Inside Track TV (May 21-23, 2011)

Inside Track Motorsport News contributor Spencer Lewis offers a preview of some of the major short track events taking place on the 2011 Victoria Day long weekend. Visit www.InsideTrackNews.com for more information about Inside Track; the official publication of Canadian Motorsports. Thanks to Spencer Lewis!

QUOTABLE: Kevin Harvick doesn't know if he's on probation or not

Maybe he's on Double Secret Probation....?

KEVIN HARVICK, NO. 29 BUDWEISER-REALTREE CHEVROLET, met with members of the media at Charlotte Motor Speedway in advance of the All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway....

GIVEN THE FACT THAT THIS IS A MORE RELAXED WEEKEND, IT’S LATE IN THE RACE AND THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE MAYBE YOU AND KYLE ARE GOING AT IT A LITTLE BIT LATE, GIVEN THE PROBATION WILL YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT GOING FOR IT LATE IF IT MEANS SENDING HIM INTO THE WALL OR SOMETHING? “I’m still confused whether I am on probation or not on probation so I can’t answer that. I don’t really know. I’m just going to go race and see what happens.”

Quote from Chevy

You're Invited: Hot Wheels 'Fearless at the 500' event at Toronto's Evergreen Brickworks on May 29

Join us in Toronto as Hot Wheels® rolls out the orange carpet for media, VIP guests and fans of all ages on Sunday, May 29th, 2011, to witness a world record-breaking stunt at the Hot Wheels® Fearless at the 500™ Toronto event. For a sneak peak of the stunt, check out this video teaser.

WHERE: Evergreen Brickworks, Holcim Gallery 550 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON, M4W 3X8

WHEN: Sunday, May 29th, 2011 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

TICKETS: Entrance is FREE! No ticket is required but stay tuned to www.HotWheelsLive.ca for a chance to win VIP tickets! For more information, please contact info@hotwheelslive.ca.

WHAT: Watch Team Hot Wheels™, a real-life crew of mystery stunt drivers, as they attempt the outrageous - a world record distance jump at the 100th running of the Indy 500®. A life-sized version of the iconic Hot Wheels® V-Drop™ stunt will be set up in the middle of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where a team member will race down a 10-story high drop, launching his car across the field. The stunt will attempt to break the current distance jump world record of 301 feet.

WHY: Because you've NEVER seen anything like it!

EXCITING ACTIVITIES INCLUDE:

• Watch the full race with true race fans and witness the live screening of the Hot Wheels® Fearless at the 500™ stunt from the Indy 500®

• Amazing photo opportunities as a team of Hot Wheels® Thrill Seekers performs thrilling stunts on-site all afternoon

• Fans of all ages can check out the Hot Wheels® Garage featuring the latest Hot Wheels® cars, playsets, clothing & accessories

• Gaming stations equipped with the new Hot Wheels® Eat My Dust game on www.HotWheelsLive.ca

• Great prizes every half hour: draws and giveaways all day long mean there will be something for everyone!

• Grand Prize draw, after the Fearless at the 500™ stunt, for a Honda Indy Prize Pack for four including 2-Day Gold Grandstand Tickets with Paddock Passes, VIP Pit Walk-Thru and 1 Pace Car Ride

PHOTOS: NASCAR Canadian Tire Series test day at Mosport Speedway

Photos from the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series test day at Mosport Speedway, on May 19, 2011. The session featured a first look at many new paint schemes, including Scott Steckly's #22 Canadian Tire Dodge, Mark Dilley's PartSource / Rheem Dodge and the #8 EHR Farmers Feed Families Dodge, to be driven by perpetual Chevy driver Don Thomson Jr. Thanks to Rob Morton for supplying the photos. The NCATS tour kicks off May 28 at the Mosport half-mile.

BGR Team Grote announces Chris Vlok as driver for Formula Tour 1600 Series

BGR Team Grote is pleased to welcome New Zealand FF driver Chris Vlok to its expanding 2011 driver line up for the upcoming Formula Tour 1600 Championship. The season kicks off May 27 with a open test day prior to rounds one and two of the 12 round series at Mont Tremblant's picturesque Le Circuit. Vlok will be competing in the full Formula Tour 1600 Championship with the OFFC title winning team as they expand their programs to include the Quebec series as well as the new USF1600 Championship.

"We are happy to have Chris join the team and will have a bigger presence at the second event in the series for the supporting race at the Grand Prix of Canada where Chris will have several team-mates. The FTour 1600 has assembled a very nice schedule and we are looking forward to it." commented team principal Brian Graham.

BGR Team Grote is known for producing outstanding drivers, having captured the OFFC rookie of the year for 5 consecutive years as well as the CASC rookie of the year the last 4 years. Having captured championships in both FFA and FFB in the Ontario Formula Ford Championship, this will be the first full season with the Quebec Formula Tour 1600 Championship. To learn more about the team visit www.briangrahamracing.com

CTCC is Ready To Go at Mosport for season Opener

Toronto, May 19th 2011 - The fifth season of Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship presented by Continental Tire begins this weekend at Mosport International Raceway. Competitors and fans have been waiting for over eight months to get back on the track. The weekend will feature rounds 1 and 2 of the Fifteen Round 2011 season.

Competitors take to the track beginning Saturday morning with qualifying, followed by Round 1 of the championship in the afternoon. The cars will warm-up Sunday morning in preparation for Round 2 of the championship on Sunday afternoon. Tickets to attend the event are available at www.mosport.com.

CTCC consists of two unique classes competing for supremacy in their class.
Touring Class is the entry level class where only minimal vehicles modifications are permitted. They are typically up to 2.0 litres with 200 maximum horsepower while Super Class includes highly modified engines, suspension and aerodynamics. They are typically up to 3.0 litres with 300 maximum horsepower. Manufacturers include Acura, BMW, Chevrolet, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Pontiac and Subaru. This season, there will be new models from Audi and Scion too.

Castrol is a founding partner and key supporter of CTCC since its inception.
Continental Tire is the presenting sponsor and new partner to CTCC.
Continental has developed a race tire based on their Extreme Contact family of products that competitors will be using exclusively for the next three years. In addition, both Alpinestars and Sunoco Race Fuels (B&G Performance
Fuels) are new partners this season. ANZE Suspension and Advanced Engine Management, Inc. (AEM) return as technical partners.

About CTCC
The Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship presented by Continental Tire is Canada’s only professional road racing series. Now in its fifth year, CTCC showcases race cars based on their stock street version. CTCC will be featured at Circuit ICAR, Mosport International Raceway, Honda Indy Toronto, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières.

Experience the rush of touring car racing!

Isabelle Tremblay Ready For Busy Weekend

May 19, 2011. The racing season in Canada is about to get underway! Racer Isabelle Tremblay, the only female driver to win the Enduro 200 at the Autodrome St. Eustach, is set to open her racing season of competition this Saturday May 21st at the Autodrome St. Eustache in the ANCA Sportsman Series. This year while Isabelle also competes in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series and faces several date conflicts with the Sportsman Series, she seized the opportunity to offer her Sportsman ride to the winner of a driver competition and the lucky recipient has been chosen.

The first order of business in what will be a busy weekend of on track action for Isabelle Tremblay is her taking the green flag for event number one of the ANCA Sportsman Series at Autodrome St. Eustache. “I am super excited to begin the 2011 ANCA Sportsman Series competition this weekend” said Tremblay. “We finished 2010 season on a high note and the Isa Racing Team has worked super hard to prepare the car for me and I’m anxious to see some good finishes for us on the track. I’m confident we can achieve top-ten results this year” she added.

The competition between eight racers to act as a substitute driver for Isabelle Tremblay actually began a couple of weeks ago. The drivers were put through a class room session and briefing. They were of course given time behind the wheel of Isa Racing Team Sportsman Series Car and were judged on how they worked with the team and the crew along with their skills in dealing with the media. Heading up the judging committee was former Formula Atlantic racing star Bertrand Godin.

After a very long and strenuous deliberation between all of the judges Isabelle Tremblay announced the winner. “This was a very difficult choice for all of the judges to make” said Tremblay. “They are all very talented drivers and worked well with the team and showed great ability. But in the end, it was a driver with some extra experience who came out on top. I’m pleased to announce that Gerry Bergeron is the winner”!

By winning the difficult competition Bergeron is rewarded with a tremendous opportunity. At this weekend’s opening event for the Sportsman Series at the Autodrome St. Eustache, Bergeron will race alongside Isabelle Tremblay as her teammate in a car prepared by the Isa Racing Team. In addition, during the season when Tremblay is unable to race at Autodrome St. Eustache due to other commitments Bergeron will drive her car. “Having Gerry in the car is a good opportunity for him and it also allows the Isa Racing Team to gain Championship points while I’m away as the title is awarded to the car owner” explained Isabelle Tremblay.

There is also news from Isabelle Tremblay and her NASCAR Canadian Tire Series program. Tremblay was expecting to test her #07 ADF Diesel/Group Beton Brunet Ford with the Dave Jacombs Racing team at Mosport Speedway. However due to the threat of rain the team instead opted to focus on her test session this coming Monday, May 23rd at Circuit ICAR near Mirabel, Quebec. “With the weather concerns it didn’t make much sense to hope for some test laps” explain Tremblay. “Instead we know that we’ll be able to test at Circuit ICAR and I’ll be working with former Series Champion Andrew Ranger so I could not have asked for a better teacher. I know I will be able to learn quite a lot in that session” she added.

This kind of large-scale racing program schedule would not be possible without the impressive support of many partners for which Isabelle is extremely grateful. Isabelle Tremblay’s ANCA Sportsman Series efforts are backed by Insulation Ippersiel, Canadian Tire St. Jerome, La Pizzeria Etc and DB Imaging. The NASCAR Canadian Tire series program is made possible with support from Group Beton Brunet and ADF Diesel. Her Formula 1600 Tour receives backing from Furniture World Salotti.

More information about Isabelle Tremblay and her 2011 racing program can be found by going to her website, www.isaracingteam.com

TSN: Indy 500 hits Centennial milestone with full coverage on TSN and TSN2

Toronto, ON (May 19, 2011) – The 500 is turning 100!  The INDIANAPOLIS 500 is marking its centennial anniversary and TSN and TSN2 celebrate the historic event with 15 hours of qualifying and race day action. Live coverage of the INDIANAPOLIS 500 runs Sunday, May 29 at 12 noon ET on TSN. Coverage is also available on TSN MOBILE TV. 

This year’s milestone race has open-wheel drivers chasing the chance to make auto racing history.  Canadians Paul Tracy from Scarborough, ON, Alex Tagliani from Lachenaie, QC and 24-year old James Hinchcliffe from Oakville, ON will be vying for a position on the starting grid alongside Scotland’s Dario Franchitti, reigning INDIANAPOLIS 500 and IZOD IndyCar Series champion and Brazil’s Helio Castroneves, a three-time INDIANAPOLIS 500 winner.

Leading up to the big race, TSN2 primes racing fans with almost eight hours of exhilarating qualifying action from Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The 33-car field will be determined through Pole Day Qualifying on Saturday, May 21 at 11 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET and Bump Day Qualifying on Sunday, May 22 at 4:30 p.m. ET on TSN2.

This weekend, TSN and TSN2 features even more motorsport coverage, including racing from the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the NASCAR Nationwide Series and Formula 1 (see TSN.ca for complete broadcast schedules).

TSN MOBILE TV is currently available on video-enabled mobile devices subscribing to Bell Mobile TV Sports Package.

TSN/TSN2’s INDIANAPOLIS 500 broadcast schedule is as follows:

Saturday, May 21

• 11 a.m. ET – IZOD IndyCar Series: Indianapolis 500 Pole Day Qualifying (TSN2)

• 4:30 p.m. ET – IZOD IndyCar Series: Indianapolis 500 Pole Day Qualifying (TSN2)

Sunday, May 22

• 4:30 p.m. ET – IZOD IndyCar Series: Indianapolis 500 Bump Day Qualifying (TSN2)

Sunday, May 29

• 11 a.m. ET – Indianapolis 500: A Centennial Celebration presented by Honda

• 12 noon ET – IZOD IndyCar Series: Indianapolis 500 (TSN)

ESPN Classic: ESPN Classic offers 26 hours of legendary races and exciting moments from the INDIANAPOLIS 500, beginning Friday, May 27 at 7 p.m. ET with Mario Andretti’s 1969 victory (see TSN.ca/Classic for complete broadcast schedule).

TSN is Canada's Sports Leader and Canada’s most-watched specialty network. Delivering more sports coverage in High Definition than any other network in Canada, TSN's comprehensive broadcast schedule features an exciting lineup of sports including NHL, CFL, NFL, NBA, MLS, the IIHF World Junior Championship, Season of Champions Curling, Golf’s Majors, F1, NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series, Grand Slam Tennis, EURO 2012 and 2016, the Tour de France, NCAA March Madness tournament and Championship Boxing events.  TSN properties include TSN2, TSN MOBILE and the industry-leading sports website TSN.ca.  Official broadcaster of the London 2012 Olympic Games, TSN is a division of Bell Media, which is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada’s largest communications company. 

For More Information:

Greg McIsaac, (w) 416.384.5180, (c) 416.458.3591, greg.mcisaac@bellmedia.ca

Chobi Liang, (w) 416.384.7584, (c) 416.859.4738, chobi.liang@bellmedia.ca

Renee Rouse, (w) 416.384.7599, (c) 416.428.4807, renee.rouse@bellmedia.ca

Twitter: @TSN_PR

McCalmont, CKS Camaro GS.R to 7th in Virginia GRAND-AM Race

May 19, 2011 - It was obvious the six-week layoff between races was time well-used by the CKS Autosport race car preparation team based in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada, as the pit crew and driver Ashley McCalmont gave the 2011 Chevrolet Camaro GS.R a seventh place finish, its best of the season.

The two-hour, 30-minute race, on May 14 at VIRginia International Raceway near Danville, Va., was the second top-10 finish of the season for McCalmont, also of Ancaster, in the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge series. In a series where co-drivers are required, Ashley shares the driving with Eric Curran of Holyoke, Mass.

“I’m impressed by the mechanical progress our team manager, Kirk Spencer, and his crew have made with the TTL/Goldengate Margarine Camaro,” Ashley said. “Every race, every session on the track, it gets better and better and better. And our results through the first four races show that.

“I was unable to get enough track time at-speed during testing because of all the black flags due to other drivers having mishaps or going off course. I only had five laps on the track before qualifying, and then I was held up by a slower car. I had to start 22nd I in the Grand Sports class and be patient to work my way toward the front.

“In the race itself, I was working my way up but lost a position when a car in front of me put down a lot of oil on the track. That cost a few spots but by being patient and picking low-risk places to pass, I was up to 12th place by the time I pitted on lap 17 and turned the car over to my co-driver, Eric Curran,” Ashley said. “Picking up 10 positions and protecting the car pleased me”

“GRAND-AM is doing a good job manipulating small specifications here and there, closing gaps between very diverse cars. This puts the onus to win in the hands of the independent teams who build them and the drivers who race them,” Spencer added.

“Eric was up to eighth place by lap 35, and we were in a position to move up even further,” Ashley said, but a crash on lap 35 caused eight laps to be run behind the pace car, two green flag laps, then four more laps under yellow because of another crash. It didn’t help our momentum, but it did teach us about the Camaro’s potential – we had the best Camaro finish out of five of us in the field.”

"Ashley did a great job in the Camaro! The racing was close and fierce, but she moved up seven spots from her starting position. She's really starting to get the hang of these big V8 Camaros! I'm real happy that we finished inside the top 10 and were the top Camaro behind the Mustangs and BMWs,” added Curran.
The limited-production 2011 Chevrolet Camaro GS.R is a purpose-built road racing car which starts life as a production Camaro. It is powered by a 376 cubic inch Chevrolet V8 engine producing over 400 horsepower.

The Virginia race was televised by SPEED TV and will air May 22 at 1pm ET.

The season’s 5th of 10 races is May 27-28 at Lime Rock Park, near Lakeville, Conn., followed by Round 6 on June 2-3 at Watkins Glen International, near Watkins Glen, N.Y.

“No mistakes at Lime Rock,” said Spencer. “Not with five days between races.”

Ashley McCalmont’s promotional partners are: Golden Gate margarine, Mainway, LeClair, Oblender Installations, Legends Landscape, Inc., Prokleen, CRDI, and TTL

About Ashley McCalmont:
Ashley started race at age eight in go karts and progressed to CASCAR Regional races in Canada. This is her third year in the GRAND-AM Continental Tire series. She raced a Chevrolet Cobalt SS for two seasons then took off a year to become a wife and mother. She is working toward her first pro racing win. Visit Ashley on her website: www.mccalmontracing.com

BRIGHTON SPEEDWAY: This Saturday Night... it's gonna be Hot, Hot, Hot!

BRIGHTON, ON - Sprint Cars and Chili! You don't want to miss this weekend as Vanzuylen Tire & Alignment and ROCK 107 present the 2011 Southern Ontario Sprint Opener at Brighton Speedway.  The big winged warriors will hit the track for their first of six events on the 1/3rd mile clay oval.  To spice up the night the ROCK 107 Lovely Ladies will be on hand and we will present the First Annual BSP Chili Contest beginning at 6:00 pm at the Beer Garden.

We are looking for contestants to drop off their pots and let us know if its Mild, Medium, Hot or Five Alarm. Prizes will be awarded for the Most Creative Name and Fan's Favourite.  Ohsweken Speedway has donated a pair of tickets to the World of Outlaw Sprint Car Show in July for the First Place Chili Pot. Get cooking for your chance to win!

Racing action begins at 7:00 pm, this Saturday, May 21st, Gates Open at 5:30 pm. Admission is only $18.00 for Adults, $14.00 for Youths  & Seniors, $4.00 for Children 7 - 12 and $42.00 for a Family Pass.  Visit www.brightonspeedway.com for further information.

Merrittville Speedway: Holiday Doubleheader Concludes Monday May 23 with 100-lap Super DIRTcar Series race and more

Thorold, Ontario (May 19) – Race fans and race teams alike surely have enjoyed the fact that their favourite Southern Ontario and Western New York DIRTcar Race Tracks have opened for the new season or can’t wait until they do!

One must see event on everyone’s calendar should be Merrittville Speedway’s Zavitz Financial Strategies and ZFS Employee Benefit Solutions Monday May 23rd event that once again launches the season long 358 Modified Super DIRTcar series when the Thorold showplace’s first Holiday Doubleheader concludes.

“We’re expecting quite a field to challenge our Bobcat of Hamilton 358 Modifieds,” relates Merrittville GM Erica Bicknell-Jones, “… any of our Lucas Oil Weekly Racing Series Drivers have a shot at Victory Lane … but like last season – you never know who will show!”

Sussex New Jersey’s Brett Hearn made a rare May visit last year and took victory in the 358 Modified Super DIRTcar Series Event – his first since the 1995 edition.  With the Big Block Super DIRTcar Series also about to begin Hearn is nearing a career milestone of 800 wins. For a recent article click on http://www.superdirtcarseries.com/

A presentation of Zavitz Financial Strategies - a truly independent financial planning organization that thrives on developing new and better ways to help their clients … right here in the heart of Niagara!

For 19 years, the team at Zavitz Financial Strategies has been meeting the insurance and investment needs of individuals, families and companies. Their experts will help you to bring the pieces of financial planning together.

ZFS Employee Benefit Solutions has expertise in the design and management of group insurance plans. Tap into their experience and insight into team dynamics to solve your toughest benefit problems. Call Paul Scott at 905-714-4134 to get the results you want.

ZFS Benefit Solutions prides itself in delivering knowledge and solutions to all of your employee benefit needs. With a ‘no pressure’ review of their services – you will be on your way to greater corporate success.

Merrittville Speedway’s Hoosier Stocks will continue their quest against the Brighton Speedway Pro Stocks in their second Home Track Event of the season in the Duel on the Dirt Big 6 with a 25 lap Feature.

May 23rd’s Show also opens another series – the 2011 Grantham Lions Ironman Enduro Qualifiers accelerated by Niagara College. Three times during the season, Enduro enthusiasts race leading up to the September 11th Smash-o-rama 100 lap Main Event.

“Our Enduros attract all kinds,” relates (GM) Erica Bicknell, “ drivers with no experience … some that have run this type of event before and even some of our regular Saturday Night Lucas Oil Weekly Racing Series competitors … but in the end it’s more survival than experience that counts.”

Gates will open Monday May 23rd at the special time of 4:00 with showtime at 6:30 PM.

For all the news leading up to Merrittville Speedway’s 60th Consecutive Season including the Zavitz Financial Strategies Event – call 905-892-8266 or visit www.merrittvillespeedway.com. Race fans and Race teams alike can follow Merrittville on Face Book (Facebook.com/Merrittville Speedway) and Twitter (Twitter.com/Merrittville). 

Join us this season on a Saturday Night for a 60th Anniversary LUCAS OIL WEEKLY RACING SERIES EVENT featuring FIVE Divisions with local heroes and up and coming new stars.

Ohsweken Speedway: Rain pushes season opener back a week to May 27

The relentless precipitation blanketing Southwestern Ontario has claimed the Season Opener at Ohsweken Speedway set for Friday night, May 20. With saturated grounds and work on the track impossible in recent days, Ohsweken Speedway officials have been forced to cancel the season opener and push the entire show back one week to May 27.

“Not only can we not complete necessary work on the track” exclaimed Ohsweken Promoter Glenn Styres in making the call, “we would be under the gun to provide safe racing conditions as the track is far too soft to make it raceable. This rain has really put us behind as the entire area is saturated”.

“The entire opening night of racing will now be run on May 27” according to Director of Racing Operations Ken Pelkie. “Engler Machine and Tool will be the sponsor of the Frost Bite 75 featuring the first round toward the season long point championship races for Pierced Parts Bombers, HRW Automotive Mini Stocks, Lighthouse Tattoos’ Thunder Stocks and CORR/Pak Sprints. The evening will conclude with a 25 lap Sprint feature” Pelkie concluded.

Pelkie went on to announce that “As a token of appreciation to all the race teams and sponsors in all four divisions for their patience and support, we will be offering a unique opportunity for the race teams to host their sponsors at the track for a night of racing at no cost on Friday, June 3rd. All that is required to obtain free Pit Admission for two of any and all of your teams sponsors whose business name appears on your race car is to submit a list of your sponsors names to Ken on Friday, May 27 and you will be given two passes for each business on that list for the June 3rd show. It is absolutely free with no catches. The only stipulation is that no minors under 13 can be admitted to the Pit and everyone needs to sign a waiver. This offer is for June 3rd only at this time however if the response is favorable we will look at repeating this later in the season. We hope everyone takes advantage of this opportunity to showcase your product that your sponsors have invested in” Pelkie concluded.

Meanwhile, advanced Reserved ticketing sales continues for our three major events in 2011.

July 26th Tony Stewart will be at Ohsweken Speedway to take on the home town CORR/Pak Sprints in a special mid week point show. Adults will be admitted to this event for $20 while Students 13 through 17 and seniors over 65 and older are $15. Kids 12 and under will be admitted for $5. All seats will be reserved. There are still lots of tickets available for this event.

Tickets for the 4th Annual “SIX NATIONS SHOWDOWN” featuring the World of Outlaws on July 27th and the 7th Annual Canadian Sprint Car Nationals September 16th and 17th also remain on sale. Plenty of great seats remain for each of these events and can be obtained by calling 1-888-720-7223.

Tickets for all three of these shows are on sale on a first come, first served basis. They will remain on sale Mondays through Thursdays at 1-888-720-7223 from 9:00 AM until 6:00 PM until one week before each race date.

If you have difficulty getting through on the line, please email Cheryl at pelkiekj@ebtech.net  leaving your name, phone number(s) and a time when you can be reached and you will be called back as soon as possible.

Southern Ontario Sprints: 2011 season starts Saturday

London, Ontario (May 18, 2011) – A sure sign of spring in Ontario is the opening of Sprint Car racing season. This Saturday night, the Southern Ontario Sprints tour will return to familiar territory when Brighton Speedway hosts the SOS season opener for the 12th year in a row.

Glenn Styres enters the 2011 season as the defending four time Champion on the SOS tour. Styres looks to start off strong in his hunt for an unprecedented fifth championship. Although he was shut out in 2010 Glenn has claimed ten feature wins in his career at Brighton.

Always a fan favorite at Brighton, Joyceville’s Rick Wilson will try to add to his stellar record at the Northumberland County oval this weekend. In forty two career Sprint Car events at Brighton, “The Joyceville Jet” has claimed fourteen feature victories, along with a dozen runner-up finishes. The next generation “Jet” will also be hot on her dads heels this weekend as April Wilson looks to have a break out season.

Other active drivers with feature wins at Brighton include Keith Dempster (8), “Willie” Warren Mahoney (3), Chris Jones (2), Adam West (2), and Dick Mahoney (1).

Others expected in competition on Saturday night and looking to add their names to Brighton’s sprint car win list include; Bob Crawford, Paul Pekkonen, Chris Durand, Frank Baranowski, Brad Lodge and 2010 Rookie of the Year Jim Munsie.

Don’t miss the first Sprint Car event of the Ontario racing season on Saturday, May 21st! Rock 107 and Van Zuylen Tire present the evening’s activities, featuring the Southern Ontario Sprints season opener, along with Brighton’s Pro Late Models, Canadian Modifieds, Pro Stocks, and 1st Annual Chili Contest.

WHAT: Southern Ontario Sprints 2011 Season, Round #1 www.SouthernOntarioSprints.com

WHERE: Brighton Speedway (775 County Road 64, Brighton, Ontario // Phone: (613)-475-1102 or toll free 1-(866)-681-1102 // info@brightonspeedway.com // www.brightonspeedway.com

WHEN: Saturday, May 21, 2010

Pit Gates open @ 3:00p.m., Spectator Gates Open @ 5:30p.m., First Heat Racing @ 7:00p.m.

Tickets: $18 Adults, $14 Youth and Seniors, $4 Children Ages 7-12, FREE Children Ages 6 and Under, $42 Family Pass

** Advance ticket sales are available for all SOS events at Brighton Speedway in 2011. Visit www.BrightonSpeedway.com for details. ** Visit www.SouthernOntarioSprints.com for more news and information about the Southern Ontario Sprints – Ontario’s Fastest Tour, brought to you by Wiseco Piston, Stealth Racewear, Triple X Race Co., National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum, Four Wide Photos, ASI Sportswear, The Racers Edge, ImageFactor.ca, Hepfner Racing Products, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, and Saldana Race Products.

Amico Racing Hits the Track at Mosport This Weekend

May 18, 2011 - Windsor Ontario’s Amico Racing kicks off their Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship assault this weekend with the Victoria Day Speed Fest weekend at Mosport International Raceway in Bowmanville. Dean Fantin returns as the full time driver for 2011 along with Amico’s BMW 330i sedan sporting a new colours and decal package. Amico Racing will again see its major support from the Labourers Union, Amico Design Build and Architecttura Inc.

We’re very happy to announce a new technical partner in HotBits Sport Suspension, they will be handling all the set up and tuning this year on their high performance shocks and struts. HotBits has had great success in rally racing, Drag racing and dominated the Targa Newfoundland, now they’ve join with Amico Racing to add a road racing championship to the list.

When it comes to maintaining the car we’re glad Gunk has come on board as the official supplier of maintenance and service products for Amico Racing. We’ve always used Gunk’s degreasers and cleaners as they’ve simply been the best product available on the shelf, now that we’ve started using their full range of products around the shop we’re sorry we didn’t call them sooner.
A big part of the challenge in the Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship is constantly innovating and improving the performance of the car, unlike a lot of other professional series in North American that are tightly regulated to the point of becoming like a SPEC series. CTCC especially the ST class is a breeding ground for innovation, this year we’ve worked hard to make gains on the other teams with technical partners like Jon Michienzi, Prominent Fixture and Gauge and Custom Steel Ltd. from Oldcastle Ontario.

The Amico Racing BMW 330i is powered by the familiar M54B30 3.0L inline six engine, this year we have again worked with the Motive Power program at Windsor’s St. Clair College to develop a powerful and reliable engine package. The machine work was performed by AP Racing engines and the engine was build in house by crew chief Douglas Lovegrove.

Holding that engine together are the advance thread locking and sealing products from another new partner for 2011. Permatex has come on board to supply Amico Racing with the right products to get the job done, sealed and locked down tight every time.

2011 is shaping up to be a great year for the Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship, with 8 weekends and a total of 15 races including the recently announced NAPA 200 NASCAR weekend in Montreal that was added to the schedule. See you at the track!
To follow Amico Racing check out www.amicoracing.com

Merrittville Speedway: Holiday Doubleheader kicks off with Seaway Mall Rankin Cancer run night

Thorold, Ontario (May 18) – The first holiday doubleheader of 2011 kicks off Saturday May 21st when the Seaway Mall presents the first of two visits for the BRP CanAm Late Model Tour.

With the BRP Can Am Late Models in the spotlight are the Thorold track’s Lucas Oil Weekly Racing Series Divisions – the Original Pizza Logs Sportsman, Hoosier Stocks, J&S Heating and Air Conditioning Modified Lites and the Turn 4 Collision 4 Cylinders.

“Race fans will sure get their racing fixes over the Holiday Weekend,” relates (Merrittville GM) Erica Bicknell-Jones, “it will be quite a doubleheader with some must see events both nights … the BRP Late Models look different and certainly race different than our open wheel cars ... they are fast ... noisy ... and often on three wheels.”

Former Merrittville Pro Stock Champion recently turned Karting Parent Darren Kish would join the growing BRP CanAm Late Model Tour back in the day and in an Invitational Event in 2006 – took the division’s first checkered flag on Canadian Soil.

While the Seaway Mall’s event is number three of the 2011 BRP CanAm Late Model Series Schedule ... it is the tenth that Merrittville Speedway has hosted.

Bicknell Racing Products has added $2000 bonus dollars for the touring group’s annual visit to Merrittville Speedway as part of the Speedway’s annual Victoria Day Holiday Weekend.

Two 2011 BRP CanAm Series tour events have been completed to date.  A total of 33 drivers have competed in those events and several teams are expected for their 2011 debut on Saturday.

Jeremy Wonderling won the tour opener at Woodhull last month with John Waters coming out on top at the tour event at Black Rock two weeks ago.  On the strength of the Woodhull win and a third place finish at Black Rock - Wonderling holds a five point advantage over Jason Knowles coming into this weekend.

Prior Merrittville BRP CanAm winners who are expected to make their first show of 2011 are Jon Rivers, Dave Miller and Bruce Miller. The Miller father (Dave) and son (Bruce) duo swept the two late model events in 2005.  Rivers was the winner of the Queen’s Day affair in 2006.

“With Merrittville’s 60th year of racing underway,” relates Series Director Gary Montgomery, “the BRP CanAm Late Model Series is delighted to be part of their celebration.”

Complete BRP CanAm Series information is available at www.BRPCanAmSeries.com

The Seaway Mall - located at 800 Niagara Street features over 120 friendly stores and services and offers free wireless internet throughout the mall. 

The Seaway Mall is open Monday to Friday from 10 AM to 9 PM, Saturday from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM and Sundays from 12 to 5 PM. 

Shoppers can also visit the Seaway Mall on line at www.seawaymall.com on your I Phone by downloading the free Seaway Mall App from the iTunes store.

The Seaway Mall goes WAY beyond your expectations!  Seaway Mall offers a variety of unique shopping and dining experiences and is home to over 120 stores and services including Le Chateau, the Shoe Warehouse, Bonnie Togs, and a brand new Pennington’s. Seaway Mall is simply the best place to shop for everything you need for your family, home and for yourself. 

When the gates open May 21st, representatives from the Rankin Cancer Run will be set up with information on the Annual Event set for May 28th. For further information or to make an online donation visit  www.rankincancerrun.com. Many of Merrittville Speedway’s Officials and fans will participate in the event as well as drivers.

For further information on the 60th Anniversary Season call the Speedway Office at 905-892-8266 or visit the award winning www.merrittvillespeedway.com. Race fans and Race teams alike can follow Merrittville on Face Book (Facebook.com/Merrittville Speedway) and Twitter (Twitter.com/Merrittville). 

Join us this season on a Saturday Night for a 60th Anniversary LUCAS OIL WEEKLY RACING SERIES EVENT featuring FIVE Divisions with local heroes and up and coming new stars.

Make your plans … call your friends and maybe even get a carpool together and enjoy a staycation at the speedway with plenty of free parking and camping spots – a night at the races is so much fun and so close to home!

Your Local Dirt Track is where it’s at!!! Merrittville Speedway ‘The Best Family Entertainment in Niagara.”

Crazy Offer! Race fans – check your 2011 Ticket Stubs for a Crazy Offer from Little Caesars Pizza – located at 572 Niagara Street in Welland. With the purchase of a HOT-N-READY Pizza and Crazy Bread – receive a Free Crazy Bread!

From Jim Irvine Merrittville Speedway Public Relations

NASCAR NATIONWIDE MONTREAL: Canadian Patrick Carpentier to drive the NAPA Toyota in Montréal

CORNELIUS, N.C, May 17, 2011 - Pastrana-Waltrip Racing and NAPA announced today that Canadian driver Patrick Carpentier will race the No. 99 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota in the NAPA AUTO PARTS 200 presented by Dodge, NASCAR Nationwide Series race at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve at Parc Jean-Drapeau in Montreal on Aug. 20.

''We are extremely proud to see someone like Patrick, a great friend of our event being confirmed for our August race. Our spectators cheering for him will be numerous. We surely wish him another pole position and finally, a first Nationwide Series win in front of his home crowd," said François Dumontier, President of Octane Management Inc. and Delegated Promoter of the event.

The Joliette (Quebec) native won the pole for this race in 2007 and posted second-place finishes in 2007 and 2008. The 2009 and 2010 Montreal races saw Carpentier as one of the fastest on the track before mechanical issues ended his races early.

"This is the most important race of the year for me," said the 39-year-old Carpentier who led 14 laps of the 2007 race on the 2.71-mile (4.361 km) road course. "We've been so close in Montreal and I think this year we have as good of a shot as anyone. I've said many times that winning in Montreal would definitely be a highlight in my career."

Carpentier owns 14 Nationwide and 39 Sprint Cup starts after winning five races in CART in a stellar open wheel career. He has quite a history on the Montreal track finishing first and third in Formula Atlantic races and posting two third-place finishes in CART.

"Patrick Carpentier is a driver with whom NAPA can easily identify: he is determined, dynamic and ambitious. We are very proud to have Patrick behind the wheel of our NAPA car again this year. We are confident that the Waltrip-Pastrana and Carpentier team has many great surprises in store for us," said Robert Hattem, President and COO of UAP Inc.

Michael Waltrip Racing, Gary and Blake Bechtel along with Travis Pastrana co-own Pastrana-Waltrip Racing. Pastrana, an action sports star, will race the Toyota seven times in 2011 beginning on July 30 in Indianapolis.

Mandated by Stock-Car Montréal, a wholly-owned subsidiary of International Speedway Corporation (ISC) based in Daytona Beach, Florida, Octane Management is, since 2009, the delegated promoter of the NAPA Auto Parts 200, Presented by Dodge. ISC is the leading promoter of motorsports in North America, hosting over 100 major racing events each year.

PHOTO: Patrick Carpentier will meet fans at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve Friday and Saturday June 10 and 11 at the NAPA AUTO PARTS 200 presented by Dodge promotional booth.

Contact: Marie-Pierre Laflamme // Media Services Manager // NAPA Auto Parts 200 presented by Dodge // mplaflamme@octanemanagement.ca // Photo credit: Waltrip-Pastrana Racing

Mosport Speedway's season opener this weekend

BOWMANVILLE, ON – May 17, 2011 - As Mosport International Raceway's 2011 season gets underway with the Victoria Day SpeedFest, Mosport Speedway will also kick-off its exciting racing action this Saturday (May 21).

The 22nd year of nose-to-tail racing at Canada's fastest half-mile oval revs into high gear with the three regular home classes – the Pure Stock (formerly Six or Less), Sportsman and Late Model all in action.  They will be joined by the Open-Wheel Modifieds as they make their first of five Mosport appearances.

In 2010, Jim "The Professor" Rossiter of Orono, ON, made the successful move into the Late Model division after winning the championship on three occasions in the Modified division.  Rossiter was a consistent finisher in 2010, winning one feature race, netting three heat race victories and having an equal number of runner-up finishes.  The high school shop teacher now looks ahead to this season where all of the other drivers will be aiming to try and take his title, something he has been accustomed to over the years.

In the Sportsman division, the 2010 championship came down to the final race of the season as Brad Stephenson of Courtice, ON and Oshawa native John Baker Jr. had waged a see-saw battle at the top all summer.  In the end, Stephenson would take the title, on the back of an impressive 18 race victories including seven features.  This season, Stephenson has sold his car so the title chase will be wide open.

One of Mosport's most popular divisions, the developmental Six or Less (now known as Pure Stock) division will continue to see great competition week in and week out.  In 2010, veteran Six Or Less driver Kevin Pickford started his season on a strong note, scoring feature wins in the opening two rounds of the schedule. But the momentum began to shift as youngster Duane Jeffery of Oshawa eventually scored an astounding 16 race victories (13 heats/ three features). With a clutch feature race victory in the season finale, Pickford would take the title by a mere 16 points over Jeffrey.

Virtually every Saturday will include a special travelling series that will join the home division races.  Making the trek to Mosport Speedway this season will be the Open-Wheel Modifieds, OSCAAR, Ontario Legends, Lucas Oil Sportsman Cup, Vintage Modifieds and Pro Challenge.

Each week will see the return of the Old Dutch Crunch "King of the Hill" spectator races, where two cars go head-to-head, two at a time, with the winning driver moving on and the loser parking it for the night.

One of the season highlights this season will be the return of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, as they open their 2011 campaign next Saturday (May 28) with the Dickies 200.  The 200-lap race-into-the-night always provides fans with non-stop excitement and provides the drivers with one of their toughest tests on the schedule.

There will also be two Fan Appreciation nights starting with the first on July 2 and the second taking place on the final weekend of the season, September 10.

New this season, the gates will open at 5:00 pm and the green flag will fly for the night's first race at 6:00 pm.  Admission for adults is just $15, youth (13-17) and seniors (65+) are both $10 and as always, children 12 and under are free.  Admission for the Speedway this Saturday is included with the Victoria Day SpeedFest Weekend Super Ticket.

For more information and to purchase tickets, call the Mosport Hotline at 1-800-866-1072 (Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm ET), visit online at www.mosport.com, or email info@mosport.com

For further information: Ryan Chalmers, Mosport // ryan@mosport.com // 800-866-1072 (office)

Canadian Caitlin Johnston brings Honda to Canadian FF

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (May 17, 2011) – Coming off a strong sixth-place finish at the opening weekend for the new F1600 Formula F Championship Series, Canadian racer Caitlin Johnston plans to continue in the U.S.-based series in 2011, in addition to the Ontario Formula Ford Championship Series, in her Honda-powered Pizza Pizza Van Diemen RF97.

After four seasons of competition in the Ontario FF series, Johnston and her Warp 9 Racing team were quick to adopt the new Honda Fit-based HPD L15A7 engine and take on the new American Formula F series, which opened earlier this month at Virginia International Raceway to rave reviews and a strong, 29-car field, including 11 Honda-powered Formula Fs.

“As a team, we looked at the different options: the Ford Kent and the Honda.  After a great deal of consideration, we field the HPD L15A7 package had a great deal to offer, and from there we decided to make the switch,” said the 22-year-old racer. 

At VIR for the American series opener, Johnston finished seventh behind race winner Jim Goughary’s Honda-Piper in Saturday’s opening race.  At the finish, Johnston was in the thick of a multi-car battle, finishing just four-tenths of a second behind Colin Thompson’s Honda-Swift, and ahead of the Ford-Van Diemen of fellow Canadian racer Brian Graham by 1.5-seconds.

In the second race of the double-header weekend on Sunday, Johnston was the top-finishing Honda and took the checkers in sixth, this time 1.3-seconds behind Graham and ahead of Saturday race winner Goughary.

“My Honda-powered Formula F was just awesome today,” Johnston said after the finish.  “It was pretty good battling it out with a couple of the guys, but then Colin [Thompson] spun and we came around the ‘Oak Tree Turn’ and he was literally sitting right in the middle of the track.  My first weekend in the F1600 Series with two top-10s, we can’t complain about that!”

Johnston plans to run both the American series and continue in the OFFC in 2011.  “We are very excited at how our 2011 season is shaping up,” she said.  “It will be a busy one, visiting many different tracks across North America and racing in different series, but the busier, the better.”

The five-weekend, 10-race American series continues at Watkins Glen International as part of the Grand Am Championship weekend on June 3-5.  The Canadian OFFC series opened May 7-8 at Mosport International Raceway in Ontario.

Johnston of Orangeville, Ontario, received top honours at the Canadian Motorsports Expo in Toronto this past February for the Inside Track’s Readers’ Choice award for “Up and Coming Canadian Road Racer of the Year.”

Honda Racing Line: The Honda Racing Line, launched in July 2009, is a program targeted at licensed participants in sanctioned amateur and entry-level professional racing. Licensed Canadian competitors may register for the Honda Racing Line through HondaRacingLine.com.

“We have been very pleased with the growth of the Honda Racing Line program in the U.S., and with the high level of interest we’ve received from Canadian racers,” said HPD President Erik Berkman. “We’re happy to be able to make Racing Line membership available in Canada, and will continue to expand our offerings of products and support to club members.”

The Honda Racing Line includes an array of products and services for Honda and Acura customers who compete in sanctioned events.  Once registered, racers have access to performance parts for purchase; race engines, including the Honda Fit power plant for SCCA Formula F competition; web-based technical support; 24-hour service publication support through ServiceExpress; and door-to-door delivery of original-equipment parts for their individual race cars. 

Honda Performance Development (HPD) is the Honda racing company within North America. Founded in 1993, and located in Santa Clarita, California, HPD is the technical operations center for American Honda high-performance racing cars and engines.  In addition to its grassroots motorsports business, HPD is the single engine supplier to the IZOD IndyCar Series and spearheaded Acura’s championship-winning efforts in the 2009 American Le Mans Series.

For more information on the Honda Racing Line, interested racers can explore the HPD website – http://hondaracing.com/hpd.

From Honda Performance Development (HPD)

CARQUEST 100 Opens 2011 Pro Stock Tour Season at Scotia Speedworld

(Halifax, NS. May 17, 2011) Maritime race fans and drivers alike do not have to wait much longer to hear the four most anticipated words in racing – Gentlemen Start Your Engines! On Sunday, May 22 the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour launches its 11th season at Scotia Speedworld with the CARQUEST 100. After a long off-season fans can expect great action on the track as some of Canada’s best stock car drivers vie for the first checkered flag of the season. Gates open at 1:00 pm with the green flag set to fall at 4:00 pm.

With over 30 drivers registered for the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour organizers are expecting intense competition for the 2011 championship. In order to claim the prestigious title drivers are going to have to beat out some incredible talent, including 2010 Champion Shawn Tucker of Fredericton NB, 2009 champ Shawn Turple of Enfield, NS, and fellow past champions Wayne Smith of Timberlea, NS and John Flemming of Halifax, NS. The championship battle starts this Sunday with the CARQUEST 100 at Scotia Speedworld, located across from the Halifax Stanfield International Airport just outside of Halifax, NS. Opening the show is the Maritime League of Legends Tour who will run a 50 lap feature prior to the CARQUEST 100.

Racing action starts at 4:00 pm, with Atlantic Tiltload Time Trials set to begin at 3:10 pm. Box office and Grandstands open at 1:00 pm. Admission for the CARQUEST 100 is $25.00 for adults; $5.00 for youth aged 8-15; children 7 and under are admitted free. All children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Pit admission is $30.00 and restricted to those 16 and older. Tickets are available at the gate on race day or in advance at Ticket Atlantic outlets (Atlantic Superstores), by phone 1.877.451.1221 or www.ticketatlantic.com.
Visit www.maritimeprostocktour.com for more information.

Expected Entry List - CARQUEST 100

# 0 - Shawn Turple - Enfield, NS
# 1 - Dave Heino - Barrington, NS
# 02 -Mike Mackenzie - Dartmouth, NS
# 5 -Jonathan Hicken - Brudenell, PEI
# 8 - Kent Vincent - Westmoreland, PEI
# 9 - Brad Brown – Halifax, NS
#11 – Marty Prevost – Fall River, NS
#13 – Rollie MacDonald – Pictou, NS
#18 - Darren Mackinnon - Milton, PEI
#21 - Shawn Pierce - Bridgewater, NS
#26 - Mike Stevens - Riverview, NB
#29 - Greg Proude - Springvale, PEI
#32 - Chris Hughes - Brackley Beach, PEI
#35 – Brad Mann – Glen Levit, NB
#39 – Sandy Livingston – Springhill, NS
#42 – Steven Ross – Waverly, NS
#44 - Wayne Smith - Timberlea, NS
#45 - Leonard Boutilier – Dutch Settlement, NS
#52 - Shawn Tucker - Fredericton, NB
#66 - Daryl Mahar - Hubley, NS
#71 - Dan Mackay – Halifax, NS
#80 - Roger Miller - Kennetcook, NS
#88 – George Koszkulics – New Glasgow, NS
#89 – Donald Chisholm – Antigonish NS
#97 - John Flemming - Halifax, NS
#98 - Jerome Kehoe – Sydney, NS
#99 - Craig Slaunwhite - Terence Bay, NS

Entry list subject to change without notice

About CARQUEST Auto Parts:
With nearly 4000 locations in North America, CARQUEST Auto Parts supplies the professional automotive service repair industry as well as do-it-yourselfers with replacement parts, tools and equipment.

About the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour:
The Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour (PFTPST) is the highest level of stock car racing in Canada. The Tour is recognized in the industry as one of the healthiest stock car racing series in North America. PFTPST visits five tracks throughout the Maritimes during its May through September season. The Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour is owned and operated by Maritime Pro Stock Tour Limited. For more information, call our administration office at 902.481.2531 or click www.maritimeprostocktour.com

About Scotia Speedworld:
Scotia Speedworld (SSW) is a 3/10-mile asphalt oval racing facility. SSW is the only venue in Nova Scotia to host a weekly racing series, which runs May through September and features six different classes of racecars. SSW also hosts special events, including Monster Jam and the CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour. SSW is located at Exit 6 on Highway 102, across from the Halifax Stanfield International Airport. For more information please click on www.ScotiaSpeedworld.ca or call our Event Hotline at (902) 873-2277 or our office at (902) 481-2514.

OSCAAR: Matco Tools to title Sponsor two events

Matco Tools Canada and OSCAAR have partnered together for two of OSCAAR’s biggest events in the 2011 season. Matco Tools has become the title sponsor for both the 12th Annual Don Biederman Memorial Race presented by Matco Tools at Kawartha Speedway and the Matco Tools Outlaw Shootout at Delaware Speedway.

The sponsorship of Matco Tools has increased the significance of OSCAAR’s two 75-lap events. Matco Tools’ District Sales and Business Manager, Bill Drinkwater, spoke with OSCAAR about the partnership and what fans and racers alike can expect from the events.

“Grassroots racing has been around for years and years, and we’re glad to be a part of it,” said Drinkwater of the partnership. OSCAAR President Dave Gainforth expressed pride in the relationship OSCAAR has established with Matco Tools over past seasons. “OSCAAR is very excited about Matco Tools involvement in the two biggest races of the year. We look forward to working with Matco Tools for many years to come, and to help bring their name to the fore front of the Tool market,” stated Gainforth.

Drinkwater explained that tools and racing go hand-in-hand, making the OSCAAR partnership an easy choice for the company. “All of the guys working on the racecars are our customers,” explained Drinkwater. “It just makes perfect sense to participate in some of the interests they like, so that we have a solid relationship between them and us.”

The relationship between Matco Tools and OSCAAR is nothing new to either party, as Matco Tools has been a sponsor of the series for many years. However, Drinkwater demonstrated the need and desire to take the partnership to the next level.

“You don’t always want to do the same things year in and year out because it becomes stale after a while,” said Drinkwater. Drinkwater insists that Matco Tools has included several of OSCAAR’s other sponsors such as JBM leasing and Knightworks Design, in its negotiations with Ontario’s fastest series. “We’ve kinda worked it out between us that we want to go bigger and better, and take advantage of those two 75-lap races,” described Drinkwater of the relationship between the companies.

However, the Matco Tools sponsorship does not simply stop at putting a sign up at the track. Matco Tools is currently organizing multiple events at each track, several of which have already been finalized. A customer appreciation barbeque is being held at each race, as well as some other interactive opportunities for fans. Included in these activities will be a full Matco Tools display area of some of the more than 13,000 items that are part of the Matco Tools product line.

Additionally, fans will get the chance to demonstrate their automotive skills in the Tire Change Challenge. “We’re probably going to take one of the OSCAARs… and use some of our Matco Tools and have a tire change removal and replacement challenge,” explained Drinkwater.

Not only will race fans get a chance to show their skills, but also a chance to use some of the tools from Matco’s new Infinium line. Matco’s Infinium line is composed of cordless, lithium ion powered products and the line’s impact guns will be used for the challenge.

“We’ll be giving out prizes for the winners of the best time,” added Drinkwater. However, Drinkwater explained these will not be the only prizes given away at the events. “We’re also having a tool cart giveaway. We’re going to do a raffle and one of the lucky people in the stands is going to win a tool cart,” said Drinkwater excitedly of the opportunity for fans.

The drivers of the two races will benefit from the partnership as well, with the winner of each race taking home the same Matco tool cart as the lucky fans at each event. The tool carts are valued at approximately $1000. Drinkwater explained that the drivers will gain more from the race than just the possibility of a new tool cart. “It’s relationships. We want to show we’re working towards the same common goal as them (the drivers). We’re selling professional tools, premium products for premium mechanics,” added Drinkwater. In many cases, the drivers of OSCAAR Outlaw Super Late Models are also the mechanics, with some added help.

Drinkwater also stated that among the reasons for choosing OSCAAR as a racing partner was the highly competitive nature of the series. “The main reason we went with OSCAAR is because they are very competitive,” added Drinkwater enthusiastically. “They travel a circuit and they’re not racing every Saturday night in the same location, or every Friday night in the same location. The fact that they’re over 600 horsepower cars, they attract a lot of people.”

Every OSCAAR event is fun for the whole family, and also adds to the many reasons Matco Tools has partnered with OSCAAR. “It gives you a chance to bring the whole family out and meet some of the drivers and be a part of the fun and the enthusiasm,” encouraged Drinkwater. “That feeling you get when you say ‘gentlemen start your engines’ and 600 horsepower fires up.” That is one feeling you cannot find anywhere else in Ontario.

About Matco Tools: Matco Tools is a manufacturer and distributor of quality professional automotive equipment, tools and toolboxes. Our product line now numbers more than 13,000 items. We also guarantee and service the equipment we sell. Matco Tools is a subsidiary of Danaher Corporation, a Fortune 500 company and key player in several industries, including tools, environmental and industrial process and control markets.

Matco began operation in 1946 and, since 1979, we have sold our products directly to professional mechanics, enthusiasts, and those who value quality tools through a network of independent franchised mobile distributors. Our franchisees are easily recognized in their white trucks bearing the familiar Matco logo. Today, Matco distributors operate in all 50 states, Canada and Puerto Rico.

Finding a distributor, however, is not the only way to purchase Matco tools. We sell to central purchasing operations and other institutional customers through industrial sales representatives and, as part of our commitment to innovation, Matco is proud to offer our entire catalog for sale via the Internet. It's an exciting new chapter in our story. And, just one more example of our promise to be "First to market, first to the street."

Matco is proud of our quality products and our partnerships with our distributors. Together, we offer the best buying relationship in the industry.

By Clayton Johns / OSCAAR

SOS champion Glenn Styres gives back

London, Ontario – Over the 15 year history of the Southern Ontario Sprints, Glenn Styres has taken the Championship Trophy four times. Now he wants to give something back. In 2011, Glenn will sponsor an A-Main winner's bonus for Southern Ontario Sprints events. When a driver wheels up to Victory Lane at the end of an SOS A-Main event in 2011, they will receive the 1st place payout and a nice bonus from their fellow competitor and Champion, Glenn Styres.

The SOS will also be returning to race in Glenn's own “backyard” when the series stops twice at the Styres owned Ohsweken Speedway this summer. Friday, June 24th and Friday, August 19th the SOS will take to the track to compete against the weekly sprint car regulars, SOD and PST as part of a four race special event.

No one has spent more time with the SOS Champion's Trophy than Glenn.  However, 15 years of the most exciting racing in Ontario have taken there toll on the trophy itself. Perhaps in his bid for a fifth championship, Glenn is hoping for something that might go better with the décor in his Living room located off corner 2 at Oshweken Speedway.

Glenn has graciously offered the Southern Ontario Sprints a donation for a new Champion's Trophy to be awarded at the banquet at the end of the 2011 season.

For more information on Glenn's race team please visit www.styresracing.com. Information on Ohsweken Speedway can be found at www.ohswekenspeedway.com.

Visit www.SouthernOntarioSprints.com  for more news and information about the Southern Ontario Sprints – Ontario’s Fastest Tour, brought to you by Wiseco Piston, Stealth Racewear, Triple X Race Co., National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum, Four Wide Photos, ASI Sportswear, The Racers Edge, ImageFactor.ca, Hepfner Racing Products, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, and Saldana Race Products.

ONLINE BONUS: Inside Track Motorsport News 2011 Canadian Racing Guide

Click to launch the full flip book edition of Inside Track's 2011 Canadian Racing Guide

Inside Track Motorsports News' 2011 Canadian Racing Guide features more than 100 track and series schedules from across Canada and around the world. Stock cars, road racing, drag racing, rallying and more. Wondering which track to head to this weekend? Check out the Canadian Racing Guide, featuring hotlinks to all ads and smartphone QR codes pointing to the websites of supporting tracks and series.

INDYCAR: Tagliani tops first full day of Indy 500 practice

INDIANAPOLIS (Monday, May 16, 2011) - Three hours before the green flag flew to start the six-hour practice session at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Alex Tagliani bounded into the Sam Schmidt Motorsports garage and started preparing for the day's activity.

"He's amped up," team owner Sam Schmidt laughed following the daily engineering meeting.

Stretching out the No. 77 Bowers & Wilkins car on the 2.5-mile oval for the first time was the best remedy for two weeks of on-track inactivity since the IZOD IndyCar Series race in Brazil for the Quebec native, and he enjoyed the ride. Tagliani topped the speed chart with a best lap (of his 17) of 225.878 mph -- the best of the nine-plus total hours of track time.

Seven different teams were represented in the top 10 as 39 drivers recorded 1,379 laps in a stiff, cool breeze without incident. Rookie Jay Howard was the lone entrant not to make an appearance -- by design based on tire management. The field was separated by a scant 1.2 seconds.

Scott Dixon (225.124) of Target Chip Ganassi Racing, Graham Rahal (225.071) of Service Central Chip Ganassi Racing, Ryan Briscoe (225.016) of IZOD Team Penske and Oriol Servia (224.903) of Telemundo Newman/Haas Racing filled out the top five.

A year ago, preparations for the Indianapolis 500 didn't kick off as Tagliani would have planned.

As the one-day snapshot of track activity revealed, there will be a number of strong teams rising for Pole Day/Tom Carnegie Day (May 21) and the 100th anniversary race May 29. Dixon, Rahal, Briscoe, Dario Franchitti -- the reigning Indy 500 champion of Target Chip Ganassi Racing -- Marco Andretti of Andretti Autosport, Vitor Meira of A.J. Foyt Racing, and Team Penske's Helio Castroneves have been in the top 10 both days of practice as teams progress through their test programs.

DAY 3 NOTEBOOK:

Owners of more than 250 vintage Indianapolis 500 Pace Cars will have the opportunity to take a ceremonial lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway at the end of Pole Day/Tom Carnegie Day on Saturday, May 21.

Held in conjunction with the 100th Anniversary Indianapolis 500 and a month-long celebration of great race and passenger cars at IMS, more than 250 Indianapolis 500 Pace Cars will appear May 21-22 at the Racing Capital of the World. This special two-day event, which will be highlighted by the ceremonial pace lap just after 6 p.m. Pole Day, will showcase the largest collection of vintage Indianapolis 500 Pace Cars ever assembled.

Headlining this amazing array of automobiles will be a Stoddard-Dayton, the same type that paced the inaugural Indianapolis 500 won in 1911 by Ray Harroun, who drove the legendary Marmon-Wasp to victory. The 1911 Indianapolis 500 was the first major auto race to use a Pace Car, which is now a tradition at races around the world. At the wheel of the Stoddard-Dayton at the 1911 "500" was Carl G. Fisher, one of the founders of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Another featured car at the Indianapolis 500 Pace Car Reunion will be the Chevrolet Camaro from the 1969 "500" won by Mario Andretti. The 100th Anniversary Indianapolis 500 Chevrolet Camaro Pace Car is painted to look exactly like its 1969 predecessor.

From 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Pole Day, the Pace Cars will be staged for a "Fans Choice" vote. The cars also will be on display in the infield from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Bump Day/IMS Armed Forces Day on Sunday, May 22. As an added attraction, car clubs featuring muscle cars, exotics and more will provide fans plenty of eye candy.

***

Team Penske teammates Will Power and Ryan Briscoe talked about the significance of racing in the 100th Anniversary Indianapolis 500 and their prospects to win the PEAK Performance Pole Award this Saturday.

WILL POWER (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske): "Every year it's a special feeling. But somehow I think this year with more cars, more good drivers - and I think there will be a bigger crowd - I think this will be something else." (On what it would mean to win the pole at Indy after capturing pole for the first four races of the season): "Yeah, for me, it would be a really big deal. It's something that I'd love to do. I sort of had a chance last year, a close chance. After the experience of last year, I know what I need to do. Obviously, the conditions are changing every year, but the car's exactly the same. I'm definitely keen to giving it everything I can to get the pole, no question."

RYAN BRISCOE (No. 6 IZOD Team Penske): "Obviously, I'm grateful to be here and be able to do it with Team Penske. It's an amazing team, and Roger (Penske) is just so passionate about this race. It gives me, as a driver, a whole lot of confidence going into it with the goal of winning. That's the one and only goal coming here, to win the race. The 100th anniversary is very special." (On the importance of going for the pole as a driver at Team Penske): "It certainly felt like in the last three years I've been in a great position to fight for the pole. Sometimes it just comes down to timing or whatever. But Helio, our teammate, he's really good at getting on the pole here. But I feel we have exactly the same equipment. We've just got to make sure we put ourselves in the right position to be able to go for it on Saturday."

***

Maintenance personnel for the Blue Angels, the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, visited the Speedway on Sunday. They met with Indianapolis 500 drivers and team officials, including Ed Carpenter and Sarah Fisher Racing owner Sarah Fisher.

The Blue Angels participated in the Indianapolis Air Show on May 14-15.

AVCM(AW) VIRGIL CRAVEN (Maintenance master chief, U.S. Navy Blue Angels): (About the maintenance personnel who visited the track): "You can break it down just like the crew that maintains those race cars. You have engine guys, tire guys, suspension guys, etc. Crew chiefs are responsible for launching and recovering the aircraft and performing visual inspections after each flight. Logistics order and receive all parts required to maintain our aircraft. Avionics maintains all power distribution systems, radar, navigation, communication and instrumentation systems. Airframes maintains all hydraulically powered systems and flight control surfaces. Power plants maintains the engines and fuel systems. All shops were in attendance, and we really appreciated the opportunity. Being invited and getting treated so well by the track staff and all the teams we visited was exceptional. The team really enjoyed talking with Sarah Fisher and Ed Carpenter. The whole trip was outstanding. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I will never forget."

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Purdue University and HVM Racing announced a strategic partnership Saturday at IMS.

The HVM-Purdue relationship brings to the HVM team advanced engineering technologies in aerodynamics, manufacturing and advanced materials, providing opportunities for Purdue students and faculty to participate in motorsports with HVM.

The Purdue name will be displayed on the No. 78 Nuclear Clean Air Energy HVM Racing car driven this month by 2010 Chase Rookie of the Year Simona de Silvestro. Purdue engineering students also will work as interns on the team, and HVM will collaborate with Purdue students and faculty to optimize the aerodynamic package for the new 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series cars under development by Dallara.

Another key component of the partnership is to develop educational programs for children, young adults and the public that uses the excitement of IZOD IndyCar Series racing as the starting point for the introduction of engineering and science. Of particular interest is to use electric motorsports as a venue to engage students and adults in a discussion on the technologies needed for economic, green and sustainable electric energy in the 21st century.

Electric motorsports are a key component of the HVM-Purdue partnership. Purdue conducted the Collegiate evGrandPrix on Saturday, May 7 during the Emerging Tech Day at IMS. College teams from across the nation and Europe designed, built and raced electric go-karts in the 100-lap event.

JAMES CARUTHERS (Reilly professor of chemical engineering, Purdue): "Our objectives are, first, use the 'cool' of IndyCar racing to attract students' attention, and then introduce the students to the incredible engineering required in these race cars. Finally, we want to encourage interested students to consider a career in engineering or technology. If these students choose a career in motorsports, great! If they choose a technology career in some other industry, great! And even if the students choose a non-technical career but have a greater appreciation of technology, that is also great!"

KEITH WIGGINS (President, HVM Racing): "This relationship with Purdue enables HVM to work with one of the premier engineering schools in the U.S. to exploit the latest technological innovations in aerodynamics, advance materials and manufacturing, as well as being able to interact with bright, fresh-thinking Purdue students in a variety of ways for the future."

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Ryan Hunter-Reay hopes to race in his fourth Indianapolis 500 later this month, but he took advantage of the complete rainout of practice Sunday, May 15 to visit the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum for the first time.

"I can't believe I hadn't been there," said Hunter-Reay, the 2008 Indianapolis 500 Chase Rookie of the Year. "It was amazing. "The place is what Indy car racing is all about, and that's what makes Indy car racing special. To go there as a current Indy car driver made it even more special. To see the cars that were driven by owners of teams I've driven for and the ones driven by my heroes and know they all went to Victory Lane here at Indy made for a very special day."

The one car that that the Andretti Autosport driver wanted to see was Rick Mears' 1984-winning Pennzoil Z-7 Special. Hunter-Reay's first go-kart was modeled after Mears' race car, and seeing the real car for the first time brought back childhood memories for the IZOD IndyCar Series standout.

"The No. 6 Pennzoil car, in smaller form, was my first ride," he said. "That's what I got into a lot of trouble in. It was my neighborhood wheels, and I did my first right front wing damage in that car when I hit a stop sign.

"It was really cool to see the actual car. I've never seen it before, but to see the evolution of the Indy car was really neat to see. To see where the sport actually started and how the cars have developed over the years, and see what made these cars go faster and faster. Indianapolis has always been a proving ground as much as it is a huge race."

Hunter-Reay was far from the only driver in the Museum during his visit. 1963 Indianapolis 500 winner Parnelli Jones and Dreyer & Reinbold's Justin Wilson were visitors to the exhibit of 67 Indianapolis 500-winning cars.

And while Hunter-Reay told all the well-wishers in the Museum his plan was to have his Team DHL/Sun Drop Citrus Soda car join the winning cars in the Museum next year, he hopes to get another visit to see the cars on display again.

"I'm going to go back again before I leave this month," Hunter-Reay said.

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Spectators holding an admission ticket to Pole Day/Tom Carnegie Day on Saturday, May 21 or Bump Day/IMS Armed Forces Day on Sunday, May 22 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway can redeem them for a free general admission ticket to the IZOD INDYCAR World Championships on Oct. 16 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Visit the IZOD INDYCAR World Championships display in Pagoda Plaza from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. both days. Ticket redemption will continue - for those with Pole Day, Bump Day and Race Day tickets - Wednesday, May 25 through Sunday, May 29 at the INDYCAR Fan Village in the IMS Hall of Fame Museum lot.

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Major Gen. R. Martin Umbarger, the adjutant general of the Indiana National Guard, placed an Indiana unit patch decal this afternoon on the No. 4 National Guard Panther Racing entry driven by rookie JR Hildebrand.

MAJOR GEN. R. MARTIN UMBARGER: (About the National Guard and the Indianapolis 500): "I'm a born and bred Hoosier. The Indianapolis 500 is just part of our DNA here in Indiana. The National Guard has been a sponsor on the No. 4 Panther Racing car for the past four years. I think everyone knows that we've come in second place the last two years in this great race. We're hoping to improve one rank this year. That's all we're asking for." (On the connection between the military and the Indianapolis 500): "Memorial Day weekend is the weekend when we honor all of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for this company. It's special that this race is broadcast all over the world, particularly on the Armed Forces Network. I know Hoosier Guardsmen that are over there will be watching this race regardless of the hour, and they will be very proud to see that we're sponsoring a car in this race. What I think of most is what Memorial Day means to all of us, and we should never forget. This facility is steeped in tradition, and the military is also one that is steeped in tradition. To have this race on Memorial Day, it becomes even more special for any soldier, sailor, airman, or Marine, no matter what decade you served."

JR HILDEBRAND: (About being an American and driving the National Guard car): "It's an honor as an American to be representing the National Guard, but, more than that, it's a really humbling experience. It's not like these types of things where you're representing 'Joe's Bakery' and you have to talk to people about how awesome their muffins are or something. With the National Guard, it's something really meaningful for us. We have a lot of different programs that we get involved with, like the youth challenge and things like that. It's a good deal to get involved on a much deeper level." (On carrying the Indiana unit patch on the car): "I consider myself a resident of Indiana. I from California originally, but I've been living here for the past four years now. And as a team based here in Indianapolis, we're really excited to represent them and everything they do."

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INDIANAPOLIS 500 PRACTICE QUOTES:

BERTRAND BAGUETTE (No. 30 The RACB/Aspria RLL Special): "We could have weather like this in qualifying or on Race Day, so you have to be able to run in it. The car was moving around out there with the wind, but it wasn't that tough. I like what we are doing with the car and with our plan, and I think we are getting there. I think it was another good day for us. We keep improving the car with every change, so we are headed the right way."

RYAN BRISCOE (No. 6 IZOD Team Penske): "It felt great to be back on track today. We took out our primary No. 6 IZOD Team Penske car for practice, and it felt very comfortable out there. It's nice to be in the 225 bracket. We'll keep chipping away at it for the rest of the week and get ready for qualifying on Saturday."

WILL POWER (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske): "We did limited running again today in the Verizon Team Penske car. We're just trying to use our miles wisely. We worked on some race setup today, and the car feels good. We still have plenty of time on track this week before we qualify on Saturday, and we plan to make the most of it."

HELIO CASTRONEVES (No. 3 Shell V-Power/Pennzoil Ultra Team Penske): "It was a good day today in the Shell V-Power Pennzoil Ultra car. We got a chance to run side-by-side with Will (Power), and we were pretty happy with the car. We stuck with our plan to run the primary car. Hopefully tomorrow the weather cooperates, and we'll continue to work hard and get ready for qualifying."

JAMES HINCHCLIFFE (No. 06 Sprott Newman/Haas Racing): "Today the focus was on trying to run more laps in traffic and the Sprott team managed to accomplish that. It was sort of tough to find guys out there so we had to do a little collaboration and planning with a few different guys and did find some guys out there.  I definitely got some good running in with Oriol. We staged some laps in front of each other, and behind each other and it was good; that's a big thing for me to learn. You only have to do four laps to qualify but you have to do 200 in the race with a lot of other cars around you. I think we got a lot accomplished and certainly, from just my perspective, I learned a lot and gained some valuable experience. I think we will carry on with this for the next couple of days and then closer to qualifying, look more into the qualifying setup. The car felt great in traffic. It was a lot more fun running out there with other guys than just pounding around by yourself. Again, it's sort of similar to the Lights car. I think the experience in the Lights car was certainly very valuable but there is no doubt that the racing is a lot different once you're going 35 mph faster. It will be an interesting race, there's no doubt. I just look forward to getting more laps under my belt and over the week and running in more packs, and bigger packs."

ORIOL SERVIA (No. 2 Telemundo Newman/Haas Racing): "The day went well for the Telemundo team. It was very cold, colder than we think it will be for Race Day. We had a good run. We went through our test plan, and we ran well. I got my fast lap with a tow, so the time isn't very representative. But I have to say, tow or no tow, downforce or no downforce, it's the first time I am in the top five at the end of the day in Indy, so it feels good. I'm happy with the Telemundo car so far. We're still not where we want to be, but it is really the first test day we have had to try new things. We are happy with where we are, progress-wise."

TOMAS SCHECKTER (No. 07 Team REDLINE Xtreme - Circle K): "Yesterday's session was canceled because of rain, so it felt good to be back in the 07 Team REDLINE Xtreme car working through our program. However, we had a small mechanical issue, which is fixable, but that ended my day very early. I am looking forward to getting back on track tomorrow."

VITOR MEIRA (No. 14 ABC Supply Co A.J. Foyt Racing): "It was good. I think we evolved a little bit from where we were on Saturday when we last ran. I think the ABC Supply car is competitive, but it's hard to tell exactly how competitive we are at this point. The car is good, but we'll be able to tell how good later in the week when we really start dropping the hammer, as will everyone else. In preparation for that, today was a good day."

BRUNO JUNQUEIRA (No. 41 A.J. Foyt Racing): "It was an exciting day. The second lap, the engine cover fell off, but my team did a good job to replace it and get me out for some laps at the end of the day. It felt OK. I think the balance is good. We need to work a little more to get more straight-line speed."

RYAN HUNTER-REAY (No. 28 Team DHL/Sun Drop Citrus Soda): "We just didn't get a lot of track time today. We were trying some big stuff with the DHL/Sun Drop car, so we'll see. We'll get our heads together on it - the whole team - and we'll figure it out from there. Today is just the tip of the iceberg; there is a lot of week left."

ALEX TAGLIANI (No. 77 Bowers &Wilkins/Sam Schmidt Motorsports): "It was the not the best conditions that we have seen in Indy, but it was OK. We didn't run on the first day and Sunday was raining, so today was the first opportunity for us to run. Thanks to the boys; they did a fantastic job preparing an amazing car. It is early in the week, but it is quite nice to show that the Bowers & Wilkins car is strong for an Indy run. When we came here last year, we didn't know what to expect. We came in apprehensive because it's a very tough place to get it right and very difficult to win. Obviously, we had some speed, and it worked out quite well last year. We build from it. We had a chance in 2010 to develop a good base and in the winter, the guys worked really hard on the car and cleaned it up a bit and always paid attention to details. That's what this place wants, and it's nice to start the week with a car that's quite strong. Hopefully we can build on it. You can never take anything for granted at this place. We have to stay on our toes all week and roll the car out for qualifying and hope for the best."

MIKE CONWAY (No. 27 Hire Heroes USA/7-Eleven/Dr Pepper): "We were just trying to get the Hire Heroes car more comfortable through Turn 1. We tried a few things but didn't really sort it out. We just need to look at all the data tonight and figure out how we can move forward. I think our teammates tried a few different things, so hopefully we can figure out some good things for tomorrow."

MARCO ANDRETTI (No. 26 Team Venom): "We spent a lot of time today with the Venom car working on the race car, and we're getting to where it feels pretty good. But right now I'm a little worried about our speed. I think that if we had qualified today, we might have ended up on the bubble. So we'll put our heads together tonight, have a think on it and then hit it hard again tomorrow."

SEBASTIAN SAAVEDRA (No. 34 Conquest Racing): "It was a very productive day. We did an amazing amount of changes on the development side of the car. We found exactly what we were looking for. We focused mainly on finding the right balance of the car first. Once we got there, we started taking a lot of downforce off, and that really paid off. I'm really happy how it turned out. It's still very early in the week, so we are still very conservative. As the week progresses, we'll start to push it a little bit harder. But today was exactly how we wanted the week of Indianapolis 500 practice to start."

TONY KANAAN (No. 82 GEICO - KV Racing Technology - Lotus): "Today was a normal Monday at the Speedway. We tried different things and worked on the setup to get comfortable with the car. We're making what I like to call the 'cookbook' so by the end of the week, we'll look which dish we want to cook, and hopefully it will be a good one."

TAKUMA SATO (No. 5 KV Racing Technology - Lotus): "It was a windy day, but the weather was clear and consistent, so it didn't have an effect on our program. We made steady progress throughout the day, and I am getting more comfortable each time I go out on track. It was a very productive day."

E.J. VISO (No. 59 PDVSA - KV Racing Technology - Lotus): "Today was our second day on track, and we accomplished everything we had planned for the day. We did a lot of research into the dampers and we found some valuable data. Basically, with what I did and what the other drivers on the team are doing, we are going to come up with a good package. That is the good thing about having a four-car team and the right way of working. It is always difficult to make comparisons at a place like Indianapolis because teams are working on different things and some drivers are getting tows, but I ran today without a tow so the data we collected is realistic."

JOHN ANDRETTI (No. 43 Team Window World): "Windy - that's one thing you can say about today. I think Team Window World stayed on plan and were cautious about how many sets of tires we're using. Maybe we didn't run as much as we wanted, but we learned a lot and made a lot of gains today. It seems like the things we're trying are working really well. Usually 99 out of the 100 things you try don't work, but it's working in our favor right now. I'm looking forward to getting back out there tomorrow."

PIPPA MANN (No. 36 Conquest Racing): "Today was just a pretty tough day at the office. I've heard from all the veterans that this place can do that to you sometimes, and we definitely just have one of those days. We seemed to spend it chasing our tail a little bit - both literally and figuratively. We've still got a minor handling issue but we're chasing after it, and until we sort that out we just can't risk going after speed.  We also didn't run with any tows today when we were running fast, so I actually don't think the lap time is that bad for the amount of aero we had on and the fact that we weren't in the tow when we did our best lap. We still have the handling niggle, which we do need to fix, but we're going to make some fairly big changes overnight, and hopefully we can come out stronger in the morning."

DANICA PATRICK (No. 7 Team GoDaddy): "I thought we were good on our own today and made a little bit of progress. We just need to stay consistent and find speed. It was a steady day."

BUDDY RICE (No. 44 Panther Racing): (On being back at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and his win in 2004): "It's good. I see the Indiana weather hasn't changed much. I think on that day (in 2004) with or without the weather, I thought the weather just made it more exciting. It made it a more exciting race. The 2004 race was an exciting day, for sure." (About last start at Indianapolis, in 2008): "We were in contention for a top five. Obviously, it got a little hairy there on the final restart. We dropped back a ways, and I was able to work my way back up to seventh or eighth. Our car was in contention. It wasn't too bad. We put ourselves into a hole on the very first pit stop and had to really dig ourselves out of that hole all day. It took all day to get back up there but, yeah, my last run here was good." (On his day of practice for the 2011 Indianapolis 500 and Panther Racing): "For us at Panther, everything is going good. With myself and JR in the National Guard car, I think we're progressing. We're moving along like we should, and I just need to familiarize myself with the team, the car and get rolling. They have solid cars. I mean, their performance the last few years, I think speaks for itself. We know they have a strong, solid oval program, especially here at the Speedway. That's what made my decision really easy when John (Barnes) called right around Long Beach and started putting everything into motion. So I'm excited to be here. I'm happy to be here. It's good to be here and gives me an opportunity for a second win. Also, it's the Centennial. This only comes around once. There are five of us that are previous winners that are running here, and it's an exciting time to be here right now." (On his approach to securing an entry in the Indianapolis 500): "I think everybody has their own way of going about it. I wasn't going to stand around and also, the way the times were and the way things were going, some things had changed. I get paid to drive race cars. That's my job. That's what I do. So for me, it took a little bit. I wanted to make sure I came here and had an opportunity to have a good run. When I showed up, I didn't just want to show up and run. There's a lot of different things that I wanted to make sure were in place before I just jumped back in."

DARIO FRANCHITTI (No. 10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing): "It was a good day for the Target team.. We shook down the primary car, which seemed pretty fast. We should run more tomorrow, weather permitting."

SCOTT DIXON (No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing): "We had a pretty decent day for the Target team. We switched to the primary car today, and it ran smooth. Hope to run a little more tomorrow."

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A total of 58 cars are currently at the Speedway, and 34 have passed technical inspection.Thirty-nine drivers were on track today, turning 1,379 laps. Pippa Mann turned 70 laps today, most of any driver. Forty drivers have been on track this month, turning 2,466 total laps. There were five cautions for a total of 39 minutes today.

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 From Amy Konrath, INDYCAR