This is a 183 picture album of NASCAR Sprint Cup Final Practice held Saturday September 20th at Loudon, NH's New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Pictures courtesy of Chantal Roy of http://oval-racing.blogspot.com

PHOTO ALBUM: NHMS - NASCAR SPRINT CUP FINAL PRACTICE

This is a 183 photo album of Final Sprint Cup Practice at Loudon, NH's New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Pictures courtesy of Chantal and M.P. Roy of http://oval-racing.blogspot.com

PHOTO ALBUM: ACT Invitational final practice

This is a photo album of ACT Tour cars at Loudon, NH's New Hampshire Motorspeedway. These pictures were taken by Chantal Roy during Final Practice, on Saturday at 08h00am.

Feature race will be held on Saturday at 17h00 today, after the modified and truck races. More pictures will be posted when available.

You can see more of Chantal's work on Marc Patrick Roy's blog at http://oval-racing.blogspot.com

15 Year Old Clare Partners With Consumers Tire - Yokohama for OFFC Debut

Courtesy BGR Team Grote

Markham ON based, Consumer Tire - Yokohama have joined forces with BGR Team Grote Racing Junior Development Driver, Mackenzie Clare for the remainder of 2010 and are currently in talks for a full season sponsorship in 2011.

The fifteen year old Clare, a native of Barrie Ont, will make Canadian Motorsports history on October 2, 2010 at Mosport International Raceway by becoming the youngest driver to ever race in the Ontario Formula Ford Championship (OFFC) Series.

The OFFC was recently ranked second most competitive Formula Ford series in the world by E-Formula car news and played an integral role in launching the careers of open-wheel drivers such as Paul Tracey, Scott Goodyear, the late Greg Moore and current Indy Car driver Alex Tagliani.

“I’m very happy to have Consumers Tire - Yokohama as a partner for my debut in the OFFC. They are a great company to be involved with.” said Clare.

Consumers Tire - Yokohama is a family-owned business serving Toronto and the GTA for the past twenty years. They are a dynamic young company with locations in Mississauga, Toronto, Markham and Whitby.

Related links:

http://www.consumerstire.com

http://www.briangrahamracing.com

http://www.grote.com

http://www.mackenzieclare.com

Mosport: BEMC Indian Summer Trophy Races this weekend

On Track This Weekend At Mosport – The BEMC 56th Annual Indian Summer Trophy Races

How’s this for a list of past winners: Allen Berg, Francis Bradley, John Cannon, Mo Carter, Yvon Duhamel Ludwig Heimrath Sr. (four times!), Gary Magwood and Peter Ryan.  No it’s not the Player’s 200, the Pepsi Canadian Grand Prix or some other major event weekend from Mosport’s past.  These drivers have all topped the podium at the  BEMC Indian Summer Trophy Races. 

Duhamel won a motorcycle in 1967. From 1955 to ’71 they raced cars and bikes together on the same weekend.

This weekend at Mosport,  the British Empire Motor Club (BEMC) and the Canadian Automobile Sport Clubs (CASC) are presenting the 56th Annual Indian Summer Trophy Races (Sept. 18-19).

The event features the three-hour War Bonnet Enduro on Saturday afternoon along with races in GT: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, Formula Ford and Formula Libre.  Cars will be on track both Saturday and Sunday at 9 am. Tickets are $15 and available at the gate.

From Ryan Chalmers / www.mosport.com

Ohsweken: WHO's WHO of the Canadian Sprint Car Nationals

By Tommy Goudge (September 16, 2010) – The much-anticipated Sixth Annual Arrow Express Canadian Sprint Car Nationals take centre stage at Ohsweken Speedway starting Friday night and finishing up on Saturday. With seventy or more of the best Sprint Car teams in North America expected to compete for the top prize of $10,000 from the $70,000 purse, it’s not easy to pick who will make the feature field on Saturday night, let alone who might win it.  That said, I’ll still give it my best shot and try to outline some of the names I think you’ll hear when it’s time to introduce the thirty starters of the Canadian Sprint Car Nationals A-Feature on Saturday, September 18.

FAVOURITES:

#2m Dustin Daggett (Grand Ledge, Michigan).
Daggett is one of two drivers who have qualified for all five previous Nationals features.  He won both 360 Sprint Car events that he competed in at Ohsweken this season, including the Northern Summer Nationals on July 2, running his career total at the Speedway to eight.  The twenty-seven year old took over the all-time lead in ASCS Sprints on Dirt series wins this year, and has thirteen total feature wins in 2010 after claiming the King of Michigan event last Friday.

#3gx Shane Stewart (Brownsburg, Indiana).
The identity of Joe Gaerte and Tim Norman’s drivers for the Nationals this year isn’t a mystery.  The Oklahoma-born driver’s involvement with the team was kept a secret before last year’s event, until Stewart arrived and nearly swept the entire weekend on his way to the nine thousand dollar feature win.    Stewart went on to claim the ASCS National Tour championship following his Nationals win, and has had a strong 2010 season, including a preliminary feature win at the Knoxville Nationals.

#14 Jessica Zemken (Sprakers, New York).
“JZ” was running third in the feature last year when a flat tire derailed her effort.  This year the twenty-four year old is a member of Tony Stewart’s team, and now she has four-time Ohsweken feature winner Mike Woodring as crew chief.  Woodring was also the winning car owner and crew chief in the 2005 Canadian Sprint Car Nationals with driver Kenny Jacobs.  Jessica has five Empire Super Sprints feature wins this year.

#28fm Steve Poirier (Saint-Mathieu-de-Beloeil, Quebec).
The two-time Canadian Sprint Car Nationals champion had a rocky start to this season, but a win at Ohsweken on July 16 helped to turn his season around.  Poirier has claimed four more wins since then and leads the Empire Super Sprints standings heading into the weekend as he tries to lock up a third ESS title.

#32 Justin Barger (Montrose, New York).
Barger sits second in Empire Super Sprints points heading into Nationals weekend.  Justin took home his fourth feature win of the year and five thousand dollars by claiming Black Rock Speedway’s Fall Nationals on Saturday night.  Barger’s best shot at a Canadian Nationals feature win came in 2006 when he took the lead for four laps in the middle portion of the race before getting caught up in a spectacular crash with Rick Wilson.

#39c Jason Solwold (Burlington, Washington).
Solwold is a former World of Outlaws series regular who will be making his first Nationals start this week.  Solwold is no stranger to racing in Canada and swept both nights of the Gold Cup at Castrol Raceway in Edmonton in July driving the same Richard Samure-owned machine.  Paul McMahan drove the #39c to third place in last year's Canadian Sprint Car Nationals.  Jason has one career start at Ohsweken, which came with the World of Outlaws in 2007.

#45 Chuck Hebing (Ontario, New York).
“The Cobra” has been a bit quiet this season, but his performance in last year’s Nationals feature cannot be ignored.  Hebing started eleventh and finished second last year, and said afterward he would like to have a few more laps.  His wish was granted as the Nationals feature has been extended to thirty-five laps this year.  Hebing sits fifth in Empire Super Sprints points with four feature wins heading into this weekend.

#51 Bryan Howland (Auburn, New York).
Howland just needs to show up to the last few races of the season, including the Nationals, to lock up his fourth ASCS Patriots tour championship.  Bryan has four feature wins this season to run his career total to twenty, including two at Ohsweken.  He’d like to change his luck in the Nationals though, as he’s had just one top five in five tries.  Last year Howland had to weave through the pack in the Little Feature just to get into the show, then charged from twenty-eighth to finish eleventh.

#77x Randy Hannagan (San Jose, California).
“The Hurricane” is well-known in the Sprint Car world, but he’s making his first Nationals appearance this weekend.  Hannagan, a Nor-Cal racer who now lives in Indiana, will be back behind the wheel of Miles Hill’s machine after driving it in World of Outlaws events last month.  Randy would love to add a Canadian Nationals title to his resume, which already includes the 1995 World of Outlaws Rookie of the Year award, and triumphs in the Dirt Cup, King of California series, and Western Australia Speedweek.

CONTENDERS:

#0 Glenn Styres (Ohsweken, Ontario).
“The Ohsweken Flyer” owns and promotes the Ohsweken Speedway and sits atop the all-time feature win list.  Glenn won two features at Ohsweken this year to run his total to eleven, and claimed an unprecedented fourth career Southern Ontario Sprints championship.  His best Nationals finish is fifteenth though, a number he’d like to improve upon.  Last year Glenn was the fastest driver in qualifying, the first Canadian to do that at the Nationals.

#3g Darren Long (Elida, Ohio).
Darren's luck hasn't been great at Ohsweken, especially in the Nationals, but he's driving for last year's winning team with last year's winner as a teammate.  Darren has two feature wins with the ASCS Sprints on Dirt series this year, and has spent the season on the road with the ultra-tough ASCS National Tour.

#5d Dave Dykstra (Port Colborne, Ontario).
Dykstra finished his third season driving a Sprint Car by claiming the Corr/Pak Merchandising title at Ohsweken on the strength of two feature wins.  Dykstra's title will be official when he competes this weekend, and his large group of supporters will be up in the stands cheering.  Dave and the team head into this weekend much better prepared than they were last year when two big crashes at the end of the season put them behind the eight ball.

#7 Kyle Moffit (South Dayton, New York).
Kyle was in the fight for the Corr/Pak Merchandising title for much of the season and ended up third in the standings.  The twenty-two year old got two feature wins at Ohsweken this year, and his name has come up among fans and media alike when talk of who will do well in the Nationals comes up.

#12c Tom Huppunen (Fenwick, Ontario).
The 2009 Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Car champion at Ohsweken has not had the best of seasons in 2010, though he did get one feature win.  Crashes and other issues cost him any real chance at the title, and a hard flip in August nearly put the team out for the season.  “The Fenwick Flyer” and car owner Fred Cade have decided to go different ways next season, and both would like nothing more than to finish their two-year tenure on a high note.

#21k Lou Kennedy, Jr. (Winnipeg, Manitoba).
Lou and son Thomas became the first drivers from Manitoba to compete at Ohsweken last year.  Neither made the feature, but both have some experience at the track under their belts now and enter the weekend better prepared than last year.  The veteran driver has three feature wins this year and is likely to greatly improve on last year's showing.

#35 Jared Zimbardi (Salamanca, New York).
“The Juice” will be racing with a broken nose this weekend suffered at Black Rock Speedway last Saturday night.  Jared finished eleventh in the Corr/Pak Merchandising standings despite missing some races, and also won a Corr/Pak feature in August.  He’s also second in the ASCS Patriots standings and claimed a win with that tour at Brockville in June.

#87 Jason Barney (Constantia, New York).
Jason and the Walton team have two runner-up finishes and a sixth place in four tries at the Nationals.  Their most impressive performance may have come last year when Barney charged from the B-Main to get that sixth place in the feature.  Jason has three top fives and six top tens in limited action with the Empire Super Sprints tour this year.

DARKHORSES:

#3w Ryan Grubaugh (St. Johns, Michigan).
Ryan is always fast at Ohsweken, and has a third place finish in the 2006 Nationals on his resume.  This year he's joined forces with owner Jim Wohlfiel, and he sits atop the ASCS Sprints on Dirt points standings.  He has yet to claim a feature win this year, but is consistently in the top five and got a third place in the Northern Summer Nationals at Ohsweken.

#6n Dain Naida (Tecumseh, Michigan).
Naida has been a semi-regular at Ohsweken this year, and got a feature win at the track on his birthday in June.  Dain calls the Nationals the “best sprint car race of the season”, and looks forward to the big event each year.  His best career Nationals finish was a fifth in 2007, and he got ninth last year.  Dain has two ASCS Sprints on Dirt feature wins this year to go with his Corr/Pak Merchandising triumph at Ohsweken.

#9 Bobby Breen (Savannah, New York).
Bobby and Dustin Daggett are the only two drivers to have qualified for every Canadian Sprint Car Nationals feature in the five year history of the event.  He got a feature win last Friday night at Black Rock Speedway, and a top five in Ohsweken's Northern Summer Nationals in July.

#21x Kevin Job (Campbellville, Ontario).
Kevin is one of the most consistent drivers at Ohsweken, and finished second in the Corr/Pak Merchandising standings for the second year in a row.  He also claimed the Southern Ontario Sprints tour finale at Merrittville Speedway last Friday to continue his streak of years with at least one feature win to five in a row.  Kevin still has the distinction of recording the highest finish for an Ontario driver in the Nationals – a third place in 2007.

#49t Gregg Dalman (Bellevue, Michigan).
“The Greatest Party on Dirt” brings his fun-loving attitude back to Ohsweken this weekend, but he'll have his game face on when the green flag drops.  He's finished on the podium in each of his last three ASCS Sprints on Dirt tour races, including an August 18 win at Owendale, Michigan.  Dalman and Ryan Grubaugh are locked in a fight for the Sprints on Dirt title which go down to the last race at I-96  Speedway on September 25.

#42w Rick Wilson (Joyceville, Ontario).
“The Joyceville Jet” has struggled to get to victory lane over the last couple of years, but the fan favourite from Eastern Ontario has seven career wins at Ohsweken.  He got a feature win at Brighton Speedway in August, and said at the time that he's learned a few more setup tricks from running selected World of Outlaws and All Star series events.

#71 Travis Cunningham (Grimsby, Ontario).
The '09 rookie of the year at Ohsweken missed the first few races of this season due to engine problems, but made up for lost time with a string of podium finishes all over the province over the last month of the season.  He also finished second in the Northern Summer Nationals at Ohsweken in July, and managed to finish tenth in the Corr/Pak standings despite missing races.  He's also laid down some of the fastest laps of the year at the track and could be near the top in time trials.

SURPRISES:

#7x Mike Ling (Mount Brydges, Ontario).
Ling has not had the season he envisioned in his return to the dirt track ranks.  Two blown engines on opening night, a huge crash in early June, and other issues resulted in a sixteenth place finish in the Corr/Pak Merchandising points.  Ling has won two features on pavement this year though, and has been close to the top of the speed charts  all year at Ohsweken.

#11 Chris Jones (Demorestville, Ontario).
Jones is another consistent driver who performs well no matter where he's racing or which series he's competing with.  He got his first two career feature wins this year in Southern Ontario Sprints competition at Brighton Speedway.

#12 Tim Kelly (Rock Stream, New York).
Tim may have been one of the biggest surprises of last year's Nationals, as he led the first six laps of the feature before eventually fading to seventh.  Tim has had a consistent season and sits third in ASCS Patriot tour points.  He broke a seven year winless drought with a triumph at Eriez Speedway on September 5.

#33k Kyle Patrick (Tilbury, Ontario).
“The Tilbury Tornado” took a year off from driving but returned for a full season at Ohsweken this year, taking eighth in the championship chase.  Patrick was one of the fastest cars at the track over the last two weeks of the season, and has a Twin 15 win in the 2006 Night Before the Nationals to his credit. He will be on board a Ron Hammonds owned machine for the Nationals and should emerge as a legitimate contender.

#84 Tyler Rand (Consecon, Ontario).
The 2009 Southern Ontario Sprints rookie of the year had several good showings this year, and almost got his first ever feature win at Brighton in May.  Rand ended up third in the SOS tour standings, and also made stops at Ohsweken, in New York, and Quebec.

Please visit www.OhswekenSpeedway.com for more information on the Sixth Annual Arrow Express Canadian Sprint Car Nationals, which begin Friday night, September 17. 

Friday's Night Before the Nationals has a full slate of racing, with Twin 15 lap features for Sprint Cars, the Village Pizza Ohsweken Shootout, and Dave McLeod Memorial Mr. Sprint Car Challenge, plus ESSO Mini Stocks and Bombers.

The weekend finishes with the big $10,000-to-win Arrow Express Canadian Sprint Car Nationals on Saturday night, September 18! 

Ticket information, gate times, special Nationals coverage including the official entry list, past results and much more is all available on www.OhswekenSpeedway.com.

THURSDAY NIGHT AT OHSWEKEN CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER; NATIONALS WEEKEND STILL ON

by Tommy Goudge (September 16, 2010) – Mother Nature didn’t appreciate “Fan Appreciation Night” at Ohsweken Speedway apparently. Heavy rain and forecasts for more have forced the cancellation of Thursday night’s events at Ohsweken Speedway. Thursday’s activities will not be rescheduled, while the rest of Canadian Sprint Car Nationals weekend will continue as planned.

Racing action will resume at Ohsweken tomorrow night – Friday, September 17 – with the “Night Before the Nationals” featuring Twin 15’s for Sprint Cars, plus the Village Pizza Ohsweken Shootout, Dave MacLeod Memorial Mr. Sprint Car Challenge, ESSO Mini Stocks, and Bombers.

Saturday night, September 18, will feature the sixth annual Arrow Express Canadian Sprint Car Nationals, plus Vintage Cars. Over 70 of the best Sprint Car teams from all over North America are set to compete in the $10,000-to-win event.

Please visit www.OhswekenSpeedway.com for more information, including ticket prices and race day schedules.

ASCHENBACH AND THILENIUS FINISH THIRD IN UTAH TO SECURE SECOND STRAIGHT GRAND-AM CHAMPIONSHIP FOR COMPASS360 RACING

(Tooele, UT) -- Heading into Grand-Am's Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge final round, you'd have forgiven David Thilenius and Lawson Aschenbach for being happy with their second-place position in the championship. With the series' leader 19 points ahead, the duo, who drive Compass360 Racing's #74 Skunk2/HPD Honda Civic Si, felt it unlikely that they could take the top spot.

But in one of the most dramatic season finales in Grand-Am series' history, Aschenbach and Thilenius ended up standing atop the standings, capping off an exciting season of racing across North America.

C360R's four orange Hondas performed well during practice, notching fastest time in early sessions. The team's #76 car was involved in a massive shunt on the Thursday, and despite the valiant efforts of the crew, it was deemed to be impossible to repair and the entry was withdrawn, leaving the remaining three cars to battle on Saturday's race.

Thilenius qualified #74 in fifth, while Zach Lutz was 10th in #75 JC Concrete entry and Carlos Tesler-Mabe put the Exclusive Management / Carmen & Camille #77 in 17th.

On race day, all eyes were on the point-leading #81 BMW. The battle between them and the #74 and #75 C360R cars had been epic all season long, and the Bimmerworld entry was in the catbird seat for the finale. The race started, and almost immediately #81 was in the pits to replace a broken differential. After such a solidly reliable season, this was an unexpected turn of events, and the Compass360 crew, led by Technical Director Ray Lee, were ready. The team made perfect strategy calls in the early going which put closing drivers Aschenbach, Ryan Eversley in #75 and Greg Liefooghe in #77 into the top ten in the last half hour of the two-and-a-half-hour contest.

With #81 back out and quickly making up places it was clear that if #74 was to win the championship, Aschenbach would have to finish on the podium. Unfortunately, the VW of Ian Baas, the Mini of Owen Trinkler and the Mazda of Andrew Carbonell had better pace and #74 dropped to fourth place, with #75 right behind in fifth. With fifteen minutes to go, Carbonell's motor expired, giving #74 a one-point lead over the BMW.

And then, with two laps to go, #81 improved one position to 20th place, and the statisticians went utterly mad. As the checkered flag flew, with #74 on the podium in third, the championship battle was a tie: both teams had 274 points. With two wins and two second-place finishes each, it came down to third-place finishes, and the third at Miller was the tie-breaker. Incredibly, Compass360 Racing had won its second Driver and Team championship in a row. And for the third time in the last four seasons, C360R delivered Honda (or Acura) the Manufacturer's Championship.

"I'm speechless," exclaimed Thilenius. "It seems like I've been sitting here the last six hours waiting for Lawson to win this race for us. I came here this weekend and we were so far back in the points I didn't even go through and think of all the scenarios on how we could win or lose it. Our crew just pushed and pushed all year, and my co-driver is awesome. Right from the beginning, we were here for the championship and I can't believe we got this far."

Eversley brought the #75 car home in fourth place, securing third place in the Driver's and Team Championships for he and Lutz, who finished a close second in the Mesco Rookie of the Year standings. "This is my first year in Grand-Am after running Mustang Challenge, and these Compass guys are amazing," enthused Lutz. "Ray and Wheeler and the boys just do everything right, race after race. When the 81 went out, Ryan was ready to do what he could to support Dave and Lawson's championship, and they did it. To finish third in the championship my first time out is a dream come true."

Liefooghe crossed the line in 11th place, after having been up to seventh before contact with a back-marker GS car shuffled him down the order. "It's been a great season with the Compass360 team," he said. "They bring their best every weekend and I'm looking forward to going for a championship next year."

For Team Principal Karl Thomson, it's proof positive that the team philosophy works. "I believe if you bring the best people together and give them the opportunity to excel, they will deliver," he said. "Ray leads this amazing team and they've shown that they can be top dog year after year, against the best teams in the business. The level of competition in the Grand-Am paddock is so very, very high, and to be able to win is a real accomplishment. I'm so very proud of our guys, and of how we've managed to deliver once again for Honda!"

The celebration will continue for the next few weeks, with Grand-Am's Continental banquet being held at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, NC on October 9th. The 2011 Grand-Am season begins in earnest with Test Days at Daytona in early January. Expect a full contingent of orange C360R Hondas to be there, ready to defend their championship...

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, winning series Championships in 2010, 2009 and 2007. The team also fields three Championship-winning Hondas in the Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship with support from Durabond. For details visit http://C360R.com.

Lapcevich salvages top-10 in Barrie NASCAR race; Late mishap foils podium effort for Grimsby racer

September 13, 2010, GRIMSBY, ON –Jeff Lapcevich suffered heartbreak for the second straight race on the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Saturday night seeing a stellar run go sour just moments from the end. The Grimsby, racer charged to second place in the Wild Wing 300 at Barrie Speedway with less than 50 laps remaining, but contact with a competitor forced him out of the top five. He eventually finished eighth.

Lapcevich used determined driving and a great race strategy in his Tim Hortons Chevrolet to advance from his 12th starting spot on the grid. Late race cautions bunched the field together leading to problems for the veteran.

“We didn’t need those late cautions,” said Lapcevich. “Bucket (Rob Torrey, Lapcevich’s crew chief) made great calls in the pits, and I think we had a strategy that would have led to a top three finish.

“The car was as good as we’ve ever had it at Barrie Speedway, but things didn’t go our way after the late restart.”

Things started to unravel for Lapcevich while trying to retain his second position racing on the outside of points leader JR Fitzpatrick. The two made contact sending Fitzpatrick spinning in turn one, and leaving Lapcevich with damage on his machine.

“The car didn’t feel the same after I got together with JR,” said Lapcevich. “We bent the front end with the contact, and it definitely wasn’t the same.”

After the mishap with Fitzpatrick another caution ensued. Lapcevich got shuffled out of the racing groove, and he dropped out of the top five. Lapcevich endured to finish eighth.

“The car was a real handful those last few laps,” said Lapcevich. “I’m glad we held on to finish.”

The next stop for Lapcevich and the Fastline Motorsports team is Riverside Speedway in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, where Lapcevich has seen great success.

“We’ve been on the podium there before,” he said. “I think we can contend for a victory. That would be a great confidence builder for this team.”

While Lapcevich has numerous career victories in various premier series in North America, he’s never found victory lane in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series. For more information on Fastline Motorsports visit www.LapcevichRacing.com.
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Fastco Announces - FALKEN TIRES EXPANDS WINTER INVENTORY OFFERING WITH NEW ESPIA EPZ STUDLESS TIRE

Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec - Falken Tire, a leader in high performance tire technology, introduces a new winter season tire, the ESPIA EPZ, designed to tackle the stubbornness of snow and challenges of ice as an alternative to traditional winter tires.

The newest generation winter tire is designed to keep the vehicle grounded through an advanced design incorporating micro-fiberglass-reinforced rubber that allows the ESPIA EPZ to surround ice- and snow-packed surfaces and fasten small “micro claws” into them, thus achieving stronger adherence to the roadway even when conditions are at their worst.

Additionally, a dual-purpose tread pattern offers both an “ice face” and “snow face,” through a Falken-patented dual tread pattern, which provides for a wider center tread and expanded lateral shoulder area grooves, improving overall grip. Featuring new canyon sipes technology inside the block, complex zigzag bodies that are angled and placed deeply within the tread enable it to flex and grab the surface more confidently.

The Falken ESPIA EPZ has also been designed with a self-maintenance mechanism built in. By controlling aging and maintaining the fundamental functions of the tire through an internal anti-aging agent in the base tread, the ESPIA EPZ is able to fight ultraviolet rays and repeated bending, permitting the tire to work better and longer.

“This new tire features a tremendous amount of advanced Falken technology which will increase the ESPIA EPZ’s performance on ice and snow, as well as dry road surfaces,” said Andrew Hoit, Falken Director of Marketing. In addition, a shoulder-edge wave sipe provides a greater resistance to wandering. All this makes the ESPIA EPZ a stronger tire that can take on severe weather conditions, and is definitely the tire to have for better performance when roadways prove tough to negotiate.”

ESPIA EPZ will be available August 1, 2010 with sufficient inventory at retailers in preparation for the winter season.

Visit www.fastco.ca for more details

Preview of Delaware Speedway's Championship Weekend

Strathroy Mayor Mel Veale was a part of the Delaware Speedway family.  Before his sudden and untimely death on September 4th, Mayor Mel had been sitting in his favourite spot in the stands, watching the races with us.  On Friday September 17th we are dedicating the entire evening’s program to Mayor Mel Veale.  Our tribute starts at 7:45 Friday night as we welcome some of the late Mayor’s family members, display vehicles that Mel sponsored on the front straightaway and fix “In Memory of” stickers to all of the race cars.  We’ll also hear from some of the drivers who knew Mayor Mel best. 

After our tribute to our great friend we will finish the 2010 season in four racing divisions.  The NASCAR Late Model Championship is Ron Sheridan’s to lose but as Race Director Jeff Wilcox reminds us, “It’s not over until it’s over!”  Scott Lindsay goes into Friday night 54 points back of Sheridan and it would take some spectacularly bad luck for Sheridan to miss out on his first ever Delaware Championship.  The battle for third is tight; only 15 points separate Andrew Gresel and Jamie Ramsay.

A Delaware Super Stocks Championship is impossible to call. There’s a tie on top between Kris Lawrence and Jason Lidster and Steve Smith is only six points back.  In fact, the top five drivers are separated by only 25 points ahead of what promises to be an exciting finale.

Defending Demar Aggregates Truck Champ Paul Fothergill looks to repeat in 2010.  Jeff Showler and Gary Adriaensen are five points apart for second place, 45 points behind Fothergill.

Powerade Modifieds leader Jamie Cox is only 9 points ahead of Barry Newman going into Friday’s Championship race. 

Also on Friday night, Jesse’s Journey will make a special presentation to Delaware Speedway, its fans and the #7 Delaware Super Stock team for their support in this year’s fundraising efforts.

On Saturday afternoon we’ll feature the Demar Aggregates Enduro Nationals presented by George’s Auto Wreckers and Recycling.  David McCullough is leading the field by 40 points but he’ll need to stay in the race to win the crown.  Behind him, Jamie Klumper, Derek McCullough and Al Hilton are separated by just 3 points.  Brothers David and Derek will give away a child’s bicycle to a lucky young fan before their race.

Blue Thunder is 2 points ahead of Red Baron in Ultimate Sandblasting and Coating Chaos Cars which will also wrap the season Saturday.  Racing starts at 2 pm and before the green flag flies, members of the 2010-11 London Knights hockey team will be introduced live from trackside and be available for autographs. 

From Lisa Brandt, Public and Media Relations, Delaware Speedway

New Outlook for Michelin in Rally Racing

The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) has accepted Michelin's application to supply tires for the World Rally Championship (FIA-WRC) beginning in 2011. Michelin's application was prompted by the FIA's decision to open the championship to more than one tire manufacturer and by the likelihood of a rule change.

Racing offers Michelin's teams the opportunity to validate their technological innovations in the most extreme conditions of use. These innovations will then be transferred to street tires, thereby helping to improve the performance balance and lower the environmental impact of Michelin's products. Motorsports also provide a powerful incentive for Michelin to further its mission of ensuring sustainable mobility.

That's why Michelin supports the FIA in its commitment to integrating a more responsible vision of rallying by reducing the number of tires used in races, beginning in 2012. This is in line with an environmental approach that Michelin has been pursuing since 1992, when it introduced its first fuel efficient tire.

Michelin participated in the premier-class category of rally racing when competition was open to several tire makers, until 2005, winning 38 world championships titles over the years, a testimonial to its extensive skills and expertise. Of that total, 20 were in the manufacturers category, created in 1973, and 18 were in the drivers category, officially introduced in 1979.

Next season, Michelin will supply its partners with Michelin-brand rally tires.

From Michelin

Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprint stars head to Canadian Sprint Car Nationals at Ohsweken

SYRACUSE, NY – It’s the biggest 360 sprint car extravaganza in two Nations this side of the Mississippi.  Brought to you by Arrow Express, it’s the sixth annual Canadian Sprint Car Nationals at the Ohsweken Speedway.  The Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints (ESS) is proud to be a part of all six events with the stars and cars ready to do battle this weekend.

Back in 2005, Glenn Styres decided to start a marquee event for his track that he literally built in his own back yard…The Canadian Sprint Car Nationals were born.  Driving a car owned by eight-time ESS champion Mike Woodring, Ohio’s Kenny Jacobs used late race passes of ESS regulars Jeff VanDusen and Lance Yonge to claim the first ever event.

From there on, ESS has had tremendous success in the event with Steve Poirier and Jason Barney finishing first and second the very next two years.  In 2008 Chuck Hebing, Poirier, Mike Stelter and Doug Emery claiming top ten finishes with Hebing taking home a runner-up finish last year behind touring professional Shane Stewart.

No less than drivers from seven states and four Canadian provinces have pre-entered for the $10,000 to win event.  ESS will have one of the largest contingents of any sanction that will be on hand.  Heading the list is current Lucas Oil point leader and two-time Nationals champ Steve Poirier.  Also to be in the field will be defending ESS champ Justin Barger along with another two-time champ Lance Yonge, both will be looking for their first ever Nationals title.

The list doesn’t stop there for ESS regulars to be on hand…Chuck Hebing, Jeff Cook, rookie sensation Kevin Ward Jr., Michael Parent, Mike Stelter, Brian McDonald, Chris Jones, Jason Barney, Daniel Lampron, Jim Porter and others

Just like 2009 when ESS kicked off a special three-race weekend, the action starts on Thursday with the Corr/Pak sprint cars playing host on fan appreciation night.  Look for many stars from all different sprint car groups to be on hand to shake down their mounts.

Friday will be the special “Night before the Nationals”.  Twin 15 lap A-Mains where the winner gets a guaranteed starting spot for the Nationals will cap off the evening.  Two special events which has become tradition will also highlight the evening,   The Village Pizza Shootout where ESS held its qualifying event on Memorial Day weekend at Utica-Rome Speedway.  Jessica Zemken and Chuck Hebing are scheduled to be representing ESS with Dan Kaszubinski and Steve Poirier (who is defending champion of the event) set as alternates if needed.

The Dave MacLeod Memorial one on one Mr. Sprint Car Challenge will see the top two drivers in the Lucas Oil points representing the 28 year old organization with reigning Mr. Sprint Car Challenge champ Steve Poirier and Justin Barger being part of the this unique event which is becoming a fan favorite.

On Saturday it all climaxes with the 35 lap, $10,000 to win, $700 to start Nationals A-Main.  Time trials, Heats, B-Mains and the “Little Feature” used to fill out the starting field.

The Arrow Express Canadian Sprint Car Nationals, the Ohsweken Speedway and the Invasion of the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints…It will be excitement guaranteed!

For more information: www.ohswekenspeedway.com // www.empiresupersprints.com

The Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints are brought to you by: Lucas Oil, Northwood 2 Construction/LaSalle Motorsports, SUNY Canton, 730 Truck Stop, Hoosier Racing Tires, Les Constructions Ultra, Cooks Contracting Services, Fondations 4 Saisons, Car Mate Trailers, The National Parts Peddler Newspaper, WestFront Construction, Cobra Coaches, The Ohsweken Speedway, Mohawk Racing Parts, Engine Research, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Total Race Supply, Riverside Bar and Grill, Coffrage Daniel Lampron, Mohawk Valley Community College,  FX Chevy  and many, many associate sponsors.

From Dean Reynolds / ESS

6TH ANNUAL CANADIAN SPRINT CAR NATIONALS THIS WEEK AT OHSWEKEN SPEEDWAY!

by Tommy Goudge (September 15, 2010) – When Shane Stewart took the checkered flag in the 2009 Canadian Sprint Car Nationals, the countdown was on for the next edition of the must-see event. That countdown is now getting close to finished as the sixth annual Arrow Express Canadian Sprint Car Nationals begin Thursday night at Ohsweken Speedway with the first of three big nights!

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16
The Nationals activities get underway with Thursday morning’s Styres Bros. Golf Classic at Sundrim Golf Course in Caledonia, and Fan Appreciation Night at Ohsweken Speedway presented by Speedway Variety on Thursday night.

Thursday night at Ohsweken features the ASCS Patriots vs. Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Car Challenge, plus the last appearance of the season for the ESSO Thunder Stocks. The Sprint Car portion of Thursday’s event figures to have a large car count as drivers and teams prepare for Friday and Saturday’s events. The Thunder Stocks will also put on a show with a Crack The Whip race, on top of their heat races and twenty lap feature.

The first five hundred paid spectators will receive a free Fan Appreciation gift on Thursday night!

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
The Night Before the Nationals at Ohsweken has a busy slate including twin fifteen lap features for the Sprint Cars, plus the Village Pizza Ohsweken Shootout, and Dave MacLeod Memorial Mr. Sprint Car Challenge.

The winner of each fifteen lap feature will receive a guaranteed starting spot in Saturday night’s Canadian Sprint Car Nationals feature race, as Shane Stewart and Brian McDonald did last year.

The Village Pizza Ohsweken Shootout will feature ten drivers in a ten lap dash for cash on Friday night. Two qualifiers from each of the ASCS Sprints on Dirt, ASCS Patriots, Empire Super Sprints, and Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Car division, plus one driver each from the Southern Ontario Sprints and National Racing Alliance will make up the Shootout field.

The Dave MacLeod Memorial Mr. Sprint Car Challenge is back again this year with one-on-one match races for the top drivers in points from each affiliate sanction, plus the winner of July’s Northern Summer Nationals at Ohsweken, and three “Wild Card” entries.

The ESSO Mini Stocks and Bombers both have their final events of 2010 on Friday night as well, and the ESSO Mini Stocks will be competing in a Crack The Whip race.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18
Saturday features the sixth annual Arrow Express Canadian Sprint Car Nationals, with well over seventy of the best Sprint Car drivers from all over North America expected in competition including former winners Shane Stewart of Pittsboro, Indiana, and Steve Poirier of Saint-Mathieu-de-Beloeil, Quebec.

The successful affiliate sanctioning program is once again in place this year, with teams slated to participate from Ohsweken’s weekly Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Car division, the Empire Super Sprints and ASCS Patriots tours based in New York, Michigan-based ASCS Sprints on Dirt, the National Racing Alliance from Ohio, and the Southern Ontario Sprints club.

This year’s edition of the Nationals once again features a purse increase, with the winner now set to take home ten thousand dollars, and every feature starter guaranteed at least six hundred dollars. The feature race has also been lengthened to thirty-five laps, and the starting field extended to thirty cars.

Time trials will be utilized but a new twist has been added. Group time trials will now be in effect, as opposed to the single-car method used in years past. The field will be split into six groups which will run time trials and heat races together. The fastest driver from each group will draw to determine the inversion for the start of his or her heat race.

The top three finishers in each heat will qualify for the feature; while each heat race winner will participate in an “Outlaw style” redraw for feature starting positions. Three B-Mains and the Non-Qualifiers Little Feature will fill out the remainder of the Canadian Sprint Car Nationals feature field.

The highest finishing Canadian driver in the A-Feature on Saturday night will once again be rewarded this year by Inside Track Motorsport News with a five hundred dollar cheque.

The Vintage Cars will also make their final appearance at Ohsweken for 2010 on Saturday night.

CAMPING
Plenty of un-serviced camping space is once again available at the Speedway all weekend! The pit area washrooms and concession stand will be open twenty-four hours a day during the Nationals and the concession will feature breakfast and lunch menus.

RIDE WITH THE PROS
Ohsweken Speedway has two 410 cubic inch two-seater Sprint Cars available each race night for rides! Please visit www.OhswekenSpeedway.com for more information.

THIS WEEK AT OHSWEKEN
Speedway Variety presents Fan Appreciation Night on Thursday, September 16 featuring the ASCS Patriots vs. Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Car Challenge, plus ESSO Thunder Stocks. Spectator Gates open at 5:00 p.m., with the first race taking the green flag at 7:45p.m.

Village Pizza with Sit-n-Bull Construction and Village Cafe present the Night Before the Nationals on Friday, September 17 featuring Twin 15’s, the Village Pizza Ohsweken Shootout, and Dave MacLeod Memorial Mr. Sprint Car Challenge, plus ESSO Mini Stocks and Bombers. Spectator Gates open at 5:00 p.m., with the first race taking the green flag at 7:45p.m.

Arrow Express presents the sixth annual Canadian Sprint Car Nationals this Saturday, September 18, plus Vintage Cars. Time trials begin at 6:30p.m., with the first race getting underway at 7:45p.m.

Please visit www.OhswekenSpeedway.com and Feel The Excitement!

PHOTOS: Bristol Speedway (Timmins, Ontario) by www.rickattheraces.com

Rick Young recently visited Brisol Speedway.... but not THAT Bristol Speedway. The www.rickattheraces.com photographer visited the small dirt oval in Timmins, Ontario. Sadly, he didn't run into Shania while there....

North American title and record-book finish for L’Estage at Rallye Défi

RIPON, Quebec (September 13, 2010) – It was almost a perfect weekend for rally driver Antoine L’Estage and co-driver Nathalie Richard as they dominated the 2010 Rallye Défi from start to finish and clinched the competition with a win, a title and a new record.

This is the fifth win at Défi for the pair from St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, beating the four-time record of John Buffum and Tom Grimshaw in the 1980s. The win also clinches the North American rally title for the team and vaults them to within three points of the lead for the Canadian Rally Championship with two events remaining.

“Everything went really well this weekend,” said L’Estage. “We had a few small problems with the brakes on Friday, but we pushed hard on the first two stages Friday morning so we would build a big enough lead heading into the afternoon. The strategy paid off. After that, it was just a matter of managing our lead. Everything was great with the car.”

The Rallye Défi is the fourth round of the Canadian Rally Championship. The win was crucial for L’Estage and Richard to stay in the points for the Canadian Rally Championship. The duo struggled to a sixth-place finish at the Rallye Baie des Chaleurs. They are now in second place in the points standings.

L’Estage’s Yokohama teammate, Pat Richard and co-driver Alan Ockwell came in second in the competition and have taken over the championship lead. They suffered a flat tire early in the event that cost them valuable time, and they were unable to claw their way back because of minor problems late on the second day. Despite this disappointment, Richard is upbeat. “We’re leading the championship right now, so it was a great result,” he said.

Rallye Défi is renowned for its challenging dirt and gravel road conditions. Both Yokohama teams ran on Yokohama ADVAN A053e gravel rally tires. “They were absolutely perfect on these roads,” said L’Estage.

In addition to its sponsorship of Antoine L’Estage/Nathalie Richard and Pat Richard/Allan Ockwell, Yokohama Canada is a supporting sponsor of the Canadian Rally Championship. The Canadian championship has been televised nationally on TSN and RDS since 1993, and is made available on multiple media platforms, including TSN 2, as downloads from iTunes, on-line on Flat Over Crest (www.flatovercrest.com) and to 80 million homes in Europe on MotorsTV.

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.

Raybestos® Brakes and Joe Gibbs Racing Finish 1st-2nd-4th at Richmond - Dominance At Heavy-Braking Short Tracks Continues

McHenry, IL (September 13, 2010) Denny Hamlin took full advantage of his Raybestos® Brakes in Saturday night’s Air Guard 400 race at Richmond International Raceway, leading 251 laps in the No. 11 FedEx Office Toyota on his way to victory at the ¾ mile “Action Track.”

Hamlin’s victory represents the FOURTH STRAIGHT WIN for Joe Gibbs Racing at Richmond International Raceway. Equipped with Raybestos brakes, the Joe Gibbs cars have now won an amazing NINE OUT OF PAST ELEVEN races on tracks less than a mile in length.

Hamlin’s teammates delivered similarly impressive performances in their Raybestos-equipped machines at Richmond. Kyle Busch, in the No. 18 M&Ms Toyota of Joe Gibbs Racing, started 32nd and charged through the entire field to finish 2nd. Joey Logano, in the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota, finished in 4th position.

To gain a competitive advantage at Richmond, the Joe Gibbs cars are equipped with the Raybestos® Sprint Cup short track brake package, including Raybestos legendary high-friction racing brake pads. The ultra-lightweight aluminum alloy Raybestos six-piston calipers are the stiffest and lightest calipers available in all of NASCAR. The innovative calipers were developed using Raybestos® technology partner Alcon’s state of the art “optimized design” process, and include an asymmetric body design and advanced between-piston and crossover cooling features. The brake package also provides for the largest brake pad volume (surface area) and largest rotor (13.15” outside diameter, and 1.65” thick) available in NASCAR.

Hamlin started his No. 11 FedEx Office Toyota in the 14th position and battled loose conditions early on, but quickly found the handle on his Camry and began his climb to the front of the field. Fittingly by lap 111 the No. 11 had taken his first lead of the race and quickly proved that he intended to defend his victory from one year ago on his hometown track. Hamlin would go on to lead six times for 251 laps and managed to hold off his teammates to earn the victory. It was Hamlin’s Sprint Cup Series leading sixth victory of the season and boosts him into the top spot when the Chase for the Championship begins next week in New Hampshire.

For more information on the Raybestos Sprint Cup braking system, or for questions on any Raybestos brand brake or chassis products, visit http://www.raybestos.com/ or call 800-323-0354.

Raybestos® brand brake parts are produced by affiliated companies in Affinia’s Global Brake & Chassis Group, the leading manufacturer of braking systems in the transportation industry. Including everything from brake drums to rotors, pads, shoes and hydraulic parts, Raybestos brand brakes are the official brakes of NASCAR and the only brakes used by Joe Gibbs Racing in competition. In addition, the Raybestos brand is the preferred brake friction of the IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights. For more information about Raybestos brakes, visit Raybestos.com.

Affinia Group Inc. is an innovative global leader in the design, manufacture, distribution and marketing of industrial grade products and services, including extensive offerings of aftermarket parts for automotive and heavy-duty vehicles. With approximately $1.8 billion in annual revenue, Affinia has operations in North and South America, Europe, Asia and India. For more information, visit http://www.affiniagroup.com/.

KEVIN GETS THE JOB DONE AT MERRITTVILLE; STYRES IS SOS CHAMP

by Tommy Goudge (Friday, September 10, 2010) - Kevin Job got the feature win Friday night at Merrittville Speedway in the Southern Ontario Sprints "Season Championship" finale. Job took the lead just after the halfway mark and never looked back in claiming his first win of 2010. Glenn Styres led the SOS standings going into the night, and finished with a runner-up, and his fourth career SOS championship.

Brad Malloy drew the pole position for the twenty lap main event, with Glenn Styres to his outside. Malloy got out to the early lead before a caution flew on lap two for a tangle between Brad Lodge and Stan Zanchin in turn four. Zanchin would later return after making repairs to the left rear corner of his car, while Lodge took his machine to the pits with wing damage.

Malloy again led when the race went back to green,, but appeared to be fighting a loose condition, and a hotly contested race for the lead began with Malloy, Styres, sixth starter Kevin Job, and Travis Cunningham. Cunningham used the low line to move into second and pressure Malloy for the lead when the caution flag came out for a lap seven spin by Doug Banks in turn four. Malloy clipped the Banks machine with his right rear tire, but did not seem the worse for wear.

The race restarted with Malloy out front, Cunningham second, Job third, and Styres back to fourth, but the next seven laps found that order changing each time they crossed the start/finish line. Job was the driver on the move as the race moved into its second half, and took the lead around the outside of Malloy in turn four. Styres also moved up to second before the race's final yellow flag fell for Tim Zack's stopped car.

Job got through slower traffic and held off a late charge by Styres to get the win. Styres settled for second after almost hitting the front stretch wall as the checkered flag flew. Cunningham finished third, Warren Mahoney fourth, and Dain Naida fifth as Malloy fell to sixth. Adam West took seventh, Keith Dempster eighth, Tyler Rand ninth, and Al Blanchard rounded out the top ten.

"It's nice to get a win," said Job afterwards. "We thought we were going to get zeroed out this year, but we'll take it!"

Kevin commented on the slicing and dicing for the lead in the first half of the race.

"The bottom came in right at the beginning of the race and I got by a lot of guys right on the start, and then I showed Brad the wing. I figured he'd go down to block, so I went up top and that's when Travis got me. I was just lucky on the restart to keep my foot in it and the cushion just kept me in there and we rode the cushion the rest of the race."

Job acknowledged in victory lane that he almost didn't make it to the track at all.

"We wrecked a lot of stuff last Friday," said Kevin. "We were busy at work and we didn't even wash it until 2:30 this afternoon. We had a bunch of parts to fix, we had new wings to put on it, and I didn't think they ran on Friday nights down here."

Glenn Styres came up one position short again at Merrittville, but his second place finish was good enough for his fourth career Southern Ontario Sprints season championship.

"That's awesome," said Glenn afterwards. "I thought I was going to bite it down the front straight, and I'm just glad it's staying on all four wheels. Normally I don't do very well here, and the car's been good all night, and I really thought we had a chance to win it. I saw the guys were melting their tires and I was just trying to be patient, and I almost got 'em!"

Travis Cunningham was a local favourite and on a hot streak heading into the night, but again settled for a podium finish rather than a feature win.

"It was just tough once everyone got going there, pretty much holding their ground," said Travis afterwards. "Just on that restart, it looked like the leader was going high so I darted low and then at the last second he thought he was coming low and killed my momentum and the 0 and 21x got by me. I'm not going to complain though, (tonight) was a pretty good deal."

Heat races for the twenty car field were claimed by Styres, Job, and Cunningham.

NOTES
- The race was the first for the SOS tour at Merrittville since August of 2003. Local drivers Jim Price, Stan Zanchin, Rob Pietz, and Tim Zack made their first SOS starts of the season, while Sprint Car rookies Todd Hoddick and Al Blanchard ran with the tour for first time ever.

- Styres' championship season was a model of consistency this year. The Ohsweken driver did not claim an SOS feature win, but finished second three times in seven races, and third in another.

- Jim Munsie wrapped up the 2010 SOS Rookie of the Year award with a thirteenth place finish on Friday night.

- Details regarding the 2010 SOS awards banquet will be announced shortly. Please check www.SouthernOntarioSprints.com for more information.

RACE REPORT – FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2010
SOUTHERN ONTARIO SPRINTS
2010 SEASON EVENT #9
Merrittville Speedway - Thorold, Ontario

ENTRIES
(Number Name - Hometown)
0 Glenn Styres - Ohsweken
2 Brad Lodge - Stouffville
5 Keith Dempster - Alton
5m Brad Malloy - Niagara Falls
7 Jim Price - Wainfleet
7a Al Blanchard - Welland
9 Jim Munsie - Pickering
9jr Tim Zack - Welland
10 Bob Crawford - Sutton
21x Kevin Job - Campbellville
25 Warren Mahoney - Lefroy
30 Adam West - Ridgetown
45x Doug Banks - Inverary
49 Todd Hoddick - Cheektowaga, NY
71 Travis Cunningham - Grimsby
71x Rob Pietz - Gasline
77x Dain Naida - Tecumseh, MI
79 Dick Mahoney - Newmarket
84 Tyler Rand - Consecon
94 Stan Zanchin - Fort Erie

HEAT RACES
(top 3 finishers redraw for feature starting positions)

HEAT RACE #1
(8 laps)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 0 Glenn Styres (2)
2. 25 Warren Mahoney (4)
3. 77x Dain Naida (5)
4. 84 Tyler Rand (6)
5. 9 Jim Munsie (3)
6. 7 Jim Price (1)
7. 94 Stan Zanchin (7)

HEAT RACE #2
(8 laps)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 21x Kevin Job (1)
2. 5 Keith Dempster (2)
3. 5m Brad Malloy (4)
4. 45x Doug Banks (5)
5. 10 Bob Crawford (6)
6. 2 Brad Lodge (7)
7. 9jr Tim Zack (3)

HEAT RACE #3
(8 laps)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 71 Travis Cunningham (1)
2. 30 Adam West (2)
3. 49 Todd Hoddick (3)
4. 79 Dick Mahoney (5)
5. 7a Al Blanchard (4)
6. 71x Rob Pietz (6)

'A' FEATURE
(20 laps)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 21x Kevin Job (6)
2. 0 Glenn Styres (2)
3. 71 Travis Cunningham (4)
4. 25 Warren Mahoney (4)
5. 77x Dain Naida (8)
6. 5m Brad Malloy (1)
7. 30 Adam West (9)
8. 5 Keith Dempster (7)
9. 84 Tyler Rand (10)
10. 7a Al Blanchard (15)
11. 49 Todd Hoddick (3)
12. 10 Bob Crawford (14)
13. 9 Jim Munsie (13)
14. 79 Dick Mahoney (12)
15. 7 Jim Price (16)
16. 45x Doug Banks (11)
17. 9jr Tim Zack (20)
18. 94 Stan Zanchin (19)
19. 2 Brad Lodge (17)
20. 71x Rob Pietz (18)

Stealth Racewear "Under the Radar" Award - 30 Adam West

UNOFFICIAL FINAL TOP 5 IN POINTS
Rank. Number Name Total
1. 0 Glenn Styres - 1087
2. 5 Keith Dempster - 1011
3. 84 Tyler Rand - 1005
4. 30 Adam West - 964
5. 79 Dick Mahoney - 869

Please visit www.SouthernOntarioSprints.com for more news and information about the Southern Ontario Sprints! 2010 marks the fifteenth year of operation for the Southern Ontario Sprints, brought to you this season by Wiseco Piston, Kenetic Photos, Stealth Racewear, Triple X Race Co., ASI Racewear, The Racers Edge, BS&B Radiator, www.ImageFactor.ca, Hepfner Racing Products, Saldana Racing Products, Kreitz Oval Track Parts Inc., Keizer Aluminum Wheels, and Have Bus Racing Tours.

Photo courtesy Mike Doughtery/www.FourWidePhotos.com

KENNINGTON COLLECTS FOURTH WIN OF THE SEASON

September 11, 2010. Castrol Edge Dodge driver DJ Kennington need to bounce back to his early season form in the NASCAR Canadian Tire series at round number eleven at Barrie Speedway just north Barrie, Ontario on Saturday night. With a bold pass on lap 204 to take the lead Kennington would hold off a late charge to claim his fourth victory of the 2010 season.

During afternoon practice the #17 Castrol Edge Dodge was consistently near the top of the time sheets. Kennington would post the fifth fastest time during time trials and start the 300 lap race from the inside of row three. “The key for us was to have a car that could handle well for the entire race and have good track position for the end of the race” said Kennington.

As the green flag fell to begin the race Kennington immediately looked to move the #17 Castrol Edge Dodge forward and did gain a position and had a hard close battle in the early stages with the #84. That’s who we were chasing in the championship points battle so I was looking to move ahead of him” said Kennington. “Our lap times were so close it was some good racing” he added.

As the race neared halfway a caution period would slow the field the #17 Castrol Edge team stopped for fuel and left side tires. A short time later, just past the halfway mark Kennington again stopped for new right side tires. “Our strategy was to get our service done early and look to have better track position in the late stages” explained the driver.

With four fresh tires Kennington had the #17 Castrol Edge Dodge headed for the front of the field. “The car handled really well, and you have to have that at this track” said Kennington. DJ would take over the race lead on lap 204 and in short order pulled out a better than five second lead on the field.

A late race caution flag would again slow the field and the race would come down to a ten lap shoot out. On the final lap the #4 car nudged Kennington out of the way and briefly got ahead. Heading into the final two corners Kennington would return the favour and win the drag race to the checkered flag by 0.015 seconds to claim his fourth win of the season and his eighth career series victory.

The hard charge to the finish had the adrenaline pumping for the tremendous crowd on hand and the driver of the #17 Castrol Edge Dodge. “That was fun” exclaimed Kennington as he climbed from his race car. “That was tit for tat, the #4 car got into me going into corners one and two and I just gave him a little tap at the other end and won the drag race” he smiled.

The first place finish also propelled Kennington closer to the top of the championship standings. The Castrol Edge Dodge driver sits second overall, just 21 points behind the leader. “This championship has been our goal all season” said Kennington. “We’ve got two races left in the season and this whole team is committed to winning it” he stated.

The NASCAR Canadian Tire series heads east for round twelve at Riverside Speedway near Antigonish, Nova Scotia on Saturday September 18^th. All thirteen races of the series will be broadcast on TSN. Follow the progress of the #17 Castrol Edge/Mahindra Tractors Dodge all season on the newly redesigned website www.djkracing.ca plus you can follow their daily activities at www.twitter.com/djkracing. You’re also invited to join the Facebook Group DJK Racing.

Photo: DJ Kennington in the #17 Castrol Edge Dodge completing his victory lap at Barrie Speedway.

Photos Credit: Mathew Manor/NASCAR