By John Hopkins
Seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher was 23rd after the first day's qualifying for a round of the German Superbike Championship in Oschersleben, according to a Canadian Press report.
Riding a Honda, the 39-year-old was six seconds off the pace of leader Kai-Borre Andresen of Norway with final qualifying set for Saturday.
According to the Canadian Press story, posted on tsn.ca, organizers had tried to enter Schumacher under a false name, Marcel Niederecken, but ended up using his real name for insurance reasons.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
Michael Schumacher coming out of retirement...
... to enter a motorcycle race in Germany.
From the AP
OSCHERSLEBEN, Germany - Seven-time Formula One champion Michael Schumacher has been riding practice rounds on a motorcycle ahead of a superbike race.
Schumacher, who retired (from car racing) in 2006, has recently been testing but is yet to compete in a motorcycle race.
He turned a few rounds Friday on his Honda bike ahead of this weekend's German International Championship races. He is listed among the starters for the race.
Organizers initially tried to register Schumacher under a false name - Marcel Niederecken - but later used his real name because of insurance issues.
From the AP
OSCHERSLEBEN, Germany - Seven-time Formula One champion Michael Schumacher has been riding practice rounds on a motorcycle ahead of a superbike race.
Schumacher, who retired (from car racing) in 2006, has recently been testing but is yet to compete in a motorcycle race.
He turned a few rounds Friday on his Honda bike ahead of this weekend's German International Championship races. He is listed among the starters for the race.
Organizers initially tried to register Schumacher under a false name - Marcel Niederecken - but later used his real name because of insurance issues.
NCATS: Peter Gibbons is testing a FORD FUSION at Mosport
INSIDE TRACK EXCLUSIVE:
NASCAR Canadian Tire Series racer Peter Gibbons - a longtime CHEVY driver - is currently testing (Friday morning) a FORD FUSION (in grey 'testing' paint) at Mosport International Raceway.
Last season, Ford drivers Andrew Ranger and Kerry Micks won three of the four road course events on the NCATS schedule (Ranger won at Mosport, Micks won at Montreal and Trois-Rivieres), while Ranger finished second (behind Chevy driver JR Fitzpatrick) in Edmonton.
With neither Chevrolet nor Ford involved in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, Gibbons doesn't run the risk of offending anyone by building a Ford and doing what it takes (in his opinion) to be competitive on the road courses. Sources say there is no indication that Gibbons will switch from Chevrolets on the ovals.
In other manufacturer news, the "FUSION" sticker was conspicuously absent from the nose of champion Andrew Ranger's Ford during the recent test session at Cayuga. Last season, the sticker was there. During the off-season, Ranger and his associates went out of their way to credit Ford for their success in '07. It appears the 'props' to Ford fell on deaf ears and resulted in no support for the NCATS program... hence the removal of the decal.
NASCAR Canadian Tire Series racer Peter Gibbons - a longtime CHEVY driver - is currently testing (Friday morning) a FORD FUSION (in grey 'testing' paint) at Mosport International Raceway.
Last season, Ford drivers Andrew Ranger and Kerry Micks won three of the four road course events on the NCATS schedule (Ranger won at Mosport, Micks won at Montreal and Trois-Rivieres), while Ranger finished second (behind Chevy driver JR Fitzpatrick) in Edmonton.
With neither Chevrolet nor Ford involved in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, Gibbons doesn't run the risk of offending anyone by building a Ford and doing what it takes (in his opinion) to be competitive on the road courses. Sources say there is no indication that Gibbons will switch from Chevrolets on the ovals.
In other manufacturer news, the "FUSION" sticker was conspicuously absent from the nose of champion Andrew Ranger's Ford during the recent test session at Cayuga. Last season, the sticker was there. During the off-season, Ranger and his associates went out of their way to credit Ford for their success in '07. It appears the 'props' to Ford fell on deaf ears and resulted in no support for the NCATS program... hence the removal of the decal.
TOYO TIRES is proud to return as the presenting sponsor for the 2008 Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship
To kick off the new season, TOYO TIRES will introduce their latest R-compound race tire, the PROXES R888. And to help showcase this launch, the CCTCC will run the PROXES R888 as their series spec tire!
The PROXES R888 was developed using the latest TOYO Racing Technology, and will enhance the competition levels at the CCTCC through its formidable design. It promises to deliver maximum performance with improved cornering grip from its stiffer bead construction, and semi-slick shoulder area, as well as better braking response from its continuous centre contact It also has a durable, special tread rubber compound that maintains optimum temperatures for maximum handling capabilities, even during extended periods of competition.
TOYO TIRES has been the presenting sponsor of the CCTCC since its inaugural season in 2006. This value-adding partnership is an excellent platform to demonstrate TOYO’s outstanding Racing Technology. CCTCC racers are able to authenticate the true competitiveness of a TOYO PROXES race tire, and have demonstrated the tires’ durability, and predictability during extreme competition after two full seasons of competition.
Visit http://www.toyotires.ca/ to get more information on TOYO TIRES’ full lineup of passenger, light truck, SUV and off-the-road tires.
The PROXES R888 was developed using the latest TOYO Racing Technology, and will enhance the competition levels at the CCTCC through its formidable design. It promises to deliver maximum performance with improved cornering grip from its stiffer bead construction, and semi-slick shoulder area, as well as better braking response from its continuous centre contact It also has a durable, special tread rubber compound that maintains optimum temperatures for maximum handling capabilities, even during extended periods of competition.
TOYO TIRES has been the presenting sponsor of the CCTCC since its inaugural season in 2006. This value-adding partnership is an excellent platform to demonstrate TOYO’s outstanding Racing Technology. CCTCC racers are able to authenticate the true competitiveness of a TOYO PROXES race tire, and have demonstrated the tires’ durability, and predictability during extreme competition after two full seasons of competition.
Visit http://www.toyotires.ca/ to get more information on TOYO TIRES’ full lineup of passenger, light truck, SUV and off-the-road tires.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Toronto Grand Prix is back!
By Inside Track Staff,Andretti Green Promotions, the race promotions side of Michael Andretti's Andretti Green Racing, has finalized the purchase of the assets of the Toronto Grand Prix Champ Car race.
The news is great for Toronto race fans as the Grand Prix of Toronto will now accompany the Grand Prix of Edmonton on the 2009 Indycar schedule, restoring one of the crown jewels on the open wheel racing calendar.
"As a driver, Toronto was always my favorite race of the year and it will be no different as a promoter," said Michael Andretti. "The fans are some of the most enthusiastic you'll ever be around and we're looking forward to building on the great history of this event."
For more information log onto andrettigreenracing.com.
Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship: The season begins this weekend at Mosport!
The feature of the Mosport Victoria Day Speedfest is the Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship Presented By Toyo Tires. The Championship’s second season kicks off this weekend and the fans are anticipating another incredible battle throughout the year. The Championship will visit five different tracks this year as part of eight different weekends in Ontario and Quebec.The Championship is comprised of two Classes of racecars; Touring Class in the entry level Class where only minimal modifications are allowed while Super Touring Class has the powerful heavily modified racecars with engines up to 2.8 litres. Drivers can start out in Touring Class and develop their racecraft and then move up to Super Touring Class when they are ready for more power and speed. Both Classes compete at the same time on the track and challenge for supremacy in their Class which creates an amazing show.
Charles-Andre Bilodeau is back to defend his Championship in Super Touring Class. He is part of the GT Racing Team which is a two car BMW effort. He and his teammate Etienne Borgeat have rebuilt their cars over the winter and are anxious for the first event. They will be challenged by several two car teams including JL Racing (Saab), VMC (Honda), Krikorian Motorsports (Subaru), Auto Analyser Racing (Lexus), 8Legs Racing (BMW) and Fastco Racing (Hyundai).
Andre and Anthony Rapone are coming off their rookie seasons and have built two Acura Integras to race in Touring Class. The brothers are part of the Durabond Racing Team and have shown to be very competitive against more experienced drivers. The will be challenged by TwoFast Racing (two Mazdas), Mad Macs Racing (two Nissans) and even a Mercedes-Benz.
The Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship Presented by Toyo Tires is sponsored by CSC Racing, Toronto TireCraft, Sigma Promotions and Mad Macs Communications + Graphics. The Championship is supported by Racing Radios, President Champagne, Leaf Racewear and Impact Custom Canopy. The Championship features Canada’s Best Drivers Racing Today’s Hottest Touring Cars.
From John Bondar
PHOTO GALLERY: Alex Tagliani tests Andrew Ranger's NCATS car at Cayuga Motor Speedway
On Wednesday (May 14, 2008), former open-wheel racer Alex Tagliani tested the #27 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series car of champion Andrew Ranger at Cayuga Motor Speedway. Although not formally announced, Tagliani will be teamed with Ranger, at Jacombs Motorsports, for a full-season NCATS effort in 2008. Thanks to Dave Franks for attending the test session and supplying these photos.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Television Package Announced
NASCAR CANADIAN TIRE SERIES TELEVISION PACKAGE ANNOUNCED· Series returns to TSN with coverage of all 13 races
· Season kicks off on May 30 with Crown Jewel 200
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 14, 2008) – For the second consecutive season, TSN, Canada’s Sports Leader, will be the exclusive broadcast partner of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Sirius Satellite Radio.
TSN will nationally televise 13 one-hour broadcasts – one for each of the Series’ 13 races. Coverage gets underway on May 30 at 12 midnight ET with the Crown Jewel 200, the first race of the season, taking place on the speedy 5/8-mile oval at Cayuga International Speedway.
The shows will be produced by James Robinson Associates Ltd. and will include race coverage, driver interviews and features. Dave Bradley will provide the play-by-play alongside colour analyst Billy Rowse Jr. Todd Lewis rounds out the broadcast team as pit reporter. The majority of race coverage will air in High Definition.
TSN’s NASCAR Canadian Tire Series coverage complements the network’s all-encompassing NASCAR programming, which includes full-season action of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series.
"The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series is coming off a fantastic inaugural season last year. TSN is looking forward to building on the series’ success and delivering great competition and fast-paced excitement to racing fans across the country," said Phil King, President, TSN. "As NASCAR’s popularity north of the border continues to grow, TSN is proud to support Canadian drivers and Canadian racing as part of the network’s all-encompassing NASCAR coverage."
“TSN is a terrific partner and a strong supporter of Canadian motorsports,” said George Silbermann, NASCAR Managing Director of Racing Operations. “Thanks to their continuing efforts, racing fans will again get to see all the excitement and drama of the nation’s top drivers competing in Canada’s premier stock car racing series.”
The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series runs on a variety of short tracks and road courses from Nova Scotia to British Columbia. The early season will be highlighted by the first visit to Autodrome St-Eustache in Quebec. A year ago, Quebec was home to a pair of hotly-contested battles between Kerry Micks and Quebec-native Andrew Ranger at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres. Micks edged Ranger on both occasions, but Ranger persevered and won the first NASCAR Canadian Tire Series title.
A trip to western Canada in mid-July will see the Canadian Tire Series visit SunValley Speedway in Vernon, B.C. and to Edmonton for the Rexall Edmonton Indy. Nineteen year-old J.R Fitzpatrick won both of these events last season in dramatic fashion on final-lap passes.
The season will culminate with a September trip to the maritime province of Nova Scotia and the season finale at Kawartha Speedway. The high-banked 1/3-mile track at Riverside International Speedway in Antigonish, N.S. is a favorite among the competitors. The track is a scale model of the legendary Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.
About NASCAR Canadian Tire Series: The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Sirius Satellite Radio is a national stock car series with a 13-race schedule which covers 11 tracks and five provinces including a companion event with the NASCAR Nationwide Series at Montreal’s historic Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The moulded fiberglass-bodied cars are powered by 350 to 360 cubic-inch V-8 motors. The series has nine races on oval tracks while the remaining four events are on road courses.
About TSN: TSN, a division of CTVglobemedia, is Canada's Sports Leader. Setting the Canadian sports broadcasting standard, TSN was voted the No. 1 source for sports coverage and news by sports fans across the country.* TSN's comprehensive broadcast schedule features SportsCentre, the NHL and first three rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs; International Hockey including the IIHF World Junior Championship; the Olympic Games through 2012; CFL including Friday Night Football; NFL including Sunday and Monday Night Football; PGA TOUR and all four golf Majors; Blue Jays baseball; Raptors basketball and the NBA Finals; Season of Champions Curling; Auto Racing including NASCAR, Formula One and IRL; Tennis and all four Grand Slam events; EURO 2008 and UEFA Champions League Soccer; and HBO World Championship boxing. TSN HD offers more sports coverage, more hours and more events in High Definition than any other network in Canada. TSN is available in 9 million households. TSN's programming and news content is also available online at TSN.ca.
*2007/2008 Roper Reports Canada
About James Robinson Associates Ltd.: James Robinson Associates Ltd. is a Toronto-based video production company specializing in corporate communications, marketing and training productions for the automotive industry and motorsports television. Jim and Joel Robinson have been producing series for 14 seasons and have over 250 original motor racing titles to their credit.
NASCAR CANADIAN TIRE SERIES BROADCAST SCHEDULE ON TSN
Telecast Date* Track (Location) Time
Fri., May 30 Cayuga International Speedway (Hamilton, ON) 12 midnight ET
Sun., June 15 Autodrome Ste. Eustache (Ste. Eustache, QC) 12 noon ET
Sun., June 29 Mosport Speedway (Bowmanville, ON) 12 noon ET
Sun., July 6 Barrie Speedway (Barrie, ON) 2:30 p.m. ET
Sun., July 27 Sun Valley Speedway (Vernon, BC) 12 noon ET
Sun., Aug. 3 Rexall Edmonton Indy (Edmonton) 12 noon ET
Sat., Aug. 16 Circuit Gilles Villeneuve (Montreal) 12 noon ET
Sun., Aug. 17 Mosport Speedway (Bowmanville, ON) 12 noon ET
Sun., Aug. 31 Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres (Trois-Rivieres, QC) 1 a.m. ET
Sat., Sept. 6 Cayuga International Speedway (Hamilton, ON) 11 a.m. ET
Sat., Sept. 13 Barrie Speedway (Barrie, ON) 11 a.m. ET
Sat., Oct. 4 Riverside Speedway (Antigonish, NS) 11 a.m. ET
Sat., Oct. 11 Kawartha Speedway (Peterborough, ON) 11 a.m. ET
*Races will air on delay only. // Schedule subject to change
For more information contact: Shon Sbarra, NASCAR Public Relations, (704) 309-5493 // Andrea Goldstein, TSN, (416) 332-7575
PHOTO GALLERY: Flamboro Speedway May 10, 2008 by Dave Franks ... Karts and Stock Cars
Thanks to Dave Franks for supplying us with this 323-photo gallery featuring all the action from Flamboro Speedway on Saturday, May 10, 2008. The first half features action from the new karting track in the infield at Flamboro Speedway, while the second half of the photos is from the night's regular racing show (plus the Lucas Oil Can-Am Midgets). Click here to see Dave's new website.
Kevin York and Compass360 ‘Unleash’ Unique Marketing Partner
So far in the 2008 Grand-Am Koni Series, Compass360’s Acura TSX #75 has been racing around the track with a mysterious marketing partner—a logo that simply reads ‘GoEnzo.com.’ We’re pleased to finally be able to reveal that the sponsor behind the logo is novelist (and racing fan) Garth Stein. GoEnzo.com is the website for his new novel, THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN.
THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN is narrated by Enzo Swift, a loyal family dog who has educated himself about the world by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver, and those of his favorite racer, Aryton Senna. He’s learned that by using techniques needed on the race track, one can successfully navigate all of life's ordeals—your car goes where your eyes go.
Stein is a former racecar driver himself, which led to his decision to get the word out about this book by sponsoring a racecar—an unusual move for a writer. But Compass360’s Acura #75 is not just any racecar. The driver, Kevin York, is Stein’s good friend and the real-life inspiration for the character of Denny Swift.
THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN is available wherever books are sold or at Starbucks stores across the country. Additionally, driver Kevin York will be handing out a limited number of books at each of his races this summer. His next appearance will be May 23-26, Memorial Day weekend, at Lime Rock Park, CT.
About the driver: KEVIN YORK has been a motorsport competitor and coach for nearly two decades. He has competed in—and won—in various forms of motorsport. Licensed by Grand Am, FIA, WKA, ACCUS and ICSCC, Kevin has a depth and breadth of experience not seen in all drivers. For more detail, see http://www.yorkmotorsport.com/.
About the team: COMPASS360 RACING (C360R) is the motorsports division of Compass360 Design + Advertising, a firm offering branding expertise to clients in diverse industries across North America. The team has fielded cars in Grand-Am’s KONI Challenge since 2004, rewarding Acura with with the Manufacturer’s Championship twice (in 2006 and 2007). For more details visit http://www.c360r.com/.
About the author: GARTH STEIN is the author of two previous novels, How Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets and Raven Stole the Moon, and a play, Brother Jones. He lives in Seattle with his family. Find out more at http://www.goenzo.com/
For information on Garth Stein, GoEnzo.com and The Art of Racing in the Rain, contact
Ami Greko, ami@foliolit.com
212-400-1494 x27
Driver News: Mike Vincec to compete in European karting series
Vincec, who recently turned seventeen, was invited to join the CRG factory team earlier this year to contest the European Championships in the KZ2 shifter class. Following some testing in Italy back in February of this year, Mike would return to North America for the first race in the Stars of Karting series taking place in Ocala, Florida. He would have a strong outing in his Cameron Motorsport CRG ICC taking two top-five results. He currently sits second overall in the east division.
Returning home, Mike would have time to pack before headiong off to Angerville, France for testing ahead of the European series¹ first race. He would fly directly from France to Utah for another Stars of Karting event - this time in the west division. Mike would have a top-five finish in race one but problems kept him out of the points in race two.
Mike would then fly back to France for the opening round of the European Championships. This is a hotly contested series and the KZ2 class alone had 107 entries. Vincec and tuner, Mike Roth from Cameron Motorsport, took what knowledge had been attained in the previous test and turned it into an appearance in the final races having qualifying 33rd on points after 5 qualifying heat races.
In race one, Mike would make up a number of positions sitting P20 before gearbox problems forced him out. He would start the final race from 28th on the grid and working traffic, be up to P12 at the finish. At the time the checkers flew, he was battling for a top-ten position.
After a great run in France, Mike would return home to Stouffville and some more good news when motorsport publication Inside Track Motorsport News announced the winners of their fan pole after over 5000 votes. Mike would be selected as Top Canadian Kart Racer of 2007.
"It is really great to be selected by the fans and my peers for such a honour," commented Vincec. "We had a really good season in 2007 in both the Sunoco Ron Fellows Karting Championship Series and Stars of Karting. I am proud of our accomplishments and have to thank the Cameron Motorsports crew for giving me the opportunity, and the equipment to have a successful season."
With the karting season just beginning here at home, Mike will be on track this weekend for the first round of the Ontario Regional Karting Championship taking place at Goodwood Kartways just northeast of Toronto.
Mike Vincec Facts: The seventeen year old Stoufffville, Ontario native, a member of the Cameron Motorsports National Team, would record three championships in the 2007 Sunoco Ron Fellows Karting Championship. In 2006 at age fifteen, he was voted Rookie of The Year in the Stars of Karting Championship in ICC and he would also be crowned Canadian National ICC Champion.
From: Chris Jameson // Level Ten Communications
Sunset Speedway: Walters wins on the night news of the track's sale is announced
STROUD, ON - The roar heard from the south of Barrie in Innisfil was not a thunder storm coming in but the start of the 2008 race season at Ontario fastest 1/3 mile oval, Sunset Speedway.
The 2008 race season promises to be one of the best we have seen in years great racing great car counts and first and foremost great crowds. There was announcement in the pits that was from left field when at the drivers meeting that Glenn Lloyd has sold the track to a former owner Wes Good and we welcome Wes and his wife on board and look forward to his input.
On our first night we had our regular classes plus the Ontario Pro Challenge Series and spectator races at the intermission. The big winners on the opening night were # 47 Stompin’ Tom Walters in the HF Smith Home Hardware late models, # 51 back after a year off, Mark Adams in a new car in the domino’s pizza thunder cars, we also welcomed back a former champion in the Fox’s Buns Master 4 Cylinder road runners as # 45 Colt Carcone was victorious, Rob Gibson Sr. was victorious in the Fox’s 4 fun division and # 53 Kevin Crowhurst took home the Ontario Pro Challenge feature.
The 47 car has adopted the theme 2008 the drive for 25 and that means they are looking for their 25th championship having won an unbelievable 24 points championship over his outstanding career and 25 in certainly off to a great start.
HF SMITH HOME HARDWARE LATE MODELS
As the late models rolled onto the track for their 25 lap adventure the car to beat would appear to be the 47 machine as he was the pole sitter and knows the 1/3 mile bull ring better than anyone as Stompin’ Tom Walters is a 12 time track champion at Sunset Speedway.
On the drop of the green flag Walters roared to the point followed by #45 Rob Poole, # 1 Quick Vic Parsons, # 40 Charlie Gallant and # 57 Ron Quesnelle. On lap 3 the first caution appeared as 2007 champ # 11 Chris Morrow limped to a stop with a flat tire in turn 4 and retired to the pits for a new tire and was summoned to the rear on the restart.
At the halfway point Walters was the lead car with Poole, Parsons, Quesnelle and Gallant the fast 5 and they stayed that way until lap 25 when Parsons looped his car exiting turn 2 to bring out the yellow and set up a 5 lap shootout with wily veteran leading the up and coming young gunslinger ready to take on the battle.
On the restart the 47 car gets loose and Poole seizes the opportunity to try and get under Walters but the veteran was not going to give up without a fight and they trading paint down the front chute with Poole’s hood flying in the air causing another caution.
On the restart Walters was the point man with Poole, Gallant, Quesnelle and Morrow were the fast 5 whle Walters was the leader there was a great battle in behind as Morrow driving hard on the high line had designs on moving up even the leader was in sight.
As the laps were winding down Morrow gets past Quesnelle and Gallant and is eyeing Poole’s spot but he ran out of laps and settled for 3rd a good finish considering he was put to the back early. The running order at the checkered flag was Walters, Poole, Morrow, Gallant and Quesnelle and the heat winners were Morrow, # 6 Keith Maiato, Quesnelle and Walters.
If the first night of racing was any indication we are in for a great 2008 season and there will be more cars as they get their cars ready for the season and fight for the 2008 points champion.
DOMINO’S PIZZA THUNDER CARS
As the Thunder Cars took to the track we had a former veteran on the point as he was away in 2007 the # 51 machine of Mark Adams and he looks poised to take a run at the 2008 points championship.
On the drop of the green flag Adams is the point man with #36 Chuck Adams, K13 Ed Beatty, # 58 Stan Coe and # 69 Rob Skyler in hot pursuit. At the halfway point Adams was the point man with Beatty, Coe, # 88 Herb Walters and Anderson trying to track him down and the first caution appeared at lap 16 when the # 25 car of Kristi Wolfe rolled into the infield.
On the restart Adams was the point man and was not to be denied on this night while in behind the fast 5 were Beattie, Walters and # 57 Steve Lang in his beautiful new car and that is the order they finished the feature. The heat winners were Walters 2, Wolfe and Beattie.
Adams looks like he’s poised to take a run at the 2008 points championship and it was nice to see Kristi Wolfe win her heat race and she has a tribute to her late father John who passed away last November.
THE FOX’S BUNS MASTER 4 CYINDER ROAD RUNNERS
As the cars rolled onto the track for their feature run the car to beat appeared to be the # 45 car of Colt Carcone who won both his heat races but the 2007 points champion # 54 Joe Ireton was on the point and would be tough to beat.
On the drop of the green flag Ireton grabbed the lead with Carcone, #64 Beau Burrows, #63 Dave Burrows and # 5 Bill Gallant the fast 5. As the laps rolled on Ireton held the point but in behind there positions being exchanged on each lap as Carcone, D. Burrows, B. Burrows and # 14 Ken Britt were battling.
As the laps were winding down Ireton went for a wild ride through the infield that gave the lead to Carcone while in behind the fast 5 were Britt, Beau Burrows, Ireton and Dave Burrows and that’s how they finished the feature. The heat winners were Carcone 2, Britt and Gallant. Congratulations to Colt and his crew on a great feature win and to Colt and his wife as they are expecting their first child any hour now.
THE FOX’S 4 FUNS
We had 30, 4 funs take to the track for their feature run and on the drop of the green # 6 Terry Woodley grabbed the lead with # 79 Nicole Podewils, # 18 Rick Drinkwater, # 33 Ron Goodall and # 35 Miles Jamieson the fast 5. Woodley was still the leader at the halfway point while in behind it was Jamieson, # 29 Rob Gibson Sr., Drinkwater and # 9 Marshall Pender were looking for any opening to move up.
As the laps were winding down Gibson works the lapped cars to make a move around Woodley and takes the lead and the checkered flag followed by Woodley, Pender, Ireton and Jamieson. The heat winners were Woodley, #15 Bob Mercer, Jamieson and Podewils. Congratulations to Rob and his crew on a fantastic win and the points race should go down to the last night as the field is strong with many competitive cars.
The 2008 race season is now underway and promises to be one of the best we have witnessed in years in all 4 classes. Next week we have our regular classes plus spectator races and our first Jalopy Figure 8 race of ’08 and you missed it last year make sure you are in attendance next week as they are fun to watch
By Brian Watt // Sunset Speedway
SUNSET SPEEDWAY
Innisfil, Ontario
RESULTS: May 10, 2008
LATE MODELS: 1. # 47 Stompin’ Tom Walters, 2. # 45 Rob Poole, 3. # 11 Chris Morrow, 4. # 40 Charlie Gallant, 5. # 57 Ron Quesnelle, 6. # 23 Paul Milligan, 7. # 03 Dario Capricchio, 8. # 05 Brian Davis, 9. # 6 Keith Maiato, 10. # 14 Jamie Horner
THUNDER CARS: 1. # 51 Mark Adams, 2. # K13 Don Beattie, 3. # 58 Stan Coe, 4. # 88 Herb Walters, 5. # 57 Steve Lang, 6. # 84 Ken Weisbrod, 7. # 36 Chuck Anderson, 8. # 69 Rob Skyler, 9. # 23t Tammy Milligan, 10. # 97 Roy Anderson
4 CYLINDER ROAD RUNNERS: 1. # 45 Colt Carcone, 2. # 14 Ken Britt, 3. # 64 Beau Burrows, 4. # 54 Joe Ireton, 5. # 63 Dave Burrows, 6. # 5 Bill Gallant, 7. # 18 Jay Cutting, 8. # 60 Dave Botting, 9. # 11 Dave Henderson Jr., 10. # 28 Mike Weeda
4 FUNS: 1. # 29 Rob Gibson Sr., 2. # 6 Terry Woodley, 3. # 54 Charlie Ireton, 4. # 35 Myles Jamieson, 5. # 33 Ron Goodall, 6. # 18 Rick Drinkwater, 7. # 4 Mark Kehoe, 8. # 55 Wild Bill Campbell, 9. # 79 Nicole Podewils, 10. # 69 Trevor Martin
The 2008 race season promises to be one of the best we have seen in years great racing great car counts and first and foremost great crowds. There was announcement in the pits that was from left field when at the drivers meeting that Glenn Lloyd has sold the track to a former owner Wes Good and we welcome Wes and his wife on board and look forward to his input.
On our first night we had our regular classes plus the Ontario Pro Challenge Series and spectator races at the intermission. The big winners on the opening night were # 47 Stompin’ Tom Walters in the HF Smith Home Hardware late models, # 51 back after a year off, Mark Adams in a new car in the domino’s pizza thunder cars, we also welcomed back a former champion in the Fox’s Buns Master 4 Cylinder road runners as # 45 Colt Carcone was victorious, Rob Gibson Sr. was victorious in the Fox’s 4 fun division and # 53 Kevin Crowhurst took home the Ontario Pro Challenge feature.
The 47 car has adopted the theme 2008 the drive for 25 and that means they are looking for their 25th championship having won an unbelievable 24 points championship over his outstanding career and 25 in certainly off to a great start.
HF SMITH HOME HARDWARE LATE MODELS
As the late models rolled onto the track for their 25 lap adventure the car to beat would appear to be the 47 machine as he was the pole sitter and knows the 1/3 mile bull ring better than anyone as Stompin’ Tom Walters is a 12 time track champion at Sunset Speedway.
On the drop of the green flag Walters roared to the point followed by #45 Rob Poole, # 1 Quick Vic Parsons, # 40 Charlie Gallant and # 57 Ron Quesnelle. On lap 3 the first caution appeared as 2007 champ # 11 Chris Morrow limped to a stop with a flat tire in turn 4 and retired to the pits for a new tire and was summoned to the rear on the restart.
At the halfway point Walters was the lead car with Poole, Parsons, Quesnelle and Gallant the fast 5 and they stayed that way until lap 25 when Parsons looped his car exiting turn 2 to bring out the yellow and set up a 5 lap shootout with wily veteran leading the up and coming young gunslinger ready to take on the battle.
On the restart the 47 car gets loose and Poole seizes the opportunity to try and get under Walters but the veteran was not going to give up without a fight and they trading paint down the front chute with Poole’s hood flying in the air causing another caution.
On the restart Walters was the point man with Poole, Gallant, Quesnelle and Morrow were the fast 5 whle Walters was the leader there was a great battle in behind as Morrow driving hard on the high line had designs on moving up even the leader was in sight.
As the laps were winding down Morrow gets past Quesnelle and Gallant and is eyeing Poole’s spot but he ran out of laps and settled for 3rd a good finish considering he was put to the back early. The running order at the checkered flag was Walters, Poole, Morrow, Gallant and Quesnelle and the heat winners were Morrow, # 6 Keith Maiato, Quesnelle and Walters.
If the first night of racing was any indication we are in for a great 2008 season and there will be more cars as they get their cars ready for the season and fight for the 2008 points champion.
DOMINO’S PIZZA THUNDER CARS
As the Thunder Cars took to the track we had a former veteran on the point as he was away in 2007 the # 51 machine of Mark Adams and he looks poised to take a run at the 2008 points championship.
On the drop of the green flag Adams is the point man with #36 Chuck Adams, K13 Ed Beatty, # 58 Stan Coe and # 69 Rob Skyler in hot pursuit. At the halfway point Adams was the point man with Beatty, Coe, # 88 Herb Walters and Anderson trying to track him down and the first caution appeared at lap 16 when the # 25 car of Kristi Wolfe rolled into the infield.
On the restart Adams was the point man and was not to be denied on this night while in behind the fast 5 were Beattie, Walters and # 57 Steve Lang in his beautiful new car and that is the order they finished the feature. The heat winners were Walters 2, Wolfe and Beattie.
Adams looks like he’s poised to take a run at the 2008 points championship and it was nice to see Kristi Wolfe win her heat race and she has a tribute to her late father John who passed away last November.
THE FOX’S BUNS MASTER 4 CYINDER ROAD RUNNERS
As the cars rolled onto the track for their feature run the car to beat appeared to be the # 45 car of Colt Carcone who won both his heat races but the 2007 points champion # 54 Joe Ireton was on the point and would be tough to beat.
On the drop of the green flag Ireton grabbed the lead with Carcone, #64 Beau Burrows, #63 Dave Burrows and # 5 Bill Gallant the fast 5. As the laps rolled on Ireton held the point but in behind there positions being exchanged on each lap as Carcone, D. Burrows, B. Burrows and # 14 Ken Britt were battling.
As the laps were winding down Ireton went for a wild ride through the infield that gave the lead to Carcone while in behind the fast 5 were Britt, Beau Burrows, Ireton and Dave Burrows and that’s how they finished the feature. The heat winners were Carcone 2, Britt and Gallant. Congratulations to Colt and his crew on a great feature win and to Colt and his wife as they are expecting their first child any hour now.
THE FOX’S 4 FUNS
We had 30, 4 funs take to the track for their feature run and on the drop of the green # 6 Terry Woodley grabbed the lead with # 79 Nicole Podewils, # 18 Rick Drinkwater, # 33 Ron Goodall and # 35 Miles Jamieson the fast 5. Woodley was still the leader at the halfway point while in behind it was Jamieson, # 29 Rob Gibson Sr., Drinkwater and # 9 Marshall Pender were looking for any opening to move up.
As the laps were winding down Gibson works the lapped cars to make a move around Woodley and takes the lead and the checkered flag followed by Woodley, Pender, Ireton and Jamieson. The heat winners were Woodley, #15 Bob Mercer, Jamieson and Podewils. Congratulations to Rob and his crew on a fantastic win and the points race should go down to the last night as the field is strong with many competitive cars.
The 2008 race season is now underway and promises to be one of the best we have witnessed in years in all 4 classes. Next week we have our regular classes plus spectator races and our first Jalopy Figure 8 race of ’08 and you missed it last year make sure you are in attendance next week as they are fun to watch
By Brian Watt // Sunset Speedway
SUNSET SPEEDWAY
Innisfil, Ontario
RESULTS: May 10, 2008
LATE MODELS: 1. # 47 Stompin’ Tom Walters, 2. # 45 Rob Poole, 3. # 11 Chris Morrow, 4. # 40 Charlie Gallant, 5. # 57 Ron Quesnelle, 6. # 23 Paul Milligan, 7. # 03 Dario Capricchio, 8. # 05 Brian Davis, 9. # 6 Keith Maiato, 10. # 14 Jamie Horner
THUNDER CARS: 1. # 51 Mark Adams, 2. # K13 Don Beattie, 3. # 58 Stan Coe, 4. # 88 Herb Walters, 5. # 57 Steve Lang, 6. # 84 Ken Weisbrod, 7. # 36 Chuck Anderson, 8. # 69 Rob Skyler, 9. # 23t Tammy Milligan, 10. # 97 Roy Anderson
4 CYLINDER ROAD RUNNERS: 1. # 45 Colt Carcone, 2. # 14 Ken Britt, 3. # 64 Beau Burrows, 4. # 54 Joe Ireton, 5. # 63 Dave Burrows, 6. # 5 Bill Gallant, 7. # 18 Jay Cutting, 8. # 60 Dave Botting, 9. # 11 Dave Henderson Jr., 10. # 28 Mike Weeda
4 FUNS: 1. # 29 Rob Gibson Sr., 2. # 6 Terry Woodley, 3. # 54 Charlie Ireton, 4. # 35 Myles Jamieson, 5. # 33 Ron Goodall, 6. # 18 Rick Drinkwater, 7. # 4 Mark Kehoe, 8. # 55 Wild Bill Campbell, 9. # 79 Nicole Podewils, 10. # 69 Trevor Martin
AIM Autosport - Grand Am pre-race report - Laguna Seca
The race at VIR would be AIM's best finish so far this season – a sixth place result, but that does not tell the real story. The car was fast all weekend and Brian Frisselle would score the early fastest lap and continue to turn consistent laps through his stint. Brian had also qualified the car to the front row spot.
"The car was on pace right away and we were having a very good run at the front" said AIM Autosport's team manger Ian Willis. "We ran into a couple of problems when Mark (Wilkins) was on track that cost us a couple of positions, but that has helped us further develop race strategy for the future."
Drivers and crew took some time to regroup after the race at VIR and focus forward to the next race in the Rolex Grand Am Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 at Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, California this weekend.
"Laguna Seca is a very challenging course for the drivers with a combination of some extreme elevation changes and some very fast corners" commented Willis. "Track position is going to be very important as it is a very difficult circuit for passing and this year we will have both DP and GT cars on track together so working traffic will be of paramount importance."
Following back-to-back races in Mexico and Virginia, Frisselle and Wilkins have had a bit of time to reflect on the series so far. Mark has spent time reviewing video of the last race and recently commented, "I made a few mistakes and ended up losing a few positions. I now need to concentrate on how best to approach and work my way through traffic and maintain my pace."
Brian had this to add, "As a team we need to continue what we have been doing all year. If we all give just one percent more, I believe AIM Autosport will have the breakthrough result we have been trying for."
The action at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca starts Friday (16th) at 10:30 PT (13:30 ET) with a 90-minute practice with qualifying at 16:50 PT (19:50 ET). The race takes place on Saturday (17th) starting at 13:45 PT (16:45 ET). It is schedule to run 250 miles (112 laps) with a time limit of 2 hours, forty-five minutes. The race will be broadcast on Speed TV, Sunday (18th) at 12:00 ET.
AIM Autosport Facts: Established in 1995, AIM Autosport has a mandate to identify, train and manage emerging motorsport talent. AIM has provided many young drivers with a solid foundation on which to build a career in professional racing. The success of the AIM driver development programs has been achieved through the dedication of our employees and the ongoing support of our commercial and technical partners. Away from the track, AIM Autosport serves the needs of the racing community with a purpose-built preparation shop situated in the Toronto suburb of Woodbridge, Ontario. AIM also fields the Exchange Traded Gold #61 Ford-Riley Daytona Prototype in the Rolex Grand Am series with drivers Mark Wilkins and Brian Frisselle.
From Chris Jameson // Level Ten Communications
"Racey" roster on deck for Maritime Pro Stock Tour
HALIFAX, NS (May 13, 2008) - A record number of pre-season driver registrations have been received for the 2008 CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour; good news indeed with less than two weeks remaining before the season opener May 24 at Scotia Speedworld, the Lucas Oil 100.
Thirty-five teams have filed the paperwork required to compete on the series eighth season; a series that not only visits the top five stock car racing facilities in the Maritimes - but features a lineup of the top drivers from each of the three Maritime Provinces - 16 teams from Nova Scotia, 12 from Prince Edward Island and six from New Brunswick. Since there is no "early entry" requirement, more driver registrations are expected as the season progresses.
The all-star lineup features the four former series champions: John Flemming, Rollie MacDonald, Wayne Smith and Shawn Tucker - who each have multiple race wins on the series. Other former series race winners registered for '08 include: Donald Chisholm, Dale Holmes, George Koszkulics, Mike MacKenzie, Brad Mann, Dave O'Blenis, Greg Proude, Shawn Turple and Kent Vincent.
Add to the mix seasoned drivers hungry for their first series win like Kent Livingston, Darren MacKinnon, Tim Rodgers, Darren Vanderaa, Shawn Pierce, Lonnie Sommerville, Mike Stevens, Chris Hughes, Sandy Livingston, Bobby Nielsen, Daryl Mahar, Stacey Clements and Roger Crane - and the stage is set for fierce competition on the Maritimes top stock car touring series.
But we're not done yet, because the '08 CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour will see a formidable group of rookie drivers contending for the EIT Race Radio Rookie of the Year: Robbie MacLean, Allison MacKinnon, David Heino, Jonathen Hicken, Lowell Affleck, Craig Slaunwhite, Jeff Campbell, Brian Jollimore and Pete Miller -some with more lofty expectations like race wins and even championship dreams.
Why - you may ask - is the 2008 CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour attracting the best stock car racers in the Maritimes?
The calibre of competition is second-to-none in North American short track stock car racing.
The series provides a professionally controlled environment where Maritime racers can test their skills against their peers.
Eleven events will comprise the '08 chase for the championship, including - for the first time ever - the prestigious IWK 250 at Riverside International Speedway.
More than $330,000 in event purses and bonus programs is being offered.
The championship title is coveted just as much as the $10,000 cheque that goes with it.
Two rounds of qualifying - Atlantic Tiltload Time Trials and heat races - will continue to set the starting lineup for the feature races, while contingency programs like the Coast Tire Most Laps Led and the Parts for Trucks Challenge will continue to add even more excitement. And - new for 2008 - a "Back in the Pack" procedure has been incorporated where a lucky racer that is down a lap with less than 20-to-go can get his lap back and suddenly be in contention for a win.
For race fans this all adds up to what should be an unprecedented season in Maritime stock car racing history - one in which you won't want to miss a minute, or more aptly - a lap.
2008 CARQUEST PRO STOCK TOUR DRIVER ROSTER
CAR NO. DRIVER NAME HOMETOWN
01 Robbie MacLean ® Winsloe, PEI
02 Mike MacKenzie Montague Gold Mines, NS
07 Allison MacKinnon ® Oyster Bed Bridge, PEI
0 Shawn Turple Enfield, NS
1 David Heino ® Shelburne, NS
4 Dale Holmes West Covehead, PEI
5 Jonathan Hicken ® Brudenell, PEI
6 Lowell Affleck ® Summerside, PEI
8 Kent Vincent Crapaud, PEI
13 Rollie MacDonald Pictou, NS
16 Kent Livingston Rockland, ON
18 Darren MacKinnon Milton, PEI
19 Tim Rodgers Upper Coverdale, NB
19v Darren Vanderaa Milton, PEI
21 Shawn Pierce Bridgewater, NS
23 Lonnie Sommerville Saint John, NB
23s Craig Slaunwhite ® White's Lake, NS
26 Mike Stevens Riverview, NB
29 Greg Proude North Wiltshire, PEI
30 Jeff Campbell ® Halifax, NS
32 Chris Hughes Brackley Beach, PEI
33 Brian Jollimore ® Halifax, NS
35 Brad Mann Glen Levit, NB
39 Sandy Livingston Springhill, NS
44 Wayne Smith Timberlea, NS
48 Dave O'Blenis Boundary Creek, NB
51 Bobby Nielsen Vernon River, PEI
52 Shawn Tucker Fredericton, NB
66 Daryl Mahar Hubley, NS
72 Stacey Clements Five Island Lake, NS
76 Roger Crane Montague, PEI
88 Donald Chisholm Antigonish, NS
89 George Koszkulics New Glasgow, NS
92 Pete Miller ® Kennetcook, NS
97 John Flemming Halifax, NS
Roster subject to change without notice.
From Joan Roue for the CARQUEST PST
Thirty-five teams have filed the paperwork required to compete on the series eighth season; a series that not only visits the top five stock car racing facilities in the Maritimes - but features a lineup of the top drivers from each of the three Maritime Provinces - 16 teams from Nova Scotia, 12 from Prince Edward Island and six from New Brunswick. Since there is no "early entry" requirement, more driver registrations are expected as the season progresses.
The all-star lineup features the four former series champions: John Flemming, Rollie MacDonald, Wayne Smith and Shawn Tucker - who each have multiple race wins on the series. Other former series race winners registered for '08 include: Donald Chisholm, Dale Holmes, George Koszkulics, Mike MacKenzie, Brad Mann, Dave O'Blenis, Greg Proude, Shawn Turple and Kent Vincent.
Add to the mix seasoned drivers hungry for their first series win like Kent Livingston, Darren MacKinnon, Tim Rodgers, Darren Vanderaa, Shawn Pierce, Lonnie Sommerville, Mike Stevens, Chris Hughes, Sandy Livingston, Bobby Nielsen, Daryl Mahar, Stacey Clements and Roger Crane - and the stage is set for fierce competition on the Maritimes top stock car touring series.
But we're not done yet, because the '08 CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour will see a formidable group of rookie drivers contending for the EIT Race Radio Rookie of the Year: Robbie MacLean, Allison MacKinnon, David Heino, Jonathen Hicken, Lowell Affleck, Craig Slaunwhite, Jeff Campbell, Brian Jollimore and Pete Miller -some with more lofty expectations like race wins and even championship dreams.
Why - you may ask - is the 2008 CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour attracting the best stock car racers in the Maritimes?
The calibre of competition is second-to-none in North American short track stock car racing.
The series provides a professionally controlled environment where Maritime racers can test their skills against their peers.
Eleven events will comprise the '08 chase for the championship, including - for the first time ever - the prestigious IWK 250 at Riverside International Speedway.
More than $330,000 in event purses and bonus programs is being offered.
The championship title is coveted just as much as the $10,000 cheque that goes with it.
Two rounds of qualifying - Atlantic Tiltload Time Trials and heat races - will continue to set the starting lineup for the feature races, while contingency programs like the Coast Tire Most Laps Led and the Parts for Trucks Challenge will continue to add even more excitement. And - new for 2008 - a "Back in the Pack" procedure has been incorporated where a lucky racer that is down a lap with less than 20-to-go can get his lap back and suddenly be in contention for a win.
For race fans this all adds up to what should be an unprecedented season in Maritime stock car racing history - one in which you won't want to miss a minute, or more aptly - a lap.
2008 CARQUEST PRO STOCK TOUR DRIVER ROSTER
CAR NO. DRIVER NAME HOMETOWN
01 Robbie MacLean ® Winsloe, PEI
02 Mike MacKenzie Montague Gold Mines, NS
07 Allison MacKinnon ® Oyster Bed Bridge, PEI
0 Shawn Turple Enfield, NS
1 David Heino ® Shelburne, NS
4 Dale Holmes West Covehead, PEI
5 Jonathan Hicken ® Brudenell, PEI
6 Lowell Affleck ® Summerside, PEI
8 Kent Vincent Crapaud, PEI
13 Rollie MacDonald Pictou, NS
16 Kent Livingston Rockland, ON
18 Darren MacKinnon Milton, PEI
19 Tim Rodgers Upper Coverdale, NB
19v Darren Vanderaa Milton, PEI
21 Shawn Pierce Bridgewater, NS
23 Lonnie Sommerville Saint John, NB
23s Craig Slaunwhite ® White's Lake, NS
26 Mike Stevens Riverview, NB
29 Greg Proude North Wiltshire, PEI
30 Jeff Campbell ® Halifax, NS
32 Chris Hughes Brackley Beach, PEI
33 Brian Jollimore ® Halifax, NS
35 Brad Mann Glen Levit, NB
39 Sandy Livingston Springhill, NS
44 Wayne Smith Timberlea, NS
48 Dave O'Blenis Boundary Creek, NB
51 Bobby Nielsen Vernon River, PEI
52 Shawn Tucker Fredericton, NB
66 Daryl Mahar Hubley, NS
72 Stacey Clements Five Island Lake, NS
76 Roger Crane Montague, PEI
88 Donald Chisholm Antigonish, NS
89 George Koszkulics New Glasgow, NS
92 Pete Miller ® Kennetcook, NS
97 John Flemming Halifax, NS
Roster subject to change without notice.
From Joan Roue for the CARQUEST PST
MERRITTVILLE SPEEDWAY: Two great events combine for one great holiday racing weekend
THOROLD, ON - The first holiday doubleheader of 2008 is here. The Saturday and Monday events will provide a full menu of great racing action for Merrittville Speedway's race fans – many who are still buzzing about last week’s season opener.
133 race cars through the 5 DIRT Weekly Racing Series Divisions converged to battle on the super smooth racing surface and there was plenty of three wide racing throughout.
Meridian Credit Union will present the Rankin Cancer Run Night Saturday May 17th which will feature the only 2008 visit of the full-fendered BRP Can Am Late Models - which is also the Season Opener of the 14 Race Series.
The Late Model special event will feature a star studded field of the region’s pilots from Black Rock, Genesee, Little Valley, McKean County, and Woodhull.
“Weekly Racing is something, but the tour deal is something else,” reveals Mr. Excitement - Jerry Wonderling, “we have been fast everywhere this year … we have been lucky at Black Rock … I hope that luck continues at Merrittville.”
Wonderling is undefeated at his Friday Night home track - having won 3 straight features to kick off the year – four if you count the $2500 ISKY Cams Season Finale Victory last fall at the same Dundee NY facility.
Many of the Saturday Night Late Model tracks have given their race teams the night off to encourage Tour participation and a field of 30 or more is expected.
In 2007, the Series enjoyed 11 different winners of which 5 of them were first timers.
With the recent announcement that Pete Bicknell himself will be behind the wheel of a second Paul Grigsby Integrity Homes of WNY Late Model - will Bicknell add his name to the list of first time winners?
In 6 BRP Can Am Late Model events held at Merrittville Speedway since 2004 - there have been 6 different winners.
Last year’s slide job pass that Steve Dixon put on Jim Johnson for the win stands out as one of the most spectacular finishes in the history of BRP Can Late Model A Main Events.
Was Bicknell’s mid-race battle with Chad Brachmann this past Saturday - a foreshadowing of what will take place Saturday Night?
Bicknell will surely have his hands full as he will be part of a record crop of rookie drivers looking to challenge the veterans for the win in the Series Opener.
With the L. St. Amand Enterprises 358 Modifieds off on a rare Saturday Night as they prepare for the opening round of the 2008 Lucas Oil Shootout by dirttrackdigest.com set for Event 2 of the Holiday Doubleheader Monday May 19th - joining the Late Models will be the Original Pizza Logs Sportsman, Hoosier Stocks, Lucas Oil Open Wheel Lites and the Turn 4 Collision 4 Cylinders.
Meridian Credit Union has a commitment to provide a refreshed, reinvented approach to neighborhood banking - one that celebrates the concept of local service, decision-making and support. Meridian is focused on making a difference in people’s lives - helping real people reach their goals.
Get in touch with the Meridian Credit Union today and start your revolution of one. Meridian Credit Union has 43 branches across Ontario delivering worry-free banking. For a branch nearest you call 1-800-303-3258 or visit www.meridiancu.ca or revolutionofone.ca.
The Financial Care Group is now Zavitz Financial Strategies and you will find out a little more about them Monday May 19th when the 2008 Lucas Oil 358 Modified Shoot Out opens with a 50 lap Main Event.
The Sportsman will also be in the Spotlight in a 40 lap $650 to win event in addition to the first 25 lap Duel on the Dirt Home Track Street Stock Event. With more than 100 laps of real racing on tap - the event that may get you on the edge of your seat is the first Konzelmann Estate Winery Enduro Qualifier.
Visit www.merrittvillespeedway.com for a preview of some Monday Night Madness tomorrow and be sure to be in your seat when the first green flag drops.
Gates will open Saturday at 5:30 while Monday it’s 5:00. Showtime both events is 7:00 Sharp!
Merrittville Speedway is presenting its 57th consecutive season of dirt track excitement in 2008. For information on DIRT Weekly Racing Series events and upcoming specials call 905-892-8266 or visit www.merrittvillespeedway.com.
Join us this season on a Saturday Night for A DIRT WEEKLY RACING SERIES EVENT featuring FIVE Weekly Racing Divisions or one of our spectacular special events featuring local heroes and up-coming new stars!
Make your plans … call your friends and maybe even get a car pool together (we know gas isn’t cheap these days) and enjoy One Great Racing Weekend.
Your Local Dirt Track is where it's at!! Merrittville Speedway "The Best Family Entertainment in Niagara"
MERRITTVILLE SPEEDWAY CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: The 2008 DIRT Weekly Racing Series for Merrittville Speedway’s 5 Divisions is brought to fans by partners including the Meridian Credit Union and Zavitz Financial Strategies in addition to contingency sponsors Bilstein Shock Absorbers, Hoosier Tire Canada, Inside Track Motorsport News, Intercomp, ISC Racer’s Tape, Jaz Products, Kirkey Racing Fabrication, Motorsports Safety Systems, Port City Racing, R.J.S. Racing Equipment, Sway-A-Way, Ultra Shield Race Products, Outerwears and XRP, Inc.
From Jim Irvine, Merrittville Public Relations with files from Gary Montgomery
Shaw Motorsports Weekend Report
Old tires were used for the first practice and despite a small push in the centre of the corner and a little loose coming off, the #82 Conbraco Ford was fast and the crew were confident that they had the car to run up front. New tires were mounted and after minor adjustments, Jason piloted the #82 onto the track for the second and final practice session where the push in the centre had been taken care of by the adjustment, however the car still had a very minor loose off condition.
The #82 Del Metals Ford lined up 5th for the first heat race where a good start, produced a move into 3rd at the completion of the 1st lap. The #86 had the lead for the next two laps until the #3 got a nose inside to take the position with Jason tight on his tail to follow into 2nd closely followed by the #8. On the 5th lap it was the top three nose to tail, 10 car lengths ahead of the #56. Despite Jason giving gentle bumps into the back the #3 for the remaining 5 laps, the #3 held onto the position with the #82 in 2nd followed by the #8.
Jason lined up 3rd beside the #86 and behind the �Elliott� front row of David in the #37 and father Gary in the #36. Another good start quickly moved the #82 past the #36 on the inside into second. After only 5 laps, the first caution came for the #06 who spun by himself in turns 3-4. Two laps later, another caution for the #88 spinning and then again for the #8 who got into the #36 causing a big mess with over 6 cars getting tangled together.
On the restart, it was the #37, #82, #86, #52 and #56 rounding out the top 5. Once again, just a few laps later, the #8, #9 & #88 got together in turn 3 to bring out yet another caution and another long delay caused by fluids on the track only to be followed by yet another caution 3 laps later on lap 15 for the #42, #06 and #36 getting tangled up in turn 3.The Spira Ford was catching the #37 in the centre of the corners at both ends as the #37 was extremely loose on exit compared to Jason who was just a little loose and patiently waiting on the leader to make a mistake.
On lap 17, the #37 got very loose exiting turn #4 and Jason was able to turn under him and begin to challenge for the position. While trying to regain control of his car, the leader came down the track directly in front of the #82 and the rest of the top 5 cars who were running bumper-to-bumper, Jason nudged the back of the #37 on the front stretch and the very minor contact was enough for the leader to spin out in turn one.
The first call by the scorer was that the #82 was to be black flagged for rough driving, the #37 was to go to the back as an accident car and the win due to a time curfew would go to the #56 who was running in 3rd. Shortly after the first call, the scorer decided to go back and give the win to the #37 who was deemed to have had control going across the line, however the black flag to the #82 for causing the caution would still stand putting the #56 into second. The Shaw team, other teams and fans left the track trying to figure out how the #37, who was an involved car with the #82 could maintain his position when the position of the #82 was not maintained, especially if the caution was caused due to another incident that deemed the race complete due to time constraints.
On Tuesday morning, the official word by the track was, upon review, officials determined the race could not be called complete because the halfway mark of 18 laps was not passed. Therefore the race will be completed on Saturday May 17th at 6:00pm prior to qualifying, with a starting line up per the official score sheets at the end of lap 17. Final positions are based on where cars were running at the time of caution, and the restart order adjusted to include accident cars.
This means the #37 and #82 will go to the back of the field as accident cars as will the #44 and #49 who were involved in the turn one accident. Given the fact the race was stopped due to curfew, the completion of the race will be under the same condition, meaning that once 18 green flag laps have been scored (17 are already complete), a caution flag will mean the end of the race. The May 17th line-up for the May 10th Late Model Feature at the start of lap 18 will be:56, 86, 27, 52, 48, 75, 8, 3X, 29, 34, 42, 06, 9, 88, 36, 37, 82, 44, 49, 3, 85.
In other racing news, driver, Dave Hagedorn piloted the #88 mini-stick Mustang to its first heat win and continued the top 10 streak by starting 9th and finishing 8th in the 25 lap feature.
From Ken Spira / Shaw Motorsports
ATLANTIC: Hinchcliffe Aims for Podium Perfection at Laguna
Toronto, Canada (May 13, 2008) - Keen to put a forgettable opening round behind him, Canada's James Hinchcliffe heads to California this weekend for Round 2 of the Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda, hosted at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Friday 16th - Sunday 18th May.
A tenth place finish at Long Beach was far from the result Hinchcliffe had targeted in launching his 2008 title bid last month, having been fastest in practice, but the 21-year-old Toronto resident arrives back in California this week confident of maintaining an excellent race record at the 2.238-mile Monterey circuit.
Making his Laguna debut in the Formula BMW USA Championship back in 2004, 'Hinch' recorded a third place podium finish there in a season that saw him finish runner-up in the title fight with three race wins while claiming 'Rookie of the Year' honours.
The Canadian stand-out returned to Laguna the following season competing this time in the Star Mazda Championship. In a field that comprised such luminaries as Marco Andretti and Graham Rahal, James recorded his third and final victory of the year in the season finale - Hinchcliffe sealing third overall in the final driver standings and the runner-up spot in the battle for 'Rookie of the Year'.
The Atlantic Championship returns to Laguna Seca as part of this weekend's 'Monterey Festival of Speed' - the first time the series has raced at the track since the final round of the 2004 season. The current driver line-up has already had a taste of what to expect following a two-day pre-season test held in March. Piloting the #3 INDECK/Tire Rack Swift Mazda-Cosworth for Forsythe Pettit Racing, Hinchcliffe ended both days placed fifth on the time charts but his results, although competitive, actually belied a problem with his car, discovered after some post-test scrutineering by the team.
Having raced at Brands Hatch at the start of the month on behalf of A1 Team Canada in the season finale of the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport, James' focus now returns solely to Atlantic competition.
"Laguna Seca's probably one of the coolest tracks in North America," said Hinchcliffe. "There's so much history there and from a driver's perspective it's got a bit of everything. The elevation's incredible, there's a nice flow to the layout of the track and of course there's the infamous 'Corkscrew', which to be fair does disrupt the flow but it's cool in its own right! On top of that it's Mazda's home track so we're really hoping to put on a good show for them and all their attending partners."
"Our pre-season test at Laguna didn't really go all that well for us although we still ended up looking okay on the timesheets. That doesn't count for much though as we want to go out and win this race. There's no doubt that Jonathan Bomarito's likely to be our main competitor this weekend as it's his home track and he has a million laps clocked up around the place. We've done a bit of restructuring to the team since Long Beach so we're really hoping that's going to pay dividends at Laguna."
Round 2 of the 2008 Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda gets underway at Laguna Seca at 1pm (PST), Sunday 18th May 2008 - www.laguna-seca.com
Photo Credit: "Canada's James Hinchcliffe returns to Atlantic action at Laguna Seca" – TNT Images // From: Stuart Morrison Public Relations
Driver News: Daniel Morad - Formula Atlantic race 2 at Laguna Seca
One of only a few drivers to make up positions on the very tight streets of Long Beach, Daniel is looking forward to having a bit more breathing room for the Metro Directories #70 Eurointernational Swift 016.a this weekend.
"The big thing about Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway is that there is more runoff room" Daniel said. "The walls are further away from the track, but Laguna Seca is still not an easy track to pass on. It�s a very high speed circuit and the cars have a lot of down force which makes overtaking very difficult.� He continued, "Track position is important so we hope for a good qualifying run to get out front. Traffic will also come into play and the trick will be making clean passes.�
A newcomer to the series, Daniel is also the youngest driver in the field. He currently sits second in the rookie standings.
Although it has been nearly a month since the first race at Long Beach, Daniel kept busy performing duties with A1 Team Canada attending the final race at Brands Hatch, England two weeks ago. He has also been working with young kart racers preparing for the racing season at home in Ontario and doing some fitness training.
"We are looking forward to getting back in the car to race" Daniel commented. "A good result will help in the standings and give us momentum going into the next race at Mt. Tremblant in June. The season starts to heat up through July and August with two double-header races and it would be good to have some points in hand."
The Cooper Tire Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda at Mazda Laguna Raceway gets underway this Friday (16th) with practice and the first round of qualifying. A second round of qualifying goes on Saturday afternoon with the 60-minute race taking place on Sunday at 13:00 PT (16:00 ET). Updates will be provided on Daniel's web site throughout the weekend.
From Chris Jameson // Level Ten Communications
Delaware Speedway: Weekend Preview
LONDON, ON - It's a jam-packed weekend of racing at Delaware Speedway! The track will feature two great racing line-ups along with free camping behind the back straightaway. The weekend kicks off on Friday, May 16 with the weekly racing program at 8:00 PM. The night will play host to the first APC Late Model event of the year where Jesse Kennedy (#10) of Southwold will begin his defence of his 2007 championship title. Also taking to the track will be the Challenger Motorfreight Trucks and Peterbilt of Ontario Super Stocks.
Friday also plays host to the always popular Throne Kings of the Hill Spectators race. The event sees spectators compete in street legal cars in one-on-one drag races around the half mile. Base prizing for the event has been set at $100 to win. Last season, Throne Kings of the Hill Spectators races saw dramatic changes to the prizing as the year progressed and various sponsorship coalitions stepped up to support the program.
"We continue to promote Delaware Speedway as a place where people can enjoy their vehicles in a controlled, fun environment," said Announcer John Houghton. "The streets are for transportation, the track is for racing. We hope that the Throne Kings of the Hill events continue to present a positive program that keeps racing on the track and off the streets. Last year fans and sponsors really got behind the program and it was a great success. We hope to make this year even better."
The Throne King's of the Hill events also raise funds for the Make a Wish Foundation. The only cost to enter the event is a $5 donation to the foundation if you have a Delaware Speedway ticket stub. The minimum donation is $15 without a stub. Drivers are also required to wear helmets in the event.
The next day, on Saturday, May 17 the Transmission Direct Enduro presented by All-Round Truck and Auto Care is set to take to the track, along with two special supporting divisions. Spectator gates will open at 1:00 PM and the green flag will fly on the first race at 2:00 PM.
First up on the day will be the Ultimate Sandblasting & Coating Chaos Cars running their first official event of the year. In the previous exhibition obstacle course three vehicles competed, 'The Kazakhstan Krunch', 'One-Eyed Purple Car Eater', and the 'Red Baron'. In the final round the Kazakhstan Krunch and Red Baron went head to head in an all out fender banging battle for the win. The Red Baron narrowly came out on top. Both cars had a few dents to show for their trouble. The new race format for this week's event is kept top-secret until the drivers meeting.
The day will also play host to the first Four Cylinder Invitational event of the year. In these events, drivers of four cylinder cars from all over the region are invited to try their hand at Delaware Speedway's long straights.
Finally, the main event will kick off, the Transmission Direct Enduro 250 as over sixty drivers compete simultaneously around Delaware Speedway. Steve Book (#64) of Brantford will be looking to defend his win, with any number of Transmission Direct Enduro All-Stars in his rear view mirror doing everything they can to put themselves in victory lane.
New Era at Ohsweken Speedway Begins This Friday
OHSWEKEN, ON - When the gates swing open at the Styres Family Ohsweken Speedway this Friday night, much will be different: There are new announcers, new grandstands, exciting new events, and even new tow trucks, but most notably two new racing divisions will be brought to life.
Joining Ohsweken’s established Esso Mini-Stock and Esso Thunder Stock divisions this season’s weekly Friday Night Thunder events are the new entry level Fun Stocks, and the Winged Sprints presented by Corr/Pak Merchandising.
Sprint Car racing has always been a staple at Ohsweken, but this season will be the first for weekly sprint car racing at the track, one of many things that make the Speedway a unique racing venue in Ontario. A large and competitive field is expected in the Sprint Car division this Friday night, and many of the drivers who compete this week will also be vying all season long for the right to be crowned the first ever champion of the Corr/Pak Winged Sprint Cars.
Track co-owner Glenn Styres (Sprint Car #0) took home the title of sprint car track champion by virtue of good finishes in the 6 sprint car events held at Ohsweken last season, but with many more sprint car events on the schedule this season, and more drivers and teams expected to attend all of the events, the competition for the sprint car crown will be more intense than ever.
The Esso Mini-Stock and Esso Thunder Stock divisions will both feature some new faces this season as well, and both are sure to provide lots of great racing action. Defending track champs Abel Castelein (Mini-Stock #28) and Brad Bacher (Thunder Stock #3) will need to be faster than ever to stay ahead of the pack of hungry drivers intent on taking over their crowns.
Advanced reserved seat ticket sales for the World of Outlaws Late Model series event on June 19, World of Outlaws Sprint Car series events on July 22 & 23, and the Canadian Sprint Car Nationals September 12 & 13 are going fast! Visit www.OhswekenSpeedway.com or call 1-888-720-RACE (7223) for more information, and make your plans to attend Ohsweken Speedway’s Opening Night 2008 Presented by Corr/Pak Merchandising this Friday night, May 16! Gates open at 6:00p.m., hot laps start at 7:00p.m., and the first race takes the green flag at 7:45p.m.
From Tommy Goudge
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
CENTRE FOR SPEED: 2008 schedule highlights
(Shediac, N.B.) -- The Centre for Speed, Atlantic Canada’s Super Speedway and “Metro Moncton’s Playground of Power”, will once again kick off the stock car racing season in Atlantic Canada with the Victoria Day Spring Shakedown event on May 18th, the first of 25 stock car and motorsports events to be presented at the CFS during 2008.
The May 18th event will provide an opportunity for all area Sportsman, Street Stock and 4-cylinder drivers and crews to put the finishing touches on tuning their rides for the 2008 season, including extended practice sessions and feature races in all divisions.
Apart from the 12 regular points championship events in 2008, the CENTRE is announcing the return of the CARQUEST Maritime Pro Stock Tour (MPST) on August 3rd, the highly anticipated September 20th visit from the New England Super Modifieds (the ‘fastest stock cars on the planet’), the third season of the Maritime Super Series for Sportsman as well as two events featuring the Atlantic Open Wheel (AOW) modifieds Tour plus Monster Trucks and Legends racecars.
For those who like ‘crash and bang’ action, the CENTRE is also pleased to announce two shows featuring Monster Trucks on August 15th and 16th as well as several ‘Days of Destruction’ events featuring Full Contact, Endurance, and other novelty racing in addition to Demolition Derbies.
Tim Wile, CFS promoter and general manager indicates that response to the 2008 event lineup has been enthusiastic with positive feedback received at the recent Radical Speed Sport Car Show in Moncton on the upcoming season as well as the planned improvements at the facility.
The CENTRE is completing a major overhaul of its main grandstand, which began late last year, and is expanding its food menu to offer more selection including more healthy food choices.
The speedway also intends to introduce several procedural improvements that will make its racing programs more enjoyable for both fans and drivers and will also add a Sprint Midget oval for its Sprint Midget style “Winged Outlaw’ rental and league racing go-karts.
The new oval will be in place for the first night of the “Winged Outlaw League” on June 21st and will be located off the speedway’s front straightaway. The “Winged Outlaw” go-karts come with a full roll cage, impact softening bumpers and seatbelts for added safety. The league is open to all children 11 to 15 years of age and runs from June 21 to the end of August during regular Saturday evening events.
The CFS also indicates that detailed plans are in the works for exciting news on other improvements to the CENTRE, such as the addition of a unique 1/8th mile drag racing facility, a new infield pit area, as well as a state-of-the-art scoreboard.
A few regular CFS competitors have also indicated their intentions to move up to the top-notch Sportsman division for 2008. Former CFS Sportsman champion Jim Duke formerly of Lakeville and now living in Miramichi, along with brother Dan Duke, will both challenge defending champion Luc Bourgeois of Memramcook for the 2008 title. Rémi Gaudet, CFS’s Street Stock champion for the past two seasons, is also moving up to the Sportsman ranks alongside his father Claude Gaudet, both of Grand-Barachois.
The two-car Gaudet team would also have to be considered serious contenders for the ’08 Sportsman title. Also expected to make the move up to the Sportsman ranks is top 4-cylinder competitor Marcel Goguen of Grande Digue.
The action gets underway on May 18th at 2:30 p.m. with the Victoria Day Spring Shakedown with practice and feature racing open to all area Sportsman, Street Stock, TigerCat and Thundercat 4-cylinder competitors. Pit gates will open at 9:00 a.m. while the front gates and grandstand will open at 1:30 p.m.
Full schedule details are available at www.centreforspeed.com
From Tim Wile, Promoter & General Manager
"Mission Accomplished for Ryan Litt at Auto City; Little 500 Next"
By Tommy Goudge (May 13, 2008) – The ultimate goal of any racer is to win each and every time he or she hits the track, but for Ryan Litt consistency and top 5 finishes are the main goal this season. The Lyons, Ontario resident got the results he was looking for to start his Auto Value/Bumper to Bumper Super Sprints season on Saturday night at Auto City Speedway with a 4th place finish in the 30 lap Feature.
Practice earlier in the day ended with the #07 BS&B Radiator/OTC Tools Beast/Claxton Sprinter in the top 5 on the speed charts, but the team missed the setup in time trials and Ryan was only able to muster the 10th fastest time of the qualifying session. This meant a 10th starting spot in the feature race, but first there was a heat race to be contested, which Ryan was able to win handily.
From his starting spot on the outside of row 5, Ryan was able to take advantage of a traffic jam ahead of him and was into 5th before the completion of the first lap. A good battle ensued for the first 10 laps of the race among the top 5 cars, but Ryan was also battling with a minor misfire in the engine and spun coming out of turn 2 to bring out a caution flag. Starting on the tail, Ryan drove through the field at a torrid pace over the last 20 laps, passing Troy Underwood in the last corner of the last lap to finish in 4th place.
"The car was hooked and it was getting better the further we went (in the feature)," said Ryan afterwards, "The only problem was the sputter but it wasn't costing me too much speed - just a bit coming out (of the corners). I'm really proud of my team for all the hard work they did over the off season - it really seemed to pay off. <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Auto City is usually one of my toughest tracks, but the car was on rails at the end.
"I'm really looking forward to Delaware and Toledo (the next two stops on the AVSS schedule), but first we have to concentrate on the Little 500," said Ryan, looking ahead to the next events on his schedule, "I want to have a real strong showing there. We're always good at Anderson and we just always run into bad luck. This year I think with a little luck we're going to do great. It's one of the big races I look forward to each year. That whole week is just amazing and there is so much happening around Indy…it's incredible. Anyways I'm really happy to start the year off with a top 5. It's definitely something to build off of."
The next stop for Ryan and the team is Anderson Speedway, where they will compete in the 60th Annual Little 500. Scheduled for Saturday night, May 24, the week leading up to the big 500 lap race is filled with fun and excitement, especially on Thursday when first round qualifying for the race takes place. The #07 team's best finish thus far in the event – which features the largest purse in pavement sprint car racing – is a 7th place, which they accomplished in their first Little 500 in 2005. With 3 years of experience in the event now, Ryan and the team are looking for good results this time around in the special USAC event.
What: 60th Annual Pay Less Supermarkets Little 500.
www.andersonspeedway.com/little_500.htm
Where: Anderson Speedway,
1311 Martin Luther King Boulevard,
Anderson Indiana 46016-3964
www.andersonspeedway.com
When: Saturday, May 24th. Pre-race festivities @ 7:00 p.m., command to start engines @ 8:00 p.m.
Ryan and the team would like to thank all their sponsors for their continued support during Ryan and the #07 Beast/Claxton Sprinter's 2008 season, including OTC Tools, BS&B Radiator, Linton Media, Linde Gases, Leaf Racewear, and Huron Produce Ltd.
For more information on Ryan, the car, and the team, including schedules, photos, merchandise, and contact information, please visit Ryan's official website at www.RyanLitt.com .
Practice earlier in the day ended with the #07 BS&B Radiator/OTC Tools Beast/Claxton Sprinter in the top 5 on the speed charts, but the team missed the setup in time trials and Ryan was only able to muster the 10th fastest time of the qualifying session. This meant a 10th starting spot in the feature race, but first there was a heat race to be contested, which Ryan was able to win handily.
From his starting spot on the outside of row 5, Ryan was able to take advantage of a traffic jam ahead of him and was into 5th before the completion of the first lap. A good battle ensued for the first 10 laps of the race among the top 5 cars, but Ryan was also battling with a minor misfire in the engine and spun coming out of turn 2 to bring out a caution flag. Starting on the tail, Ryan drove through the field at a torrid pace over the last 20 laps, passing Troy Underwood in the last corner of the last lap to finish in 4th place.
"The car was hooked and it was getting better the further we went (in the feature)," said Ryan afterwards, "The only problem was the sputter but it wasn't costing me too much speed - just a bit coming out (of the corners). I'm really proud of my team for all the hard work they did over the off season - it really seemed to pay off. <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Auto City is usually one of my toughest tracks, but the car was on rails at the end.
"I'm really looking forward to Delaware and Toledo (the next two stops on the AVSS schedule), but first we have to concentrate on the Little 500," said Ryan, looking ahead to the next events on his schedule, "I want to have a real strong showing there. We're always good at Anderson and we just always run into bad luck. This year I think with a little luck we're going to do great. It's one of the big races I look forward to each year. That whole week is just amazing and there is so much happening around Indy…it's incredible. Anyways I'm really happy to start the year off with a top 5. It's definitely something to build off of."
The next stop for Ryan and the team is Anderson Speedway, where they will compete in the 60th Annual Little 500. Scheduled for Saturday night, May 24, the week leading up to the big 500 lap race is filled with fun and excitement, especially on Thursday when first round qualifying for the race takes place. The #07 team's best finish thus far in the event – which features the largest purse in pavement sprint car racing – is a 7th place, which they accomplished in their first Little 500 in 2005. With 3 years of experience in the event now, Ryan and the team are looking for good results this time around in the special USAC event.
What: 60th Annual Pay Less Supermarkets Little 500.
www.andersonspeedway.com/little_500.htm
Where: Anderson Speedway,
1311 Martin Luther King Boulevard,
Anderson Indiana 46016-3964
www.andersonspeedway.com
When: Saturday, May 24th. Pre-race festivities @ 7:00 p.m., command to start engines @ 8:00 p.m.
Ryan and the team would like to thank all their sponsors for their continued support during Ryan and the #07 Beast/Claxton Sprinter's 2008 season, including OTC Tools, BS&B Radiator, Linton Media, Linde Gases, Leaf Racewear, and Huron Produce Ltd.
For more information on Ryan, the car, and the team, including schedules, photos, merchandise, and contact information, please visit Ryan's official website at www.RyanLitt.com .
NASCAR Canadian Tire Series: Brad Graham and Full Throttle set to release the Blue Demon
After what was a disappointing 2007 season in terms of on track performance, Brad Graham and the Full Throttle / Logel’s Auto Parts/ Challenger Motor Freight team are working harder than ever to be ready for 2008. The team got their first taste of on track action this past weekend at Cayuga Speedway and liked what they found.
It’s been a busy off season for the #19 Full Throttle / Logel’s Auto Parts/ Challenger Motor Freight team as they have completely rebuilt their car for the 2008 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series season. “We spent a lot of time working on the car leading up to the test at Cayuga” said Graham.
It’s been a busy off season for the #19 Full Throttle / Logel’s Auto Parts/ Challenger Motor Freight team as they have completely rebuilt their car for the 2008 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series season. “We spent a lot of time working on the car leading up to the test at Cayuga” said Graham.
“It’s no secret we struggled for part of last year but as we dug deeper into the characteristics of this car we learned a lot and it helped us out so much. Right from the start of the test day at Cayuga this car was very good. We’re extremely happy with how things went on the track”.
With only days until the 2008 season kicks off at Cayuga Speedway on May 24th optimism and excitement is the attitude around the shop. “Last season is gone and forgotten” said Brad Graham. “Can’t event see it in the mirror we’re so far past it and focused on what’s happening this season. Our team has another year of experience, Mike Knott my crew chief, Bill Dobson the chief mechanic and the rest of the guys are really pumped up to get going and get the Blue Demon car out”.
Last season the Full Throttle / Logel’s Auto Parts/ Challenger Motor Freight Dodge featured the original Full Throttle paint scheme at the oval races and Full Throttle Fury red paint for the road courses. For 2008 Brad and the team are set to release the Blue Demon look.
With only days until the 2008 season kicks off at Cayuga Speedway on May 24th optimism and excitement is the attitude around the shop. “Last season is gone and forgotten” said Brad Graham. “Can’t event see it in the mirror we’re so far past it and focused on what’s happening this season. Our team has another year of experience, Mike Knott my crew chief, Bill Dobson the chief mechanic and the rest of the guys are really pumped up to get going and get the Blue Demon car out”.
Last season the Full Throttle / Logel’s Auto Parts/ Challenger Motor Freight Dodge featured the original Full Throttle paint scheme at the oval races and Full Throttle Fury red paint for the road courses. For 2008 Brad and the team are set to release the Blue Demon look.
“The Blue Demon car is going to look good when it’s completed, we only had some of the logo’s on for the Cayuga test but the car will look great, we’ll have the Full Throttle Fury read for road courses again, and we’ll probably also see the Full Throttle original at a few races too”.
Also returning to the fold this season are long time supporters Logel’s Auto Parts and Challenger Motor Freight. “John has been great to our team for several years” said Graham. “It’s not just the sponsorship but John has also worked as spotter, his involvement has really helped us. And of course Challenger Motor Freight has supported our team for many years and we’re thrilled to have them back with us again”.
The 2008 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series racing season opens Saturday May 24th at Cayuga Speedway near Hamilton, Ontario and will consist on thirteen events from coast to coast in Canada on challenging oval tracks, temporary street circuits and road courses. For more information about the series log onto http://www.nascar.ca/ and for more news information about the team go to http://www.bradgraham.ca/ All races this season will also be broadcast on TSN.
This release prepared by TL Sports & Entertainment
Also returning to the fold this season are long time supporters Logel’s Auto Parts and Challenger Motor Freight. “John has been great to our team for several years” said Graham. “It’s not just the sponsorship but John has also worked as spotter, his involvement has really helped us. And of course Challenger Motor Freight has supported our team for many years and we’re thrilled to have them back with us again”.
The 2008 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series racing season opens Saturday May 24th at Cayuga Speedway near Hamilton, Ontario and will consist on thirteen events from coast to coast in Canada on challenging oval tracks, temporary street circuits and road courses. For more information about the series log onto http://www.nascar.ca/ and for more news information about the team go to http://www.bradgraham.ca/ All races this season will also be broadcast on TSN.
This release prepared by TL Sports & Entertainment
NASCAR Canadian Tire Series: JR Fitzpatrick ready to rock the competition
John Ryan (J.R.) Fitzpatrick and the #84 Fitzpatrick Motorsports Chevrolet team were at Cayuga Speedway this past weekend for their first on track action of the 2008 racing season. After a day of running laps preparing for the NASCAR Canadian Tire series competition the team has pronounced them self ready to race.
J.R. Fitzpatrick and the #84 team had a specific agenda of tasks during the Cayuga test day and making sure their Chevrolet was up to speed is the first order of business. “We were fast right out of the box and that’s always a nice way to start the day and start the season” said Fitzpatrick. “The car really didn’t change much for the whole day.
“We were really consistent all day long; we found that some subtle changes we tried really didn’t have much affect on the car. That’s good to know for the future that we’ll have to make more dramatic adjustments to get results”.
The Fitzpatrick Motorsports Chevy team was consistently one of the fastest cars at every event last year and the same kind of performance is expected this season. In 2007 the #84 Chevy with J.R. at the wheel posted seven top-ten finishes including a sweep of the Western Canadian events at Sun Valley Speedway near Vernon, BC and at the Edmonton Grand Prix the next week.
“I’m excited about the season” said the young man from Ayr, Ontario. “We’ve got the cars ready and we’re going to go out and try to make some things happen right out of the box” he added.
J.R Fitzpatrick and the Fitzpatrick Motorsports team will compete in all thirteen rounds of the 2008 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series beginning Saturday May 24th at Cayuga Speedway.
The 2008 schedule will take teams to the east coast and western Canada where Fitzpatrick swept away the competition last year. All races will once again be broadcast on TSN. More information on the series can be obtained by visiting http://www.nascar.ca/
This release prepared by TL Sports & Entertainment // Photo by Rob Morton / ITC
NASCAR Canadian Tire Series: Home Hardware Team Ready for New Season
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Driver Don Thomson Jr. took the brand new Home Hardware Chevrolet out for the first laps of the 2008 racing season this past weekend at Cayuga Speedway and the results were all positive.
Competition for the 2008 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series (NCATS) season begins in less than two weeks, and with the fastest afternoon lap time the Home Hardware Chevy is ready for action.
The past few months have been very active for the Home Hardware team as they have built two new race cars for upcoming season.
“It felt good to get out and do some laps” said a satisfied Don Thomson Jr. summarizing the Saturday activity at the 5/8 mile track just outside Hamilton, Ontario. “Everyone had a good day and by the time we wrapped up our work in the afternoon we were at the top of the time sheet”.
This kind of pre season work by the entire Home Hardware team is vital to the consistency and success they have shown. “This is a brand new race car, it’s very similar to the car that was crashed last year and has similar characteristics” said Thomson. “However, even though the cars are similar, they behave a little differently when you adjust them, and that’s one area we’re concentrating on”.
The meticulous preparation of the Home Hardware Chevrolet team also includes practicing pit stops to prepare for the thirteen race NCATS schedule. “We have a couple of new crew guys this year so we did a few mock pit stops during our test day at Cayuga and we have a full day planned this coming weekend. That’s in addition to regular weekly work our team has been doing” said the Home Hardware Chevy driver.
Don Thomson Jr. and the Home Hardware Chevrolet team are the defending race winners from the season opening event at Cayuga Speedway and they are keen to repeat their success. “Of course you want to get off to a good start, which really helps your team out of the gate” said Thomson. “I really like Cayuga, we’ve been successful in the past and I’m confident the Home Hardware Chevy team will have a good showing there and a strong season”.
The 2008 NCATS schedule has expanded to thirteen events this year run on ovals, road courses and temporary street circuits across Canada. You can watch all thirteen races this season on TSN. For information about the NCATS including schedule, results and more, log onto www.nascar.ca
This release prepared by TL Sports & Entertainment // Photo by Rob Morton / ITC
Monday, May 12, 2008
PHOTO GALLERY: NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Test Day at Cayuga Motor Speedway (May 10, 2008)
Cayuga Motor Speedway played host to the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series' 'test day' on Saturday, May 10, 2008. The track will host the season opener for the NCATS Series on Saturday, May 24.
In terms of news, championship team owner Dave Jacombs confirmed that former open-wheel racer Alex Tagliani will be joining his team for a full-time NCATS effort in 2008. Tagliani's crew chief will be former CASCAR Super Series racer Alex Nagy, who most recently assisted Ron Van Es.
Photos by Rob Morton and Greg MacPherson.
Brighton Speedway: May 10, 2008 Report and Photos
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BRIGHTON, ON - The Southern Ontario Sprints opened their 13th season at Brighton Speedway during the presentation by Rock 107 and Wilson Building Supplies on Saturday, May 10th. Local favourite Rick Wilson (#42W) pleased a full crowd with a triple win to launch the points race. Taking checkers in his heat, dash and the 20 lap main event, indicated to everyone that the Joyceville Jet means business again this season. His daughter April (#15AW) did not fair as well after she flipped and turned her ride, some witnesses say 5 times, during her qualifying heat.
Also wanting to show his intentions to be champion, was Jeff Sallans of Glen Miller in his new ride, the #07 owned by veteran driver Pat Monsigneur and his wife Carole. �It was a solid win and a great start to the season for the 07 team and all of the Bainer�s Radiator Canadian Modifieds. We are looking forward to a few more visits to Victory Lane, and some hot racing action on the 1/3 mile clay oval!� Sallans indicated in a post race interview.
Other hot racing moments went to double checker winners Stacey Ferguson (#1) of Picton, in her 2007 Champion Bill�s Johns Comp 4 and Corey Earl of Ameliasburg in his #11 Brighton Automotive ProStock. Both drivers started outside pole and drove the track hard and fast, sending the message loud and clear that they will both be contenders this year.
The next chance Jeff will have to take the blak and white is the Victoria Day Weekend Lucas Oil Twin 40�s, presented by C.Smith Automotive and Lucas Oil. The Bainer�s Radiator Canadian Modifieds will compete for more points and more purse, while completing more laps. An exciting night of racing action, with fan appreciation celebrations at intermission, will be well worth the regular gate admission prices. Green Flag flies at 7pm on Saturday, May 17th. For more information on this and other racing events visit www.brightonspeedway.com.
PHOTOS:
1) April Wilson (#15AW) of Joyceville had height when she flipped her Southern Ontario Sprint during racing action on May 10th at Brighton Speedway.
2) Corey Earl (#11) of Ameliasburgh, the current Campbellford Chrysler Driver of the Week, celebrates his first Brighton Automotive Pro Stock Feature Win of the Season at Brighton Speedway on May 10th, 2008.
Visit www.brightonspeedway.com for even more info!! // Photos by April Wilson, courtesy of Laura Mutton
ISMA set to open 34th season at Waterford Speedbowl
PHOTO CAPTION: What would become a very familiar site in 2007...Dave McKnight running side by side with Chris Perley. McKnight won one from Perley last September and beginning an upward climb after a bad accident at Oxford in August. The 94 definitely will be gunning for the 11 at Waterford ... and beyond... Howard Hodge photo
CONNECTICUT'S WATERFORD SPEEDBOWL IS SITE OF 2008 ISMA OPENER ON MAY 24
Oswego, NY The ISMA Super Series is in the final preparation stages for their first race of the season on Saturday May 24 at the Waterford Speedbowl. Last year was Chris Perley's season as he started 2007 with a win and ended it with a win, sandwiching 9 other feature victories in between. Lou Cicconi won the ISMA inaugural at the Connecticut oval while Justin Belfiore picked up the 50-lapper in 2006. While Perley has dominated the win column for the past two years, he'll be the first to admit the opener is anyone's ballgame.
This season should see another stellar field coming to the "Bowl" with not only Perley ready and willing to win, but also a slew of others, some who have been knocking hard on The Rowley Rocket's back door.
The Canadian PATCO racing team owned by Brad Lichty has two such drivers in Dave McKnight and Mike Lichty. Both were ahead or chasing behind the Vic Miller-owned 11 many times last season. McKnight was finally able to beat Perley at Delaware Speedway (Ont.) in September of last season. Lichty had a couple bouts of bad luck or he would have been in the winner's circle several times.
Justin Belfiore, All-Star Classic winner, Mike Ordway Jr., ISMA runner-up and Rookie of the Year, Robbie Summers, Ray Graham Jr., and Dave Shullick Jr., also had single feature wins in 2007 besides McKnight, and are all assuredly ready to get right back to winning in 2008. Ordway Jr. has left the Rick Wentworth 10 ride that he brought to victory at M-40 last season but is behind the Bruce Budnick 88 a proven winner.
Last season Perley brought his name to the top of the ISMA All-Time Win List knocking off Russ Wood and Bentley Warren in so doing. Wood, however, is back in 2008 to possibly reclaim his top spot. He's driving a Holbrook-owned, Allegresso-designed 29 full time this year. Supermodified legend Bentley Warren is behind the wheel of the Ed LaPrade 68, a seat vacated by the retiring Doug Heveron. Warren will divide his time between his expanding Bentley's Saloon and Campground in Kennebunkport, Maine and his racing, but he still is a threat to put a marker or two in the record books. Then there is Mike Lichty, Mark Sammut, who finished a career-high third in points last season, Maine's 2007 ISMA Most Improved driver, Vern Romanoski; Team Holbrook, which now includes Russ Wood, and many, many more looking for win.
The NASCAR Whelen All-American divisions will compete with the ISMA Super series on Saturday at the Speedbowl. The pits open for the super competitors at 11 am with their practice starting at Noon a.m. Grandstands open at 4 pm, Heats begin at 5:00 and features begin at 7:00 p.m. Waterford is located by taking Route 395 South to Exit 77. At the end of the exit take a right. The Speedbowl is approximately 1/8 mile on the left. www.speedbowl.com for further information.
Souxth Buxton Raceway: Results from May 10, 2008
South Buxton Raceway is a 3/8th mile clay oval, located in South Buxton, Ont., 10 miles southwest of Chatham and 45 miles southeast of Windsor.
NEXT WEEK: The ASCS Sprints On Dirt visit South Buxton, featuring sprints from across Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, New York and Ontario - plus all of South Buxton's regulardivisions.
(Includes driver's hometown and car number in brackets)
South Buxton Raceway's Opening Night, Saturday, May 10
Castrol UMP Late Models
Feature: 1. Joe Field, Chatham, (4); 2. Brett Reaume, Blenheim, (77); 3. Jim Dale Jr., Blenheim (00); 4. Dale Glassford, Thamesville (60); 5. Andrew Reaume, Blenheim, (88); 6. Jim Jones, Chatham (34); 7. Brad Authier, Chatham (1A); 8. John Vanderlinden, Chatham (13X); 9. Jason Haskell, Chatham (RH94); 10. Mark Glassford, Goderich (90); 11. Don Gordon, Chatham (33); 12. Gregg Haskell, Chatham (RH21); 13. Mike Lewis, Wallaceburg (05).
Heuvelmans/Blenheim Chevrolet Dash For Cash: 1. Authier; 2. D. Glassford; 3. Vanderlinden; 4. Dale Jr. 5; Field; 6. M. Glassford; 7. G. Haskell. // First Heat: 1. Authier; 2. Kirk Hooker (38); 3. Vanderlinden; 4. Gordon; 5. Lewis. // Second Heat: 1. Jones; 2. J. Haskell; 3. G. Haskell; 4. Field // Third Heat: 1. Dale Jr.; 2. D. Glassford; 3. B. Reaume; 4. A. Reaume // Time Trials: Group A: 1. Authier 16.000 seconds; 2. Hooker 16.340; 3. Vanderlinden 16,660; 4. Gordon 18.000; 5. Lewis 18.250. // Group B: 1. Field 16.660; 2. Jones 17.000; 3. J. Haskell 18.000; 4. G. Haskell 18.280. // Group C: 1. A. Reaume 16.061; 2. Dale Jr. 16.160; 3. B. Reaume 16.310; 4. D. Glassford 16.530.
Schinkels Gourmet Meats UMP Modifieds
Feature: 1. Paul DeGoey, Leamington (1D); 2. Chris Van De Wiele, Dresden (95.1); 3. Curtis Coulter, Leamington (5); 4. Jim Dale Jr., Blenheim (00); 5. Mario Toniolo, Belle River, (25M); 6. Dan McIntyre, Windsor (77); 7. Brian Speelman, Forest (22s); 8. Mike Demars, Windsor (75); 9. Abe Unger, Leamington (46); 10. Clayton Smith, Woodslee (55); 11. C.J. Field, Chatham (4).
First Heat: 1. Dale Jr.; 2. Unger; 3. Coulter; 4. Speelman; 5. Demars. // Second Heat: 1. Smith; 2. McIntyre; 3, Toniolo; 4. Field; 5. Van De Wiele; 6. DeGoey.
Lube Tech Sport Stock
Feature: 1. Steve Shaw, Merlin (96); 2. Joel Dick, Leamington (9); 3. Ken Morrison, Chatham (28); 4. Eric Vanderiviere, Chatham (93); 5. Rob Young, Kingsville (23); 6. Gary Vyse, Wallaceburg (99); 7. Todd Wellman, Chatham (25); 8. Jamie Parker, Windsor, (98); 9. Robert Chapman, Leamington (5); 10. Gerald Martin, Essex (43); 11. Dave Small, Windsor (48); 12. Doris Lajeunesse, Essex (38); 13. Rick Balasin, Chatham (21); 14. Eren Vanderiviere, Merlin (29); 15. Randy McKinlay, Chatham (14); 16. Louis Clements, Chatham (3); 17. John Sylvestre, Windsor, (57); 18. Darren Small, Windsor (48J)
First Heat: 1. Shaw; 2. Wellman; 3. Dick; 4. Chapman; 5. Young; 6. McKinlay; 7. Lajeunese; 8. Erin Vanderiviere; 9. Balasin. // Second Heat: 1. Clements; 2. Vyse; 3. Eric Vanderiviere; 4. Martin; 5. Morrison; 6. Dave Small; 7. Darren Small.
Garage Restaurant Comp 4
Feature: 1. Nate McNally, Charing Cross (8); 2. Denis DeSerrano, Cottam (69); 3. Brandon Windsor, Leamington (70); 4. Steve Bastien, Harrow (99); 5. Shawn Nelson, Windsor (20); 6. Norm DeSerrano, Kingsville (96); 7. Clinton Van Dyk, Blenheim (44); 8. Dan Sheehan, Tilbury (52); 9. Gerry Rivait Jr., Tilbury (17); 10. Shawn Jones, Blenheim (27); 11. Rob Quick, Essex (18); 12. Murry Van Hooste, Blenheim (13).
First Heat: 1. McNally; 2. D. DeSerrano; 3. Sheehan; 4. Jones; 5. N. DeSerrano; 6. Nelson; 7. Van Hooste. // Second Heat: 1. Windsor; 2. Bastien; 3. VanDyk; 4. Rivait Jr.; 5. Randy Lewis, Windsor (7); 6. Quick
From Michael Bennett
NEXT WEEK: The ASCS Sprints On Dirt visit South Buxton, featuring sprints from across Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, New York and Ontario - plus all of South Buxton's regulardivisions.
(Includes driver's hometown and car number in brackets)
South Buxton Raceway's Opening Night, Saturday, May 10
Castrol UMP Late Models
Feature: 1. Joe Field, Chatham, (4); 2. Brett Reaume, Blenheim, (77); 3. Jim Dale Jr., Blenheim (00); 4. Dale Glassford, Thamesville (60); 5. Andrew Reaume, Blenheim, (88); 6. Jim Jones, Chatham (34); 7. Brad Authier, Chatham (1A); 8. John Vanderlinden, Chatham (13X); 9. Jason Haskell, Chatham (RH94); 10. Mark Glassford, Goderich (90); 11. Don Gordon, Chatham (33); 12. Gregg Haskell, Chatham (RH21); 13. Mike Lewis, Wallaceburg (05).
Heuvelmans/Blenheim Chevrolet Dash For Cash: 1. Authier; 2. D. Glassford; 3. Vanderlinden; 4. Dale Jr. 5; Field; 6. M. Glassford; 7. G. Haskell. // First Heat: 1. Authier; 2. Kirk Hooker (38); 3. Vanderlinden; 4. Gordon; 5. Lewis. // Second Heat: 1. Jones; 2. J. Haskell; 3. G. Haskell; 4. Field // Third Heat: 1. Dale Jr.; 2. D. Glassford; 3. B. Reaume; 4. A. Reaume // Time Trials: Group A: 1. Authier 16.000 seconds; 2. Hooker 16.340; 3. Vanderlinden 16,660; 4. Gordon 18.000; 5. Lewis 18.250. // Group B: 1. Field 16.660; 2. Jones 17.000; 3. J. Haskell 18.000; 4. G. Haskell 18.280. // Group C: 1. A. Reaume 16.061; 2. Dale Jr. 16.160; 3. B. Reaume 16.310; 4. D. Glassford 16.530.
Schinkels Gourmet Meats UMP Modifieds
Feature: 1. Paul DeGoey, Leamington (1D); 2. Chris Van De Wiele, Dresden (95.1); 3. Curtis Coulter, Leamington (5); 4. Jim Dale Jr., Blenheim (00); 5. Mario Toniolo, Belle River, (25M); 6. Dan McIntyre, Windsor (77); 7. Brian Speelman, Forest (22s); 8. Mike Demars, Windsor (75); 9. Abe Unger, Leamington (46); 10. Clayton Smith, Woodslee (55); 11. C.J. Field, Chatham (4).
First Heat: 1. Dale Jr.; 2. Unger; 3. Coulter; 4. Speelman; 5. Demars. // Second Heat: 1. Smith; 2. McIntyre; 3, Toniolo; 4. Field; 5. Van De Wiele; 6. DeGoey.
Lube Tech Sport Stock
Feature: 1. Steve Shaw, Merlin (96); 2. Joel Dick, Leamington (9); 3. Ken Morrison, Chatham (28); 4. Eric Vanderiviere, Chatham (93); 5. Rob Young, Kingsville (23); 6. Gary Vyse, Wallaceburg (99); 7. Todd Wellman, Chatham (25); 8. Jamie Parker, Windsor, (98); 9. Robert Chapman, Leamington (5); 10. Gerald Martin, Essex (43); 11. Dave Small, Windsor (48); 12. Doris Lajeunesse, Essex (38); 13. Rick Balasin, Chatham (21); 14. Eren Vanderiviere, Merlin (29); 15. Randy McKinlay, Chatham (14); 16. Louis Clements, Chatham (3); 17. John Sylvestre, Windsor, (57); 18. Darren Small, Windsor (48J)
First Heat: 1. Shaw; 2. Wellman; 3. Dick; 4. Chapman; 5. Young; 6. McKinlay; 7. Lajeunese; 8. Erin Vanderiviere; 9. Balasin. // Second Heat: 1. Clements; 2. Vyse; 3. Eric Vanderiviere; 4. Martin; 5. Morrison; 6. Dave Small; 7. Darren Small.
Garage Restaurant Comp 4
Feature: 1. Nate McNally, Charing Cross (8); 2. Denis DeSerrano, Cottam (69); 3. Brandon Windsor, Leamington (70); 4. Steve Bastien, Harrow (99); 5. Shawn Nelson, Windsor (20); 6. Norm DeSerrano, Kingsville (96); 7. Clinton Van Dyk, Blenheim (44); 8. Dan Sheehan, Tilbury (52); 9. Gerry Rivait Jr., Tilbury (17); 10. Shawn Jones, Blenheim (27); 11. Rob Quick, Essex (18); 12. Murry Van Hooste, Blenheim (13).
First Heat: 1. McNally; 2. D. DeSerrano; 3. Sheehan; 4. Jones; 5. N. DeSerrano; 6. Nelson; 7. Van Hooste. // Second Heat: 1. Windsor; 2. Bastien; 3. VanDyk; 4. Rivait Jr.; 5. Randy Lewis, Windsor (7); 6. Quick
From Michael Bennett
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