DEREK WHITE MAKES GREAT STRIDES AT HOMESTEAD

Homestead, FL. (November 20, 2010) In his only NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race this season at the final event on the schedule in Homestead, Florida Derek White the 2010 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series rookie of the year wanted to learn as much as he could and bring the #6 Race101/OCR Gaz Bar Chevrolet Truck to the finish. After weeks of hard work and preparation White along with his team accomplished both of their goals.

It wasn’t important to White that he would begin the race in the #6 Race101/OCR Gaz Bar Chevrolet from the back row. With some of the best racers in the world ahead of him as soon as the green flag waved White took the opportunity to see where he could improve on each lap. “On every corner I was trying to watch some of the faster Trucks and use their line” said White. “At the same time I made sure that I wasn’t holding anybody up” he added.

White’s concern for the other drivers and keeping the #6 Race101/OCR Gaz Bar Chevrolet out of the way also got the attention of NASCAR. “The NASCAR officials told us to pick up the pace a bit” explained White afterwards. “I was letting off a bit too much is all it was, just part of the learning process.

The first caution period of the race came on lap 30 and the #6 Race101/OCR Gaz Bar Chevrolet team made a pit stop for fuel and fresh tires. After the race returned to green flag conditions, White ran his quickest lap of the race to that point on lap 37. “The new tires helped, but also slowing down for the yellow allowed me just to refocus and pick up the speed a little more” he stated.

The #6 Race101/OCR Gaz Bar Chevrolet team called White to pit road for another stop during the third caution period of the race. Fresh tires, fuel and bit of tape added to the front nose all helped Derek in the late stages of the race. On lap 91 White clocked his best lap time of the evening with a 34.569 second trip around the 1 ½ mile oval.

Through much of the race White was pushing the #6 Race101/OCR Gaz Bar Chevrolet to catch the #57 Truck which was running in the position ahead of him on the track. Though he closed the gap several times White just couldn’t seem to make the pass to get back on the same lap. “I was a little quicker on the straightaway but he seemed to carry a bit more speed through the corners” stated White. “And each time I got close to him the yellow would come out and I didn’t get the chance to try and make a pass” he added.

When the checkered flag fell White crossed the line in the #6 Race101/OCR Gaz Bar Chevrolet in 33^rd position. Though he certainly would have liked to finish higher he was extremely pleased and proud of what the team had accomplished. “Our goal was to finish the race and we did that” said White. “These guys all worked so hard to get ready for this race and we brought the truck home without a mark on it. I learned so much racing against these drivers, our lap times improved by over four seconds from the first session which is fantastic. I had a great time and can’t thank everybody enough for all their hard work. We’ll enjoy this for a couple days and then we’re going to start looking at what we can do in 2011” said the happy driver.

Look for Derek White to participate in the 2011 season opening event of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Daytona International Speedway next February and also look for him to return to the NASCAR Canadian Tire series next season. Follow the latest news about Derek White by following this link to his website.

Attached Photo: Derek White in the #6 Race101/OCR Gaz Bar Chevrolet team make a pit stop at Homestead.

Growing the Distance: Movember Update

Kubrick, Spielberg, Nolan, Inside Track Communications. Alright, one of these things is not like the other, but we have the first cut of our Movember video; Evolution of a Mo, where you can view the progress of our facial manifestations.

To donate and help raise funds for Prostate Cancer Canada, you can choose an Inside Track Communications employee (or donate to the team as a whole) by clicking on the following links:

Mark Hoffberg
Art Director
http://ca.movember.com/mospace/633490/

Jeff Morgan
Editor – Inside MotoX & Off Road
http://ca.movember.com/mospace/702834/

Derek Rockel
Sales – Inside MotoX & Off Road / Inside Motorcycles
http://ca.movember.com/mospace/703090/

Mike Galipeau
Sales – Inside Track Motorsport News
http://ca.movember.com/mospace/703404/

James Neilson
Editor – Inside Track Motorsport News
http://ca.movember.com/mospace/881228/

For more info, check out the original post here:
http://insidemotorcycles.blogspot.com/2010/11/inside-mo-torcycles-takes-on-movember.html

Derek White Practice Update from Homestead

Homestead, FL. (November 19, 2010) Derek White the 2010 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series rookie of the year began practice as scheduled for this weekend’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event at Homestead Miami Speedway on Thursday evening and made some impressive gains during the one hour session. Rain showers delayed the final practice session until this morning and White continued to improve his lap times in the #6 Race101/OCR Gaz Bar Chevrolet.

From the first laps on the very fast one and half mile oval track Derek White felt very comfortable in the #6 Race101/OCR Gaz Bar Chevrolet. “The Truck felt really good underneath me” said White. “After each run the team made a couple of small adjustments and I was able to drive a little deeper into corner number one and we picked up some speed” he added.

The final practice session ran this morning due to showers on Thursday night. Derek White again posted impressive lap times and was among the top five drivers who had the best 10 consecutive lap average speeds. White only wished he had more time on the track. “It seems that we got better and better as the session went on” said the driver. “We also made one adjustment right at the end of the session that also helped the handling.

White’s plan for the race in the #6 Race101/OCR Gaz Bar Truck is quite simple. “We’re going to finish the race” he said confidently. “I’m going to learn as much as possible and hopefully finish on the lead lap” added the driver.

Qualifying for the NASCAR Camping World Truck series from Homestead Miami Speedway takes place later today at 5PM Eastern. The 200 mile feature race will go green at 8PM tonight. The race can be seen live on SPEED with the pre race show beginning at 7:30PM.

Attached Photo: Derek White heads out for practice in the #6 Race101/OCR Gaz Bar Chevrolet at Homestead.

Cambridge Truck Driver Named 2010 Bridgestone Canadian Truck Hero

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario (November 19, 2010) – Jamie MacFarlane of Cambridge, Ontario was named the 2010 Bridgestone Canadian Truck Hero Award recipient today at the Ontario Trucking Association’s National Convention. Jamie demonstrated quick thinking, integrity and heroic actions when he risked his life trying to save another driver last June.

Bridgestone Canada Inc (BSCA) awards the Bridgestone Canadian Truck Hero Award annually to recognize professional truck drivers who have demonstrated courage, quick thinking and integrity in the face of an emergency.

Jamie was recognized for his heroic actions during a train and truck accident that took place on June 17th, 2010 just outside Baden, Ontario. As Jamie was travelling behind a dump truck, approaching a set of train tracks, the truck was struck by a passenger train.

After the impact, Jamie quickly located his fire extinguisher and ran for the wreckage, concerned that the truck might go up in flames. Jamie broke part of the windshield to attempt to assist the badly injured driver, while using his cell phone to call for help.

Noticing the driver was still breathing, Jamie began to immediately administer first aid and applied pressure to driver’s wounds until emergency vehicles were able to arrive. Within minutes the emergency response teams were on the scene and eventually the driver was airlifted to hospital.

“Jamie embodies exactly what a truck hero is,” said Paul Dalcourt, National Fleet Account Executive, U.S. & Canada Commercial Tire Sales division, Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions, a division of BSCA. “Canadian truck drivers encounter dangerous situations on the road every day. These men and women deserve to be honoured for their bravery and selfless actions.”

As recipient of the award, Jamie, who drives for Top of the Hill Aggregates Inc. in Baden, received a $3,000 cheque and a specially-commissioned crystal trophy. BSCA will also make a $3,000 donation to a charity of Jamie’s choice.

The recipient of the Bridgestone Canadian Truck Hero Award is selected by a panel of judges from among nominations submitted by the general public and Canadian trucking companies, which are required to include a police statement corroborating the nominated driver’s actions.

For photos of the winner or to learn more about the Bridgestone Canadian Truck Hero Award, visit: www.truckhero.ca.


About Bridgestone Canada Inc.:
Bridgestone Canada Inc. (BSCA) is a member of Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (BATO) and a direct subsidiary of Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (BSAM), whose parent company, Bridgestone Corporation, is the world's largest tire and rubber company. BSCA and BATO develop, manufacture and market Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand tires. They are focused on retail, wholesale and original equipment markets, supplying passenger, light truck, commercial vehicle, off road, agricultural and other tires to their customers in Canada and the United States, respectively. In addition, through the Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions Canada unit, retreading customers have access to industry-leading research and development, manufacturing, marketing and sales expertise, providing them with a total tire solution.

About the Bridgestone Canadian Truck Hero Award:
The award originated in 1956 as the Dayton Canadian Truck Hero Award better known today as the Bridgestone Canadian Truck Hero Award. The recipient, who must be a full-time truck driver of Canadian citizenship who operates a truck with 14 wheels or more, is selected from among nominations submitted by Canadian companies or members of the public who witnessed or were involved in an incident. All nominations are required to include a police statement corroborating the nominated driver’s actions. The award is given to a truck driver who demonstrates courage, quick thinking and integrity in the face of an emergency.

THILENIUS AND LUTZ RETURN TO COMPASS360 RACING IN 2011

(Toronto, Canada) -- Compass360 Racing announced the first of its 2011 Grand-Am Continental Challenge driver line-ups today, with the news that 2010 Street Tuner Champion David Thilenius will share the team's #74 Honda Civic Si with Zach Lutz, who took third place in last season's year-end standings.

"Zach and Dave both delivered tremendous performances last season," noted Team Principal Karl Thomson. "With Dave winning the championship alongside Lawson (Aschenbach) and Zach coming home third, we felt that they'd be a strong pairing to defend our 2010 Driver, Team and Manufacturer Championships."

Team partners Skunk2 and JC Concrete will extend their support of the squad next season, along side Honda Performance Development (HPD).

"I couldn't be happier to be back with the boys in orange," enthused Thilenius. "Getting my first professional championship was pretty special last year, and I'm hoping we can be in the fight for another one."

Lutz is part of the Compass360 driver development program, which prepares drivers for a career in racing, moving from regional- and national-level competition into the role of a paid professional. "I really appreciate the opportunity I've had to drive for this team," said Lutz. "To be able to drive with last year's champion and essentially fill Lawson's shoes is just huge. A big thank you to Ray and Karl for believing in me."

Thilenius and Lutz had great battles as the starting drivers in their respective cars in 2010, splitting best-qualifying honors pretty evenly (Thilenius had six, Lutz four). Thilenius ended up with the crown, while Lutz (and co-driver Ryan Eversley) put together a remarkable string of five consecutive podiums during the middle part of the season.

"We've got last year's champion paired with a guy that's hungry for the title after being so close last year," said Technical Director Ray Lee. "There will be fireworks for sure, some podiums too. We'll be in the hunt every race and go for the championship, as we always are."The first race for the duo is only a few months away, in Daytona on January 27-28 in the lead-up to the Rolex 24 hour event. It will be televised on SPEED TV.

THILENIUS AND LUTZ RETURN TO COMPASS360 RACING IN 2011

(Toronto, Canada) -- Compass360 Racing announced the first of its 2011 Grand-Am Continental Challenge driver line-ups today, with the news that 2010 Street Tuner Champion David Thilenius will share the team's #74 Honda Civic Si with Zach Lutz, who took third place in last season's year-end standings.

"Zach and Dave both delivered tremendous performances last season," noted Team Principal Karl Thomson. "With Dave winning the championship alongside Lawson (Aschenbach) and Zach coming home third, we felt that they'd be a strong pairing to defend our 2010 Driver, Team and Manufacturer Championships."

Team partners Skunk2 and JC Concrete will extend their support of the squad next season, along side Honda Performance Development (HPD).

"I couldn't be happier to be back with the boys in orange," enthused Thilenius. "Getting my first professional championship was pretty special last year, and I'm hoping we can be in the fight for another one."

Lutz is part of the Compass360 driver development program, which prepares drivers for a career in racing, moving from regional- and national-level competition into the role of a paid professional. "I really appreciate the opportunity I've had to drive for this team," said Lutz. "To be able to drive with last year's champion and essentially fill Lawson's shoes is just huge. A big thank you to Ray and Karl for believing in me."

Thilenius and Lutz had great battles as the starting drivers in their respective cars in 2010, splitting best-qualifying honors pretty evenly (Thilenius had six, Lutz four). Thilenius ended up with the crown, while Lutz (and co-driver Ryan Eversley) put together a remarkable string of five consecutive podiums during the middle part of the season.

"We've got last year's champion paired with a guy that's hungry for the title after being so close last year," said Technical Director Ray Lee. "There will be fireworks for sure, some podiums too. We'll be in the hunt every race and go for the championship, as we always are."The first race for the duo is only a few months away, in Daytona on January 27-28 in the lead-up to the Rolex 24 hour event. It will be televised on SPEED TV.

Strong Hot Bits Contingent at Tall Pines Rally

Bancroft, ON, Canada, November 16,2010 - An impressive 19 of 47 competitors at the 2010 Rally of the Tall Pines will be equipped with Hot Bits rally suspensions.

Leading the charge will be young Canadian driver Peter Kocandrle looking to make the most of his first opportunity running an Open Class all-wheel-drive car. 'Petey K' will have American Alex Kihurani alongside as he pilots the Hot Bits Performance Parts Volkswagen R32 rally car over the challenging roads of Pines. Fans look forward to seeing how Petey's undeniable two-wheel-drive skills translate to a full-on Open class car.

Also look for an impressive performance from the pair of Ugo Desgreniers and Erik Kirby fielding an entry from Hot Bits dealer R Tuning. Ugo and Erik are set to start 13th on the road in their Open class Subaru WRX.

Other Hot Bits runners to watch are Damir Akik, who has shown flashes of impressive speed in recent events, Warren Haywood from Tonik Motorsports in his nicely prepared PGT Class WRX and 2009 Targa Newfoundland winner Roy Hopkins trying his hand at gravel rallying.

Coming off two back-to-back overall wins at Targa Newfoundland, Hot Bits personnel have been busy preparing cars and suspensions for this late season gravel/snow event. The number of Hot Bits competitors at Tall Pines is a testament not only to the durability and capability of the product, but also to the personalized attention and customization provided by Hot Bits Sports Suspensions, the 26 Hot Bits dealers and five full service centres across North America.

photo credit: Keith Townsend

Chris Raabe Raabe Dominates Victory Lane in 2010

When Chris Raabe ended the 2008 and 2009 seasons, it was hard to imagine that the following seasons could possibly be any better.  Raabe drove to victory lane 22 times in that 2008 season, winning the Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman championship at the age of 17. 

He also won the track championships at Thunder Alley Speedway, Brockville Speedway and Rolling Wheels Raceway and the DIRTcar Northeast championship.  The following year, Raabe equaled that feat with a back-to-back Mr. DIRTcar title, the DIRTcar Northeast crown, and track championships at Thunder Alley Speed Park and Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park.

In 2010, Raabe looked to at least duplicate those numbers, but he knew it wasn’t going to be easy, with a very impressive group of talented young racers in the Sportsman division looking to de-thrown the current Sportsman King.

The season started off with a Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman series race at the Blackrock Speedway.  Raabe finished second in this event, and followed that up with an impressive streak of top two finishes for the next six races, including three first place efforts.

By the end of May, Raabe had a total of eight wins already in just 13 starts to date.  Other then one DNF at Cornwall in these races, Raabe’s lowest finish through the end of the month was a 3rd place run at Brockville.

Raabe’s winning ways continued into June with another six victories in just 10 starts during the month.  A second place finish and a fourth place were separated by a pair of DNFs at Cornwall and Mohawk Raceway, a result of being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Another ten races in July were on the schedule for the Raabe team, and again the team shined with seven more victories.  At this time, talk of the all-time DIRTcar Sportsman single season record for victories was running through the pit area.  Tim Hindley, set the record at 24 wins in a season back in the mid 90’s and already through the month of July Raabe had 21 victories on the season.

Raabe tied Hindley’s record at the Mohawk Raceway on August 20th, and broke the record just one week later.  The next goal for Raabe was to achieve 30 wins in a single season.  That feat had only been accomplished by four different drivers in the past, and Raabe looked to etch his name into the DIRTcar record book once again.  Raabe ended the month of August with another five wins, bringing the season total to 26.

Raabe grabbed 4 more wins in September, with the 30th win coming at Mohawk International Raceway on September 17th.  Raabe joined an impressive list of DIRTcar Motorsports Hall of Fame drivers Will Cagle, Bob McCreadie, and future Hall of Fame drivers Alan Johnson and Danny Johnson as the only drivers to have 30 or more wins in a season in all of DIRTcar racing.  Raabe also picked up a Mr. DIRTcar series win at Humberstone Speedway for the second year in a row.

October turned over a new page in Raabe’s racing career as he dabbled in the 358 Modified division at Super DIRT Week at Syracuse. Chris Raabe made his 358 debut at the moody mile and drove straight to victory lane. Raabe also continued his success in the Sportsman ranks with a win at Rolling Wheels Raceway, increasing his win total to 32 for the season, including the Futures race victory.  The season ended at Brockville for the DIRTcar Fall Nationals, and tire problems, while leading the race ended his chance at his 33rd checkered flag of the season.

With the final checkered flag of 2010, Chris Raabe closes another chapter of a record breaking career. At the age of 19, he has 93 sanctioned and unsanctioned feature wins, 8 track championships, 4 series championships, and 2 overall Mr.DIRTcar championships. 

DIRTcar Records
·        First 14 year old to win in open wheel Modifieds
·        Age 15, Youngest Track Champion in DIRTcar History
·        Age 17, Youngest Mr. DIRT Champion in DIRTcar History
·        Age 18, Youngest Back to Back Mr. DIRTcar Champion in DIRT History
·        Age 19, Set the all-time single season win record in Modified Sportsman with 31 feature wins and 1 Modified 358 win

PHOTO: Chris Raabe won in his first ever race in a 358 Modified in the Futures Race at Super DIRT Week.  (Jay Fish Photo)

Release by: Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

Ohsweken Speedway honours its champs

ANCASTER, ON - The 2010 Ohsweken Speedway season was capped off in fine fashion on Saturday night with the annual awards banquet at the new Marritt Hall in Ancaster. Dave Dykstra was honoured as the third champion of the Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Car division, while Jamie Cox was crowned ESSO Thunder Stock champion, Trevor Goulding received ESSO Mini-Stock accolades, and Karl Sault was awarded his second trophy as champion of the Bomber division.

The night began with a brief summary of the highlights of the 2010 season. The steady growth of fan attendance throughout the year was noted.  44 race teams were honoured for perfect attendance in 2010, while 8 others missed only 1 event.  Next season was also mentioned, as new title sponsors are on board for the Thunder Stocks, Mini Stocks, and Bombers, while Corr/Pak remains for the Sprint Cars.

Special sponsor presentations were made to:

Arrow Express, Village Pizza, Village Café, Corr/Pak Merchandising, Best Western Cairn Croft Hotel, Awesome Racewear, Jones Brown Insurance, Trailers By Jim Bray, IroquoisPoker.net, Outhouse Image and Design, Evers Financial, Metal Works Powder Coating, Hoosier Tire Canada, HRW Automotive, Engine Pro Racing, Wiseco Pistons, BS&B Radiator, Grisdale Enterprises, Gales Auto Aftermarket, Hepfner Racing Products, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, Kinser Air Filters, Diversified Machine Inc., The Brakeman, ISC Racers Tape, Rod End Supply, XYZ Machining, Pancho's Racing Products, Jay Hewer Racing Products, and King Racing Products. 

Triple XXX Race Co. was also thanked for its support of Ohsweken Speedway, and the prize of a new 2011 chassis to Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Car division champion Dave Dykstra.

CORR/PAK MERCHANDISING SPRINT CARS - AWARDS:

HARD CHARGER
Keith Dempster (passed 34 cars in feature race action)

"HARD LUCK"
James Evans

DEDICATION AND DETERMINATION
Kyle Moffit

BEST APPEARING CAR
Derek Jonathan

TEAM OF THE YEAR
Dykstra Racing

MOST IMPROVED DRIVER
Travis Cunningham

SPORTSMANSHIP
Jim Huppunen

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR 
PRESENTED BY
IROQUISPOKER.NET
Jamie Turner

DRIVER OF THE YEAR
(Voted on by drivers)
Kevin Job

CORR/PAK MERCHANDISING SPRINT CAR
POINTS CHAMPIONSHIP
Dave Dykstra

The Top 10 in the Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Cars were:

1st – Dave Dykstra, Port Colbourne...Following 7th and 4th place finish in the last 2 years, Dave's third season driving Sprint Cars was excellent.  He claimed his first Sprint Car title with 2 feature wins, 9 "Top 5's", and an average feature finish of 3.83.  The #5d team took home $5,000 plus product prizes, including a new 2011 chassis courtesy of Triple XXX Race Co.

2nd – Kevin Job, Campbellville...Kevin took the runner-up spot for the second year in a row with 8 "Top 10's" and an average feature finish of 9.5.  The #21x team took home $3,420 plus product prizes.

3rd – Kyle Moffit, South Dayton, NY...The lone American in the top 10, Kyle was in the title chase for much of the season before mechanical problems got in the way.  He claimed 2 feature wins and finished in the Top 5 on 5 occasions, with an average feature finish of 9.29.  The #7 team took home $3,160 plus product prizes.

4th – Keith Dempster, Alton...The 2008 Corr/Pak champ had another solid season this year, with 4 "Top 5's" and an average feature finish of 7.42.  The #5 team took home $2,895 plus product prizes.

5th – Glenn Styres, Ohsweken..."The Ohsweken Flyer" got 3 feature wins at Ohsweken in 2010 and sits alone atop the all-time win list at the track he owns.  He got 5 "Top 5's" and had an average feature finish of 9.36.  The #0 team took home $2,630 plus product prizes.

6th – Tom Huppunen, Fenwick..."The Fenwick Flyer's" title defence did not go as planned, but Tom persevered to finish in the Top 10.  He got a feature win, 3 "Top 5's", and had an average feature finish of 12.00.  The #12c team took home $2,370 plus product prizes.

7th – Jim Huppunen, Fenwick...Tom's younger brother had a strong sophomore season, finishing in the Top 10 after taking 12th last season.  He finished in the Top 10 in 9 out of 14 races, and had an average feature finish of 10.93.  The #14h team took home $2,100 plus product prizes.

8th – Kyle Patrick, Tilbury..."The Tilbury Tornado" returned after a full season off and didn't skip a beat.  He finished in the Top 10 in 7 of his 13 races, and had an average feature finish of 8.90.  The #33k team took home $1,840 plus product prizes.

9th – Jamie Turner, Caistor Centre...A former Modified ace, Turner returned to racing after a few years off and looked fast all year.  He scored 3 Top 10's and an average feature finish of 13.67.  The #11 team took home $1,580 plus product prizes.

10th – Travis Cunningham, Grimsby...The 2009 Rookie of the Year got a late start to the season, missing the first 3 races at Ohsweken due to engine problems.  He made up for lost time though, collecting 3 runner-up finishes in a row in August.  His average feature finish was 10.4.  The #71 team took home $1,320 plus product prizes.

ESSO THUNDER STOCKS - AWARDS:

HARD CHARGER
Jamie Cox (passed 85 cars in feature race action)

"HARD LUCK"
Mike Thorne

DEDICATION AND DETERMINATION
Chris Dickie

BEST APPEARING CAR
Rob Disher

TEAM OF THE YEAR
Van Wart Racing

MOST IMPROVED DRIVER
Phil Nyssen

SPORTSMANSHIP
Chris Dickie

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Ed McNamara

DRIVER OF THE YEAR
(Voted on by drivers)
Jamie Cox

ESSO THUNDER STOCKS
POINTS CHAMPIONSHIP
Jamie Cox

The Top 10 in the ESSO Thunder Stocks were:

1st – Jamie Cox, Cambridge...Following a 2nd place finish last season, Cox aimed for the top of the podium this year and outlasted Billy Bleich to get the title.  He had a strong 2nd half to the season once again, claiming the win in 4 of the last 6 races.  He finished in the Top 5 in 11 of 13 races and had an average feature finish of 3.85.

2nd – Billy Bleich, Port Robinson...Billy was in the title hunt again this year, but fell just short.  He scored 2 feature wins in a row to start the season, and had 9 "Top 10's" in 14 races.  His average feature finish was 4.43.

3rd – Ryan Dinning, Caledonia...Consistency was Ryan's hallmark in 2010, but mechanical problems took him out of the title fight.  He finished in the Top 5 on 8 occasions this year, and had an average feature finish of 4.23.

4th – Lee Winger, Caledonia...Lee finished outside the Top 10 only once this year, and finished in the Top 5 in half his 14 races.  His average feature finish was 6.14.

5th – Mike Thorne, Caledonia...2 hard crashes did little to deter the 55 crew.  Mike got a feature win and finished in the Top 5 in 7 of 14 races this year.  His average feature finish was 5.92.

6th – Chris Dickie, Brantford...Chris continues to improve each season, and has improved his finish in the season standings each year since 2007.  This year he finished in the Top 10 in half his 14 races, and had an average feature finish of 10.43.

7th – Ed MacNamara, Sherkston...A former Truck division driver at Humberstone, Ed raced the former Billy Hogue machine to the Rookie of the Year title at Ohsweken.  He finished in the Top 10 in 6 of his 13 races, and had an average feature finish of 12.77.

8th – Phil Nyssen, Burford...Phil challenged Ed MacNamara for the Rookie of the Year title for much of the season, but had too many mechanical problems along the way.  He finished the season strong with 3 "Top 5's" in the last 7 races, and had an average feature finish of 11.15.

9th – Rob Disher, Grimsby...A strong season went sour for Rob in August when he missed starting 2 features.  Rob's #17 was in the Top 10 in 10 of his 14 races, and he had an average finish of 8.75.

10th – Wyatt Van Wart, Cambridge...Wyatt's rookie year was a struggle with mechanical problems, but the former Mini Stock racer competed in all 14 Thunder Stock events.  His average feature finish was 13.71.

ESSO MINI-STOCKS - AWARDS:

HARD CHARGER
Trevor Goulding (passed 102 cars in feature race action)

"HARD LUCK"
Mike Giberson

DEDICATION AND DETERMINATION
Jamie Goudge and Robin Elliott

BEST APPEARING CAR
Trevor Goulding

TEAM OF THE YEAR
Erskine Racing

MOST IMPROVED DRIVER
Mike Taylor

SPORTSMANSHIP
Steve Hess

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Jake Brown

ART HILL MEMORIAL
DRIVER OF THE YEAR AWARD
(Voted on by drivers)
Steve Hess

ESSO MINI STOCKS
POINTS CHAMPIONSHIP
Trevor Goulding

The Top 10 in the ESSO Mini-Stocks were:

1st – Trevor Goulding, Welland...A part-time visitor to Ohsweken in the past, Trevor decided to go for the title in 2010 and it paid off.  He started the season with 3 wins in his first 4 races and never looked back.  His worst finish all season was 7th on August 13.  Trevor scored a win in the Art Hill Memorial 42 along with 3 other wins, and had an average feature finish of 3.08.

2nd – Steve Hess, Ohsweken...Steve finished outside the Top 5 just once all season, when he did not finish the feature on June 25.  He scored 3 feature wins and had an average feature finish of 4.75.

3rd – Craig & Doug Erskine (#48), Brantford...Craig did the majority of the driving, while Doug filled in nicely with a 3rd place on May 28.  The #48 finished outside the Top 10 only once in 2010, scored 1 feature win, and had an average feature finish of 5.31.

4th – Mike Evers, Caledonia...One of the long-standing veterans of the Mini Stock division, Mike had another consistent season.  The #265 was in the Top 10 in all but 2 races this year, and had an average feature finish of 5.4.

5th – Mike Taylor, Burlington...Mike's second full season in the Mini Stocks was a good one.  He scored his first feature win in August, and finished in the Top 5 in 7 of 13 races.  His average feature finish was 7.54.

6th – Abel Castelein, Cayuga...The 2008 champ didn't get off to a good start this season, but never finished outside the Top 5 in his last 9 races.  He also scored 4 feature wins and had an average feature finish of 5.18.

7th – Kevin Hilborn, Brantford...Kevin was in the title hunt for the first half of the season, but things went south after that.  He was in the Top 5 in half his 12 races, and had an average feature finish of 8.00.

8th – Steve Miller, Paris...Steve finished in the Top 10 in 7 of 13 races, and had an average feature finish of 11.92.

9th – Paul Goodale, Brantford...Paul finished in the Top 10 in points despite missing a race.  He recorded 7 Top 10's and an average feature finish of 11.36.

10th – Jake Brown, Brantford...Jake had big shoes to fill, taking over for brother Mitch in the #10 which won 15 races over the past 2 seasons, and the 2009 championship.  Jake improved as the season went on, and scored 8 "Top 10's" in 13 races on his way to the Rookie of the Year title.  His average feature finish was 10.85.

BOMBERS – AWARDS:

HARD CHARGER
Karl Sault (passed 57 cars in feature race action)

DEDICATION AND DETERMINATION
John Cote

MOST IMPROVED DRIVER
Jeremy Hughes

SPORTSMANSHIP
Sarah Rutherford

DRIVER OF THE YEAR
(Voted on by drivers)
Karl Sault

BOMBERS
POINTS CHAMPIONSHIP
Karl Sault

The Top 10 in the Bombers were:

1st – Karl Sault, Dundas...Karl triumphed over a much-improved Bomber field for his 2nd consecutive title.  He scored 4 feature wins and 10 "Top 10's" in 13 races on his way to the championship.  His average feature finish was 3.62.

Tie 2nd – Jeremy Hughes & Lee Hils (#10), Burlington...Jeremy drove the majority of the races and got 3 feature wins and 6 "Top 5's" in 13 races.  His average feature finish was 6.36.

Tie 2nd – John Cote & Mike Bodogan (#38), Hamilton...Cote drove in all but 1 race, and scored a feature win in August.  He finished in the Top 5 on 6 occasions, and the #38 had an average feature finish of 6.50.

4th – Jesse & Mike McDonald (#88j), Caledonia...Jesse scored 2 feature wins and 6 "Top 5's" in 13 races this year.  His average feature finish was 7.69.

5th – Kacey Huffman, Hamilton...A stalwart in the Bombers, Kacey scored 5 "Top 5's" in 13 races this year, with an average feature finish of 6.45

6th – Sarah Rutherford, Dundas...Sarah scored a season-best 2nd place on Season Championship night, and finished in the Top 10 in 7 of 13 races.  Her average feature finish was 9.17.

7th – Matt Smith, Rockton...Matt missed the first 2 races of the season, but finished outside the Top 10 just twice the rest of the way.  His average feature finish was 7.7.

8th – Chris & Brian Cowell, Caledonia...Chris & Brian teamed up to put the #99cc in the Top 10 in 8 of 13 races this year.  Their average feature finish was 9.64.

9th – Kyle Andress, Hamilton...Kyle had good runs this season, but didn't get the finishes to show for them.  He did get 4 "Top 10's" and an average feature finish of 11.55.

10th – Shawn Ireland & Kevin Martin (#113), Burlington...The second half of the season didn't go according to plan for team #113.  All 6 of their Top 10 finishes came in the first 7 races.  Their average feature finish was 10.82.

SPECIAL AWARDS:

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO OHSWEKEN SPEEDWAY: Curt Styres

Ohsweken Speedway would like to thank all the racers, fans, staff, sponsors, and everyone else who made 2010 the best season yet!

Weekly Friday Night Thunder action is again on tap for Ohsweken's 16th season in 2011. It all begins on Friday, May 20, 2011.

Press release by Tommy Goudge / Ohsweken Speedway. Photo Credit: Peter Anderson (pandersonphotos.com).  Left to Right - Karl Sault, Jamie Cox, Dave Dykstra, Trevor Goulding.

Mark Stielow wins OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational in his 1969 Camaro

November 9, 2010 (MILWAUKEE) – Last Friday, while the rest of the SEMA exhibitors and attendees packed up and headed home, 52 drivers, their vehicles, sponsors and the entire OPTIMA Batteries team headed southwest one hour to Pahrump, Nevada, to compete in the highly-anticipated OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational presented by K&N and Magnaflow. When all was said and done, Mark Stielow and his highly-modified and beautifully designed 1969 Camaro came out on top, winning the coveted title of OPTIMA Batteries Ultimate Street Car of 2010.

OPTIMA Batteries awarded Stielow and each of the segments winners and runners-up at an awards ceremony immediately following the close of events on Saturday, November 6 at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch. The following is a list of winners:

Overall OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car
1st – Mark Stielow, 1969 Camaro
2nd – Kyle Tucker, 1970 Camaro

Raybestos Performance Design Competition
1st – Jim & Mike Ring, 1966 Mustang
2nd – Brent Jarvis, 1965 Corvette

BFGoodrich Hot Lap Challenge
1st – Steve Ruiz, 2004 Z06 Corvette
2nd – Mark Stielow, 1969 Camaro

Ridetech Street Challenge Autocross Competition
1st – Mark Stielow, 1969 Camaro
2nd – Brian Nutter, 2002 Corvette

Baer Brakes Speed Stop Challenge
1st – Mark Stielow, 1969 Camaro
2nd – Paul Arvid “Polly” Blytt, 1986 Pontiac Trans Am

Winners were awarded trophies, plaques and a slew of products and gift certificates equaling nearly $25,000 from sponsors including Magnaflow, K&N Filters, BFGoodrich, Ridetech, Baer Brakes, Detroit Speed & Engineering, Vintage Air, GoPro, Bowler Transmission and Classic Instruments.

Stielow’s ’69 Camaro has had an amazing week, winning both the OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car title and the “Best Hot Rod” at the Gran Turismo Awards®, handed out earlier in the week during the SEMA show by Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC. It is the second car that Mark has built using the 6.2L LS9 V8 engine from GM, working with Thomson Automotive. The engine has been tuned to produce over 700 HP, but that’s not the end of the story. The car looks like a classic Camaro from the outside but under this classic body, the car sports a host of performance upgrades including a Detroit Speed chassis, carbon-ceramic Brembo ZR1 Corvette disc brakes, C6 Corvette front suspension on the Art Morrison front sub-frame, trick Rick’s stainless gas tank, and coolers for the transmission and rear-end.

“Winning the OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational topped off a great week, and year, for me,” said Stielow. “The competition was more prepared than ever and I felt some pressure going into the event, but I was happy to take home the title in front of my friends and family who came to cheer me on.”

The OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational is an invitation-only event that took place this year on Saturday, November 6 – right on the heels of the leading specialty automotive trade event, the SEMA Show. Held at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch in Pahrump, Nevada, this Invitational was created to challenge the finest street machines in the world, showcasing the quality, performance and talent of the country's top builders, performance parts manufacturers and car owners.

“This year’s event once again exceeded our expectations in terms of excitement, level of performance and design and the involvement of the entire performance industry,” said Cam Douglass, director of marketing and product development for OPTIMA Batteries. “From muscle cars to hot rods to imports and street trucks, we had builders and owners of the hottest cars in the world out on the track showing that these vehicles really can do what they are built for.”

The entire event, from the pre-SEMA builds to the awards ceremony, was shot for a national TV show, which will air in early 2011 on a national cable network. For full event results, more information on the OUSCI results, TV show, participants, official rules and more, visit http://www.optimainvitational.com/.

About OPTIMA® BatteriesOPTIMA YellowTopÒ, RedTopÒ and BlueTopÒ batteries are available through leading battery distributors throughout the globe. Consumers should look for the unique colored top and six-pack design for which OPTIMA is known throughout the world. For the nearest retailer, consumers can also call 1-888-8OPTIMA (1-888-867-8462) or visit www.optimabatteries.com.OPTIMA batteries are manufactured by Johnson Controls, Inc. Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI - News) is the global leader that brings ingenuity to the places where people live, work and travel. By integrating technologies, products and services, we create smart environments that redefine the relationships between people and their surroundings. Our team of 140,000 employees creates a more comfortable, safe and sustainable world through our products and services for more than 200 million vehicles, 12 million homes and one million commercial buildings. Our commitment to sustainability drives our environmental stewardship, good corporate citizenship in our workplaces and communities, and the products and services we provide to customers. For additional information, please visit http://www.johnsoncontrols.com.

Ohsweken Speedway Awards Banquet - November 13, 2010

Photos by Peter Anderson

Jerseyville, ON – On Saturday, November 13 Ohsweken Speedway hosted their Annual Awards Banquet in the Marritt Hall located at the new Ancaster Fairgrounds. The top 10 in Championship point chases from each of the four regular classes that compete weekly on the fast 3/8 mile clay oval took center stage. Along with a tribute to sponsors and crowning of the Champions, other special awards such as Rookies of the Year, Most Improved Drivers and Teams of the Year were announced.

Ohsweken Speedway Awards Banquet - November 13, 2010

Movember: Half Way There

The Mustaches are in flight. Today is halfway through Inside Track Communications Movember campaign and the luxury and respect growing on each man's face is immeasurably awesome. Well, at the very least, I think we have the local police stations attention.

To donate and help raise funds for Prostate Cancer Canada, you can choose an Inside Track Communications employee (or donate to the team as a whole) by clicking on the following links:

Mark Hoffberg
Art Director
http://ca.movember.com/mospace/633490/

Jeff Morgan
Editor – Inside MotoX & Off Road
http://ca.movember.com/mospace/702834/

Derek Rockel
Sales – Inside MotoX & Off Road / Inside Motorcycles
http://ca.movember.com/mospace/703090/

Mike Galipeau
Sales – Inside Track Motorsport News
http://ca.movember.com/mospace/703404/

James Neilson
Editor – Inside Track Motorsport News
http://ca.movember.com/mospace/881228/

For more info, check out the original post here:
http://insidemotorcycles.blogspot.com/2010/11/inside-mo-torcycles-takes-on-movember.html

NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Rookie of the Year Derek White is racing at Homestead

Kahnawake, Quebec. (November 15, 2010) The 2010 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series rookie of the year Derek White isn’t through with racing competition for this year. White has agreed to drive the #6 Deer Excavating Chevrolet entry fielded by Rick Ware Racing in the final round of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this Friday November 19^th at Homestead Miami Speedway.

This will be the first Truck race of the season for White who raced in two events last year. “I had such a good time in both of the races last year that I didn’t want to let the season finish without racing in at least one Truck series event this year” said White.

At both races White participated in during the 2009 campaign he made significant gains during the race from his starting position. In his first ever Camping World Truck Series event at the challenging Martinsville Speedway White started the race 34^th but had gained eight positions by the end of race for a 26^th place showing. And at Phoenix International Raceway White gained five spots during the race and claimed a 24^th place result.

This year White concentrated on running the competitive NASCAR Canadian Tire Series in Canada. In the first event of the year at Delaware Speedway near London, Ontario Derek White in the OCR Gaz Bar Chevrolet would serve notice that he was gunning for the Rookie of the Year title scoring an outstanding 7^th place finish. Continuing with the momentum from that first race of the season White claimed the rookie title and finished 14^th in the overall championship. “I’ve learned so much over the last year and the experience that I gained running in the Canadian Tire series and winning the rookie of the year title should be a huge help this weekend in the #6 Deer Excavating Chevy” stated White.

This weekend’s race at Homestead Miami Speedway is the site of some unfinished business for Derek White. “We came to Homestead last year but missed out on qualifying for the race” said the driver. “This year we’ve come back with better equipment and are better prepared. We want to use this race to show what we’re capable of and that will hopefully generate some more sponsor interest for February at Daytona” he added.

The final race of the 2010 NASCAR Camping World Truck series from Homestead Miami Speedway takes place Friday November 19^th. Derek White will practice the #6 Deer Excavating Chevrolet Thursday at the Speedway. Qualifying is scheduled for 5PM on Friday and the 200 mile feature race will go green at 8PM that night. The race can be seen live on SPEED.

Attached Photo: NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Rookie of the Year for 2010 Derek White.

Photo Credit: Sue Chisholm and www.racetimeradio.com

SUNSET SPEEDWAY $50,000 SHOOTOUT ANNOUNCED

(NOV. 14, 2010 // BARRIE, ON) – During Sunset Speedway’s year-end banquet, held Saturday, Nov. 13 at Barrie, Ontario’s Holiday Inn, co-promoter Mark Dilley announced the creation of a unique and very lucrative new awards system for the Innisfil, Ontario stock car oval.

Starting in 2011, competitors in Sunset’s three weekly racing divisions – the Limited Late Models, Super Stocks and Mini Stocks – are eligible for unprecedented cash awards through the track’s new Sunset Speedway $50,000 Shootout.

In addition to the weekly championships, Sunset Speedway will play host to five special ‘Invitational’ events throughout 2011. Those events – open to racers from all around the province – will make up a Sunset-based mini series (for each of the three divisions), each with its own championship points fund.

If a competitor wins the Sunset Speedway weekly points championship – as well as the five-race Invitational Series championship – that racer will receive a Sunset Speedway Shootout cash bonus that will boost their overall winnings significantly. For example, in the case of the Limited Late Models, Sunset’s season-long weekly racing champion will receive $13,000. If that person also takes the Invitational Series crown, their earnings for that title and the Sunset Speedway Shootout Bonus will increase their total winnings to a stunning $18,000.

The Super Stock year-end track champion will receive $3,500 with an Invitational Series / Bonus total potential of $6,000, while the top weekly points-getter for the Mini Stocks will pocket $2,500 and a chance to win a total of $4,000 if they secure that class’s Invitational Series crown and the Sunset Shootout Bonus that goes with it.

“It’s big money,” said Dilley. “It’s the biggest money I’ve ever seen offered by a weekly short track. Taking into account the generous weekly racing points structures, the Invitational Series payouts and the Shootout Bonus, there is the potential for us to pay out a total of $50,000.”

Dilley continued, “The likelihood is very high that some of our racers will be collecting a lot of money. If guys like Tom Walters (Ltd. LM) and Kyle Donaldson (Super Stocks) repeat what they did in 2010 – both winning the weekly points and also the McColl and Stefko Series (respectively), Tom would have won $18,000 and Kyle would have won $6,000. It’s definitely a strong possibility. In terms of the racing at Sunset next summer, I’m sure this money will get the attention of a lot of top racers. It should be fun.”

The McColl and Stefko Series were multi-track tours and if they return in 2011 (TBD), Dilley foresees those events being ‘dual purpose’ races, counting toward both the Sunset Speedway $50,000 Shootout Invitational Series championships, as well as the McColl / Stefko titles.

Dilley went on to announce that Sunset Speedway will host a total of 10 ‘specials’ in 2011, including three OSCAAR races, two Late Model ‘Opens’ and five Sunset Invitationals as part of the Shootout Series.

For more information about Sunset Speedway please visit www.sunsetspeedway.ca.  Details on the $50,000.00 Shootout will be released at a drivers meeting on Friday Dec. 3, 8 p.m. at the Stroud Arena.

You can also reach Linda Jones of Wide Open Motorsport Solutions at (cell) (705) 730-4044, ljones@wideopensolutions.ca or visit www.wideopensolutions.ca.