NCATS: Steckly wins at St-Eustache

Scott Steckly won Saturday night's NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race at Montreal's Autodrome St-Eustache. Steckly started last in the field of 24. It was the Dodge driver's third win in four races this season.

DJ Kennington was second, ahead of Kerry Micks, who got past fan favourite Andrew Ranger in the final laps.

.... More to come later.

Tony George is working to get Paul Tracy into IndyCar

... according to this story on TSN.

Let's hope something happens.

Have a great weekend everyone. Looks like good weather for the NCATS race in Montreal tomorrow night... and everywhere else in central Canada for that matter.

Speaking of Montreal, anyone up for a ride to Schwartz's after the race? Moose?

(h/t J.R. for the PT item)

Sports Car Club of BC (SCCBC) July Newsletter now available.

Click here (or on the cover) to download the Sports Car Club of BC (SCCBC) newsletter for July.

Thanks to the club's Peter Weedon for sending it along.

NCATS on TSN: A&W 300 from Barrie Speedway.... this Sunday!

Watch the A&W 300 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race from BARRIE SPEEDWAY on TSN and TSN HD this Sunday!

Premier: Sunday July 6th @ 2:30 PM EST

Replays: Sunday July 6th @ midnight & Wednesday July 9th @ 4:00 PM EST

Ryan Litt: Back to Basics for Ryan Litt at Dixie

After a frustrating month full of rain and mechanical problems which ended with more engine problems last Saturday at Berlin Raceway, Lyons, Ontario driver Ryan Litt and the #07 BS&B Radiators, OTC Tools Beast/Claxton sprint car team enter Friday night's event at Dixie Motor Speedway with some changes made to the car. It will be back to basics on Friday night as the backup engine and standard rear end assembly will be installed in the car for the night in the hopes that the car will be able to finish all the scheduled laps.

The team entered last weekend's doubleheader weekend with the Auto Value/Bumper to Bumper Super Sprints series at M-40 Speedway and Berlin Raceway optimistic that they could get back on track, but after rain canceled Friday night's event at M-40, another promising night at Berlin went awry with just a few laps left in the feature. After turning the fastest lap in practice, qualifying 4th in time trials, and a 4th place finish in his heat, Ryan began the feature 5th on the grid and worked his way towards the front. While racing with Troy Underwood for the 2nd position with less than 10 laps to go, Ryan felt a vibration in the drive train and was forced to retire to the pit area.

Ryan and the team will get back in action Friday, July 4 at the Dixie Motor Speedway in Birch Run, Michigan. The event was originally scheduled for July 5 as Dixie had switched to Saturday night racing earlier this season, but after a lot of fan input, the decision was made to switch back to Dixie's traditional Friday night show. Dixie's high-banked 4/10's mile oval and superb lighting system make it one of the best tracks on the AVSS circuit, but Dixie was not a favoured venue for Litt and the team at first. Ryan's first few visits to Dixie were cut short by various issues, but the track has become better for he and the team in their last two visits. On September 8th, 2006 Ryan took home his best finish to date at Dixie with a 5th place feature finish, after qualifying 2nd in time trials. Last year he and the #07 returned to Dixie on June 28 and persevered to finish 7th after problems in time trials relegated him to 21st in the session.

WHAT: Auto Value/Bumper to Bumper Super Sprints Series Round #7
WHERE: Dixie Motor Speedway; 10945 Dixie Highway ; Birch Run, MI
On the Web: www.DixieMotorSpeedway.com
WHEN: Friday, July 4, 2008
Pit Gates Open @ 4:00p.m., Grandstands Open @ 5:00p.m., First Race @ 7:30p.m.
$15 Adults, $13 Seniors, $12 Teens Ages 13-17, $6 Kids Ages 6-12, FREE Kids Ages 5 and Under

Ryan and the team would like to thank all their sponsors for their continued support during Ryan's and the #07 Beast/Claxton Sprinter's 2008 season, including OTC Tools, BS&B Radiator, Linton Media, Linde Gases, Leaf Racewear, Xtreme Metal Worx, and Huron Produce Ltd. For more information on Ryan, the car, and the team, including schedules, news releases, photos, NEW merchandise, and contact information, please visit Ryan's official website powered by Linton Media at www.RyanLitt.com

From: Tommy Goudge, PR Manager, www.RyanLitt.com

Pruett Edges Gurney in Thursday's Brumos Porsche 250 to Win Closest-Ever Grand-Am Rolex Series Race

(Ed. - Saw the end of this on TV last night... amazing finish.)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 3, 2008) - Scott Pruett beat Alex Gurney in a sprint to the checkered flag to win Thursday's Brumos Porsche 250 at Daytona International Speedway, the closest finish in the history of the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16.

It was the fifth - and most dramatic - victory of 2008 for Pruett and Memo Rojas in the No. 01 TELMEX Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Lexus Riley. The winners of the 2008 season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona, Pruett and Rojas extended their Daytona Prototype championship lead to 40 points after their seventh podium finish of the season.

"That Pruett's the man," Chip Ganassi said. "This track rewards great drivers, and it did that tonight. Winning felt good here in Daytona (when Ganassi won his third consecutive Rolex 24), but it felt even better tonight."

The final margin of victory was .081 seconds, bettering the mark Pruett and Luis Diaz set in 2005 at California Speedway when they edged Wayne Taylor and Max Angelelli by .096 seconds.

"I had just enough to get by Alex at the start/finish line," said Pruett, who extended his Rolex Series record to 19 victories. "I've got to give it to Grand-Am for putting on a great show."

Gurney and Fogarty were aiming for their second consecutive triumph in the No. 99 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Pontiac Riley. Gurney passed Pruett for the lead with 22 laps remaining, and led through the final 100 yards of the race.

The 70-lap, 250-mile race ended with a one-lap sprint to the finish following the fifth and final caution when Jeff Segal flipped the second-place No. 69 SpeedSource FXDD Mazda RX-8 after an altercation with a Daytona Prototype. Segal's SpeedSource teammates Nick Ham and Sylvain Tremblay went on to win their third consecutive race at Daytona.

Ricardo Zonta and Nic Jonsson matched their best showing of the season by finishing third in the No. 76 Krohn Racing Pontiac Lola. Fourth came down by a side-by-side battle between Brumos Racing teammates, with Joao Barbosa passing and holding off Darren Law. It marked the best finish of the season for the No. 59 Porsche Riley of Barbosa and JC France, while Law and David Donohue recorded the ourth consecutive top-five finish in the No. 58 Porsche Riley.

The No. 61 AIM Autosport Lexus Riley of pole winner Mark Wilkins and Brian Frisselle led 16 laps. Frisselle was running third with 16 laps remaining when the car retired with a broken half-shaft. Ryan Dalziel moved up to third in the closing laps in the No. 2 SAMAX Pontiac Riley started by Henri Zogaib, but also retired with a broken half-shaft with six laps remaining.

SpeedSource's Ham, Tremblay win third straight GT race at Daytona

Tremblay bested Bryce Miller by 1.83 seconds to win the Rolex Series GT portion of the Brumos Porsche 250. Tremblay and Ham - who won the pole earlier Thursday - led 37 laps to score their first victory in the No. 70 SpeedSource Castrol Syntec Mazda RX-8 since the Rolex 24 At Daytona, and third consecutive triumph from the pole at Daytona.

Miller passed Robin Liddell at the line for his and co-driver Dirk Werner's best finish of the season in the No. 87 Farnbacher Loles Racing Porsche GT3. It marked the sixth podium finish in seven races for Liddell and Andrew Davis in the No. 57 Stevenson Motorsports Pontiac GXP.R.

Paul Edwards and Kelly Collins finished fourth in the No. 07 Banner Racing Pontiac GXP.R. They maintained their lead in the GT championship standings, with Ham and Tremblay 24 points behind and Liddell and Davis 30 points back.

Ross Smith, driving the No. 30 Racers Edge Motorsports Mazda RX-8 started by Craig Stone, was involved in an incident with seven laps remaining when he spun after contact with Dalziel. Smith's car was then struck head-on by the No. 97 Stevenson Motorsports Corvette of Jeff Bucknum, who co-drove with James Gue.

Both Smith and Segal were taken to the infield care center, where they were evaluated and released. Smith bruised his knee in the incident.

Four cautions for 16 laps slowed the race's average speed to 102.690 mph.

The Rolex Series returns to action July 19 for the Porsche 250 Presented By Bradley Arant at Barber Motorsports Park near Birmingham, Ala.

POST-RACE QUOTES
Scott Pruett (No. 01 TELMEX Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Lexus Riley): "This is pretty big for us because we've never won this specific race in Daytona. Memo did a great job and the crew did a great job. Lexus gave us a good engine package and we got the most out of it. I really didn't think we'd see green after that crash - and it was a horrific crash. I really have to applaud Grand-Am because we, as a group I think, owe it to the fans to see it finish under green. Every restart, that's the only move I had. The No. 99 was certainly quicker in the infield. After about 2 or 3 laps, my rear tires just wouldn't hold on. I pulled a Hail Mary through the bus stop and tried to carry a lot of speed to get them before the start/finish line."

Memo Rojas (No. 01 TELMEX Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Lexus Riley): "My part of the race was very boring until the end. It was really just staying out of trouble. Very early, teams took different strategies but we were all in different sequences. So I was basically running by myself. The 99 had the lead in front of me, so I knew it was going to be keeping a good pace and staying out of trouble was important as I handed the car to Scott. Congratulations to Scott, because he did awesome job."

Jon Fogarty (No. 99 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Pontiac Riley): "It was a little spooky at the beginning with light rain. The first couple of laps with people were being tentative. I had a pretty uneventful run for the most part. After things shook out through the first corner I was able to maintain that position until the two guys in front pitted and I was able to clear a few laps myself. When I handed it over to Alex, it was looking pretty good."

Alex Gurney (No. 99 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Pontiac Riley): "I could see that if I didn't have a certain gap, that he would be able to close up really close or go by. On the last restart I was trying to get as good gap as I could. All those restart are really difficult. Every time you are out there it's tricky to find grip. I knew as soon as I turned back onto the oval that I probably didn't have enough gap. It's definitely a heart breaker. I know that it's an exciting race for everybody but I can tell you from my seat it's very painful. It's a great Grand-Am race for sure and congratulations to Scott and Memo. I just didn't have enough today, I guess."

Nic Jonsson (No. 76 Krohn Racing Pontiac): "The car was much better to race. The crew did a fantastic job. I'm very delighted to get back on the podium. I think there is more to come, especially with our strategy and staying out of trouble. I'm proud to be racing with Ricardo. Everyone did an awesome job on our team. I'm very pleased."

Ricardo Zonta (No. 76 Krohn Racing Pontiac): "I enjoyed it a lot, especially when we stopped for last pit stop. I knew I would have to fight a lot. I think everything went so well during the race. Practice and qualifying was very difficult with all the small problems we had with the car. I had a lot of fun with the race. I think we have to work hard, but everything has to be in the right place at the right moment. I think we are getting better."

Nick Ham (No. 70 SpeedSource Castrol Syntec Mazda RX-8): "I kinda like this track. It was an all-around great team effort. We had kind of a NASCAR strategy with a quick splash of fuel and maintain tires. With the full course yellow, we lost that advantage. It was tragic what happen to Jeff. But we're very happy."

Sylvain Tremblay (70 SpeedSource Castrol Syntec Mazda RX-8): "We had to be cautious, but today was pretty special with three in a row. We are really fortunate and really proud to be a part of this Mazda team. What Nick and I do is just a small part of the whole thing. Being a part of the series is really special."

Robin Liddell (No. 57 Stevenson Motorsports Pontiac GXP.R): "We weren't very confident about getting a superb result tonight, and finishing on the podium is a bonus for us. We're not our strongest on this circuit, so coming out of here with a third place is really a big result. The most important thing for us is putting some pressure on the No. 07 Pontiac car, the point leaders. So this is good for us and I'm really happy."

Andrew Davis (No. 57 Stevenson Motorsports Pontiac GXP.R): "Two victories and six podiums in seven races is a momentum we'd like to continue for the season. It's great and we'll keep trying to catch up to the top for points. It was a matter of keeping your nose clean tonight. We're proud of the Stevenson Motorsports Team."

Dirk Werner (No. 87 Farnbacher Loles Racing Porsche GT 3): "We wanted to hop on the train in terms of success like the No. 86 car from last race. I tried to just stay up front. Mazda's big advantage was not having to change tires. I'm really proud of the whole team. It was a big effort to stay motivated at this point in the season when you only see bad results all the time."

Bryce Miller (No. 87 Farnbacher Loles Racing Porsche GT 3): "It's nice to have the experience to close a race. Farnbacher Loles did a great job giving us a good car today. I thought Robin had me there in the bus stop, but I was really pleased to see these results. Since Dirk and I have been apart, we've had a bit of a dry spell. It's very special to share this."

From Grand-Am

NASCAR Canadian Tire Series 2008 Season Program

Click here to download your own copy of the 2008 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series season program. The 72-page PDF file is slightly over 14 Mb in size and includes 'hot-links' to all of the advertisers who participated in the program.

The 2008 Season Program was produced by Inside Track Communications and includes everything you need (and want) to know about Canada's top racing series, including event schedules, driver bios, feature interviews, technical information, records, history and much more.

Printed versions of the 2008 NCATS Series Program will also be available at series races throughout 2008 and to subscribers of Inside Track Motorsport News.

Note: Once you've downloaded the file, save it to your hard drive before you start clicking on the ad links or it will re-download each time you go 'back' to the program.

NCATS: Micks planning to return to winner's circle at Autodrome St. Eustache

MOUNT ALBERT, ONTARIO (July 3, 2008) – After a terrific start for 2008 and then some setbacks, Kerry Micks is planning a return to the podium when he competes in the Kodak 250 at the Autodrome St. Eustache race track this weekend.

“We came out this year with some great success,” said the driver of the Beyond Digital Imaging Ford Fusion, “but we’ve struggled with equipment failure and other factors since the race at Cayuga, and it has to stop.”

The Kodak 250, the fourth race in the 2008 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series this year, will be run Saturday, July 5.

It was originally scheduled to be contested May 31, but was rained out. The track is a paved oval four-tenths of a mile in length, and was opened in 1965.

The former CASCAR Super Series Champion is presently eighth in the standings, with a top-five and a pair of top-ten finishes to his credit.

This event is the first time the NASCAR series has raced at the track, although it was a regular stop for the CASCAR Super Series and is well-known to many in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series.

“This is a pretty tight track,” said Micks, who had two series victories in 2007. “We’ve been here before, though, and plan on being right up there at the end of the race.”

The Kodak 250 will take place Saturday, July 5 at Autodrome St. Eustache in Saint-Eustache, Quebec.

For information about Autodrome St. Eustache tickets and camping, call (514) 591-4388 or visit online at www.autodrome-st-eustache.com

Beyond Digital Imaging Inc. (BDI), Canadian Detailing Services, Crane Lake Resort, HP Canada, Ultraflex, Cathcart Trucking, Castrol and NGK Spark Plugs are sponsors of Micks Motorsports, www.micksmotorsports.com

From Bruce F. Mehlenbacher // Director of Public Relations

PHOTO GALLERY: NASCAR Canadian Tire Series at Barrie Speedway (June 28, 2008)

This is a 299-photo gallery from the June 28 (2008) NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race at Barrie Speedway. NASCAR legend Bobby Allison was at the race to sign autographs and take part in the pre-race ceremonies. Scott Steckly won the A&W 300, for his second victory in three starts this season. The Milverton, ON racer leads the points heading to this weekend's race at Montreal's Autodrome St-Eustache.

Photos by Greg MacPherson / Inside Track Motorsport News

QUARTER MIDGETS: Cayden Lapcevich has successful week in QMA racing in Connecticut

Meriden, Connecticut (July 2, 2008) - The week-long 2008 Quarter Midgets of America (QMA) Eastern Grands were recently held in Meriden, Connecticut, June 22 to June 28. This is the largest event of the year and attracted nearly 600 cars from as far away as California, New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado.  Cayden Lapcevich, the sole Canadian of the group arrived June 20 and as the reigning Region 4 Jr. Honda, Jr. Stock, and Lt. Mod Champion he was ready to take on the competition.

The first of two practice rounds got underway Sunday and Cayden, happy with all three cars, found himself among the fastest in all three divisions.

After some minor chassis adjustments and gear changes Cayden set out to qualify on Tuesday.  With over 50 cars in Jr. Honda and Lt. Mod and over 30 in Jr. Stock, a good time trial was imperative to secure one of the few spots directly into the A-Main. The Jr. Honda racers were the first to hit the track and as one of the last to qualify, Cayden’s run was hampered as cloud cover rolled in. He would manage a time of 6.7860 seconds on the oval, good enough for fifth overall and a fourth-place starting position in Friday’s B-Main.

Cayden’s next task would be Jr. Stock time trials. He clicked off a lap of 6.1500 seconds, good enough for a new track record. Unfortunately, celebrations were short-lived as local racer Christopher Lomartire turned in a 6.1300-second lap shortly after dropping Lapcevich to number two spot. Cayden’s run was also fast enough to give him the number three starting position in Saturday’s A-Main event.

With Jr. Honda and Jr. Stock qualifying completed, Cayden jumped into his Lt. Mod machine to take on the big boys. His best lap of 5.9470 seconds was the tenth quickest time and put him on the pole for the B-Main in that division.
There was lots of racing action on Wednesday and Thursday as the lower mains were run. The high car count resulted in a total of 99 races to the completion of the last A-Main.

The Jr. Honda B-Main rolled off late Friday morning and Cayden needed a top-four finish to secure one of the eight starting positions in the main event. From his fourth place starting position Cayden moved quickly to second, trailing Zach Sobotka of Oswego, NY, whose car was ironically powered by Cayden’s spare engine after his lost power while running the G-Main. Cayden followed patiently but when Sobotka bobbled late in the race, Lapcevich dropped to the bottom and completed the pass, taking the win in the B-Main.

After watching a couple of the other B-Mains, Cayden prepared for the Lt. Mod B-Main. He would need a top-five finish in this class to earn one of ten A-Main starting spots. From the pole position Cayden took off and led the first 10 laps until Ty Fiser of Colorado made his way under, taking six other cars with him as Cayden got hung on the outside. Unfazed by the setback, Cayden began to work his way back to the front and when the checkered fell he found himself in fourth, good enough for the ninth starting spot in the main event.

Saturday brought high temperatures, sunny skies, and high humidity. From his fifth-place starting position in the Jr. Honda A-Main, Cayden went right to work moving past Harrison Burton, son of NASCAR great Jeff Burton, and fast qualifier Sydney Prince on the first lap. By lap three he had found his way around Alex Murray of Charlotte, NC, and Danny Allen of Sacramento, CA. Cayden would defend a couple of late-race restart attempts to drop him from the point and go on to win his first ever Grands A-Main followed by Danny Allen and Sydney Prince.

The Jr. Stock race was his next event and although he struggled with a loose race car in warm-ups, the team decided not to adjust, feeling that its condition would improve with a long green flag run. Cayden was able to move into the lead right at the drop of the green but the long run he needed never developed and he struggled to maintain the top spot throughout the race, fighting off several attempts by Christopher Lomartire. A restart with five to go proved crucial as Lomartire made an attempt to pass going into turn one but Cayden slammed the door, causing Lomartire to loose his momentum and Lapcevich opened up a four-car lead which he would keep until the checkered fell.  After taking his victory lap, Cayden nosed his car into the turn one wall, unstrapped himself, and scaled the fence to receive congratulations from his mother Sherri who watched with little brothers Treyten and Ryden from outside turn one.

Having captured victories in the two Jr. classes and attaining his personal goal of making the Lt. Mod A-Main the pressure was off and Cayden strapped in to his Mod to go out and have some fun. From the ninth position Cayden began to work the bottom and after a long green flag run had moved past the majority of the field and found himself in second position chasing down Kris Lederer of Pennsylvania, who had opened up a half a straightaway lead. Within six laps Lapcevich had made his way to the rear bumper of Lederer’s machine as the caution waved for an incident in turn two. A few restarts with short runs proved to be just what Lederer needed as Cayden was unable to mount a successful charge in so few laps. Cayden crossed the line with a well deserved second place finish, an amazing accomplishment for the eight-year old racer.

Trophy presentations followed engine tear downs and with two Championship rings and one runner-up finish, Cayden headed for home having clearly had the most successful Grands of the nearly 600 entries.

Next up for the Grimsby resident is Round 5 of the Region 4 Championship Series July 5 and 6 in West Liberty, Ohio followed by the Western Grands in Sacramento, California at the end of July.

Cayden is thankful for his support from Fastline Motorsports, B&J Electric, Reinhart Trailers, and Joel Robinson.

For sponsorship information contact Jeff Lapcevich at lapcevich23@hotmail.com or call (905) 971-1510.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Jeff Lapcevich Cellular: (905) 971-1510 // Website: www.FastlineMotorsports.ca

NHRA NEWS: NHRA Shortens race distance for Top Fuel and Funny Car to 1,000 Feet

GLENDORA, Calif. (July 2, 2008) -- As the investigation continues into the tragic accident that took the life of driver Scott Kalitta, NHRA announced today that beginning at the Mopar Mile High Nationals in Denver, Colorado, both the Top Fuel and Funny Car classes will race to 1,000 feet instead of the traditional 1,320 feet or one-quarter mile.

This is an interim step that is being taken while NHRA continues to analyze and determine whether changes should be made to build upon the sport's long standing safety record, given the inherent risks and ever-present dangers associated with the sport.

This interim change was made by NHRA in collaboration with professional race teams. NHRA believes that racing the Top Fuel and Funny Car classes to 1,000 feet will allow NHRA and the racing community time to evaluate, analyze and implement potential changes based on the safety initiatives outlined last week.

With the change, fans will still be able to enjoy the sights, sounds and thrill of NHRA nitro racing with speeds around 300 mph and quick elapsed times to 1,000 feet.

Over the years, NHRA has implemented many initiatives to enhance safety including measures to limit speeds from increasing, personal protective gear, vehicle improvements, and track enhancements such as sand traps, catch nets and concrete barriers the entire length of the drag strip.

In the wake of the tragic series of events that took Kalitta's life, the following technical issues are currently under investigation: 1) what might be done to reduce engine failures; 2) parachute mounting techniques and materials as well as identifying a parachute material that could be more fire resistant; 3) exploring whether there is a way to increase brake efficiency when cars lose downforce due to the loss of the body; 4) analyzing additional methods that might be developed at the top end of the race track to help arrest runaway vehicles; 5) considering whether current speeds should be further limited or reduced to potentially improve safety.

"The board members of the Professional Racers Owners Organization (PRO) wholeheartedly and unanimously support this decision," said its president Kenny Bernstein. "We want to thank NHRA for listening to our input and suggestions to incorporate these changes. It is not lost on any of us that this constitutes a change in our history of running a quarter-mile, but it's the most immediate adjustment we can make in the interest of safety which is foremost on everyone's mind. This may be a temporary change and we recognize it is not the total answer. We will continue to work hand in hand with NHRA to evaluate other methods of making Top Fuel and Funny Car competition safer so that we might return to our quarter-mile racing standard. We also want to thank Connie Kalitta for his invaluable input. He has been a rock through these difficult times."

-30-

From NHRA

NCATS: Simone Autosport Barrie Report

BARRIE, ON - The Simone Autosport team competed locally at Barrie speedway, over this past weekend, in the A&W 300. This particular oval is very tight track and runs 1/3 of a mile with each of it's 300 laps. It is legendary for ruining cars and ending the day for their drivers. As was the case for driver Anthony Simone of Holland Landing, Ontario.

Simone had a good start to the day, and was excited to qualify 9th overall. During the first 50 laps there were many early cautions called, allowing Simone to pick up a few track positions on the restarts. He quickly moved up to 6th place, and was battling for 5th, when another caution was called due to engine failure of the #60 car driven by Ron Beauchamp Jr.

Simone tried to slow for the caution but was unavoidably involved in a three car pile up. The number 1 car, driven by Peter Gibbons, collided with Simone causing a broken radiator and destroying the entire front end of the Crown Modular sponsored #95 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. This brought the day to a close for the entire disappointed Simone Autosport team.

"We've had a run of bad luck," said a representative from the team, "But we're just going to keep on doing what we're doing and push through. Just keep our eye on the prize!"

For all you local race fans, Simone will return to compete in Barrie again on September 6, 2008 in the Pizza Pizza 300, but for now the team looks ahead to the next race taking place in St. Eustache, Quebec.

From: Michelle Simone // Simone Autosport

Merrittville Kart Results - July 1, 2008

For Immediate Release     July 2, 2008.  From Jim Irvine

THOROLD, ON (July 2) – Merrittville Speedway’s Lucas Oil Kart Weekly Racing Spring Series concluded July 1st.

Dylan Davidson and Connor Mooradian both won their 6th features of the season and as well Spring Series Titles in the KC Auto Parts Novice 2 and Superior PetroFuels Junior Restricted Original Pizza Logs Divisions.

Jacob Lutz won his 7th RCM Racing Equipment Cassell Manufacturing Junior 1 Feature and as well the Spring Series Title.

James Moll won his 5th Ed MacPherson Construction Junior 2 Feature of the year with Jordan Barnes taking the Spring Series Title.

Joshua Hanson won his 4th Drummond Home Hardware Garden City Auto Complex Novice 1 Feature of the season.  The youngest group of racers do not earn points but rookie Hanson led the way with the most wins in the Spring Series.

The final driver to visit KC Auto Parts Victory Lane was Blake Priestley who scored his third Philbrick Farm & Garden Equipment Senior Medium Feature of the year.

In the points, a rare tie occurred between Dillon MacPherson and Chris Watson for the Spring Series Title.

Although still running with the Senior Medium awaiting more competitors, Dale Cooley was credited with first place points in the PartSource Masters Division.

Merrittville Speedway’s Lucas Oil Kart Weekly Racing Series is approaching it’s busiest stretch of the season. Kart Racing continues with a Sunday Special Event July 6th. Performance Manufacturing and Slack Performance Karts present the Burris Tire 50 Twenty-five – extra distance and purse events for all divisions.

Gates open at 5:00 with racing beginning at 7:00. Grandstand admission is free.

The 2008 Summer Series opens Tuesday July 7th.

Wet & Wild Mid-Ohio Scores i-MOTO a Strong 2nd – 5th Place Team Finish

LEXINGTON, OH. – When they say “rubbing racing” the 2008 Koni Challenge of Mid Ohio took the term to a new level. Both of the Team i-MOTO cars driving by Nick Wittmer and Glenn Bocchino (piloting the 31# Acura TSX) and Kuno Wittmer and Peter Cunningham (piloting the 32# Acura TSX) survive multiple body and suspension damage for a strong team finish.

The i-MOTO teammates Kuno Wittmer and Peter Cunningham finishing a dominant second place, while Nick Wittmer and Glenn Bocchino a strong fifth place finish.

From the first lap to the last lap the team i-MOTO cars were punted, bumped and pushed of course mores times at this race then all combined races last year! With body damage and bent suspensions on both cars, i-MOTO showed the Koni-Challenge ST class why they are the benchmark of the series. With flawless pit stops, heroic driving and the teams “never give up attitude” i-MOTO fought back to the front once again.

The mixed conditions of a dry, damp and wet track made for an entertaining race for the drivers and spectators. The i-MOTO teammates Kuno Wittmer, Peter Cunningham, Nick Wittmer and Glenn Bocchino all agree it was a challenging but fun race! Team owner Glenn Bocchino stated when the weather conditions throw us a curve ball, the i-MOTO team is always prepared to hit it out of the ball-park!

NCATS: Miguel Duhamel will race at St-Eustache this Saturday

ST-EUSTACHE, QC - July 2nd, 2008: The negotiations started just over a week ago and the public's interest was already very high. It was officially announced last night by the event promoter Alan Labrosse that Miguel Duhamel will take part in this Saturday's National Kodak 250 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race, "THE" short-track race of the year in Quebec. The last hurdle was overcome late yesterday afternoon with NASCAR's approval to let the multiple AMA champion race.

It will not be Duhamel's first time out in a NASCAR. Miguel drove a solid first race in fendered cars on the road course at Mosport International Speedway in 2007. However, it will be Miguel's first time on an oval. He will have to learn quickly since he will test a NASCAR Cummins Pro-Truck to familiarize himself with the St-Eustache oval and will also participate in that series' 2 race on Saturday! Miguel will be at the wheel of the Interstate Batteries Pro-Truck taking Steve Ladouceur's vacant seat due to Ladouceur's injured hand. It is an all or nothing weekend for Duhamel and when one knows this amicable motorcycle racer, it is truly all or nothing for him… all the time.

Duhamel will drive the #8 car prepared by the Bossisio / LBR team and will be supported by GAIN and Habitations Éric Alary who also supported Andrew Ranger's Daytona effort in February. The car is a recent acquisition from André Coursol.

A STORIED CAREER
It has been close to 10 years since Miguel Duhamel, now aged 40, and has not participated in a race in the province of Quebec. The last time that occurred was with the RACE motorcycle championship in the early 90s. Miguel was also part of a demonstration run at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve as part of Champ Car race in 2004. A Las Vegas, Nevada resident, Duhamel has the most wins of any rider in the American Motorcycle Association (AMA) in the United States. He has won no less than 86 times, 5 of those at the famed Daytona 200 and has 8 AMA championships to his credit. Miguel will be back in the saddle of his Honda on July 20th at Laguna Seca in California.

It may be Miguel's first time on an oval track, but all who know of his natural talent will tell you that he will not be there to be a mere observer but will give his best effort for an exciting event. The event will be electrifying as the other Quebec drivers all have good reasons to race their hearts out.

Andrew Ranger is defending his championship title this season, in front of his family and friends, at his "Home Track" and wants to do well. Alex Tagliani will take no prisoners as he is participating in his first full season in the NASCAR Canadian Tire championship and had clocked the second fastest time at St-Eustache in practice before the event was postponed to July 5th. Finally, Patrick Laperle, defending Quebec LMS champion wants to turn heads in his first series start. Laperle has won 2 of the 3 events in which he took part at Autodrome St-Eustache. He will be at the wheel of the Montreal Auto Prix car despite several alluring offers to participate in events elsewhere. Laperle is, according to many observers, a podium contender for the National Kodak 250.

ANDRÉ COURSOL RE-REGISTERS FOR THE EVENT
One can take a racer out of the race but can't remove the race from the racer. This old adage is quick applicable to André Coursol who officially confirms his return to the National Kodak 250 this Saturday. After having sold his race car to the Bossisio / LBR team a little over two weeks ago, he came to an agreement with Yannick Bardieux to use the NASCAR recently acquired from Trident Racing at the end of last year's season. Bardieux, an ex-road course racer planned to return to the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series this season, but a much awaited sponsorship deal never materialized and had to put his plans on hold.

"We have come to an agreement to run the car here at Autodrome St-Eustache in the National Kodak 250 under the Carquest banner but first things first, let's pass the technical inspection with the car. Our arrangement is to get past this first step in exchange to participating in the main event. That way, the car will become a hotter property. And who knows…," confirmed Coursol, specifically not finishing his last sentence. The entire team is now busy preparing the car for this weekend.

Finally, there are 5 Quebec born drivers registered to participate in this weekend's National Kodak 250. It is worth noting that along with the 250 lap main event of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, the Cummins Pro-Truck with 2 races, the Sport Compacts and the Modified Legends will all be part of Saturday's spectacular line-up.

The music group "Dizzy Racer" will also return to the stage and the Celebrity Race will make up part of the day's full schedule. There are numerous artists who have accepted the promoter's invitation to take part in a special race in Mini Cup cars. Amongst the local celebrities, Michel Barrette, Annie Pelletier, Sarah-Jeanne Labrosse, Marc-André Grondin and Laurence Leboeuf plan to take the wheel of these unique racing machines. A few other names are expected to be added in the coming days.

NASCAR fever is best treated by coming to Autodrome St-Eustache this Saturday where fans can witness the racing from close… very close. The grandstand seating allows for uninterrupted views of the track all the time. It is yours to see.

For more information, please visit: www.autodrome.ca

-30-

 From: Autodrome St-Eustache

NASCAR Canadian Tire Series News and Notes

NASCAR Canadian Tire Series

Kodak 250 Notebook
NASCAR Home Tracks Spotlight: Autodrome St. Eustache
A&W 300 Post-Race Notes

 

Passion Of NASCAR Excites Tagliani

 

Passion is a compelling thing, and passion is as part of NASCAR as the Daytona 500. It’s that fervor which excites Alex Tagliani (No. 7 Wal-Mart/Ubisoft Ford), who is in his first full season in stock cars after making the switch from the open-wheeled world.

 

Rumors that the 35-year-old Tagliani was going to race a full-time schedule in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Sirius Satellite Radio swirled all winter, but nothing was decided until about three weeks prior to the season opener at Cayuga Motor Speedway. That was when his team from Champ Car decided it was not going to participate in the newly-formed Indy Racing Series (the result of the merger between Champ Car and the Indy Racing League).

 

Ordinarily, that could be a devastating day for a driver, but for Tagliani it has worked out just fine.

“I really wasn’t sure what was going to happen, but I really enjoy racing the Canadian Tire Series and being a part of NASCAR,” said Tagliani.

 

His exuberance for the burgeoning series is easy to sense. He lights up when discussing the future of the Canadian Tire Series and his role in that growth.

 

“My mind spins with ideas all the time,” he said. “This series is going to continue to grow and grow and I want to be a part of it. So much that I think about starting my own team and beginning a driver search program in Canada.”

 

The draw for the native of Lachenaie, Quebec is the love of the sport regardless of the level.

 

“Look at a guy like Dave Jacombs (Tagliani’s current team owner). He’s not going to make a lot of money at this, but he does it because he loves the sport and wants to be involved. It’s not all about money,” Tagliani said. “Then, look at guys like Kasey Kahne and Tony Stewart. Every free moment they get they spend racing other types of cars all over the place. They love racing just like we all did when we started. That’s what it is about for them and that is not true for a lot of drivers in the open-wheel world.”

 

Another aspect of NASCAR that Tagliani likes is the ladder system and the intermingling of all the series.

 

“It’s the whole package. It’s set up to work your way through the ranks or to settle in where you feel comfortable and can compete,” he said. “A bunch of guys race a number of different series and the differences are not that great. Also, the budgets to run the series increase step by step. In open wheel, you go from Atlantic Series for $600,000 a year, to Indy cars which takes over $15 million.”

 

All that being said, Tagliani is not yet comfortable in the Canadian Tire Series. The organization and preparedness of his team is not where he wants it.

 

“We’re getting there, but there was so much kind of put together at the last moment,” Tagliani said. “So, we are still looking for that, but we are getting there.”

 

The challenge of racing a stock car has become a huge motivational tool for the driver who was a perennial top performer in Champ Car.

 

“These cars keep you so involved mentally. It is very easy to overdrive them,” he said. “You’re in there working hard and feel that you are going fast, but you’re not. You have to be right on the edge to make these things go. That motivates me as a driver. It’s a real challenge.”

 

This weekend’s event in his home province of Quebec is an admitted big one. Not out of any pressure to do well and win - which is what Tagliani wants to do - but rather to expose the rabid fan base there to the rough and tumble excitement of the Canadian Tire Series on an oval track.

 

“We had two unbelievable road course races last year in Quebec. Now, we get to show all the fans how these cars do on an oval course. There is so much demand for this race that the track has added seats just since the rainout a month ago. I want to help make this a memorable show for the great racing fans of Quebec.”

 

The Race: Kodak 250
The Place: Autodrome St. Eustache, St. Eustache, Quebec
The Date: July 5
The Time: 8:35 p.m. ET
TV Schedule: TSN, Noon ET, July 12 (delayed)
Track Layout: .400-mile paved
Race Purse: $68,511 CAD
2007 Winner: Inaugural Event
2007 Pole: Inaugural Event
Schedule: Saturday: Practice 1 - 3  p.m., Time Trials 5:15 p.m.
Track Contact: Jason Labrosse (450) 472-6222 or jlabrosse@autodrome.ca

 

Not Much Fanfare For The Front-Running Lynch

 

Ask NASCAR Canadian Tire Series fans to name five top drivers and the name of Derek Lynch (No. 77 Allied Steel Buildings/Canadian Shield Dodge) probably would not surface on too many of the lists. However, when listing the top five drivers in the point standings, this year or last, Lynch has to be on the list because that is exactly where he can be found.

 

The driver out of Warkworth, Ont., currently holds third place in the championship point standings, just 95 points off the blistering pace of Scott Steckly (No. 22 Erb Group/Tow Truck in a Box Dodge).

 

Lynch has a pair of top fives to his credit this year, both coming on the oval tracks. In the road course event at Mosport, Lynch finished 11th and in his estimation, the road course results in 2007 cost the team an even better finish than fifth in the final standings.

 

“We gave away a lot of points last year on the road courses,” said Lynch. “It is definitely an area of emphasis this year. I don’t know where we would have finished if not for the sub-par performances on the road courses.”

 

The jury remains out on the No. 77 team’s commitment to improved finishes in the road races, but with five top fives in the last six races on ovals there is no doubt about Lynch’s opportunity to contend for the title.

 

“The team continues to grow and get better. We don’t put up the fast times in practice or qualifying but we are prepared and run smart races. The results have been there at the end and that’s all anyone can really ask and that’s where we’re judged,” Lynch said.

 

News & Notes

 

The Race: This event is the fourth of 13 races on the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Sirius Satellite Radio schedule. It is the first year the track is hosting the series.

 

The Procedure: The starting field is 26 cars, including provisionals. The first 23 cars will qualify through two-lap time trials. The remaining three spots will be awarded through the provisional process. The race will be 250 laps (100 miles).

 

The Track: The facility includes a .400-mile paved oval, a .125-mile drag strip and a 1.7km road course. The track was founded in 1965 as Fury Speedway de Fabreville, and the current configuration has been hosting various types of racing since 1970.

 

Try...Try Again: This event was originally scheduled for Saturday, May 31. After that day was a weather washout, the race was rescheduled for the next day. On Sunday, cars were able to practice, but nothing else as the rains returned. NASCAR and track officials quickly found an agreeable date for everyone to return.

 

Quebec First: The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series has raced two times in Quebec, but never on an oval track. Its visits to Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres were road course events.

 

Also On Tap: Two classes of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series at St. Eustache will race on Saturday with the Cummins Pro-Trucks going 60 laps and the Sport Compacts racing 30 laps. Also, the ANCA Modified Legends will be on hand for a 50-lap feature.

 

A&W 300 Post-Race Notebook

 

Another With Three: J.R. Fitzpatrick (No. 84 Fitzpatrick Motorsports Dodge) picked up his third career Canadian Tire Series win at Mosport International Raceway on June 15. With his triumph at Barrie Speedway, Scott Steckly joins Fitzpatrick at the top of the all-time wins list.

 

Dodge Debut: Fitzpatrick made his series debut in a Dodge at the A&W 300. Dodge’s commitment to stock car racing in Canada is greater than those of General Motors and Ford, so the 20-year-old decided to head in that direction. The former Chevy driver purchased the Dodge he used at Barrie from D.J. Kennington (No. 17 Castrol/NPP Dodge). It was the same car in which Kennington won both Barrie Speedway events in 2007.

 

Sticking Together: Teammates Andrew Ranger (No. 27 Wal-Mart/Tide Ford) and Alex Tagliani have finished right next to each other for the second straight race. At Mosport, Tagliani finished fifth followed by Ranger. This time around, Ranger beat his teammate to the line and placed sixth.

 

Turning Laps: Even though the season is only three races old, just three drivers have completed each of the 553 laps raced. Steckly, along with Don Thomson Jr. (No. 4 Home Hardware Chevrolet) and Derek Lynch have made every circuit in 2008. A tribute to Steckly’s dominance this season is that he has led 287 of the laps this year which works out to almost 52 percent.

 

Mobil 1 Command Performance of the Race Award: As a reward for his NASCAR Canadian Tire Series victory at Barrie, Steckly collects $1,500 from Mobil 1 for his effort. He also has wins at Kawartha Speedway and Cayuga Motor Speedway to his credit.

 

Mopar Fast Five: This program awards the top five finishing Dodges in the race. In the A&W 300, Steckly was the highest-finishing Dodge and thus earned a $2,000 bonus. Kennington finished third overall and was the second-highest finishing Dodge, which earned him $1,250. Picking up $1,000 for finishing as the third-highest Dodge was Lynch. Collecting $500 for placing fourth among the Dodge entrants was Brad Graham (No. 19 Full Throttle Energy Drink Dodge). Rounding out the top five Dodges was Mark Dilley (No. 9 Dodge/Leland Dodge), which pays him $250.

 

POWERade Power Move: Doug Brown (No. 10 Haldex Dodge) earned the $1,000 POWERade bonus for improving his position the most over the course of the race. Brown started 19th on the grid and worked his way to a finish of ninth, his second top 10 of the young season.

 

Tow Truck in a Box Free Pass Award: In a new program in 2008, the driver who receives a free pass during the event and has the highest finish earns $1,000. Tagliani was a lap down at one point and used his free pass to help garner a seventh-place finish.

 

NASCAR Home Tracks: Cummins Pro-Trucks Power St. Eustache

 

Autodrome St. Eustache’s premier division in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series is the Cummins Pro-Trucks which will be on display this Saturday prior to the Canadian Tire Series’ Kodak 250. It’s a bit of a change from the usual late model program, but the race crazy fans of Quebec love it and the battle is heating up.

 

Last season’s track and provincial champion, Guy Jubinville, finished 14th out of the thousands of participants in NASCAR’s grassroots, local-racing program which encompasses tracks throughout the United States and Canada.

 

In 33 starts, Jubinville logged 15 wins, 27 top fives and 29 top 10s. Participation in the division ranges from 22 to 28 trucks.

 

This year, Jubinville once again stands atop the championship point standings. In 10 starts he has four wins and accumulated 382 points.

 

Right on his rear bumper, though, is Jonathan Bouvrette with three wins and 353 points in 10 starts.

 

This year’s track champion will get a 2009 start in a NASCAR Canadian Tire Series event.

 

The NASCAR Whelen All-American Series serves as the foundation of NASCAR – grassroots racing across the United States and Canada. Whelen Engineering, a leading manufacturer of automotive, aviation, industrial and emergency vehicle lighting, is the series sponsor. More than 10,000 drivers compete at NASCAR-sanctioned short tracks throughout both countries.

 

The short-track racing program in NASCAR was founded in 1982. Since its inception, the series has been a successful starting point for the careers of many top drivers. NASCAR stars Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton, Kurt and Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Travis Kvapil, Bobby Labonte, Jamie McMurray and Brian Vickers all began their careers in this series. 

 

From Shon Sbarra / NASCAR

CENTRE FOR SPEED: Set to host Maritime Pro Stock Tour 150 and Monster Truck shows in August

Shediac, N.B. -- The Centre for Speed, Atlantic Canada’s Super Speedway and “Metro Moncton’s Playground of Power”, is pulling out all the stops for two BIG motorsports events during the month of August.

The New Brunswick Day Holiday long weekend will feature a jam-packed triple-header of exciting motorsports action featuring Atlantic Canada’s top Pro Stock drivers competing in the extended CARQUEST Maritime Pro Stock Tour 150 on Sunday, August 3rd at 2:30 p.m. Over the years, some of the fastest lap-times in Atlantic Canada have been recorded by the MPST drivers at the CFS, which often features three-wide racing on its wide, 3/8 mile paved oval.

Defending MPST points champion, Shawn Tucker of Fredericton (NB) and former champion Wayne Smith of Timberlea (NS) will
 battle it out with other top competitors and provincial and local favorites such as Lonnie Sommerville of Saint John (NB), Brad Mann of Glen Levitt (NB), Dave O’Blenis of Boundary Creek (NB) and Mike Stevens of Riverview (NB) in this extended 150 lap event. Time trials for the MPST drivers will start at 2:10 p.m.

As an added bonus, race fans who plan on also taking in the Magnetic Hill concert on August 2nd, featuring The Eagles, can enjoy FREE camping at the CFS with their race weekend ticket as well as shuttle service provided to the Magnetic Hill concert site.

The Annual Mid Summer Invitationals stock-car racing weekend kicks off on Friday evening, August 1st with a Day of Destruction event featuring novelty races such as a Full-Contact race, a Blind man race, and a Soap Box Derby race where soapy water is applied to the racing surface making for some treacherous spins and even flips, capped off by a giant Demolition Derby. The ‘crash & bang’ action on August 1st gets underway at 7:30 p.m.

On Sunday afternoon, the  CARQUEST Maritime Pro Stock Tour 150 will highlight the day’s event along with top Sportsman drivers from the Maritimes competing in the Maritime Super Series for Sportsman 75. The high-flying racing action on August 3rd get underway with MPST time trials at 2:10 p.m. followed by qualifying heats for both the MPST and Sportsman race cars at 3:00 p.m. Front gates will open at 1:45 p.m.

Capping off this triple-header weekend of motorsports action on Monday, August 4th at 1:00 p.m. will be a visit by the Atlantic Open Wheel (AOW) Tour as well as two exciting invitational races for Streetstock and Mini Stock racecars. AOW drivers from throughout the Maritimes will compete in heat races as well as 35-lap feature while Streetstock competitors will take to the oval for heat races and a 50-lap feature along with the Mini Stocks who will also compete in heat races and a 40-lap main event. The CFS League of Outlaw Go-Karts will also be on hand for a 25-lap main event.

On August 15th & 16th, the ground will definitely be shaking as the Monster Truck Madness invades the CENTRE for two ‘unleashed’ events featuring car-crushing, side-by-side and freestyle events with a field of top Monster Trucks including Easyrider, T-MAXX, The Dominator, Sudden Impact, Bearfoot and the Ride Truck. While many may have seen arena Monster Truck shows, absolutely nothing compares to seeing these high-powered machines put through their paces in the great outdoors where they can really put on an aerial and freestyle show that is second to none! (Photos for these events can be provided upon request)

The August 15th show will also feature a Super Stunt Show and fireworks while the August 16th show will be capped off by a giant Demolition Derby and fireworks. Admission for either show is $25 for adults, $20 for children and kids under 3 years of age are admitted free. Advanced tickets, at a savings of $5 per ticket or $15 for a family pass, will be on sale as of July 14th. Showtime for both events will be 6:30 p.m.

 Full schedule details are available at www.centreforspeed.com 

From Tim Wile, Promoter & General Manager

Shaw Motorsports: Delaware Partsource 141 report

GUELPH, ON - The threat of rain was in the air as the Shaw Motorsports crew headed west to the Delaware Speedway for the Partsource 141, Canada Day Special. The Barking Fish decal was freshly mounted on the car in honor of the busload of Shaw fans that made the trip as patrons of the popular Café located in the Hespeler section of Cambridge.

For the first practice, the #82 Barking Fish Ford was bad, bad loose according to the driver so the crew put a spring rubber in the right front and put on 4 new tires to scuff for the feature. Although the car was handling better, Jason pulled off early as he felt something very strange with the brake pedal. The crew quickly looked over the brakes and decided that it may have been some air in the lines so they bled them, changed a shock and put the old tires back on for the final practice. Jason said the car started off feeling real good but the more laps he ran, it was loose coming out of the corners. Another shock change was made and the #82 lined up 15th for the time trials to set the starting positions.

The #82 National Fire Equipment Ford qualified 10th  for the 141 lap feature. Caution laps were to count in the total and a competition caution was scheduled between lap 65 and 70. The crews would have 5 minutes to change 2 tires, add fuel and make any adjustments that they could fit into the time slot. Jason started on the outside of the #48 and on the second lap was given the all clear to drop down in front of him in 9th.

The first 10 laps ran smooth with Jason finding a momentum and position that would carry him near the front for the first segment. A car spun on its own to bring out the first caution and the front 10 cars remained the same except for the #5 and #7 who swapped positions. Jason said the car felt pretty good and that he was just taking it easy trying to stay out of trouble and save the tires. The #77 took the restart followed by the #20, 52, 10, 38, 28, 7, 5 and #82.

The front of the field remained unchanged until lap 40 when the #38 of Kirk Hooker got around the #10 for 4th. The field had to deal with lots of lapped traffic on lap 50, however the order stayed the same until lap 60 when the #28 got past the #38 were they would run until the competition yellow came out on lap 69. Jason brought the car down pit road where the crew sprung into action to change two right side tires and fill the car full of fuel.

The driver had a drink and was generally happy with the handling of the car despite having a little push going in and being a little loose coming off the corners. It was decided to make no changes and Jason lined up the Del Metals Fusion for the final 72 laps. Jason got off to a good start as he passed the #5 and then the #20 before the caution that came out for the #7 who got squirly after the #10 got into the back of him at the start / finish line, however despite the #7 making contact with the inside wall, he was given his position back as officials claimed he maintained his momentum and based on the cautions count format they would restart from where they were positioned.

On the following laps, the #20 had to drop out of the top 10 to enter the pits for a fuel leak, putting Jason up to 7th behind the #77, 52, 28, 7, 38 and 10. On lap 100, Jason had the #36 of Gary Elliot on his tail as he had 20 car lengths ahead of him to the pack of leaders. The #48 got past the #36 who now followed the #82 well behind the leaders. As the #48 passed Jason to put him into 8th, the #77 who had been leading the entire race, brushed the wall at the starters stand and pulled off the track to surrender the lead to the #52 and put Jason back into 7th.

With 31 laps to go, the car was getting very loose and the #42 and #5 took advantage of the ill handling #82 by passing him and putting Jason back to 9th. Despite gaining on the #5 ahead of him and putting some space between himself and the #36 who was on his tail, the #27 came from behind and passed the #82 on lap 123 putting Jason back to 10th. Positions remained the same for the final 18 laps that had the #52 take the win followed by the #28, 10, 38 and 48 to round out the top 5 and the #82 would finish 10th.

Next up for the Shaw Team, is a return trip to Flamboro Speedway on Saturday June 28th to hopefully maintain their points lead at the 1/3 point in the season. Pit gates are to open at 3:00pm, the main gates at 5:00 and racing is scheduled to begin at 6:00.

From Ken Spira // Spira Fire Protection Ltd.

NCATS: Rz Racing (Jason White) Barrie report

BARRIE, ON - The RZ Racing team visited Barrie Ontario on Saturday night for the "A&W 300", this was the third stop on the 2008 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series schedule. The learning curve continued for driver Jason White and the A&W "Cruizin The Dub" sponsored Monte Carlo. Barrie Speedway is a very tight 1/3 mile oval that is known for tearing up equipment and leaving a significant amount of cars out of the race at the end of 300 laps.

The team struggled all day with an extreme understeer (push) condition and qualified 21st. "We really couldn't get a handle on the set up all day, so I just drove the car as hard as I could without wrecking", said White. "It's extremely tough to go to these tracks we have never been too before and be competitive, most of these teams have thousands of laps here, so we just tried to keep the car on the track and get as much experience as possible."

When the green flag dropped it did not take long for the carnage too start, cars where dropping out fast and Jason was avoiding the dust ups that where going on all over the "bullring" shaped track. "I have always heard the stories about Barrie being an aggressive place to race, but I had no idea it was going to be like this," Jason mused. "I showed up to race but it felt like I was in a heavy weight boxing match."

As the race went on Jason was slowly picking off positions and making up some ground on the field and felt he was finally gaining some confidence. "My crew put a new set of tires on at about lap 200 and I started to feel comfortable with the set up of the car", said white. "I started to push myself a little harder and the car was taking it, so I kept hitting my marks and tryiing to be as smooth as possible".

After charging all the way up to 11th position by lap 250, the A&W "Cruzin The Dub" Monte Carlo started to smoke severely and the NASCAR officials brought Jason in to inspect the car and eventually park him for the night. The rear end gear overheated and was blowing oil all over the track. "It was heart breaking to see the black flag, I had smelt rear gear oil for quite awhile so I new something was wrong but it was a hard pill to swallow as I believe we where destined for another top ten finish" said crew chief Brian Uptigrove. "I am really proud of this entire team for a hard days work and there determination to never quit".

The Rz Racing teams day ended with a 16th place finish and world of experience, the next scheduled event is in St. Eustache Quebec for the "KODAK 250" July 5th. In a sport where more marketing dollars equals more speed the RZ Racing Team is thankful for all of their advertising partners leading into this years NASCAR Canadian Tire Series.

Special thanks go out to: Zimmer Wheaton GMC, Powder Ventures Excavations, Douglas Lake Equipment, Twin Anchors Houseboats, A&W, KAL TIRE, PRAXAIR, RE/MAX (Paul Toporowski), Peaks Media Inc., RTR Performance, Diamond Lils Trucking, Zimmer Autosport, Mackdaddys Nightclub, L'Cat Autographics and Thompson Valley Sand and Gravel.

Race dates and results are posted on www.NASCAR.ca

OHSWEKEN: ASCS Northern Summer Nationals Kick Off Busy Month at Ohsweken Speedway

OHSWEKEN, ON - The season of special events at Ohsweken Speedway continues this Friday and Saturday as Engine Pro Racing presents the American Sprint Car Series “Northern Summer Nationals”.  A full slate of Friday Night Thunder activities are planned for Friday, July 4 including night #1 of the Northern Summer Nationals for the ASCS Sprints on Dirt versus the ASCS Patriots, along with Ohsweken’s ESSO Thunder Stocks, ESSO Mini-Stocks, and Friday Night Fun Stocks.

On Saturday night, July 5, the Sprint Cars will take centre stage for night #2 of the Northern Summer Nationals when they compete for a $3,000 feature winner’s cheque.  A special $250-to-win Fun Stock race and Box Car races for kids will also be part of the Saturday night festivities.

The stars of the Michigan-based ASCS Sprints on Dirt tour and the New York-based ASCS Patriots tour will converge on Ohsweken to compete for over $35,000 in prize money this weekend, with the weekly competitors from Ohsweken’s Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Car division n hand to defend home turf against the ASCS invaders. 

Top drivers from the Sprints on Dirt tour expected this weekend include Indiana drivers Brett Mann and Tim Norman, and Michigan drivers Dustin Daggett, Ben Rutan, and Dain Naida, while the Patriots will bring such front runners from New York as point leader Bryan Howland, Jared Zimbardi, Don Adamczyk, Chris Mulheisen, and the brother combo of Bobby and Blake Breen.  Besides sitting 2nd in Patriot points, Zimbardi also leads the weekly Corr/Pak Merchandising division standings at Ohsweken, followed by Ontario drivers Keith Dempster, Kevin Job, Ryan Hunsinger, and Fred Cade.  A strong field of 40 cars or more are expected each night for this unique co-sanctioned event.

The ESSO Thunder Stocks division will compete in their 6th feature race of the season on Friday.  Cody McPherson of St. Catharines has won 4 of those 6 races, but Stoney Creek driver Brian Pescetti held off McPherson’s potent #777 last week to score his first feature win of the season.  The consistency of Ryan Dinning has him up to 2nd in points going into this Friday, followed by week 3 feature winner Terry Osmond, 2007 track champion Brad Bacher, and Glen Leinen rounding out the top 5.  A growing field and excellent fender to fender racing have been trademarks of the ESSO Thunder Stock division this season, and more of the same is expected this Friday.

The ESSO Mini-Stocks are always fan favourites at Ohsweken, where they have been known to race 4 and sometimes 5 wide around the wide 3/8’s mile oval.  This season has seen a variety of winners visiting victory lane in the Mini-Stock division, including Abel Castelein, Chase Hess, Mitchell Brown, Brent Hill, and Mike Evers.  Brown became the first driver to win 2 features in the division this year by winning in convincing fashion last week.  The consistency of Castelein, Mark Thorne, Rick Emberson, Kevin Hilborn, and Hess have them sitting in the top 5 in points heading into this Friday.

The new Friday Night Fun Stock division continues to grow as the weeks go by, and that growth should accelerate this weekend as the division competes in a regular event on Friday, and then returns Saturday night to compete for $250 to win.  Lee Hils became the first driver in the division to win multiple features by taking his 2nd win of the season last week.

Friday Night Thunder resumes this Friday, July 4 when Engine Pro Racing presents Night #1 of the American Sprint Car Series “Northern Summer Nationals” featuring the ASCS Sprints on Dirt region versus the ASCS Patriot region, plus the ESSO Thunderstocks, ESSO Mini-Stocks, and Friday Night Fun Stocks. Friday Night Thunder at Ohsweken is affordable family entertainment just a short drive away from most mid-western Ontario locations. Friday Night Thunder Adult General Admission is once again $10, while Seniors & Students (ages 13-17) are $8, and kids 12 and under FREE! Please visit www.OhswekenSpeedway.com for more information. Gates open at 5:00p.m. with the first race taking the green flag at 7:45p.m. this Friday, July 4!

Night #2 of the ASCS Northern Summer Nationals will take place on Saturday, July 5, with a posted feature winner’s prize of $3,000. The Friday Night Fun Stocks will also be running a special $250 to win race on Saturday night, and Kids Ages 6-12 are invited to get in on the action with Box Car Races!  Adult General Admission on Saturday night is $15, Seniors & Students are $12, and Kids 12 and Under are FREE as always. Bring your July 4 ticket stub to receive $5 off your admission on Saturday night! Log on to www.OhswekenSpeedway.com for more information, including details for the Box Car Races. Gates open at 4:00p.m. with the first race taking the green flag at 7:45p.m. this Saturday, July 5!

Advanced reserved seat tickets for the World of Outlaws events on Tuesday, July 22 and Wednesday, July 23 are still available. All the stars of the Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car series return to Ohsweken for 2 separate full points-paying race nights, culminating in the 2nd Annual 6 Nations Showdown on Wednesday, July 23.  The broadcast crew from Speed Channel will be on hand each night to record every lap for broadcast on the following 2 weekends.  Advanced reserved seat tickets for each night remain available.  Visit www.OhswekenSpeedway.com and call 1-888-720-RACE to reserve your seat!

By Tommy Goudge // Ohsweken Speedway Media

McBain wins big at Race City

CALGARY, Alta. (June 29) – Cochrane, Alberta’s Clint McBain scored a dominant win in the second round of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at Race City Motorsports Park on Sunday.

Riding the Acceleration Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000, McBain took the lead from polesitter Jordan Szoke on lap 5 of the 22-lap Blackfoot Suzuki-sponsored race and pulled away to a 9.259-sec. victory over the Canadian Kawasaki Motors rider.

Kevin Lacombe took third aboard his Team Toyota Yamaha / Fast Company Racing Yamaha YZF-R1.

The win was McBain’s third national Superbike triumph in Calgary and came a year after he lost victory with a crash just a few corners from the finish.

“After what happened last year, to do this in front of everybody is tremendous,” McBain said. “It couldn’t be better. I really felt like it was my turn.”

McBain qualified second for the race and was third at the end of the opening lap behind Szoke’s Kawasaki ZX-10R and the Team Suzuki / Blackfoot / Picotte Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 ridden by Calgary’s Chris Peris.

McBain got by Peris on lap 3 and then passed Szoke on the front straight at the start of the fifth lap. He took advantage of a couple of breaks in lapped traffic to open up his lead.

“I was getting better drive out of the last turn and that gave me a good run on Jordan down the front straight,” the 35-year-old McBain said. “Then I just kept watching my pit board and my advantage kept growing and growing.”

Szoke, the two-time defending Parts Canada Superbike champion, was unable to add to his record total of eight Race City Superbike victories, but did extend his lead in the series standings to 14 points over Lacombe, 99-85. McBain is fourth with 55.

“I didn’t win, but I finished ahead of the people I needed to,” said the Brantford, Ont. rider. “On the third lap I almost highsided onto the front straight, then I got messed up in traffic and then my tires went off again. Not taking anything away from Clint, but I didn’t have the set-up.”

Lacombe said he was fortunate to finish the race after his bike overheated almost from the start of the race. After dropping to the back of a four-way fight for third at half distance he worked his way back up, finally taking third from Peris just two laps from the finish.

“I knew right from the start I had a problem,” Lacombe said. “Halfway down the straight I was in seventh or eighth. But in the last few laps I knew if I pushed hard the guys in front of me might have problems with their tires.”

Peris settled for fourth while Szoke’s Canadian Kawasaki Motors teammate Brett McCormick of Saskatoon snatched fifth from Francis Martin on the final lap.

Sherbrooke, Que.’s Martin finished sixth on the second of the Team Suzuki / Blackfoot / Picotte Racing entries, with Matt McBride of Mississauga, Ont. seventh on the third of the factory Suzukis.

Calgary riders Jeremy Stepper and Dave Stokowski battled for eighth throughout the race, with the verdict going to the Stepper Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 by less than half a second over Stokowski’s Calgary Motorsports Kawasaki ZX-10R.

Peter Holzinger of Banff, Alta. finished 10th on a Suzuki GSX-R1000. He battled with the Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada / Ruthless Racing Buell 1125R of Maple Ridge, B.C.’s Steve Crevier for the first half of the race before Crevier retired with mechanical troubles.

In other action at Race City, Szoke scored his second straight win of the year in the Yoshimura Pro 600 Sport Bike class on his Kawasaki ZX-6R, beating the Suzuki GSX-R600 of Peris by just 0.630 secs. in the race, which was shortened by 14 laps due to a crash by Jesse Sherstan.

Lacombe completed the podium in a close third aboard his Yamaha YZF-R6.

Sherstan was not seriously injured in his fall.

Andrew Nelson of Kars, Ont. rode his NCR-Ducati 848 to victory in the 16-lap Canadian Thunder feature at Race City, beating the Ducati 749R of Calgary’s Chad Pasowisty by 2.520 secs. with New Smyrna Beach, Fla.’s Dave Estok third on the Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada / Ruthless Racing Buell 1125R.

Opening round winner Valter Bartolini of Bologna, Italy crashed his NCR-Ducati 848 on lap 11 while in the lead.

Jim Proulx of Ottawa won the Canadian Sport Twins race on a Buell XB12R. His 18-second triumph over the Buell XB9R of Surrey, B.C.’s Olivier Spilborghs earned him his second straight Tirox Winning Big Award.

Jodi Christie of Keene, Ont. won the Armour Bodies Amateur 600 Sport Bike race on his Yamaha YZF-R6, beating the Suzuki GSX-R600 of Calgary’s Patrick Marques by 4.909 secs. Marcel Irnie of Westbank, B.C. placed third riding a Kawasaki ZX-6R.

Irnie claimed the Performance Under Gear Perfomer of the Race Award for his effort.

McBain’s stepson Cody Matechuk completed a great day for the family by winning the Suzuki SV650 National Cup race, coming out on top of a battle for the victory with Burlington, Ont. rider John Jarvie. Matechuk edged Jarvie by 0.882 secs.

Nicky Poon of London, Ont. finished third.

The Parts Canada Superbike Championship continues with a doubleheader at Mosport International Raceway July 17-20.

This weekend’s races will be shown on TSN HD and TSN on Tuesday, Sept. 16 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern, and again on Saturday, Sept. 20 at 4:00 a.m. Eastern.

For complete results go to:
http://www.cdnsuperbike.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=878&Itemid=194


From cdnsuperbike.com