Saturday, August 29, 2009
PHOTOS: NASCAR Nationwide Series Qualifying - Montreal
NASCAR Montreal Qualfying
Grand-Am: Miller Barrett Racing - Montréal race
Miller Barrett Racing had a great start to the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montréal on Saturday, but a broken gearshift handle took the young team out of contention. The race was the team's second in a four-race test program this year in preparation for a full-season effort in 2010.
Dave Lacey of Toronto was unable to qualify the No. 48 Marquis Jet / IPC / Total Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car because of gearbox problems on Friday, so he had to start the race from the back of the GT-class grid. Heavy rain made the 4.361-km (2.708-mile) track treacherous, but that didn't deter him. He moved from 13th to fifth in class in the first few minutes of the two-hour race.
As the rain stopped and the track dried, Lacey pitted for slick race tires, but found the car handling wasn't as strong in dry conditions. After 39 minutes, the car's gearshift handle broke, forcing a 21-minute pitstop for repairs. Bryce Miller of Summit, N.J., took over and drove the last hour of the race, using it as a test session to continue the car's development.
Dave Lacey: "We had a good setup for the wet. That showed in the first half hour of the race. But as the track dried, the car wasn't as good and I started losing ground to the leaders. Then the shift linkage broke. Bryce did a great job on his stint. We were dealt a bad card, but we made the best of it and the [lap] times were there at the end. This is a young team, with great days ahead of it."
Bryce Miller: "We experienced a lot of growing pains today, but it's good that we finished the race and got a lot of data. We can use that to continue our growth and continue to learn, so we can close the gap to where we want to be. There is still a long way to go, but we'll keep our heads down and learn everything we can from the next couple of races."
Bryce Miller races with the support of three international sponsors. Marquis Jet is the recognized leader in private jet cards because it's the only program that offers exclusive access to NetJets the gold standard in private aviation 25 hours at a time. IPC Information Systems is a leading provider of mission-critical communications solutions to financial services firms. Total Lubricants is the world's fourth-largest publicly traded integrated international oil and gas company.
brycemiller.net
From Sylvia Proudfoot
NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Montreal Qualifying Results - Two For Tagliani
Two For Tagliani... Second Straight Pole For Quebecer
MONTREAL – For the second straight NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 event, Alex Tagliani will start on the pole. The native of Lachenaie, Que., logged the fastest time in qualifying for the NAPA Autopro 100 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Tagliani navigated the 14-turn, 2.73-mile temporary street course in 106.801 seconds for an average lap speed of 91.347 mph for his second career series pole. He also was the polesitter two weeks ago at the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres for the GP3R 100.
The session was run under dry conditions after the morning practice session saw a wet track with wet tires mounted on the cars. The times during practice were well off the pace from previous events at the track, but qualifying times were right in line with prior results.
Starting alongside Tagliani on the front row will be Kerry Micks, who posted a time of 107.147 seconds (91.052 mph).
The second row consists of the only two series champions. Current point standings leader and 2007 series title winner Andrew Ranger timed in at 107.358 seconds (90.874 mph). Defending series champion Scott Steckly logged the fourth-fastest time at 107.389 seconds (90.847 mph).
Rounding out the top-five qualifiers was JR Fitzpatrick with a time of 107.667 seconds (90.613 mph).
The NAPA Autopro 100 is scheduled to take the green flag at 11:45 a.m. ET. RDS will provide live coverage of the race beginning at 11:30 a.m.
NASCAR CANADIAN TIRE SERIES presented by MOBIL 1 - AUTOPRO 100 Lineup
Race Sunday; Qualifying Saturday
at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
Montreal, Quebec
Lap Length: 2.73 miles
1. (81) Alex Tagliani, Lachenaie, Que., Chevrolet, 91.347
2. (02) Kerry Micks, Mt. Albert, Ont., Ford, 91.052
3. (27) Andrew Ranger, Roxton Pond, Que., Ford, 90.874
4. (22) Scott Steckly, Milverton, Ont., Dodge, 90.847
5. (84) JR Fitzpatrick, Cambridge, Ont., Chevrolet, 90.613
6. (4) Don Thomson, Jr., Hamilton, Ont., Chevrolet, 90.417
7. (9) Mark Dilley, Barrie, Ont., Dodge, 90.256
8. (17) DJ Kennington, St. Thomas, Ont., Dodge, 90.149
9. (69) Trevor Seibert, Williams Lake, B.C., Ford, 90.073
10. (95) Anthony Simone, Holland Landing, Ont., Chevrolet, 89.905
11. (47) L.P. Dumoulin, Trois-Rivieres, Que., Dodge, 89.884
12. (60) Ron Beauchamp, Jr., Windsor, Ont., Dodge, 89.386
13. (23) Jeff Lapcevich, Grimsby, Ont., Chevrolet, 88.885
14. (29) Pierre Bourque, Ottawa, Ont., Dodge, 88.789
15. (71) Patrice Brisebois, West Mount, Que., Dodge, 88.715
16. (39) Dave Whitlock, Petrolia, Ont., Dodge, 88.608
17. (44) Jarrad Whissell, Calgary, Alberta, Ford, 88.387
18. (40) Joey Hanssen, Venray, Holland, Dodge, 87.675
19. (49) Malcolm Strachan, Toronto, Ont., Dodge, 87.626
20. (66) Robin Buck, Campbellville, Ont., Ford, 87.516
21. (18) Kent Nuhn, Williamsford, Ont., Chevrolet, 87.491
22. (31) Daryl Harr, St. Albert, Alberta, Chevrolet, 87.294
23. (56) Howie Scannell, Jr., Milton, Ont., Dodge, 87.195
24. (50) Joey McColm, Ajax, Ont., Dodge, 86.939
25. (41) Miguel Duhamel, LaSalle, Que., Chevrolet, 86.916
26. (91) Patrick Laperle, St. Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., Dodge, 86.461
27. (7) Alan Labrosse, St. Eustache, Que., Ford, 86.355
28. (21) Jason White, Sun Peaks, B.C., Chevrolet, 85.830
29. (13) Cale Gale, Mobile, Ala., Chevrolet, 85.200
30. (3) Jason Hathaway, Appin, Ont., Dodge, Provisional
31. (55) Dexter Stacey, Kahnawake, Que., Pontiac, Provisional
32. (99) Derek White, Kahnawake, Que., Chevrolet, Provisional
33. (67) David Thorndyke, Oshawa, Ont., Chevrolet, Provisional
34. (85) Michel Pilon, Blainville, Que., Chevrolet, Provisional
From Shon Sbarra / NASCAR
Pombo wins Jetta TDI Cup Pole at Mosport
CONTACT: Adam Hoover
Office: (440) 540-4670 / Mobile: (440) 258-2462
ahoover@automotive-events.com
POMBO WINS THE VOLKSWAGEN JETTA TDI CUP POLE AT MOSPORT
--
Series veteran claims his first pole of the season
Bowmanville, ON (August 29, 2009) The drivers competing in the SCCA Pro Racing race weekend at Mosport International Raceway battled the elements in today's practice and qualifying sessions. They saw it all on the 10-turn, 2.459-mile road courserain, fog and even a few peeks of sun, which made tire selection a bit difficult.
Heavy rain drenched the Mosport area early Saturday morning, and the drivers battled a wet track on grooved rain tires during the early practice session. The challenging conditions didn't limit Mark Pombo from claiming the top time in practice - 1:47.851 (82.080 mph). The Duluth, Georgia native was followed by Theresa Condict (1:48.901/ 81.288 mph) and AJ Nealey (1:49.259/81.022 mph).
When the green flag waved for the 30-minute afternoon qualifying session, the track had dried and the series technicians switched the cars to slick tires. As a result, the drivers started to push their cars to the limit and saw increased speeds. The increased risk led to off-track excursions by Nealey, Condict and Perry Richardson and Andrew Novich, which shortened all of their qualifying sessions. As the clocked ticked into the final minutes, it appeared as though Jake Thompson of Calgary, Alberta would win the pole position, but Pombo put the pedal to the floor on his last lap to regain his position on the top of the speed charts and claim his first pole of the season in dramatic fashion. Pombo's time of 1:37.160 (91.111 mph) topped Thompson and Andy Lee who rounded out the top three positions. Series points leader, Timmy Megenbier will start fourth and Donny Warren posted his best qualifying effort of the season, fifth. Andrew Cordeiro and David Richert, the two other Canadian drivers competing this weekend, will start 10th and 22nd respectively.
"When I got to the track this weekend, I was hoping for it to rain because we ran here in the wet last year," Pombo said. "Unfortunately, it dried out a bit for qualifying, and none of us had gotten any laps in on slick tires. I made some mistakes early in the session, but I was able to get in one last hot lap before the checkered flag that allowed me to jump up the charts. This feels really good since I've had a bit of a challenging season, but the race is what earns us points. I'm looking forward to keeping the #20 Fresh From Florida/HEAL/HYPERFUELS car on top tomorrow."
The series is joined this weekend by three guest driversADAC Volkswagen Polo Cup driver Maximilian Hackländer and Canadian automotive journalists, Jim Kenzie and Marc Lachapelle. Hackländer will lead the trio in tomorrow's race, as he qualified 14th in his first time in the Jetta TDI Cup car. Lachapelle and Kenzie will start 19th and 24th respectively.
"It's really a great opportunity for me to join the Jetta TDI Cup series here this weekend at Mosport," Hackländer said. "The track is a lot of fun with all of the hills, and the car is a bit easier to drive than the Polo Cup car in Germany. The weather was a bit challenging today, as my first time to drive the car on dry pavement was during qualifying. As a result, I'm satisfied with my qualifying time, but I'm looking forward to moving to the front in the race tomorrow."
The Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup series returns to action at Mosport on Sunday at 8:30 am ET for Round 7 of the season. Live timing and scoring is available at chttp://www.livetiming.net/SCCA/VW/livetiming.asp <http://news.automotive-events.com/m/0a3GdkiMZ-mg8nB8AxmBgyqDrpQnXEGTPUfx07X7SqOJsHv04g> .
Saturday Practice Session:
Position/Car Number/Driver/Hometown/Sponsor/Time/Speed
1 20 Mark Pombo/Duluth/GA/VW Parts & Accessories/ 1:47.851 / 82.080
2 15 Theresa Condict(R)/Lexington/MA/HYPERFUELS/ 1:48.901 / 81.288
3 2 AJ Nealey(R)/Pasadena/MD Sherwin-Williams/ 1:49.259 / 81.022
4 29 Devin Cates(R)/Broad Run/VA/HYPERFUELS/ 1:49.259 / 81.022
5 4 Nicky Boulle(R)/Dallas/TX/Defnder/ 1:49.360 / 80.947
6 27 Andy Lee/Maricopa/AZ/Castrol/ 1:49.399 / 80.918
7 24 Donny Warren(R)/Winchester/VA/Aggreko/ 1:49.478 / 80.860
8 17 Timmy Megenbier/Melrose Park/IL Chicagoland VW/ 1:49.704 / 80.693
9 19 Jake Thompson(R)/Calgary/AB/Bosch/ 1:49.732 / 80.673
10 7 JD Mobley(R)/Castle Rock/CO/Bosch/ 1:49.766 / 80.648
11 22 Andrew Novich(R)/Novato/CA/Oakley/ 1:49.863 / 80.576
12 30 Perry Richardson(R)/Los Gatos/CA/Pirelli/ 1:49.916 / 80.537
13 23 Juan Pablo SierraLendle/Puebla/MX/Castrol/ 1:50.052 / 80.438
14 3 Taylor Broekemeier/Fort Collins/CO/Oakley/ 1:50.194 / 80.334
15 26 Andrew Cordeiro/Woodbridge/ON/VION/ 1:50.374 / 80.203
16 16 Eric Morse(R)/Pittsburgh/PA/Amplify/ 1:50.477 / 80.128
17 21 Maximilian Hacklander(G)/Ruthen/GR/VW Parts & Accessories/ 1:50.530 / 80.090
18 14 Joey Atterbury(R)/Renton/WA/SCCA/ 1:50.603 / 80.037
19 8 Derek Jones/Philadelphia/PA/Aggreko/ 1:50.682 / 79.980
20 34 Juan Pablo Delgado(R)/Orizaba/VZ/Red Bull/ 1:51.065 / 79.704
21 18 Kerstin Smutny(R)/Bothell/WA/iRacing.com/ 1:51.724 / 79.234
22 35 Marc Lachapelle(G)/Longueuil/QU/VW Preloved/ 1:52.046 / 79.006
23 5 Ryan Ellis(R)/Ashburn/VA/VION/ 1:52.244 / 78.867
24 6 David Richert/Niverville/MB/LAMIN-X/ 1:52.926 / 78.391
25 31 Jim Kenze(G)/Toronto/ON/Virginia Tech/ 1:53.928 / 77.701
26 32 Andrew Gun Tucker(R)/McDonough/GA/Pirelli/ 2:30.088 / 58.981
(R) Jetta TDI Cup Rookie Driver
(G) Guest Driver
Saturday Qualifying Session:
Position/Car Number/Driver/Hometown/Sponsor/Time/Speed
1 20 Mark Pombo/Duluth/GA/VW Parts & Accessories/ 1:37.160 / 91.111
2 19 Jake Thompson(R)/Calgary/AB/Bosch/ 1:37.883 / 90.438
3 27 Andy Lee/Maricopa/AZ/Castrol/ 1:37.980 / 90.349
4 17 Timmy Megenbier/Melrose Park/IL/Chicagoland VW/ 1:38.140 / 90.201
5 24 Donny Warren(R)/Winchester/VA/Aggreko/ 1:38.570 / 89.808
6 14 Joey Atterbury(R)/Renton/WA/SCCA/ 1:38.581 / 89.798
7 7 JD Mobley(R)/Castle Rock/CO/Bosch/ 1:38.631 / 89.752
8 5 Ryan Ellis(R)/Ashburn/VA/VION/ 1:38.854 / 89.550
9 23 Juan Pablo SierraLendle/Puebla/MX/Castrol/ 1:38.970 / 89.445
10 26 Andrew Cordeiro/Woodbridge/ON/VION/ 1:39.028 / 89.393
11 8 Derek Jones/Philadelphia/PA/Aggreko/ 1:39.130 / 89.301
12 3 Taylor Broekemeier/Fort Collins/CO/Oakley/ 1:39.256 / 89.187
13 29 Devin Cates(R)/Broad Run/VA/HYPERFUELS/ 1:39.321 / 89.129
14 21 Maximilian Hacklander(G)/Ruthen/GR/VW Parts & Accessories/ 1:39.427 / 89.034
15 22 Andrew Novich(R)/Novato/CA/Oakley/ 1:39.591 / 88.887
16 16 Eric Morse(R)/Pittsburgh/PA/Amplify/ 1:39.850 / 88.657
17 4 Nicky Boulle(R)/Dallas/TX/Defnder/ 1:39.899 / 88.613
18 18 Kerstin Smutny(R)/Bothell/WA/iRacing.com/ 1:40.262 / 88.292
19 35 Marc Lachapelle(G)/Longueuil/QU/VW Preloved/ 1:40.559 / 88.032
20 34 Juan Pablo Delgado(R)/Orizaba/VZ/Red Bull/ 1:40.809 / 87.813
21 2 AJ Nealey(R)/Pasadena/MD/Sherwin-Williams/ 1:41.080 / 87.578
22 6 David Richert/Niverville/MB/LAMIN-X/ 1:42.043 / 86.751
23 32 Andrew Gun Tucker(R)/McDonough/GA/Pirelli/ 1:44.967 / 84.335
24 31 Jim Kenze(G)/Toronto/ON/Virginia Tech/ 1:45.985 / 83.525
25 15 Theresa Condict(R)/Lexington/MA/HYPERFUELS/ 2:30.742 / 58.725
26 30 Perry Richardson(R)/Los Gatos/CA/Pirelli/ 3:05.773 / 47.651
(R) Jetta TDI Cup Rookie Driver
(G) Guest Driver
About Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup
The 2009 season marks the second year of competition for the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup, which is sanctioned by SCCA Pro Racing. During the season, young, up and coming drivers (between ages 16-26) will compete in 10 events on eight road courses around North America in identical factory-prepared clean diesel Jetta TDI's powered by Syndiesel® B5 blended biodiesel fuel. Each driver competing in the series will earn a Pro Racing license from SCCA at the conclusion of the season. In addition to more than $50,000 in prize money at stake during the season, the series champion will win $100,000.
The Jetta TDI Cup car is powered by a 2.0-liter, 170 hp, four-cylinder TDI clean diesel engine mated to a six-speed, double-clutch, automatic DSG transmission. The car is only slightly modified from stock with Pirelli racing tires, race suspension and brake components, drivers racing safety seat, FIA roll cage and an on-board fire extinguisher system. Series sponsors include: Pirelli, Bosch, ViON, Castrol, Oakley, Red Bull, HYPERFUELS, Aggreko, defNder, Lamin-X, Meguiar's, Sherwin-Williams, Chicagoland VW, Safety-Kleen, Ringer Gloves, Jim Russell Racing School and Trellis Earth.
Brighton Speedway... Rained out Aug. 29
From Brighton Speedway... "Rain has cancelled the racing action scheduled for tonight at Brighton Speedway...."
Visit www.brightonspeedway.com for more info.
Brockville Ontario Speedway Rained Out August 29, 2009
BROCKVILLE-The string of good luck with the weather since early July, came to an end for Brockville Ontario Speedway. A full morning of rain has prompted track officials to cancel Saturday night's racing program. The rain out sets up a dramatic night of racing next Saturday, September 5th with some class titles very much up for grabs.
In the 358 Modified division, the showers mean that Kingston's Danny O Brien has clinched another Brockville track championship, his 9th overall and fourth in a row. The Sportsman division is anything but decided with four drivers having a shot at taking it all. Brockville's Matt Billings goes into the final week with a four point bulge over Randy Gaudet with Shane Pecore just 12 points back. Chris Herbison is in fourth overall but still within striking range just 35 back of Broadway Matt.
Steve Billings of Smiths Falls is on the verge of a second straight crown in the Street Stock division, a 54 marker advantage over Kevin Fetterly Jr, means starting the feature should be enough to hang onto the top spot. Steve Barber retook the lead in the Rookie class a week ago after Chris Bakker almost totaled his car in a late race accident. Bakker will have a chance to repair more of the damage with the rainout in hopes of making up the 4 point difference on Barber. Paul Billings enters the final week of McNamee Concrete Vintage action with just a 2 point edge on Jason Powers.
Next Saturday night's program is the kick off to the United Way Campaign in Leeds Grenville and presented by the Brockville Recorder and Times and GT Automotive. The green flag drops at 7pm.
OHSWEKEN: RAIN HITS OHSWEKEN SPEEDWAY DURING CAFÉ 54 NIGHT; DOUBLE FEATURES NEXT WEEK!
By Tommy Goudge (August 28, 2009) - The August 28 edition of Ohsweken Speedway's Friday Night Thunder presented by Café 54 was rained out after seven events were completed. The rest of the program was cancelled according to the rain policy and no rain checks will be honoured, however next week's edition of Friday Night Thunder will now feature extra racing!
Next Friday's events will include double features for the Bombers, ESSO Mini Stocks, and ESSO Thunder Stocks, with the first feature line ups locked in from tonight's heat race results. After those features are complete, a full program will be offered for the regular stock car divisions, including the season championship event for the Thunder Stocks.
The Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Car action will also see the first of twin 15 features run with the line up that was established from tonight's heat races. Three spots remain open at the tail of the first feature for any team wishing to compete in next Friday's program. If more than three additional cars are in attendance to try to fill these positions, they will complete a B Main of equivalent laps, depending on the number of cars entered.
Tickets are on sale now for the Fifth Annual Arrow Express Canadian Sprint Car Nationals, coming up September 17, 18, and 19! Please visit www.OhswekenSpeedway.com and call 1-888-720-RACE to order yours today! It was announced recently that the ESSO Thunder Stocks, ESSO Mini-Stocks, and Bombers will join the Empire Super Sprints tour on Thursday, September 17, contesting their final points night of the 2009 season.
Fan Appreciation at Speedway 660 postponed to Sunday
Autograph session at 1pm ... Racing at 2pm .
Richard Kent on Star Mazda Pole at Mosport
HORSES FOR COURSES ENGLISHMAN KENT TAKES POLE IN ENGLISH WEATHER FOR THIS AFTERNOON'S ROUND 11 OF THE 2009 STAR MAZDA CHAMPIONSHIP AT MOSPORT
Mosport International (August 29, 2009) Under conditions of fog and light rain that reminded him very much of racing at home
'but warmer'
Englishman Richard Kent took his fourth pole of the season in this morning's qualifying for this afternoon's Round 11 of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear at the Mobil 1 Presents the Grand Prix of Mosport. On a damp but drying track, Kent set the pole time of 1:24.186 (105.153 mph) in his #33 Andersen Racing / Traka Allied Interior Products Mazda. Kent, currently 8th in the championship battle with a win from the pole at Race 2 at New Jersey Motorsports park, has also started on the inside of the front row at the Sebring season-opener (finished 2nd), the Milwaukee Mile oval (finished 20th).
"There were two red flags in the first two laps, which both made you cautions and made you realize that you had to put a fast lap in early in case something happened and the session ended," said Kent. "Toward the end of the session the track was drying a bit and there was a dry line most of the way around, but there wasn't time to experiment with dry tires. Being on pole at any track, particularly one like Mosport is important, but that said, there's a tremendously long back straight where anyone can tow behind you and pass going into Turn 6. But we've got a car that's good at all the critical portions of so we should be OK for the race."
Kent's was the clear class of the field and the only one in the 24s, as second-place qualifier Conor Daly (the winner in Round 4 at New Jersey), who has raced at this track in the rain last year in the Canadian Formula Ford Series, turned a 1:25.199 (103.903 mph) in the #22 Andersen Racing / College Network / Indeck / Cytomax Mazda. Alex Ardoin, winner of Round 10 at Trois-Rivières two weeks ago qualified third with a 1:25.416 (103.639 mph) in the #51 JDC Motorsports / Oral & Facial Surgery Center / Twister Trailer Mazda.
Adam Christodoulou, currently second in the championship battle with two wins (Sebring and Salt Lake City) and just ten points behind leader Peter Dempsey, qualified 4th with a lap of 1:25.649 (103.357 mph) in the #11 JDC Motorsports / Molecule / Alpinestars Mazda. And Dempsey, the championship leader and winner of four races so far in the 2009 season, will start from 5th on the grid having turned a lap of 1:25.898 (103.057 mph) in the #3 Juncos Racing / The Collection / Motorsport Ireland / Queyside.ie Mazda. Rusty Mitchell, the Texan who qualified on pole at Trois-Rivières and led every lap but the last one (he finished 2nd), is sixth on the grid with a time of 1:26.032 (102.897 mph) in the #66 Mitchell Motorsports / Motorola Mazda.
Among the Master and Expert Series drivers, Californian Mike Guasch, who has already clinched the Master Series championship for drivers 45 and older, brought his usual well-judged aggression to the task of qualifying and put his #91 JDC Motorsports / Molecule Mazda 12th on the grid with a lap of 1:27.754 (100.877 mph). The 18-car field is scheduled to take the green for the start of Round 11 at 5:35 pm this afternoon.
From Dean Case / Communications Officer / MAZDASPEED Motorsports
Fogarty, Keen Capture Third Consecutive Grand-Am Poles For Saturday's Montreal 200
FOGARTY, KEEN CAPTURE THIRD CONSECUTIVE GRAND-AM POLES FOR SATURDAY'S MONTREAL 200... Carl Edwards, Marcos Ambrose Starting Seventh In Daytona Prototype Debut
MONTREAL (Aug. 28, 2009) - Jon Fogarty edged Scott Pruett by 0.012 seconds to win his season-leading fourth pole of the 2009 season Friday at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, and will lead the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 Daytona Prototype field to the green flag for Saturday's Montreal 200 at the 2.709-mile track.
The two-hour race is set to start at 2:15 p.m. ET Saturday (SPEED, live at 2 p.m. ET).
Fogarty set his fastest time of 1:32.235 (105.734 mph) on his fifth lap in the No. 99 GAINSCO Pontiac Riley, earning his second pole at the track; he also grabbed the pole during his 2007 championship campaign. Fogarty now has four pole positions this season, giving him 12 career overall and Daytona Prototype poles, which ties him with Pruett for second all-time. The two are one behind James Weaver's 13 overall poles.
"The key was getting a good lap in early," said Fogarty, who won three races this season with co-driver Alex Gurney. "It was a goofy session. Luckily, we squeaked one in there pretty quick before things went black and green again. I got up to speed as quickly as possible and put one in there. It was pretty scrappy out there. There was more in the car, which is good to know, but of course it's going to be wet, but I think we've got a good setup in the wet, as well, so it's good to be starting up front."
Pruett, who won the pole for last year's race, was second in the No. 01 TELMEX Lexus Riley with a time of 1:32.247 (105.721 mph). Pruett and co-driver Memo Rojas won two races this year, and enter the event only four points ahead of Fogarty and Gurney in the Daytona Prototype standings (248-244).
"I couldn't get a rhythm going, and then the red flag came out," Pruett said. "There's a big question mark with the weather, and Memo and I are both fast in the rain. He seems to be a little tidier, and we want to do what we need to in order to win the championship."
Frenchman Romain Dumas was third in the No. 12 Verizon Wireless Porsche Riley, clocking in at 1:38.425 (105.498 mph).
Toronto's Mark Wilkins, who co-won last season's race after running as low as fourth on the white flag lap, spun into the gravel trap in Turn 6, bringing out the black flag for all competitors and giving everyone a three-and-a-half minute window to finish qualifying. However, nothing changed at the front, allowing Fogarty to stay up front. Still, Wilkins and co-driver Burt Frisselle will start fifth, behind Brian Frisselle and Max Angelelli in the No. 10 SunTrust Ford Dallara.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular Carl Edwards will start seventh in the No. 77 Aflac/iRacing Ford Dallara he will share with another Cup regular, Marcos Ambrose of Australia.
The only Quebec-born driver competing in the Daytona Prototype race, Jean-Francois Dumoulin, will see co-driver and Toronto native John Farano start from 15th in the No. 51 Tower Events Ford Riley.
Point Leader Keen Wins Another GT Pole
Leh Keen earned his third consecutive Acxiom GT pole position in record time - 1:39.339 (98.173 mph), which was more than three seconds faster than the previous record, set a season ago by Farnbacher Loles Racing teammate Eric Lux. Keen drove the No. 87 Farnbacher Loles Racing Porsche GT3, and will start the car before handing off the Porsche to point co-leader Dirk Werner. Together, the two have a 31-point lead (279-248) over defending series co-champion Kelly Collins.
"We really concentrated on the qualifying setup today to see how much speed we could get out of the car, instead of the race setup," Keen said. "With rain predicted, up front is best place to start."
Taking second was Tom Sutherland in the No. 30 3Dimesional/Click-Away Computers Mazda RX-8 he'll co-drive with Dane Cameron. Sutherland turned in a time of 1:39.402 (98.111 mph). He and Cameron make up the youngest driver pairing in the Rolex Series this weekend.
Third was Nick Ham in the No. 70 Castrol Syntec Mazda RX-8 at 1:40.054 (97.471 mph) he'll share with Montreal-born and SpeedSource team owner Sylvain Tremblay, while fourth was Collins in the No. 07 Drinkin' Mate Pontiac GXP.R. Rounding out the top five was Andrew Davis in the No. 57 BryanMark Financial/Stevenson Automotive Pontiac GXP.R he shares with Robin Liddell.
Chris Green, born in Beaconsfield, Quebec - about an hour from Circuit Gilles Villeneuve - was 12th in the No. 21 Battery Tender/Find.com Pontiac GTO.R.
NASCAR Nationwide Series regular Brendan Gaughan was 10th in the No. 66 AXA/South Point Casino Porsche GT3 he drives with Andy Lally. Following the Montreal 200, only two events remain on the 2009 schedule, Sept. 20 at Miller Motorsports Park near Salt Lake City, Utah, and Oct. 10 with the Grand Prix of Miami at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
For additional information: J.J. O'Malley, (386) 451-6720, jjomalley@grand-am.com
NCTS - 07h45 to 08h45 session
This is a 146 photo gallerie of the first NASCAR Canadian Tire Series practice session. The session was held at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on Saturday, August, 29, 2009 @ 08h.
Complete story about the day's activities can be found on M.P. Roy's blog.
Thanks to M.P. Roy for the photos. You can see M.P.'s blog here
Friday, August 28, 2009
Pallen Prevails Over Battling Bernard

Greg Cybulski, WINNIPEG, MB. (August 28, 2009) Darren Pallen fought off a tenacious Roland Bernard to capture his second Northern Lightning Sprint Association feature win of the 2009 racing season at Red River Co-op Speedway on Thursday night.
In the first of two 8 lap heats, Dave Sobczak provided plenty of excitement as he quickly jumped from his fifth place starting position to grab second place. Sobczak's #17 Sprinter gave chase to polesitter Darren Pallen, however, it would be Pallen who took the checkered flag.
In the second heat race, former local 360 Sprint Car racer Richard Rogers took the early lead in the 3X from polesitter Amber Balcaen. The #2 Lightning Sprint of Roland Bernard jumped from his fourth place starting position to challenge Balcaen for second. Bernard tried to pass on the inside with no success. On lap 4, however, he seized his opportunity and passed Balcaen's Imrie Demolition #10 Sprint on the outside. Roland was not done as he passed Richard Rogers for the lead on lap 5 and served notice that the NLSA points leader was prepared to do battle in the feature. Rogers, who wrenches the 3X, traded his crew chief hat for a racing helmet as he was sitting in for NLSA regular Bob Charney who was not available for Thursday night's racing.
In the 15 lap feature race, the #64 of Tyson Hiebert rocketed ahead of polesitter Chris Bouwman from the front row to take the early lead. Darren Pallen followed suit to take over second spot. Starting from the fourth row in eighth place, NLSA points leader Roland Bernard began his assault on the field of Lightning Sprints as he quickly vaulted himself to fifth place after 1 lap.
On lap 2 Bernard passed Amber Balcaen to take over fourth.
While the #11 of Darren Pallen dogged front runner Tyson Hiebert, Roland Bernard continued his charge to the front. Bernard battled Dave Sobczak for two laps before getting past the #17 for third place on lap 4.
Now Tyson Hiebert was running up front with Darren Pallen and Roland Bernard giving chase. Any error by Hiebert would open the door for his fellow competitors and on lap 7 it happened. The #64 got a little high going into turn 3, allowing both Pallen and Bernard to get past Hiebert on the inside groove and take over first and second respectively.
For the remaining 8 laps, Roland Bernard tried every way possible to get past the determined Pallen. Bernard blanketed the leader but could not make the pass as Darren Pallen would go on to take the checkered flag. Dave Sobczak would finish in fourth place. Despite earlier car troubles, Jennifer Carlson, who started the feature from the tail, in eleventh place, gave a spirited performance to earn a solid third place finish.
Rounding up the top five was Darren Pallen, Roland Bernard, Jennifer Carlson, Dave Sobczak and Allan Dayman.
Northern Lightning Sprint Association
Red River Co-op Speedway, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Heat 1
1. 11 Darren Pallen
2. 17 Dave Sobczak
3. 2AWD Allan Dayman
4. 4C Chris Bouwman
5. 27 Chris Unrau
6. 4 Bob Saindon
Heat 2
1. 2 Roland Bernard
2. 3X Richard Rogers
3. 10 Amber Balcaen
4. 64 Tyson Hiebert
5. 6 Jennifer Carlson (DNS)
Feature
1. 11 Darren Pallen
2. 2 Roland Bernard
3. 6 Jennifer Carlson
4. 17 Dave Sobczak
5. 2AWD Allan Dayman
6. 64 Tyson Hiebert
7. 3X Richard Rogers
8. 27 Chris Unrau
9. 10 Amber Balcaen
10. 4 Bob Saindon
11. 4C Chris Bouwman
The next Northern Lightning Sprint Association race is scheduled for Saturday, September 19 at Red River Co-op Speedway. This will be the final points race for the NLSA 2009 racing season. Spectator gates open at 2:00pm. Racing begins at 3:00pm.
About the Northern Lightning Sprint Association:
Created in September of 2008, the Northern Lightning Sprint Association is a rapidly growing organization committed to the creation and maintenance of safe, fast, fun, and affordable open wheel racing. Many of the organization’s members are dedicated to helping charities such as the Children’s Hospital Foundation and Cancer Care of Manitoba. More information can be found at www.nlsprints.com
Delaware Speedway: RAINOUT
This evening's Friday, August 28, 2009 Delaware Speedway NASCAR Whelen
All-American Series race program presented by Maple Leaf Foods & Coca-Cola
has been cancelled due to the impending weather. Delaware Speedway would
like to extend our appreciation to our fans and competitors for their
ongoing support.
The next race event at Delaware Speedway is the Great Canadian Race
Weekend (September 4-6, 2009). Tonight is the final evening for fans to
pick up discounted early bird tickets for the weekend. Camping is free on
the weekend with admission.
Full weekend information can be found
[http://www.delawarespeedway.com/GreatCanadianRaceWeekend.php] here.
Earlybird tickets can be purchased and printed online
[http://www.delawarespeedway.com/GCRWTickets.php] here.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Centre For Speed: 'DOUBLE HEADER' STOCK CAR AND DEMOLITION ACTION ON TAP SUNDAY
(Shediac, N.B.) -- The Centre for Speed, Atlantic Canada’s Super Speedway and “Metro Moncton’s Playground of Power”, will present a ‘double header’ of South East Challenge Series stock car points racing action, featuring the Eastern Well Drillers 50-lap features, followed by the Maple Leaf Foods ‘Eve of Destruction’ full contact and demolition derby on Sunday, August 30th starting at 2 p.m.
As an added bonus, fans will be able to attend either or both events for a single regular price admission of $12 for adults and $5 for children.
"We're very disappointed by the cancellation of the scheduled Saturday night Monster Truck event due to a last minute change of promised competitors by Monster Truck promoter, Edge Motorsports,” said CFS promoter Tim Wile. “As a result, we want to give our loyal fans a special ‘double header’ treat by offering twice the motorsports action for the same price. Fans can therefore attend both events Sunday afternoon and simply pay the regular price of a single event."
At 2:00 p.m., the green flag will drop on exciting South East Challenge Series stock car points racing action leading up to the Eastern Well Drillers 50-lap features for Sportsman and Streetstock racecars. Regular points racing and features will also be on tap for the Mini Stock and Four Fun division racecars.
The Maple Leaf Foods ‘Eve of Destruction’ event will immediately follow, starting at approximately 4:30 p.m., with edge-of-your seat Full Contact racing, a Back-up Bag race, a 25-lap Enduro, Burnouts, capped off by a giant Demolition Derby with $1,000 available to the winner.
Full schedule details are available at www.centreforspeed.com.
TRAVEL NOTE: Due to bridge construction on Route #133, all CFS traffic must use Exit #43 (Grand Barachois) off Highway #15 until further notice. From this exit, traffic must turn left onto Route #133, at Gaudet Supermarket, and travel 2 km to the CENTRE.
About CFS: The CENTRE for Speed, built in 1996, is home to the Atlantic region’s largest and fastest paved 3/8 of a mile stock car oval as its centerpiece. The CENTRE overlooks the Northumberland Strait and is located 5 kilometers east of Shediac’s Parlee Beach on Route #133 in the village of Grand Barachois.
For further information, contact: Tim Wile, Promoter & General Manager, CENTRE for Speed (CFS)
(506) 388-2415 // (506) 532-3032 (CFS Info line)
Pour plus d’information, contactez: Richard Gauthier Publiciste et Annonceur du CDV
(506) 851-6773 // (506) 874-1256 (cell.)
Merrittville Speedway: Brian's Labour Day FANtastic preview
For Release – August 27, 2009 From Jim Irvine
Merrittville Speedway Public Relations
Thorold, Ontario (August 27) – In the past two seasons, it has been the Original Pizza Logs Sportsman Points Title that has went right down to the wire at Merrittville Speedway. Two years ago, Wayne Conn held a one point edge over Alan Sleight and last season Mike Bowman led Tyler McPherson by two points going into the Brian’s Tire Repair Labor Day FANtastic.
Prior to August 29th’s Ball Hockey International Minor Sports Night assisted by the Niagara IceDogs – a similar battle is shaping up as the 2009 Point Races wind down.
The division to watch however is the Turn 4 Collision 4 Cylinders as Matt Deschamp’s recent triumph in the Triple Crown Series has him now leading Rob Goulding by a single point. Either driver is looking towards their first Points Championship.
While the 4 Cylinders is real close – several other Lucas Oil Weekly Racing Series Divisions are still within reach.
Another driver looking towards his first title in 2009 is Modern Corporation Open Wheel Driver Jamie Gilbert.
Gilbert leads his Modern Corporation team-mate and defending Points Champion Shawn Sliter by 20 markers going into the final two events.
A driver looking to hold on to his second Original Pizza Logs Sportsman Crown is 2007 Champion Chad Chevalier. Chevalier leads Greg Panunte by 24 points going into the King of the Crates Finale powered by Niagara Motors and the season finale.
While these two Port Colborne drivers battle it out for top spot – cousins Tyler McPherson and BJ Willard are set to take each other on for third spot – each tied for third going into the final two events.
Driving his # 23, Larry Lampman Jr. backed up a Sportsman Title with two in the L. St. Amand Enterprises 358 Modifieds in 2003 and 2006.
In just his second year behind the wheel of the Dan & Veronica Miller-owned #22 – Lampman is in good shape for his third title.
With two events to go including September 5th’s John Spencer Memorial – Lampman has a comfortable 54 point edge on perennial point champ Pete Bicknell.
While that may seem unsurmountable – behind defending champion Chad Brachmann who sits in third – the balance of the top 10 may not be decided until the final checkered flag falls.
Between Scott Wood, Brian Stevens, Mike Bowman, Chris Steele, Tim Jones, Fred Carleton and Mat Williamson – the point spread is just under 40 points between them all. Just 15 separate Wood and Jones.
Rob Murray could almost miss the final two Hoosier Stock Events left for 2009 and still claim his third career point title. The St. Catharines driver leads Al Sleight by 114 points.
The race for the runner-up spot should go right down to the last lap for the Hoosier Stocks as Shayne Pierce trails his fellow former karter by a single point.
“You really can’t ask for better circumstances,” anticipates (Merrittville GM) Erica Bicknell, “with the 4 Cylinder race as close as it is …. and other divisions too … throw in our Autograph night … race fans can look forward to quite a FAN-tastic night.”
In a rare planned intermission during the Brian’s Tire Labor Day FANtastic, race fans of all ages can look forward to an end of season tradition with Autograph Night.
“It’s a great chance for our fans to see their favorites … one last time,” adds Bicknell, “they are all happy to meet each and every one … they all have pictures of their car to giveaway … don’t forget your cameras either.”
Brian’s Tire Repairs specializes in Large Truck Repairs of Domestic and Foreign Vehicles. Call our 24 Hour Emergency Service number at 905-646-7508. Brian’s Tire Repairs provides mobile service as well or visit their St. Catharines location at 3 Petrie Street.
The Brian’s Tire Repairs Labor Day FANtastic at Merrittville Saturday August 30th will feature the final points races in all 5 Lucas Oil Weekly Racing Series Divisions plus an Autograph Night where race fans can meet the drivers and see their race cars up close during a rare break in the action.
Grandstands open at 5:30 with racing at 7:00 PM.
For further information contact Merrittville Speedway at 905-892-8266 or visit www.merrittvillespeedway.com.
SPEEDWAY 660: Fan Appreciation/Champions to Be Crowned
Fredericton, NB – It’s that time of year again when Speedway 660 will crown its champions. It seemed like summer came late this year but at Speedway 660 the fun isn’t over yet. This Saturday night under the lights at Speedway 660 there will be a new champion crowned in the Coast Tire Street Stocks, Martin’s Home Heating Sportsman and the Irving Lubricants Pro Stock divisions. You can also catch the 4 cylinders here for their second appearance of 2009.
Race fans it is time once again to show you some appreciation for all the support you have shown this season at Speedway 660. This Saturday Fan Appreciation Day returns to the Geary Woods. It’s a chance for the fans to meet their favorite drivers in a pre-race autograph session starting at 6 pm. Fans will get to go trackside and get autographs, pictures and treats from their favorite drivers. Drivers get to see their fans before the last regular race of the 2009 season. There will also be prizes drawn throughout the day provided by our local sponsors.
This has been a long awaited day for the drivers. The points have heated up in the past couple of weeks. There are some repeat champions as well as some surprises in this year’s point standing. . Who will be the next champion?
In the Coast Tire Street Stock division, Brian Fox leads over Rick Cashol by only 9 points. Cashol has won many championships before and knows how to get it done. He has had some very strong competition knocking on his door each week with Jason Shannon only 17 points back.
Michael Banks is set to win his first Martin’s Home Heating Sportsman championship as well. Banks has been close in previous years but never won the illustrious crown. John Rankin has come on strong this season winning a couple features and has been very consistent throughout leaving him just 6 points back from Banks. He too would be a first time winner of the championship. Just behind these two top runners are few other well known names just waiting in the wings, Wade Harris, Brent Roy and Glen Nott all have legitimate shots at winning a championship on Saturday night. There are just 20 points between Michael Banks and fifth place Glyn Nott.
Defending champ Greg Fahey is exactly where he wants to be, in the same position, where he ended the season in 2008. Three-time champion Glenn Rasmussen is waiting for the chance to take the reins from Fahey and add another championship to his resume. Rasmussen is back this season racing full time and is in a good position just 12 points away from point’s leader Greg Fahey. Race fans have seen some great racing the last couple of weeks. These guys are racing hard in the Pro Stock division trying to gain those all-important points.
This will be the last regular point’s event of the 2009-racing season but it is not over. Next weekend is SPEEDWEEKEND from Sept 4th to Sept 7th headlined by the Peterbilt 250 on Sunday.
Race fans won’t want to miss it this Saturday night. Come out and meet your favorite driver and see who will be the next champion. Things are going to get exciting down at the Speedway 660. It will be WicKID Family Fun for sure.
Fan Appreciation Day
Saturday, August 29th at 7pm
Pit gates open at 2pm
Grandstands open at 5pm
Autograph Session at 6pm
Racing starts at 7p.m.
Note: Raindate Sunday, August 30th at 2p.m.
Regular points racing in the Coast Tire Street Stock Division (20 lap feature), Martin’s Home Heating Sportsman (30 lap feature), Irving Lubricants Pro Stocks (40 lap feature) and racing in the 4 cylinders.
From Angela Coffey, Office Manager // Web: www.speedway660.com
SPEEDWAY 660: Unfinished Business! Kittleson Enters Peterbilt 250!
Fredericton, NB – Travis Kittleson announced today that he will be entering the 9th Annual Peterbilt 250 at Speedway 660. Kittleson is a native of Merrit Island Florida, but now resides in Mooresville, NC. Regional fans have seen Kittleson at the last two Peterbilt 250s.
Most noticeably last year as he sat on the pole and dominated the early part of the race. Travis thought last year was going to seal the deal in his quest to win his first Peterbilt 250 but tire problems took him out of contention. “Last year we had a great car with the Cushman team. We really clicked and it was a ton of fun. I couldn’t wait to get back up here again ” says Kittleson.
With Cushman stepping back some from Pro Stock racing Kittleson decided to hook up with Lonnie Sommerville for this years 250. “Travis and I have been talking about this for several months and we are both really excited to get to the track on Labour Day weekend.” said Lonnie Sommerville
Travis has had some success in these Pro stock cars. In 2006, he was touted as one of the top Pro Stock/Super Late Model drivers in America. In 2005, Travis took part in Jack Roush’s Driver X Show and finished in the top 8 drivers vying for a chance to race a Craftsman truck for Roush racing. All totaled Travis has over 190 starts in Pro Stock and ASA Late Model events. 54 of those events he won!!! And was in the top 10 in 138 of the 190+ starts. He’s also had 35 poles and 87 top 5’s.
Most recently Travis has been running a Nationwide car as well as pounding the pavement in the NASCAR garages handing out resumes and securing interviews with car owners. More info on Travis can be found at www.traviskittleson.com.
Please contact Angela Coffey at Speedway 660 at 506-455-3181 or info@speedway660.com for any questions.
The Peterbilt 250: The 2009 Peterbilt 250 will take place on Sunday, September 6th, 2009 and will be the highlight of the 8th Annual SPEEDWEEKEND. The event will showcase the Speedway 660 Irving Lubricants Pro Stocks against the best of the Eastern Canada and New England. The purse for 2008 will be over $70,000 with a guaranteed $15,000 to the event winner and possible winner’s cheque of $28,000. Five years ago, the late Scott Fraser took home a record $25,400 including lap money. Only eight years old, the event as grown in crowd, atmosphere, and car count every year since its inception. Over 8,000 people attended the 2008 event to break attendance records at Speedway 660. Forty plus pro stock cars will be attempting to qualify for 28 spots on the starting grid.
SPEEDWEEKEND: Just like the Peterbilt 250, SPEEDWEEKEND continues to grow every year. Over 14,000 people attended last year’s four-day stock car fest that includes a corn boil on Friday night, O’Leary Pontiac Excitement Sportsman 150 race on Saturday night, the Peterbilt 250 on Sunday, and finishes up with an Enduro 200 on Monday. While the Peterbilt 250 is the highlight of the racing event, the weekend has developed into an event on its own with over 600 campers turning Speedway 660 into a small town over the weekend. It has become the destination of choice for the region’s stock car fans.
Speedway 660:
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 70,000 people are expected to attend over 20 events during the 2009 season. Speedway 660 is located off Highway 7 on Route 660 in Geary, NB, and is within minutes of Saint John and Fredericton. Speedway 660 can be found online at www.speedway660.com.
From Chris Johnston // Speedway 660
TDI JETTA CUP @ MOSPORT... David Richert is Racing for Clean Water
Through a partnership with Samaritan's Purse, an international charitable organization, David Richert is racing to help raise funds for people across the world who do not have access to clean water for their daily needs. For every minute that Richert is on track in a Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup race, over $20 is donated towards the construction of a BioSand Water Filter unit.
Each BioSand Water Filter costs $100 to construct and provides enough clean water for the daily needs of up to 8 people. Through six races so far this season, Richert has been able to raise over $3,800 which will purchase 38 water filters and provide clean water directly to 304 people in impoverished parts of the world.
His goal is to raise $6,000 during the 10 race season to purchase 60 water filters. "As I driver, I am constantly out looking for partners to join me in support of my racing..." states Richert "...so I have found that this is a very unique and helpful way to give back to others".
The Mosport Grand Prix will take place this weekend at Mosport International Raceway in Bowmanville, Ontario.
David Richert is 27 years old and hails from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. From a group of 3,900 race car drivers, Richert was one of only 3 Canadians to earn a spot racing for Volkswagen in the 2009 Jetta TDI Cup where the series champion goes home with $100,000.
Contact David Richert Racing at 204-371-8700 or by email public.relations@richertracing.com // Official Website - www.richertracing.com
OHSWEKEN SPEEDWAY: CAFÉ 54 SERVES UP FRIDAY NIGHT THUNDER THIS WEEK
Last Friday marked the last "mulligan night" for the Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Car competitors, whose lowest single-night point total of the season was thrown out this week. Much is left to be decided, as the drivers will contest four features over the next three weeks, including this Friday's Twin 15's. On the strength of six feature wins, "Fenwick Flyer" Tom Huppunen continues to lead the Corr/Pak points standings, while Glenn Styres, Kevin Job, Dave Dykstra, and Ryan Hunsinger give chase. Defending track champion Keith Dempster won the feature last Friday night and now sits seventh in the standings, just one point behind Mikey Kruchka and one point ahead of Jamie Collard. Dain Naida claimed his second feature win of the season on Saturday night at South Buxton Raceway and sits ninth in the Corr/Pak standings, while leading rookie of the year contender Travis Cunningham rounds out the top ten. Kevin Loveys and Jim Huppunen are also in the rookie race as the season winds to a close.
Shayne Pierce again finished one spot ahead of Billy Bleich, Jr. last Friday night to slightly extend his points lead in the ESSO Thunder Stocks division. Pierce finished fourth and Bleich fifth, while Lee Winger became the seventh different feature winner in 2009 for the very competitive full-fendered division. Winger snapped Jamie Cox's three race win streak, holding him off in a spirited battle last week while Brad Herron claimed the third spot just a few car lengths behind. Pierce's points lead stands at just twenty-one heading into Friday's action, while Cox's excellent finishes as of late have helped him to move into third in the standings, fifty-four markers out of the lead. Herron sits fourth in the standings, while Jeremy Bean rounds out the top five.
Mitchell Brown finished second on the track last Friday night, but tech inspection issues handed him the feature win, his tenth of the season. The young driver from Brantford has a healthy lead in the ESSO Mini-Stocks points standings, while Kevin Hilborn, Mike Evers, Rick Emberson, and Dave Goodacre give chase. 2008 track champion Abel Castelein is still looking for his first feature win this season, and got a fourth place finish on Friday night, behind Brown, Chase Hess, and Steve Hess. Steve Hess and Rick Robinson have also claimed feature wins this season.
Karl Sault came out the victor in a wild Bomber feature last week, extending his points lead in the process. Kacey Huffman, Jesse/Mike McDonald, Team 113, and Team 13c round out the top five in the standings.
The always exciting Mod-Lite division makes its second of three visits to Ohsweken on Friday. In the last event at Ohsweken on June 19, a great three and sometimes four-way battle for the lead kept fans on the edge of their seats. At the end of twenty hard-fought laps, Shawn Sliter emerged as the winner, while Jamie Gilbert, Paul Klager, Rick Brubacher, and Adam Leslie rounded out the top five. Twenty-two of the four cylinder rockets were on hand for the last event, and another strong field is expected this week.
Tickets are on sale now for the Fifth Annual Arrow Express Canadian Sprint Car Nationals, coming up September 17, 18, and 19! Please visit www.OhswekenSpeedway.com and call 1-888-720-RACE to order yours today! It was announced recently that the ESSO Thunder Stocks, ESSO Mini-Stocks, and Bombers will join the Empire Super Sprints tour on Thursday, September 17, contesting their final points night of the 2009 season.
Friday Night Thunder at Ohsweken Speedway offers affordable family entertainment just a short drive away from most mid-western Ontario locations. Friday Night Thunder resumes on Friday, August 28 when Café 54 presents Twin 15's for the Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Cars, plus the ESSO Thunder Stocks, ESSO Mini-Stocks, Bombers, and the Modified Lite Stars Championship North Tour!
Friday Night Thunder Adult General Admission is just $10, while Seniors and Students are $8, and kids 12 and under are FREE! Please visit www.OhswekenSpeedway.com for more information. On Friday night, gates open at 6:00p.m., with the first race at 7:45p.m.
David Ostella, Star Mazda Mosport Preview
August 27th, 2009
Driver News: David Ostella, Star Mazda Mosport Preview
Photo Credit: www.otp.ca
Photo Cutline: Ostella has been long awaiting his first start at Mosport.
______________________________________________________
After nearly two full seasons of formula car racing, David Ostella finally makes a start at home this weekend as the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear reaches round eleven at Mosport International Raceway. The historic site is less than an hour from the Ostella home in Maple, Ontario, and the sophomore driver has been long awaiting the Mobil 1 Grand Prix of Mosport.
"I'm very excited to have a home race and I have a lot of family and friends coming to watch so they can see what I do and what I work so hard for," Ostella said early this week. "I've been looking forward to Mosport for a long time. I've practised on the simulator and done a test, and the track is really fun to drive, especially with all the elevation changes. I'm really looking forward to a great weekend."
Ostella also participated in a special event in the lead-up to the Grand Prix as last weekend he was part of MazdaSpeed North at Scarboro Mazda. Over forty years of rotary powered vehicles were on hand, including his #71 AIM Autosport Formula Mazda. The Canadian teenager signed autographs and greeted fans, and helped raise funds for Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children.
"The event was just incredible," Ostella said afterward. "People started arriving at ten in the morning and had all kinds of questions about the Star Mazda car and championship. The best part though, was dealing with the kids. Letting them sit in the car and seeing the incredible smiles on their faces was just awesome. It was a great opportunity to see the history of Mazda and we raised thousands of dollars for Sick Kids Hospital."
Action begins Thursday at Mosport with a pair of promoter test sessions before two official practice sessions on Friday and both qualifying and a 45 minute race on Saturday. It's a schedule Ostella likes, and he heads in following back-to-back top ten runs in Chicago and Trois-Rivières. "I like that the race is on Saturday, a day in which we have already been in the car," he said. "It's a better situation than just having a single race on Sunday. We'll have to make sure nothing happens in morning qualifying, but I just stay positive and make sure the whole team is ready like we have been the past two races."
The Mobil 1 Grand Prix of Mosport is race eleven of thirteen in the 2009 Star Mazda Championship and the second in a pair of Canadian venues. David will be racing with support from Global Precast Intercontinental, Alpinestars and RAW Integrated Ltd. For more information, please visit www.mosport.com, www.starmazda.com and www.davidostella.com.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
ALBUM PHOTO: 2009-08-25 - ACT TEST
This is a 190 photo gallerie of the New Hampshire Motor Speedway ACT Castrol Series and ACT Tour test session. The test was held at NHMS in Loudon, NH on Tuesday, August, 25, 2009.
Complete story about the day's activities can be found on M.P. Roy's blog.
Thanks to M.P. Roy for the photos. You can see M.P.'s blog here
VANCOUVER AUTO RACING CHAMPION CHRIS CUMMING TO SWITCH GEARS AND MAKE HIS IRONMAN DEBUT IN THIS WEEKEND'S IRONMAN CANADA
Cumming, who was born in London, England on August 26, 1970 and turns 39 just a few days before Sunday's race, is the reigning champion in the Expert Series (drivers aged 30 – 44) of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear. He's scored six in-class wins so far this season, driving 45-minute races in a field of 30 cars… but he'll have met his goal on Sunday if he can finish in the top-third of the 35 – 39 age class at an event expected to span 12 hours and attract 2,900 entrants.
"I don't know who invented the Ironman, but once I saw it on TV for the first time many years ago I just knew I had to give it a try some day," says Cumming, whose other interests include skiing, wind surfing, snowboarding, golf and aviation. "My athletic background is basically track and field in grade school and some cycling with friends, so when I decided a year ago to do this I was almost starting from scratch. I originally intended to give myself two years and enter in 2010, but once I got going with my training I accelerated my timetable because I figured it wasn't going to get any easier as I got older."
Cumming's training regimen for the past few months has included about 14 hours per week divided into seven hours of cycling, three and a half hours of running, two and a half hours of swimming and an hour of cross-training – a 'reasonably rounded' training program for an Ironman competitor of Cumming's age, but different from his auto racing fitness routine.
"Driving in a Star Mazda Championship race is mainly about upper body strength, using a small steering wheel to turn wide racing tires over a 45-minute event," says Cumming. "Ironman training is more about endurance with an emphasis on lower body strength, except for the swimming, which is also upper body, but a completely different set of muscles. And you need to balance it all out so you can keep up a high level of effort for twelve hours, which is about average for my age class. I've done all the training I can at this point and I'm in my taper phase getting ready to race. It’s going to be a tough day."
The Ironman Canada Triathlon began in 1983 with 23 participants and was won by Mike Wagstaff, a New Zealander living in Banff, Alberta, with a winning time of 10:41:51. The field expanded to 74 in 1984 and in 1985 the event grows to 131 athletes and gets its first title sponsor, Miller Lite Beer. By the 20th anniversary of the event, in 2002, the field has grown to more than 2,000 athletes and the event itself has become one of the premier triathalon events in the world.
The 2009 Ironman Canada begins with a 2.4-mile swim; competitors hit the water at 7 a.m., starting and finishing at Okanagan Lake Beach in Rotary Park. The first 14 km of the bike course heads South on Main Street then Lakeside Road and East Side Road, followed by a left turn onto McLean Creek Rd., the start of a significant climb of approximately 1 km, followed by a scenic winding road that leads through the Okanagan Falls countryside. The next 35 Kms are relatively flat through Oliver and Osoyoos, followed by a long, 11 km climb up to Richter Pass (elevation 2295 feet). From Keremeos (the 132-km point), the ride then follows a gradual uphill climb to the summit at Twin Lakes, and then a fast winding downhill ride to Highway 97 and north to Penticton.
The 26.2-mile run course for Ironman Canada is known for its scenic beauty. Runners start at Gyro, with a turnaround at Christie Beach. The finish is located on Lakeshore halfway between Winnipeg and Martin Street, with this final stretch will be lined with spectators and supporters to cheer the athletes in.
"Were it not for this event I'd be driving in the Star Mazda Championship race at the Grand Prix of Mosport this weekend. I’m sure there will be times during the Ironman that I would give anything to be at Mosport," says Cumming. "I've got a month to recover from the Ironman before the final two races of the 2009 season at Road Atlanta and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. I'm excited about being able to participate in two extremely challenging forms of athletics in the same year and I'm planning on running the Ironman Canada again in 2010. I'm also looking at doing some endurance auto racing, like the Rolex 24 at Daytona."
Cumming, the 2008 Star Mazda Championship Expert Series champion, started racing at age 30 after attending a Skip Barber school at Laguna Seca. He spent the next four seasons racing in various karting classes and in 2006 moved into open-wheel racing in the regional Pro Formula Mazda series. In 2007, Cumming won the Star Mazda West Coast Championship and in 2008 he competed in the national Star Mazda Championship, winning the Expert Series (for drivers aged 30-44). He is currently second in the 2009 Expert Series championship battle behind Japanese racer Toshihiro Deki, but hopes to close the points gap in the final two races of the season.
About The Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear
For 2009, the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear (www.starmazda.com) will feature an 11-weekend, 13-race schedule on major race weekends with American Le Mans, Grand-Am, the Atlantic Championship, NASCAR Nationwide and Craftsman Truck Series. Prize money is $1.5 million, including a fully-funded drive in the 2010 Atlantic Championship. Drivers 16 and older are welcome to compete and the Star Mazda Championship also features Expert (30 to 44) and Master (45 and older) classes for more mature racers. The Star Mazda Championship features standing starts, wheel-to-wheel racing at 150 mph and budgets a fraction of other top open-wheel ladder series. For drivers interested in competing in the series, detailed information is available at www.starmazda.com/newdriver.
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For more information on the Star Mazda Championship and its drivers, as well as the Mazda Motorsports ladder system, please visit www.starmazda.com and www.mazdausa.com. For information, interviews and photos, contact Star Mazda Communications Director Peter Frey at (818) 398-5733 or StarMazdaPR@aol.com.
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On any given weekend, there are more Mazdas on the road-race tracks of America than any other brand of vehicle. At the track, you’ll see MX-5 Miata, RX-8, MAZDA3, MAZDA6, RX-7 and other vintage Mazda models competing, because every Mazda has the Soul of a Sports Car.
For more information on the various Mazda spec series, visit:
www.atlantic-championship.com www.starmazda.com
www.skipbarber.com www.mx-5cup.com
PHOTO GALLERY: ALMS Mosport event preview in Toronto
Mosport hosted a pre-event festival on Wednesday afternoon, promoting this weekend's Mobil1 GP of Mosport. Photos by Mike Galipeau / ITMN.
Team Canada gears up to take on the world in the Mobil1 Presents the GP of Mosport
(BOWMANVILLE, ON AUGUST 25, 2009 www.mosport.com) There's no need to wait until next winter to see Team Canada in action, because the Mobil 1 presents the Grand Prix of Mosport (Aug. 27-30) will feature a roster of Canadian drivers looking for wins on home soil.
In the American Le Mans Series, Toronto's Tony Burgess will carry Canada's hopes when he suits up for the Autocon Motorsports Lola in the top-level LMP1 class and takes on the formidable Acura-powered teams.
In addition to the American Le Mans Series, Canadians will be in the thick of the action in the six other exciting open wheel and sports car and GT championships that will take to the track at Mosport, featuring fields of talented drivers representing 22 countries.
Making its return to Mosport for the first time since 1994, the Cooper Tires presents the Atlantic Championship powered by Mazda is comprised young stars looking to make the jump to the top levels of sports car and open-wheel racing, including Toronto's Eric Jensen.
Over in the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear, David Ostella and Michael Furfari will be looking for that GTA hometown edge, while the St. Catharines duo of Gianmarco Raimondo and Alex Ellis will try to make their mark in the Formula BMW Americas races.
Three Canadian racers will run in the VW Jetta TDI Cup for identically-prepared, clean diesel-powered Volkswagen Jetta TDIs; Jake Thompson of Calgary, Alberta, David Richert of Niverville, Manitoba and Woodbridge, Ontario's Andrew Cordeiro.
In the IMSA Lites developmental sports car championship, Barrie, Ontario's Kyle Marcelli and Michal Chlumecky of Windsor, Ontario will be looking to put on a show for the home fans and the Patrón GT3 Challenge rounds out the weekend schedule.
Mobil 1 presents The Grand Prix of Mosport features lots of fun things away from the track for fans to see and do as well, such as Tech Talks, Driver Chats and autograph session with American Le Mans Series drivers and teams and vendors selling authentic race-related merchandise. The American Le Mans Series race will also feature its famous Open Grid Walk on race day, which allows spectators to mix with teams and drivers on track minutes before the green flag drops. This feature of ALMS racing is unique amongst top-level racing series and gives fans an up-close, interactive experience.
A four-day SuperTicket is just $65 until August 26 ($80 at the Gate) and each ticket includes parking, paddock admission, and entrance to Saturday Night Stock Car racing at Mosport Speedway. Children 12 and under are free when accompanied by a paid adult admission. Single day tickets are also available.
General and family camping areas are available, with full-service washrooms, showers and children's playgrounds. An advanced three-day weekend general camping pass is just $30 (For tents or pop-up trailers). RVs are $50 for the weekend.
For more information about Mosport ticket packages and camping, call the Mosport Hotline at 1-800-866-1072 (Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm ET) or visit online at www.mosport.com. Tickets are also available at Ticketmaster.
From Lee Bailie, Mosport
AIM Autosport Team News: Rolex DP team in Montreal - Star Mazda team at Mosport
This weekend, AIM Autosport will be doing battle at two major race events - and both are in Canada. The Grand Am Rolex Daytona Prototype team will be at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve for the Montreal 200 while the Formula Mazda squad will be contesting the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear at Mosport International Raceway just east of Toronto. Both teams are ready to hit the road with the parking full of trailers and the shop full of cars. This is a picture of the team's five race cars - two Daytona Prototypes (61 &51) and three Star Mazda's (7, 71 & 72) all set to roll onto the trailers first thing Wednesday morning.
This is an important weekend for the DP team as they are the returning champions of the Montreal 200 with Canadian driver Mark Wilkins and it is on record as the closest finish is series history. Mark shared the victory with American Brian Frisselle and this year shares the driving with Brian's brother Burt. It is also the "home race" for the only full time Canadian team in the Rolex Sports Car Series and this year, in addition to looking for a repeat win for the No. 61 Ford Riley, AIM will also be fielding a second car, the Tower Events No. 51 Ford Riley. The No. 51 is a truly all-Canadian entry for the team with drivers John Farano (Toronto) and Jean-Francois Dumoulin (Trois Rivieres) at the wheel. Practice for the Montreal 200 gets underway on Friday with the race at 2:00 p.m. ET on Saturday. It will be broadcast live on SPEED TV starting at 2:00 p.m.
Meanwhile, the Star Mazda team will be attending their home race at the team's home track, Mosport International Raceway. With just three races to go in the series, AIM's rookie drivers have enjoyed steady improvement and some success as the season progresses. This is also the home track for Canadian David Ostella (71) and he is definitely looking forward to the weekend for his first race on the Grand Prix track. David raced Formula BMW in 2008 but the series did not visit Mosport that year. It will also be the first time for Venezuelan Jorge Goncalvez (72) on the very fast, undulating circuit. Practice gets underway at Mosport on Thursday with qualifying and the race on Saturday. The race is scheduled for 5:35 p.m. ET
From Chris Jameson / AIM Autosport
NASCAR Canadian Tire Series racer Anthony Simone....
Riverside Int'l Speedway; Tickets for the Komatsu 300 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race on sale

Advance Tickets for the Komatsu 300 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race at Antigonish's (NS) Riverside Int'l Speedway go on sale today.
Click on the banner above or see below for contact information.
Paul McLean (Manager)
Riverside International Speedway (c/o Antigonish Mall)
133 Church Street, Antigonish, NS B2G 2E3
Telephone: 902-863-2410
www.riversidespeedway.ca
NASCAR Canadian Tire Series News & Notes - Montreal Preview
- NAPA AUTOPRO 100 Notebook
- GP3R 100 Post-Race Notebook
- Beware Of Micks In Montreal
The Place: Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal, Que.
The Date: Sunday, Aug. 30
The Time: 11:45 a.m. ET
TV Schedule: RDS, 11:30 a.m. (Live), TSN, Aug. 29, Noon ET (Tape)
Track Layout: 2.73-mile road course
Race Purse: $74,153 CAD
2008 Winner: Andrew Ranger
2008 Pole: Kerry Micks
Schedule: Saturday: Practice 7:45-8:45 a.m.; Qualifying 1 p.m.
Track Contact: Normand Prieur, (514) 794-8900, nprieur@videotron.ca
NASCAR Contact: Shon Sbarra, (704) 309-5493, ssbarra@nascar.com
Rk Driver Points
1 Andrew Ranger 1,554
2 DJ Kennington 1,430
3 Ron Beauchamp Jr. 1,413
4 Scott Steckly 1,400
5 Anthony Simone 1,325
6 Kerry Micks 1,296
7 Don Thomson Jr. 1,266
8 Dave Whitlock 1,252
9 Jason Hathaway 1,235
10 Mark Dilley 1,140
11 Kent Nuhn 1,100
12 Jason White 1,067
Very Impressive Record: With his victory at Trois-Riveres, Andrew Ranger (No. 27 Walmart/Tide Ford) picked up his sixth series career win on a road course. In 11 starts on road courses, Ranger's worst finish came last year at Mosport Int'l Raceway, where he finished sixth. The remaining four starts consist of three second-place finishes and a third, giving him an average finish of 1.91.















