A1GP: Robert Wickens scores first pole for Canada

February 23, 2008 - After gambling in the first session by waiting to go out, A1 Team Canada would not score a time in the first qualifying session for the sprint race. A red flag stopped the session with only six cars having recorded a time. Once the track was clear, it was all out for a single, one-lap qualifier for the sprint. Most teams elected to go out early in case of another problem on the tight street course in Durban but Robert would wait patiently and this time it paid off.

With a clear track, Robert would go out and take the pole. He would score the fastest sector 2 time and record a lap of 1:18.150 to take the pole by a margin of 0.018 seconds.

In qualifying for the feature race Robert would end the first session off the pace when he had to brake hard for a car on its in lap and lost some time. But he would make up for it in session 2.

He would wait to go out but another red flag nearly scrubbed the session. The track was cleared quickly and there was enough time to get the rest of the field out for their hot lap. Robert would again put in some very fast sectors matching the fastest times in sectors 2 and 3 and bring the car home P2, just 0.112 seconds off pole.

Robert will start both races from the front row - a good place to be on the very tight street course in Durban. and has the opportunity to bring A1 Team Canada forward in the overall championship where they currently sit 10th.

The Sprint Race goes at 04:00 hrs EDT Sunday morning with the feature to follow at 08:00 hrs EDT

Photos: A1GP // From Chris Jameson // Level Ten Communications

NASCAR: Mother Natures Sends Carpentier Packing

Rain washed out practice and qualifying for the Auto Club 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at California Speedway. Carpentier, driving the No. 10 Charter Dodge, was the only rookie left on the outside looking in as officials went to the rulebook to set the 43-car field.

“I’ll tell you now I don’t agree with that rule of top-35 anymore too much," Carpentier said, a smile on his face. "It puts us behind a little bit and for us we were kind of banking on these tracks because we tested here, the first three (tracks) and after that we go to tracks that we haven’t tested at. I said that I knew it was going to be a challenge but I didn’t think it was going to be that big of a challenge. We’ll see. For me, I firmly believe that we’re going to get out of it, going to come back in top-35 but it’s going to take time.”

Scott Riggs battled bravely to put the team in the top-35 last year, but came up short in his efforts before leaving Gillette/Evernham Motorsports. Carpentier is toiling under those efforts through the first five races of the season. Missing the first two events simply puts the affable Canadian that much further behind.

"It’s frustrating," he said when asked. "Like I said to the guys, I think I’m going to start hitchhiking and get a ride for the race so at least I feel what it is. It’s just a rough day for Charter and we had a new sponsor this weekend again so for us it’s tough. You cannot even fight it, you know, so you cannot even try to get in so you just come, you leave. So that’s what's the sad part about it. You know if at least if you give it a shot and you don’t make it you gave it a shot.”

Rain washed away any possibility of Carpentier driving his way into the field. Not having the chance to at least try after sitting through seven hours of track drying, when it wasn't raining, only adds to the frustration level.

“Yeah, it was like they had a couple of guys go look at the track and see if it was okay. That’s what we were talking about. Maybe they should have a couple of go or go homers go look at the track and see if it’s okay [laughter]. It’s sad. All these guys that keep running and running and for me I don’t get track time either. It’s kind of a catch-22. But we’ll do some testing Monday and Tuesday. I’m going to go down to North Carolina and we’re going to test at Rockingham and get back to Vegas.”

REPORT: GP of Toronto is toast for 2008

CityNews is reporting that the deal to end the open wheel war has sealed the fate of the Grand Prix of Toronto for 2008, at least.

The National Post quotes a statement from GP Toronto boss Charlie Johnstone saying, "The unification of Champ Car and IRL is beneficial to race fans, sponsors, event promoters and Canadian motor sports in general. Our team of staff, partners, sponsors and supporters is continuing to work diligently to ensure that Toronto's premier racing festival, the Grand Prix of Toronto, has the most solid foundation on which to build continued success for many years to come. From a sport and business standpoint, the positives outweigh the negatives."

Johnstone's full statement appears on the GrandPrixToronto.com website.

Finally... I just noticed something.
If you go to http://www.torontograndprix.com .... it immediately takes you to IndyCar.com.
That was fast.

DONE DEAL: Champ Car and IRL sign agreement to unify open wheel racing

CHAMP CAR, INDY RACING LEAGUE SIGN AGREEMENT TO UNIFY OPEN WHEEL RACING

INDIANAPOLIS, Friday, Feb. 22, 2008 - Owners of Champ Car and the Indy Racing League completed an agreement in principle Friday that will unify the sport for 2008.

Gerald Forsythe, co-owner of Champ Car, signed an agreement in principle in Chicago, joining his partner Kevin Kalkhoven and Indy Racing League founder and CEO Tony George who had signed late Thursday in Indianapolis.

Details of a press conference about the agreement will be forthcoming.

From John Griffin, Indy Racing League

***

UPDATE (6 p.m.) Watch here for the latest news on the 'merger.' It's a link to the Google news feed.

UPDATE (4:30 p.m.): Eddie Gossage of Texas Motor Speedway reacts to the news...

General reaction: “The fans have won and we have to give Tony George and the Indy Racing League credit for making a generous offer to resolve this issue. This is spectacular news, but we all have to be cautious because the act of unifying open-wheel racing in America is not a cure for all that ails the sport. It is a necessary and huge first step, but there is much work to be done.”

Promoter perspective: “The most important aspect is that the unification brings the promoters the stability of full fields with a depth of talent. Last season, we had a 19-car field and we have not had more than 22 starters since 2002. I’m hopeful that this will provide us with those large fields in excess of 25 cars that used to be commonplace in open-wheel racing. The combination of the larger fields with the talent depth should ultimately result in even more exciting racing for our fans. Fan interest – both at the track and on television – remains critical to growing the sport from this point on. We’ll continue to do our part to make it flourish.”

What Champ Car brings in terms of talent: “The majority of their stars already have come to the IndyCar Series or in the case of Sebastian Bourdais gone to Formula One, but they still have one of the best personalities in the sport in Paul Tracy. There also is a young talent pool led by Bobby Rahal’s son Graham that could benefit from the marketing of the IndyCar Series and help the group emerge as future stars. With the loss of some key IndyCar stars such as Sam Hornish Jr. and Dario Franchitti to NASCAR, this also should immediately help in replenishing the talent pool.”

The fans: “To win back its fans, Indy-car racing now has to be humble, stabilize its schedule, solidify its driver lineup and feverishly market its stars. Every decision by everyone in Indy-car racing needs to be made for what is in the best interest of the fans. Today, the unification of the sport best serves the fans.”

The future: “I hope everyone involved doesn’t immediately think that the unification on its own will have Indy-car racing challenging NASCAR anytime soon. It will help unify the interest in the sport, but it will take everyone in the series to make sacrifices to grow the sport and take it to another level. Promotion, marketing, public relations, driver accessibility and sponsor activation are just a few of the many aspects that will have to take advantage of this long-awaited opportunity.”

NCATS: Ranger suffers broken foot in motorcycle ice race at Valcourt

NASCAR Canadian Tire Series champ Andrew Ranger broke his left foot in three places during a 100 mph crash, during qualifying, for a motorcycle ice race in Valcourt, Quebec last weekend.

A translation of the story on RDS is located here.

According to a representative with Ranger's management group, PSM, the breaks were 'clean' and will require five weeks to heal.

Hopefully, Ranger will be back in dancing shape well in advance of the start of the NCATS season.

Open Wheel Mixed Messages

This story in the Indianapolis Star says:

"Champ Car World Series co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven left Indianapolis shortly before noon today after failing to strike a deal with Indy Racing League president Tony George to unify open-wheel racing in the U.S."

On the other hand, I just got off the phone with a guy who knows a guy who should really know what's going on... and that guy said a press conference announcing the deal will take place this afternoon (Friday).

As an update to an earlier post, it's my understanding that NASCAR is confident that the Edmonton Champ Car date isn't moving.

Place your bets....

PMRA: Competition Tire returns to PMRA as Goodyear contingency sponsor

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, ONTARIO ( February 22, 2008) - The Pro Modified Racing Association Presented by Torco Racing Fuels Ontario is pleased to announce that Competition Tire Canada will again be posting Goodyear Racing Tire contingency awards at each series event for 2008.

"The PMRA has proven itself to be a solid drag racing series," said Craig Fairchild of Competition Tire's Craig Fairchild. "We want to be a part of this, and we will offer a contingency award to the low qualifier and winner of each event if they are running Goodyear Racing Tires."

"Goodyear has won more racing championships than any other tire company in the world," noted Bruce Mehlenbacher, Director of Operations for the PMRA. "I have known the Fairchilds and  Competition Tire for over 20 years and their company has a major history with motorsport. Having them involved in the PMRA series is great, and their faith in the series to return for a third year is rewarding."

Competition Tire Canada is one of Canada's top auto racing suppliers. Based in the Niagara Peninsula, Competition Tire has been offering quality Goodyear motorsport products and service for over two decades in road course, oval track, and drag strip racing.

Goodyear's racing heritage reaches back almost to the very first car race at the turn of the 20th century. In the early years auto makers were just beginning to see the wide-open possibilities of a sport called automobile racing. From then until now -- with one major interruption -- Goodyear's enthusiastic involvement with motorsports has grown as fast as the size of the crowds. The company produces more than one-half million tires a year for races of all kinds, all over the world.

PMRA tour stops in 2008 include two dates at Toronto Motorsports Park in Cayuga, Ontario, Dunn Tire Raceway Park in Lancaster, New York, Sanair in Quebec and the Southwestern Ontario track of Grand Bend Motorplex.

Negotiations are underway with several US race tracks based in Michigan, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania with the plan of presenting a seven-event PMRA drag racing series this season.

Photo Credit: Dale Boeru – CanadianRacingPhotos.com // From Bruce F. Mehlenbacher

Edmonton open-wheel date change could play havoc with the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series schedule

Last night at 11:15, the following statement was issued jointly by the Indy Racing League and the Champ Car World Series:

“The ongoing talks between the Indy Racing League and Champ Car World Series will continue into at least Friday in regards to the unification of open-wheel racing. Any confirmation of unification will be made once an agreement is in place. There are no plans for a news conference at this time. Much progress has been made toward unifying the sport.”

A story in the Indianapolis Star is saying....

"[The IRL's Fred] Nation said there is no cause for concern even though a news conference planned for this morning at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was put on hold.
"Absolutely not," he said. "They made a heck of a lot of progress, but they're not over the hump yet..."

Regarding ownership of the new series, according to the report the discussions aren't building toward a merger. It would be better characterized as a capitulation on the part of Champ Car.

"The IRL is seeking full rights to Indy-style racing, including its history and trademarks. All future races will be held under the IndyCar Series banner, and Champ Car's owners are not permitted to operate a rival series based in the U.S..."

In terms of impacting the Canadian open-wheel race originally scheduled for July 19-20 in Edmonton, it appears that date will be on the move.

"The Edmonton race, set for July 20, requires an adjustment because that conflicts with the IRL's race in Lexington, Ohio, an event key to Honda, the league's lone engine supplier.
The IRL will offer Edmonton officials the July 27 and Aug. 3 dates. The former is the same day as the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard..."

If true, this presents a challenge for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, which recently released its 2008 schedule, including a race at Edmonton on July 19. The possible July 27 alternative in Edmonton would work for the NCATS series, but the Aug. 3 weekend would be in direct conflict with the NASCAR Nationwide (formerly Busch Series) race weekend in Montreal.

The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race at Sun Valley Speedway, in Vernon, BC, is scheduled for July 12. This date of this race would also have to move if Edmonton changes weekends, given that it's impractical for the NCATS drivers, crews and officials to go to western Canada on non-consecutive weekends.

The NCATS schedule is here.

If you thought the 'war' was nuts.... the 'peace' is going to look downright insane

Robin Miller is reporting on SPEEDTV.com that a press conference announcing the end of the open wheel war will take place tomorrow (Friday). So far, so good.

But if you thought this long-awaited announcement would end the insanity.... you would be wrong.

Miller writes: "Unless there’s a last-minute intervention by the gods of reason, the IRL race at Motegi, Japan will run April 19 as scheduled and the 33rd annual Long Beach Grand Prix will take the green flag on April 20.

And both races will count towards the 2008 IRL championship.
That’s correct. The regular IRL teams will be on the oval in Japan with their Dallara-Hondas while the Champ Car teams that are expected to compete full time in the unified series will be running their Panoz-Cosworths for the final time. Drivers will earn equal IRL points in each event...."

Only these guys could come up with that plan. Maybe they can move the Indy 500 up to April 21?

Royal Distributing-Bourque Polaris Race Report - Bracebridge CSRA

Royal Distributing-Bourque Polaris Race Report // Muskoka Pro Snowcross
CSRA Race, Bracebridge, ON

BRACEBRIDGE, ON - 16 year old Stephanie Simard continued her strong campaign this season with yet another podium finish in the Pro Women's final on her Polaris IQ. Stephanie took home 2nd place behind WPSA champ Angela Vachino. Angela has proven to be the woman to beat on both sides of the border. Stephanie kept the race close all the way to the finish line for a very strong 2nd place. Simard continues to impress in her debut season in the Pro classes.

15 year old Semi Pro rider David Joanis went out and won all his semi-pro qualifiers in Semi-pro open. Dave dominated in the final and cruised to a win, again putting the sponsors up front. Dave's count on the season is 7 wins in 8 races in Semi pro, with one 2nd place. The Semi Pro Super Stock final was cancelled due to whiteout conditions, to be run later in the season.

Dave rode in the Pro Stock class again this week, riding with the top riders. Dave won a qualifier, followed closely by Royal Pro rider Lee Butler for a one-two finish. In his second qualifier, Dave ran very close with WPSA Pro Riders Iain Hayden and Brett Bender for a podium finish. Dave then ran 3rd in the Pro Stock final on Sunday, opening eyes further around the pits and in the stands that he is a talent here to stay!

#73 Pro Lee Butler, fresh off a win in Lindsay, was solid and near the front in all qualifiers, but due to some tough luck in the competitive Pro Stock final didn't find the podium this week . Lee continues to be solid in the points and looks for more wins this season.

Photos courtesy of Gary at Supernova Photo // Release from Mark Fries (Royal Distributing) // Thanks to our Sponsors: Polaris Racing, Walker Evans Shocks, Stud Boy, FXR Clothing, Kimpex, Ipone Oils, HMK, Oakley, Wiseco, Rox, PowerMadd, Dayco, Fly, Ogio, Camoplast, TekVest, Renton Coil Springs, C&A Skis, and Digatron Gauges

Raceline Radio Network Newsletter

From Erik Tomas, Raceline Radio Network

Our Quebec NASCAR Sprint Cup duo watched this year's 50th anniversary Daytona 500, the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup opener, the same way most of us did. On the sidelines or on TV as Ryan Newman scored Roger Penske's first stock car 500 win.

Nice race! The new car works perfectly. The final 250 miles were superb. Close to 40 lead changes, and with a mere seven cautions, the race was done in three hours!

So close for frequent Raceline Radio/FAN 590 guest Patrick Carpentier. In the second twin 150 mile Daytona 500 qualifier, Patrick told his Gillett-Evernham crew on the radio his # 10 Dodge had developed a vibration. Patrick bravely kept his foot into it, high enough in the running order and fast enough to make the 500 to write another page in Canadian racing history. But with only 5 laps to go, the right front tire explodes, and Patrick's Daytona 500 hopes to kick off the NASCAR portion of his career wind up against the wall!

Earlier in the same race, Formula One, CART champion and Indy 500 winner Jacques Villeneuve had a nastier time of it. Bouncing in and out of the transfer spot to make the 500, Villeneuve's tapped by John Andretti and the #27 Bill Davis Racing Toyota, collects people on his way to the wall, and JV's NASCAR debut winds up in a smoldering, bent and broken Camry.

It got worse afterwards. Bill Davis announced Villeneuve would come out of the car until JV found some money. A sponsor. Benson and Skinner take over the ride on a race-by-race basis.

It's not a good start for Villeneuve. Better but not perfect for Carpentier. But Patrick is the new darling of the NASCAR set. Despite stinging disappointment, he's been competitive while staying out of the way. Carp's always smiling on TV. He's in good spirits with the media and the fans. They like this guy and that's important too. Do nice guys always finish last? Not any more. Let Montoya be the former open wheel villain.

Hopefully, Villeneuve can find some money. Carpentier still has to race his way into the first few with Valvoline, but if his up-beat attitude means anything, he'll shrug off his Daytona cloud, makes some fields, finish a few and maybe even pilfer a top 10.

Carp and JV are just 2 reasons why this year's NASCAR Sprint Cup war is going to be one of the most interesting in years.

Ryan revelation! Newman developed his race craft on dirt tracks, and highly educated, has a degree in mechanical engineering. Connected to his roots? Earlier in the weekend, Newman was running a UMP Late Model at the Dirt-Nationals at Volusia Florida. He then headed to Daytona, put on his asphalt hat and won the biggest stock car race in the game. That's why we LOVE this sport.

Silence is NOT Golden!

Amid rumours of bankruptcy, ChampCar has been silent about what's happening for 2008. You know the story by now. A badly needed merger with the IRL was on, then off, then supposedly on again. Schedule juggling, second-guessing, what's happening with the three Canadian races? Who's in charge of it? We still won't know for sure.

On Raceline and other media, ChampCar officials claim every time rumours leak and we try and probe what's happening, it means set backs for a merger.

But having fans, event managers and the media in the dark is very damaging at this point. Uncertainty kills credibility.

ChampCar needs to tell us if 2008 is a go or not and RIGHT now.

The very latest: Not a whole lot more than we know already. IRL boss Tony George and ChampCar boss Kevin Kalkhoven have been in England attending weddings and family functions. From both sides, the message is reunification talks continue. Quietly and privately.

George: "talks carry on, but it's a delicate and complicated process. "

Kalkhoven: "We know the advantages in a merger with the IRL, but we are more than content to go it alone. Right now, we're going ChampCar racing."

It's believed ChampCar and The IRL have finally reached that illusive agreement in principle to work together. But a long list of critical issues hang in the balance and there is virtually NO time left to get this bricked together for 2008.

I know I have been telling fans to support the three Canadian ChampCar shows until their status changes, but that only lasts so long before it seems like ChampCar doesn't care. Faith only goes so far.

I feel for the people running and promoting these races. It's cruel. They have nothing to tell their customers.

But, for the time being, nothing's changed from my stand point. Until they tell me to stop, The 2008 ChampCar season and the three Canadian dates are green and go. And I will cover them best I can while not really knowing what the heck is going on!

COMING UP: Sunday February 24th, 2008
Ryan Newman, winner of the 50th anniversary Daytona 500… and 17 year old Canadian racing phenom Daniel Morad.

BROADCAST SCHEDULE:
AM 900 CHML Hamilton FLAGSHIP LIVE Sundays 8:06 PM Eastern
The FAN 590 Toronto Mondays 7:06 PM Eastern
The FAN 960 Calgary Sundays 11:06 PM Mountain
CJOB 68 Winnipeg LIVE Sundays 7:06 PM Central
780 KIXX Halifax Saturdays 10:30 AM Atlantic
105.1 THE RIVER Niagara Falls Mondays 9:06 PM Eastern
AM 800 CKLW Windsor LIVE Sundays 8:06 PM Eastern
TEAM 1040 Vancouver Sundays 12 Midnight to 1 AM
TEAM 990 Montreal Mondays 7:06 PM Eastern
TEAM 1260 Edmonton Sundays 11:06 PM Mountain
KHJ Fredericton NB Tuesdays 9:06 PM Atlantic
AM 1220 Cornwall Sundays 5:00 PM Eastern
KHJ-One Oromocto NB Tuesdays 9:06 PM Atlantic
KHJ-Two New Maryland NB Tuesdays 9:06 PM Atlantic
CAT 99.5 FM Truro NS Tuesdays 9:06 PM Atlantic
Country 105 FM Peterborough Mondays 10:06 PM Eastern
AM 790 CIGM Sudbury Mondays 7:06 PM Eastern
AM 1070 CHOK Sarnia LIVE Sundays 8:06 PM Eastern
AM 570 News Kitchener Mondays 7:00 PM Eastern

Interest high in Mosport's historic Can-Am race

VARAC's Vintage Festival at Mosport, June 20-22, is over four months away and the entries are already pouring in. Among those expressing their intent to enter are:

• Brian Blain, '69 Lola 163,
• Ray Boissaneau, McLaren M1B
• Lou Casazza, '67 McKee
• Norm Cowdery, '67 McKee Mk 10
• Mike Dunkel, '68 McLaren M8F
• Jay Esterer, McLaren Mk 6
• John Giordano, Ferrari 512
• Dave Handy, '68 McLaren M6B
• Andy Hauck III, '71 Lola T260 (L&M ex Stewart)
• Dan Lipetz, '69 Lola (ex Revson)
• Tom Malloy, Lola T70
• Robert Ryan, '68 McLaren
• Jim Simpson, '70 McLaren 70M8C
• Tom Simpson, '66 McKee,
• Tom Stephanie, 'Genie Mk 10 (Vinegaroon)
• Johan Woeheide. 'Lola T70 (ex Gurney)

This much interest at this stage is bound to have a snowball effect on those undecided as to whether to attend. ENDURA COATINGS and SASCO SPORTS have both announced packages to further induce competitors to enter. Also, not to be forgotten, LOLA have confirmed that the VARAC Vintage Festival will be part of their World Wide 50th Anniversary celebration which should encourage a great turnout of Lolas. With that much going for it, Mosport's Historic Can-Am race promises to be one of the biggest in recent memory.

While the focus and media attention are on the Can-Am there is much more going on to offer a complete weekend for every taste. The weekend's program also includes a Fiftieth Anniversary of Austin Healey Sprites race, the MG Feature for the Simms Cup, plus races for all classes of Vintage and Historic Cars.

Aside from a chance to drive on one of the Sport's great tracks, the social aspect of the weekend promises to be great. The Friday night potluck supper hosted by the ladies of VARAC is always a much anticipated part of the weekend. Low key, lots of food and refreshment, it is a great way to meet fellow competitors and discuss the fast way through corner two. In the VARAC tradition, if one party is good, two are better, so Saturday evening features a banquet with Chicken and Ribs.
More track time than you can imagine, two great parties, great Canadian hospitality and Canadian Beer, what's not to like, . Circle June 20-22 on your calendar now! If you can only make one race next year, this should be it. See you there!

PHOTOS: 1) Lola T70 - Johan Woeheide, Lola T70 2) Handy McLaren - Dave Handy, '68 McLaren M6B
From Bob Harrington

OSCAAR: Tiemersma Motorsports 2008 Preview

Tiemersma Motorsports is offering a preview of their 2008 OSCAAR Outlaw Super Late Model....
Thanks to Crew Chief Mike Sutton for passing these shots along.

Canadian Maxime Pelletier to join F3 Euroseries

MONTREAL, QC - Maxime Pelletier will tackle a new challenge in 2008 as he is about to enter one of the most competitive racing series in the world, the F3 Euroseries with HBR, the team he raced with in Formula BMW USA last year and BMW World Final in Valencia. For the 17-year old driver who hails out of Montreal, Quebec, this opens a new era in his career where he will have to fight with a very competitive grid on race facilities where the DTM series is the feature event. He is in the process of nursing some details about his contract with HBR and will attend the test sessions coming shortly in March at Valencia and Estoril.
 
"I needed a change after two years in the Formula BMW USA, says the young man. I have the impression I lost my rookie scholar season with an uncompetitive team and moving to HBR after the first event last year finally put me in a quick machine. I wouldn't mind spending a third year in the new America series but I find the F3 more appealing and a tremendous learning curve for me. The F3 Euroseries has a lot of visibility, a high-profile grid and new race tracks for me to learn, except for Valencia."
 
An impressive calendar:
The F3 Euroseries championship travels to six European countries and 18 of the 20 races are linked with DTM championship events, the last being the Grand Prix de Pau in France. "This is a huge challenge for me, adds Pelletier. I will have to learn new race tracks and race with aggressive drivers who want to reach formula one. With the help of HBR, my rookie season will be very interesting. At this point, we still have to finalize the contract and I want everything to be set when I head for the test days in a few weeks instead of having to end my season for a lack of sponsorship."
 
Maxime Pelletier completed two seasons in Formula BMW USA with a 4th place overall with HBR motorsports team. Formula 3 Euroseries test days are set for Valencia and Estoril in the coming weeks.
 
From Michel Poirier-Defoy

Royal Distributing / Factory Recreation: Bracebridge Muskoka Pro Snowcross Report

BRACEBRIDGE, ON - Pro Rider Joey Sagan was nursing an injury from Lindsay the previous weekend when the team headed to Bracebridge for the CSRA Snowcross last weekend. Due to some favourable scheduling, the #202 Rev XP�s were on track, as former Royal Distributing rider - and 3-time CSRA champion Iain Hayden - piloted Joey's sleds for the weekend.

Iain ran strong in all qualifiers on Saturday and when the time came to race on Sunday, Iain overcame a poor start to fight back to a 2nd place in Pro Stock, on a blustery and cold track. The Pro Open Mod race was postponed due to white out conditions and will be rerun later in the season.

Joey is showing improved progress with his injury and we hope to see him back on track very soon.

Thanks to all of our amazing sponsors: Ski-Doo, FXR clothing, Oakley Eyewear, HMK Boots, Tekvest, Studboy Traction, Dewalt Tools, Kimpex, Ipone

Photo courtesy of Gary at Supernova Photo

From Mark Fries // Royal Distributing

Brighton Speedway: Winterfest Part 2 report and results

BRIGHTON, ON - The second set of Brighton Speedway�s ice racing events repeated the success of the January event as close to 80 Four Wheelers, Snowmobiles and Endurance Cars took to the 1/3 mile iced oval on Saturday, February 9th. Although Mother Nature was not always cooperative throughout the day, drivers, fans and staff appreciated the on and off snow fall, the colder temperature and the slippery conditions.

"It's ice racing, and it's February! Enthusiasts who love their machines and support their friends and family who drive them, wouldn't expect any other weather conditions. The more snow, the colder the weather, the happier all of us at the track today were," said Pit Director, Brenda Whitehead.

The first two events of the 2008 season have set the stage for fast paced, high action, grassroots motorsport racing. The long off season is coming to an end as Brighton Speedway drivers are in their garages preparing for Mall Shows and Test and Tune which is scheduled to begin April 26th, 2008. For up to date racing information and more information about Northumberland and Quinte's hottest entertainment ticket from May to October, visit http://www.brightonspeeday.com/.

Photo Taglines:

A familiar face at Brighton Speedway, Robbie Wilson #09 of Belleville, took the checker in the 30 lap Endurance Race on Ice at Brighton Speedway on February 9th. Presenting him with the win is Sponsor Bill Newberry of Bill�s Johns.

The youngest winner of the day was Mitchell Minaker on his 4 wheeler in the ROCK 107 Kids 8-13 divison. He celebrated his win with his sponsor Shawn Lambert.

RESULTS:

BILL'S JOHNS 30 LAP ENDURANCE RACE
1. # 09 ROBBIE WILSON
2. # 20 STEVE LILICO
3. # 19 DEL MACGREGOR
4. # 1 BRANDON GREGORY
5. # 81 LARRY DADSON
6. # 13 RICK SOPAZ
7. # 24 WENDY DADSON
8. # 326 DOUG HALL
9. #31 KYLE SOPAZ

SNOWMOBILE CLASSES
0-500 CC DIVISION SPONSORED BY J.C. FUELS
~ JOSH WHITNEY ~
ANDREW WHITNEY
JASON THEOBALD

501-600 CC DIVISION SPONSORED BY D.L. SERVICES
~ DAVE MCDONALD ~
BERNIE RHEBERGEN
DILLON SALLOWS

601-700 CC DIVISION SPONSORED BY PERCY BOOM RIVER RATS
~ DERRIK VREUGDENHIL ~
SHAWN LAMBERT
KYLE RHEBERGEN

701-800 CC DIVISION SPONSORED BY CENTRETON FARM & SPORT
~ DERRICK VREUGDENHIL ~
SHAWN WAITE
DAVID MCDONALD

YOUTHS 14-17 DIVISION SPONSORED BY LUCAS OIL
~ DYLAN VREUGDENHIL ~
KYLE RHEBERGEN
DILLON SALLOWS

KIDS 8-13 DIVISION SPONSORED BY MAESTRO�S PAINTING CONTRACTORS
~ DYLAN VREUGDENHIL ~

4 WHEELER CLASSES
2 WHEEL DRIVE DIVISION SPONSORED BY CORNERSTONE BUILDERS
~ JOSH JARRELL ~
STEVE LAFORME
RODNEY BEAUDRIE

4 WHEEL DRIVE DIVISION SPONSORED BY DAN�S SUZUKI
~ GARETH BARBER ~
KYLE BUTCHER

4 WHEEL DRIVE NO STUDS DIVISION SPONSORED BY RAPID RAD
~ ANTHONY HAMNER ~
KELLY REID
SHEA ROBSON

2 & 4 WHEEL DRIVE OPEN DIVISION SPONSORED BY DAVE MCDONALD HOMES
~ RODNEY BEAUDRIE ~
JOSH JARRELL
JEFF DOLLEY

KIDS 8-13 DIVISION SPONSORED BY ROCK 107
~ MITCHELL MINAKER ~
HUNTER LANDRY
NOAH WHALEY

From Brighton Speedway

NASCAR releases 13-race NASCAR Canadian Tire Series schedule

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 20, 2008) – Coming off a very successful first season, the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Sirius Satellite Radio is set for more exciting action in 2008. Packed grandstands and final lap heroics were the norm a year ago, while this season a spirited battle for rookie-of-the-year honors along with Andrew Ranger’s title defense will only heighten the excitement.

The 13-race schedule, which kicks off Saturday, May 24 at Cayuga International Speedway, virtually will cover Canada from coast-to-coast. Over the course of the year, the series will visit 11 tracks in five provinces culminating with the crowning of the 2008 champion on Saturday, Sept. 27 at Kawartha Speedway.

Also on the schedule is a return trip to the demanding 1.973-mile road course of Grand Prix Edmonton. Last year over 60,000 fans saw J.R. Fitzpatrick overtake Ranger, who had led the entire race, on the white flag lap for the victory.

The Canadian Tire Series will also run in conjunction with the NASCAR Nationwide Series, Grand-Am Rolex Series, and KONI Challenge in 2008.

TSN, Canada’s leading sports network, once again will provide unparalleled coverage by televising one-hour broadcasts of racing action from each event in High Definition. The broadcast schedule will be announced in the coming weeks.

"The inaugural season in 2007 exceeded all expectations and quickly established the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series as the premier stock car racing series in Canada," said George Silbermann, NASCAR Managing Director of Racing Operations. "The 2008 calendar builds on those successes and sets the stage for another exciting coast-to-coast championship."

Other key dates:
The 2008 schedule includes races on nine ovals: Cayuga International Speedway (2), Autodrome St-Eustache, Barrie Speedway (2), SunValley Speedway, Mosport Speedway, Riverside Speedway, and Kawartha Speedway; and four road courses: Mosport International Raceway, Grand Prix Edmonton, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, and Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres.
Autodrome St-Eustache is new to the Canadian Tire Series schedule in 2008. The track is in its third year as part of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, NASCAR’s North American short-track racing series.

On June 14-15, the series will run at Mosport International Raceway in Bowmanville, Ontario at the facility’s 2.5-mile, 10-turn road course. The race is part of an eventful Father’s Day weekend along with the KONI Challenge Series.

NASCAR CANADIAN TIRE SERIES SCHEDULE

In July, the series will make its western swing, with races at SunValley Speedway in Vernon, B.C. and at the Grand Prix Edmonton in Alberta. SunValley Speedway is a 1/2-mile oval and a featured track for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.

Race fans can circle August 1 and 2 on their calendar. This is the race in conjunction with the NASCAR Nationwide Series at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. A season ago, over 130,000 fans made their way to Île Notre Dame over the course of the huge two-day event.

The Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres, slated for August 15-17, is once again a highlight on the schedule. This year, the Canadian Tire Series event will take place on Sunday afternoon.
The Sept. 20 trip to Riverside International Speedway in Antigonish, Nova Scotia is a much-anticipated date. The track is a 1/3-mile scale version of the legendary Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

2008 NASCAR CANADIAN TIRE SERIES SCHEDULE
Date Site Location
May 24 Cayuga Int’l Speedway Hamilton, ON
May 31 Autodrome St-Eustache St-Eustache, QC
June 15 Mosport Int'l Raceway Bowmanville, ON
June 28 Barrie Speedway Barrie, ON
July 12 SunValley Speedway Vernon, BC
July 19 Grand Prix Edmonton Edmonton, AB
August 2 Circuit Gilles Villeneuve Montreal, QC
August 9 Mosport Speedway Bowmanville, ON
August 17 Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres Trios-Rivieres, QC
August 30 Cayuga Int’l Speedway Hamilton, ON
September 6 Barrie Speedway Barrie, ON
September 20 Riverside Int’l Speedway Antigonish, NS
September 27 Kawartha Speedway Peterborough, ON

Tentative - Subject to Change

About NASCAR: The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR), celebrating 60 years in 2008, is the sanctioning body for one of North America's premier sports. NASCAR is the No. 1 spectator sport – holding 17 of the top 20 highest attended sporting events in the U.S., and is the No. 2 rated regular-season sport on television. NASCAR races are broadcast in more than 150 countries and in more than 30 languages. NASCAR fans are the most brand loyal in all of sports, and as a result more Fortune 500 companies participate in NASCAR than any other sport.

NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series), four regional series, and one local grassroots series, as well as two international series. NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races at 100 tracks in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico. Based in Daytona Beach (Fla.), NASCAR has offices in New York, Los Angeles, Charlotte (N.C.), Concord (N.C.), Conover (N.C.), Bentonville (Ark.), Mexico City, and Toronto.

About Canadian Tire: Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited (TSX: CTR.NV, CTR) operates more than 1,100 stores, gas bars and car washes in an inter-related network of businesses engaged in retail, financial services and petroleum. More than 50,000 Canadians work across the Canadian Tire organization from coast-to-coast. Canadian Tire Retail and its Associate Dealers together form one of Canada's best-known and most successful retailers with 473 stores in communities nationwide. Canadian Tire stores offer a unique mix of products and services through the leadership of three specialty stores under one roof - Automotive, Sports and Leisure, and Home Products. Canadian Tire also offers shopping and home delivery through www.canadiantire.ca and by phone order at 1-866-746-7287.

From NASCAR

NASCAR Canadian Tire Series schedule released????

I haven't received anything, but a post on Canadian Racing Online sure looks official.

I'll keep checking my e-mail and will post if I receive anything.

Bad Karma for Roush?

In January, we had a little chuckle when Roush-Fenway Truck Series drivers Joey Clanton and Colin Braun crashed into each other during testing at Daytona.

So you can imagine the reaction when the pair got into each other again during last Friday's Craftsman Truck Series race at Daytona Int'l Speedway.

From truckseries.com: "The track went green again on Lap 24, with Bodine leading Darnell, Mike Bliss, Justin Marks and Joey Clanton. Going into the entrance of Turn 3, there was a three-way battle for third place, with Bliss on the bottom, Clanton in the middle and Terry Cook on top. Bliss and Clanton bumped and went into the outside wall, taking Cook out and Colin Braun behind them. It was the start of a disastrous night for Roush-Fenway Racing, owners of the Braun and Clanton trucks..."

Today, Roush-Fenway announced that Clanton is out of the #09 truck, effective immediately. The release makes no mention of the crashes, but cites Clanton's "business and family obligations."

In Sunday's Daytona 500, Roush driver David Ragan (link to video clip) drifted high into his 'teammate' Matt Kenseth while exiting turn 4, wrecking both cars in the process.

On December 18 of last year, Roush confirmed it had released Canadian Peter Shepherd. I'm starting to think that Petey was let go because he wasn't able to crash into as many other Roush drivers as his contract demanded.

Champ Car & IRL: Open Wheel unification appears to be moving forward

News reports continue to hint that the war between the IRL and Champ Car may be coming to an end.

TSN is reporting that a press conference could happen as soon as Thursday: "According to the Indianapolis Star, both sides are still reviewing drafts of a possible agreement which would end the bitter 12-year split between the two racing series.
"We are whittling away at the issues, but they have not been eliminated," said IRL spokesperson Fred Nation.
"We're optimistic these things can be resolved, but.. it's always possible that (someone) will decide they don't want to (unify)."
Initially when unification was first reported, a conflict between Champ Car's Long Beach race date and the IRL's Motegi, Japan event was said to be a stumbling block to a possible agreement. It now appears that hurdle has been overcome and as Nation put it, the emphasis is now on finances.
"That could be anything from cash (exchanged) to what pieces and parts are on a chassis," he tells the Star.
Nation added that preliminary plans have been made for a news conference but that won't happen until Thursday at the earliest as Champ Car co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven - who is leading the negotiations for his group - is currently out of the United States...."

Auto123.com is reporting news of another defection from Champ Car to the IRL: "Another sign that unification between the IRL and Champ Car could come in the next few days is that Champ CarWorld Series director of operations, Paul 'Ziggy' Harcus, has accepted a new position with Andretti Green Racing as team manager for its IndyCar Series operation. Harcus 'defection' to the IRL follows not long after another key Champ Car official, former race director Tony Cotman, moved in the same direction...."

The LA Times is saying that the deal is close, but not done, and that something could be announced by the end of the week: "Officials of the Indy Racing League and the Champ Car World Series said Tuesday that merger negotiations were in their final stages after years of failed attempts to reunite.An announcement could come by the end of the week, but the officials emphasized that no deal had yet been reached. "We're close, it would be hard to see this not happening," said IRL spokesman Fred Nation in Indianapolis. "But we've been down this road before..."

Finally, the Edmonton Sun has a Canadian Press story saying that the deal could be announced as early as today (Wednesday). "A merger between Champ Car and the Indy Racing League is imminent and could be announced as early as today, various reports out of Indianapolis said yesterday.
IRL boss Tony George has been in negotiation for weeks with the four owners of Champ Car toward uniting the rival open wheel racing series.
David Higdon, Champ Car vice-president of strategic development, said late yesterday there was "no agreement in place at this time," although he expects an announcement to be made soon "one way or the other" on the proposed merger..."

NOTE: It is widely believed that the fate of the GP of Edmonton is the final barrier to NASCAR announcing the 2008 schedule for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series. Once the open wheel issue is resolved - one way or another - the NCATS schedule will likely be released soon after. Speaking of Canadian Champ Car events, the future of the Toronto race appears to be in question. Anyone interested in purchasing tickets to the race are met with a screen saying "TICKETS... coming soon." It's my understanding that tickets were previously available on the site.

UPDATE: The Online Leader in Corning, NY discusses the issues regarding the conflict between the Watkins Glen IRL vs. the GP of Toronto weekend.

A1GP: Canada Sends Wickens and Morad to Durban

Montréal, Canada (February 19, 2008) - A1 Team Canada welcomes 17-year-old Daniel Morad to its driver line-up this weekend as the team heads to South Africa and the streets of Durban for Round 7 of the 2007-08 A1GP World Cup of Motorsport, Friday 22nd - Sunday 24th February.  Morad will make his debut for Canada in Friday morning's 'Rookie-Only' session before handing over to Toronto's Robert Wickens for the remainder of the weekend.
 
Wickens remains in the race seat in South Africa having collected three podiums in just eight starts in the open-wheel racing, nation versus nation series.  Last time out in Australia Wickens steered Canada to its first double-points score in over a year, the 2006 Formula BMW Champion collecting a magnificent third place Sprint finish from 15th on the grid before claiming sixth in the Feature race.
 
In doing so the 18-year-old helped break Canada into the top-ten of the A1GP Nations Standings for the first time this season – the team now aiming to cement a top-ten finish for the second time in three seasons having finished tenth overall in the inaugural 2005-06 season.  With Round 6 in Australia marking Wickens' seventh and eighth straight A1GP starts, he surrendered his rookie status making him ineligible to participate in Friday morning's hour-long 'Rookie-Only' session.
 
As a result Canada now turns to 2007 Formula BMW USA Champion Daniel Morad to fulfill rookie duties.  The Markham, Ontario-born racer will make his debut in the 550bhp A1GP car on the demanding 3.38km temporary street circuit in Durban.  Morad is no stranger to street courses having sampled a few in North America over the past two seasons competing in Formula BMW.  The promising Canadian lifted rookie honors in the series in 2006 before going on to dominate last season's title battle, Morad winning the championship with a series record of six victories.
 
"I'm really excited to be making my A1GP debut in South Africa," said Morad.  "I'm grateful to A1 Team Canada for this opportunity and I intend to make the most of my time in the car on Friday morning.  The team's firmly on a roll at the moment and I hope my input well help maintain their form and aid Robbie's progress when he takes over in the afternoon's practice session.  I'm used to the challenge of learning street courses quickly so I can't wait to get going in Durban."
 
Wickens is equally excited about the thought of tackling A1GP's sole street circuit.  "I've always run pretty well on street circuits in both Formula BMW and in Atlantics last season.  I'm looking forward to sampling the Durban track for myself.  From what I've seen of it already it's a fairly narrow configuration but I'll obviously have a better feel for it after Friday's practice session.  It was great to finally score points in both races in Australia; hopefully we can maintain that level of consistency!"
 
The South African track hasn't been kind to Canada in two previous visits, Sean McIntosh's tenth place Feature finish in 2006 the strongest finish to-date, something Wickens will be keen to best on Sunday.
 
Sunday's 20-minute Sprint race starts at 11am local time (4am EST) with the 70-minute Feature race starting at 3pm in Durban (8am EST).  Live Feature streaming available via – www.a1gp.com / Setanta Sports Canada will broadcast Round 7 from South Africa as a tape-delay starting at 8:30am EST on Monday 25th February – www.setantanorthamerica.com
 
A1GP Top-Ten Standings - Round 6/10: 1st France (96), 2nd New Zealand (96), 3rd Switzerland (93), 4th South Africa (79), 5th Germany (77), 6th Great Britain (58), 7th Netherlands (55), 8th Ireland (50), 9th Brazil (38), 10th CANADA (37)
 
Photo Credit: 'Toronto's Robert Wickens pictured racing for A1 Team Canada in Round 6' - Jakob Ebrey Photography
From A1 Team Canada Media Relations: Stuart Morrison - PR & Media Manager

Daytona 500 on TSN: Second-most-watched auto race in network's history

TSN's live coverage of Sunday's Daytona 500 attracted a national average audience of 554,000 viewers, making it the second most-watched auto race in TSN history. Audience levels peaked at 754,000 viewers from 6:30 p.m.-7 p.m. ET.

This year's audience marks a 23% increase over last year's Daytona 500 audience (450,000 viewers). TSN's most-watched auto race of all time was the 2006 Daytona 500, which averaged 568,000 viewers.

*Source: BBM Nielsen Media Research; excludes pre- and post-race

From: Andrea Goldstein Director of Communications TSN

NASCAR: Patrick Carpentier California Preview

The Sprint Cup Series heads to California Speedway this weekend, where Patrick Carpentier in the No. 10 Charter Dodge Charger seeks to make his fourth career start. The No. 10 will feature the purple and yellow paint scheme of Charter Communications for the Fontana race.

Carpentier will be one of the few drivers in the field that have experience in both stock cars and open wheel at the 2-mile oval. He has raced there in both the Champ Car Series and the IRL.

Additionally he tested there in a Gillett Evernham Motorsports Dodge earlier this year. The test at California allowed Carpentier to gain the valuable seat time that the Quebec-native craves.

The No. 10 crew has unloaded fast at California Speedway in the past. Carpentier and crew are looking to make this week no exception. The No. 10's average starting spot at Fontana in 2006 was ninth.

DRIVE PATRICK CARPENTIER QUOTES:

LOOKING FORWARD TO FONTANA: "It might have felt like the end of the world after not making the 500 last week. I now feel it's the beginning of something that's going to be great. We have a strong team, both at the track and at the shop. We just have to keep digging deeper and move on to the next race. We gave it our all, we learned, and most of all, we can hold our heads high with the results we had this week. We're wiping the slate clean for California. This weekend the focus is on Fontana, it's a whole new race."

ON GOING TO A TRACK WHERE HE HAS SOME EXPERIENCE: "I have raced at Fontana before, in Champ Car and the IRL. Unfortunately there isn't very much from those experiences I can use because the cars differ so drastically. It's a much different feeling getting around there in Champ Car at 235 mph than in a stock car at 180 mph."

THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCES BETWEEN STOCK CARS AND OPEN WHEEL: "In open wheel there is so much more downforce on the car. The cars are light and the tires are very wide. They're built for speed. In these stock cars you need to have a lot more car control. It takes a little more finesse to muscle them around the track. The cars weigh more and they're always slipping and sliding around. When you're out there running with 42 other cars that are slipping and sliding equally, it makes things much more challenging. It's pretty crazy to watch all the cars around you sliding through and off the corners."

From: Heath White // Gillett Evernham Motorsports

RICK @ the RACES... Rick Young at the Ice Races (Feb. 16-17, 2008)

By Rick Young
 
This week, one year ago, I was down in Florida on a racing tour, where I bagged five new tracks in the space of three days. (Orlando Speedworld, Volusia, Daytona, New Smyrna, and East Bay.)
 
Although it was tempting to do it again this year, it was financial 'no go', so for me it's been 'business as usual' visiting the ice racing tracks of Canada. After a slow start to the ice racing season, because of warmer than normal temperatures, this weekend I had the chance to add two new local tracks to my TRACKCHASING totals.
 
For about three years, I've been trying to add Kahnawake (Quebec) to my list and this Saturday (16 Feb), I eventually succeeded. To make things more challenging, I had to attend a mandatory safety meeting at work in the morning, before I could set off to the track, located on the Kahnawake Mowhawk reservation between Montreal and Chateauguay.
 
As things worked out, I arrived at the perfect time (12:15 pm ) just as the racing was about to start. The races were organized by the CMRC, the same body that were behind similar events I've attended in the past at Ste Sulpice and Laviltree. The track was a road course configuration and featured motorcycles, ATV's and 4 cylinder compact cars.
 
This was TRACK # 168 on my TRACKCHASING totals
 
On Sunday (17 Feb) I visited the small town of Clarence Creek (Ontario), just a 30 minute drive from my home in Maxville for an annual event I only recently found out about.
 
Amazingly, ice racing has taken place every year at the nearby Clarence Creek Winter Carnival and I've known nothing about it!  Once I'd confirmed the details, I wanted to be there. I also passed the details on to my TRACKCHASING friends and as a result I was joined at the track by seven of the worlds top TRACKCHASERS.
 
The World�s # 1, Randy Lewis and his wife Carol from San Clemente, California, Guy Smith, Will White, Mike Knappenberger and Paul Weisel who are all from the Philadelphia area of Pennsylvania and PJ Hollerbrand of Rochester, New York.
 
The track was a frozen snow covered oval located at the rear of the town�s hockey arena and on arrival I found a pits full of 'enduro' style cars. The program started with races for the ladies, then moved on to the guys. Each race had about eight cars, which was just enough to provide some action. The second race had to be red flagged after one lady 'rolled it'.
 
This was TRACK # 169 on my TRACKCHASING totals
 
After watching about an hour of the action, I was back behind the wheel of my car, and on my way to the next race on my agenda. I was heading for my couch, back home in Maxville to watch the Daytona 500 on TV.
 
Although, Dirt is my preferred diet of racing, I must admit that since visiting Daytona last year I've been paying a little more attention to the NASCAR scene. After seeing this years coverage on TV, I have to say how impressed I've been with the 'COT' (the 'Car of Tomorrow' which is now the 'Car of Today'). First impressions seam to indicate it's going to provide a lot closer racing, with packs of cars circulating side by side, just how I remember it on TV in the distant past.
 
America's biggest race had plenty of action with a conclusion that could not have been predicted. It was a great finish for Ryan Newman # 12 who blasted past Tony Stewart # 20 on the last lap with the help of his drafting and pushing Penske Team mate Kurt Busch # 2.
 
RACES ATTENDED IN 2008
1 JAN 19        ARENA ESSEX (Thurrock UK)
2 JAN 27        LAC MORIN, Notre Dame De Mont Carmel (Que)
3 JAN 27        ST EULALIE (Que)
4   FEB 16      KAHNAWAKE (Que)
5  FEB   17     CLARENCE CREEK (Ont)
 
TRACKCHASER... The official website of the TRACKCHASERS. My current track list totals can be seen here. Go to www.trackchaser.net and click on Rick Young.

Formula BMW Americas 2008: Canadian Gianmarco Raimondo to compete

February 18, 2008 - St. Catharines, Ontario – Since attending the Formula BMW licensing course last year, seventeen-year-old Gianmarco Raimondo's goal has been to compete in the North America open-wheel series and compete for a championship. Today he is one step closer to his goal having signed to race with Toronto-based Team Autotecnica in 2008. Testing with the team begins immediately in advance of official testing in April.

Gianmarco is a graduate of the Sunoco Ron Fellows Karting Championship where he raced with Cameron Motorsports in the premiere InterContinental C (ICC) shifter karts. This class is generally considered the stepping stone to racing cars and at the end of the season, Gianmarco's performance was rewarded with a scholarship on the Sunoco Team Ultra 94. The St. Catharines, Ontario teen would also return to the Formula BMW school in Valencia, Spain to compete in a shootout for a scholarship to run in the 2008 series which would now be called Formula BMW Americas and include a race at the Formula 1 Grand Prix event in Brazil.

"Our goal at the end of the season was to make the move to open-wheel cars in 2008" Gianmarco stated in a recent interview. "After earning my international license at the school in Valencia, we started to put things in motion to make that happen." Throughout the remainder of 2007, Gianmarco tested with different teams including Team Autotecnica, looking for a good fit. "We had a good rapport right from our first test" noted Gianmarco, "and the team has a winning record which is very important to our goals,"

Team Autotecnica entered the Formula BMW series at its inception in 2004 and has always finished in the top three in team points. Their driver won the series and rookie championship in 2005. In 2007 their lead driver scored a record nine poles and had eight podiums on the year. The team would also take home another rookie championship.

Enrico Diano, Manager of Team Autotecnica commented, "The whole team is looking forward to running this season with Gianmarco.  He's already proven to have the skills we are looking for in helping him achieve his goals of winning races and fighting for the Rookie and overall championship titles." He continued, "Gianmarco exhibits a cool poise towards his driving and works closely with our Engineer to relay feedback from the car and track and also quickly applies our advice towards his driving technique.  He is naturally fast and with a good amount of pre-season testing, we will help him refine his driving to be a front runner in the 2008 races."

In addition to time at the wheel of the Formula BMW FB02 race car, Gianmarco has had a taste of open-wheel competition competing in the Skip Barber Race Series with Sunoco Team Ultra 94. He would earn a podium finish at the famed Sebring circuit in Florida in only his third race. "Any podium finish is good" offered Gianmarco," but to get it so soon in the car was pretty special. Plus we did it in the rain."

Gianmarco and Team Autotecnica began testing in Talladega (Alabama) this past weekend and will now head to Hallet Motor Racing Circuit in Oklahoma next week for two more test days. Official testing for the Formula BMW Americas series begins April 5th at Virginia International Raceway. The first race takes place at Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, California on May 16-18. The series also makes a stop in Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix and ends the season at the Formula 1 race in Brazil.

Gianmarco will be providing news and race updates throughout the season on his web site: www.gianmarcoraimondo.com

Photo: Gianmarco at Formula BMW course in Valencia, Spain // Credit: A. Raimondo // From Chris Jameson // Level Ten Communications

PHOTO GALLERY: Daytona 500 by Dave Franks

136 pictures from today's Daytona 500, courtesy of Dave Franks. I can't say enough about Dave and how hard he works to get photos to share with our readers and visitors to this site. I really appreciate it.

DAYTONA 500: Newman and Penske

... discussing their win in the 50th Daytona 500. Apparently Chrysler promised a $1 million bonus to any Dodge team that won the race.

UPDATE: Ryan Newman on the last lap, when Tony Stewart jumped down low.... "the seas parted and Kurt Busch behind me was the push from heaven."

FLASH: Hello Newman! ... Ryan Newman leads a surprise Penske one-two finish in the Daytona 500

DAYTONA BEACH, FL - Ryan Newman led his Penske Racing teammate Kurt Busch across the line for a one-two Penske Racing finish in Sunday's Daytona 500. The two Dodge drivers rode the high-line on the final lap and surged to the front after race leader Tony Stewart cut to the inside on the backstretch.

Tony Stewart led the white flag lap (lap 199) but admitted he "made the wrong move" by dropping down, leaving Newman and Kurt Busch to push to the lead entering turn 3. Stewart described the turn of events as "the biggest disappointment of my racing career."


With the win, Newman ended a lengthy winless streak. The Daytona 500 victory was also the first-ever for team owner Roger Penske.

The Toyotas dominated the majority of the 50th edition of the 'Great American Race' as Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Denny Hamlin, Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch led throughout.


FINISH: 1. Ryan Newman; 2. Kurt Busch; 3. Tony Stewart; 4. Kyle Busch; 5. Reed Sorenson; 6. Elliott Sadler; 7. Kasey Kahne; 8. Robby Gordon; 9. Dale Earnhardt Jr.; 10. Greg Biffle

... more to come.

PHOTO GALLERY: Saturday, Feb. 16 2008 at New Smyrna Speedway

A quick gallery from the final night of racing at the World S eries of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway. Canadians Kirk Hooker, Cole Powell and Darrell Midgley were in action. I've also included some shots of motocross star Ricky Carmichael, who raced all week in the Super Late Model division.

DIRTcar: Horton First In Alltel DIRTcar Nationals Finale; Hearn & Pauch Share Points Title

Barberville, FL – February 16, 2008 – By Tom Skibinski, Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series PR Director

Jimmy Horton almost wasn’t able to save his best for last, yet having one of the fastest cars for the second straight night gave him a chance and the Neshanic Station, New Jersey speedster took advantage to survive and score a dramatic win Saturday night in the Advance Auto Parts Alltel 50 finale at Volusia Speedway Park.

New Jersey state rivals Brett Hearn and Billy Pauch finished together for the fourth straight night, producing the fourth tie in history for the coveted Alltel DIRTcar Nationals Big-Block Modified points title.

“Motors have been keeping me entertained here the whole week,” said Horton, 51, after parking the Schmidt Racing no. 5 Lincoln Auto Body/Troyer entry in Alltel Victory Lane at VSP for the sixth time, his first since February of 2006. “We broke a motor in warm-ups the first night, don’t really know why, then ran decent the next night. Last night we were real good and I was having a lot of fun until getting into that jingle.”

“Tonight everything was pretty good then all of a sudden it jumped out of gear. I thought the motor broke so I said I’ll give it one more try and put it back in gear and she took off again. I think when it jumped out of gear it might have over-revved the motor and broke a rocker arm because with about seven laps to go it started skipping. I said sorry Dieter (Schmidt, owner), its going to the end,” Horton added.

Early race leader Jimmy Phelps hung on to finish second four car-lengths behind for his first top-five tally of the week in the H&H Motorsports no. 98H Mohawk Northeast-New England Race Fuels/Troyer mount. After suffering a flat left-rear tire just after grabbing the lead from Phelps on lap 18, Friday night winner Dale Planck charged back through to place third ahead of co-champions Pauch and Hearn.

Stocked with a fresh Morrison motor under the hood of his JIR Motorsports no. 27J Troyer machine, Danny Johnson jumped out early from his pole-position start until Phelps drove around as the pair throttled out of turn two. Pauch, Planck and Horton chased the leaders in the early going with Hearn yet to find his way into the top-10 with first five laps complete.

Central New Yorker Dave Rauscher backed his Magee Transportation Services-Monadnock Disposal Service/Bicknell down the home stretch to incur the first of seven yellow flags just as upstarts Mark Forte Jr. and Rob Bellinger tangled in turn two. Jeremy Markle and Steve Downs hooked up in the same spot two laps later to quickly bring out a second caution with the front-five racers remaining together with 10 in the books.

Planck finally moved past Pauch for third on lap 13 and overtook Johnson for the runner-up slot two laps later then set his sights on the leader. This time it was Mark Forte Sr. locking horns with Bellinger in the initial turns to force another slowdown, just what Planck was looking for as he ducked low to forge his first lead on lap 18. But that lasted only one more circuit as Planck’s left-rear Hoosier went soft allowing Phelps to regain the point .

The no. 1W Will Brown Truck Repair-K&A Excavating/Bicknell mount of Pauch suddenly came to life on the lap 20 restart, blasting from fourth to first, going around Andy Bachetti then under Phelps as Johnson sandwiched the leader coming out of turn four. Horton was left to watch in fifth while Hearn moved in to make it a six car battle with half the race still to go.

Horton moved back past Hearn then disposed of Bachetti and when Johnson had a tire go down under yellow, Horton was riding in the top-three and getting faster as the race wore on. Horton flew past Phelps on a lap 26 restart and sped high around Pauch to forge the final lead change on lap 28. With the “Sensational One” out front, only the positions behind him changed as Horton held on for his 83rd career DIRTcar Big-Block Modified feature win.

“This is the way we wanted to start out,” Horton stated. “Dieter went out and bought some Troyer cars and it really made a difference. Other than blowing a motor on Wednesday and the mishap on Friday, we’ve done alright this week.”

With 17 of the 28 open-wheel starters completing the entire 50-lap distance, the top-10 positions were filled by veterans Pat Ward and Alan Johnson, Bachetti, Rick Laubach and Matt Sheppard. The Alltel DIRTcar Nationals points championship was the seventh for Hearn and third for Pauch, ironically, with each also tying for the title on other time; Hearn with Bachetti in 2005 and Pauch with Jeff Kappesser in 1982. Identical finishes of 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th were recorded by each driver during the four-day affair.

“It’s a great way for the team to start out with four top-5s,” said Hearn, the defending overall Hoosier-Sunoco Mr. DIRTcar Big-Block Modified Champion. “We didn’t have the best car by any means but just kept digging. Our goal is to finish in the top-five all the time, and we know the wins will come if we keep running up front.”

Added Pauch, “We came down here to win so its always nice to do good and get the title that goes along with it. Its definitely been a while. I think 1982 was the first time I ever came down to Florida. We’re happy the way things worked out this time around, hopefully we can carry the momentum back home. Right now Hagerstown and Virginia are already on our schedule.”

With the 2008 Alltel DIRTcar Nationals safely in the recordbook, teams packed up and headed home to get ready for the start of DIRTcar NorthEast's 33rd season at their hometrack. The first major event of the season is the Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modified opener scheduled at Hagerstown (Md.) Speedway on Saturday, March 22. The 23-race Advance Auto Parts Series continues through October with Orange County Fair (NY) Speedway hosting the 47th Eastern States 200-lap season-finale on October 19.

Headquartered in Roanoke, Va., Advance Auto Parts is the second-largest retailer of automotive aftermarket parts, accessories, batteries, and maintenance items in the United States, based on store count and sales. As of October 6, 2007, the company operated 3,228 stores in 40 states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. The company serves both the do-it-yourself and professional installer markets.

Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series – Volusia Speedway Park, February 16, 2008
37th Annual Alltel DIRTcar Nationals Event #4
BIG-BLOCK MODIFIED FEATURE
FIN STR CAR# DRIVER/HOMETOWN
1 4 5 Jimmy Horton/Neshanic Station,NJ($5,000)
2 2 98h Jimmy Phelps/Baldwinsville,NY
3 8 77x Dale Planck/Cortland,NY
4 17 20 Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ
5 6 1w Billy Pauch/Frenchtown,NJ
6 21 42p Pat Ward/Genoa,NY
7 25 14j Alan Johnson/Middlesex,NY
8 3 34 Andy Bachetti/Sheffield,MA
9 18 14 Rick Laubach/Quakertown,PA
10 13 44s Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY
11 12 7j Joe Isabell/Pennellville,NY
12 19 22 Mario Clair/St-Edmond,QUE
13 20 91w Larry Wight/Phoenix,NY
14 10 32 Jim Rasey/Southington,OH
15 5 8s Rich Scagliotta/Bound Brook,NJ
16 22 56 Vince Vitale/Phoenix,NY
17 24 18 Sean Beardsley/Central Square,NY
18 7 8 Rob Bellinger/Dexter,NY
19 14 43 Keith Flach/Ravena,NY
20 23 79 Jeremy Markle/Port Jervis,NY
21 11 48too Dave Rauscher/Waterloo,NY
22 9 55 Jamie Mills/Milford,DE
23 27 30 Jordan Watson/Milford,DE
24 28 m40 Mark Forte,Jr./Blue Anchor,NJ
25 1 27j Danny Johnson/Rochester,NY
26 15 71 David VanHorn/Phillipsburg,NJ
27 16 40 Mark Forte,Sr./Blue Anchor,NJ
28 26 39w Steve Downs/Georgetown,DE
DID NOT QUALIFY(7)
1-Darwin Greene/Susquehanna,PA
20p-Pierre Berthiaume/Quebec City,QUE
20s-Steve Haggan/Flemington, NJ
t21-Roger Chrysler/Lewiston,NY
66w-Wallace Stacey/Kahnawake,QUE
85-Dan Vauter/Forest City,PA
923-Colin Jackson/Peckville,PA
Lap Leaders: D.Johnson (1-2), Phelps (3-17), Planck (18), Phelps (19), Pauch (20-27), Horton (28-50).
Cautions: 7 (lap 6, lap 8, lap 17, lap 19, lap 26, lap 31, lap 42).
QUALIFYING
Heat Races (8 laps, top 5 finishers transferred to feature)
#1: D.Johnson, Scagliotta, Mills, Sheppard, Hearn, Ward, Beardsley, Vitale, Stacey.
#2: Phelps, Pauch, Rasey, Flach, Laubach, Greene, Jackson, Haggan, A.Johnson.
#3: Bachetti, Bellinger, Rauscher, VanHorn, Clair, Markle, Watson, Chrysler, Forte Jr.
#4: Horton, Planck, Isabell, Forte Sr., Wight, Downs, Berthiaume, Vauter.
Consolation Round (12 laps, top 8 finishers transferred to feature)
#1: Ward, Vitale, Markle, Beardsley, A.Johnson, Downs, Watson, Forte Jr., Greene, Haggan, Berthiaume, Chrysler, Jackson, Stacey, Vauter (DNS).

Alltel DIRTcar Nationals Point Standings (FINAL)
POINTS CAR# DRIVER / HOMETOWN
214 20 BRETT HEARN/Sussex,NJ
214 1w BILLY PAUCH/Frenchtown,NJ
198 14j Alan Johnson/Middlesex,NY
194 42p Pat Ward/Genoa,NY
184 77x Dale Planck/Cortland,NY
176 44s Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY
176 98h Jimmy Phelps/Baldwinsville,NY
162 22 Mario Clair/St-Edmond,QUE
140 5 Jimmy Horton/Neshanic Station,NJ
136 14 Rick Laubach/Quakertown,PA
132 91w Larry Wight/Phoenix,NY
118 8s Rich Scagliotta/Bound Brook,NJ
115 56 Vince Vitale/Phoenix,NY
114 43 Keith Flach/Ravena,NY
114 34 Andy Bachetti/Sheffield,MA
108 71 David VanHorn/Phillipsburg,NJ
100 39w Steve Downs/Georgetown,DE
100 m40 Mark Forte,Jr./Blue Anchor,NJ
100 55 Jamie Mills/Milford,DE
92 7j Jeff Isabell/Pennellville,NY
92 18 Sean Beardsley/Central Square,NY
89 117 Kevin Hirthler/Boyertown,PA
87 32 Jim Rasey/Southington,OH
82 8 Rob Bellinger/Dexter,NY
78 79 Jeremy Markle/Port Jervis,NY
74 85 Dan Vauter/Forest City,PA
63 27j Danny Johnson/Rochester,NY
62 30 Jordan Watson/Milford,DE
62 48too Dave Rauscher/Waterloo,NY
60 40 Mark Forte,Sr./Blue Anchor,NJ
53 66w Wallace Stacey/Kahnawake,QUE
41 20p Mike Perrotte/Plattsburgh,NY
40 1 Darwin Greene/Susquehanna,PA
40 20s Steve Haggan/Flemington, NJ
40 t21 Roger Chrysler/Lewiston,NY
40 923 Colin Jackson/Peckville,PA
36 7j Joe Isabell/Pennellville,NY
30 OB's Bob Hentschel/Pine Bush,NY
20 71r John Reome/Greenfield Center,NY
10 20p Pierre Berthiaume/Quebec City,QUE