CARPENTIER FASTEST ROOKIE IN QUALIFYING FOR BRICKYARD 400

Patrick Carpentier will start 15th Sunday afternoon at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He has qualified 15th or better in three of the last four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.

YOU DO NOT HAVE A GUARANTEED STARTING POSITION SO QUALIFYING EACH WEEK IS A CHALLENGE. HOW MUCH MORE DIFFICULT WAS IT THIS WEEK AT INDY?

CARPENTIER: “It’s hard here because the straightaways are so long. You know, you kind of lose perspective of the first corner and for us, when you’re not qualified you always want to make sure you’re in. I slowed down too early for Turn 1 and lost a tenth there but it was okay. The car was pretty good. It got a little bit tight but I’m happy. We’ve got great cars. For tomorrow we should have fun but we’re in the race so that’s great. We’re starting probably top-20 so that’s very good.”

COMMENT ON THE RACE TOMORROW. “I think it’s going to be good. I think we’re getting better and better every race weekend. We struggle in the race early on and it’s starting to get better and I think tomorrow is going to be good for us. I think the car is really stable, runs well every lap and I think we’re going to be a part of the race. I don’t see where we’re necessarily going to win it but we’re going to be in there somewhere in there, you know. If we finish top-20 I’ll be really happy. That would be great for us.”

IS IT ODD TO RUN AROUND HERE IN A STOCK CAR? “It’s hard. I don’t know for some reason I had more stress than some other places. This place is always intimidating, so much history and it’s so long, the straightaways and the corners. You’re going to see the wall in front of you and I slowed down, lift too early, going into Turn 1. But the car is good so it always helps when it’s that good.”

HOW DO YOU FEEL GOING INTO THE RACE TOMORROW? “I feel pretty good. I think we’ve got good cars. I think the team came up with a new car and it’s very fast, very stable on the track and I think we’re going to have fun tomorrow.”

THIS FORM OF RACING IS NOT EASY. “It’s very hard. For me, everything I’ve done in racing, this is by far the hardest, the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It’s very difficult to do. Here you’ve got to brake for Turn 1. We’re used to being wide open and here you’ve got to brake and the car slides and you’re going 200 miles per hour so it makes a heck of a difference. You gain a lot of respect for these guys that have been doing it for years.”

WOULD YOU EVEN RECOMMEND FOR OPEN WHEEL GUYS TO DO THIS? “If you want to do this you’ve got to do it 24 hours a day because that’s what I’m doing, watch all the videos, listen to everybody, try to get information from everybody and just think racing. That’s all I do is eat, sleep and think racing and now we’re starting to get our head above water a little bit. It’s very tough. You’ve got no data acquisition so you’ve got no feedback, nothing. I’m very lucky. I’m with a pretty good team and I’ve got two teammates that are helping me a lot every weekend. Elliott yesterday kept helping me and helping me so it’s been pretty good.”

YOU SEEM COMMITTED TO THIS AND NOT LIKELY TO GO BACK TO THE INDY CARS. “No, I don’t want to. I want to stay here. I’m either going to do the stock car or the Grand Am series. For me, I like driving these things. I love it. I don’t know why. Like I said yesterday, it’s like a rental car on steroids. The thing has got so much power. I really like driving them so I hope I can do it more and for many years. That would be good. We’ve got Sears Auto Centers this weekend and they’re in the show with Valvoline so it’s very good.”

WILL YOU HAVE TO MAKE A TON OF CHANGES FOR RACE PRACTICE THIS AFTERNOON? “No, not a lot for us. We changed a few things to go through qualifying setup. Taped up the front like everybody does and gained a bit of speed down the straightaway and today we had to take some tape off. When you’re far at the back like that you’ve got to take tape off because the engine gets too hot. We lost some time there but we’re pretty good. It won’t be long for us. It should be good.”

HOW SPECIAL IS IT TO BE COMPETITIVE AT INDY? “It’s very special. I was hoping to run well here this week and we came in and the car was fast and it’s been great all weekend so it’s pretty good.”

Ted Powell Memorial Race Weekend at Calabogie Motorsports Park

The feature race of the Ted Powell Memorial Race Weekend is the Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship Presented By Toyo Tires. The Championship’s fifth race weekend of the year will challenge Calabogies’s technical and fast layout. The Championship will visit Calabogie as part of eight different weekends in Quebec and Ontario.

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. Touring Class racecars are easy to recognize because they have blue windshield banners and headlights while Super Touring Class has yellow windshield banners and headlights.

After four weekends of racing, Arek Wojciechowski (8legs Racing) leads in Super Touring Class driving his BMW followed by Nigel Krikorian (Krikorian Motorsports) in his Subaru and Andrew Wojteczko (Auto Analyser Racing) in his Lexas. They are separated by 76 points in the Championship. Each of the top three drivers has teammates in identical racecars. They will be challenged by more two-car teams including GT Racing (BMW), VMC (Honda) and Fastco Racing (Hyundai).

Christian Raymond (TwoFast Racing) continues to lead in Touring Class driving his Mazda, followed by Andre Rapone (Durabond Racing) driving his Acura and Anthony Rapone (Durabond Racing) also in an Acura. They are separated by 89 points in the Championship. The racing in Touring Class has been extremely close this year with only a few seconds separating the top drivers in qualifying and races. The will be challenged by Nissans, Hondas 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, RaceDV and Impact Custom Canopy.

The Championship features Canada’s Best Drivers Racing Today’s Hottest Touring Cars.

For more information:
John Bondar
john@touringcar.ca

416.707.0358

www.touringcar.ca

Bridge County Raceway makes History

Lethbridge AB - Western Canada's biggest purse in the history of oval Modified dirt racing takes place August 2 and 3 at Lethbridge's own, Bridge County Raceway (BCR) with the Wolff Pack Run 2008. This is the fourth year for the Wolff Pack Run which is sponsored by Jaron Wolff Ltd.(Georg J.P. Wowk), from Edmonton, Alberta. Jaron Wolff Ltd. began this modified race in 2005 with the purse growing each year. This year Jaron Wolff Ltd made the purse $20,000 and owners of BCR James and Kathy Hadnagy and Geroge and Marj Mercer added another $20,000 to bring the purse to a whopping $40,000 in cash and prizes. With an anticipated field of 50 cars or more, coming from all over western Canada and possible the north western US, this year’s Wolff Pack Run promises to be 2008's most exciting two day racing event on dirt for both racers and fans alike.

Not only is the Wolff Pack Run 2008 making history for the size of its purse, but this is the first time in Alberta history that IMCA Canada and IMCA USA have opened their doors and are coming together to sanction a race. This means that any racers coming to race here from the US will receive their points

This is a dream come true for co-owner Kathy Hadnagy that took over three years to become a reality. "I constantly emailed USA IMCA's Brett Root and it finally took a trip to Las Vegas, Nevada to track him down to get him to agree to sanction a race for me. Just to hear him say okay", says Hadnagy, "I just can't wait, this puts BCR right up there at the top! ", she giggles.

The Wolff Pack Run is a race dedicated to Modified Racers that has been held in a different location each year. The first Wolff Pack Run, in 2005 was held at Edmonton International Raceway. In 2006 it was held at Castrol Raceway in Edmonton and moved to Race City in Calgary in 2007. Gates open at 5:00pm with racing starting at 7:00pm each night.

http://www.bridgecountyraceway.net/

PHOTO GALLERY: ACT and more at Kawartha Speedway

This is a 357-photo gallery from Kawartha Speedway on Sunday, July 13, 2008, featuring the ACT Late Models. Thanks to Dave Franks and Randy Collins for the photos. You can see Dave's website here.

PHOTO GALLERY: Flamboro Speedway - July 12, 2008 by Dave Franks

This is a 175-photo gallery from Flamboro Speedway on Saturday, July 12, 2008 featuring the Lucas Oil Can-Am TQ Midgets. Check out the wild double rainbow during the pre-race introductions. Thanks to Dave Franks and Randy Collins for sharing their work. You can see Dave's website here.

PHOTO GALLERY: ARCA at Cayuga Motor Speedway (June 29, 2008)

This is a 216-photo gallery from the ARCA race at Cayuga Motor Speedway on June 29, 2008. Thanks to Dave Franks for sharing his shots. You can contact Dave at his website here.

PHOTO GALLERY: Barber Motorsports Museum

This past weekend, I was in Birmingham, Alabama for the SunTrust MOTO-ST (motorcycle) Series at the stunning Barber Motorsports Park. On Saturday evening, I had a chance to tour the Barber Motorsports Museum which is located on the grounds, beside the track.

The museum houses a stunning collection of motorcycles and cars, which are part of the private collection of Mr. George Barber. It's my understanding that most of the vehicles are in working condition and are put through their paces on the racetrack periodically.

Paul Tracy press conference quotes, from Edmonton

From IndyCar

Vision Racing driver Paul Tracy met with members of the media in Edmonton. Select quotes are below:

“It’s good to be back. Obviously, everything came together kind of last minute. I’m excited about the opportunity with Derrick Walker, Vision Racing and Subway as the sponsor. We’re going to jump into the deep end here, but I think the team’s motivated, I’m motivated to do well, and if we can have a good result, we’ll see what develops for the future. That’s really the first step in getting back into the series full-time.”

(About pressure) “Not really. I’m not in a points battle. There’s really no pressure from where you finish in the championship. For me, it’s an opportunity to get going. We’re just going to take it step-by-step everyday. I haven’t driven since Long Beach, and the team hasn’t competed at this level since Long Beach, so from that standpoint we’ve just go to do the best we can. We all want to do well. Our expectations are to do well, but really haven’t set any type of goal for myself like we have to win the race or anything like that. We’re just going to go out there and do the best job we can. There’s always a possibility to win a race no matter what happens during a race. Anything can happen in motor racing, we’re going to give it the best we can, but I haven’t come here saying we’ve got to go and out run everybody, because I think that would just be setting yourself up for disappointment."

(About competition this weekend) “I’ve pretty much raced against everybody in the series at one point or another. Scott (Dixon) and Helio (Castroneves), I haven’t raced against Dan (Wheldon) and a couple other guys in the series, but all the frontrunners I’ve run against in my career.”

(About Edmonton) “You really have to be quick here to do well. It’s kind of like Cleveland where if you’re not on the pace, you’re really going to struggle. From that standpoint, the car has got to be good here. To stay in the front, you have to have the pace to do that, because it’s not too difficult to pass. I’ve been here before, Justin (Wilson) has been here before, the Champ Car guys have been here before, but the top level at this game, guys like (Scott) Dixon, Helio (Castroneves) and (Tony) Kanaan, they can learn a track in 10, 15 minutes. From that standpoint, there’s a small advantage maybe going into the first practice, second practice, but by the time qualifying comes, the top teams will have it figured out.”

NASCAR Canadian Tire Series: Fletcher Teams With 990 AM for Montreal NCATS race

MILTON, ON - John Fletcher and the London Mechanical/JBM Leasing #49 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Team have joined with THE TEAM 990 AM Montreal’s Sports Authority as an associate sponsor . John will carry the Radio Station's logo on the car for the August 2nd NASCAR Canadian Tire Series event that takes place prior to NASCAR’s Nationwide race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. This the second time that the Nationwide Series race will take place on Canadian soil.
 
THE TEAM 990 AM is Montreal’s only English all sports radio station that covers all of Montreal’s national, local sports and has a strong support of all motorsports. This is prevalent but carrying not only the August 1st NAPA 200, but also other events through out the year. THE TEAM 990 AM carries Raceline Radio as well as Raceline’s Erik Thomas is a regular guest during the afternoon drive.
 
THE TEAM 990 AM will work with John Fletcher and the London Mechanical/JBM Leasing Dodge by broadcasting with live remotes, on air interviews and a promotion to meet and great the team. Fans can listen nation wide by a great online streaming at www.team990.com and on your dial while you are in Montreal at 990 AM.

 

Joining THE TEAM 990 AM on the London Mechanical/JBM Leasing #49 Dodge Avenger  for the event will be, HYPE Energy, Little Blessings Nursery Decor highlighted by the successful line of the "Knotataggie" Blankets, Trailers by Jim Bray, Bray Auto & Truck Recyclers, Stratafax Calgary, Lucas Oil, Alzheimer's Society and long time supporter B&B Decals.

 

NASCAR Canadian Tire Series is a thirteen race series that includes events from Vernon to Nova Scotia, highlighted by the stops in Montreal and Edmonton in which it supports NASCAR's Nationwide Series and the Indy Racing League.For more information on the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series please visit www.nascar.ca or John Fletcher visit www.fletchjr61.com

WEDNESDAY: World of Outlaws at Ohsweken CANCELLED

WEDNESDAY, JULY 23 - The World of Outlaws at Ohsweken Speedway have been cancelled due to weather conditions. Unfortunately the events will not be rescheduled.

Stay tuned to OhswekenSpeedway.com for information on ticket refund or exchange options in the coming days.

UPDATE:
By Tommy Goudge (July 23, 2008) - More rain overnight Tuesday and through the day on Wednesday has left the track and pit area flooded at Ohsweken Speedway and forced Speedway and World of Outlaws officials to cancel the events scheduled for Wednesday night, July 23.

The events will not be rescheduled. Stay tuned to www.OhswekenSpeedway.com for ticket EXCHANGE or REFUND options to be announced in the coming days.

Ohsweken Speedway is CLOSED this Friday night, July 25. Friday Night Thunder returns to Ohsweken on Friday, August 1st when Outhouse Designs presents the Lucas Oil Sportsman Modified Shootout 50, & Art Hill Memorial for ESSO Mini-Stocks, plus ESSO Thunder Stocks and Friday Night Fun Stocks. Thank you for your support and we apologize for any inconvenience!

NASCAR Canadian Tire Series: Edmonton Pre-Race News & Notes

 -  Edmonton Canadian Tire Series 100 Notebook
 -  A&W Cruisin’ The Dub 300 Post-Race Notebook
 -  Graham Heads Full Throttle To Edmonton

 

From Underdog To Top Dog, Steckly Solidifies Season

 

Coming into the 2008 season, several drivers were considered title contenders in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Sirius Satellite Radio and Scott Steckly was not among those given serious consideration. This was despite the fact he closed out the 2007 season with his first series win at Kawartha Speedway.

 

Fortunately for Steckly (No. 22 Tow Truck in a Box/Erb Group Dodge), races and point championships are not decided by pre-season talk and speculation, but rather by hard work and determination.

 

“I can honestly say that we’re not doing anything different than we ever have,” said Steckly. “We’ve reached a point now that we only change about three things on the car from race to race.”

 

The comfort level with their Dodge Avenger is high in the Steckly camp. In 2008, they have visited Victory Lane three times in five outings. The other two races resulted in finishes of second and fourth. As a result, he holds an 111-point advantage over second-place Don Thomson Jr. in the championship point standings.

 

It’s been off the track, in the sponsorship arena, where the driver out of Milverton, Ont., has had a bumpy road. However, his early season dominance has smoothed the way.

 

Like Steckly, his new sponsor, Tow Truck in a Box, was an unknown quantity coming into the year.

 

Tow Truck in a Box is a new tool to the marketplace that is a compact, lightweight gadget made of an aircraft-quality aluminum alloy that is used to extract vehicles which are stuck in the snow or mud. The upstart company wanted to align itself within the NASCAR world but never envisioned being a primary car sponsor.

 

“We wanted to expose our product to the smart and savvy Canadian NASCAR fans, so we went through the licensing process with NASCAR Canada,” said Michael Manno, CEO of Tow Truck in a Box. “They suggested the idea of car sponsorship for better exposure. To be honest, we hadn’t thought in that direction at all.”

 

Steckly was left without a primary sponsor after a deal made last season fell through due to his affiliation with Dodge, so the introduction to the Tow Truck people was welcomed with open arms.

 

The deal began as an associate sponsorship on the rear quarter panel of the car, but Steckly, in hope of something more, referred to his ride as the Tow Truck in a Box Dodge.

 

“Our thought all along was that it could evolve into something more,” Steckly said. “So we treated it as such. We’ve been very fortunate in a lot of ways.”

 

Going the extra mile has paid off for both Steckly and the Canadian Tire Series. The series, in just its second year, gained a new partner and its points leader gained a primary sponsor for the remainder of the season.

 

“The relationships with (Steckly) and NASCAR have been a match made in heaven,” said Manno. “I wish we were in a position to sponsor that car from day one, but we weren’t. We have our man now, though. He is such a professional and a gentleman. It’s an honor to be associated with him. He has earned every penny.”

 

From Steckly’s perspective, the marriage has been just as perfect.

 

“Tow Truck in a Box came along at a great time for us and they have been fantastic to work with,” said Steckly. “We just want to continue the momentum and see where it takes us.”

 

The Race: Edmonton Canadian Tire Series 100
The Place: Rexall Speedway, Edmonton, Alberta
The Date: Saturday, July 26
The Time: 11:15 a.m. MT
TV Schedule: TSN, Noon ET, Aug. 3 (delayed)
Track Layout: 1.973-mile temporary road course
Race Purse: $78,062 CAD
2007 Winner: J.R. Fitzpatrick
2007 Pole: Andrew Ranger
Schedule: Friday: Practice 8-9  a.m., Time Trials 2 p.m.
Track Contact: Sid Priddle, (780) 488-8882 or sid@edmontonindy.com

 

Graham Heads Full Throttle To Edmonton

 

Despite a disappointing finish of 14th at SunValley Speedway last Saturday, Brad Graham (No. 19 Full Throttle Energy Drink Dodge) heads to Edmonton with his spirits high.

 

Historically, SunValley is a track that has treated the Glencoe, Ont., driver well and another quality finish looked to be in store.

 

Graham started fourth on the grid and he was playing tire strategy as the long 300-lap event progressed. However, an engine failure left all the plans for naught.

 

“Our strategy was working perfectly. We had our new tires,” Graham said. “We were up front just taking it easy and waiting for the end. We were definitely on our way to a great finish. The track changes so much as it cools off that you really have to be on your game.”

 

However, with just 45 laps to go Graham’s night would come to a premature end with trouble under the hood.

 

“We put ourselves in the right position, but sometimes things happen that you can’t control,” he said.

 

On the season, Graham has three top-10 finishes including a season-best fifth-place finish at Barrie Speedway. He currently holds the ninth position in the championship point standings, but is just 44 points in back from fourth-place Andrew Ranger (No. 27 Wal-Mart/Tide Ford).

 

A season ago, on the 1.973-mile temporary road course set up on the grounds of Edmonton’s City Centre Airport, Graham put together a top-10 run by finishing ninth.

 

News & Notes

 

The Race: This event is the sixth of 13 races on the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Sirius Satellite Radio schedule. It is the series’ second visit to the track.

 

The Procedure: The starting field is 28 cars, including provisionals. The first 25 cars will qualify through NASCAR Road Race (group) qualifying. The remaining three spots will be awarded through the provisional process. The race will be 32 laps covering 100 kilometers (63.136 miles).

 

The Track: The 1.973-mile temporary road course is fashioned from runways and access roads at Edmonton City Centre Airport and has 14 turns. At its narrowest point, Rexall Speedway is 50 feet wide and 75 feet at its widest. Over 80 percent of the track is viewable from anywhere in the grandstands, making it one of the fan-friendliest road courses around.

 

The Records: The one-lap qualifying record for the Canadian Tire Series is 81.311 seconds (87.353 mph) accomplished by Andrew Ranger on July 20, 2007. The 32-lap race record is held by J.R. Fitzpatrick at 1 hour, 1 minute, 58 seconds set July 21, 2007.

 

A Season Ago: J.R. Fitzpatrick passed Andrew Ranger on the white flag lap for the win. After starting on the pole, Ranger had led every lap to that point. Road course ace Robin Buck finished third.

 

Also On Tap: Joining the Canadian Tire Series in Edmonton is the IndyCar Series. Also competing will be the Atlantic Series and the Northern Alberta Sports Car Club.

 

A&W Cruisin’ The Dub 300 Post-Race Notebook

 

Not to be Outdone: In picking up his third career NCATS victory, Don Thomson Jr. (No. 4 Home Hardware Chevrolet) tied his Fitzpatrick Motorsports teammate J.R. Fitzpatrick (No. 84 Fitzpatrick Motorsports Chevrolet) on the series’ all-time wins list. Fitzpatrick collected his third win earlier this season at Mosport International Speedway.

 

Best Finishes: John Gaunt (No. 12 Centennial Chrysler Dodge) led a trio of drivers who posted Canadian Tire Series career-best finishes. Finishing third, it was Gaunt’s first podium finish. Jason White (No. 21 A&W/Zimmer-Wheaton GMC Chevrolet) earned seventh place while Todd Nichol (No. 6 Norton/Pennzoil Chevrolet) came home in the eighth position.

 

Mobil 1 Command Performance of the Race Award: As a reward for his NASCAR Canadian Tire Series victory in Vernon, Thomson collects $1,500 from Mobil 1 for his effort. He also has wins at Cayuga Motor Speedway and Mosport Speedway in his Canadian Tire Series career.

 

Mopar Fast Five: This program awards the top five finishing Dodges in the race. In the Kodak 250, Steckly was the highest-finishing Dodge and thus earned a $2,000 bonus. Gaunt 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 Mark Dilley (No. 9 Dodge/Leland Industries Dodge). Collecting $500 for placing fourth among the Dodge entrants was D.J. Kennington (No. 17 Castrol/Haldex Dodge). Rounding out the top five Dodges was Derek Lynch (No. 77 Allied Steel Buildings/Canadian Shield Dodge), which pays $250.

 

POWERade Power Move: Gaunt also earned the POWERade bonus of $1,000 for improving his position the most over the course of the race. He started 14th on the grid and finished third.

 

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. Thomson collected the $1,000 bonus for this event proving that being a lap down does not mean that a win is out of the question.

 

 From Shon Sbarra / NASCAR

Kuno Wittmer, third win at Mid-Ohio

Mid-Ohio, Lexington, Ohio.— Kuno Wittmer was back at Mid-Ohio last weekend and had an almost perfect outing in the World Challenge #44 RealTime Acura, winning his third race of the season and leading again in the standings. Starting on front row beside pole sitter Peter Cunningham, he had a quick launch and was in the lead by the second turn. He was pressured for the remaining 27 laps by Cunningham but managed to hold his teammate and won by a one-second slim margin. Now in his third season in the World Challenge, the 25-year old Montreal driver sits atop the standings with a 23-point lead on Cunningham and 57 more than fellow RealTime teammate Pierre Kleinubing who did not score points after he was taken out of the race by another competitor.

“That’s what I call pressure!” admitted Wittmer. “I had a very strong start and was side by side with Peter in the first turn; that carried us into turn two where I was inside and took advantage of my position to take the lead. I was stretching my lead to a few seconds when we had a full-course yellow. From then to the end, I had Peter filling my mirrors and had to be perfect. Any error would translate into third or fourth place. At RealTime, we respect any one of us who is leading a race but not to the point of slowing down if he goes off. And I’m truly sorry for Peter: he was taken out on the second lap by another car that lost control and did not score points. This is not the way we want the championship to be decided; we want to fight it off on the track. Finally, I have to thank the RealTime crew who gave us exceptional cars: the lead we have in the Manufacturers standings is a tribute to their hard work.”

Kuno: the time of his life:
Wittmer is having his best year ever. The numbers are self-evident: he has entered three very competitive series (18 races) with different cars, earning 5 outright victories, 12 podiums, 15 Top-5 and no DNF. He is the first Canadian to score three wins in World Challenge – previously Richard Spenard had two. He is the first Canadian to lead the standings in this series.
His brother Nick is also doing pretty well after 8 races. He took part in three series with two different machines : that spells 3 class wins and 6 Top-10.

Road America and Iowa Speedway coming up:
It will be a few weeks before the Wittmer brothers are racing again. Programs are scheduled at Road America and Iowa Speedway on the weekend of August 8 to 10. Kuno will head to Elkhart Lake for the next SCCA Speed World Challenge round in his #44 Realtime Acura while brother Nick will be in Newton for the next meeting of the Grand-Am ST Koni Challenge. On Sunday, Kuno and teammate Cunningham will travel between venues to start their I-Moto Acura from the back of the field. “Grand-Am races are long and we can start from the back since we cannot be in Newton for the qualifying session” he says.

The Wittmer brothers will take to the track next at Road America and Iowa Speedway from August 8th to 10th. Their web site is accessible at http://www.kunickautosport.com.

OHSWEKEN: RAIN POSTPONES WORLD OF OUTLAWS AT OHSWEKEN TUESDAY NIGHT; DOUBLEHEADER SCHEDULED FOR WEDNESDAY

RAIN POSTPONES WORLD OF OUTLAWS AT OHSWEKEN TUESDAY NIGHT; DOUBLEHEADER SCHEDULED FOR WEDNESDAY

by Tommy Goudge (July 22, 2008) -
Persistent rain showers and heavily saturated grounds forced Ohsweken Speedway and World of Outlaws Sprint Car series officials to reschedule the World of Outlaws event on Tuesday night.  The event will now be run on Wednesday evening before Wednesday night's scheduled "Six Nations Showdown".  Re-scheduling and ticket details are as follows:

Spectator gates will open at 2:00p.m. on Wednesday afternoon, July 23.  The rescheduled Tuesday portion of the program will be run first, with hot laps and time trials expected to get underway approximately between 4:30p.m. and 5:30p.m., and the first heat race taking to the track at approximately 5:45p.m.  Only tickets for Tuesday night's event will gain fans admission to the Tuesday portion of the program.  Reserved and general admission tickets remain available for this portion of the event. 

Following the conclusion of the Tuesday portion of the program, which includes time trials, heat races, dash race, B-main, and A-Main, the stands will be cleared and Wednesday night ticket holders will then be allowed in to the spectator seating areas.  It is expected that the Tuesday portion of the program will be finished at approximately 7:45p.m.  Reserved and general admission tickets also remain for the regularly scheduled Wednesday portion of the event. 

Reserved seats for the Tuesday portion of the program are $35, or $20 for kids age 12 and under.  Reserved seats for the regularly scheduled Wednesday portion of the program are $40, or $25 for kids age 12 and under.  General admission tickets for both events are available at a cost of $20, or $15 for kids age 12 and under.

Due to time constraints, no support classes will be competing on Wednesday, unfortunately.  The ESSO Thunder Stocks event from Tuesday night will not be made up, and the ESSO Mini-Stock event scheduled for Wednesday night is cancelled.

33 World of Outlaws Sprint Cars and 31 ESSO Thunder Stocks had signed in to the pits on Tuesday night.

Wine Country Music Fest - Penticton Speedway

Get Your Tickets Now!!!

250 770 8702 http://www.ticketweb.ca/

Available at:

Capital Glass
Barley Mill
Groove Yard
Wine Country Tourist Information Center
Penticton Speedway

NASCAR Canadian Tire Series on TSN: A&W 300 from Vernon, BC's SunValley Speedway

Watch the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series 'A&W 300' from Vernon, BC's Sun Valley Speedway this Sunday on TSN and TSN HD.

Premier: Sunday, July 27th @ 12:00PM EST

Replays: Monday, July 28th @ MIDNIGHT (9:00PM PST) & Monday Aug 4th @ 4:00PM (EST)

PHOTO GALLERY: NASCAR Canadian Tire Series at SunValley Speedway (July 19, 2008)

This 129-photo gallery is from Round #5 of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, at Vernon, BC's SunValley Speedway. Don Thomson Jr. won the 300-lap 'A&W Cruisin’ The Dub 300' on Saturday, July 19 (2008). Thanks to Roger Tepper of Edge Photography for the use of these photos. A race summary can be found here.

CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour Headed to the Geary Woods

CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour Tears Through The Geary Woods: The Parts for Trucks 100 on Tap for This Saturday!!!!!

Fredericton, NB – The roar of engines will return to the Geary woods this weekend with the CARQUEST Maritime Pro Stock as well as point’s racing for the Martin’s Home Heating Sportsman and Coast Tire Street Stocks. This Saturday will be the second time the tour has rolled into Speedway 660 and will be the final time for most of the tour drivers to get practice time before Leisure Family RV Centers SPEEDWEEKEND and the Peterbilt 250.

The Maritime Pro Stock tour always puts on a fantastic show when they roll through the Geary woods and with this weekend’s event expecting an upwards of 30 cars, it’s sure to be another great event! Coming in with the tour are many familiar faces that call Speedway 660 their home track. 2007 Tour Champion, Shawn Tucker, along with drivers Brad Mann and Lonnie Sommerville will return to the Geary woods this weekend take part in the event. Fans can expect to see Speedway 660 regulars included in the car count for this weekend. Drivers such as Brent Wiggins, Greg Fahey, and Matt Harris will take the plunge into the Parts for Trucks 100 against the tour competition.

In addition to the Parts for Trucks 100, fans will be treated to points racing in the Martin’s Home Heating Sportsman (30-lap feature) and Coast Tire Street Stocks (20-lap feature). Two weeks ago in the Martin’s Home Heating Sportsman feature Dave Biggar took home the feature win but this wasn’t enough points to catch the current leader, Glyn Nott, who has a 23 point lead over Biggar. Matt Maillet isn’t too far behind the Nott and could easily catch him this weekend with a very good run throughout the evening. In the Coast Tire Street Stock feature Brian Fox, who is only a second year veteran to the sport, took home his first feature win since he started in 2007. Currently in the top contender in the Street Stock points is Jason Shannon with a four point lead over past champion Rick Cashol. This weekend could see a tightening of the points in both divisions and possibly some new points leaders.

It’s going to be another great weekend at Speedway 660 so make sure you check it out! It’s not just for race fans, anyone can come along because its WicKID family fun!

A full schedule of events including start times for time trials can be found on the Speedway 660 website www.speedway660.com or the CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour website www.maritimeprostocktour.com. The rain date is Sunday, July 27th at 2:00pm.  In the event of questionable weather, fans and drivers should call 506-454-RACE (7223) for event status before leaving for the facility.

July 26th Event:
Parts For Trucks 100
Saturday, July 26th at 6:00pm
Pit gates open at 12:00pm
Grandstands open at 4pm
Time Trials at 5:10pm
Racing starts at 6pm
100 lap CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour race plus regular points racing in the Martin’s Home Heating Sportsman (30 lap feature), and Coast Tire Street Stock (20 lap feature) Divisions

Rain date is Sunday at 2:00pm

Ticket Prices:
Adults (16 and over) $20
Youth (ages 9-15) $15
Children (ages 8 and under) FREE

Family Pass is available: Two adults, Two youth plus 4 pop and 4 fries  - $75

With nearly 4,000 locations in North America, CARQUEST Auto Parts supplies the professional automotive service repair industry as well as do-it-yourselfers with replacement parts, tools and equipment.

The CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour is operated by Maritime Pro Stock Tour Limited and features an 11-race series at five different tracks in the three Maritime Provinces. Top drivers from all three provinces compete including former champions Wayne Smith, John Flemming and Shawn Tucker. For more information on the CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour please visit MaritimeProStockTour.com or call our admin office Monday to Friday at (902) 481-2531.

Speedway 660 is WicKID Family Fun. The 1/3 of a mile high-banked paved oval features three classes of racing on a weekly basis: Irving Lubricants Pro Stocks, Martin’s Home Heating, and Coast Tire Street Stocks. Over 60,000 people are expected to attend over 25 events during the 2006 season. Speedway 660 is located off Highway 7 on Route 660 in Geary, NB, and is within minutes of Saint John and Fredericton.

If you have any questions, please contact: Miranda Carr, Office Manager // Phone 506-455-3181 // miranda.carr@nbisonline.com // Web:  www.speedway660.com       

Mike Vincec clinches Stars of Karting Division Championship

Stouffville, Ontario (July 14, 2008): There was a specific goal this season for seventeen-year-old Mike Vincec and this past weekend at USA International Raceway in Shawano, Wisconsin, he completed the first step by taking the East Division championship in the Snap-on Stars of Karting series presented by Indy Racing League.

 

Mike, Inside Track News' Canadian Kart Racer of the Year, who drives for Hamilton, Ontario-based Cameron Motorsports was quick from first practice in his CRG/Maxter ICC. Saturday morning he would qualify third for the series of heat races that would follow throughout the day. Positions in the heat races would then determine the starting grid for the two divisional points races on Sunday. Mike would come away from the three heat races with a third and two second-place results putting him on the front row alongside last year's champion. Mike's 71-point lead going into the weekend gave him a bit of breathing room but anything can happen so the focus was to reach the podium.

 

In the first race, Mike had a clean start and although the leader pulled out a bit of a gap, Mike kept a clear gap back to second, conserving tires for the final, to bring home the first podium on the day. In race two he made a charge early and battled with the leader. After losing some ground mid-race, he brought the gap down to a kart length and settle in to take his second podium of the day. The combination of the two second-place results was enough to clinch the East Division championship.

 

"I feel pretty good now," commented a very happy Vincec. "We came pretty close last year which made us want to come back and get the deal done. Trevor Wickens, Mattia from CRG and the Cameron Motorsports crew have done a fantastic job all season. The CRG chassis and SwedeTech Maxter engines have been awesome and I have also learned quite a bit in the two races we did in the European Championships this year." He continued, "Now we'll focus on trying to wrap up the West Division title in Seattle and bring it all to the series finals in October."

 

In addition to the Stars of Karting series in North America, Mike has been competing in the CIK-FIA European Karting Championship with the CRG factory team. In the last round at Mariembourg, Belgium, Mike had a great run and after qualifying 44th out of over one-hundred entries, progressed through the heats and would earn a top-ten finish in the final race. He is just outside the top ten in the overall standings.xa0;

 

Mike has several events coming up in the next few weeks. First up will be the ORKC regional event at Mosport International Karting on July 25-27 where he contends in the Rotax Max category. After that event Mike will be at the ASN Canada National Championships, August 8-10 at Karting Grand Mere, Grand Mere, Quebec. Final races for the Stars of Karting Western Championship will take place in Seattle, WA on August 22-24 and Mike will then return to Europe for the final round of the CIK-FIA European Karting Championship, September 7 in France.

 

Photo credit: M. Vincec

 

Media Contact: Chris Jameson  // Level Ten Communications

Anger Management, IRL Style

IndyCar drivers Milka Duno and Danica Patrick had some choice words for eachother this past weekend at Mid-Ohio.
In the past, Danica has challenged a lot of her fellow drivers, but never one who fights back:

“She came to my team and our pit box in a very bad way with bad words,” Duno said. “If you come in a nice way, perfect, we can talk. If you come in a bad way, you are going to find my bad side. I don’t like drama, and I told her ‘go away, you are not welcome.’.”

Patrick said she didn’t regret her action... “Unfortunately, things involving me tend to evolve. I’m on the hot seat when I do something and when others do something (connected to me). It’s kind of the line that I walk because I’m popular.”

Duno acknowledged she was struggling in her first Indy-car event at the track, but she issued a warning to Patrick... I don’t like the show she likes in every race weekend,” Duno said. “She can push the guys because they cannot do anything to her, but she cannot push me... I know if somebody pushes me and finds my bad side they are going to get a problem.”

Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series Preview: Ohsweken Speedway

Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series Preview: Ohsweken Speedway

Ohsweken, ON— July 20, 2008—After the largest crowd in the history of Ohsweken Speedway attended the Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series event at the Canadian track last season, the series heads back north of the border this week for two full nights of racing, with the cameras from SPEED capturing all of the action.

Jason Sides won the series inaugural visit to the 3/8-mile last season, taking the lead from Sam Hafertepe Jr. on the 14^th lap and leading the remainder of the 30-lap contest to earn $10,000. The Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series has competed a total of seven times in Canada dating back to 1981, with four drivers having taken the checkered flag Three-time series champion Sammy Swindell leads that list with four triumphs north of the border, while 20-time series champion Steve Kinser picked up his first win in Canada last season, as did two-time defending series champion Donny Schatz.

Sides became the first World of Outlaws driver to win a race in Canada in over 25 years with his triumph last season at Ohsweken. The 2003 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award winner has five Top-10 finishes this season as he looks for his first win of the season.

Kinser, who picked up a win at Castrol Raceway in Canada last season, is the only driver that has competed in all seven series events north of the border. He finished fourth last season at Ohsweken in his first visit to the 3/8-mile. The native of Bloomington, Indiana has three A-Feature wins this season, including the $40,000 Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup last week. He is currently fifth in the championship standings on the strength of 21 Top-10 finishes.

Schatz also won at Castrol Raceway last season to pick up his first career triumph in Canada. The North Dakota native has won 11 times this season including the finale of the Williams Grove Summer Nationals on Saturday night and currently leads the series championship standings as he chases his third consecutive title. He is the only driver that has finished in the Top-10 in every event this season. Schatz finished second last season in his debut at Ohsweken.

Jason Meyers has six wins this season and is second in championship points as he chases his first career title. The California native has racked up 29 Top-10 finishes. He looks to rebound at Ohsweken Speedway after getting caught up in an accident on the first lap of the main event last season. The California native if tied for the series lead with six quick time honors this season in time trials.

Craig Dollansky also has won six times this season and is third in points on the strength of 30 Top-10 finishes. The Minnesota native led a number of laps at Williams Grove Speedway on Saturday night and finished second. He was seventh last season at Ohsweken.

Joey Saldana recently picked up his second win of the season, aboard the No. 9 machine for Kasey Kahne Racing. The 1996 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year is fourth in points, with 27 Top-10 finishes. He finished sixth at Ohsweken last season in his first visit to the track, after winning the third heat race to earn a spot in the Crane Cams Dash.

Jac Haudenschild finished third last season at Ohsweken, making a late charge on Jason Sides and Donny Schatz. The native of Wooster, Ohio has 23 Top-10 finishes this season as he closes in on his first win of the season. He always runs strong on bullrings like Ohsweken.

Kerry Madsen, who hails from St. Mary’s NSW, Australia finished just outside the Top-10 in his debut at Ohsweken last season. The reigning Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year has racked up 21 Top-10 finishes this season and is seventh in points, as he too closes in on his first win of the season.

Chad Kemenah, the 2006 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year heads to Canada with momentum on his side, having finished third in the Kings Royal at Eldora Speedway on Sunday and then at Williams Grove Speedway on Friday. The Ohio native has 19 Top-10 finishes and is solidly in the Top-10 in points.

Shane Stewart, the series top rookie in 2005 will make his debut at Ohsweken Speedway on July 22 and 23. The native of Bixby, Oklahoma won earlier this season at the famed Knoxville Raceway in Iowa and has 16 Top-10 finishes.

Daryn Pittman heads to Canada fresh off a win at Williams Grove Speedway on Friday night in the opener of the Summer Nationals. The native of Owasso, Oklahoma also won the 25^th Annual Kings Royal at the famed Eldora Speedway last Sunday. He came from 21^st to finish ninth in the race at Ohsweken last season, picking up the KSE Racing Products Hard Charger Award in the process. He recently moved into the Top-10 in the championship standings.

Terry McCarl looks for his first win of the season as he heads to Ohsweken Speedway this week. The six-time Knoxville Raceway and Huset’s Speedway track champion has 12 Top-10 finishes this season.

Sam Hafertepe Jr. led the first 13 laps of the event at Ohsweken last season, taking the lead from pole sitter Donny Schatz on the opening circuit. He won the second heat race to earn a spot in the Crane Cams Dash in his debut in Canada. The sophomore driver from Sunnyvale, Texas has 11 Top-10 finishes this season and is just outside the Top-10 in points.

Kraig Kinser will make his debut at Ohsweken this week, as he continues his first season driving for Tony Stewart Racing as a teammate to Schatz. He has six Top-10 finishes this season.

Tony Bruce Jr. raced his way into the Crane Cams Dash at Ohsweken last season to earn a Top-10 starting spot in the main event and finished a very solid 12^th in the A-Feature. The sophomore driver earned a Top-Five finish at Knoxville Raceway earlier this season.

Chad Hillier made his debut at Ohsweken last season. The native of Burlington, Washington had previously competed in the Western part of Canada. He has a couple of Top-10 finishes this season.

Paul McMahan finished 10^th last season in his debut at the 3/8-mile. He has racked up seven Top-10 finishes since joining the Parsons Motorsports team a few weeks back. He won the Crane Cams Dash on Saturday night at Williams Grove Speedway to start on the pole of the A-Featue.

Lucas Wolfe, the leading contender for the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award will miss the events as he continues to recover from a back injury sustained last month.

2007 Race Recap: Jason Sides added his name to the record books, becoming just the second driver to earn a World of Outlaws win in Canada. Since that event, two more drivers have also been victorious north of the border.

The race began with Sam Hafertepe Jr. leading into the first turn and Sides quickly taking the second spot from Joey Saldana, with Donny Schatz the pole sitter falling back to fourth.

Hafertepe would lead the first 13 laps, before Sides would take the point on the 14th circuit. The pair was closing in on traffic, when Sides went to the low side of the second turn to make the pass for the lead and ultimately the win.

Late in the race, Sides had Jac Haudenschild and Donny Schatz right on him as the trio negotiated lapped traffic. He held off several attempts by Haudenschild to take the lead and then charged to the checkered flag with Schatz just less than a half-second behind him.

Haudenschild was third, with Steve Kinser fourth and Danny Lasoski fifth.

2007 A-Feature Results

Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series; Ohsweken Speedway; July 25, 2007

A-main (30 laps) - Starting Position [#]

1) 7S-Jason Sides[4] [$10,000]

2) 15-Donny Schatz[1] [$5,500]

3) 35-Jac Haudenschild[6] [$3,200]

4) 11-Steve Kinser[7] [$2,800]

5) 83-Danny Lasoski[11] [$2,500]

6) 9-Joey Saldana[3] [$2,300]

7) 7-Craig Dollansky[12] [$2,200]

8) D1-Justin Henderson[8] [$2,100]

9) 21-Daryn Pittman[20] [$2,050]

10) 20-Paul McMahan[5] [$2,000]

11) 11H-Kerry Madsen[17] [$1,500]

12) 18T-Tony Bruce Jr.[9] [$1,200]

13) 6-Tim Shaffer[18] [$1,100]

14) 10C-Jeremy Campbell[16] [$1,050]

15) 1X-Randy Hannagan[19] [$1,000]

16) 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr.[2] [$900]

17) 24-Terry McCarl[23] [$800]

18) 8K-Chad Kemenah[13] [$800]

19) 4-Danny Smith[22] [$800]

20) R19-Jason Solwold[14] [$800]

21) 2M-Dustin Daggett[10] [$800]

22) 1Z-Jessica Zemken[21] [$800]

23) 5C-Chad Hillier[24] [$800]

24) 14-Jason Meyers[15] [$800]

Lap Leaders: Sam Hafertepe Jr. 1-13, Jason Sides 14-30

Previous Winners

World of Outlaws Sprint Series A-Feature winners at Ohsweken Speedway include:

2007- Jason Sides on July 25

Current Top-10 in Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series Points

1. Donny Schatz 4764

2. Jason Meyers 4623

3. Craig Dollansky 4575

4. Joey Saldana 4522

5. Steve Kinser 4368

6. Jac Haudenschild 4305

7. Kerry Madsen 4206

8. Chad Kemenah 4168

9. Shane Stewart 4079

10. Terry McCarl 4061

What to look for at Ohsweken Speedway:

* Three current World of Outlaws drivers have won an A-Feature event in Canada. Jason Sides won last season at Ohsweken Speedway, while Steve Kinser and Donny Schatz were both victorious at Castrol Raceway in Edmonton.

* Steve Kinser is the only driver that has competed in all seven World of Outlaws events that have been contested in Canada, dating back to 1981. He also is the only driver that has won with the series in the United States, Mexico and Canada. He finished fourth or better in all three races north of the border last season.

* Donny Schatz, the two-time defending series champion finished in the Top-Three in all three events in Canada last season. He is the only driver that has finished in the Top-10 in all 33 events this season through July 19

* Joey Saldana finished fourth or better in all three races in Canada last year. He has won twice this season driving for Kasey Kahne Racing.

* Daryn Pittman passed more cars than any other driver last season at the track, coming from the 20^th starting position to finish ninth. He recently picked up his second win of the season and moved into the Top-10 in points.

By the Numbers- Ohsweken Speedway:

0.375- Miles around Ohsweken Speedway

1- Driver that has finished in the Top-10 in all 33 events this season, Donny Schatz

3- Drivers that will be making their debut at Ohsweken Speedway: Kraig Kinser, Shane Stewart and Lucas Wolfe

4- Races in Canada this season for the World of Outlaws

9- Drivers that have won A-Feature events with the World of Outlaws this season

12.944- Track record established by Danny Lasoski in time trials on July 25, 2007

13- Laps led by Sam Hafertepe Jr. last season at Ohsweken Speedway

14- Drivers that have been quickest in time trials this season

16- Current World of Outlaws drivers that competed at Ohsweken Speedway last season
17- Laps led by Jason Sides en route to the win last season at Ohsweken Speedway; Drivers that have led laps in A-Feature events this season

18- Drivers that have won a Crane Cams Dash this season to earn a pole position

33- A-Feature events contested by the World of Outlaws through July 19

37- Drivers that competed with the series at Ohsweken Speedway last season

104.925- Track record in miles per hour

248- Laps led by Craig Dollansky through July 19 to lead the series

401- Miles from Lebanon Valley Speedway in New York where the World of Outlaws compete on July 20 to Ohsweken Speedway

10,000- Dollars the winner will receive on July 22; Dollars the winner will receive on July 23

219,935- Dollars earned by Donny Schatz through July 19 to lead the series

Tickets: On Tuesday, July 22 at Ohsweken Speedway, adult reserved tickets will be $35, with reserved tickets for kids 12-under $20. General admission tickets for adults will be $20, with general admission tickets for kids 12-under $15. Adult two-day reserved combo tickets are available for $65 and $35 for kids 12-under.

On Wednesday, July 23 at Ohsweken Speedway, Wednesday, adult reserved tickets will be $40, with reserved tickets for kids 12-under $25. Adult General Admission tickets will be $20, with general admission tickets for kids 12-under $15. For ticket information visit http://www.ohswekenspeedway.com/.

Next Up: A trip west to I-96 Speedway in Michigan, for the series lone appearance in the Wolverine State.

Headquartered in Roanoke, Va., Advance Auto Parts, a leading automotive aftermarket retailer of parts, accessories, batteries, and maintenance items in the United States, serves both the do-it-yourself and professional installer markets As of April 19, 2008, the Company operated 3,291 stores in 40 states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Additional information about the Company, employment opportunities, customer services, and on-line shopping for parts and accessories can be found on the Company's web site at http://www.advanceautoparts.com/.

INDYCAR: HONDA INDY 200 AT MID-OHIO RESULTS

IndyCar Series: Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio

LEXINGTON, Ohio - Results Sunday of the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio
IndyCar Series event July 20 at the 2.258-mile Mid-Ohio Sports Car
Course, with order of finish, starting position in parentheses, driver,
chassis-engine, laps completed and reason out (if any):

1. (2) Ryan Briscoe, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
2. (1) Helio Castroneves, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
3. (6) Scott Dixon, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
4. (12) Will Power, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
5. (8) Oriol Servia, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
6. (11) Vitor Meira, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
7. (5) Tony Kanaan, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
8. (21) Darren Manning, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
9. (10) Hideki Mutoh, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
10. (15) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
11. (4) Justin Wilson, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
12. (20) Danica Patrick, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
13. (9) Bruno Junqueira, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
14. (25) Jaime Camara, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
15. (22) Ed Carpenter, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
16. (14) Graham Rahal, Dallara-Honda, 84, Running
17. (13) Dan Wheldon, Dallara-Honda, 84, Running
18. (23) A.J. Foyt IV, Dallara-Honda, 84, Running
19. (16) Mario Dominguez, Dallara-Honda, 83, Running
20. (7) Buddy Rice, Dallara-Honda, 82, Running
21. (24) Marty Roth, Dallara-Honda, 80, Running
22. (17) E.J. Viso, Dallara-Honda, 80, Running
23. (26) Milka Duno, Dallara-Honda, 79, Running
24. (19) Mario Moraes, Dallara-Honda, 61, Off Course
25. (3) Marco Andretti, Dallara-Honda, 41, Contact
26. (18) Enrique Bernoldi, Dallara-Honda, 8, Contact

Race Statistics: Winner's average speed: 94.873 mph // Time of race: 2:01:22.8496 // Margin of victory: 7.2640 seconds // Cautions: 5 caution flags for 19 laps // Lead changes: 7 among 7 drivers // Lap leaders: Castroneves 1-5, Meira 6-26, Manning 27, Wilson 28-38, Briscoe 39-55, Moraes 56, Power 57-59, Briscoe 60-85. // Point standings: Dixon 455, Castroneves 397, Kanaan 365, Wheldon 364, Briscoe 296, Patrick 284, Mutoh 276, Andretti 263, Hunter-Reay 252, Servia 250.

NCATS: Thomson outduels Steckly at SunValley... summary and results

Thomson Outduels Steckly At SunValley

 

VERNON, B.C. – Don Thomson Jr. (No. 4 Home Hardware Chevrolet) passed points leader Scott Steckly (No. 22 IRL International/Tow Truck in a Box Dodge) with just eight laps remaining in the A&W Cruisin’ The Dub 300 at SunValley Speedway in front of a capacity crowd.

 

Steckly was in position to collect his third straight NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Sirius Satellite Radio win before Thomson made the pass for his first win of the 2008 season and his third overall in the series.

 

Thomson became just the second driver in the series to win a race from the pole position. Andrew Ranger (No. 27 Wal-Mart/Tide Ford) pulled off the feat in 2007 at Mosport International Raceway. It was Thomson’s fourth pole of the season.

 

“We have been qualifying great all year, but it wasn’t turning into good results for one reason or another,” said the driver out of Ayr, Ontario. “Poles are nice, but we really wanted to get the win.”

 

Steckly was seemingly headed for another win, but his Dodge was a handful as the race was reaching its conclusion.

 

“It was just too loose to hold him off,” said Steckly. “I had to be careful going into the turns and wait to get on the gas. I was trying to make the car as wide as possible, but (Thomson) is too good for that.”

 

Finishing with a Canadian Tire Series career-best finish in third was John Gaunt (No. 12 Centennial Chrysler Dodge).

 

Rounding out the top five were Mark Dilley (No. 9 Dodge/Leland Industries Dodge) and D.J. Kennington (No. 17 Castrol/Haldex Dodge).

 

The early going was highlighted by a spirited battle between Thomson and Kerry Micks (No. 02 Beyond Digital Imaging Ford). On lap 82, Thomson got into the back of Micks in Turn 3 causing Micks to slide into the outside retaining wall. Under the ensuing caution Micks made contact with Thomson’s Chevy on the front stretch. Micks’ Ford, however, had to be retired before NASCAR officials could assess a penalty.

 

Overall in the race there were 16 lead changes involving nine drivers and the race was slowed for caution nine times for 77 laps.

 

Unofficially in the championship point standings, Steckly now has a 111-point advantage over Thomson.

 

The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Sirius Satellite Radio continues its swing through western Canada next Saturday in Edmonton, Alberta for the Edmonton Canadian Tire Series 100 as part of the big Rexall Edmonton Indy weekend. A year ago, over 60,000 fans were on hand to witness J.R. Fitzpatrick’s victory.

 

NASCAR CANADIAN TIRE SERIES presented by SIRIUS SATELLITE RADIO-A&W Cruisin' The Dub 300 UNOFFICIAL Results

Saturday

At SunValley Speedway

Vernon, British Columbia

Lap length: 0.5 miles

(Start position in parentheses)

1. (1) Don Thomson, Jr., Ayr, Ont., Chevrolet, 300 laps, 63.687 mph, $8,600.

2. (5) Scott Steckly, Milverton, Ont., Dodge, 300, $6,900.

3. (14) John Gaunt, Barrie, Ont., Dodge, 300, $6,740.

4. (3) Mark Dilley, Barrie, Ont., Dodge, 300, $4,940.

5. (6) D.J. Kennington, St. Thomas, Ont., Dodge, 300, $3,660.

6. (8) Derek Lynch, Warkworth, Ont., Dodge, 300, $3,140.

7. (9) Jason White, Sun Peaks, B.C., Chevrolet, 299, $2,680.

8. (19) Todd Nichol, St. Albert, Alberta, Chevrolet, 295, $2,590.

9. (16) Dave Whitlock, Petrolia, Ont., Dodge, 292, $2,465.

10. (17) Peter Gibbons, Stouffville, Ont., Chevrolet, 291, $2,250.

11. (10) Andrew Ranger, Roxton Pond, Que., Ford, 280, $2,015.

12. (18) Kent Nuhn, Williamsford, Ont., Chevrolet, 268, engine, $1,880.

13. (15) Anthony Simone, Holland Landing, Ont., Chevrolet, 267, engine, $1,745.

14. (4) Brad Graham, Glencoe, Ont., Dodge, 255, engine, $1,610.

15. (12) Ron Beauchamp, Jr., Windsor, Ont., Dodge, 255, $1,555.

16. (11) Jason Hathaway, Appin, Ont., Dodge, 244, rear end, $1,500.

17. (13) Alex Tagliani, Lachenaie, Que., Ford, 241, engine, $1,450.

18. (2) J.R. Fitzpatrick, Cambridge, Ont., Chevrolet, 226, $1,395.

19. (7) Kerry Micks, Mt. Albert, Ont., Ford, 84, accident, $1,340.

Race Statistics

Time of Race: 2 hours 21 minutes 19 seconds

Margin of Victory: 0.307 seconds

Fastest Qualifier: . ( mph,  seconds)

Caution Flags: 9 for 77 laps.

Lead Changes: 16 among 9 drivers.

Lap Leaders: D.Thomson,Jr. 1-80; K.Micks 81; D.Thomson,Jr. 82-128; A.Ranger 129-133; A.Simone 134-135; M.Dilley 136-141; A.Simone 142-178; R.Beauchamp,Jr. 179-208; D.Kennington 209-218; S.Steckly 219; D.Kennington 220-221; S.Steckly 222; D.Kennington 223; S.Steckly 224-279; J.Gaunt 280; S.Steckly 281-291; D.Thomson,Jr. 292-300.

Standings: 1. S.Steckly, 900; 2. D.Thomson,Jr., 789; 3. D.Kennington, 772; 4. A.Ranger, 715; 5. P.Gibbons, 705; 6. D.Lynch, 704; 7. K.Micks, 700; 8. J.Fitzpatrick, 694; 9. B.Graham, 671; 10. M.Dilley, 653.