A1GP: Top-Ten Practice Start Bodes Well for Wickens

Sepang, Malaysia (November 23, 2007) - A shortage of practice laps in Malaysia this morning failed to prevent A1 Team Canada rookie Robert Wickens from cracking the top-ten in this afternoon's official practice session at the Sepang International Circuit prior to Round 3 of the 2007-08 A1GP World Cup of Motorsport on Sunday, 25th November.

Wickens, who becomes only the fourth driver to race for A1 Team Canada in the nation versus nation series this weekend, had his practice time cut short in the morning's 'Rookie-Only' session at the 5.54km circuit thanks to a problematic steering rack.  Limited to ten laps, the 18-year-old from Toronto posted the 12th fastest time of the session with a 1m54.695s lap from 20 nations fielding rookies.

This afternoon's hour-long session, with all 22 competing nations participating, proved to be more productive for Canada with Wickens, the 2006 Formula BMW USA Champion, comfortably running inside the top-ten throughout.  His best lap time, a 1m50.909s, ended the session eighth quickest with the team looking to maintain that form into Saturday's qualifying sessions, Canada having yet to start a race this season higher than tenth on the grid.

"Today's been pretty good," reflected Wickens after his first outing on the Sepang track.  "We had a problem with the steering rack in the rookie session which basically meant I couldn't turn the car so we lost a lot of track time.  The team rebounded really well though and I'm extremely satisfied to have been running in the top-ten the whole of this afternoon's session."

He continued, "We made improvements to the car in the limited time we had and despite going out on fresh tires at the start of the session I did my fastest lap on the second to last lap of the session which shows the improvements we've made.  I'm really looking forward to Saturday's practice and qualifying."

A1 Team Canada Team Manager, Simon Cayzer, commented; "We had some problems this morning which cost us some time but the second practice session went well.  We have some more fine tuning to do but overall we're relatively happy with our set-up start.  Robert did a good job today despite being quite new to the car and having never driven the circuit before, he seems quite a cool, calm customer!"

Official Practice (1 Hour Session)
1, Great Britain, Oliver Jarvis, 1:49.459
2, Switzerland, Neel Jani, 1:49.911
3, France, Loic Duval, 1:50.094
4, New Zealand, Jonny Reid, 1:50.320
5, China, Congfu Cheng, 1:50.471
*8, CANADA, ROBERT WICKENS, 1:50.909

Rookie Practice (2 x 25 Minute Sessions)
1, Great Britain, Oliver Jarvis, 1:52.013
2, Brazil, Sergio Jimenez, 1:52.757
3, Australia, John Martin, 1:52.806
4,. Italy, Edoardo Piscopo,  1:53.161
5, New Zealand, Earl Bamber, 1:53.682
*12, CANADA, ROBERT WICKENS, 1:54.695

Qualifying for Sunday's 20-minute Sprint race and 70-minute Feature race starts tomorrow, Saturday 24th November, at 2:15pm in Malaysia (1:15am EST).  Live timing - www.a1gp.com

Photo Credit: 'Robert Wickens makes his competitive debut for A1 Team Canada this weekend' - Jakob Ebrey Photography
From A1 Team Canada Media Relations: Stuart Morrison - PR & Media Manager

Hello Pot, this is the Kettle calling....

McLaren says Renault was cheating.

Talk about chutzpah.

Driver FYI: Daniel Morad Formula BMW World Final Report

Daniel Morad's Formula BMW World Final Advisory: P4 (combined) after practice sessions

November 23, 2007 - Practice sessions are complete and Daniel sits P4 overall with a time of 1:17.658, just 4/10ths off the top time. With thirty-five cars at the event, the three practice sessions were spit into two groups with Daniel in the second group. Finishing 5th and 8th in the first two sessions respectively, Daniel would turn up the heat and go P3 in his final practice and move to P4 in combined results.

It should be noted that this is a very competitive field as results show the top 25 cars are covered by just less than one second.

Qualifying (two groups) takes place shortly (Daniel is on track at 9:15 EST) with Super Pole qualifying to follow. Super Pole has the top eight drivers (from combined results) compete for the chance to grid on pole for every heat race.

Please visit www.danielmorad.com for further updates.

From Chris Jameson / Level Ten Communications

Rob Becker wins Can-Am Stock/Super Stock title

CAYUGA, ONTARIO - Rob Becker gave a humbling speech at the recent Can-Am Stock/Super Stock banquet, and the 2007 champion made a point of thanking several in the group for his success.

"I wouldn't be here today without the help of several in the series," said the Port Colborne resident. "I couldn't have done this without my crew chief Tony Valerio of Welland. I also have to thank FJ Smith and Wally Clark. They always answered my questions and gave of their time."

Becker added that consistency played a big part in 2007.

"I really concentrated on doing the same over and over each race," he said. "And it worked."

Rob Becker is a full time engine assembler at ERD (Engine Research & Development) in Jordan Station, Ontario.

Driving his in-house ERD prepared 300-horsepower, 350 small-block 1987 Camaro, Becker won three of the 12 Can-Am events this year. The series featured a record 26 teams, and the season was highlighted with 40 cars competing in its annual Labor Day Nationals at Toronto Motorsports Park in Cayuga. Becker took a pair of wins at Grand Bend, and one at Toronto Motorsports Park.

Three drivers were battling for second spot, and the tight points race was decided at the last event. But Chuck Nagy of Niagara Falls and Kirk Vanni of Binbrook tied for second with 21 points each, four points behind Becker. Brian Clayton of Port Perry was next with 19 points, and with 18 points, Hamilton's Dave Comeau took fifth spot.

The popular Can-Am series, formed in 1996 for Ontario, New York and Michigan racers to compete, welcomed 12 new teams in 2007. Its 2008 schedule is presently in the works, and will be announced shortly.

From Bruce Mehlenbacher / Photo Credit: Rob Potter

Michael Valiante to Lead Italian Motors Squad at All-Stars Karting Classic

Seattle , WA - (November 20, 2007) : Italian Motors has finalized their driver lineup for the 2nd Annual All-Stars Karting Classic in Orlando. Grand-Am Daytona Prototype standout Michael Valiante will represent the Vancouver, B.C. based team in the Masters Division of the event. He will be joined by Snap-on Stars of Karting Series regulars David Jurca and Hayden Duerson in the Karter Division of the event. All three drivers will be aboard an Italkart – Parilla Leopard package.

Michael Valiante spent 2007 racing for the Chip Ganassi with Felix Sabates team in the Grand-Am Daytona Prototype Series. He also drove for the Ganassi operation in the NASCAR Busch Series in a one-off drive at the Montreal round. Michael has a strong background in karting ad established himself as one of the top North American karters in the late 1990's by winning numerous championships and scholarship shootouts. He then went on to success in the Skip Barber Regional, Barber Dodge Pro, and Toyota Atlantic Championships. Valiante made several starts in the ChampCar World Series in 2004 and 2005 before moving to Grand-Am full-time in 2006 with the Finlay Motorsports team. Michael Valiante quote" The Italian Motors team is owned by Michael's parents Claudio and Bev. Michael is active in the management of the team when his racing schedule allows. He is looking forward to getting behind the wheel of a kart and returning to action, "I am really looking forward to the PRI show. I always look forward to having the opportunity to get back in to a kart and race.'

David Jurca and Hayden Duerson both competed in the full Snap-on Stars of Karting presented by IndyCar Series in the elite ICC (shifter) category. Jurca has a strong karting resume' and has competed at the highest levels in both North American and European series. He has also competed and won in formula car racing, having won the Skip Barber Shootout in 2002 and being one of six finalists in the 2003 Red Bull Driver Search. Duerson is one of the young rising talents of the Snap-on Stars of Karting and was named the series' 2007 Rookie of the Year. Duerson is excited to be able to be a part of the event, "As a rookie, I feel honored to be invited to the PRI show to compete against some of the top karters in the nation."

The PRI show takes place at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida from December 6 – 8th with the All-Stars Karting Classic taking place on the evening of December 6th and will feature some of the top names in North American racing battling it out in the Masters Division, and the top drivers from the Snap-on Stars of Karting Series squaring off in the Karter Division. Drivers confirmed to be participating in the Masters Division of the event include Jamie McMurray (NASCAR), A.J. Allmendinger (NASCAR) John Andetti (NASCAR / IndyCar), Marco Andretti (IndyCar), Bryan Herta (ALMS), Joey Hand (Grand-Am), Buddy Rice (IndyCar), Eddie Lawson (MotoGP), Wayne Taylor (Grand-Am), Michael Valiante (Grand-Am), Steve Johnson (NHRA) and many others to be announced in the coming weeks. Admission to the event is free. The event will be filmed for two separate television broadcasts on SPEED Channel's Lucas Oil on the Edge program thanks to support from Snap-on and Bridgestone.

For more information about the Snap-on Stars of Karting presented by IndyCar Series and the PRI All-Stars Karting Classic please visit http://www.starsofkarting.com/ and all promotional inquiries can be directed to jeff@starsofkarting.com.

Snap-on Stars of Karting presented by IndyCar Series is based out of Seattle, Washington, sanctioned by the World Karting Association (WKA) and owned and operated by 1986 Indianapolis 500 champion and IRL IndyCar Series team owner Bobby Rahal, IndyCar Series driver Bryan Herta and veteran karting promoter Paul Zalud. http://www.starsofkarting.com/, http://www.worldkarting.com/.

Snap-on Incorporated is a leading global innovator, manufacturer and marketer of tools, diagnostics and equipment solutions for professional users. Product lines include hand and power tools, tool storage, diagnostics software, information and management systems, shop equipment and other solutions for vehicle manufacturers, dealerships and repair centers, as well as customers in industry, government, agriculture and construction. Products are sold through its franchisees, company-direct sales and distributor channels, as well as over the Internet. Founded in 1920, Snap-on is a $2.5 billion, S&P 500 company headquartered in Kenosha, Wisconsin. For additional information on Snap-on, visit http://www.snapon.com/.

The Indy Racing League was formed in 1994 to preserve the heritage and excitement of the Indianapolis 500 in U.S. open-wheel racing. The Indy Racing League is the sanctioning body of the IndyCar Series, the premier open-wheel racing series in the United States, and the Indy Pro Series, which serves as an essential stepping stone for drivers striving to reach the IndyCar Series. Indy Racing League events are available to a worldwide audience through a variety of multimedia platforms, highlighted by a long-term and broad-reaching partnership with ABC Sports/ESPN. The Indy Racing League is continually at the forefront of motorsports innovation with drivers, teams and tracks benefiting from major safety and technological improvements such as the SAFER Barrier, SWEMS wheel tethers, chassis enhancements, ethanol fuel and Delphi IRL Safety Team. http://www.indycar.com/
Snap-on Stars of Karting Media Contact:

From Jeff Swoboda

OHSWEKEN MINI STOCK & THUNDER STOCK RULES MEETING SET FOR DECEMBER 1

On Saturday, December 1, Ohsweken Speedway will hold its annual rules meeting for the Mini Stock and Thunder Stock divisions that compete at the speedway.
Tech Inspector Glen Hils will conduct the sessions in the orange Tech Shop located in the Ohsweken Speedway pits with the Mini Stocks scheduled to get underway at 11:00 AM followed by the Thunder Stocks at 11:45.

Anyone intending to compete in either division in 2008 or wishing to influence any changes to the current rules package is encouraged to attend. 2008 rules will be posted on the Ohsweken Speedway website at www.ohswekenspeedway.com within one week after this meeting is held.

Ron Fellows to appear at Autobahn on Saturday, Dec. 1

On Saturday, Dec. 1 (from noon to 2 p.m.), Canadian racing legend Ron Fellows is making a personal appearance at AUTOBAHN (in Sherway Gardens Mall; 25 The West Mall, Unit 2 (QEW & 427), Toronto, ON).

For additional information, contact: Manny Silva, (msilva@autobahn.ca) 416-201-9877.

BMW World Final: Maxime Pelletier tackles Valencia finale

Maxime Pelletier tackles Valencia Formula BMW finale
 
Valencia, November 22nd, 2007. –   Maxime Pelletier will tackle the biggest challenge in his still young career as he enters the Formula BMW World Final at the Circuit de la Communitat in Valencia, Spain. In top mental and physical shape, Pelletier will be among the 35 driver roster looking for top laurels in this finale that joins the best racers from the four BMW series around the world.
 
The 17 year-old who now hails out of Saint-Donat in the Quebec Laurentians is returning to the race facility where he became a BMW USA scholar. He finished fourth in the 2007 14-round standings and will steer again his FB02 HBR Motorsports single seater. Pelletier admits competition will be fierce but has put many wild cards in his hand for the occasion.
 
"Even if my last racing program goes back a while, claims Pelletier, I feel great and I head into this world finale with a very strong team. We left no stone unreturned. My trainer and nutritionist traveled to Europe and we arrived a week ago in France where my family comes from. I will be working with Peter Argetsinger who also trains the drivers in the US series. My team HBR has put together a German team that carried a complete revision of my car; they know the Valencia track very well and have comprehensive data. We are working on numerous strategies and will be ready for every situation. Here in Spain, the usual communication systems are banned and we will go back to the trackside board. I will team up with Brazilian Ricardo Favoretto: we get along fine and have spent six race weekends together."
 
A four-day program
Thursday will be devoted to technical procedures and driver meetings. The BMW Sauber F1 team will be on hand with demonstrations from Nick Heidfeld and Timo Glock. Work starts on Friday with a long morning free practice session from 9:00 AM to 1:50 PM, followed by a qualifying session from 2:30 to 3:45 PM. Finally, the top eight drivers will go into a super pole shootout from 4:45 to 5:15 PM.
Saturday, drivers will be spread into six groups and four will take to the track for 75 minutes heat races. Sunday morning the last two groups will do the same and the reds will go out on the World Final at 2:50 PM for a 45 minute-event.
 
"It's a long weekend and I must be fully concentrated in the car and when I work with the engineers, admits Pelletier. We have to be perfect but the Friday sessions are critical if we want to do well. My goal on Friday would be to take part in the Super Pole session."
 
  Maxime Pelletier just completed his second season in Formula BMW USA in 4th place overall with the Austrian Hillebrand Motorsports team. For 2008, he is considering entering the new Formula BMW Europe series or eventually Formula 3 Euroseries. He may be reached at maxime@maximepelletier.com.
 
From: Michel Poirier-Defoy

Sauble Speedway 2007 Banquet Photo Gallery

On Saturday, Nov. 17, Sauble Speedway held its year-end banquet. During the proceedings, Joe and Sue Chisholm announced that they had sold the popular stock car facility to a family that has a long history of participation in the sport at Sauble and elsewhere.

From saublespeedway.com: "Joe Chisholm announced the sale of Sauble Speedway to Jason and Aimee Thom. Jason is the son of Bruce Thom of Thom Construction in Owen Sound. Jason in his early teens started racing at Sauble Speedway in a Late Model, Jason advanced his career to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series . Jason and Aimee have a lot to offer the sport of auto racing."

All the best to the Thoms as they put their mark on Sauble Speedway. And congratulations to the Chisholms for their efforts at Sauble and with the long-running ALSTAR Late Model Series.

Thanks to Joe and Sue Chisholm for the photos from the banquet. A PDF of the winners and other award winners is located here.

CRC: Mitsubishi announces three-year travel, contingency and award programs

Mississauga, ONT. (Nov. 21, 2007) - MISSISSAUGA, Ont. - Totally consistent with Mitsubishi's international racing and rally heritage, Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada Inc. (MMSCAN) have announced a three year commitment to a national "rally support program" that encourages amateur participation in organized rallysport - and directly benefits competitors, volunteers, promoters, organizers and fans of the Canadian Rally Championship (CRC). Canadian rally and motorsport enthusiasts have been eagerly anticipating Mitsubishi's formal involvement with the Canadian rally scene ever since Mitsubishi arrived in Canada five years ago, and will no doubt enthusiastically welcome this announcement.

Launched under the aggressive banner "Mitsubishi. We've come to race.", this multi-tiered program has been carefully structured to provide several levels of support for all eligible Mitsubishi competitors - plus additional merit based rewards, and recognition for achieving certain goals. This singular program is designed to complement existing CRC programs, to offer meaningful assistance for private competitors, and to help infuse the Mitsubishi brand and competitive philosophy into the fabric of the Canadian rally community and its fans.

"The benefits of Mitsubishi's on-going success in world rally championship wins can be seen directly in the automotive engineering and design success of the all new 2008 Lancer Evolution", said Koji Soga, President and CEO of MMSCAN. "The innovation and benefits brought to our street vehicles can be linked directly to our motorsports heritage."

"Mitsubishi is revered for its durability and engineering prowess" said Larry Futers, Director National Marketing, MMSCAN, "Our cars and trucks have competed in organized competitions all over the world. Events like Paris to Dakar, the Monte Carlo Rally, the Baja 1000, and, the formula one of rallying; the World Rally Championship. But in Canada, we're not that well known, yet."

The new program will debut on the weekend of Nov 24-25 in Bancroft Ontario, at the Rally of the Tall Pines - an internationally known motorsport event, and the last competition of the 2007 Canadian Rally Championship calendar. Eligible events for the Mitsubishi Rally Support Program include all six Canadian Rally Championship events - which begin in February of each year and finish in November - and Targa Newfoundland, a unique, high speed, pavement only adventure that takes place on public roads in Newfoundland every September, and hosts exotic rally cars from around the world.

Key elements of the three year Mitsubishi Rally Support Program:

Money for Travel - A travel subsidy will be provided to all eligible Mitsubishi teams entered in Canadian Rally Championship events. Amounts will vary between $200 and $400 depending on the distance traveled by the competitor.

Subsidized Entry Fee - All eligible Mitsubishi rally teams that start a Canadian Rally Championship event, or Targa Newfoundland, will receive $600.

Event Awards Contingencies - A results based rewards program featuring cash awards for overall finishes in both Canadian Rally Championship Events and Targa Newfoundland. Winners will be divided into two categories - 2WD ($250, $500, $1,000) and AWD ($750, $1,000, $1,250).

The Mitsubishi Cup - Year end awards and recognition for participating teams, with categories for both 2WD and AWD. To provide the resources needed to achieve in the following season, the Mitsubishi Cup will award the top ranking Mitsubishi teams with cash prizes ($1,250, $2,500, $5,000) for both 2WD and AWD competitors

Local Event Support - The program also includes support for some local rally events and digs deep into the grass roots to acknowledge the contribution of the volunteers who are the core of the sport.

Getting on the Web - Beginning in the 2008 season, space will be reserved on an upcoming Mitsubishi Rally website where participating teams will have the opportunity to showcase their efforts, post videos and blog entries, dialogue with fellow racers, and reach out to fans.

Merchandise / Promotion - Mitsubishi branded clothing and other promotional items will be provided to participating teams and some volunteers, with plans to make this clothing available to the public through dealers shortly thereafter. Promotional displays and a strong Mitsubishi presence will be part of every CRC event. And event organizers will be compensated for Mitsubishi's use of space.

"It's all about the competitors, continued Futers, "we want young Canadians competing in our cars. Tough as nails competition in a controlled environment. That's why we're in this. To encourage organized participation, to get folks talking, to spread our style, our philosophy, our enthusiasm. I want to see a red wave of Mitsubishi jackets at every rally, because we're here to race."

This enthusiastic sentiment is clearly reflected in initial comments from CRC entrants. "As a competitor who has competed every year since 2002 in the Canadian Rally Championship, I am over the moon to see Mitsubishi officially involved. Not only is the whole history of the brand interwoven with rally, but as a driver and car builder I can tell you that the Mitsubishi Evolution is the best out of the box rally car that there is. That's why I run them. Also, this program is very well thought out and will be a huge assistance to competitors running Mitsubishis. And Mitsubishi teams are some of the most die-hard competitors of all." said rally driver and car builder Andrew Comrie-Picard. For more information and pictures go to Andrew's site at, http://www.musketeerracing.com/

"A multi-facetted program like the one announced by Mitsubishi in Canada will have a very positive impact on the sport in this country. It is not only excellent incentive for existing competitors, I'm sure it will attract new teams and raise the level of competition everywhere," said Jorge Dascollas, president of the Canadian Association of Rallysport. "This is a very welcome development from a much respected company with a great motorsport history."

Vehicle Eligibility - Open to any entrant of any Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution vehicle of any age and any entrant of any other Mitsubishi automobile of model year 1998 or later. To be eligible for the awards, the entrant must be considered a starter of the event under CARS rules. Any vehicles entered by MMSCAN are not eligible for program awards.

Canadian Rally Championship events are national in scope and are run by the Canadian Association of Rallysport (CARS) under the auspices of the ASN / FIA, the world governing body for motorsport. These events are comprised of fully prepared rally cars racing against the clock in "special stages" on closed public roads in every imaginable road condition, day and night, winter and summer. Often traveling at speeds over 160 km per hour these high strung competition vehicles containing a driver and a navigator showcase the ultimate in car control and are a blast to watch. Rallysport is growing steadily in North America and Mitsubishi has been a leader worldwide in this sport for many years. More information on Rallysport may be obtained at http://www.carsrally.ca/CARSRally/.

Targa Newfoundland is one of three remaining all tarmac road / rally events in the world, the others being held in Tasmania and New Zealand. Various classes of fully prepared rally cars and carefully prepared production cars compete in several categories over five consecutive days on the public highways. It is a grueling test of courage, skill and determination where, as the organizers say, cars are driven as they were meant to be, within an organized framework. More information on Targa Newfoundland may be found at http://www.targanewfoundland.com/.

The advent of the Mitsubishi Rally Support Program is timely as the motorsport world is widely anticipating the spring 2008 introduction of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution high performance AWD compact sedan, to the Canadian market. The Evolution is a state of the art performance vehicle almost ready to rally, out of the box.

"The whole company is excited about the Lancer Evolution" said Futers, "It's a magical car and it comes at a magical time for Mitsubishi in Canada."

From Susan Elliott / Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada, Inc.

The Rock is Back

ROCKINGHAM, N.C. (Nov. 20, 2007) - Race fans that have missed the sounds of engines at �The Rock� will not have to wait any longer with racing to resume in 2008 after a four year absence. Rockingham Speedway will host the ARCA RE/MAX Series on May 4th with the inaugural Carolina 500 for the ARCA Series and will also host the season-ending Hooter�s Pro Cup event on November 1st.
 
Gene McLaurin, Mayor of Rockingham, NC was the first in line to purchase tickets. �I am proud to be the first purchaser to the inaugural race at Rockingham Speedway,� said Mayor McLaurin. �Andy Hillenburg and staff are off to a great start and I hope race fans will join me as we get ready to return to The Rock.�
 
Tickets for both events are now on sale to the public, just in time for the Holidays. The Carolina 500 ticket prices are $35 for all seats in the Front Stretch Rockingham Grandstands and $30 for all seats in the Turns 1 and 2 Grandstands. Infield General Admission is $20 per person for the 312-lap event on Sunday.
 
Saturday May 3rd will feature two qualifying sessions to determine the race field for the 50-car starting grid. Saturday tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children 12 and under as well as free admission for service men and women in uniform in each grandstand and for the infield General Admission. Practice on Friday May 2nd will be open free to the public.
 
Ticket prices for the American 200, the first race for the Hooter�s Pro Cup Series at the Rockingham Speedway are $25 for reserved seats located in the Turns 1 and 2 Grandstands, $28 for reserved seats in the Rockingham Grandstands and $20 for infield General Admission.
 
Practice and qualifying for the 200-lap Hooter�s Pro Cup event will be held on Friday October 31st. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children 12 and under and free for kids dressed in costume as well as service men and women in uniform.
 
Fans can also purchase Combo Tickets for both events at a price of $58 for reserved seats in the Rockingham Front stretch and $50 for reserved seats in the Turns 1 and 2 Grandstands.
 
Rockingham Speedway will also offer special sections reserved for families in both grandstands that are free of smoke and alcohol.

From Rockingham Raceway Park
 

Heading to the Rally of the Tall Pines? Don't forget this!

Click here or on the cover (at right) to download the 2007 Rally of the Tall Pines Spectator Guide, which was produced by Inside Track Communications. The main event takes place this Saturday (Nov. 24) in the Bancroft (ON) area. The PDF file of the 32-page Spectator Guide is almost 6 Mb and includes everything you'll need to enjoy the event, including schedules, maps, entry lists and team profiles.

For more information about the Rall of the Tall Pines, click here.

OSCAAR 2007 Banquet Photo Gallery, by Dave Franks

130 pictures from Dave Franks (Thanks Dave!) from the 2007 OSCAAR Outlaw Super Late Model Series banquet, held on Nov. 17. Congratulations to champion Derrick Tiemersma and his team on their season, as well as to all the other members of the OSCAAR family. The issue of Inside Track currently on press features our extensive OSCAAR Year In Review section, so watch for that in the mail starting next week.

NASCAR Nextel Cup: Season in Review

From NASCAR

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 21, 2007) – Sixteen drivers won NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races, including all 12 drivers who participated in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup.

The lead in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup changed hands following each of the first five Chase races, but Jeff Gordon led the point standings in each of the next four weeks following consecutive victories at Talladega and Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Jimmie Johnson posted three consecutive victories at Martinsville, Atlanta and Texas to move back into the lead in the championship standings by 30 points. His fourth straight win (Phoenix) gave Johnson an 86-point lead entering the season finale where he posted a seventh-place finish to claim his second straight series title.

2007 Season Highlights
• At Bristol, The Car of Tomorrow made its debut.
• At Talladega, Jeff Gordon won his 77th career race, breaking a tie with Dale Earnhardt for sixth on the all-time win list. Gordon had tied Earnhardt’s mark of 76 wins the prior week in Phoenix.
• Hendrick Motorsports posted six consecutive victories (second Talladega through second Phoenix), the first time since Petty Enterprises won 10 straight in 1967 that an organization had won six straight.
• Four drivers posted career-first victories: Casey Mears, Martin Truex Jr., Juan Pablo Montoya and Clint Bowyer.
• With his win at Infineon Raceway, Montoya, from Colombia, became the first foreign-born race winner since Canadian Earl Ross in 1974.
• Two of the top-10 closest finishes since the advent of electronic timing (1993) have occurred this season, both at Daytona International Speedway. The Daytona 500 on Feb. 18 had a ninth-closest margin of victory of 0.020 and the Pepsi 400 on July 7 had a margin of victory of 0.005, which is tied for second-closest.
• Jimmie Johnson posted four consecutive victories (Martinsville-Phoenix) – the longest winning streak in Chase history – and the first time a driver had won four straight since Jeff Gordon in 1998.

All-time Record
• Jeff Gordon scored his 12th restrictor-plate victory with his win at Talladega and became the all-time leader in restrictor-plate victories. He broke a tie with Dale Earnhardt.

Qualifying
• There have been 18 different Bud Pole winners led by Jeff Gordon (seven). Qualifying was canceled at Texas, second Daytona and Watkins Glen due to inclement weather.
• The all-time record for the number of different pole winners is 24 (1957) and the Modern Era record is 18 (1997, 2001 and 2007).
• There were four first-time pole winners this season: Clint Bowyer, Reed Sorenson, J.J. Yeley and Martin Truex Jr.
• There has been a first-time pole winner each season since 1987 – 21 consecutive years.
• Ryan Newman’s pole at Atlanta ended a streak of 20 races without a pole – the longest of his career.
• Jimmie Johnson leads all other drivers with 26 top-10 starts this season.
• Every pole winner led a lap in the race in which he won the pole except for J.J. Yeley at the second Michigan race.

The Races
• There were 16 different race winners, led by Jimmie Johnson (10).
• There were four first-time race winners this season: Casey Mears, Martin Truex Jr., Juan Pablo Montoya and Clint Bowyer.
• There were back-to-back victories eight times this season:
Jimmie Johnson (Las Vegas-Atlanta), (California-Richmond) and (Martinsville-Atlanta-Texas-Phoenix)
Jeff Gordon (Phoenix-Talladega) and (Talladega-Lowe’s)
Tony Stewart (Chicago-Indianapolis).
• There were four season sweeps this season: Jimmie Johnson (Richmond, Martinsville and Atlanta) and Jeff Gordon (Talladega).
• Four races were won from the pole in 2007: Phoenix (Jeff Gordon), Talladega (Jeff Gordon), second Richmond (Jimmie Johnson) and second New Hampshire (Clint Bowyer).
• Jeff Gordon posted 21 top-five and 30 top-10 finishes – both more than any other driver. Gordon’s 30 top-10 finishes broke the modern era record for top-10s in a season held by Dale Jarrett (1999).
• There were four final lap passes for the victory this season – both Daytona races, Texas and second Talladega.

Sweeps
• There have been 158 season sweeps in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series.
• Jimmie Johnson won both races at Richmond, Martinsville and Atlanta this season – giving him nine career season sweeps. Johnson has posted at least one season sweep in five of the last six seasons (he did not sweep a track in 2006).
• Richard Petty holds the all-time record for season sweeps with 23.
• Jeff Gordon swept Talladega, just the seventh time a driver has won both races in a season at Talladega.

Laps Completed
• No driver completed every lap in 2007.
• Kevin Harvick led the series in laps completed with 10,431 of 10,582.

Laps Led
• No driver led in every race this season.
• Jimmie Johnson led in 24 races, more than any other driver.
• Jeff Gordon leads in bonus points for leading laps with 150.
• Jeff Gordon has led a series-high 1,300 of the 10,582 laps – 12.3% of the laps raced.
• Thirteen different drivers have led the most laps in a race: Jeff Gordon (seven), Kurt Busch (five), Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth (four), Denny Hamlin (three), Clint Bowyer, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch (two), Carl Edwards, Robby Gordon, Kasey Kahne (one).

Rookie Performance
• Juan Pablo Montoya won the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Raybestos Rookie of the Year Award. Montoya lead David Ragan by 24 points in the final tally (276-252).
• Four different drivers were the highest-finishing rookie at least once this season: Juan Pablo Montoya (17), David Ragan (14), Paul Menard (four) and AJ Allmendinger (two).
• The best finish by a rookie has been first by Juan Pablo Montoya at Infineon Raceway.
• Juan Pablo Montoya (20th) ranked highest among the rookies in the point standings.

Penalties
• There have been 537 on-track penalties issued this season.
• Every team that has competed in two or more races this season has received at least one on-track penalty.
• Penalty Recap:
Pitting Before Pit Road is Open 316
Too Fast Entering Pit Road 37
Too Fast Exiting Pit Road 81
Others 103

Points
• Only two drivers have ranked in the top 12 in points for every race: Jeff Burton and Jeff Gordon.
• Robby Gordon finished the season ranked 26th in the points – the highest of those who did not compete in every race.

The Chase
• Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon both had 5,210 points after the first Chase race. Johnson held the number one position based on the tiebreaker of six wins to Gordon’s four.
• Gordon assumed the points lead at Dover with Johnson retaking the top spot after Kansas.
• The third change in the point leader took place at Talladega when Gordon moved back into the lead.
• The fourth change in the point leader came after Texas with Johnson regaining the lead by 30 points.
• The 77-point margin that Jimmie Johnson claimed the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup championship by was the largest margin in the history of the Chase.

Changes up Front
The record for changes in the point leader in the four year history of the Chase is four (2006 and 2007). The fourth change in the point leader in both seasons took place in the eighth race.

Manufacturer
• Chevrolet won the manufacturer point standings with 290 points to 208 for Ford, 178 for Dodge and 116 for Toyota.
• Chevrolet clinched the manufacturers’ championship at Richmond.
• Chevrolet won 26 races. Ford had seven wins and Dodge three.
• Chevrolet scored its 600th NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victory with Kyle Busch’s win at Bristol. Busch’s victory was the first for the Chevrolet Impala since Wendell Scott won at Jacksonville (Fla.) Speedway Park on Dec. 1, 1963.
• Toyota scored its first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup top five when Brian Vickers finished fifth at Charlotte in May and its best finish of the season with Dave Blaney’s third-place posting at second Talladega.
• Chevrolet posted 26 victories this season, breaking a tie with Buick (1982) for the most victories by a manufacturer in the modern era. Plymouth holds the all-time record for victories in a season with 31 in 1967 – a 49-race season.

MAHLE Clevite Canada Completes Acquisition of Engine Parts One

NIAGARA ON THE LAKE, ONTARIO (NOV. 15, 2007) - MAHLE Clevite Canada ULC announced today that they completed the purchase of Canadian Engine Parts 1 Inc.  Engine Parts 1 currently serves the Canadian engine parts market with 5 strategically located warehouses across the country - this Acquisition transfers ownership to MAHLE Clevite Canada.

This transaction enables MAHLE Clevite to position itself to better service the needs of the Canadian engine parts market.  Additionally, this supports the implementation of the MAHLE Clevite value-added initiatives allowing them to focus directly on servicing the engine parts aftermarket in concert with their customer base. This MAHLE Clevite initiative also establishes an important step in assuring our valued customers of the long-term commitment for the supply of MAHLE Original, Clevite, Perfect Circle and Victor Reinz products.

Michael Tate, MAHLE Clevite general manager says, "The acquisition of Engine Parts 1 is a great arrangement for our customers.  It allows us to deliver our premier engine parts, combined with the utmost level of service and engine expertise that we are known for."

MAHLE Clevite Inc. is one of the world's largest suppliers of pistons, valve train parts, engine bearings, piston rings, and engine gaskets. MAHLE Clevite brands include MAHLE Original® pistons, assemblies, valves, cylinder liners, Clevite® engine bearings and engine parts, Victor Reinz® gaskets and Perfect Circle® piston rings. In addition, Clevite®, Victor Reinz® and Perfect Circle® are official NASCAR® Performance Products. MAHLE Clevite's Internet address is www.mahleclevite.com.

The MAHLE Group is one of the 30 largest automotive suppliers worldwide. As the leading manufacturer of combustion engine components, systems and peripherals, MAHLE is among the top 3 suppliers for piston systems, cylinder components, valve train systems via air management systems and liquid management systems. MAHLE employs more than 40,000 employees in 110 production plants and in seven research and development centers. In 2006, MAHLE generated sales in excess of EUR 4.3 billion (USD 5.8 billion).

T.O. STAR: Steelback in "liquidity crisis"

From the Toronto Star....

"Generic drug entrepreneur Barry Sherman has gained court protection for D'Angelo Brands and Steelback Breweries in efforts to save the two former high-flying beverage companies which together owe his family firm more than $120 million.
Justice Sarah Pepall quietly issued an order late last week for a stay of any proceedings by creditors against the two insolvent companies until Sherman's Wasanda Enterprises attempts to file a restructuring plan...."

"At D'Angelo Brands, Sherman also noted in the affidavit that media and sponsorship commitments did not reflect sales..."

Steelback is the title sponsor of the GP of Toronto Champ Car race.

SCCA SPEED WORLD CHALLENGE SET TO RETURN TO MOSPORT IN 2008

(BOWMANVILLE, ON - NOVEMBER 20, 2007) Six classic racing venues have been confirmed for the 2008 SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge schedule. Among these destinations is Mosport International Raceway's famed 4 km road course, which will host the Series (both GT and Touring Car), for the 18th time as part of the Mobil 1 presents the Grand Prix of Mosport, Aug. 21-24. Mosport has hosted more SPEED World Challenge races than any other track in Series history.

For the third year in-a-row, the SPEED GT cars will hit the streets of Long Beach in April with the Champ Car World Series and American Le Mans Series. The following weekend, SPEED Touring Car teams are off to Virginia International Raceway to join the Rolex Sports Car Series. The 2008 event will mark only the second time in history the series has raced at this venerable road course.

In May, both classes reunite for a showdown in the desert at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah with the American Le Mans Series. The series returns to historical Watkins Glen International in June with the Rolex Sports Car Series, then joins the American Le Mans Series and the Indy Racing League for a repeat a highly successful event at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in July, followed by Mosport.

The remainder of the schedule is expected to be announced shortly.

2008 SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge Schedule
Date                         Track/Venue
April 18 – 20          Grand Prix of Long Beach (GT only)
April 25 – 27          Virginia International Raceway (Touring Car only)
May 16 – 18           Miller Motorsports Park (GT and Touring Car)
June 5 – 8               Watkins Glen International (GT and Touring Car)
July 17 – 20            Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (GT and Touring Car)
August 21 – 24     Mosport International Raceway (GT and Touring Car)
 
From Lee Bailie, Mosport

RICK @ the RACES... Retro #18 from Rick Young

By Rick Young

Photos:
PIC 1   Grass Track racing at the circuit at Bleak Hall , Milton Keknes in 1980
PIC 2   Pat about to take a photo of racing at Rochdale in June 1980
PIC 3  A Ford Escort Hot Rod spins out at the Gannita Circuit, Gendt, Netherland in July 1980
PIC 4  The start of the Hot Rod Feature/Final at the Gannita Circuit, Gendt, Netherlands July 1980
PIC 5  Richie Ahern # 18 on the Grand Parade lap at Ringwood track in August 1980
PIC 6  My old Buddy Chris Pickup # 50 debuts his Austin Allegro bodied F1 at Brafield 1980
PIC 7  Jamie Pfeifer # USA 99 in the loaned Bob Tanser car at Brafield 1980
PIC 8  Jim McLure # USA 3 in his loaned Frankie Wainman car at the Coventry World Final 1980
PIC 9  Phil Libby # USA 81 in his loaned Frankie Wainman car at the Coventry World Final 1980
PIC 10  That's Phil Libby and me at the Beech Ridge Speedway, Scarborough, Maine 2005
PIC 11  Stuart Smith # 391 winner of the 1980 BriSCA F1 World Final, picured at Brafield 1980
PIC 12  COLIN HERRIDGE PHOTO of Start Smith Jnr # 390, 2007 BriSCA F1 World Final winner
PIC 13  DAVE PIERCE # 320 the 1980 SUPERSTOX World Final winner ( photo at Ipswich 1980)
PIC 14  The Friedhelm Welters # 8 car has it's roof sprayed gold on the Baarlo start line Sept 1980
PIC 15  A happy looking Friedhelm Welters # 8  after winning the 1980 Long Track W/F at Baarlo
PIC 16  From left to Right, Miss NACO, UK promotor Warren Taylor, 1980 Long Track winner , Friedhelm Welters, UK promotor Stu Bamforth, and NACO boss Jac Van Claes.

Intro.... RICK @ the RACES 'RETRO' is an ongoing story of my life and times at the races. My first taste of stock car racing was at the Foxhall Stadium (Ipswich UK) when I was taken there by my parents as a 'toddler' in the late 1950's. I became a regular race fan during my school days and raced my first BriSCA F1 Stock Car at the age of 20. Since then I've moved to Ontario, Canada where, at present, I'm heavily involved in the DIRT Modified scene. RICK YOUNG.

Quite often I'm asked, how I remember all this stuff, which happened all those years ago, so let me explain. From the earliest times as a school kid, I 'ticked off' my yearly fixture/schedule cards and kept them as keepsakes. I also wrote down in my diaries where I'd been, as well keeping my race day programs which were meticulously filled out with results. Most of these I still have to this day, and have used them for research. Alas, over the years some of my records have gone missing and I have to rely on old magazines to jog my memory. Every now and then after sending out my "RETRO' reports I come across somewhere I've been, but forgot to mention. With this in mind, I have two places to add, that should have been included in my previous reports. In the late 1970's during the height of the SCOTA/FISCA F1 days , I visited the Wisbech Stadium in Cambridgeshire. I went there at least twice. The second track I failed to mention was the Grass Track course at Bleak Hall in Milton Keynes which should have been included in my last report ( RETRO # 17) . I went there in the first part of 1980. It was a small temporary circuit for grass-racers located just outside of Bletchley in the new city of Milton Keynes, a short distance from my home in Totternhoe, near Dunstable.

Before returning to the story, here's a short recap...
In May 1980 I met Pat, who would later become my wife, then at the end of the month I re-visited the Baarlo Auto Speedway in the Netherlands for racing weekend which got tragically shortened.
It was also at this time that I became know as 'Rick' for the first time. I was christened with the name of Richard, but during my school days it was shortened to 'Dick'. Pat preferred to call me 'Rick' , so from then on, that was the name I answered to... although I must add, to save confusion when I renewed my racing career in 1983, I still used the name 'Dick Young # 67'

The Second Half of 1980.
On June 21, Pat accompanied me to the races for the first time, when we visited the Leicester Stadium on Blackbird Rd . It didn't take much to persuade her to come along, as she'd watched stock-car racing and motor-cycle speedway in the past , at her local Poole and Ringwood tracks near to her south-coast hometown of Bournemouth. I could not have chosen a better night for her first baptism of up-country racing. Leicester was always noted as one of the best action tracks in the UK and this particular night was probably the most memorable of all time. The great Richie Ahern # 18 was involved in a spectacular crash with Steve Bateman # 427 where both cars rolled-over , with Richie's car flying so high , it cleared the safety fence and landed on the greyhound track. Sadly, Leicester became another of those great tracks lost to the housing developer.

The following weekend we made a road trip to the North of England in Pat's Fiat X19 two-seater sports car, where we attended the BriSCA F1 races at Belle Vue, Manchester and the Rochdale Stadium. Lancs. ( 28/29 June)

During the previous winter I'd bought a Ford Capri 2 litre V4 , which turned out to be the biggest piece of junk I ever owned ! We made plans for a caravaning/racing vacation in July, where it would make it's 'maiden voyage' across the English Channel. The engine had a bit of a 'smoke' coming from it, so in preparation, I decided to put in a new set of piston rings. It was no big deal, and a job I'd done on plenty of engines in the past. On Friday night (July 18) , we set off from Dunstable with my Mum and Dads borrowed caravan on-tow heading for the ferry port of Dover. We had just past the Lydden Hill exit on the M2 when there was a big bang and the Capri came to a halt. After a quick inspection it was obvious a serious engine failure had occurred, with a hole in the engine block and a con-rod poking through the side. After walking across the fields to a nearby farm house I used their phone ( we had no mobile/cel phone in those days) to get help. Luckily I had taken out AA (Automobile Association) Five Star Travel Insurance which covered eventualities like this. The Car and Caravan were towed to a local garage while a taxi took us to a hotel in Dover. The next day, while arrangements were being made for the return of the car and caravan to Dunstable we crossed the Channel as foot passengers to Calais in France. From Calais we rented a Talbot Horizon so we could continue with our vacation plans. Without a caravan, it meant the extra cost of staying in hotels, so we decided to make it a one week trip instead of two. We spent a few days touring the Rhine Valley of Germany before heading for the Gannita Circuit, at Gendt in the Netherlands. The track which was part of the Jac Van Claes NACO organization was located between Nigmegan and Arnhem. All the NACO divisions were present, although there was only a hand full of F1 Stock Cars. Hot Rods were the headline division that day.

Let me Digress... For my readers around the world not familiar with "Hot Rods', let me explain . They are a 4 cylinder non-contact full-fendered division that started in the UK in the mid-sixties. I've witnessed them in action many times over the years from 1965 onwards, but they never really 'did much' for me. My best recollections of them were from the late 70's on the rare occasions when they performed on shale ( dirt) at Wimbledon where the George Polley # 306 and Barry Lee # 351 duels were awesome !

On our return to the UK , I had my Ford Capri to get back on the road, so another engine was bought from a wreckers yard, and installed.

I later found out from a mechanic at my local Ford dealership why the original engine 'let go' . Like I said , I'd done plenty of 'piston-ring jobs' in the past and had never had the need to replace the con-rod bolts. Apparently with this type of engine new ones should always be used once they've been removed. ...Well, you live and learn !

The Superstox World Final was held at the Cowdenbeath Raceway in Scotland on Sunday Aug 17 and was won by Dave Pierce # 320 of Dorking , Surrey. I missed this one, but did attend the F3 Stock Car World Final at Crayford in Kent ( Aug 22). My old friend Brian Holmes was competing in the race that was won by Simon Peters # 60 from Leyton ( North London). The BriSCA F2 World Final was held later in the year ( Sept 28) , at the Hartlepool Stadium ( which I didn't attend) and won by David Bunt # 595 of Plymouth, Devon. So in 1980 there were three events labeled as "World Finals" for a similar type of stock car.

On August 25 the BriSCA F1's returned to the Matchams Park Stadium at Ringwood after a more than a decade and I was there to see one of my old friends , Danny Clarke from Kettering, Northants get the big win.

The 1980 BriSCA F1 World Final was held at the Coventry Stadium and Stuart Smith # 391 of Rochdale, Lancs won his second title. (Incidentally, this year, his youngest son Stuart Jnr # 390 won the 2007 BriSCA F1 World Championship at the Kings Lynn Speedway.) At Coventry as well as the usual Netherlands representatives there were three drivers from the USA in loaned cars . They were Jamie Pfeifer # USA 99 a Late Model driver from California, and New England Modified pilots, Phil Libby # USA 81 and Jim Mclure # USA 3 from the Beech Ridge Speedway in Maine. The Beech Ridge connection was a new affiliation with BriSCA and continued for the next couple of years. Mclure returned the following year for the 1981 event at Bradford and Libby was back for the Belle Vue race in 1982. I chatted to Phil Libby following the Belle Vue event and met up with him again in 2005. I recently reconnected with both Jim and Phil for an article I was doing for SHORT CIRCUIT MAGAZINE. I traveled up to the Beech Ridge Speedway where I was introduced to many of the people involved in those early 1980's exchange visits.

Another visitor to Coventry was a race fan named Rieks Delicaat who my buddy Colin Herridge and I , had befriended on our Baarlo trip in May. It was his first taste of UK racing and he was staying at Colin's place in Dunstable . He offered to return the favor the following weekend.

Just one week after the Coventry World Final, the BriSCA entourage, me included were back in mainland Europe for the Long Track World Final at Baarlo in the Netherlands ( 13/14 Sept) . I still had little faith in my Ford Capri so Pat and I joined Colin and his girlfriend Kim in their Toyota for the trip. This was just a quick 'whistle stop' visit and we all stayed at Rieks place in nearby Heerlen. Popular winner of the 1980 event was Friedhelm Welters # 8 who I'd seen in victory lane earlier in the year.

For the rest of the 1980 season all my regular tracks were visited including Coventry, Leicester, Brafield and Long Eaton as well as a late season excursion to Skegness on the east coast. Making a late start to the season was my old friend Chris Pickup # 50 who I'd known since teenage days and shared my first stock car with. He had been busy building a new car with what must have been the only stock car to use an Austin Allegro body. It had a 425 Buick engine covered by long hood and a Mercedes radiator grille . In later years I would be the owner of this car .

Towards the end of the year Pat and I had become engaged, and with the winter months ahead, had our wedding planned for March 1981.

1981 to follow...

Sauble Speedway sold to Jason and Aimee Thom

SAUBLE BEACH, ON - The 2007 Drivers awards banquet was one heck of a celebration as over 200 people congregated for the End Season Championship ceremonies, master of ceremonies, long time announcer Jim Irvine, and Bob Bannister.

Three new faces were inducted onto the wall of fame at the beach: Rick and Larry McCulloch, along with long time race director Ross Potter, who has now retired.

Joe Chisholm announced the sale of Sauble Speedway to Jason and Aimee Thom.  Jason is the son of Bruce Thom of Thom Construction in Owen Sound.  Jason in his early teens started racing at Sauble Speedway in a Late Model, Jason advanced his career to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Jason and Aimee have a lot to offer the sport of auto racing.

Jason and Aimee Thom have many plans they wish to inject into their new business. They plan on keeping Sauble Speedway�s existing employees, and take the track to the next level. Joe Chisholm will stay on as Marketing Director, and working hand in Hand with the Thoms.

In company to join the Chisholm Family to celebrate in the success of 2007 at Sauble Speedway were many sponsors with the likes of Reg Noble of Reg Nobles Used Cars, Kevin Brown of Bayshore Broadcasting, Jeff Davis of Davis Trophy, Vince from Margarita Ice, Bert Young of East Side Mario�s, Gary and Sari of Life Publications Owen Sound to name a few, along with Mark Reed of Quaker State Canada who Presented Jason Thom the new owner of Sauble Speedway with a Quaker State leather racing jacket.

From Sauble Speedway

Jacques Villeneuve's Homestead Recap

Jacques Villeneuve – UNICEF Tundra Post Race Report

Race: Ford 200
Track: Homestead-Miami Speedway
Date: Friday, Nov. 16, 2007
Started: Third
Finished: 36th
Laps Completed: 81
Total Laps: 138

For Jacques Villeneuve, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway was not only the final race of the 2007 season, but it was also his final NCTS start, as he will join the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series ranks in 2008.

Villeneuve and crew chief "Slugger" Labbe made some serious headway during each practice session Friday morning. The No. 27 UNICEF Tundra was near the top of the speed chart in all three practice sessions and finished as the third-fastest truck in the final practice session. Villeneuve and his team were ready for that afternoon's qualifying session.

Villeneuve ran as hard as he could during qualifying. A great lap of 31.368 seconds placed Villeneuve third on the starting grid for that evening's race and gave Villeneuve his best NCTS start.

As the race got underway, Villeneuve immediately experienced problems. He drifted toward the back of the field, but he tried to regain lost track position by lap 40. By lap 61, Villeneuve had worked his way into the lead.

Villeneuve maintained the lead throughout the next few laps before pitting under caution on lap 77. After the four tire stop, Villeneuve restarted fifth on lap 80. It seemed as if he was on his way to his highest finish ever.

However, on lap 81, Villeneuve's Tundra got loose and backed into the wall. The incident relegated him to the garage area for the remainder of the race. He and the No. 27 UNICEF team were credited with a 36th-place finish.

Villeneuve will now set his sights on 2008 and the upcoming NEXTEL Cup Series season.

From Amanda Smith Mathis / Bill Davis Racing

Canadian rally : L'Estage crowned North American Champion

St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, November 20, 2007 - Antoine L'Estage has been named the overall North American Rally Champion thanks to four outright wins in Canada and a second place in the United States (New England Forest Rally).
 
"The North American Rally Cup is a dream come true," explains Antoine L'Estage. "I have an  excellent score with four wins in Canada and a second place finish in Maine.  These high finishing points allowed me to clinch the title before the official end of the season.  It's a great accomplishment but a second Canadian title is also a huge motivation factor for us this weekend.  The Coyote Rally Team only needs a sixth place finish to win the overall Canadian Championship."

There is only one round remaining in the Canadian rally calendar, which will decide the Canadian champion.  The Rally of the Tall Pines will be contested this weekend in the Bancroft area of Ontario.  The L'Estage-Richard duo could come away with another national title, making it a second for the driver and the co-driver.  Already very familiar with the Ontario region's forest roads - after winning in 2004 and again in 2006 - the team is ensuring that everything is ready for the weekend's competition, which could see them crowned champions for a second year in a row. Once again the preparation of the Concerto Yokohama Hyundai was left in the very capable hands of rally legend John Buffum.
 
"Tall Pines always comes with a lot of uncertainty, namely the weather and road conditions.  This time of year, the gravel roads around Bancroft could easily be covered in snow or ice. I have several types of Yokohama tires to go up against these conditions and I count on my co-driver, Nathalie, to perfectly deliver the notes that we made during the two reconnaissance passes," adds L'Estage. "At Tall Pines, it's also important to identify the spots where the ground may stay frozen, which may cause an additional challenge," comments Nathalie Richard. 
 
Over 45 teams are already registered for this event which takes place in and around the small town of Bancroft, two hours west of Ottawa, on November 23 and 24, 2007.  In total, 179 kms of racing against the clock await the participants, who will travel a total of 524 kms. There will be reconnaissance of the roads on Thrusday and Friday afternoons, followed by the technical inspection.  The official start will be Saturday morning at 9am with 15 timed stages planned for the day, finishing around 10pm.
 
Antoine L'Estage participates in the 2007 Canadian Rally Championship thanks to the support of : Hyundai Canada, les Fenêtres Concerto, Yokohama Tires,  Énergie Cardio, Libra Racing, OMP Racewear, Belle Gueule beer, Castrol Canada and MBF Racing. For more information, please visit Coyote Rallye, a source for rally and the Coyote Rallye Team.
 
From Coyote Rallye Press Services

John Graham survives another caution filled race in Homestead

Homestead, FL (November 17, 2007)…Saturday's NASCAR Busch Series race was a day of finales. The Ford 300 was not only the final race of the 2007 NASCAR Busch Series season, but also the final race for title sponsor Anheuser-Busch. The Ford 300 was an eventful race with 12 cautions for 48 laps. John Graham and the #37 Kickbutt Amped Energy Ballz Ford had a clean race and gained 10 positions from the start of the race to finish in the 31st position.

Prior to starting the race, John Graham thanked his team for all of their hard work this weekend and in all of the races he has driven this year. After the race had been green for several laps, John radioed the crew, "The car feels good." However, he would pit during the first caution on lap five to top-off with fuel. Graham would pit again during the second caution on lap 15 for four tires, fuel, and slight chassis adjustments. The Kickbutt Amped Energy Ballz pit crew had another outstanding 13.2 second pit stop.

On lap 74, Graham radioed to his team, "The car is very comfortable and neutral." Twelve laps later Graham said, "The car is starting to free up." The Kickbutt Amped Energy Ballz crew would pit the car under caution for four tires with an air-pressure and wedge adjustment the next lap. On lap 130, Graham ran his quickest lap of the race and he told the crew, "The changes on the last pit stop sure helped." He would again pit on lap 165 during green flag pit stops for four tires and fuel. Over the next 70 laps Graham methodically made his way to the 31st position.

Quotes from John Graham:
"I want to thank all of the guys on the Kickbutt Amped Energy Ballz team for working hard this weekend. They never gave up and kept making adjustments to get me better all afternoon. They have worked hard all year and I really appreciate all that they have done for me this year. The pit crew has had great stops all year. I appreciate everything that Brewco Motorsports and Kickbutt Amped Energy Ballz have done for me during the 2007 NASCAR Busch Series season."

From Tiffany Bouldin / Brewco Motorsports

Rally of the Tall Pines Presentation

Stouffville (Ontario), November 20, 2007. This coming Saturday, in Bancroft (ON), 44 teams will line up for the Rally of the Tall Pines, last round of the Canadian Rally Championship, presented by Subaru and Castrol. Besides the two contenders for the title, Quebecker Antoine L'Estage and Ontarian Andrew Comrie-Picard, there will be many well-known drivers taking the start.

Favorite to win the event and the championship for a second year in a row, Antoine L'Estage and co-driver Nathalie Richard (both from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC), in a Hyundai Tiburon 4WD, holds a 15 point lead on Andrew Comrie-Picard (Toronto, ON) and American co-driver Marc Goldfarb, in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9. To win the championship, Comrie-Picard and Goldfarb must win the event while L'Estage/Richard finishes no better than 7th. So far this year, both teams have always finished on the podium.

The final battle for the overall championship may be the main feature, but it will not be the only highlight of this event. The Rally of the Tall Pines, the only Ontario event in the Canadian Championship, is posting the most remarkable list of entries seen in the last 10 years. 2005 champions Peter Thomson (Toronto, ON) and Rod Hendricksen (New Jersey, USA) are back for a second national event this year, in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8. Third at Defi Ste-Agathe/Duhamel this past September, Peter Thomson is again aiming for a podium to end his comeback year on a high note.

Third in the championship behind L'Estage and Comrie-Picard, and about to win Production 4 class, Martin Gauvin/Daniel Duchesneau (New-Richmond, QC) will be running their first Tall Pines, as will Craig Henderson and Lyne Murphy (Saint-Constant, QC), the surprise of the 2007 season. Both teams run in Subaru Impreza WRXs.

Six times Canadian Champion, Frank Sprongl (Georgetown, ON) and Brian Maxwell (Port Hope, ON), also in a Lancer, are taking part in their first rally this year. Frank has written much of Canadian rally history and is entered with one desire and that is to win, just like Americans Ken Block and Alex Gelsomino, members of Team Subaru USA, who will take part in their first Canadian rally ever. Of course, they will run an Impreza WRX STi and if the roads are not covered in snow and ice, should be considered front runners to win the event.

Among other notables also expected, Réjean Losier (Blainville, QC) and Philippe Poirier (Saint-Alphonse, QC) will sport a new Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8, while Maine team John Cassidy and Dave Getchell will ride in an open class Subaru Impreza WRX STi.

After finishing 5th at Defi, Ontarian John Vanos and new co-driver Jeff Secor, also in a Subaru Impreza WRX STi, will try to score another top 5. Finally, in Group 5, Ontarians Martin Walter and Ken Lagarec (Nissan 240SX) will take part in the show, even if they have already secured their class title.

The 2007 Rally of the Tall Pines will get underway this coming Saturday at 9:00 AM, in Bancroft. There will be 15 special stages and the first cars should be back around 10:00 PM. Competitors are expecting mud and snow on these treacherous and twisty gravel roads.

For more information on this event, please visit www.tallpinesrally.com. Filming for TV is provided by ATV Productions. For more information on the Canadian Rally Championship and rally events, please visit http://www.carsrally.ca.

From Canadian Association of Rallysport