Saturday, May 28, 2011
NCATS: Dickies 200 @ Mosport
PHOTO ALBUM: Série ACT Castrol at Autodrome Chaudière on 2011-05-21
This is a 109 photo album taken at Autodrome Chaudière on May 21st, 2011. The first race on the American Canadian Tour schedule for this season.
The pictures were taken by Chantal Roy of M.P. Roy's Oval Racing Blog.
The pictures were taken by Chantal Roy of M.P. Roy's Oval Racing Blog.
Série ACT Castrol Event at Autodrome Montmagny Postponed
The Série ACT Castrol event at Autodrome Montmagny has been postponed due to rain. A make-up date of Saturday, June 11 has been scheduled.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Rain Cancels Friday Show at New Humberstone Speedway
PORT COLBORNE, ON - A persistent rain and a forecast of wet weather throughout the evening has forced New Humberstone Speedway to cancel the Sniper Alley & Full Service Media six division card scheduled for Friday, May 27.
This is the second show that New Humberstone Speedway has lost to the weather so far in 2011. Three shows have made it into the books and single feature event winners include Brad Rouse and Greg Panunte in the Cosco Haulage DIRT-CAR Sportsman, Chad Brachmann in the 358 Modifieds, Darren Peters and Max Blair in the Peters Excavating FASTRAK Late Models, Rocco Conte and Kyle Pelrine in the Weekend Motorsports Mini Stocks, Steve Vanderzanden and Rick Book in the Niagara Auto Sales Pro 4 Trucks and Dave Larrocque and Tyler Lafantaisie in the Frontier Auto Dismantler Pure Stocks. Rob Murray is the only two time winner in 2011 as he has won each Brian's Tire Repair Street Stock main event.
Action will resume Friday June 3 with a regular six division card presented by Hamblet Roofing and Siding featuring the Cosco Haulage DIRT-CAR Sportsman, Peters Excavating FASTRAK Late Models, Brian's Tire Repair Street Stocks, Frontier Auto Dismantler Pure Stocks, Weekend Motorsports Mini Stocks and the Niagara Auto Sales Pro 4 Trucks. It will also be autograph night as well and everyone is invited to meet and greet the drivers.
You may visit Humberstone on the web at: www.humberstonespeedway.com and join your friends on both Facebook and Twitter.
By Charlie Langlois
INDY LIGHTS: Firestone Freedom 100 race results
From Ed Moody: Cool day here at Indy with overcast. Rain shortenend the practice time and it showed in what is their biggest race of the year.
Near the end, a massive crash involving Jorge Goncalves destroyed his machine but proved the strength of the tub. Goncalves was taken to hospital but he managed to stand up to exit the car.
Canadian David Ostella finished in 8th place. The weather reports look good for the big race (Indy 500) on Sunday.
***********
Firestone Indy Lights: Firestone Freedom 100
INDIANAPOLIS - Results Friday of the Firestone Freedom 100 Firestone Indy Lights event on the 2.5 mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with order of finish, starting position in parentheses, driver, laps complete and reason out (if any):
1. (2) Josef Newgarden, 40, Running
2. (5) Esteban Guerrieri, 40, Running
3. (4) Victor Garcia, 40, Running
4. (3) Stefan Wilson, 40, Running
5. (1) Bryan Clauson, 40, Running
6. (6) Peter Dempsey, 40, Running
7. (16) Rusty Mitchell, 40, Running
8. (9) David Ostella, 40, Running
9. (17) Chase Austin, 40, Running
10. (7) Mikael Grenier, 40, Running
11. (10) Jorge Goncalvez, 34, Contact
12. (8) Anders Krohn, 34, Contact
13. (14) Duarte Ferreira, 29, Contact
14. (18) Brandon Wagner, 28, Contact
15. (12) Gustavo Yacaman, 20, Contact
16. (15) Juan Pablo Garcia, 20, Contact
17. (11) James Winslow, 20, Contact
18. (13) Victor Carbone, 7, Contact
Race Statistics
Winner's Average Speed: 107.817 // Time of Race: 55:38.9881 // Margin of victory: Under caution // Cautions: 4 for 22 laps // Lead changes: 6 among 4 drivers // Lap Leaders: Newgarden 1-2, Wilson 3, Newgarden 4, Krohn 5-11, Newgarden 12, Guerrieri 13-14, Newgarden 15-40. // Point Standings: Newgarden 149, Guerrieri 125, V. Garcia 121, Wilson 121, Dempsey 111, Conor Daly 109, Grenier 102, Ostella 95, Krohn 94, Goncalvez 90.
Rain washes out Ohsweken Speedway again
SEASON OPENER PUSHED BACK AGAIN TO ‘BRING YOUR NEIGHBOUR NIGHT’ ON JUNE 3
Yet again, heavy precipitation continuing all week has forced Ohsweken Speedway track management to delay the Season Opener set for May 27 to Friday night, June 3rd. With saturated grounds and work on the track nearly impossible, the decision was an easy one although painful to make. “This has got to stop soon” exclaimed Ohsweken Promoter Glenn Styres in making the call. “We are just as anxious to get going as the teams and fans are but it just can’t be done. We just hope that it is getting all the rain out of its system now and we have a great season once we do get underway.”
“In what will be the third attempt, the entire opening night of racing will now be run on June 3rd” according to Director of Racing Operations Ken Pelkie. “ENGLER MACHINE AND TOOL will be joined by “GRISDALE RACING PRODUCTS” as the sponsors of “BRING A NEIGHBOUR NIGHT” 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 also mark the first of five appearances this season of the Vintage Cars and will conclude with a 25 lap Sprint feature.
AS AN ADDED BONUS, EVERYONE BRINGING A FRIEND WITH THEM TO THE TRACK ON JUNE 3rd WILL ENJOY BOTH YOU AND YOUR FRIEND BEING ADMITTED TO THE SPECTATOR SEATING AREA FOR THE PRICE OF ONE” Pelkie concluded.
All Race Teams please note that the free admission offer to all the race teams in our four regular divisions will also be delayed one week and will now take place on June 10th.. “As we announced last week, 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” Pelkie explains. “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, June 3rd and you will be given two passes for each business on that list for the June 10th 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 10th only at this time however if the response is favourable we will look at repeating this later in the season. We apologize for the one week delay and hope that everyone can take 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.
Tickets already purchased will be mailed out by mid June.
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.
From Ken Pelkie / Ohsweken Speedway
CTCC - Fantastic Start of Season for M&S Racing
The team performed extremely well in the 2011 Victoria Day Speedfest. "Our drivers and cars were wonderful this weekend despite going against more powerful engines of the MINIs and VW GTI." commented Team Manager and Consultant Otto Chiang.
After Saturday's qualifying, Gary Kwok #66 captured the pole position in Touring Class with 1:34:235 6 tenths better than second position. Tom Kwok
#55 and Jonathan Young #99 finished qualifying with 5th and 7th on the grid in Touring class.
Round 1 of the championship was an interesting one, with all cars starting the grid with slicks and the rain came down pouring as soon as the cars made their rounds toward the green flag. The wet and slippery condition was good for the team as Gary and Tom Kwok had a One - Two finish. "I am thrilled to get the first win of the year this early in the season with my brother finishing just behind me, we have come a long way in this series" said Team Owner and Driver Gary Kwok. "My Civic is a new addition to the team this year, and it is not bad for a first race." commented Driver Tom Kwok.
Round 2 of the championship had Gary Kwok starting in the 2nd row behind the Super Touring and Tom Kwok in the 3rd row just behind Gary. Gary and Tom finished again One and Two on Sunday. Tom had problems keeping the GTI behind him as the Turbo engine was too fast for the Civic K20 engine on the straights. However, Tom manages to regain the position with a brilliant drive and a fastest lap time of 1:34:491. Jonathan finished in 8th position on Sunday despite starting the grid last.
The team is looking forward to the ICAR weekend to build on this weekend's success.
KUITWAARD AND BEEDE RETURN TO C360R FOR LIME ROCK
(Lakeville, CT) -- Compass360 Racing has added some more top drivers to their Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Championship effort, with John Kuitwaard and Bob Beede having been signed to drive the team's Hondas for the race at Lime Rock Park this Memorial Day weekend.
Beede, winner of two Grand-Am series championships at the helm of Honda and Acura cars, will join Ryan Eversley in the #75 Children's Tumor Foundation Honda Civic Si. Eversley's regular co-driver, Keith Carroll is unable to attend the race due to business commitments, and is looking forward to returning to the wheel next week in Watkins Glen.
"I'm excited to be back with Compass360 for Lime Rock, my home track," exclaimed Beede. "Obviously these guys showed that the Civic can still do the business by winning in the last race at Virginia, so we'll do our best to continue that at the Lime Rock bullring." Eversley notched first win of the year for the team at Virginia International Raceway two weekends ago, sharing the #75 with Team Principal Karl Thomson.
Similarly, Kuitwaard is no stranger to success at the hands of a C360R Honda, having won the race in 2009 with co-driver Travis Walker. "Lime Rock is a momentum track, and it's my home track too. We know the restrictor is still keeping us down on power, but hopefully that won't be as much of an issue this weekend." John will be driving the #77 Speed Secrets Honda with Andrew Novich, who is itching to find a podium spot after being so close at Daytona earlier this year, where he finished fourth.
David Thilenius and Zach Lutz will once again pair in the #74 J.C. Concrete Civic Si, giving the team three driver line-ups capable of getting on the box. "These two guys deserve a good result, especially after Zach got sideswiped by a lapped car at VIR, which took him out of fourth spot with a good possibility of a podium," noted Thomson.
The Continental Tire series is part of an action-packed Memorial Day weekend at Lime Rock, with the Street Tuner race starting at 10:30am Saturday.
Compass360 Racing (C360R) is the motorsports division of Compass360 Branding Communications, a Toronto-based firm offering marketing expertise to clients in diverse industries across North America. The team, with support from Honda Performance Development (HPD), fields four front-running Honda Civic Si's in Grand-Am's Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, winning series Championships in 2010, 2009 and 2007. It won the Canadian Touring Car Championship in 2010, and also fields three Hondas in SCCA World Challenge. For details visit http://C360R.com.
Beede, winner of two Grand-Am series championships at the helm of Honda and Acura cars, will join Ryan Eversley in the #75 Children's Tumor Foundation Honda Civic Si. Eversley's regular co-driver, Keith Carroll is unable to attend the race due to business commitments, and is looking forward to returning to the wheel next week in Watkins Glen.
"I'm excited to be back with Compass360 for Lime Rock, my home track," exclaimed Beede. "Obviously these guys showed that the Civic can still do the business by winning in the last race at Virginia, so we'll do our best to continue that at the Lime Rock bullring." Eversley notched first win of the year for the team at Virginia International Raceway two weekends ago, sharing the #75 with Team Principal Karl Thomson.
Similarly, Kuitwaard is no stranger to success at the hands of a C360R Honda, having won the race in 2009 with co-driver Travis Walker. "Lime Rock is a momentum track, and it's my home track too. We know the restrictor is still keeping us down on power, but hopefully that won't be as much of an issue this weekend." John will be driving the #77 Speed Secrets Honda with Andrew Novich, who is itching to find a podium spot after being so close at Daytona earlier this year, where he finished fourth.
David Thilenius and Zach Lutz will once again pair in the #74 J.C. Concrete Civic Si, giving the team three driver line-ups capable of getting on the box. "These two guys deserve a good result, especially after Zach got sideswiped by a lapped car at VIR, which took him out of fourth spot with a good possibility of a podium," noted Thomson.
The Continental Tire series is part of an action-packed Memorial Day weekend at Lime Rock, with the Street Tuner race starting at 10:30am Saturday.
Compass360 Racing (C360R) is the motorsports division of Compass360 Branding Communications, a Toronto-based firm offering marketing expertise to clients in diverse industries across North America. The team, with support from Honda Performance Development (HPD), fields four front-running Honda Civic Si's in Grand-Am's Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, winning series Championships in 2010, 2009 and 2007. It won the Canadian Touring Car Championship in 2010, and also fields three Hondas in SCCA World Challenge. For details visit http://C360R.com.
Memorial Day Sale - Get a FREE $25 Gift Certificate with $100 order
This Memorial Day for EVERY $100 you spend on RB Components products, you will receive a $25 gift certificate towards a future purchase.ADD Item Number GIFT-25P to your cart upon Checkout, then ENTER PROMO CODE: GIFT-25P and your discount will be applied!
www.rbcomponents.com
For Additional Questions or Details, please contact us at 714.893.1088 or email sales@rbcomponents.com.*
$100 Retail Value Required for Promotion Qualification* Furniture and Non-Manufacturer items do not qualify for promotion qualification* Maximum of $100 Total in Gift Certificates PER Household
www.rbcomponents.com
For Additional Questions or Details, please contact us at 714.893.1088 or email sales@rbcomponents.com.*
$100 Retail Value Required for Promotion Qualification* Furniture and Non-Manufacturer items do not qualify for promotion qualification* Maximum of $100 Total in Gift Certificates PER Household
Thursday, May 26, 2011
JASON WHITE READY TO RACE THE #21 A & W DODGE
May 26, 2011. (Toronto, ON) Sun Peaks, British Columbia racer Jason White has made several trips east in the past few weeks preparing for the 2011 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series season. Following several very successful testing sessions White and the #21 A & W Dodge Challenger team are ready to hit the track next weekend for the opening event at Mosport Speedway.
The off season was one of change for Jason White who moved from team owner and driver to the sole position of driver. “I can see how this change has helped out already” explained White. “I have a lot more time now to focus on being the best driver I can and spend more time working on the marketing and promotion aspects of our partnership with A & W and it’s paying off” he added.
This season Jason White will pilot the #21 A & W Dodge Challenger under the guidance of Crew Chief Derek Lynch with the horsepower coming from the DJK Racing shop. “From the first time we hit the track during the Mopar Day test session I could feel the difference in horsepower from last year” said White. “We only got a few laps in that first day but I was very happy” said the driver.
White’s enthusiasm for the 2011 season grew significantly during his next test sessions, first at the Mosport road course and most recently on the Mosport Speedway. “Just feeling the power of that engine pull down the long straightaway was fantastic” said White. “And on the oval our times improved 7/10ths of a second from the start of the day. I can’t wait for the season to get going” said Jason enthusiastically.
The #21 A & W Dodge Challenger team also benefits from the great experience of Derek Lynch taking over as Crew Chief. “Derek is a successful racer himself, he’s experienced in management with the Kawartha Group who are partners with us this year and we’ve been able to really get to know each other and communicate what we’re both looking for over these test sessions” stated White.
Race fans will have even more opportunity to follow Jason White and the #21 A & W Dodge Challenger team this season. Just launched is the all new team website at www.jasonwhiteracing.com and be sure to follow Jason on twitter for the latest updates @racinjasonwhite The 2011 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series will consist of twelve events from coast to coast in Canada. Al races will be broadcast once again this season on TSN. Fans should check local listings for times in their area.
Attached Photo: Jason White with the A & W Dodge Challenger at Mosport Speedway.
2011 PITL - Event #1, Saturday May 14
Thanks again for Darryl and the whole PITL crew for the invitation to their first 2011 event.
Scion Canada was nice enough to loan a really cool car for us to use.
Below are the Fast time of the Day results, and a video link to my personal FTD!!!!
Taylor 20 2002 Black Honda S2000 C Mod 52.109
Bryan 177 2001 Whites Acura RRRRRRRRRR B Mod 53.607 -1.498
John 100 1999 Red Honda Civic C Mod 53.951 -0.344
Rob 44 1989 Red Toyota MR2 C Mod 54.629 -0.678
Pawel 71 2000 Mazda Miata A Mod 54.831 -0.202
Darryl 28 2011 Scion Tc B Mod 55.474 -0.643
Val 102 1997 Green Mazda Miata A Stock 55.928 -0.454
Alessandro 85 2003 Orange Mazdaspeed Protege B Mod 55.947 -0.019
David 86 1985 Grey Toyota Levin C Mod 56.094 -0.147
Matt 67 2002 Silver Nissan Sentra Spec-V B Stock Plus 56.257 -0.163
Ammaar 37 2003 Silver Mazda Protege B Mod 56.311 -0.054
Kris 77 2003 Red Nissan Sentra SpecV B Stock Plus 56.337 -0.026
Edward 14 1989 Red Toyota MR2 C Mod 56.373 -0.036
Steve 12 1973 Blue MGB Roadster D Class 56.430 -0.057
Vince 66 1992 Yellow Mazda Miata C Mod 56.700 -0.270
Mike 3 1991 Red Isuzu Stylus B Stock 56.889 -0.189
Gary 46 2000 Silver Trillium Miata C Mod 56.934 -0.045
David 25 2007 Mazdaspeed3 C Mod 57.100 -0.166
Mike G 02 2011 Scion TC VIP Class 57.161 -0.061
Lou 7 2001 Audi S4 Avant D Class 57.438 -0.277
Cory 01 2011 Scion TC VIP Class 57.533 -0.095
Brad 52 2001 Black VW Jetta 1.8T C Mod 57.684 -0.151
Ian 6 2007 Grey Mazda 3 B Stock 57.825 -0.141
Travis 92 2003 Black Nissan Sentra SE-R V B Mod 57.975 -0.150
Roman 169 2008 Mazda3 B Stock 58.022 -0.047
Yang 42 2002 Black Mazda Protege5 B Mod 58.127 -0.105
Stephen 2 2007 VW Rabbit B Mod 58.310 -0.183
Peter 30 2006 Lotus Elise C Stock Plus 58.435 -0.125
Matt 31 2011 Scion TC B Mod 59.036 -0.601
Stephen 53 1987 Red Porsche 944 Turbo C Mod 59.133 -0.097
Jason 16 1993 Honda City C Mod 59.581 -0.448
Louis 50 2004 Blue Lexus IS299 C Stock 59.697 -0.116
Ray 57 2011 Subaru STi C Stock Plus 59.899 -0.202
Neil 22 2004 Mazda RX8 C Stock 59.909 -0.010
Jonathan 47 2004 BMW 325xi B Stock 60.241 -0.332
David 29 1995 BRG Mazda Miata C Mod 60.438 -0.197
Frank 88 2008 Black Ford Mustang C Stock Plus 60.758 -0.320
Greg 62 1986 Blue Toyota Corolla C Mod 60.816 -0.058
Jim 10 2000 Miata A Stock 61.255 -0.439
Les 24 2006 Ford Mustang C Stock 61.615 -0.360
Grant 36 2008 Saturn Astra B Stock 61.977 -0.362
Rishi 26 2003 Infiniti G35 C Stock 62.471 -0.494
Clive 101 2002 Yellow Mazda Miata A Stock 62.889 -0.418
Pat 4 2004 Subaru Impreza B Stock 66.014 -3.125
David 9 2004 Mazdaspeed Miata C Stock 67.575 -1.561
Lorne 27 1967 Blue MG MGB A Stock 70.829 -3.254
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_y8zKbKuTmo
Their next event is this Saturday in Brampton, you can check out www.wiredmotorsports.com/pitl/ for more details.
Scion Canada was nice enough to loan a really cool car for us to use.
Below are the Fast time of the Day results, and a video link to my personal FTD!!!!
Taylor 20 2002 Black Honda S2000 C Mod 52.109
Bryan 177 2001 Whites Acura RRRRRRRRRR B Mod 53.607 -1.498
John 100 1999 Red Honda Civic C Mod 53.951 -0.344
Rob 44 1989 Red Toyota MR2 C Mod 54.629 -0.678
Pawel 71 2000 Mazda Miata A Mod 54.831 -0.202
Darryl 28 2011 Scion Tc B Mod 55.474 -0.643
Val 102 1997 Green Mazda Miata A Stock 55.928 -0.454
Alessandro 85 2003 Orange Mazdaspeed Protege B Mod 55.947 -0.019
David 86 1985 Grey Toyota Levin C Mod 56.094 -0.147
Matt 67 2002 Silver Nissan Sentra Spec-V B Stock Plus 56.257 -0.163
Ammaar 37 2003 Silver Mazda Protege B Mod 56.311 -0.054
Kris 77 2003 Red Nissan Sentra SpecV B Stock Plus 56.337 -0.026
Edward 14 1989 Red Toyota MR2 C Mod 56.373 -0.036
Steve 12 1973 Blue MGB Roadster D Class 56.430 -0.057
Vince 66 1992 Yellow Mazda Miata C Mod 56.700 -0.270
Mike 3 1991 Red Isuzu Stylus B Stock 56.889 -0.189
Gary 46 2000 Silver Trillium Miata C Mod 56.934 -0.045
David 25 2007 Mazdaspeed3 C Mod 57.100 -0.166
Mike G 02 2011 Scion TC VIP Class 57.161 -0.061
Lou 7 2001 Audi S4 Avant D Class 57.438 -0.277
Cory 01 2011 Scion TC VIP Class 57.533 -0.095
Brad 52 2001 Black VW Jetta 1.8T C Mod 57.684 -0.151
Ian 6 2007 Grey Mazda 3 B Stock 57.825 -0.141
Travis 92 2003 Black Nissan Sentra SE-R V B Mod 57.975 -0.150
Roman 169 2008 Mazda3 B Stock 58.022 -0.047
Yang 42 2002 Black Mazda Protege5 B Mod 58.127 -0.105
Stephen 2 2007 VW Rabbit B Mod 58.310 -0.183
Peter 30 2006 Lotus Elise C Stock Plus 58.435 -0.125
Matt 31 2011 Scion TC B Mod 59.036 -0.601
Stephen 53 1987 Red Porsche 944 Turbo C Mod 59.133 -0.097
Jason 16 1993 Honda City C Mod 59.581 -0.448
Louis 50 2004 Blue Lexus IS299 C Stock 59.697 -0.116
Ray 57 2011 Subaru STi C Stock Plus 59.899 -0.202
Neil 22 2004 Mazda RX8 C Stock 59.909 -0.010
Jonathan 47 2004 BMW 325xi B Stock 60.241 -0.332
David 29 1995 BRG Mazda Miata C Mod 60.438 -0.197
Frank 88 2008 Black Ford Mustang C Stock Plus 60.758 -0.320
Greg 62 1986 Blue Toyota Corolla C Mod 60.816 -0.058
Jim 10 2000 Miata A Stock 61.255 -0.439
Les 24 2006 Ford Mustang C Stock 61.615 -0.360
Grant 36 2008 Saturn Astra B Stock 61.977 -0.362
Rishi 26 2003 Infiniti G35 C Stock 62.471 -0.494
Clive 101 2002 Yellow Mazda Miata A Stock 62.889 -0.418
Pat 4 2004 Subaru Impreza B Stock 66.014 -3.125
David 9 2004 Mazdaspeed Miata C Stock 67.575 -1.561
Lorne 27 1967 Blue MG MGB A Stock 70.829 -3.254
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_y8zKbKuTmo
Their next event is this Saturday in Brampton, you can check out www.wiredmotorsports.com/pitl/ for more details.
Inside Track Canadian Racers Contingency Program 2011
Inside Track Motorsport News announces the return of the Inside Track Canadian Racers Contingency Program for 2011. The program is open to all Canadian racers, series and tracks across the entire motorsports spectrum. Click here for the BEST subscription offer and all the info, forms and samples you'll need to be eligible for a FREE ($400 value!) ad in Inside Track Motorsport News.In order to qualify for a free Inside Track Canadian Racers Contingency Program "Thank Your Sponsor(s)" ad in a year-end issue of Inside Track Motorsport News, here's what you need to do:
1. Send an email to contingency@insidetracknews.com with the subject line "Contingency". BE SURE to include your mailing address! When we receive your email, we will send you two Inside Track decals (two for your racecar / dragster / motorcycle / kart, etc.) and
a spare one for your street car or toolbox.2. Subscribe to Inside Track. In addition to the decals, we'll also send you a super discount subscription form with the decals. To be eligible for a free $400 "Thank Your Sponsor(s)" ad, you will need to be a subscriber in good standing to Inside Track. You can also subscribe by clicking here or by calling (416) 962-7223.
NOTE TO TRACKS & SERIES: Do you represent a track or series? If so and you're interested in having us send decals and forms for all your cars/racing vehicles, we'll put a package together. Send a note to contingency@insidetracknews.com noting your track's name, contact info and how many racers you have (or call (416) 962-7223) and we'll send everything off to you right away!
3. Display two stickers prominently on your racing vehicle. Be sure to get some high-resolution photos of the car/bike/kart (hopefully in victory lane!). You'll need to send us one of these as a high-res JPG image when it's time to run your ad.
4. Finish in the top 20 in the year-end points in your grassroots track, class or series.
5. Round about August, come back to www.insidetracknews.com and look for the Inside Track Canadian Racers Contingency Program button on the mainpage. Click on that and you'll be able to download the contingency ad submission form... fill it out... and send it in.
Inside Track TV - Preview: May 27-29, 2011
In this episode of Inside Track TV, Spencer Lewis previews some of the big stock car events on tap for Ontario this coming weekend, including the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series season opening Dickies 200 at Mosport Speedway. Spencer also covers several of the significant short track races taking place across Canada and in the U.S.
Visit www.InsideTrackNews.com for more info and we'll see you back next Tuesday for a wrap-up of the weekend's action.
Merrittville Speedway: CAA night features Turn 4 Collision 4-Cylinder Division
Thorold, Ontario (May 26) – CAA Niagara Night at Merrittville Speedway will focus on the Turn 4 Collision 4 Cylinder Division in an action-packed night at DIRTcar Racing action – Saturday May 28th that also features the opening round of the Grantham Lions Enduro Qualifying Series accelerated by Niagara College.
“With 358 Modifieds and Hoosier Stocks coming off major Victoria Day Events,” informs (Merrittville GM) Erica Bicknell-Jones, “all of our Lucas Oil Weekly Racing Series Divisions have their nights to shine throughout the season … this weekend it’s the 4 Cylinders!”
CAA Niagara is pleased to once again provide Merrittville Speedway race teams with the best towing services available in the Niagara Region. Race fans can enjoy the same fast, friendly and professional service by becoming a member of CAA Niagara.
Just in time for summer, emergency road service for bicycles is now available as CAA Niagara’s Bike Assist program offers the same piece of mind that comes with roadside assistance with coverage 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
“Our members tell us that eco-friendly transportation is important to them,” says Bill Willard, CAA Niagara’s Vice-President of Automotive Services, “with more people choosing to ride their bicycles around Niagara, Bike Assist is a natural progression … we want to be able to support our members regardless of how they travel from A to B … and it’s available free to all active members.”
CAA Niagara serves 113,000 members in the Niagara Region with offices in Grimsby, Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Thorold and Welland and since 1911 has been serving its communities … one member at a time.
Later this summer – stay tuned as details celebrating the 100th Anniversary are revealed!
For year round peace of mind and member exclusive savings, you can rely on your friends at CAA Niagara. Join at your local CAA office today and start enjoying yearlong benefits of being a CAA Member and tell them Merrittville sent you.
In addition to its Auto Club, CAA can also offer its members Travel Information and Bookings, discounted Attraction Tickets and service at the CAA Car Care Centre – located on Lake Street in St. Catharines.
CAA Niagara’s Car Care Centre is a 12-bay, state-of-the-art vehicle repair and maintenance facility.
For further information on becoming a CAA Member – stop by their display inside the front gates at Merrittville Speedway May 28th or visit www.caa.niagara.net
Turn 4 Collision is the divisional sponsor of the 4 Cylinder Division in addition to the Triple Crown.
Specializing in complete collision service for all makes and models in addition to minor repairs and fleet maintenance - call 905-687-4142 for a free estimate or visit Turn 4 – located at 113 Cushman Road … Unit 51 in St. Catharines.
Gates open Saturday May 28th at 5:30. Showtime is at 7:00.
For all the news on Merrittville Speedway’s 60th Consecutive Season – 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).
From Jim Irvine / Merrittville PR / 905-892-8266 (Office), jimirvine@cogeco.net or www.twitter.com/merrittville
Wickens Confident of Pace Heading into Monaco
Toronto, Canada (May 26, 2011) – Robert Wickens returns to action in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series this weekend with the Canadian tackling the world’s most famous street circuit as Round 4 of the 2011 season stops off in the renowned Principality of Monaco, Saturday 28th – Sunday 29th May.
The streets of Monte Carlo feature a packed schedule of Europe’s finest open-wheel racing series this weekend, capped with the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon. Toronto-born Wickens is keen to add his name to the illustrious list of winners who have triumphed on the 3.34km street course.
The 22-year-old will also be looking for a healthy dose of points having surrendered his series lead after a challenging third round at Monza two weeks earlier. Having led the championship arriving in Italy, secured by a first win of the season in Round 2, the Carlin racer endured a double no-score thanks to a pair of DNF’s at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza.
He subsequently dropped to third behind team-mate and new points leader, France’s Jean Eric Vergne and American Alexander Rossi in second. While he left empty-handed, Wickens, who owns three podiums this season, once again proved to be one of the pace-setters throughout the weekend both in terms of qualifying speed, capturing a pole position, and race pace, setting the fastest lap in the Saturday event before his retirement.
“I’m feeling very positive heading into this weekend’s race,” stated Wickens, Runner-Up in the GP3 Series last season. “Speed hasn’t been an issue for us this season so I’m confident that we can be up there when it matters most. I love street circuits, I’ve obviously raced on a few in North America. I’m looking forward to getting out there and racing around Monaco.
“We’re qualifying in two groups and I think it’s safe to say that the second group will have the advantage with more rubber on the track. I can only worry about trying to be fastest in my group and the rest will take care of itself. Hopefully I can close the gap in the points chase and keep myself firmly in the championship fight.”
Round 4 of the Formula Renault 3.5 Series starts with qualifying held at 9am CET on Saturday 28th May while the race starts at 11am CET on Sunday 29th May.
2011 FR3.5 Series Top-5 Driver Standings (R3/9): 1st – Vergne (FRA) 90pts, 2nd – Rossi (USA) 73pts, 3rd – WICKENS (CAN) 71pts, 4th – Costa (ESP) 62pts, 5th – Korjus (EST) 50pts - www.worldseriesbyrenault.com
Photo – ‘Canada’s Robert Wickens in 2011 Formula Renault 3.5 Series action’ – Paulo Pellegrini
NASCAR CANADIAN TIRE SERIES: Steckly ready to challenge for wins in 2011
MILVERTON, ON, Thursday May 26, 2011: Scott Steckly and Canadian Tire are proud to announce that they are teaming up again for the 2011 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series. Scott is also excited to announce that MotoMaster, Exide, Erb and AW Millwrights will continue to participate in the 22 Racing/Canadian Tire Dodge program as associate sponsors.
Steckly and the No. 22 team have lots of great things in store for 2011. The team is very excited to get to the track with the new look of the Dodge Challenger SRT 8 on a new McColl Racing chassis. The team is also pleased to welcome new crew chief, Giulio Montanari, who has several years of experience as a crew chief in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series. "I'm very excited to work with Giulio as he has experience in racing both North and South of the border. He is very knowledgeable and brings a lot to our program."
Steckly has done pre-season testing and has obtained valuable information that will hopefully put him ahead of the competition in the 2011 season. With the new additions to the Steckly team, he is looking forward to getting the season underway.
The first stop on the 12 event 2011 season will be the Dickies 200 at Mosport Speedway on May 28. Spectator gates will open at 1:30 p.m. with an autograph session commencing at 5:45. The green flag will drop for the Dickies 200 at 7:00 p.m. In 2010 Steckly had mechanical problems during the race and was disappointed with a 17 place finish. This year, however Steckly is determined to start the 2011 season off right and obtain a podium finish, making this an event fans should mark on their calendars.
Steckly will also be touring Canada with the Canadian Tire Overdrive Tour which kicks off in Montreal on June 4 in St. Eustache Quebec.
For more information on the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series please visit www.nascarlocalracing.com.
Scott Steckly would like to thank his sponsors: Canadian Tire, MotoMaster, Exide, Erb, Castrol and AW Millwrights.
From Linda Jones // Wide Open Motorsport Solutions
CDN. Touring Car - 8legs Racing starts the 2011 CTCC season with 2 podium finishes
Arek Wojciechowski takes second place in both races. Shows no signs of rust after a year off from driving, and is ready to challenge for the Championship!
Ottawa, Ontario, May 23rd, 2011 - The 8legs Racing team returned to Mosport Park for the first and second rounds of the 2011 Canadian Touring Car Challenge season held on May 21st and 22nd. This year, the team has entered a pair of BMWs in the championship. Driver Eric Hochgeschurz returns in car #11, and after a year off, Arek Wojciechowski takes the driver seat once again in the new #10 BMW.
After a few very hectic days leading up to the weekend - involving a last minute engine swap - the team unfortunately missed all testing and practice sessions. However, both cars were ready to roll out for qualifying at 8:40am on Saturday morning! Definitely a testament to the hard work and long hours put in by the crew.
Immediately the #10 car showed its strength by qualifying in 2nd position, only 6 one thousands off the pole. Hochgeschurz qualified 11th, using the session mostly to ensure the car was working correctly after all the last minute work.
The weather, being its unpredictable norm at Mosport, decided to throw some unplanned rain into the mix as the cars rolled out for race one on Saturday afternoon. Since all the cars were wearing slick tires not suitable for rain, this certainly made it a race to remember for all drivers! Car control was of utmost importance. Arek Wojciechowski in the #10 car lost the second place position to the #13 BMW, but as the conditions deteriorated, he kept the pressure up and regained the position, finishing the race in second place. "I think that race took 10 years off my life ... It was a really tough drive!" said Wojciechowski. Unfortunately, the winning Subaru with its all-wheel drive advantage was out of reach in the rain.
After steady gains and a careful drive in the worsening conditions, Eric Hochgeschurz brought the #11 car across the finish line in 5th position in class ... a great finish considering he didn't even have a windshield wiper installed!
Sunday morning practice saw both cars and drivers make good progress, but unfortunately the #11 car suffered electrical failures, including the loss of the power steering pump. After some quick repairs by the crew, the 8legs Racing BMWs were ready for race two Sunday afternoon.
Despite an 80% chance of rain, the track stayed dry for the race, and allowed both drivers to set personal bests on this track! After losing two positions as the green flag was waved, steady pressure and a flawless drive by Wojciechowski again brought the #10 car across the finish line in second position, earning him the second podium of the weekend, and a solid 2nd place in the overall championship points.
Eric Hochgeschurz fought hard to maintain his position, but the same electrical problems that plagued the car in practice resurfaced, and despite best efforts, he finished in 7th position. "We knew that we were going into this weekend at a disadvantage with last year's underpowered engine,"
commented Hochgeschurz, "but I can say that we worked very hard to ensure that the #11 car would be able to race, and I'm very happy with the result!"
Hochgeschurz' race results earned him a 5th place overall in the points.
The 8legs Racing team will return in two weeks for rounds 3 and 4 at the challenging Circuit ICAR in Mirabel, QC.
And they will be ready ...
8legs Racing is based in Ottawa, Ontario, and is supported by their family and friends, as well as the following partners: Lachute Performance, Bimmerworld, and Carleton Collision. Visit them online at www.8legsRacing.com where you will find information about the team, the cars, and the blog … which tells the whole story!
CDN. TOURING CAR: Alex Healy Racing shakes off the rust to earn a top five
Alex Healy was battling weather conditions and showing little signs of any rust in opening weekend at CTCC Victoria Day Speed fest at Mosport May 21-22.
"It was one of those weekends where it ended well, but after some significant challenges for our new team," explained Inside Track magazine's 2009's Up and Coming Driver of the Year.
Alex Healy is back in the CTCC series after Healy joined Lombardi Honda in 2010, following his successful debut in 2009 with Alex Healy Racing. "On Friday, our main transmission blew a gear and on Saturday, in Qualifying, I managed to lose my left axle," he said. "It's frustrating, but it brings our crew together and we learned we can and will be a top team."
The crew may have set something of a track record in replacing the transmission in well under two hours.
Qualifying a somewhat disappointing 6th, Healy started Race 1 on Saturday in the sunshine on new slicks. By the 5th lap a "Mosport cloud" dumped several millimetres of rain onto the track. He managed quickly to establish a solid second place in the field and was within reach of the leader when a fogging windshield forced him onto the sidelines and into the gravel.
Starting 20th on Sunday, Healy moved through the field 15 places but simply ran out of time to close the distance to reach the podium and had to settle with 5th place.
"All in all, considering our car has been sidelined for well over 20 months, and with a new crew except for my chief, Tyler Givogue, we have to be happy with the result. We will build on this, get better and be ready for iCar in a couple of weeks," said Healy.
Healy was selected by the series for a special feature and was filmed over the weekend, on and off track, by Phanta Media. That footage will soon be available to CTCC and Alex Healy Racing fans in the very near future.
Visit www.Touringcar.ca for all the results.
Follow @AlexHealyRacing on Twitter or contact Alex@AlexHealyRacing.com Visit www.GasTOPS.com, official sponsor of Alex Healy Racing Visit ebranders.com, sponsor of Alex Healy Racing Visit AeCampeau.com to learn more about Alex Healy Racing's power management team Photo courtesy of www.TouringCarNews.com.
From CCTCC
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
CANADIAN TOURING CAR: Podium finish for Windsor's Amico Racing at Mosport
BOWMANVILLE, ON - Windsor’s Dean Fantin and the Amico Racing Team contested a doubleheader round of the Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship this past weekend at the Victoria Day Speed Fest held at Mosport International Raceway northeast of Toronto. Dean qualified the Labourers Union supported BMW 3rd on Saturday morning under sunny blue skies and the same conditions were expected for the race but a stray dark cloud parked itself over the 2.5 mile track just after the race started.
Dean quickly took the lead but was passed by the 4wheel drive Subaru WRX of Richard Boake while struggling for traction up the wet ¾ mile straightaway. Within a few laps a full course caution due to several cars off track allowed everyone to regroup. Several teams elected to pit for rain tires, the Amico team kept Dean out on the slicks not wanting to relinquish second place. On the restart Dean was dealing with pressure from behind and once again losing site of the Subaru WRX, Arek Wojciechowski was able to slip past Dean on the second last lap of the race.
For Sunday’s race the starting order was determined by Saturday’s finishing positions, although overcast, rain was not a factor. Dean quickly moved the Amico Racing BMW into second position and tried to chase down Richard Boake whose Subaru’s 4wheel drive was not an advantage in the dry track conditions. Within two laps heavy pressure from behind forced Dean to abandon the chase and concentrate on defending his position against two hungry competitors. An accidental power slide coming onto the front straightaway at 140 kph cost him forward motion and allowed the two cars passed, Dean was unable to retake for a podium position with the time left and finished 4th.
Amico Racing heads to the next round of the Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship June 4/5 at the Grand Prix of Mirabel north of Montreal.
From Douglas F Lovegrove / Amico Racing Inc. / www.amicoracing.com
CANADIAN TOURING CAR: Top 6 at Mosport for Luc Lesage
BOWMANVILLE, ON - After two years in Canadian Touring Car with a Toyota, the Media Racing Team kicks off the season as the very first Canadian team to enter a Scion and its tC model in a national motorsports series. One of their cars contested the first race weekend on the 2011 calendar, earning a "Top 6" class at the hands of Trois-Rivières' Luc Lesage.
For the Media Racing Team, this first outing of the season was definitely an opportunity to evaluate the winter's work made by Éric Côté (GT Racing) as they continue to develop the new cars. During the sole qualifying session, Luc Lesage set the third fastest time in the Touring class, demonstrating the potential of the Scion tC, as explained by the driver: « the car is great to drive » confides Luc Lesage, who also had to familiarize himself with the track after not competing at Mosport in several years. He adds: « I immediately felt comfortable at the wheel of the Scion.
It's a very competitive series and to see that we right away qualified in the top 3 against teams that have two or three years of development and fine tuning on their cars is really the proof of our entire team's work ».
Saturday afternoon, the start of the rainfall coincided with the start of the race. Luc Lesage explains his first laps: « I had a excellent start and when it really began to pour, I was still third in Touring and tenth overall. Unfortunately, there was a collision just in front of me and in order to avoid the out-of-control cars, Paul Dargis hit the front right side of my car. It was obviously not on purpose but it forced me to pit to change the wheel. The car's steering had suffered as a result of the impact and when I left the pits, just after the steering broke, I ended up going straight at the second turn » adds the Scion tC #22 driver.
With little damage, the Media Racing Team Scion was able to get repaired quickly for the Sunday afternoon race. « Since I didn't finish Saturday's race, I was forced to start last on Sunday. It ended up being a much more calm race but I was still able to pass six cars to eventually finish sixth in Touring class » adds Luc. For this second race, the instructions to finish were clear in order to accumulate a maximum amount of information for the next events.
« Aside from the bad luck we encountered during Saturday's race, we consider this a very positive weekend. The car is reliable and powerful, we still have to work on the suspension but all in all we can say mission accomplished for this first successful race weekend » indicates Jocelyn Fecteau, Media Racing Team owner and teammate to Luc Lesage.
In the Canadian Touring Car championship series, the Media Racing Team is entering two Scion tC's, the Japanese manufacturer's sports model, recently released in the Canadian market. As a result of a knee injury sustained last winter, Jocelyn Fecteau did not drive the #77 Scion this past weekend at Mosport. « I will be competing in Mirabel for the Grand Prix ICAR in two weeks » mentions Fecteau, who has two years of experience in the series, highlighted by a podium at the 2009 Toronto Indy Grand Prix.
The Grand Prix ICAR at Mirabel is the next round of the 2011 Canadian Touring Car championship series. This provides another opportunity to see the two Scion tC's compete for results as promising as those realised this weekend at Mosport.
The Media Racing Team's participation in the 2011 Canadian Touring Car Championship is possible thanks to the collaboration of Autonet.ca, V-Télé, Trois-Rivières Scion, Trois-Rivières Toyota, Boulevard Scion, STD Suspension, Ultimate, Transport Laberge, Oakley, Phlik, Luc Jean, Alpinestars, Quality Hotel, OSGiken, Boom-FM, Le Canada Français, GSR Pneu & Mécanique, Burn-Out.ca, Leucan, Ronny Photography, PA auto recyclage, GO impression, Martin Berger Design, Lettrage Provan and Rousseau Métal.
For more information: (514) 910-8204 Email : mrteam77@videotron.ca
Scotia Speedworld's Weekly Racing Series kicks off this Sunday
HALIFAX, NS - Scotia Speedworld’s Weekly Racing Series will finally hit the track this Sunday, May 29th after a long winter break. The Sunday afternoon event will feature all six Weekly Racing Series divisions – The Hydraulics Plus Bandolero cars, the Lumbermart Thunder & Lightning, the Coco Beach Legends, Trucks and Dartmouth Dodge Sportsman. Gates open at 12:00pm with the green flag set to drop at 2:00 pm. Tickets are available at the gate on race day only.
The Hydraulics Plus Bandolero Cars will be the first division to take the green flag this season. Last year competition was strong in this young developmental division. Cole Butcher of Porters Lake took home last year’s crown with Miss “Rawdon Rocket” Emily Meehan just 30 markers off. Butcher’s younger brother Jarett finished the season in 3rd. Luke Ettinger of Kennetcook took home rookie of the year honours. The boys will have to battle among themselves this season for the crown as Meehan will be a rookie in the Coco Beach Legend division.
Next up on the season opener docket is the Coco Beach Legends Division. The Legends are 5/8-scale replicas of the '34 and '37 Chevrolet and Ford (coupes and sedans) models that produce some fierce racing when the green flag is thrown. The Legend Division has quickly grown to be a crowd favourite and the car count continues to grow. Six drivers were in contention for the title on the final night of competition in 2010. Paul Blenkhorn of Truro took home the title with the slimmest of margins - just 1 marker over Matt Moore of Windsor and 2 markers ahead of Truro’s Bruce Johnston.
The Truck division is next to hit the track on Sunday. This will be the sophomore season of racing for the ¼ tons. 5 trucks have pre-registered for 2011 with more expected to join as the season develops. These ¼ ton trucks are equipped with a four-point roll cage and powered by V8 motors.
Fans will be also treated to Dartmouth Dodge Sportsman racing. The Sportsman are considered the premier division of the Weekly Racing Series. Last season Colby Smith of Cape Sable Island took the overall points title, followed closely by rookie of the year Mike Alexander of Cole Harbour. Both drivers will have to battle hard every race to see the top of the point standings this season. Veteran racer and Cancer survivor Terry Roma of West Chezzetcook plans to vie for the title this season. Also in the chase will be rookie Russell Smith JR of Halifax. Last season Smith JR, a top competitor in the Lumbermart Lightning division, won a Sportsman feature in his first attempt. Beginners luck or talent we are all soon to find out as a healthy mix of veterans and new comers battle for the prestigious title.
The Lumbermart Thunder and Lightning Cars will close the action at Scotia Speedworld on Sunday. Last year both divisions had incredible car counts. The Lightning division had thirty-four cars compete in '10, the highest of any division. Russell Smith JR took home the title with over a 50 point lead on his nearest competitor. The Thunder division saw 31 cars taking a green flag over the course of the season. Stevie Lively of Shubenacadie took home the title in a close battle that saw the top five competitors within 100 points of the leader.
Admission for the Weekly Racing Series season opener is $12.00 for adults; $2.00 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 $15.00 and restricted to those 16 and older. Tickets are available at the gate on race day. Visit www.ScotiaSpeedworld.ca for more information or call our event hotline at 902.873.2277.
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 Parts for Trucks 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.
From Tara Foster // 902.429.4069 // 902.488.0809 cell // Media@scotiaspeedworld.ca
Inside Track TV... post-Victoria Day weekend (2011) edition
This is the post-Victoria Day (2011) weekend edition of Inside Track TV, featuring Spencer Lewis. In this show, Spencer highlights some of the action at Sunset, Delaware and many other shorts tracks around Ontario and North America.
Tune in Thursday for a preview of the upcoming weekend's short track activity.
Visit www.InsideTrackNews.com for more info.
ROAD RACING: Lawson Aschenbach goes two-for-two at Mosport
BOWMANVILLE, ON - Last weekend Lawson Aschenbach hoped to maintain his World Challenge championship lead with strong performances at Compass360 Racing's home track, Mosport International Raceway. The Toronto-based team brought two Honda Civic Si's to the race course, ready to do battle with the strong Touring Car-class field; #71 for Aschenbach and the #70 for Brett Sandberg in his second start for the squad.
Although the weather was unsettled for much of the weekend, both Saturday and Sunday's races turned out to be run in dry conditions. During Saturday's qualifying session Aschenbach was pipped for pole by the Volvo C30 of Aaron Povoledo, while Sandberg qualified sixth. Under bright, sunny skies, the first race of the weekend played out as a battle of two parts, the first with Aschenbach at the center of a four-car pack which included the Volvo, Tristan Herbert's VW and the Honda of Anthony Rapone, and the second featuring Sandberg fending off yet another Volvo, Civic and Mazda RX-8.
After fifty minutes of hard fighting, Aschenbach emerged the victor, standing on the top spot of the podium, while Sandberg came across the line a well-deserved fifth.
Sunday's qualifying was much like the previous day's, with Aschenbach's fast time holding up until the final lap of the session when he was pushed back by... Povoledo's Volvo C30. Sandberg was once again sixth.
At the start, the two cars fared differently, with Lawson losing a spot to Herbert's fast-starting VW, while Brett made a great start to fourth immediately behind Aschenbach. Povoledo's pole-sitting Volvo was deemed to have jumped the start, which resulted in a great four-car fight between the team's two Hondas chasing Herbert's VW and Rapone's Civic in the mix.
Late in the race Herbert suffered a mechanical problem, which brought out a full-course caution under which the race ended. At the line it was Aschenbach first and Sandberg third, notching his second World Challenge career podium and taking fastest lap of the race to boot.
“What a fantastic weekend,” Aschenbach said. “Any time you can go two for two it’s just amazing. Thanks to the Compass360 crew, my Honda Civic was just awesome all weekend. We knew we had a shot to win; we just really had to get out in front. We don’t have the power right now to keep up with some of these guys so it’s really focused on handling and corning and that’s what this Honda does so well.”
Sandberg, meanwhile, was thrilled to be on the podium. "Working with this team has been just great," he exclaimed. "The car was hooked up today and it was phenomenal to lay down the fast lap."
With the win, Aschenbach extended his TC championship lead to 172 points over Povoledo. Sandberg moves into tenth place in the championship, despite missing two rounds earlier in the year.
"We'd all like to give a quick shout out to our friend Tom Ehlen, who normally drives our #72 Honda," added Team Principal Karl Thomson. "He's on vacation in Hawaii with his wife and recovering well from the injury he received in the last round in Utah. We're looking forward to having him back in the car at the next race, Mid-Ohio in August."
The Mosport event will be televised on Versus on Saturday June 18th at 3:00pm. It will also be available to watch online at http://world-challengetv.com.
Compass360 Racing (C360R) is the motorsports division of Compass360 Branding Communications, a Toronto-based firm offering marketing expertise to clients in diverse industries across North America. The team, with support from Honda Performance Development (HPD), fields four front-running Honda Civic Si's in Grand-Am's Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, winning series Championships in 2010, 2009 and 2007. It won the Canadian Touring Car Championship in 2010, and also fields three Hondas in SCCA World Challenge. For details visit http://C360R.com.
From Karl Thomson // 1.416.465.2299 x21 or karl@compass360.com
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Race Time Radio: May 24, 2011 at 8 p.m.
Broadcast Tuesday Nights On theScore... SIRIUS ... Home of the Hardcore Race Fan
TONIGHT Tuesday May 24th 2011 - Listen Here at 8pm ET. on theScore - SIRIUS Channel 158
www.racetimeradio.com
PIERRE BOURQUE BACK ON TRACK AT MICHIGAN SPEEDWAY
Ottawa, ON (May 24, 2011) Prominent Canadian NASCAR driver Pierre Bourque continues to keep his racing skills sharp prior to the start of his 2011 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series racing program. This Wednesday Bourque will climb behind the wheel of the #6 Revolution Resources - Fight Network - OCR Gaz Bar Toyota fielded by Eddie Sharp Racing for another full ARCA test session, this one at the super fast two mile Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan.
Following up his successful race outing last month at Talladega Superspeedway, Bourque is fast becoming the “go to” driver for Eddie Sharp Racing. Bourque also tested the #6 Revolution Resources - Fight Network - OCR Gaz Bar Toyota last week at the challenging Chicagoland Speedway with very good results. “It had been quite a while since I’d driven a mile and a half track” said Bourque. “However with the beautifully prepared car that the Eddie Sharp team brought to the track I felt comfortable right away” he added.
Getting settled quickly was important to the team so as to make the most of the testing session. “I did 140 laps in the #6 Revolution Resources - Fight Network - OCR Gaz Bar Toyota on one set of tires” explained Bourque. “Turning that many laps allowed me to work on my technique as the cars handling changed from new tires to old, and gave the team some valuable information on the characteristics of the car as it went through a full run” he concluded.
Bourque and the #6 Revolution Resources - Fight Network - OCR Gaz Bar Toyota team continued to improve their performance throughout the day and by the end of the session Bourque’s times were comparable to the top-twenty practice times from the 2010 race. Having such a successful track day is just one of the reasons Bourque is returning to the seat so quickly. “It’s become such a solid working relationship very quickly” said Bourque. “I love Eddie Sharp's professionalism, which transcends from crew chief Dave Leiner through to Kyle, Gavin and Kurt. Having such productive sessions on the track is very rewarding. I expect we’ll be even more successful at Michigan” he stated.
More information on Pierre Bourque @ http://www.pierrebourque.com and http://www.twitter.com/pierrebourque
More information on Eddie Sharp Racing @ http://www.teamesr.com and http://www.twitter.com/teamesr
Jacques Villeneuve to Drive #22 Dodge for Penske Racing at Road America, Montreal NNS Races
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 24, 2011) – One of the most accomplished racers in recent history will join Penske Racing for two upcoming road course races on the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) schedule.
Former world champion driver Jacques Villeneuve will compete behind the wheel of the No. 22 Discount Tire/Ruby Tuesday Dodge Challenger in the Nationwide Series races at Road America (June 25) and Montreal (August 20). Villeneuve will fill in for reigning Nationwide Series champion, Brad Keselowski, at the two events, which will be run on non-companion race weekends with the NASCAR Cup Series.
“I am really looking forward to joining Penske Racing and getting the chance to race at two of my favorite tracks with the series championship team,” said Villeneuve, who recently tested with the team at Road Atlanta. “I am excited to work with the Discount Tire/Ruby Tuesday Dodge crew and we should be very competitive in both of these events.”
Villeneuve is one of only three drivers to win the Indianapolis 500, the Indy Car championship and the Formula One Series world title, joining former Penske Racing drivers Mario Andretti and Emerson Fittipaldi in the rare racing triple crown. Villenueve won the Indy 500 and the CART Series Indy Car crown in 1995 before moving to Formula One where he captured the driver’s title in 1997.
“It’s great to be able bring aboard a driver like Jacques, who has raced and won at the highest levels of motorsports,” said Tim Cindric, President of Penske Racing. “Jacques has run well at both of these tracks before and he’ll be a good fit on the No. 22 Discount Tire/Ruby Tuesday team.”
Villeneuve has made eight NASCAR starts over the past four seasons, including five in the Nationwide Series. His top NASCAR result came last season when he finished third at Montreal.
Competing at both Road America and Montreal, Villeneuve will return to two tracks where he’s enjoyed some impressive history. He has already been to Victory Lane at Road America as he won the CART Series races there in both 1994 and 1995. He will then race in his hometown of Montreal, Quebec, Canada at the circuit named after his famous father, former Formula One driver Gilles Villeneuve.
For the two upcoming events, Villeneuve joins a team that certainly has experienced its share of success over the last 16 months. Since the team made its debut in February 2010, the Discount Tire/Ruby Tuesday Dodge NNS team has recorded six wins, five poles and a remarkable 32 top-five finishes in 47 races. The team claimed Penske Racing’s first-ever NASCAR title when it won the series championship in 2010.
Penske Racing is one of the most successful teams in the history of professional sports. Competing in a variety of disciplines, cars owned and prepared by Penske Racing have produced 334 major race wins, 398 pole positions and 23 National Championships. For more information about Penske Racing, please visit www.penskeracing.com.
From Merrill Cain / Penske Racing
SENSATIONAL OPENING WEEKEND FOR ISABELLE TREMBLAY
May 24, 2011. Isabelle Tremblay opened her busy 2011 racing season his past weekend competing in the first event of the ANCA Sportsman Series at the Autodrome St. Eustache. Having already gained plenty of attention in her brief racing career when she became the only female driver to win the Enduro 200 Tremblay backed up that impressive showing with a fifth place finish in the opening round of the season at St. Eustache.
Securing a top-five finish in the opening round of the ANCA Sportsman Series was no easy task and Tremblay showed her determination in the event. “I started the qualifying race from second” said Tremblay. “However I got out of the racing line and I had to really fight to get back from the middle of the pack. If not for that we might have finished on the podium” she added. Also competing in the event was her teammate for the night Gerry Bergeron who finished the 75 lap event in sixth position.
The busy long weekend continued for Isabelle Tremblay on Monday at Circuit ICAR. Tremblay was behind the wheel of her #07 ADF Diesel/Group Beton Brunet Ford and the Dave Jacombs racing team testing for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series event to be held at the circuit in two weeks. Tremblay was working with two time series champion Andrew Ranger who arrived immediately after his ARCA Series win at New Jersey Motorsports Park. “It was tremendous to work with Andrew at this test session” said Tremblay. “He is a great talent and is very open and helpful providing tips to me about how the car should handle at different parts of the track and showing me the proper racing line to follow. We completed over 100 laps and our lap times kept getting better and better all day. It’s going to be very exciting to race here in a couple of weeks” she added.
Prior to the race at Circuit ICAR the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series season opening event will take place at Mosport Speedway this coming Saturday May 28th. Tremblay and her #07 ADF Diesel/Group Beton Brunet Ford team were hoping to test at the Speedway last week however that had to be cancelled. “I suffered a neck injury at home prior to the race at Autodrome St. Eustache” explained Tremblay. “We hoped to maybe run some laps at Delaware Speedway before this weekend’s race but I’ve been told to rest until then” she stated.
Despite not testing at Mosport Tremblay expects to start the season with a good showing at the half mile track. The “The team has worked very hard to get the car ready for the first race and I’m going to run as many laps as possible and learn as much as I can during practice prior to the race” said the driver. “I want to try and improve a little bit with each lap around the track and have a solid finish in the race” she stated.
During the 2011 racing season Isabelle Tremblay will compete in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, the ANCA Sportsman Series at the Autodrome St. Eustache and the F1600 Series. 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
Team Information: info@isaracingteam.com
Monday, May 23, 2011
PHOTO: Sunset Speedway - May 22, 2011
A gallery of 200+ photos from Sunday, May 22, 2011 at Sunset Speedway (Stroud, ON) featuring the OSCAAR Outlaw Super Late Models, Lucas Oil Canadian Vintage Modifieds and the Lucas Oil Can-Am Midgets. Photos by Greg MacPherson / www.InsideTrackNews.com
MOSPOR: Skeen victorious on final day of Victoria Day Speedfest
The final day of Mosport's Victoria Day SpeedFest saw non-stop action with five races to cap-off the first major event of the season. In the Pirelli World Challenge Championship, Charlotte, NC native Mike Skeen took the checker flag in the GT Class for the second consecutive day, setting the new track record in the process with a time of 1:20.692.
Patrick Long of Bellaire, FL, finished in second place after starting on the front row. Flowery Branch, FL resident Johnny O'Connell took the final spot on the GT podium in the Cadillac CTS-V. 2010 Rookie of the Year Fred Roberts of Toronto was the highest finishing Canadian, ending up in tenth place.
Paul Brown of Covina, CA was the winner in the GTS Class, while point's leader Eric Foss of Dallas, TX finished third.
The Touring Class winner for the second straight day was Lawson Aschenbach of Darnestown, MD. Thornhill, ON's Anthony Rapone once again finished in second spot.
2010 SCCA Pro Racing Trans-Am champion won the pole position for Sunday's race and never looked back. The win was the third consecutive for the Maiden, NC native. Local racer, Blaise Csida of Stouffville, ON finished in second place, besting his third place finish from a year ago.
Sunday's racing also had the Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship hold their second race of the weekend. In the Super Touring Class, Richard Boake of King City, ON took the victory over Ashton, ON native Arek Wojciechowski by 5.712 seconds. They finished one-two for the second straight day. Gary Kwok of Markham, ON won the Touring Class Sunday, matching his feat from Saturday.
Late Saturday night (May 21) Andrew Romocki of Mississauga, drove his Panoz GTS to victory in the three-hour Sundown Grand Prix. Markham's Nicholas Krikorian was second.
From Ryan Chalmers, Mosport / ryan@mosport.com
Indy 500 field set with dramatic Bump Day
INDIANAPOLIS (Sunday, May 22, 2011) - Marco Andretti and Alex Lloyd bumped their way into the 100th Anniversary Indianapolis 500 with dramatic qualifying runs in the final 10 minutes of Bump Day qualifying at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The two were among 14 drivers seeking to secure one of the nine spots on the 33-car grid in a six-hour session interrupted twice by rain.
With 75 minutes left, Danica Patrick put the No. 7 Team GoDaddy car solidly in the field with a four-lap average of 224.861 mph. But that left teammate Andretti on the bubble while Ryan Hunter-Reay sat 32nd.
Eight drivers failed to gather the necessary consistent speed to force Andretti to re-qualify until Lloyd of Dale Coyne Racing, who finished fourth in the Indy 500 last May, put together an average speed of 223.917 mph. Teammate James Jakes sought to knock Hunter-Reay out, too, but his attempt was waved off after two laps.
That left Andretti as the final contestant. As the gun went off to end the session, so did Andretti on his qualifying attempt. Three minutes later, and with an average speed of 224.628 mph, he jumped to the inside of Row 10. That left his teammate and close friend on the outside for the May 29 race.
The fourth Andretti Autosport driver, Mike Conway, who recovered from a season-ending crash in last year's Indianapolis 500 to win at Long Beach in mid-April also was among the entrants who failed to find the consistent speed.
Also not making the show were Raphael Matos, Sebastian Saavedra and Jakes. Dragon Racing's Ho-Pin Tung and Scott Speed did not complete qualifying attempts.
Lloyd is joined on the last row by rookie Pippa Mann of Conquest Racing and Ana Beatriz of Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. Andretti will start on Row 10 with rookie Charlie Kimball and Graham Rahal, while Paul Tracy will share Row 9 with Patrick and Ryan Briscoe.
This is the closest matched field by time in Indianapolis 500 history -- 2.5399 seconds separate fastest qualifier Alex Tagliani and slowest qualifier Beatriz. The record was 3.0622 seconds set in 2010.
BUMP DAY NOTEBOOK:
Panther Racing rejoined an old friend and will have a familiar look in the 100th Anniversary of the Indianapolis 500, as the team announced today that Fuzzy's Ultra Premium Vodka has partnered with the team to be the primary sponsor on former Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Rice's No. 44 entry. Rice, who won the 2004 Indianapolis 500 from the pole position, qualified seventh yesterday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Panther's second-best starting position at the historic 2.5-mile race track.
"It's great to have Fuzzy Zoeller and Fuzzy's Ultra Premium Vodka back home with Panther Racing," Panther Racing Managing Partner and CEO John Barnes said. "Fuzzy is the kind of guy we like to have on our team - he's a champion, a fierce competitor and somebody who wants to win the Indianapolis 500 just as badly as everybody on our team. Buddy Rice hasdone an unbelievable job for us this month and we're happy to find a great partner like Fuzzy's Ultra Premium Vodka to help get us one step closer to victory lane at the Brickyard."
Zoeller is the winner of two Major Championships, as the golf legend won The Masters in his first appearance in the event in 1979. He won the 1984 U.S. Open at Winged Foot Golf Club and won the Senior PGA Championship in 2002 and is a native of Indiana.
"In racing, like golf, sometimes you play two balls," Zoeller, winner of 12 tour victories on the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, said. "We're looking forward to rejoining last year's partner Panther Racing and sponsoring the No. 44 Fuzzy's Ultra Premium Vodka driven by Buddy Rice. We had a great run last year with Panther and we look forward to another exciting Indianapolis 500 together."
Rice is the 2004 Indianapolis 500 winner and is returning to the Indianapolis 500 this season after a two-year hiatus during which he won another of the world's most prestigious auto races - the Rolex 24 at Daytona. In his career Rice has a total of three IZOD IndyCar Series victories and finished a career-best third in the series championship in 2004.
"I'm just really happy to have Fuzzy's Ultra Premium Vodka on the No. 44 car for the race next weekend," Rice said. "All the guys on the team talked about how great it was to have Fuzzy around last season and I'm looking forward to meeting him and putting the Fuzzy's Vodka car at the front of the field in the 500. We've had a great month so far, and the car's been quick out of the gate and, for me, I'm just excited to be back at Indianapolis - especially for the Centennial. This only comes around once and thanks to John Barnes, Panther Racing and Fuzzy's Ultra Premium Vodka we're going to have a great package for next Sunday."
***
Indianapolis 500 veteran Patrick Carpentier talked about his accident this morning and his relationship with Dragon Racing.
PATRICK CARPENTIER: "I feel good. I was a little bit dizzy at first, as I hit pretty hard. I thought it was going to be a fun comeback, but it was a hard comeback. What can you do? I was just starting to enjoy it. I started to go sideways a little bit, and I hit the white line. You don't want to do this with these cars, and it just swapped around on me." (On his emotions the last 24 hours): "They (the team) told me yesterday at about 2:30. The last flight was at 4:50, so I flew all night and got in at 12:30 this morning. It was a short night, but I enjoyed it. The car was pretty good at first. We had a lot of downforce in it. We were just running around and taking some of the downforce out and trying to loosen it up a little bit. That worked out pretty well. We did loosen it up." (On the mood of the team after two accidents): "It's really disappointing, I'll tell you. I know these guys had a tough month. I thought I'd be able to come in and at least post a time for qualifying." (On the background of how the deal with Dragon Racing came together): "I went to Long Beach and met with these guys a little bit and saw everyone there. I guess with me being a good friend of Paul Tracy, Paul said, 'You've got to give Pat a shot and try him out.' Paul called me, these guys called me, and I was on my way here. I was pretty happy. I want to try it again. It's been awhile." (On the plans for Dragon Racing today): "It's a great team. I'm so disappointed for these guys. They were working hard and had their hopes up wanting to make it in. But, unfortunately, I think the car is pretty damaged. That's going to be it for them, I think."
100th ANNIVERSARY INDIANAPOLIS 500 FIELD NOTES:
•There are five former Indianapolis 500 winners in the starting field: Helio Castroneves (2001, 2002, 2009), Scott Dixon (2008), Dario Franchitti (2007, 2010), Buddy Rice (2004) and Dan Wheldon (2005). Between them they have eight victories. The record for most former winners in the field is 10, in 1992. The fewest, other than the inaugural race in 1911, is zero in 1912.
•There are five Chase Rookie of the Year candidates in the field. This year's rookies: JR Hildebrand, James Hinchcliffe, Jay Howard, Charlie Kimball and Pippa Mann. Last year there were six rookies.
•John Andretti is the most experienced driver in the field, with 11 previous Indianapolis 500 starts. The record is 35, set in consecutive years from 1958-1992 by A.J. Foyt.
•Dario Franchitti has led 255 career laps in the Indianapolis 500, more than any other driver in this year's field. Other drivers in the field who have led more than 200 laps are Dan Wheldon (234), Helio Castroneves (231), Scott Dixon (220) and Tony Kanaan (214).
•Seventeen different drivers in this year's field have led a total of 1,563 laps in previous Indianapolis 500 Mile Races.
•There is a combined 142 previous Indianapolis 500 starts among the 33 drivers in this year's field. The record is 260 years of experience, set in 1987 and 1992. There were 140 years of combined experience in last year's field.
•The oldest driver in the starting field is Davey Hamilton, 48. The youngest qualifier is Graham Rahal, 22.
•There are 10 veterans of the INDYCAR-sanctioned Firestone Indy Lights series in the field: Marco Andretti, Ana Beatriz, Ed Carpenter, JR Hildebrand, James Hinchcliffe, Jay Howard, Charlie Kimball, Alex Lloyd, Pippa Mann, and Graham Rahal.
•Eight Indy Lights champions, under CART and INDYCAR sanction, qualified for the race: Townsend Bell, Scott Dixon, JR Hildebrand, Jay Howard, Alex Lloyd, Tony Kanaan, Oriol Servia and Paul Tracy.
•In addition to the five rookies in the race, there are three drivers - Buddy Rice, Oriol Servia and Paul Tracy - who did not start in last year's race.
•This is the closest-matched field by time in Indianapolis 500 history: 2.5399 seconds separate fastest qualifier Alex Tagliani and slowest qualifier Ana Beatriz. The previous record was 3.0622 seconds set in 2010.
•This is the fifth-closest matched field by speed in Indianapolis 500 history: 3.593 mph separate fastest qualifier Alex Tagliani and slowest qualifier Ana Beatriz. The record is 3.130 miles per hour set in 1953.
***
INDIANAPOLIS 500 BUMP DAY QUALIFYING NOTES:
•Mike Conway failed to qualify for the first time in his "500" career. His previous starts came in 2009 and 2010, both with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.
•Ryan Hunter-Reay failed to qualify for the first time in his "500" career. His previous starts came in 2008 with Rahal Letterman Racing, 2009 with Vision Racing and 2010 with Andretti Autosport.
•Raphael Matos failed to qualify for the first time in his "500" career. His previous starts came in 2009 with Luczo Dragon Racing and 2010 with de Ferran Dragon Racing.
•Sebastian Saavedra failed to qualify for the first time in his "500" career. His previous start came in 2010 with Bryan Herta Autosport.
INDIANAPOLIS 500 BUMP DAY QUALIFYING QUOTES:
PIPPA MANN (No. 36 Conquest Racing): "Well, we finally cured the speed problem we had. We've cured our handling issues. We made so many changes overnight. This morning we weren't happy with the car at all. I went out there with no idea of what I was going to have going into that run. I went into and, 'OK, this will work.' I wish I had that knowledge going in, and we could've been a bit braver. I've got all my fingers and all my toes crossed. I know it's bad sportsmanship, but I really hope it rains so that I don't have to do that again. I'm sorry, everyone else. I know it's cruel, but does anyone know a good rain dance? I just look at the sky and think, 'Come on, give me a break; you haven't done it all week.'"
CHARLIE KIMBALL (No. 83 Levemir and NovoLog FlexPen): "We knew we missed the speed a little bit yesterday morning. We got the setup wrong. I had a little bit to learn as a rookie. Having said that, the 83 Levemir NovoLog FlexPen car was going to be quick. We knew it was going to be fast. The whole Chip Ganassi Racing crew has given me a good car all month. We just had to go out and do it. Last night, we got caught short by rain trying to get a practice run in. This morning we had traffic. Then we were in line, and it rained. We finally got to go out and put up the number I know we're capable of. I was talking to Arie Luyendyk, who has helped me all month. He said, 'Man, (Turn) 3 and (Turn) 4 take forever.' I said, 'Yeah, absolutely, they do.' It's a long run long around those last two corners to the checkered." (About qualifying for this race): "When I got out of the car I thought, 'I've qualified for the 100th Anniversary Indianapolis 500.' Now it's a dream come true. And to do that as the first licensed driver with diabetes to qualify for the Indy 500 is special; not just for me but for the whole diabetes community out there. I hope I get a chance next Sunday to stop and soak it all in, because it's going to be probably one of the greatest days of my life so far."
ALEX LLOYD (No. 19 Boy Scouts of America): "We're slower again. Since Fast Friday, we were OK. We thought we would be 15th to 20th on the grid at the end of Pole Day. And then we lost a mile an hour Saturday and other mile an hour today. I don't know what's going on with the car because we've been throwing everything at it. We have an issue somewhere. Unless we figure out something big, we'll be in trouble. We're losing so much speed. We're just so slow, and we are running out of time to figure it out. Last year we had speed; this year, we never had great speed but better speed than we're showing now. We're flat out every single lap and going slower."
RYAN BRISCOE (No. 6T IZOD Team Penske): "The track was pretty good. The wind changed a little bit for my run. It actually died down. We'd been setting it up, and I had been getting prepared for my adjustments for the wind. The conditions were really good. We did a consistent run in the mid 224s, and it felt solid. We made improvements on the car overnight. I just can't tell you how good it feels to get those four laps in. Hopefully, we don't have to be too stressful the rest of the day. I have a great car. I have a great setup. For some reason this T car hasn't been pulling the speeds we've been expecting with what we were seeing with the primary car. Unfortunately, with my crash yesterday, we can't get that back together. We're racing with the T car. We ran it on Opening Day, and it felt great. So I'm just looking forward to the race. We're going to have a great race car. I'm starting in the back, but we'll be able to get to the front. I've got a Roger Penske calling my race, and we want to bring one home for IZOD."
RYAN HUNTER-REAY (No. 28 Team DHL/Sun Drop Citrus Soda): "We can't get any speed out of the car. It's been like that all month, unfortunately. Our team has great race cars - I've been saying that - and if we get in the race, we'll be a contender, but we got to get through qualifying. Hopefully the weather will hold off, and we'll get to work on it a little bit and get it back in line. The last run was just loose. It was sliding around in the rear, eating up all the racetrack. I don't know, we'll see. Luckily there's still some time left. How much? We don't know."
DANICA PATRICK (No. 7 Team GoDaddy): "I don't think there's a really great answer for why I was faster in qualifying today. I was disappointed with how slow I went at the end. That's Indy. I've always said that this place is its own person. It reads you when you're nervous. It reads you when you're not confident. It reads you when you are. It throws a lot at you, but that's why this is the greatest racetrack in the world." (On what was going through her head before qualifying): "It kind of seemed like everything was just not going the way it needed to go. I just kept going up against things, whether it was not explaining the loss in speed yesterday or going through the tech line and not passing and having to go back through, losing my spot, which was second. It was right where the cutoff was for this morning for the very first round this morning. I would've at least been done and known how fast I was. And then to get in line again after the rain had cleared and have it come with only me left to go, it just kind of seemed like maybe it's just not supposed to happen this year. That's just the roller coaster you ride here. It makes you value the good days even more and it makes you want to try like hell to never have these days ever again." (On how she feels after her run): "I feel like I need a drink. That's really how I feel. I might know after about two of those, maybe even one because I haven't eaten much this weekend. I'm mad. I'm mad because I really thought we had a fast car. I really thought when we started out that we had a fast car that was fast enough to be in the top nine, even. Friday came and that kind of went away a little bit, and then to have it go the way it did, I'm relieved. I'm relieved that I'm in the race. I'm frustrated with some of the process that's happened and some of the things that have happened. I'm excited for everyone that we can go to sleep tonight and know that we're in the race. It's a lot going on, but I'd say I'm between angry and happy. I'm on both ends of the spectrum. I think it's just a lesson that we need to learn why we're fast and why we're not. We need to figure it out and until you have those answers, you can't make it all the same. Maybe it's because Indy is its own little person and you get what you get." (On how her team handled having some cars in the field and some out): "I don't know if anyone's got it figured out. I think it was great for John (Andretti) to get it in. It was a big relief for the team that someone got in, but the reasons why … I don't know if we can put our finger on it. I wouldn't say that anyone feels like they have it figured out. I don't think so. All of us, at times, have felt like we have it figured out and, at times, we feel completely lost. To be honest, you might be able to go up and down pit lane and find a lot of people like that. You have a good day or you have a bad day and, you know what, I had good days all the way up until Saturday, and then I had bad days. I don't think we have a clear answer, but it definitely pushes us to get one. (On how qualifications have played out for all entries): "I don't think we know. I'm sure Roger (Penske) is not sure. When teams make cars, they make one as best they can. I'm sure Roger is scratching his head. Look at Paul Tracy, his teammate Justin Wilson got in but he didn't, so every team has that kind of situation. Unless everyone goes out and is the exact same speed, you're always asking questions. It just seems harder than any other place to put your finger on it here. Some cars go really well by themselves, and some cars just need to see a car and they instantly go faster. It just depends on so many things. That's what makes this place so great and so frustrating all at the same time. It's hard to put your finger on it." (On what she has learned this week): "You learn to never take it for granted. That's definitely one thing. I don't know. Maybe you need to go work on the car constantly to narrow down what you need in the car. Every time I come here, it's a different situation, a different story, a different field out there. But every time I get to participate in the race, I learn more for the next race, and that's all I can do as a driver is take in as many situations on the track as possible and go on to the next one. And that's all I can do, as far as getting the car right and knowing what I need. You would think after seven years I'd be better off, but I'm worse than ever. I mean, not ignoring the fact that the competition has only gotten more difficult. A lot of people have said in their opinions this is the hardest they have ever seen the field. It's as competitive as they've ever seen it. I would have to agree." (About race setup): "I'll be putting some downforce back on. Although my car seems to be going the same speed at all my downforce levels. That was the problem. We didn't get to do a lot of race work, so you might see me playing around on Carb Day. You got to do it. You got to get a run. You got to get it right. And that's one thing I learned when I came here. If you don't get in on the first day, the first weekend, whatever it is, you're just putting yourself back even further because if you have to keep working on qualifying and the race car. Not only are you starting from the back, but you can't work on your race setup and the problems come then. Hopefully with our experience and everything will pay off, and we'll be able to have a good race car, but I'm not sure right now." (About qualifying run): "I had no idea (what my car was going to do). I can tell a little bit when the lights come up when I accelerate and how many lights I can see on the steering wheel and going down the back straight and coming around and then around three and four and got to the front straight, and it felt good. Got around the short chute, had the lights on, out of (Turn) 2 it felt good. Getting lights down the back straight, and I thought, 'OK, it seems like it's OK right now.' Then you come back to start-finish line and it showed 225, and I was happy. Maybe I should've backed off a little. I think that can happen: You can push it too hard on the outset to see what you've got and you penalize yourself in the end, and that wasn't the situation I wanted to put myself in. It was better that it was yesterday, for sure. Unfortunately, we didn't have consistency, but I don't think anyone is thinking about that right now anyway. We'll probably wait until tomorrow. (About Bump Day emotions): "This place can whip you into shape - or out of shape. But I was talking to (Ryan) Hunter-Reay the other day, and he said: 'Bump Day is just where I am. I'm experienced with Bump Day." And that's when I told him: 'You know what? It is the good memories that make me love this place so much, and it's unfortunate for anyone who hasn't had those really good days or really good moments here.' The relief that comes with it, because the highs are what we go for here. So the lows are really low, which means that the highs are really high here. And until you've experienced them, you've never really experienced Indy for all it can be for you. And I've been there. I feel lucky for that. Hopefully, I can continue to finish well, and I think our goal will have to be just stay on the lead lap until the first yellow comes out and go from there." (Before today, have you ever felt like this?): "Sure. I'm a race car driver. It's not always good out there. I remember the first year, probably 2006, we were having a horrible month. It was a struggle. I was doing 211. You know that 211 is pretty slow, and we worked, worked, worked. We had all bad days. Friday got better. And Saturday was fine. I went out there, and I put it in 10th place. I was way happier to be in 10th place in 2006 then fourth in 2005. That is for sure. So I've had those days where you just feel like, 'I'll just take whatever you got.' You just kind of want to be done with your day. Unfortunately, last year I was sitting in a pretty tough situation, too. I don't envy Marco's (Andretti) situation right now. I don't. That's a tough spot to be in. He's going to be strapped in that car until the end of the day, stressing until 6 o'clock. He's got 43 more minutes of this, and I feel really bad for him because that is a bad spot to be in. Last year when I qualified on the first day, our times were slow enough that I was within two people of being bumped if the speeds were over ours, which they were. I was really like 30 seconds coming into the final minute strapped into my car. Oh, geez. It seemed like the weekend would never end. Unfortunately, this one felt kind of similar. I suppose I'm done two hours earlier than I was last year. You just keep the faith the whole time and let it play out." (If you would not have qualified due to the rain and had the opportunity to jump in a teammate's car, would you have taken that to get in?): "I don't know if that would happen. I remember when Alex (Tagliani) took Bruno's (Junqueira) spot two years ago. I did think about that today, but it's not like that. They all have sponsors. They all have people relying on this race. If I don't get to go out today, I will not be in the Indy 500. That's just the way it was going to go. What do you do? I think we've all been rather speechless today. You know, you're rolling around on your rolly chairs in the office room, and you just roll over and you're like, 'What do ya' think?' And nobody has words. Nobody. I didn't have words. I didn't know what to say. I was speechless. I can't believe this was happening. But it is exciting, I guess."
PAUL TRACY (No. 23 WIX Filters/Dreyer & Reinbold Racing): "I'm real happy for the WIX team. They did a great job. We knew we could run those kinds of speeds if we got the opportunity to do it. Indianapolis has dealt me a tough deck over my career. You know, we didn't get it on the first day. We missed the set up a little bit and didn't get a chance to run again. We didn't want to pull ourselves out of the lineup, but to go out and have it start raining and continue to keep it going is great. The last lap was pretty sketchy. The waiting is stressful. Over last night and this morning, I got a fever blister on my lip. That's how stressful it is. I don't get them unless I'm really stressed out. That's what Indianapolis will do to you. It'll drive you crazy. It'll give you the best highs and the biggest lows. I mean, with '02, last year, and qualifying a lap and a half in the rain, I definitely have a flair for bringing the dramatics. (While we were waiting in line) I said to my engineer, 'I think it's going to frickin' rain.' And I didn't say frickin'. It definitely relieves the pressure off the team. We've got all four cars in now so we don't know what's going to happen with the weather. I feel for Danica. She's on the outside looking in, and I know that feeling. Hopefully she'll get a chance to go at it because we want all the best drivers."
GRAHAM RAHAL (No. 38 Service Central): "We got lucky. We got a pretty good draw to go early. Obviously, Danica failed tech, so we got further up the draw. We were very fortunate to get a run in. Now, at the same time, the conditions at which we ran were pretty slow. It was literally as it was starting to rain. The air gets really dense, and therefore it gets pretty slow. Also, when I was looking at data, I was lifting a little bit in (Turn) 1, and I can tell you that the only reason that is because I couldn't see a thing. It was dark, and I had a dark visor on. It all looked like it was a whole bunch of black to me. The Service Central guys did a good job last night. On our second run yesterday - a lot of people thought we aborted it - but we didn't. We had a fuel pickup issue. The car shut itself off. Still, I don't think we're exactly sure what it is. We went through the fuel cell and changed the fuel pump, the collector, all the fuel lines, you know, everything inside. But it was one of those mysterious things. We didn't even touch the fuel cell when we changed engines yesterday, but the next thing we know it didn't want to run. They did a great job getting this car back on track, getting us out there this morning. This morning we ran low 225.3 by ourselves, so I thought that's where I would expect to be in qualifying pace. But it just didn't quite work out."
PIPPA MANN (No. 36 Conquest Racing): "It's a huge relief, and I'm very happy. It's been an up-and-down week, and yesterday was the toughest day that we had all week long. What a day to have it. The boys stayed here so late last night, and we thought it all the way around. I think I'm the only one-off rookie to put it in the show, so that's not a bad achievement."
RYAN HUNTER-REAY (No. 28 Team DHL/Sun Drop Citrus Soda): (After being bumped from the field): "I can't even process this right now. It's just devastating. We struggled all month, or all week, to find speed, and it just wasn't there. It wasn't enough in the end. Sun Drop and DHL have given us a lot of great support, and we've been strong all year. This is terrible. It was my teammate that bumped me out of the field. I've been on that side of it before. In 2009, I was the last car out on track, and I bumped my way into the field. I know what that's like. This is a hard one to take. I don't know how it's going to be on Race Day. We just missed it. We couldn't find the speed. I don't know what to tell you. This is the worst. I don't think it's really hit just yet. I can't process it."
RAPHAEL MATOS (No. 17 Automatic Fire Sprinklers, Inc.): "Oh, man. I would just say that qualifying in Indianapolis is the most stressful day. Bump Day is definitely the most stressful day. I don't ever want to experience this again. I'm very frustrated. Obviously, the whole team is bummed out. All we can do now is keep our heads up and regroup ourselves and go to the next one. Unfortunately, racing is like that sometimes."
JAMES JAKES (No. 18 Acorn Stairlifts): "Every lap we ran out there, we've been flat out. The car was trimmed down and didn't seem to go anywhere. The conditions (weather) varied, but that happens at every racetrack. My thanks to the guys on the Dale Coyne crew, and Alex (Lloyd, teammate) did a great job at the end. The event is awesome, and this is a great show. Hopefully I can be a part of it next year."
MIKE CONWAY (No. 27 Hire Heroes USA/7-Eleven/Dr Pepper): "It's a tough break - both me and Ryan, not in the show. I'm pretty gutted. Danica spent some time with me, putting me back together, after I got back to the garage. I'm obviously happy for Danica, Marco and John to be in, but gutted for me and Ryan. I never wanted to experience this feeling. You see it happen every year, and you hope it's not you. It's not nice."
***
From Amy Konrath, INDYCAR, (317) 492-6453, akonrath@indycar.com / World Wide Web: http://www.indycar.com
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