate this weekend at Trois Rivieres as he pilots the No. 8 Wal-Mart/Gain Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Robin Buck will make his final start of the 2007 season with Jacombs Racing this weekend as well. Buck finished in the top five last year at this event and is looking for another strong road race performance behind the wheel of the #88 Ron's Burner Service/Jennifer Ashleigh Foundation Ford Taurus.

Jacombs Racing prepares the No. 27 Ford Fusion that will be driven by Andrew Ranger in all twelve NASCAR Canadian Tire Series events in 2007. Wal-Mart sponsor of Ranger & Tagliani in the Victory Lap Tour program will also be the presenting sponsor of this weekend’s events at Grand Prix de Trois Rivieres.

For more information visit nascar.ca or Jacombs Racing please visit jacombsracing.ca.

NCATS: Thomson Dominates Full Throttle 200

BOWMANVILLE, Ontario (Aug. 11, 2007) – Don Thomson Jr. (No. 4 Home Hardware Chevrolet) led 181 of the 209 laps of the Full Throttle Energy Drink 200 presented by Canadian Shield Anticrime Response Corporation and won the race by 0.703 seconds over Mark Dilley (No. 9 Dodge/Leland Industries Dodge).

Thomson, racing out of Ayr, Ont., started the race in the third position, but the veteran driver knew what kind of car he had under him. He took the lead for the first time on lap 10 when he worked past teammate and polesitter J.R. Fitzpatrick (No. 84 Milwaukee Electric Tools Chevrolet). He lost the lead only for brief spans the rest of the way.

His dominate performance kicked into high gear after his pitstop during the third caution period on lap 89. The car responded to the new right-side tires installed during that stop. Thomson felt the car really changed for the better at that point and became what he expected after he posted the top time in both practice sessions earlier in the day.

“The car really didn’t like the tires we put on for qualifying and started the race on,” said Thomson. “I was surprised at our time in qualifying, but when we put on that other set of tires, it really took off.”

Thomson has now won a pair of NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Sirius Satellite Radio races after having won the series’ inaugural event in May.

“It’s not often that you get a car like this,” he stated. “We have not had the best luck this year, but it all came together tonight.”

Kerry Micks (No. 02 Beyond Digital Imaging Ford) fresh off his win last week in Montreal finished third and on the podium once again. Jason Hathaway (No. 3 Snap-on Tools/Super 8 Dodge) and Derek Lynch (No. 77 Canadian Shield Dodge) finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
Fitzpatrick, Scott Steckly, John Gaunt, Doug Brown and D.J. Kennington rounded out the top 10.

The race was slowed eight times due to caution covering 59 laps. The lead changed hands seven times involving four drivers.

In the championship point standings, Andrew Ranger (No. 27 Wal-Mart/Tide Ford) retained the lead despite his 13th-place finish in this race. Thomson moved into the second slot just 37 points off Ranger’s pace. Kennington is third followed by Fitzpatrick, both within 77 points of the lead.

Fitzpatrick won his second Bud Pole Award of the season when turned a lap in 21.592 seconds for an average lap speed of 83.364 mph on the 1/2-mile oval. The Canadian Tire Series is back on the track next weekend for its fourth and final road course event of the season—the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres in Quebec.

NASCAR CANADIAN TIRE SERIES presented by SIRIUS SATELLITE RADIO-Full Throttle Energy Drink 200 presented by Canadian Shield UNOFFICIAL Results
Saturday
At Mosport Speedway
Bowmanville, Ontario
Lap length: 0.5 miles
(Start position in parentheses)
1. (3) Don Thomson, Jr., Ayr, Ontario, Chevrolet, 209 laps, 60.317 mph, $5,200.
2. (2) Mark Dilley, Barrie, Ontario, Dodge, 209, $5,000.
3. (7) Kerry Micks, Mt. Albert, Ontario, Ford, 209, $2,650.
4. (12) Jason Hathaway, Appin, Ontario, Dodge, 209, $3,625.
5. (15) Derek Lynch, Warksworth, Ontario, Dodge, 209, $2,900.
6. (1) J.R. Fitzpatrick, Cambridge, Ontario, Chevrolet, 209, $3,200.
7. (6) Scott Steckly, Milverton, Ontario, Dodge, 209, $2,125.
8. (16) John Gaunt, Barrie, Ontario, Dodge, 209, $1,830.
9. (13) Doug Brown, Brantford, Ontario, Dodge, 209, $1,510.
10. (11) D.J. Kennington, St. Thomas, Ontario, Dodge, 209, $1,460.
11. (17) Ron Van Es, Stoney Creek, Ontario, Chevrolet, 209, $1,240.
12. (14) Jim Lapcevich, Hamilton, Ontario, Chevrolet, 209, $1,160.
13. (8) Andrew Ranger, Roxton Pond, Quebec, Ford, 208, $1,110.
14. (5) Peter Gibbons, Stouffville, Ontario, Chevrolet, 207, $1,075.
15. (18) Bob Merrifield, Belle River, Ontario, Dodge, 204, $1,020.
16. (20) Joey McColm, Ajax, Ontario, Dodge, 201, $985.
17. (9) Dave Whitlock, Petrolia, Ontario, Dodge, 199, $950.
18. (10) Brad Graham, Glencoe, Ontario, Dodge, 159, $900.
19. (4) Ron Beauchamp, Jr., Windsor, Ontario, Dodge, 73, motor, $875.
20. (19) Kent Nuhn, Williamsford, Ontario, Pontiac, 31, motor, $840.
Race Statistics
Time of Race: 1 hour 43 minutes 57 seconds
Margin of Victory: 0.703 seconds
Fastest Qualifier: J.Fitzpatrick (83.364 mph, 21.592 seconds)
Caution Flags: 8 for 59 laps.
Lead Changes: 7 among 4 drivers.
Lap Leaders: J.Fitzpatrick 1-9; D.Thomson,Jr. 10-89; J.Lapcevich 90-102; D.Thomson,Jr.
103-126; S.Steckly 127-131; D.Thomson,Jr. 132-200; S.Steckly 201; D.Thomson,Jr. 202-209.

Standings: 1. A.Ranger, 1117; 2. D.Thomson,Jr., 1080; 3. D.Kennington, 1053; 4.
J.Fitzpatrick, 1040; 5. P.Gibbons, 1039; 6. M.Dilley, 1023; 7. K.Micks, 995; 8.
J.Hathaway, 937; 9. D.Lynch, 933; 10. J.Gaunt, 912.

From NASCAR