Andrew Ranger wins NASCAR K&N West race at Infineon

Just got a note from NASCAR Canadian Tire series PR man Shon Sbarra saying that two-time NCATS champ Andrew Ranger won today's NASCAR K&N Series West race at Infineon Raceway. Thanks Shon and congratulations Andrew!

Race Results - Scotia Speedworld Weekly Racing Series, June 18th

Unofficial Race Results for the Scotia Speedworld Weekly Racing Series
For Immediate Release (Halifax, NS – June 18th)

Tirecraft Lightning Division (20 laps)
1st        #194   Jorden Smith
2nd       #145   Nick Hurshman
3rd        #144   Russell Smith Jr
4th        #119   Daniel Michaud Jr.
5th        #151   Cody Singer

Heat1 #199   Craig Cordeau
Heat2 #194   Jorden Smith

Tirecraft Thunder Division (25 laps)
1st        #99     Dave Matthews
2nd       #98     Kyle Gammon
3rd        #01     Tyler Hawes
4th        #67     Ross Harvie
5th        #1        Steve Lively

Heat1 #99     Dave Matthews
Heat2 #98      Kyle Gammon

Truck Division (20 laps)
1st        #4        JP Arsenault
2nd       #82     Wayne Ritchie         
3rd        #26     Gordon Ritchie
4th        #08     Curtis Lindsay
5th        #80     Vernon Brown

Heat1 #26     Gordon Ritchie

Legend Division (25 laps)
1st        #6        Steve Pye
2nd       #13     Paul Blenkhorn
3rd        #87     Greig Muir
4th        #3        Vance Hanes
5th        #29     Kyle Campbell

Heat1 #37     Cy Harvey
Heat2 #87      Greg Muir

Hydraulics Plus Bandolero Division (15 laps)
1st        #15     Emily Meehan
2nd       #8        DJ Casey
3rd        #5        Cole Butcher           
4th        #3        Jarrett Butcher
5th        #62     Luke Ettinger

Heat1 #8        DJ Casey

The next Weekly Racing Series event at Scotia Speedworld is June 25th for Kiddie Rides Night! Kids can realize a dream and go for a ride in a racecar! For complete details, check out www.scotiaspeedworld.ca.

From Tara Foster / Scotia Speedworld

Canadian Tire takes a grand stand in support of the Honda Indy Edmonton

EDMONTON, AB – The 2010 Honda Indy Edmonton has added yet another major sponsor for this year’s event. “Our newest Gold Sponsor is Canadian Tire, a company that’s been flourishing across our country for 88 years. One of the grandstands at the track will now be known as the Canadian Tire grandstand,” said Northlands President Ken Knowles. “Canadian Tire has, for many years, been involved in auto racing in Canada to varying degrees, and we’re very pleased to have them on board as a sponsor.”

Knowles went on to say that “Canadian Tire’s made it abundantly clear that they have every intention of returning to prominence with race fans across Canada. Automotive is the cornerstone of their business, and they strongly believe that anything less than great customer service is unacceptable. We couldn’t be happier having Canadian Tire aboard.”

Returning as the official vehicle rental supplier for the Honda Indy Edmonton is DRIVING FORCE.

"DRIVING FORCE is pleased to be involved in this event for the fifth year running.  We've been supporting Indy since the very first race was held in Edmonton in 2005, and we’re happy to continue supporting this world class event,” said Claudette Kirdeikis, marketing director for DRIVING FORCE Vehicle Rentals, Sales and Leasing.

Tickets for the 2010 Honda Indy Edmonton are on sale online at www.hondaindyedmonton.com or at www.ticketmaster.ca, or by calling Ticketmaster at 780-451-8000.

About the Honda Indy Edmonton: The Honda Indy Edmonton is the 11th round in the 17 race IZOD IndyCar Series. Auto Racing fans across North America get to see the best in open-wheel racing in Edmonton when the Honda Indy Edmonton takes to the track July 23-25.

About Northlands:  Northlands attracts and produces the biggest and best live entertainment and events Edmonton has ever seen. In fact, it’s what we do best. Nobody treats Edmonton to bigger sporting events, world-class entertainment and more spectacular celebrations. Our more than 2,500 events attract more than four million visitors to Edmonton every year while generating $1 billion in economic activity in Alberta. We reinvest our earnings back into the community and work hard to deliver the best in world-class entertainment that our guests have come to expect from us. We take great pride helping build our city and making Edmonton a great place to live and play. Visit www.northlands.com to find out more.

From Honda Indy Edmonton

Canadian Tire announces major sponsorship of Honda Indy Toronto

TORONTO, ON - Honda Indy Toronto welcomes an important new member to its growing list of official sponsors for the 2010 race: Canadian Tire. The announcement, which is part of a broad-reaching Canadian Tire motorsports program, marks the first time the general merchandise retail leader will sponsor the Toronto race. 

PHOTO: NASCAR Canadian Tire Series driver Scott Steckly (right) with his crew (back) and (l to r) Richard Coughlin (NASCAR Canada), Allan MacDonald (Sr. VP, Automotive Canadian Tire) and Charlie Johnstone (VP and GM Honda Indy Toronto) announce Canadian Tire's expanded involvement at the Honda Indy Toronto, the Honda Indy Edmonton and sponsorship of Canadian racing legend Ron Fellows in August's NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. (Photo: G. MacPherson / Inside Track Motorsport News)

“With Canadian Tire’s legacy of bringing the excitement of professional auto racing to Canadian fans, establishing a close partnership with Honda Indy Toronto makes perfect sense,” said Allan MacDonald, Senior Vice President, Automotive at Canadian Tire. “As Canada’s largest automotive retailer, with an unmatched assortment of auto parts and accessories, we are excited to join forces with one of North America’s best street races and Ontario’s largest annual sporting event.”

Canadian Tire will be sponsoring various onsite activities and programs. The company will have naming and branding rights to pit row and the support series paddock, and will provide apparel to more than 500 event volunteers through its Mark’s division. Canadian Tire will also add a touch of quality living to the corporate hospitality area at the race site through an outdoor lounge and green spaces at the hospitality suites. The retailer will also create a large interactive display in the popular Thunder Alley.

“Partnering with Canadian Tire has been among our primary aspirations since bringing the Indy back to Toronto,” said Charlie Johnstone, Vice President and General Manager, Honda Indy Toronto. “Their presence at this year’s race will have a direct impact on the experience our fans, visitors and other partners will enjoy at the track.”

To learn more about what’s happening track-side at the Honda Indy Toronto visit: www.hondaindytoronto.com.

About Canadian Tire Corporation Ltd.: Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited (TSX: CTC.a, CTC), is one of Canada’s most shopped general retailers with 480 Canadian Tire stores across the country. Our core retail and automotive operation is strengthened by PartSource, an automotive parts specialty chain; Canadian Tire Petroleum, one of the country’s largest independent retailers of gasoline; Mark’s “Clothes That Work,” a leading retailer of men’s, women’s and work apparel; and, Canadian Tire Financial Services, which has issued over five million Canadian Tire MasterCard credit cards. More than 58,000 Canadians work across Canadian Tire’s organization from coast-to-coast in the enterprise’s retail, financial services and petroleum businesses.

About Honda Indy Toronto: The Honda Indy Toronto, Ontario’s largest annual sporting event, takes place from July 16 to 18 on the streets surrounding Exhibition Place near Lake Ontario and downtown Toronto.  With more than two decades of open wheel racing history in Toronto, the Honda Indy Toronto is among the most respected motorsports events in North America and features a festival-like atmosphere that includes the fastest racing series on the planet, celebrity athletes and three action-packed days of live entertainment and interactive activities. For more information and to purchase tickets visit www.HondaIndyToronto.com  or call 877.503.6869.

From Honda Indy Toronto // Kathleen Stelmach // Torchia Comm.

Team AMR/Yokohama tops DMCC West drift opener

CALGARY (June 17, 2010) – Team AMR/Yokohama driver Mark Tschritter has drawn first blood in the Drift Mania Canadian Championship West with an inspired win here in the first DMCC West Pro Series round at RaceCity Motorsports Park. Tschritter, of Edmonton, qualified third for the pro division event with a single pass in his Nissan, then powered through eliminations to win his first event of 2010 and take an early lead in the five-round championship.

Tschritter faced Team AMR/Yokohama teammate Andrew Moschuk in the first round of eliminations, but a persistent clutch problem in Moschuk’s Nissan gave Tschritter the round and launched him toward the Pro Series finals. Both Team AMR/Yokohama cars run on Yokohama S.drive tires. The next round in the DMCC West schedule is slated for July 18, 2010, at Castrol Raceway in Edmonton.

Yokohama Tire (Canada) Inc. markets and distributes a full line of tires for high performance, passenger car, light truck, and commercial truck applications, as well as off-the-road tires for mining, forestry and construction applications. It maintains distribution centres across Canada to serve more than 700 independent tire dealers and more than 2,000 retail locations.

AWESOME RACEWEAR AND BEST WESTERN CAIRN CROFT PRESENT KIDS NIGHT AND AUTOGRAPH NIGHT AT OHSWEKEN

by Tommy Goudge (June 16, 2010) – The fourth round of Ohsweken Speedway’s Friday Night Thunder hits the track this Friday, June 18. This week’s event is Kids Night and Autograph Night presented by Awesome Racewear and Best Western Cairn Croft Hotel featuring the Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Cars, ESSO Thunder Stocks, ESSO Mini Stocks, and Bombers, plus SOLTRA Lawnmowers.

To celebrate Kids Night at the Speedway, the first one hundred kids (age twelve and under) through the gates on Friday with a paid adult will receive an Ohsweken Speedway aluminum water bottle. ALL kids at the track on Friday will receive an Ohsweken Speedway autograph card to use for collecting autographs in the on track session at intermission, plus a ticket for a draw for a boys bicycle and a girls bicycle!

One lucky Ohsweken Speedway Junior Fan Club member will have their picture taken on track with the winners of the ESSO Mini Stock, ESSO Thunder Stock, and Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Car heat races, and receive a special trophy, plus they'll be invited back out on the track during the Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Car feature winner celebration to have their photo taken in Engine Pro Racing Victory Lane!

Dave Dykstra continued his strong start to the season in the Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Car division last Friday by dominating the feature. The Port Colborne driver also won on opening night, and finished second on May 28. Kyle Moffit of South Dayton, NY trails Dykstra by twenty-seven points heading into this Friday’s event, while fellow New Yorker Jared Zimbardi sits third, followed by Alton’s Keith Dempster and Glenn Styres of Ohsweken.

Caledonia’s Lee Winger won the ESSO Thunder Stocks feature on Friday night, driving through the field twice to claim his first win of the season. Billy Bleich of Port Robinson retained the points lead however, after coming home second on Friday. Caledonia driver Ryan Dinning is second in the standings just nine markers back, followed by Winger, Hagersville’s Dave Bailey, and Cambridge driver Jamie Cox.

Craig Erskine of Brantford took his #48 ESSO Mini Stock to Engine Pro Racing Victory Lane on Friday night for the first time in over five years. Erskine held off brother-in-law Trevor Goulding for the win, but it’s Goulding who continues to lead the points standings. The Welland driver holds a seventeen point advantage over Brantford’s Kevin Hilborn, while Erskine sits third, followed by Mike Evers of Caledonia, and Waterford’s Mark Thorne.

Karl Sault got another Bomber division win on Friday after moving up from his fifth row starting spot. The Dundas driver extended his points lead to thirty-five markers over Hamilton’s John Cote. Kacey Huffman of Hamilton is in third, followed by Burlington’s Jeremy Hughes, and Dave Patton of Rockton.

The racers of the Southern Ontario Lawn Tractor Racing Association will be on hand this Friday night as well. One event has been held for the tour so far this year, which was claimed by 2009 champion Ron Clark. More information about SOLTRA is available at www.SOLTRA.ca.

Advanced reserved seat tickets for the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars July 30 and 31 at Ohsweken, and Canadian Sprint Car Nationals September 16, 17, and 18 at Ohsweken are on sale now! Please visit www.OhswekenSpeedway.com and call 1-888-720-RACE to order yours today!

Ohsweken Speedway's Friday Night Thunder returns this Friday, June 18 when Awesome Racewear and Best Western Cairn Croft Hotel present Kids Night and Autograph Night, featuring the Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Cars, ESSO Thunder Stocks, ESSO Mini-Stocks, and Bombers, plus SOLTRA Lawnmowers!

Awesome Racewear is a world-wide manufacturer of high quality American-made safety apparel, located in Conway, South Carolina. Awesome Racewear builds only the Best in the industry in Driving Suits and Sublimated Crew Shirts. For more information please visit www.AwesomeRacewear.com.

Located on Lundy’s Lane in Niagara Falls, the Best Western Cairn Croft Hotel is one of the city’s most popular courtyard-style hotels. The Cade-family owned facility is located just minutes from many of Niagara Falls’ most popular attractions. For more information, please visit www.CairnCroft.com.

Founded in 1997, Corr/Pak Merchandising Inc. is a designer and producer of Point of Purchase (POP) displays for retail. Strong emphasis on creative design and speed of response have seen Corr/Pak achieve great success in a very competitive industry. Their in-house capabilities and broad range of trusted suppliers enable them to develop any sort of effective solution for your retail display needs no matter the materials used, whether corrugated, wood, boxboard, plastic, wire or steel, or any combination of those. Please visit www.CorrPak.ca for more information on the title sponsor of Sprint Car racing at Ohsweken Speedway!

Friday Night Thunder at Ohsweken offers affordable exciting family entertainment just a short drive away from most Mid-Western Ontario locations. Friday Night Thunder Adult General Admission is $10, while Seniors and Students are $8 and Kids age twelve and under are FREE! Please visit www.OhswekenSpeedway.com for more information.

Spectator gates open @ 6:00p.m., with the first race taking the green flag at 7:45p.m. this Friday, June 18th!

DELAWARE SPEEDWAY: Two nights of racing at Delaware Speedway on Father's Day weekend!

DELAWARE, ON - This weekend Delaware Speedway hosts two nights of racing action with events sure to please every race fan – even Dad! Friday night begins with a NASCAR Late Model make-up race from a rain-out on June 4th.  The 35-lap feature will run at 8 pm and with another Late Model race later in the night, there’s potential for a lot of changes in the standings.

Following 10-lap heats for each division, Demar Aggregates Trucks will run a 25-lap feature.  Gary Adriaensen’s two wins this season have put him out front in points, followed by Jeff Showler and Michelle Korcina, whose #99 took a hard hit into the cement wall last weekend.

Another double winner in ’10, Steve Smith, leads the pack in Delaware Super Stocks, which will follow Trucks on Friday night. We’ll finish off the evening with a NASCAR Late Model race where – as it currently stands – defending champ Steve Robblee is 10 points ahead of Ron Sheridan.

Saturday night’s program, sponsored by Whitworth Towing, begins at 7 pm with 30-lap Transmission Direct Enduro heats, followed by the fun and unpredictability of the Ultimate Coating and Sandblasting Chaos Cars. 

The 150-lap Enduro race will follow.  David McCullough is our current Transmission Direct Enduro leader followed by Emmanuel Demelo and David’s brother Derek McCullough at third.

Fan gates open at 6 pm both nights.  Dad would love a hot dog so come hungry and plan to visit our concessions!

Check our news section at www.delawarespeedway.com for details on our upcoming special events including The Maple City 100 on June 25th and the Summer Showdown on July 7th featuring NASCAR’s Kyle Busch, David Reutimann and Regan Smith.

Contact: Joe Czernai, General Manager 519.851.5006 // Lisa Brandt, Publicity 226.448.7227
Public and Media Relations, Delaware Speedway www.delawarespeedway.com 

KAWARTHA SPEEDWAY: Chris Morrow Looks for an Early Season Double

FRASERVILLE, ON - Any racecar driver’s favourite thing is a little something called momentum.  Running well on a consistent basis not only feels good, it pays off when the points are tallied at the end of the season.  After picking-up the opening night NAPA Auto Parts Late Model feature win at Kawartha Speedway Friday, June 4th, Chris Morrow hopes he’ll continue to hold a hot hand when action resumes Friday night.  He knows he’ll face some tough competition when the track hosts the first of a pair of 100 lap invitational events for their headline division.

“Winning on the opening night of the season at any track is fun,” said Morrow.  “Claiming a checkered flag at Kawartha is never easy.  There is just so much top-shelf competition in their field on a regular basis.  Last year, I had a great night in one of the 100 lappers but my car developed mechanical issues on a restart with about 20 laps to go and it all went away.  Obviously, I’m hoping for much better luck this time around – but with an invitational event, you can never tell who might show-up.”

Heading into the season’s second night of action, 2 other drivers are also looking to keep their young win streaks alive.  Kelly Wood would love to pick-up back-to-back checkered flags in the Hasiuk Trailer and Container Rentals Mini Stock division, while Norm Mayhew hopes to go 2-for-2 in the Better Carpet Thunder Car main event.  Kawartha Speedway will also have a special attraction at Friday night’s show.  Thunder Dome Racing, a NASCAR Sprint Cup themed racing game will be on hand and give fans a chance to try their skills with the remote-controlled racers.

Gates open Friday at 3:00, with rotating on track practice for all divisions getting underway at 5:00.  The night’s first green flag flies at 7:00.  For complete schedule details, see www.kawarthaspeedway.com.

Photo attachment:  (Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications): Chris Morrow had some strong 2009 runs in Kawartha Speedway’s NAPA Auto Parts Late Model division. // Prepared by:  Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications

Grand-Am: AIM Autosport confident for Emco Gears Classic at Mid-Ohio

WOODBRIDGE, ON - Following a fantastic charge that saw the Pacific Mobile/Biosign No. 61 Ford Riley Daytona Prototype take 4th place at Watkins Glen—missing third by under half a second—AIM Autosport is confident heading to the Emco Gears Classic Presented by Keybank at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. AIM hopes to see its drivers on the podium this weekend, building not only on the recent result but also on the team’s history of being fast at Mid-Ohio.

With the car back at AIM’s headquarters for ten days between races, the crew has had ample time for thorough inspections and preparation following the 6-hour race at Watkins Glen. The transport rig left  for Lexington, Ohio, yesterday evening and the rest of the team is en route today.

The Pacific Mobile/Biosign car will first see the 2.258-mile-long track on Friday morning at 10:35am for a 90-minute practice session. 
Drivers Burt Frisselle and Mark Wilkins will hone their racing line around the 13-turn course and work with the crew to optimize the car. 
They will be back for a 30-minute practice session at 2:10pm before Burt takes qualifying duties in a 15-minute session at 5:00pm.

The team will begin Saturday with another 30-minute practice session at 8:40am and the Emco Gears Classic, a 2h 45m timed race, is scheduled to begin at 5:00pm.

AIM Autosport has enjoyed many successes at Mid-Ohio over the years, fielding primarily formula cars. In 2008, AIM’s Daytona Prototype scored what was at the time its best finish to date, qualifying 3rd and finishing 4th, halfway through its second season. Last year, the team was a little disappointed to finish 7th, but took solace from qualifying 3rd and leading 24 laps of the race.

“We always look forward to racing at Mid-Ohio because the track is very technical and challenges both the drivers and engineers,” said Ian Willis, team principal and Cheif Engineer of AIM’s Daytona Prototype program. “Mark has qualified well here in the past two years and this year he will drive the final stint so we look forward to a strong race. I have no doubt that Burt will deliver in qualifying as he did a great job at Watkins Glen.”

“I love Mid-Ohio. I’m really psyched,” enthused driver Burt Frisselle. 
“Last year we ran 1st or 2nd until we were caught out by a yellow, but this is our chance to run with the Ganassi car. I’m more confident here than at any other track.”

“We know we can race at the front this year and have to be perfect to find the top step of the podium.” said driver Mark Wilkins. “Mid Ohio has traditionally been a pretty strong track for us and I expect we will be right up front come race time on Saturday.”

The Emco Gears Classic is the 7th round of the 2010 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16. The Emco Gears Classic will begin at 5:00pm on Saturday, June 19. The race will be broadcast live on SPEED and MRN (Motor Racing Network) available via affiliates and the Sirius Satellite Network.

###

Pacific Mobile™: Pacific Mobile™ is a brand of products designed exclusively to support consumers looking for affordable and user-friendly mobile device accessories. Positioned as tech for the non-techie, Pacific Mobile™ products are ready to capture everything mobile from hands-free legislation to listening to music while staying in touch with your mobile communities. For more information login and join the brand on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube or visit the official Pacific Mobile™ website - www.gopacificmobile.com.

Biosign Technologies Inc.: Biosign provides biomedical systems. Key applications include intelligent systems for noninvasive monitoring of common health risks associated with blood pressure, glucose, and medication. The core technology combines measurement, analysis, and rapid knowledge formation to support health monitoring across global markets. The UFIT® medical device technology powers quality data collection and analytics for clinical diagnostics, self-care, wellness, disease state evaluation & management, and remote patient monitoring. For more information on Biosign please visit www.biosign.com.

AIM Autosport: Established in 1995, AIM Autosport’s mandate is to identify, train and manage emerging motorsport talent. AIM has provided many young drivers with a solid foundation on which to build a career in professional racing. The success of the AIM driver development programs has been achieved through the dedication of our employees and the ongoing support of our commercial and technical partners. Away from the track, AIM Autosport serves the needs of the racing community with a purpose- built preparation shop situated in the Toronto suburb of Woodbridge, Ontario. AIM fields the No. 61 Ford Riley with drivers Mark Wilkins and Burt Frisselle in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series. The team also competes in the Star Madza Championship presented by Goodyear and the Cooper Tires presents the USF2000 Series powered by Mazda. Both series are an integral part of the new Road to Indy driver development series. AIM won the 2008 Star Mazda Championship with driver John Edwards.

From Mark Jackson // media@aimautosport.com

PHOTOS: WoO Late Models at Can-Am Speedway (June 15,2010) by www.rickattheraces.com

Photos from the June 15, 2010 World of Outlaws Late Model race at Can-Am
Speedway, from Rick Young, www.rickattheraces.com.
Thanks Rick!

SOS: Dempster leadds Southern Ontario Sprints back to Brighton Saturday night

BRIGHTON, ON - This Saturday night, the Southern Ontario Sprints tour will return to familiar territory when Brighton Speedway hosts the tour for the second round of the SOS season!  The season opener at Brighton on May 22nd, featured a thrilling finish as Keith Dempster beat 2009 SOS Rookie of the Year Tyler Rand to the finish line by mere inches.  The win was Dempster's eighth at the Rinaldi-family owned one-third mile clay oval.

Dempster's win propelled him to the early season points lead, while Rand is second, followed by Adam West, Bob Crawford, and 2010 Rookie of the Year candidate Jim Munsie.  Always a fan favourite at Brighton, Joyceville’s Rick Wilson will try to add to his stellar record at the Northumberland County track this weekend. In thirty-eight career Sprint Car events at Brighton, “The Joyceville Jet” has claimed thirteen feature victories to lead the way in that category, along with a dozen runner-up finishes.

Glenn Styres looked to be in command of the season opener until fuel pump problems forced the "Ohsweken Flyer" to the sidelines.  Styres has claimed ten career victories at Brighton and is sure to contend for the win again this weekend.

Other active drivers with feature wins at Brighton include Warren Mahoney (3), Kyle Wilson (3), Adam West (2), Kevin Job (1), and Dick Mahoney (1).

Others expected in competition on Saturday night and looking to add their names to Brighton’s sprint car win list include; Chris Jones, April Wilson, Kyle Fraser, Travis Cunningham, Doug Banks, Frank Baranowski, Paul Pekkonen, and 2010 Rookie of the Year candidates Brad Lodge, and Erin Joyce.

Don’t miss the second event of the SOS racing season on Saturday, June 19th! Vanderlaan's Building Supplies presents the evening’s activities,featuring the Southern Ontario Sprints, along with Brighton’s popular DIRTCar Pro Late Models, Canadian Modifieds, Pro Stocks, and Comp 4’s.

Please visit www.SouthernOntarioSprints.com for more news and information about the Southern Ontario Sprints!

TOP 5 IN POINTS AFTER ROUND #1
Rank. Number Name Total
1. 5 Keith Dempster - 171
2. 84 Tyler Rand - 164
3. 30 Adam West - 159
4. 10 Bob Crawford - 156
5. 9 Jim Munsie (R) - 146

By Tommy Goudge

DURABOND / COMPASS360 RACING TAKE DOUBLE-PODIUM AT MOSPORT

(Bowmanville, ON) -- Durabond / Compass360 Racing came into the second round of the Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship with driver Anthony Rapone in the points lead, and their goal was to have him finish up front to keep ahead, and to see team-mates Andrew Danyliw and Karl Thomson move towards the front of the driver's standings.

By all accounts, it was a successful weekend. Thomson, in his #71 Honda managed to out-qualify Rapone in #72 by just a few hundreths of a second, but the team was disappointed in their fourth and fifth-place positions. Thomson managed a blazing start in the wet conditions, quickly getting into third place and overtaking some of the faster Super Touring cars as well. Rapone, meanwhile, battled a few places back, with Danyliw close behind him.

Lap times tumbled as the weather cleared and a dry line began to form. Thomson went wide in corner two, allowing Rapone and some other competitors through, dropping to sixth. By race's end, Rapone was third, Thomson fourth, and Danyliw a frustrated 13th after a lack of ABS resulted in a few off-track excursions.

Sunday proved to be dry and race two was run under wonderful sunny skies. Rapone and Thomson steadily moved to the front and by mid-race were running one-two, with Nigel Heron (Acura Integra), Tom Kwok (Civic) and Michel Sallenbach (Mini) in close pursuit. Danyliw, with his ABS now working, had spirited battles as well, most specifically with Alain Lauziere in his Mini.

Having won the season-opening weekend in May, Rapone was awarded 50 additional pounds of weight, and it began to take its toll on his tires, allowing Thomson and Kwok past in the closing stages of the race. Rapone held on for third, while Thomson brought his Honda across the finish line in first place, marking his first series win.

"That was a great battle right through the whole race," enthused Thomson. "I always say this is a team sport and I've got to say the Durabond / Compass360 Racing guys gave me an absolutely perfect car today. I'm thrilled with the win and it's also a great day for the Team Championship and for Anthony in Driver's."

"We know our cars are good at Mosport," noted Rapone. "But now we go to Montreal where the Mini is usually best, so it was important to do well today. The new VW (GTI) is going to be really strong as well so we have our work cut out for us.

Danyliw, meanwhile, brough his car up to sixth for his best result of the year. "I'm still getting used to how the Honda behaves on track, and getting the ABS for Sunday's race really made a huge difference," he said. "Hats off to the crew for such a great job. I'm looking forward to my next race!"

Rapone leads the championship 470-434 over P.J. Groenke. Thomson is fourth with 409 points and Danyliw is sixth on 343. With a perfect weekend scoring 244 points, the championship is still anyone's game...

The next CCTCC event is at iCar in Montreal on July 3rd and 4th. Race recap video of the first races will be available at http://touringcar.ca.

---------Compass360 Racing (C360R) is the motorsports division of Compass360 Branding Communications, a firm offering marketing expertise to clients in diverse industries across North America. The team, with support from Honda of America, fields four front-running Honda Civic Si's in Grand-Am's Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, and won series Championships in 2009, 2007 and 2006. The 2010 season marks a return to the Canadian Touring car series in which the team got its start. For details visit http://C360R.com.

Durabond Racing is the motorsports arm of Durabond Products Ltd, an EIFS, Architectural Coatings and Restoration products manufacturing company with offices in Toronto, Edmonton and operations Internationally. Since Durabond Racing’s debut with Honda in 2007 Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship season, its cars and drivers have always front-runners including a podium sweep at the Grand Prix of Trois Riviers in 2008. The team were CCTCC Champions in 2008 and took second place in 2007 and 2009. For details visit www.durabondracing.com.

MOSPORT SPEEDWAY: Lucky fan to win dirtbike at double-feature event on Saturday

BOWMANVILLE, ON - With the weather cancelling last Saturday nights feature race, the Lucas Oil Sportsman Cup will be paired with this week's special, Daymak of Ajax Ontario Legends for an action-packed night of nose-to-tail racing.

The Lucas Oil Sportsman's Cup is a 100-lap feature race featuring title hopefuls.  With two-time winner Steve Robblee stepping away from the series this year, the chase for the championship is wide-open.  This will be the Sportsman's first of two Mosport visits this season.

The Ontario Legends, on this night being presented by Daymak of Ajax, will be making their second of three appearances on Canada's fastest half-mile paved oval.  Legends Cars are 5/8 scale versions of 1930's & 1940's Chevrolet, Ford and Dodge coupes and sedans, powered by a 1.2 liter (75 cubic inch) engine.  This makes them capable of reaching speeds in excess of 200 km/h.  Legends cars are raced at over 200 tracks and speedways across Canada and the United States making them one of the fastest growing classes in automobile racing today.  Some of the top drivers from NASCAR have and still do, race in Legends cars.

Daymak will also be giving away a Daymak 125 CC dirt bike valued at $950. A draw of admissions tickets will determine the winner, giving everyone a chance to win.

This Saturday, June 19, Great Blue Heron Charity Casino will be the night's Corporate Sponsor.  The Casino is located at 21777 Island Road in Port Perry.  They are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

All three of Mosport's home divisions will be in action, the THORSONS EVT 6 or Less, Bob's Towing Sportsman and the R.P. Oil Ltd. Late models.  As with every Saturday night this summer, the Old Dutch Crunch King of the Hill race for spectators will round out a fun-filled evening.

Admission for adults is just $13 and as always, children 12 and under are free with a paid adult admission.  For more information and to get your tickets call (905) 983-9141 or visit www.mosport.com.

From Ryan Chalmers, Mosport

Engine troubles limit McColm to 21st place finish at Mosport

June 14, 2010, BOWMANVILLE, ON – Ignition problems cost Joey McColm a decent finish in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race at Mosport International Raceway Sunday. The UltimateDrivers.ca-sponsored Dodge had a faulty ignition wire slow the car early in the race, and McColm couldn't overcome the time lost in the pits.
"My Ultimate Drivers crew did a great job identifying the problem," said the Ajax, Ontario, native. "Even though we lost spots in the pits we were able to gain five positions because they got the problem fixed.
"Without a great crew we would have finished dead last."
McColm managed a 21st place finish 13 laps behind the leaders. Despite the setback McColm had plenty to be proud of on Sunday.
"These are the best racers in Canada," said McColm. "The top three drivers should be congratulated. JR Fitzpatrick, Andrew Ranger, and Jason Bowles were fast today.
"I'm excited about the speed we found in the race. Once the ignition problem was fixed we turned lap times comparable to drivers in the top 10. Our road course program is really stepping up."
McColm will race next when the NASCAR Canadaian Tire Series visits Autodrome St. Eustache on Saturday, July 3rd. He needs his luck to change.
"We had a great run going in the season opener at Delaware Speedway," he said. "We lost a top five spot crashing on the last lap. If we can find some good fortune I think we can finish consistently in the top 10."
For more information on Joey McColm visit www.cm2c.ca.

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Star Mazda drivers head for second annual 'Pizza Ranch 100' at Iowa Speedway with championship leader Conor Daly looking to make it four in a row

Iowa Speedway / Newton, Iowa – The rising open-wheel stars of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear head for Round 5 of the 13-race 2010 season at the 7/8ths-mile Iowa Speedway tri-oval this weekend. This is the second of two oval races during the season, and represents a graduation to the next level of oval education for this strong field of top young racers from around the world.

Having distinguished themselves with a clean, exciting 115-lap race during the 'Night Before the 500' at the .626-mile O'Reilly Raceway Park on May 29, during the course of which they were turning laps in the 120 mph range, drivers will now be averaging 145 mph in 100-laps of wheel-to-wheel competition in the second annual Star Mazda Pizza Ranch 100 on Saturday, June 19. IndyCar drivers who graduated from the Star Mazda Championship include Marco Andretti, Graham Rahal and Raphael Matos.

The field is expected to take the flag at 7:15 pm for a 45-minute race that is part of the 'Road to Indy' activities (including the USF2000 and Indy Lights races) leading up to the IndyCar Iowa Corn 250 on Sunday. On-track action for all three Road to Indy series will be broadcast live via streaming video available at both www.IndyCar.com and www.StarMazda.com.

Currently leading the Star Mazda Championship having won the last three races in a row is Conor Daly, driver of the #22 Juncos Racing / INDECK / The College Network / Merchant Services Ltd. Mazda. Daly, who graduated from his Indianapolis high school on May 14, is the son of Formula One and Indy Car racing legend Derek Daly (now a noted motorsports broadcaster). This is his second year of Star Mazda Championship competition and he finished 2nd in this race last year after qualifying 8th.

Of the drivers in the field for this event, five also competed here in 2009 when the Star Mazda Championship cars shared the stage with the ARCA RE/MAX cars at the Prairie Meadows 200 on July 10. They include Canadian David Ostella (#16) who started 5th and finished 3rd; Texan Rusty Mitchell (#66) who qualified 6th and finished 4th; Norwegian racer Anders 'The Viking' Krohn (#47) who qualified 9th and finished 6th; Brazilian Caio Lara (#19) who qualified 17th and finished 9th and Venezuelan Jorge Goncalvez (#9) who started 14th and finished 21st.
Rookies who bear watching on the strength of their performance at O'Reilly Raceway Park include Canadian Mikael Grenier (#17) who qualified on the pole and finished 2nd, Brazilian Joao Victor Horto (#18) who finished 3rd, Frenchman Tristan Vautier (#38) who crossed the line in 6th place and Californian Connor De Phillippi, the current MAZDASPEED Motorsports Driver Development Ladder scholarship winner. He was the 2009 Skip Barber Pro Series champion and is one of three open-wheel 'ladder series' champions in the field, including Chris Miller (#85) the 2009 Formula 2000 champion, and Carlos Linares (#20) the Venezuelan Formula 1600 champion.

Star Mazda drivers also benefit from two of the most unique driver development programs in racing today, the Indy Racing League's 'Road to Indy' and the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Driver Development Ladder. The Road to Indy provides a clearly-defined path for drivers whose ambition it is to race in IndyCars and the Indy 500: the Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda; the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear and the Firestone Indy Lights Championship. The MAZDASPEED Ladder provides funding for series champions to move up to a funded ride; the winner of a 'shootout' among top kart racers moves up to Skip Barber; the Skip Barber Pro Series champion moves up to USF2000; the USF2000 champion moves up to Star Mazda; and the Star Mazda Champion moves up to the next Mazda-powered step up the ladder. 2008 and 2009 Star Mazda champions John Edwards and Adam Christodoulou are co-driving a Mazda-backed Mazda RX-8 in the Grand-Am GT class, scoring their first win at Lime Rock on Memorial Day.

“Pizza Ranch is excited to continue our sponsorship of the Pizza Ranch 100 Star Mazda Series. We are looking forward to another exciting night of racing action at Iowa Speedway,” says Gwen Lahrs, Senior Advertising and Marketing Manager. Pizza Ranch dignitaries on hand for the event will include Adrie Groeneweg, President and Co-founder Pizza Ranch, Honorary Starter Chad Ver Steeg, Owner/Operator of the Pella & Carroll Pizza Ranches and Grand Marshall James Buwalda, Owner/Operator of the Harlan Pizza Ranch. Riding in the pace car will be Rob & Carla Shultz, Owner/Operators of the Jefferson Pizza Ranch and presenting trophies on the podium will be Adrie Groeneweg and Troy Knight.

Saturday holds non-stop racing action with practice runs and races throughout the day. Parking lots for the event will open at noon, with spectator gates opening at 1:00 PM. The Star Mazda Race will take place at 7:150 PM.

About Pizza Ranch
Pizza Ranch has 148 franchisees in Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Michigan and Illinois. The chain was founded in 1981 in Hull, Iowa and since has grown to its current size while still focusing its brand around “providing a business ministry opportunity where our guests receive a legendary experience through quality food and service.” More information about Pizza Ranch can be found at www.pizzaranch.com.

About Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear
For 2010, the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear will feature an 11-weekend, 13-race schedule, most on major race weekends with American Le Mans and the Indy Racing League. Rising stars from around the world will compete for prizes valued at $1.5 million and benefit from two driver development programs, including the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Driver Development Ladder and the Indy Racing League's 'Road to Indy' program. Series alumni include Indy Car stars Marco Andretti, Graham Rahal and Raphael Matos, rising NASCAR drivers Michael McDowell, Scott Speed and Colin Braun and prototype racers Dane Cameron and Guy Cosmo. 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 more information on the Star Mazda Championship please visit www.starmazda.com. Selected Star Mazda Championship races are broadcast on HDnet and syndicated through a variety of international, national and regional networks. Information on the TV schedule can be found at www.MazdaRacing.tv. Additional information, including search links and affiliates, can be found at the 'TV Information' link on the Series web site.

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.

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.usf2000.com www.skipbarber.com www.mx-5cup.com

Seibert fails to finish NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Mosport race; Overheating engine ends Seibert's day early

June 13, 2010, WILLIAMS LAKE, BC– An overheating engine forced Trevor Seibert to retire early from the Vortex Brake Pads 200 at Mosport International Raceway near Toronto on Sunday. The veteran racer from Williams Lake, British Columbia, hoped his off-season switch from Ford to Dodge would bring new luck. While engine troubles relegated him to a 20th place finish the weekend still offered hope that his Avion Motorsports entry is on the right track.
"We made alot of progress in our Lake Excavating Clean Werx Dodge from the time we unloaded for practice until raceday," said Seibert. "The Dodge engine that Ron Beauchamp built definitely puts us in contention with the other teams, and we're working hard to get our chassis set-up where it needs to be."
Seibert isn't entirely concerned with this weekend's misfortune. The veteran is a notoriously slow starter, and Mosport International Raceway is rarely kind to him. After close inspection a pinhole in a radiator hose caused the coolant to evacuate and the engine to overheat.
"I'm not sure why, but Mosport has never been a good track for us," said Seibert. "The engine Beauchamp provided us was great. The hole in the rad hose was just a freak thing.
"I'm confident we'll be very competitive at Toronto, and the remaining road courses suit my driving style well."
In addition to the manufacturer switch Seibert added two-time and defending championship winning crew chief Bill Burns to his Avion Motorsports team as an engineer. Burns worked closely with team crew chief Dave Bruin to improve the handling on Seibert's car.
"We're going to be a team to contend with after a race or two," said Seibert. "We have too many quality components here to do anything but succeed."
Seibert's next outing with the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series is scheduled for July 17th when the series visits Toronto. The Canadian Tire Series is making its debut on Toronto's popular lakeside course. For more information on the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series visit http://hometracks.nascar.com/series/6 . Avion Motorsport's new online home is coming soon.

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Lapcevich overcomes suspension failure to finish seventh at Mosport

June 13, 2010, BOWMANVILLE, ON – Jeff Lapcevich is disappointed with his seventh place finish at Mosport. That's a great sign for Fastline Motorsports.
The Grimsby, Ontario, racer posted the fastest lap in Sunday's NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race, but a broken suspension component relegated the Tim Hortons-sponsored Chevrolet to a seventh place result.
"Seventh isn't a bad result, but I feel like we had a shot at winning," said Lapcevich. "The car was so fast early in the race, but we had an upper control arm come loose on the left front, and the car became a real handful to drive."
Once a dominant force on road courses Lapcevich showed signs of his former brilliance this weekend. He posted the third fastest time in practice on Saturday, but slower traffic in qualifying left him seventh on the grid to start Sunday's Vortex Brake Pads 200.
Lapcevich charged towards the front early, but an untimely caution period closed the pit area just as he was to stop for fuel. Forced to pit twice under yellow for service, Lapcevich restarted outside of the top 12, but he again charged through the pack.
By the midway point of the race Lapcevich neared the top five, but he started to lose the handle on his race car. DJ Kennington passed Lapcevich for sixth with less than two turns remaining. The Tim Hortons Chevrolet had a big enough gap on the eighth place car to maintain the position with a failing suspension.
"It feels great to be as competitive as we are," said Lapcevich. "But it would feel even better to get back to victory lane. I think we're close to where we need to be with the team, and our next races are events where we run well."
Lapcevich's next outing is NASCAR's debut on the streets of Toronto on July 17th. The popular lakeside course is one where Lapcevich earned great results with the CASCAR Super Series.
"We're looking for a win at Toronto," said Lapcevich. "We know the car is capable, and it would be great to have success so close to home."
For more information on the Fastlline Motorsports team and Jeff Lapcevich visit http://www.lapcevichracing.com/. The head shot of Jeff Lapcevich was provided by Dale Calnan/ ImageFactor.ca .

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